How to Install Countertops With Uneven Walls

When remodeling homes for resale, it’s not unusual to discover walls that are sloped irregular, slanted or out. It’s no issue. You can cut and fit new countertops to any type of wall. Countertops are nothing more than particleboard with a laminate or tile covering applied following the particleboard is set up. Particleboard is a countertop material that is favorite because it has dimensions that are perfect, it’s dense and it can be cut in any direction without adhering to a grain layout. When countertops are installed in any house, precautions should be taken to make certain they fit tight against the walls.

Place the countertop . Twist it tight against the wallsocket. Slide a pair of cupboard scribes along the wall. A cupboard scribe is a small tool. It has two arms that are little. One side has a pencil. The other side has a plate, similar to a knife. As you slide the plate along the wall, the pencil transports the line of the wall.

Place the shirt that is particleboard . Using a saw, cut along the line that you brought against the scribes. Place the back. Check for fit; till it matches, if it doesn’t fit tight, scribe it again.

Set the scribe so the pencil along with the little plate are a quarter-inch apart. Place the scribe upside down to the cabinet’s front, under the edge of this particleboard top. The pencil should be marking the underside of the particleboard. Twist the scribe along the front of the cabinets and along one or both sides as necessary to create a lip.

Place the particleboard upside down. Use the saw to cut the edge along. Place the back on the cupboard.

Measure and cut the fascia with a miter saw to fit the sides as required. Cut a bit to fit the front. Run glue and nail it to the front and sides of this particleboard top with 1 1/4-inch nails. The top is prepared for tile or laminates.

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Who Will Claim Mortgage Interest as a Tax Deduction?

Owning a home is part of the American Dream, also has profound consequences on the homeowner; individuals who own their own home end up with equity which fosters their financial value substantially. Homeownership and mortgage funding supply tax implications. The mortgage interest deduction effectively lowers the probability of carrying out a mortgage, making homeownership even more financially profitable.

Identification

IRS Publication 936 details the specific provisions of the mortgage interest deduction. All people and companies who take out mortgages to purchase property may write off, or subtract, their mortgage interest payments. Folks may deduct mortgage interest payments on their principal residences and second homes. Firms and investors that purchase property for monetary gain can also write off mortgage interest as a lump-sum cost. Both home equity loans and first mortgages may qualify for deductions.

Characteristics

At tax season, mortgage lenders prepare and send out Internal Revenue Service 1098 form to every borrower. Form 1098 summarizes mortgage interest payments made over the previous tax year, and can also be filed to the IRS. Homeowners should assess the 1098 calculations from old mortgage statements to be certain that the info is accurate. As of 2010, individual taxpayers need to file IRS Schedule A to itemize the home interest deduction related to their residential properties. Taxpayers use Schedule A to complete up all of your deductions and enter the total on their 1040 personal income tax forms. Individuals who make property investments as sole proprietorships or partnerships need to record mortgage interest on Schedule E. Schedule E computes property income as an attachment to the 1040. Corporations use Form 1120 to deduct mortgage interest from taxable income.

Factors

On fixed mortgages, the mortgage interest deduction falls over time as the loan is repaid. A fixed mortgage fees exactly the identical interest rate during maturity. Adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) offer variable rates which shift with the interest rate environment. ARMs may begin with fixed rates for time periods that last from between 12 and 84 months, before interest payments adjust together with the economy. Mortgage interest deductions for ARMs are tough to predict.

Misconceptions

The mortgage interest deduction isn’t a tax credit. Tax credits directly reduce tax statements on a dollar-for-dollar basis. The mortgage interest deduction, however, simply reduces taxable income. From there, that the IRS uses progressive tax brackets to calculate taxes owed. In progressive systems, higher tax rates apply to the wealthiest citizens.

Caution

The 1040 form provides taxpayers with the option of taking the standard deduction or subtracting itemized deductions from their taxable income. For first and second homes, individuals should just benefit from the mortgage interest deduction when complete itemized deductions exceed their standard deduction. Other itemized deductions include amounts for property taxes, medical bills and charitable contributions. For the 2010 tax year, the standard deduction for single filers is set to be $5,700. Married couples receive double this sum, for an $11,400 standard deduction.

