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When you’re ready to construct a raised garden bed, cedar is a great selection for prolonging the life of the bed without needing to take care of it with chemicals. Whether you pick 1- or 2-inch thick wood is dependent upon a few things. No matter which you use, remember that 1-inch thick lumber is actually only 3/4-inch thick, while 2-inch lumber is 1 1/2 inches thick. And several of the cedars we use for building outdoor structures aren’t true cedars (Cedrus spp), however, also are part of the cypress family (Cupressaceae).

Strength

When building the sides of the raised bed garden, strength is important. Raised beds are typically 6 inches tall to get blooms and most vegetables, however, the beds to get root vegetables are up to 12 inches tall. Taller beds require more soil and result in more pressure exerted on the sides. When screwed together at the corners, thicker 2-inch wood is stronger than 1-inch, which makes it a better choice for bigger beds. But if you want to keep prices down, you can increase the strength of 1-inch cedar by attaching it into 4-by-4-inch corner articles using 3-inch deck screws.

Durability

Whether you pick 1- or 2-inch cedar boards to build your raised beds, then you want them to last as long as you possibly can. Thicker wood lasts years longer than thinner, and boards made of heartwood last longer than ones made from sapwood. Heartwood comes from the center of the tree and contains additional rot-resistant oils. Sapwood is located just under the bark. It’s softer and decays considerably more quickly than heartwood.

Cost

Cedar is precious for its ability to resist rot and insects strikes, however, its price keeps some people from using it. You can make it even more affordable by lining the interior of the boards using 6-mil black plastic. This keeps moisture off of the boards, when watering, prolonging the life of the raised bed. Don’t run the plastic across the breadth of the bed or you will create drainage issues. But because of the possibility of toxins leaching from the plastic, some gardeners do not consider growing in plastic-lined beds consistent with organic practice.

Forms

Eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) is the most durable of all the cedars. It’s knotty and when left untreated, the heartwood can last 30 years or longer, even when in contact with soil. It resists insect strikes nicely and is the most expensive of the cedar species. It’s native to the eastern United States, where it rises in U.S. Department of Agriculture zones 2 through 9. Western redcedar (Thuja plicata) rises from the Pacific Northwest at USDA zones 6 though 8. It resists rot for 10 to 25 years and is not as immune to pest attacks as eastern red cedar. Northern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) resists termites and lasts about five to 15 years. It’s often used for making outdoor furniture and rises in USDA zones 2 through 7 at the northeast United States. Cedar sorts are more likely to be available in their native areas and at a more cost-effective price.

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Unique design starts with a dilemma. Keith Gregor’s and Sherry was twofold. For one, they’d spent 10 years trying to figure out precisely what to do with their 500-square-foot family room. Then one afternoon they sat down with their two teenaged sons in the area to watch sports and recognized their favourite football teams — the NFL’s Cincinnati Bengals and the University of Cincinnati Bearcats — were playing in the exact same time.

To solve the second dilemma, they hauled in an extra TV and watched both games side by side. “Out of laziness it remained that way for a while,” Sherry says. “I then got to thinking, ‘This could work. Why not just turn it into a sports bar?'”

Before Photo

Transformations Custom Wood Design

After all, while the decor exuded family on the outside — a large family photograph hung over the fireplace, and also the word “household” was exhibited on a shelf — the space didn’t quite function for their real needs. This really is. Keith was a championship point guard for the University of Cincinnati; his dad played in the NBA in the late ’60s and ’70s; Sherry had season tickets to the Cincinnati Reds rising up; and their 14-year-old son is a sports enthusiast, too.

“Everything we did, it didn’t seem like it filled up the space,” Sherry says. “I never enjoyed it. In 10 years it never looked decent.”

The only logical thing to do was build a sports pub.

Transformations Custom Wood Design

AFTER: And today … match on. The area has everything a sports fan could need: multiple TVs, a full bar, two fridges for wine and beer, stadium-style recliner chairs, a cushioned booth and memorabilia signed by some of baseball’s and football’s best athletes.

