Trendy, dramatic spaces can look really cool and exciting. Lots of angles create modern lines, and these uniquely-shaped spaces complement contemporary furnishings. When a new family moves into a house like this, priorities may be different from the original concept. They make like the look of a contemporary home, but ...
Angles are great. They can add interest to an otherwise boring floor plan. Introducing these, or designing a home full of angles takes restraint, and careful planning. The same goes for chaotic roof lines. There has to be a functional reason for them. Remember what Frank Lloyd Wright said: “ ...
When it is determined that living all on one floor makes sense, the whole floor plan should be evaluated. Usually adding a master bedroom on the first floor requires an addition, but where it is located and how it relates to the rest of the house is important.
So many of us ‘live’ in the kitchen. In older houses the kitchen is often separated from the living spaces. In many remodeling projects, the big wish is to remove the wall between the kitchen and dining room to create more open space. That move doesn’t always solve the problem.
Editor's note: Marcia Lyon will be in the Ann Arbor area April 20-24. You may contact her at Marcia@creatingspaces.net or at 515-991-8880 to set up a consultation. In older homes, some of us are lucky enough to have a private master bathroom. That’s the good news. The bad news is ...
Traditional homes have formal spaces. The public spaces are separated from the private spaces to provide an always-presentable space to entertain. This is an expression of a lifestyle that is disappearing. Many people like the look of a traditional home and yet really need it (and all of the spaces) to work for their family.
People take the good and bad when they choose to live in a vintage home. The good features are details such as large wood baseboards and casing details, wider halls and perhaps bay windows. And the bad: Sharing a hall bathroom that may be spacious yet somewhat impractical, as well ...
The way we (ourselves and our family) enter our houses is kind of a big deal. If our path is blocked or crowded, it can add strife to our lives. The way our guests enter is another matter. In many ways, this initial entry into someone's home creates a lasting ...
Many hobbies can creep up on us and eventually take over if we do not provide the needed room. These can be pets or things. Collecting thimbles or shot glasses is one thing, but activities like golfing, hockey or bicycling are serious space grabbers. And don’t forget the items that ...
So many floor plans make little sense, posing the question: "What were they thinking?" In most cases elements were added like boxes to fit into the available space. The truth is that many of these decisions were not "thought out," often resulting in cramped spaces or walls that are unfriendly ...
The most efficient ranch home is built as a rectangle. One side has the public areas and the other side has the bedrooms and baths. These "boxy" rooms seem to be separate and somewhat static. We now crave more of an open plan and kitchens that are family friendly.
The NHL Winter Classic is coming to Ann Arbor, but guess what Ann Arbor? The NHL doesn’t care if you buy a ticket. You’re the kid with the coolest house on the block, and the NHL wants to use your pool for a party. Show up if you want, but ...
The Master Gardener Talks Series at Nicola’s Books continues on Monday, Feb. 13 with a presentation on Raised Bed Construction and Gardening. The talk begins at 6 p.m. at Nicola's Books at 2513 Jackson Road in Ann Arbor. Raised beds have many advantages over traditional garden beds. Their soil tends ...
There comes a time when all of the kids are grown and gone and we start to evaluate if our house works for us in this new phase of life. Parents usually want room for the kids to return for visits, but do not want the home to revolve around ...
Traffic patterns are not always considered in standard builder plans, which the majority of our homes are built from. Little has changed in the floor plans for years. Traffic issues have changed since we now bring in and take out more "stuff." We also have a different relationship with the ...
Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com AnnArbor.com's partner news site MLive.com is on a quest to find the best barbecue in ......
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