Three Keys to Preparing for a Successful New Home or Remodeling Project

I've recently been doing a number of remodeling projects in the last few weeks, and this article by Richard Taylor absolutely hits the nail on the head. Enjoy!

You have some sort of picture in your mind of how you want your house to look, to function, to feel. How do you communicate that to your Architect, and to the people who’ll be building the walls and installing the countertops? The key to success in a new home or remodeling project is making sure all parties – you, your Architect, and your contractor - all fully understand that picture in your mind. Here are a few ideas to help you make your vision crystal clear:

1) Collect and Organize

Whenever you come across something that appeals to you for your house, take a photo of it; tear the page out of the magazine; or print it from your computer. Even if the photo or drawing only has a tiny thing you like, get it on paper. (read more)

Three Keys to Preparing for a Successful New Home or Remodeling Project by Richard Taylor

Retro Remodeling

This website is a wonderful resource for those planning a "Mad Man Era" kitchen remodeling.

With no idea how to go about decorating the pink bathroom in the midcentury home she and her husband had bought in Lexington, Ky., Judi Forston typed “1959 Ranch” into Google. “I thought I’d find something architectural and scholarly about houses built in that era,” Ms. Forston said. Instead, she found retrorenovation.com.

Since Ms. Kueber started her Web site in 2007, it has become the epicenter of a small but devoted group of mid-century design enthusiasts, a go-to destination for homeowners who spurn the latest décor trends in favor of re-tiling their bathrooms in turquoise mosaics from the Eisenhower years or installing Dishmaster kitchen faucets whose bulky forms recall those of a late-model Studebaker. (read more)

Restoring the Retro House by Steven Kurutz