But while the Gregors had the eyesight, they needed someone to build it. They met custom wood designer Doug Roth in the Cincinnati Home & Garden show and explained their plan, not sure if they would be met with open or confusion arms. “I was like, ‘Sweet! ”’ Roth says. “I really like to do something no one else has.”

He explained he wanted to make it look like the Fox and the Hound Irish bar in Cincinnati, a dark-paneled, masculine-leaning area. “I immediately knew precisely what this must seem like,” he says.

After checking out the bar, the Gregors said “cheers” into Roth’s approach. “When those paneled walls went up, it grew much bigger and turned out quite awesome,” Sherry says.

Transformations Custom Wood Design

They originally wanted all the TVs on the fireplace wall, figuring because they never really made fires, they would simply tear it down. However, Roth found that if the focus was pointed the other way, they would get 2 extra feet of space behind the seats, giving them space to get a corner stall.

Now a 65-inch TV hangs over the fireplace mantel, which can be adorned with football helmets from several groups: the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati Bengals, Oak Hills high school and Ohio State University.

Transformations Custom Wood Design

On the primary viewing wall, two 60-inch TVs flank an 80-inch one in the center, over which is a ticker that continuously scrolls sports scores and news. The area includes two hinges on the left one for wine, another for beer and soda. Most importantly them LEDs illuminate spirits that are hard. Roth made the cabinets and additional columns for extra detail.

The wall panels are stained solid walnut 1-by-4s. The center is one big piece that Roth constructed in the living space, then hoisted up.

Transformations Custom Wood Design

The Gregors purchased this cushioned vinyl bench online. Roth then added trim to the bottom to make it blend in with all the millwork. He made the table, too.

The jersey, photos and little shelf of championship rings are from Keith’s college days. The large bobble head is your Cincinnati Reds mascot.

Transformations Custom Wood Design

The reddish chair back is in the old Riverfront Stadium’s seat. It’s signed by former Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame catcher Johnny Bench, whose group number was 5. Pictures and bats signed by Cincinnati Reds players are also exhibited.

Transformations Custom Wood Design

Keith and Sherry met in a Taco Bell in college — she attended Ohio State University — and a neon sign reminds them of their early days as a couple.

Transformations Custom Wood Design

The space is installed using a raised platform and stadium-style seating. The Gregors’ oldest teenaged son loves theater and movie, so the space functions as an incredible movie-watching room, too.

But, needless to say, using a radical transformation similar to this, there are guaranteed to be naysayers questioning your own judgment. The Gregors simply plowed forwards as though they had been returning a punt.

“My father was like, ‘Why would you do this?'” Sherry says. “The neighbors said, ‘Why don’t you get it done in the basement?’ Since I don’t wish to go down to the basement,” she says. “Everybody hangs out in the kitchen. It simply made sense to do it all in one area. Obviously, all of them love it today. Now that they’ve seen it, their mind has changed. It’s been packed ever since.”

Next: London ambience in a New York basement

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When I started studying kitchen layout many (many!) Years ago, I heard all about the much-venerated kitchen work — in which the fridge, range and sink have been placed 4 to 9 feet apart, forming a roughly equilateral triangle. This design principle was developed back when many folks had smaller, closed-off kitchens, where only 1 person prepared and cleaned up dishes. It’s an efficient way to lay out appliances and the sink at a tiny closed or semiclosed kitchen.

The work triangle is still practical today, but with kitchens that now run the gamut from miniature single-wall galleys up to big open-plan kitchens, it is more helpful to think in terms of work zones rather.

Ward-Young Architecture & Planning – Truckee, CA

Work zones are just the normal evolution of the kitchen work triangle. As kitchens grew in size and opened up to additional rooms in the home, it became more of a challenge to place appliances at a neat triangular layout. In addition, we have more appliances than ever before — dishwashers, extra sinks, microwaves, independent cooktops and wall ovens — not to mention more individuals working and interacting in the space. By sectioning off your kitchen into work zones, you’ll maximize efficiency in a bigger space; more cooks, as well as their guests, will be adapted.