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The Best Way To Walk Away From Your House Mortgage

Addressing a foreclosure is an embarrassing situation. Anyone can face foreclosure, often for reasons not in their own hands. A family may have a primary wage earner become chronically ill, disabled or even killed. A divorce can occur that leaves the party that kept the home not able to pay the debt that goes with it. Lenders take homes back due to foreclosure for legitimate reasons. Luckily, lenders need to locate ways to help homeowners keep their homes or leave understanding they did whatever they could to keep it.

Refinance

Through the federal Making Home Affordable initiatives, lenders are encouraged to find solutions to assist avoid foreclosures. In the event the house payment is too pricey and you risk falling behind, but have not missed a payment yet, the Building House Affordable refinance program may help. This system allows you to refinance your home even in the event that you owe more than it is now worth. Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac should own your mortgage to qualify.

Modification

If you’ve fallen behind in your payments, lenders are invited to permanently change your loan in an attempt that will assist you stay in the home. If an alteration is possible, the new loan payment will not exceed 31 percent of your gross monthly income, before any deductions. You’ll have a trial period to find out how the new loan program works for your budget until the loan is permanently altered.

Short Sale

If you’re thinking about walking away from your home since you owe more than the residence is worth contemplating contacting your creditor for a quick sale. A brief sale is when you sell your home for less than what is owed. List the property available if the lending company suggests a brief sale is possible. Selling your property as a brief sale will not affect your credit score as far as a foreclosure will.

Deed-in-Lieu

A deed-in-lieu of foreclosure is if you willingly give the home straight back to your lender. A foreclosure is when the lender compels you to leave. Giving the home back as a deed-in-lieu allows you to determine if you leave and on what terms. This is more detrimental to your credit than a brief sale but not quite as bad as a foreclosure.

Rent Back

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac offer programs in which you give the home back as a deed-in-lieu but you continue to dwell in the home while you rent it back. This helps both the creditor and you. You’re not made to move, maybe without a place to go into, and the creditor can keep the home occupied and get some money even if it is not the full mortgage amount. The lending company will not let you rent the home forever but will permit you to stay long enough to find another place to live so the home can be sold.

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Matters to Consider When Looking at an Apartment to Rent

Getting a flat is a rite of passage for many people, since it represents their first taste of freedom and responsibility for property. When searching for a flat, form a general idea of how much you’re willing to spend and what kind of place you’d love to stay in before you begin walking through potential homes. While you do the walk-through, keep a number of those things in mind while you choose whether to rent the flat.

Basics

If you walk through a prospective flat, you need to inspect the number of bedrooms and baths, the size of each room and the flat’s overall square footage. Assess the common walls with nearby apartments to evaluate potential sound issues. Observe the flooring to see how easy or difficult they will be to wash. Plus, in the event that you talked to the landlord before you arrived to the walk-through, double-check to ensure that the rent and deposit haven’t gone up.

Characteristics

Apartments have all kinds of features, depending upon how costly it is. A few of the features that you should search for as you walk through the apartment are air conditioning and heating, and Internet access (dial-up or high rate ), television/cable accessibility, breakfast nook, dishwasher, washer and dryer hookups, fireplace, balcony, yard, deck and closet space. Then compare what the flat has with what you’re looking for in a fresh place to live.

Area

Check to find out if your prospective apartment has an elevator or a doorman (full time or part time). Look at the place of the laundry rooms that are public. Examine the parking scenario: does the complicated have a garage? Is parking outside in the open? Ascertain whether the complex has its own maintenance superintendent. Other things to check out are intercom systems, clubhouse, swimming pool, hot tub or gym. Figure out if the complex offers additional storage space to residents. Push through the immediate region to ascertain the proximity of restaurants and businesses that you might frequent.

Safety

Check to see that each of the appliances are in good working order. Ask about the character of the flat’s wiring, and inquire to see service records if needed. The existence of two-pronged switches is a sign of older wiring. Check to find out if insects or rats are an issue. Do each of the doors and windows lock? Does the front door provide a deadbolt? Assess for any damage anywhere in the flat and note it to the landlord.

