Feng Shui Ideas for a North-Facing Front Door

In feng shui, the front door is the gate by which chi — or even good energy — enters your house, and specific feng shui techniques can help invite this energy and make great vibrations for everyone living there. Harmonizing the doorway using the direction it faces is vital, because that invites energy in harmony with the surroundings. The energy from the north, which is watery and fluid, is enhanced by the colours blue and black.

Door Color and Texture

Feng shui recognizes eight directions and associates each with a colour, part and part of social and family life. At the feng shui compass, north reflects your livelihood, while south — the opposite path — represents fame and recognition. At the simplest terms, therefore, blue and black are the best colours for a north-facing doorway, and since the element for north is water, the contour or texture of the doorway ought to be fluid. Other variables usually enter into the equation, however, including placement of the door related to the house in addition to the surrounding landscape and neighborhood.

Accentuate the Water Element

A blue or dark door might not match the rest of your house’s exterior colour motif, and if not, you can other ways to invite the water energy from the north. 1 method is to construct a waterfall or fish pond by the front door; another is to hang blue or blue-and-white banners in your own front porch. Whatever combines the colours of the north using the fluidity of water invites the cool northern energies. Water features are considered especially auspicious in feng shui, and fluid water symbolizes revenue, particularly when the water piles up, since it does in the foundation of a fountain or waterfall.

The Space Inside the Door

In welcoming chi, the distance inside the front door is equally as crucial as the distance outside it. The door must open to the inside — that is a guideline that applies to all front doors — and the distance on both sides of the doorway ought to be clear to allow energy to enter freely. When there’s an alcove with a second door, then keep that door open and hang a light above it to widen the space. You can also use mirrors to make more visual space, but not one of them must reflect the doorway itself, or you will end up chasing Ray out the same way it came in.

Size the Door Correctly

When designing your own front door, then it’s also important to consider its size. If the doorway is too little, chi can’t enter freely, and when the door faces north, then it could result in hindrances in your career choices or revenue. If you can’t install a larger door, then use mirrors to increase the visual space. A door that’s too big may also be undesirable, because it generates a overemphasis on the water energy from the north. This may extinguish sparks of creativity or provide too much nourishment for the wood element, leading to maintenance issues associated with uncontrolled development, like mold or decay issues.

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What's the Difference Between Amortization & Depreciation?

Property remains a powerful investment which transcends even the hardest financial times. Its main attraction is the ability to leverage a large, amortized loan together with the payment of a fractional money down payment. It also supplies recurring rental income that offers attractive returns on the investment (ROI) when the house is depreciated over time. As such, amortization and depreciation play important roles in real property investments.

What’s Amortization In Real Estate?

Few investors pay the complete purchase price of their possessions at settlement. Rather they protected real estate loans they repay over time. Typically these loans have been repaid yearly for 20 to 30 years with each monthly payment paying off portion of their principal plus that month’s interest on the loan balance. Paying the loan off slowly or”killing it” over time is called amortization.

What’s Negative Amortization In Real Estate?

Lenders will frequently structure loans with first payments which are insufficient to repay the monthly interest. Although they are intended to help borrowers qualify for a loan with lower monthly payments till they could refinance into frequently amortized loans, the unpaid interest is added unto the principal amount, leaving buyers with higher principals to repay. Such loans are usually known as financially poisonous loans.

How To Quickly Pay Off An Amortized Loan

Lenders recalculate the interest in amortized loan accounts each month. Savvy investors consequently make additional regular”principal-only” obligations to help pay down principal amounts. Doing so reduces repays loans and interest obligations quicker. This approach is only effective, however, with loans which do not have pre-payment penalty exemptions.

What’s Depreciation In Real Estate?

Investment property is a business. The properties are considered tangible assets that traders use to make recurring income through rents. Prevailing income tax legislation make it possible for investors to”write off” or waive their prices for purchasing the properties more than 27.5 years. Also called”cost or capital recovery,” property contingency accounts for the eventual degradation of the”improvement” or construction.

Special Provisions for Depreciating Real Estate

Only income-producing property could be depreciated; personal residences can’t. Since land does not deteriorate, the IRS disallows its own loopholes. A property investor who depreciates his property each year contrary to his”cost basis” or the quantity of money he paid for this, has to therefore apportion the house’s value involving the”improvement” or construction which may be depreciated, and the land, which may not. In the end of the 27.5 years, he will then have recouped the cost of the improvement through depreciation.

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What's the Fair Market Value on a House?

“Fair market value” describes just how much any sort of land, including a house, is actually worth. The IRS, that came up with the term, defines fair market value as the cost the house would sell for on the open market. It’s guidelines for determining the value of a house without needing to really sell it.

Elements

Fair market value, according to the IRS, is the cost that could be negotiated between a buyer that don’t have any personal connection and a house seller. It’s the price that would be reached in a transaction in which neither party was coerced to participate — for instance, a”motivated” seller who desires cash immediately — and where both parties have equal access to information about the house. In property, such sales are called”arm’s length” transactions.

Significance

Fair market value determines how much a person could write off if she donates a house to charity, just how much in taxes a person will owe when he buys and sells homes as investments, and just how much the authorities must pay homeowners when it seizes their land via”eminent domain” for such things as parks or roads. It also points into determining the total value of a deceased person’s estate.

Factors

The IRS states an appraiser that is experienced can only determines the reasonable market value of property. Elements that go into the appraisal contain the size and location of the lot on which the house sits, the dimensions of the house itself, the status of the house, the standard of the area, the zoning of the surrounding region along with the prospective value of the property if used for something else.