ID by Gwen

Group appliances and fixtures according to use. To set up work zones on your kitchen, think of the activities that you perform regularly: keeping food, homework, cooking, baking, serving, eating, cleaning, making coffee, chilling wine etc.. A work zone contains whatever you use to perform each job.

For example, you should place your dishwasher next to your sink, with a compost bin and a garbage bin nearby to streamline kitchen cleanup.

First Lamp

Store what you want where you want it most. As well as group appliances and fixtures according to use, give yourself sufficient storage in every zone for everything you want to perform the job.

This wood-topped baking zone is perfect for kneading bread or rolling out pizza dough. All the bread-making and baking tools can be kept in the cabinets under. Someone can quickly work at this channel while another individual prepares food in another portion of the kitchen.

Sinclair Associates Architects

Supply landing areas alongside significant appliances. For security and efficiency, consider putting a countertop landing place next to your major kitchen appliances, particularly the stove, cooktop, microwave and wall ovens.

That you want to be able to rapidly set something down hot without having to trek halfway across your kitchen. This will also give you a cooking work zone; you can store items like knives, cutting boards and pots and pans from the cabinets and use the countertops for cooking and chopping homework.

MAKE Design Studio

Produce a kids’ zone. When you have kids and a good-size space, set up a place from the kitchen where the children can hang out, do homework and eat snacks. This will make it possible for you to all be from the kitchen together with no little ones getting underfoot.

Fivecat Studio | Architecture

Take a zone for your guests. When you have an open kitchen and prefer to entertain frequently, you know how important it’s to have a place where guests can hang out and chat while you prepare meals and beverages. A huge island or peninsula works nicely for this, because it can work as a barrier that prevents individuals from getting in your way while also giving them a place to perch while you work. Again, consider the items you use for serving and entertaining, and keep them in the cabinets under so that you can readily access them.

Homes From Architects Tour

Widen the aisles. Whether you opt for the conventional work triangle or to divide your kitchen into work zones, pay attention to a kitchen aisle widths. The suggested minimum aisle width is 42 inches, however I prefer 48 inches, particularly in kitchens with numerous cooks. Should you cook and entertain frequently and have the distance, you can go as wide as 54 inches. Wider than that, though, and your distance will probably become ineffective, as you’ll spend more time walking than cooking.

Tell us Does your kitchen have a zones or triangle? How does the layout work (or not) for you?

Read more about kitchen designs

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Harvesting rainwater is an old idea that is gaining more adherents as water issues impact more and more of us. It is a practical strategy — you collect the water which would otherwise drain off your roof and use it to water your garden. The one disadvantage has always been seems. Most rain barrels were plastic containers which didn’t add much to the general landscape, a consideration that has been made even more obvious from the fact that their place, in the end of a rain or gutter series, made them a notable garden feature.

Times have changed, since the rain barrels showcased here prove. With a little work and creativity, you may have a rain barrel that fits your style and can be a standout in your backyard layout.

Chitra Vishwanath

Show it off. This rain chain/stone barrel combination doubles as a element in the backyard. In fact, you need to appear carefully to comprehend its function.

The use of strands of carefully spaced, thin galvanized iron chains is also an intriguing variation on the prevalent and bigger chains while the colors of the rock and metal mix seamlessly with the property’s exterior paint and trim.

AMS Landscape Design Studios, Inc..

On a similar vein, consider turning a fountain into a rain barrel. The scrollwork spigot might easily be attached to a downspout and you might put in a hose end to the base of the pot. Hidden pipework is an cost but worthwhile to the look.

Calico Studio

The sleek lines of this metal container would be too primitive for many houses, but they work perfectly with this contemporary style. It is evidence that a rain barrel needn’t be hidden.

Gardens from Gabriel, Inc..

Blend it in. If you would rather your barrel mix in, tuck it into the corner and encircle it with soft plantings. Repeating the terra cotta components in the rest of the space provides design continuity.