Additional

If you have pets, inquire about the property’s policy regarding pets. Check to find out if there are weight or size limits and also what the pet deposit would be. Make sure that you can truly have a roommate and determine the complex’s subletting policy, should you have to move out before your lease expires. Also check to find out if the apartment will be sanded and cleaned before you move in.

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Woodipedia: Is It or Can It Be Cherry?

Stains have made it rather simple to color 1 type of wood to make it resemble any other sort. However there are two species of wood that actually do seem alike in their uncooked state: cherry and alder. Here’s how to tell the difference.

TEA2 Architects

When you think about a cozy country kitchenmost probably you are imagining warm-colored cherry cabinets. “Cherry was one of the most popular cabinet forests in rural regions throughout the country, since it was so widely distributed across the USA,” notes Andy Richmond, vice president and certified appraiser at Garth’s Antiques at Delaware, Ohio.

Nevertheless there’s another wood species which features a milder version of cherry’s reddish tones and grain patterns. Alder is affectionately referred to by woodworkers because”poor man’s cherry.” With a coating of finish, it can readily pass for cherry into less-discerning eyes.

Cherry basics. When we talk of cherry, we are really referring to black cherry — Prunus serotina. A distinguishing element of most cherry wood is gum stains, or pitch pockets. They’re brief, black streaks that look like hardened resin deposits.

Occasionally cherry has pin knots — tiny brown circles which again add visual attention. High-end cherry is figured, meaning undulating beams of light seem to take across the grain, lending the plank a shimmering depth. This luminous effect is known as chatoyance.

CM Designs

Alder basics. Commonly called red alder, Alnus rubra grows principally in the Pacific Northwest, in which it’s the most environmentally abundant timber. The grain pattern and quiet coloration of alder is polarizing. Some folks like it for precisely that reason, though other people find it boring. Alder may have pin knots, but it does not have gum stains.

You will sometimes hear references to clear or knotty alder, but these are just general descriptions. “That’s not a grade,” says Walt Maas, manager of Bohnhoff Lumber at Vernon, California. “There are industry standards for grading lumber — like there are for grading meat. Each type of wood has its own specifications which specialist hardwood lumber graders follow.”

This makes it easier to compare prices when shopping. However, Maas notes that a few businesses put their own proprietary levels on lumber, making comparison shopping harder.

VERMONT WOODS STUDIOS

Contrasts between cherry and alder. There are 3 chief differences. To begin with, alder is considerably softer, so it weighs less. Second, alder is cheaper. And lastly, alder has no sapwood, that is the creamy coloured wood on the edge of a plank. Like walnut, cherry is known for having plenty of sapwood.

VERMONT WOODS STUDIOS

Cost. Cherry’s cost is somewhat contingent on the amount of sapwood. Most boards have significantly more heartwood (the pinkish-red color) on one side and clearly more sapwood on the opposite side. The proportion of each on a single board affects pricing. Another factor is plank width. Wider boards of all species are pricier.

Maas reports that the wholesale cost of cherry at his yard is $3.20 per plank. Alder is priced substantially lower, at $2.70 per board foot.

Color. Whilst alder is quite even in color, cherry’s fundamental red cast may have a whole spectrum of variants. This makes it difficult for woodworkers to color match the planks on large projects. Gene Leslie of Rancho Cucamonga, California (who produced the cherry cabinets displayed here) evened out the disparate tones by treating all of the wood with lye to artificially age it while maintaining the clarity of the grain. Amateurs need to be thoroughly educated on this process before attempting it, however, since lye is highly caustic.

When creating tabletops and cupboard panels, woodworkers frequently cut the sapwood to incorporate the prized heartwood. The sapwood is subsequently used for the interior constructions, especially in drawer construction.

Durability. Black cherry rates 950 on the Janka scale for hardness, which puts it on equal footing with soft maple but much below harder hard walnut (1,450) and black walnut (1,010).

