Neighbors and trees How controversial do those words, neighbors and trees, sound to you? If you enter them into your browser, you might be surprised at the variety of sources that populate the search results. Many of them pointing to areas of contention when to comes to neighbors and trees. Nextdoor.com brings the controversies into
Kitchen remodeling continues to be one of the hottest trends in home renovation, and kitchen islands are more popular than ever. Why? Older kitchen layouts may not fit the way we live and work today. Creating a space that is beautiful and functional is high on the list of needs when renovating a kitchen. How
Designing with the environment in mind is a concept that goes back centuries. In fact, many ancient civilizations and indigenous cultures worldwide exhibited a deep connection to their natural surroundings through their architecture. Indigenous architecture often integrated design elements with local materials and construction techniques that were in harmony with the environment. During the Renaissance,
Let's talk about housewide retrofits for aging in place – those items you’ll want to take care of around your entire home to make it ready for a time when you or a family member may have physical disabilities associated with aging. This week, we’ll cover a few simple items that can be accomplished in
If you’ve done any house-hunting in the Bay Area, you might have heard the terms Art Deco, Arts and Crafts Style, Bungalow, Modern, Contemporary, Mid-Century Modern, Cape Cod Style, Colonial and Victorian – to name a few of the architectural styles. The problem is, some of these terms are used interchangeably, when they are distinct.
As a professional architect, I wear many hats. Designer, artist, draftsperson, construction manager, client advocate … It takes years of training to develop the skills an architect needs and years of experience to hone them. For me, it started in childhood, as I learned to really look at the structures around me and ask myself
There was a time when Marin County was made synonymous with hot tubs. The NBC documentary I Want it All Now caused quite the stir. We’ve come a long way since then, but the allure of owning a hot tub is still a great idea. Perhaps you've contemplated finding the hot tub that is just
A version of this post first ran in 2016. Using graywater (sometimes spelled greywater) to irrigate your landscaping is an excellent way to reduce your water use in California's drought-prone climate. What Is Graywater? Graywater is water generated from household use that would otherwise go to waste. Water from bathroom sinks, laundry, shower, bath and
Good question. When was the last time you had to choose drapes, blinds, sheers or shutters? Maybe it was when you moved into a new home. How about when you replaced your old single-pane windows for those beautiful double-paned picture windows? Or maybe it was after a full room redesign or addition. Even if you
A major remodeling project brings with it lots of different emotions. Excitement. Frustration. Anger. Elation. If you’re doing a major building or remodeling project, chances are you’ll experience all these emotions – and more – during the process. As an architect, I’ve seen it time and again, and each time I’m right there with the