Burris & Associates, LLC

Cladding your storage tank in the exact same siding as the wall it stays against lets it fade into the background.

Woodmeister Master Builders

A wooden barrel is, of course, the greatest rain barrel. Luckily, it fits well with several house and garden designs, such as traditional, cottage and ranch houses.

Native Edge Landscape

Experiment with the look. At first sight, this rain barrel makes its presence known since it perches on its custom wooden stand. Though the mix of materials may seem like it would clash, it works well with the surrounding stone and wood facade of the house, architectural plantings and ground cover.

Envision Landscape Studio Inc..

This large galvanized container would seem to be an odd choice for this natural garden. It turns out that the lavish use of rocks grounds it instead. It is observable, but not as awkward as it might be in a more traditional space.

S2 Design

Add more performance. Water storage and irrigation are all combined in this modern spin on classic rainwater storage. Rather than conceal the workings, the storage unit and habit overflow tank are part of the general terrace design.

2fORM Architecture

A similar, though slightly bigger scale, includes a rain chain leading to the planter and also a bigger gutter in the backdrop draining to the bigger cistern outside it, which sits back far enough not to overwhelm the space directly outside the door.

Eggleston Farkas Architects

If industrial is the style, forget the wood barrels and go out with metal and concrete. The pipe look, rather than an open gutter, strengthens the theme and the concrete blends with the home’s siding.

B. Jane Gardens

Go large. If you live where rainfall is plentiful, you needn’t be limited by size. Sure, all these cisterns are large. But rather than attempt to hide them, embrace them as part of the landscape.

Thanks to the greenery along with the painted wall near this traditional cistern almost, but not quite, hides in plain sight. The weathered wood is another way to help this mix into the area, even if it is as tall as the house.

Fivedot

Or, simply place your rain water storage system front and centre. Yes, these are extremely large, but the contemporary home design may hold its own against them.

Johnston Design Group

Add your own touch. Nestle your barrel into a bed or rocks and grow vines around it for a natural look.

Rain Barrel Artist

Or move daring. In case you don’t want to disguise your rain barrel, make it stand out. Who wouldn’t enjoy this frog?

Rain Barrel Artist

Or surfing scene?

Rain Barrel Artist

Or glorious peacock?

There are not any rules. Only ideas.

More: Protect a Precious Resource Having a Rain Garden

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Do you feel as though your home is bursting at the seams? No playroom, no guest bedroom, no room for everyone to go to their room? If you have made the best use of what you have, it may be time for you to melt, go up or build out. When an addition makes sense together with your home’s construction and site, building outside, rather than up or down, can be more affordable. But there’s still plenty to think about before beginning.

Professional Photographer, Susan Teare

Questions to Ask Yourself

Do you have room? If you’re hemmed in by land-use codes or just don’t want to give your spacious garden, then building out may not be the ideal decision for you. But if you have room to spare and also can be designed around an outdoor gathering area, your inclusion can actually capitalize on a bigger lawn.

Will it finish your residence? Think about the brand new floor plan you’re considering (for instance, adding a third or fourth bedroom in the primary level, relocating the kitchen, including a great room, making a open floor plan) and if it will really resolve the problem you are trying to fix. When there is not space in the primary level to fix the design issue, you may choose to visit your basement or a second-story inclusion for the response, or possibly a main-floor inclusion that includes a basement or second-story area.

Duo Dickinson, architect

Matters to Consider

Feasiblity and cost. A main-level addition on a set property can be the least expensive square footage you put in to your home. But if you throw in a steep incline, an inclusion below grade, complex tie-ins to the existing house or difficult access to the construction area, the costs can quickly rival the cost of a second-story inclusion — or perhaps be greater. Talk with your architect and contractor about which portions of your strategy are cost drivers, and make choices that will restrict their effect.

Alair Homes Charlotte

The path of least resistance. Main-level additions are often the easiest, structurally. They can be built to code without needing to retrofit much of their existing home or its base. This can assist them cost a lot less than second-story additions, which frequently need structural retrofitting to the base, removing siding and disturbing interior walls.