Alder is rated 590, position it as a very soft hardwood, slightly above poplar (540).

Mosaic Architects Boulder

Not cherry. While there aren’t any wood types erroneously identified as alder, there are several misnamed cherries. Chief among them is Brazilian cherry, also known as Jatoba. It is a very popular flooring choice nowadays, not only due to its cherry-like color, but also due to its durability. Brazilian cherry rates 2,350 about the Janka scale. (Recall, hard maple is 1,450.)

Other forests masquerading as cherry are Patagonian cherry, Bolivian cherry along with African cherry, which is also referred to as Makore.

Precision Cabinets

Finishing. Cherry and alder are prone to blotching when finishing coats are applied. Again, some people today take this as a gorgeous trait of genuine wood, though other woodworkers attempt every finishing trick in the business to minimize it. It is a good idea to ask for a completed sample.

VERMONT WOODS STUDIOS

UV stability. Cherry naturally patinates into a darker, richer color over time. American antiques expert Andy Richmond notes antique cherry furniture may resemble mahogany.

It is also a superbly UV-unstable wood, which many woodworkers utilize to their advantage. To quickly and painlessly deepen the color of some cherry planks, woodworker Gene Leslie intentionally leaves them out in sunlight after grinding them.

Krista Agapito – S&W Kitchens, Inc..

Sustainability. Domestic hardwoods are endorsed by the U.S. Deptartment of Agriculture as a preferred green building material — in large part because of the responsible harvesting approaches practiced by the American hardwood industry. Another significant element in the sustainability of American hardwoods is the minimal transportation requirements, in comparison to those of imported exotics.

More: Learn about more forests and how to utilize them on your design

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Guest Groups: A New Side to Faceted Furnishings

I recently bought a faceted backyard stool for my living space. I surprised even myself with this selection. I had always thought of faceted designs as rather gimmicky. However, now I’m fascinated with those jewel-like pieces and’m enjoying their elegance and versatility. When you dig deeper, you’ll find original faceted furnishings, lighting and fabrics which are similar to works of art in their own right. Take a look at my favorites so far. — Lucy from Four Walls and a Roof

PAC Side Table – $950

I would use this bright red side table to inject some lighthearted energy into a industrial space or to add design to a family room. It comes as a coffee table too.

PLANTATION

Faceted Ceramic Stool, White – $395

This really is the stool which got me hooked. We’re using it as a table, but it will serve as seats for extra guests sometimes too.

The Paris Apartment

Faceted Lucite Table – $1,325

Here’s a set of faceted side tables at a smoky gray perspex with mirrored tops. It’s like a contemporary riff on an uptown flat classic, the mirrored coffee table.

PLANTATION

Crane Table – $1,095

Proving that tough borders can nevertheless have an organic sense, this side table looks inspired by pinecones. This piece definitely has an irresistible tactile quality to it.

Reinierdejong

VOLT Table

Ok, it’s bright yellow and contains uneven sides, so why would it still look stylish? Maybe it’s the careful structure needed for faceted furniture, however these pieces always have a certain existence.

Elisa Strozyk

Accordion Cabinet

All these accordion cabinets are works of art. I love the contrast of this unfinished wood with the thoughtful layout. Wouldn’t these be great at a Scandinavian-style kitchen? Or a midcentury dining room? Or a spacious bath? OK, pretty much anywhere.

The Carroll Street Woodworkers

No. 202 Coffee Table – $2,200

This unfinished timber is laid diagonally to create a beautifully-constructed java table with cutouts for storage and seating. I can imagine my children would like that as a play table, although I’m sure it’s intended to get a much more grownup space.

Etsy

Five Chunk Modern Pendant Chandelier Solid Walnut By dylangrey – $950

I’ve had these lights in my ideabook for months. They have a lot to appreciate about them. Hand-carved chunks of timber replace conventional crystal chandelier drops, while the red cables add a surprise component. The wires come in different colours too.

