You Said It: ‘Adding Color Is About So Much More Than Shock’ and More

This week on Houzz, stories reflected a sense of community, and it gave me an uplifting “Kumbaya” feeling. I’m not really the “Kumbaya” type, but I’m embracing it and hope I can spread it around here. Houzzers helped Houzzers on the discussion boards, a writer suggested gathering with friends for “freezer cooking,” and a story covered village-style low-income housing in New Zealand built by architecture students. And learning about zero net energy made me think about how the energy I consume at home affects others worldwide. In addition, there was help for deciphering construction contracts, advice on opening up to color and a story about a couple who gave their neglected kitchen a gorgeous DIY makeover on a tight budget.

“Wherever you live, there’s probably a blooming tree that spectacularly announces that spring is here or at least is on the way.” — Bill Marken

For those of you buried in snow right now, this story is for you. Think of it as the light at the end of the winter tunnel — you can look forward to the blooms you’ll be enjoying in a few months via the beautiful photography in this story. In spite of the thick yellow pollen that makes makes my eyes itch and my nose run, I cannot wait!

Full story: 7 Spectacular and Practical Spring-Flowering Trees


“Sometimes you need to get a viewpoint from others to get out of a rut.” — homeowner Kimberlee Dray, as told to Mitchell Parker

For this story, Mitchell Parker talked with Houzzer Kimberlee Dray, who got help pulling together her living room in the Houzz Design Dilemma section. It really lightened my day to see the wonderful interaction going on among our users there and the help they gave Dray. It made me realize I need to spend more time on the Houzz discussion boards to see all the great conversations.

Full story: A Living Room Miracle With $1,000 and a Little Help From Houzzers


“Invite friends into the kitchen for ‘freezer cooking.’ Make lighter work for all by inviting friends to participate in a day of cooking, with the express purpose of making dinners that can be stored in the freezer.” — Laura Gaskill

This is such a great idea. It’s a fun activity that will save you money and time, and you’ll stock your fridge for a week with things you may not have known how to make before your freezer party.

Full story: To Dos: Your February Home Checklist


“I’m a bit of an idealist, and I haven’t lost the utopian dream of ‘architecture for the people’ that was instilled in me in my university days.” — architect and teacher Dave Strachan, as told to Claire McCall

This project took “It takes a village” to heart. Designed and built by Strachan and his architecture students, this prefabricated, ecofriendly community housing focuses not only on function, but also on a sense of neighborhood. I so enjoyed the way Strachan has passed along to his class the ideals he embraced when he was an architecture student, and has applied them to a real project they got to see through to completion.

Full story: Two Homes Focus on Community


“Since buildings consume about 25 percent of our nation’s energy, the savings and implications of ZNE [zero net energy] are enormous.” — Steven Randel

With modern technology moving so fast, it’s really hard to keep up with what all the new terms mean, much less what they mean for you and your home. Confession: When it comes to these terms, sometimes I feel like a “Jack of all trades, master of none” — I can throw them around and understand them in context without really knowing the real nitty-gritty. Thus, I’m so grateful that Randel answers all the questions I might have about zero net energy.

Also, I had no idea that buildings consume 25 percent of the energy in the U.S. It makes sense, but it underlines the importance of thinking globally while acting locally. Small changes we make around our homes really do make a difference in the world around us and for future generations. And as a bonus, in the end, they can fatten our wallets.

Full story: Zero Net Energy: A Hardworking-House Term to Know


“He couldn’t see past the filth. But I saw a blank canvas and envisioned everything I could do.” — homeowner Annie Spano, as told to Mitchell Parker

This is a great story about a couple who gave their kitchen a beautiful renovation for less than $9,000 using YouTube videos, Houzz photos, lots of hard work and smart sale shopping. And then they shared how they did it with all of us. They even shared their itemized budget, which was such a great bonus. And yes, they really did score the granite counters for $500!

Full story: DIY Spirit and $8,700 Transform a Townhouse Kitchen


“But adding color is about so much more than shock.” — Yanic Simard

Whether you’re color shy or a color-commitment-phobe, Simard understands. Using color is not necessarily about fuchsia or electric lime-green walls (Simard suggests pale or mint green for the color shy). A range of neutral hues can add amazing depth; metallic finishes and glass (seen here) can bring in just the right dose of color and reflection. Don’t be scared — even the biggest colorphobes will find something appealing in this article.

Full story: How to Add Color if You’re Color Shy


“If it’s not written down, it may not be included in the pricing, so make sure the elements you are expecting are outlined on the plans or in the scope or specifications.” — Anne Higuera

Construction contracts are pretty much my worst nightmare; it all sounds so complicated to me. But Higuera really lays everything out, pointing out important elements to watch for. The short of it: specify, specify, specify. Materials, systems, finishes and more should be specified on the scope of work document so you’ll know exactly what you’ll be getting for your money. This is a must-read for anyone planning a renovation.

Full story: Construction Contracts: How to Understand What You Are Buying
Did something on Houzz strike a chord with you this week? If so, please share it with us in the Comments section, and have a great weekend, everyone!

URL: You Said It: ‘Adding Color Is About So Much More Than Shock’ and More http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-25551.html