The only trick with main-level improvements is connecting the new base to the older one if the original base is made of brick or another unreinforced masonry material. Nonetheless, it’s still far easier than having to completely replace the base to accumulate.

Frank Shirley Architects

Making a match. Anytime you add to the outside of your home, you should carefully consider how the addition will match or purposely not match the finishes of the first residence. If your home includes weather-worn wood, unmatchable brick or vinyl that’s no longer left, you will have decide whether to replace the siding on the entire house or have the inclusion not match.

Consider windows too. In case you have leaky old single-pane windows, it may be time to replace them with versions that are cultured.

A whole-house outside makeover can a project’s cost, but it can also yield a unified, updated look for the exterior which makes your inclusion seem as though it has ever been there.

Bosworth Hoedemaker

Small solutions. Sometimes a tiny addition can yield big results, particularly in kitchens. Adding just three or four feet to a cramped kitchen can open up a world of possibilities for appliances and extra cabinetry. If this can be accomplished by cantilevering the inclusion (that does not take a base) and if the inclusion can be tucked under existing overhangs, the requirement to frame in a brand new roof is eliminated as well.

Strategies for if you need just a little more room

Wyant Architecture

The building-out bonus. There’s a valuable incentive to building out rather than up or down. Often the groundwork, concrete and framing for the inclusion can be under way for at least two weeks before the construction moves into your current home. That buys you more time to package up and prepare for the rest of the undertaking. If the range of work is restricted to the inclusion, this means you can maintain the balance of your home furnished and operational, which means that you won’t need to pay for a temporary transfer.

More: How to melt for more room

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What do you believe architects do all day? Many people envision someone sitting before a drafting table, with pen, eraser and straightedge, drawing into the wee hours of night. Unlike this stereotype, most firms have substituted old-school drafting tables with state-of-the-art computers and applications that in many ways can outperform the old pen and paper on any particular day. But technology alone is not enough.

Dylan Chappell Architects

Now’s dwellings conserve energy, provide more functions in less space, promote a healthy lifestyle and are integrated with technologies, and also the ways architects are designing and constructing homes are changing too.

Educating yourself on various tools architects use and why can allow you to receive the ideal design fast and within your budget.

GO LOGIC

But before we get into computer applications, 3-D fly-through versions and photorealistic renderings, there are a couple basic qualities an architect should have, because even the most advanced gadget or software can’t compensate for their absence. Certain time-tested skills may make the difference between a successful and an unsuccessful architect.

Listening. Good listening skills might be the most important instrument in an architect’s arsenal. When I graduated from design school, I had fantasies of being a wonderful designer, showing and teaching people what great design looked like.

Well, those ancient (and naïve) ideas shortly fell by the wayside when I heard that being a fantastic architect isn’t about persuading people that my thoughts are great, but having the ability to listen to, understand and translate their thoughts into the ideal space for them.

Dylan Chappell Architects

Drawing. In spite of all of the modern technologies, no architect ought to be without a sketchbook or notepad. Being an architect is a lifelong dedication to studying, researching, discovering and experiencing buildings and spaces. You never know when you might come across fixture the perfect detail or merchandise. By always having a sketchbook on architects ensure that they will remember everything.

Although a professional’s sketchbook might have some remarkable drawings inside, it needs to be used mostly to keep tabs on clients’ thoughts and needs, somewhere to record goods, details, comments, to-dos, problems to resolve and imaginative answers. Taking detailed notes and listening well are the foundation of any project.

Z Gallerie

Experience. A seasoned architect is a key ingredient for a successful project, but experience comes only with time and dedication. I am not saying to trust just architects with grey hair, but ensure your architect has completed projects similar to yours. If you reside in an area which has long and complicated design inspection and permitting processes, make sure that he or she knows the ropes and isn’t spending your money and time on schooling.