Industreal

Lampe 72dpi – EUR 227.50

I believed that this light fixture for my kitchen when I renovated. Even though the heavy texture likely wouldn’t suit the purpose (I’m convinced it would prohibit grease from cooking) the layout is eye-catching. I love that it resembles sugar cubes — light and sweetness!

arkpad

Luminária Rock

Here’s a dim light. The irregular faceted sides of the necklace seem like crumpled paper. I can imagine this lending plenty of play to some rustic-modern kitchen.

Lee Broom

Crystal Bulb – GBP 189

It’s the classic good looks of cut glass and gold, combined in a wholly new way. Light bulbs made to seem like crystal — or is it the other way round? Either way, it’s genius.

Lee Broom

1 Light Just White Large

These pendants were inspired by Art Deco jewellery. They’d certainly add some glamour to a room.

Architonic

BuzziSkin 3D Tile By BuzziSpace

Faceted tiles are an effortless way to add texture to a space. This bright red would be too much for a kitchen or bathroom, but for a commercial setup or to highlight a characteristic like a storage area, it would seem amazing.

Elisa Strozyk

Cosmetic Dentistry With Dyed Wood

This faceted textile is really made from pieces of timber. It’s flexible enough to be utilized as a throw or blanket and I love the subtle blend of colours.

Pierre Frey

Kubus Fabric

There’s evidence of Art Deco inspiration in this geometric cloth. A set of cushions in this would pull a living space together.

Design Within Reach

Crushed Bowl – $110

I have this bowl and completely love it. I’m afraid it ends up amassing stray Legos and Hot Wheels cars, but if it’s empty it makes the most beautiful display piece.

Etsy

DORIT White Gold Decorative Wood Candle Holders By PELLEshop – $150

Simple wood block candle holders get glammed up with faceted sides and a little silver. They’d be great for a holiday party, or simply to add some simple sparkle to your everyday table.

1stdibs

Unique Facet Vase By David Wiseman

These vases are quirky. They seem like geometric eggs which have just hatched. We might be past Easter, but they’d make a great screen year-round.

Etsy

Amethyst Geometric Facet Art Print By thepairabirds – $20

It is a print made with images and woodgrain. It captures the concept of light reflecting through a precious stone.

Amazon

Elecom Five-Button Wireless Optical Laser Mouse – $56.99

Wondering what this is? It’s a mouse! If by now you’re devoted to the faceted appearance, this is the tech attachment for you. I can’t say whether it’s comfortable to use or not, but it certainly makes a statement.

Next: Modern Icons: The Amazing Geometry of David Hicks

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Creative Spaces: Once a Toilet, Now Office and an Art Studio

Every layout choice in my house is dictated by budget. I’m a work-at-home freelance artist raising two children, and every area has arrived together using finds out of thrift shops, Craigslist and even mass garbage. I often work on large-scale art bits, and my office, which doubled as a guest area, was just too small. I had square footage.

Equipped using a strict $300 remodel budget, my husband and I reconfigured some of our chambers over a weekend, turning our converted 19- by 19-foot two-car garage in an art-making haven. This called for getting creative and making do with furniture pieces from elsewhere in the home. The entire cost of my garage remodel, including 2 gallons of paint and four dining chairs, was274.23.

Before Photo

Sarah Greenman

BEFORE: Formerly we used this space, the former garage, as a TV room and catchall for toys. The entire room felt gloomy and dim. My husband was able to call this “the area of squalor and filth.”

The former homeowner had transformed the garage, filling at the garage door, installing carpeting and lining the walls with artificial wood. Because he did it there is no insulating material, and the walls do not go all of the way to the ground in places, which makes me contend with spiders and geckos sometimes. The homeowner said it cost him about $600 to convert the garage a couple of decades ago.

Sarah Greenman

AFTER: The area is currently a welcoming studio where I will work on art bits, freelance photography and writing, and host classes and workshops.

The rug is laid directly onto a lightly sloping cement base, which makes it interesting to lining up artwork on the walls. I painted the walls Black Suede by Behr, since I love dramatic cocoon-like spaces.

Tip: Most art studios have bright white walls, which provide extra light and help to keep the focus on the art. But black is also a wonderful backdrop for artwork.

Sarah Greenman

The garage isn’t insulated, which could sometimes be a challenge from the hot Texas summers and cool winters. The corner cooler comes to the rescue. The sofa creates a comfy chairs and dialogue area for if I host customers and workshops.

The majority of the furniture is secondhand out of thrift shops, so the bits have a frayed, timeworn feel. The golden brocade barrel-back chair is torn out to the sides, but layering on a faux sheepskin and picture pillow gave it new life.

Barrel-back chair: Again & Again; white and black pillows: Kajsa Träd, Ikea; paint: Black Suede, Behr; sofa: Hovås, Ikea

Sarah Greenman

When I’m working in my studio, I always enjoy having reference books and beautiful objects close at hand to enhance my imagination. The java table, a repurposed piano bench, holds an arrangement of a potted golden pothos vine, books and art pieces.

More: How to utilize black

Sarah Greenman

A classic breakfast table sits centre stage. I use it for meetings and assignments, work and sometimes dinner once I’m working late. The metal chairs were my brand new furniture purchases.

Metal chairs: Tabouret, Overstock.com; curtains: Ikea; club chairs: Craigslist

Sarah Greenman

I made a corner workstation that includes my library with bookcases that have followed me since college. The little ottoman shops toys for my 3-year-old, who often joins me while I work. I rigged two pendant lamps on my desk utilizing plant hooks and an extra-long extension cable.

Tip: Stay organized with just two clipboards, like the ones hanging on the wall near my desk. One has my own to-do listing for the current day, and another has my to-do list for the next moment.

Gray storage block: The Container Store; pendant light shades: Cost Plus World Market; bookcases: Billy, Ikea; desk: Linnmon/Adils, Ikea; rolling document: Ikea

Sarah Greenman

All my everyday files are easily available at a mobile file channel made from a classic dish rack. I am able to transfer it to the table once I need more room.

Pen holder: West Elm; camera: Holga, Urban Outfitters

Sarah Greenman

I really don’t paint in any 1 set place, so I introduced in small portable accent tables as surface room to keep stuff handy. Thrift store vases and pottery hold brushes and tools.

Table: First Monday Trade Days in Canton

Sarah Greenman

Canvases, art supplies and an easel are always at the ready. The lampshade is a current DIY project displaying a poem, “Sonnet XVII,” by Pablo Neruda, inscribed with a Sharpie marker. I simply started in the top and replicated that the poem over and over till it reverted into the bottom of the shade.

Tip: A secondhand kitchen cart can be used to corral paint tubes, spray bottles and art materials, giving fresh life to an old item.

Easel: Stanrite 500, Lula B’s

Sarah Greenman

I moved the piano from the dining area, giving me the liberty to play at any time without waking my loved ones. The quote above it is a favorite by author Louise Bogan. I bought the faded secondhand painting at a yard sale for $5, then created the script with acrylic paint. The stool is a household.

A classic typewriter table holds my sewing machine and shares room with a cork bust I discovered in bulk garbage behind a J.Jill store.

Drawers: Alex, Ikea

See more photos of the garage studio

Your turn : Share a photo of your creative home studio in the Remarks!

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Green and Modern at Pennsylvania

Lee and Amy Calisti’s Contemporary home perches in the clearing of a Coastal cul-de-sac in the Early Academy Hill Area of Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Clad in a geometric orchestration of brick, glass, concrete and steel, the home strikes a balance of harmonious, refreshing and functional. “Eliminating the excess was a sustainable and also a visual target,” says Lee.

Lee, who is an architect, called his home House 6, and it represents his ongoing interest in contemporary, environmentally conscious single-family home design that’s also affordable. He says, “My home is my family’s refuge, my business card and my doctrine of home in a neat package.”

in a Glance
Who lives here: Lee and Amy Calisti and boy Noah
Location: Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Size: 2,217 square feet; 3 bedrooms; 3 baths
That is intriguing: The building site was formerly undeveloped; no virgin land was disturbed to build the house.