A seasoned architect not just should know and understand local jurisdictions, vernacular styles and design guidelines, but also needs to be well traveled. Fantastic spaces aren’t only buildings but something you truly encounter. There is not any better way to understand distances or people better than by traveling and visiting the world. Fantastic design transcends style, and there is no substitute for the real item, therefore the more places your architect continues to be may influence favorably on your own design.

Poggenpohl

All the technologies in the world won’t be able to assist an architect come up with a excellent design without the three must-have attributes above.

However, a treasure trove of applications, products and technology is available to help the modern architect create additional ideas, better communication methods and interrogate presentations. Employing an architect who has strong fundamentals complemented with modern tools means you’ll be presented with better designs, have more options to select from, know what you’re getting before paying to have it constructed, and in the long run, receive the very best design for your lifestyle.

Next: Stay tuned for the next thing in an architect’s toolbox: Computer Aided Design (CAD) software.

More: Who Needs 3-D Design? 5 Reasons You Do | Locate an architect near you

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A volute is a spiral layout element often found on handrails of traditional staircases. Also called a whorl, it’s comparable to the unfurling scroll that is common in Greek architecture.

FGY Architects

The volute is the decorative turnout at the base of a staircase. In this picture the seam where the two combined handrail bits meet is known as the up ramp.

Lasley Brahaney Architecture + Construction

Volutes spiral into the right or to the left of the staircase depending on the placement of the baluster.

Image Design Stairs

The volute is an extravagant gesture adding personality to an otherwise linear staircase.

Siemasko + Verbridge

The coil of this volute can be simple, or it can be exaggerated, as with this wonderful piece of woodwork. When the handrail ends with a single twist, the detail is known as a turnout.

Advantage Contracting

Beneath this volute the curtail is visible. The curtail is the curved staircase tread which extends beyond the first step at the exterior of the baluster.

Solaris Inc..

The vertical rod that is more robust compared to the encompassing spindles is known as the volute newel, and it supports both the volute at its center.

Cairn Construction Inc..

Another option for a staircase landing is to simply use a large newel post, which is located at the beginning of the baluster and forgoes any spiraled woodwork.

LLC, Melaragno Design Company

Some newel posts have curved decorative components adorning them, like this ball finial.

Island Architects

This newel post and a volute are combined.

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Can you stay where you are and restore your current home or would you proceed to a different, possibly newer, home? How can you make that decision? Some will counsel you to leave that old home and buy something new. Others will say to tear it down and build brand new, while others will inform you to stay and remodel.

So just how can you create that go or no-go decision? What standards do you use to create a rational decision to stay put and renovate or proceed?

Below are some questions to ask yourself. Your replies will certainly help you choose your next move.

Dennison and Dampier Interior Design

How do you feel about your neighborhood? Is it a place you like? What about the neighbors? What about conveniences? Are you happy your children visit the local schools?

In sum, ensure the neighborhood is the right fit. Take to heart the old adage that you could always fix a home but you can not fix a locality.

Duo Dickinson, architect

Can there be some intangible quality to your house? Whilst not every home has a value beyond just offering refuge, many do. Whether it’s age or design or some other quality, a house that’s significance should not be subjected to the wrecking ball. Expanding, adapting and renovating these houses are certain ways to keep that significance alive for future generations.

Beckwith Group

Does renovating make fiscal sense? You will find a whole slew of factors to weigh when it comes to this question. If you’re renovating, there is not only the price of these renovations. There might very well be related costs, such as temporary living quarters while the home is under construction.

Additional costs will also be associated with moving (for instance, Realtor fees and decorating the new home).

Deciding whether to go or stay requires that you identify all the costs, not only the construction costs, before making a decision.

Before Photo

Northworks Architects and Planners

Does the existing home have good bones? Not every home is a good candidate for a renovation. While there could be a reason to reconstruct an older classic barn that is full of memories, a 20-year-old tract home with a failing base or another substantial flaw might not be a good candidate. So be certain that you check, or have a professional check, the bones of your home to see exactly what lies under those base cracks and less-than-level floors.