Adrienne DeRosa

“From picking a building site to selecting materials to be used in the home, sustainability without excess expense was the goal of designing my family home,” says Lee. The south-facing rear allows for continuous sunlight through the day, saving on energy and heating prices throughout the year. Balconies away from the living room and master bedroom offer a place to take from the hilltop view.

Minimal glass onto the western side of the house celebrates the materials of the exterior and keeps the effects of harsh winter storms. The exterior materials include a combination of brick, Galvalume out of Atas, flat-seam metal panels and split-face concrete block.

Adrienne DeRosa

The exterior of House 6 exudes a clean design aesthetic also found throughout the inside. Lee designed the steel mailbox and had it constructed by a local fabricator.

Door: Low thermal-emissivity glass, Pella

Adrienne DeRosa

Light from large south-facing windows and doors illuminates the living space, reducing the demand for artificial lighting during the daytime. This complements Lee’s plan for cost effective living and also creates a warm glow that softens the house’s modern geometry.

All living room seating: La-Z-Boy

Adrienne DeRosa

The spacious living area is Lee’s and Amy’s favorite spot in the house. “Even when we have family and friends over, everybody can still feel together, even if they are spread throughout the kitchen, dining and living rooms,” says Amy.

Adrienne DeRosa

Massive windows welcome in views of the outside. Most of the kitchen storage sits below the counter line, making an expansive feeling that opens up the northeast corner of the house.

All windows: non thermal-emissivity glass, Pella.

Adrienne DeRosa

The spacious kitchen features stainless steel appliances and custom-made maple wood cabinetry with Andredas Kitchens. The Bosch stove and dishwasher are Energy Star compliant, and the floor is Forbo by Marmoleum, a natural linoleum material. Magnetic jars over the range offer convenient access to spices.

Adrienne DeRosa

The couple decided a warm main color palette for the primary living areas. “Amy suggested all the color ranges, and also we have large samples to hang on the walls in the space during construction,” Lee says. “Several decades later, we enjoy them just as much.”

Adrienne DeRosa

A blouse by 10-year-old boy Noah adds a personal touch, infusing the space with warmth of the heart and hand.

Adrienne DeRosa

“We both share a passion for clean and simple furnishings that feel comfortable also,” Amy says of this couple’s decorating philosophy. Symmetrical arrangements throughout the home, as seen here from the living area, play the asymmetry of the windows, lending rhythm to the space. The interplay between soft and hard, sleek and textural, and contemporary and traditional appears throughout the home. Lee says, “My wife keeps me grounded and real. She adds a balance to the kind of our home.”

Adrienne DeRosa

The guest bath has a stainless steel bowl sink plus a mirror that is floating, which Lee designed utilizing a simple glass and wood plank.

Adrienne DeRosa

The warm color scheme of this first floor carries through to the upstairs. The washer and dryer are tucked away on the right behind triple-paneled doors.

Paint: Hubbard Squash and Rookwood Terra Cotta, Sherwin-Williams

Adrienne DeRosa

The master bedroom includes a refreshing and cool color palette. Lee designed a lengthy window over the headboard so they could see the sunrise every morning. An Ikea color installed onto a sliding path covers a different window for privacy. The color is left open throughout the day and acts as a contemporary tapestry, introducing pattern involving the area’s geometry.

Paint: Icelandic, Sherwin Williams; Chair cloth: Jo-Ann; rocking seat: Ikea

Adrienne DeRosa

Lee is a minimalist in mind and designed the master bedroom closets to conceal garments and dressers. The Shaker-style cupboard doors by Alno Inc. have simple railings and recessed panels, paired with contemporary stainless pulls. Lee used the exact same drawer and pull styles throughout the house.

Adrienne DeRosa

Striped walls and boyhood collections provide Noah’s room a youthful allure. “We felt it was important for Noah to have a place of his own, so we let him choose how to decorate it,” says Lee. “He wanted stripes, thus we painted stripes.”

Adrienne DeRosa

Lee and Amy’s next home projects include installing built in storage and stone countertops, and finishing the basement as a playroom for Noah.

More Tours:
Modern Urban Oasis in Austin
Ultramodern in Rotterdam
An Aussie Home Mingles With Nature

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