Howell Custom Building Group

How does the latest zoning restrictions affect the project? If your home is old, it might have been built under different, often more lax, zoning limitations.

While your home may suit you better throughout the benefits of those laxer limitations, a new home in its location might not. Evaluate elevation, distance to property lines, yard dimensions and so on to determine if saving the existing structure provides some benefits that would be lost if the home were razed.

Chang + Sylligardos Architects

Can I be patient and have fun with the project even when it is not going well? In any case, building a new custom home or renovating your current home will require you to make hundreds of choices. From the macro, like just how large and how much, to the micro, like exactly what hardware you would like on the kitchen cabinets, you are going to spend hundreds of hours on and elsewhere exploring what you like and what is available. If you’re new at this, you’ll probably wish to have a professional assist you every step along the way, so you can prevent “We should have done … ” or “Why did we …?”

Being patient is key. And beginning at the perfect location for you — if it is where you’re or someplace new — will produce the end result truly worth the journey.

More: When to stay or go during a remodel

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Say you reside in a house with one and a half stories, like a Cape Cod. Your second-floor bedrooms and baths are tucked under the roof, and that cuts back on the usable quantity of floor area available. (You simply can not stand up in much of the region.) While the kind of home is charming — not tall and boxy — much of the second floor is unusable, because it lacks headroom. And you think to yourself that you could have a nicer toilet or additional light or extra storage if you could create some headroom.

This is where a dormer comes in. Typically (although not necessarily) small, dormers can provide that few extra square feet of space you need to realize your goals. Perhaps it’s a simple doghouse dormer that attracts some extra light and an opinion. Perhaps it’s a drop dormer that provides that additional space for a large bath. Or perhaps it’s an eyebrow dormer that adds some style to the exterior when creating additional space in the interior. Dormers are a terrific cure for space-challenged places.

Let’s take a peek at a few of the fundamental kinds of dormers and their prices, features and advantages.

Joseph B Lanza Design + Building

The Doghouse Dormer

This beautifully named dormer, which looks like a proverbial doghouse placed atop a roof, lends a good deal of appeal to a Cape Cod–style residence.

In the exterior a doghouse dormer doesn’t dominate the total scale of your home’s design. It is merely a small and innocuous architectural element that can liven up a roof, while indoors …

Heintzman Sanborn Architecture~Interior Design

… it provides additional space and light.

In fact, lots of doghouse dormers create an alcove space that is excellent for a built-in seat and storage. In addition to supplying some much-needed natural light and views outside, these dormers boost the general performance of the interior, doing so at a minimum price.

Budget: A doghouse dormer can be assembled for small cash in case you have building skills — and a helper. Depending on the kind of window you use and the way the interior is completed, a DIY dormer can be done for a few thousand bucks. If you plan to employ and use pricier stuff, expect to invest $15,000 or more on a doghouse dormer.

Sellars Lathrop Architects

The Shed Dormer

Aptly called, since it looks like a drop that’s been placed on the roof, this kind of dormer will maximize the quantity of usable interior space. Shed dormers are typical in the rear of Cape Cod houses, where the extra space they provide trumps the appeal of a doghouse dormer.

But it’s really simple to get the proportions of a shed dormer wrong, throwing off the exterior look of the whole home. So designing this kind of addition to your home requires a careful blend of getting the additional interior space needed versus what will look good on the exterior. Ensuring the proportions are comfy, even though it means sacrificing some interior space, is generally the best route to take.

Another significant design consideration generally for shed dormers would be to ensure there are several windows, or …

Charlie & Co.. Design, Ltd

… there is more window than wall. In reality, many successful drop dormers are inclined to be all almost window. This maximizes the amount of light entering the interior, visually lightens the arrangement and produces a night lantern effect.

Krieger + Associates Architects, Inc..

Shed dormers really do add that extra bit of interior space that is transformative. So where there originally was not ample room for a big cupboard or a bigger bedroom or a nice, big soaking tub, currently there is. With a number of windows, the spaces made by a shed dormer are light and open and bright.

Jacob Lilley Architects

Shed dormers make rooms in “attics” such as this one inviting and spacious, ideal for that game room one of the trees.

Budget: You should have an architect draw up and an expert build your shed dormer. It is also something which you’ll want to budget more than only a few thousand bucks for. Depending on the dimensions, materials and relevant job, expect to invest $20,000 to $100,000 or more.

Whitney Lyons

The Eyebrow Dormer

This dormer style, such as a watch popping through the roof, is just one of my favorite architectural elements. These dormers are not the same as doghouse and shed dormers in the eyebrow dormer’s roof is curved, and sometimes gently, sometimes not. Because of this curved roof, an eyebrow dormer will be a milder approach to receive additional distance out of a loft.

Eyebrow windows are also less massive looking than shed dormers, especially when windows don’t fill the entire dormer exterior. By swooping its way down to the roof, an eyebrow dormer keeps its gentleness even if there’s a good deal of wall showing.

Whitney Lyons

The interior space made by means of an eyebrow dormer is not as an extension of the room and more of an alcove connected to the room. And with its own curve, an eyebrow dormer is a wonderful counterpoint to rectangular and hard-edged elements elsewhere.

Budget: Expect to cover for the eyebrow dormer; due to its curved character, it requires more labor and materials to create one. A small eyebrow dormer with one window requires an expense of $5,000 or so, while a bigger eyebrow dormer with several windows readily runs $30,000 or more.

More: Ideas for additions, small and large

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Each of 2012’s treasured baths offers something different to ers. Some inspire organizational ideas, others present creative tiling techniques, while still others take advantage of colour and natural light. Were you among those subscribers who saved these baths to an ideabook this past year? Take a look — among these magnificent spaces may inspire you.

ID by Gwen

1. Open-concept shower in Washington state. Crisp tiles and a intelligent shower layout inspired ers’ own bathroom remodels. readers saved this picture for the open-concept shower, simple tub and blend of tile designs.

ARCHIA HOMES

2. Sunlit Boston shower. While more shut than the previous shower, this shower’s skylight and porthole window allow for plenty of light. An integrated seat and unique door contour made it worth saving for many readers.

Alan Mascord Design Associates Inc

3. Portland bathtub’s towel. Open Granite Cabinets to store towels in the conclusion of this tub inspired new storage solutions in ers’ bathrooms.

Chalet

4. Double vanity in Denver. Figuring out how to organize a dual vanity can be difficult, but readers found it a little easier thanks to this picture. Shared and storage allows for plenty of drawer space. Restoration Hardware mirrors price less than habit however still possess a high-end appearance.

Frank Shirley Architects

5. Foggy Cape Cod bath that is blue. Not every homeowner wants an all-white bathroom, also readers adored that the blue walls and hardwood flooring in this area provided contrast.

Griffin Enright Architects

6. Open, modern California shower. This area’s tall ceilings, natural light and contrasting dark hardwood flooring caught ers’ eyes when they had been searching baths this year. The clean lines of this shower and bath would work in any home.

Hanson Fine Building

7. Lively Philadelphia and bright bathroom. It’s amazing what a little color can do. Splashes of citron in the sink and bathtub and a cheerful blue wall shade completely update the conventional style of this toilet.

Mike Connell

8. Gorgeous tilework in San Francisco. subscribers loved the large-format tile in this toilet. The striking tile grain brings the eyes across the stone-covered area.

Lake Country Builders

9. Woodwork in Minnesota. Mixing up the tile dimensions on this toilet flooring makes for an eye-catching layout with just a single material. ers also noted that the wood cabinets and toilet door when saving this picture into their ideabooks.

J.S. Brown & Co..

10. Contrasting neutrals in Ohio. Despite the neutral palette, this bath has several unique design characteristics that readers wished to keep on file. The dark trim round the ceiling, the tiled ceiling and a contrasting tile flooring keep this toilet visually intriguing.

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