Methods

The most typical way of determining the fair market value of property is to use comparable sales, or”comps.” With this procedure, the appraiser compares the house to properties of similar size and quality that have sold recently, adjusting the cost according to some elements which may increase or reduce the value of the house that is being appraised. For investment properties — for instance, homes the owner rents out — the appraiser takes into account the return on investment, or just how much income the property produces. Finally, an appraiser may try to compute”replacement value” — just how much it’d cost to construct the house new — and then subtract from any noticeable defects of the present structure. Often appraisers will utilize a combination of approaches to reach an estimate.

Consideration

Your house’s market value isn’t the same as its assessed value. The assessed value is the sum the government uses to compute property taxes on a house. The market value is usually higher than the value.

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The Way to Purchase a Mortgage

If you’re purchasing a house and you can not pay money for at least 20 percent, you’re going to face higher interest rates. That much of an investment gives lenders confidence you’re less likely to wander away from the mortgage and lose your own money. 1 way to raise that much money would be to tap on a 401k retirement finance. Normally you can not get the money before you flip 59 1/2 years old, but federal law allows you to withdraw the money from”hardship cases,” one of which will be to make a down payment on your house.

Find out whether your employer permits hardship withdrawals or loans that are 401k, SmartMoney advocates. If your plan permits early withdrawals, you are going to have to pay a 10 percent penalty on the money you take out, and income taxation. If you can take out a loan, you can borrow up to $50,000 or half of your vested balance — the area you keep if you leave your job — whichever is lower.

Find out if a drawback or a loan works for you. A loan seems to be the better bargain, the”Los Angeles Times” states, because you don’t have to pay penalties or tax, and the interest rate you pay on the loan goes back into your 401k. You have to pay the money back within five years, which isn’t true with a hardship withdrawal. Should you leave your job for any reason, you are going to have to pay the money back earlier, usually in just three months. If you do not pay it back, then the IRS will penalize you exactly as though you’d made a premature withdrawal.

Fill out whatever paperwork and documentation that your organization requires. The IRS states that if you choose to withdraw money for the down payment, your employer may take your hardship assert without verifying your financial circumstance. If your organization has knowledge which you have other financial tools you could use instead, then the company must ask for documentation that this is the only way you can make the down payment.

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How Do I Create an LLC to Purchase Income Rental Home?

A limited liability company, also called an LLC, is a legally organized business enterprise created pursuant to the laws of California or another state, according to”Form Your Own Limited Liability Company” by Anthony Mancuso. Despite several small differences in the LLC laws from one state to the other, the general provisions regarding coordinating a limited liability firm largely are the same, no matter the particular jurisdiction. An LLC may be formed for a number of different types of business endeavors, including purchasing income-producing rental house.

Obtain an articles of organization form. The form typically is available from the secretary of state, both through the agency’s”brick and mortar” office along with its Internet website, according to”Form Your Own Limited Liability Company.”

The articles of organization form, after the educational guide provided by the secretary of the state.

Add. Confirm that the title you need for your business is available for the use on your condition. Typical state legislation prohibits more than one business using the exact same name. If you employ the world wide web to file, a lookup option is provided to allow you to confirm the availability of the business name you would like. If you are filing using a hard-copy form, telephone the secretary of state’s office to ascertain accessibility.

Include the address of the principal place of business for your LLC.

Add the Company purpose of this LLC. By way of instance, say that the LLC is organized to put money into income-producing leasing property. A broader purpose could be included in the articles of organization, according to”Limited Liability Companies for Dummies” from Jennifer Reuting. The purpose is to participate in any business permitted under the laws of this nation.

Add the title of the owner or owners of this LLC. Technically speaking is known as pursuant to LLC legislation, a member.

File the articles of organization with the secretary of the state. Pay the fee, which varies from state to state. When the filing is complete, the limited liability company legally exists.

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If I Escrow Taxes?

When you start creating your monthly payments, you may find your lender wants you to incorporate a month’s share of property taxes with them. Many lenders set up bank accounts to get your property tax and homeowners insurance policy payments, then pay the invoices out of the account when they come .

Reasons for Escrow

The purpose of putting your taxes in escrow is to protect the lender from losing money on your mortgage, the Bankrate website states. If your lender forecloses as you defaulted on your loan, your mortgage takes priority over every other liens, or claims for debt, registered on your premises, except a real estate tax lien. Local government might need to receive its share before your lender sees any cash. Also, in case you have responsibility for paying your taxes and you fail to pay them, your lender is in danger of losing its investment in case your town or city decides to foreclose on your property to collect the back taxes.

Features

If your taxes enter escrow, you’re pay one-twelfth of the yearly tax bill every month. You can also be requested to provide a cushion of up to a sixth of the total yearly sum –two months’ obligations –as protection from the missing a payment, Bankrate states. State law determines whether the account earns interest, and whether you get some of the attention. In California, the escrow account creates no attention if you don’t meet various legal requirements.

Pros and Cons

In case you have trouble budgeting for a large yearly tax payment, paying your lender each month may be a simple way around that, Bankrate states. On the other hand, in case you’ve got a huge tax bill, you may be better off keeping the cash in an interest-bearing account until it comes . Whether there are discounts available for early payments, your lender may not bother to make the most of those.

Waiving Escrow

There is no law that prevents your lender from insisting on escrow, but you may be able to convince her to waive the condition. Based on Bankrate, a deposit of 15 to 20 percent is large enough that your lender may be willing to let you pay your taxes. It’s possible, however, that they’ll give you a fee to avoid escrow.

Warning

When you buy a home, a lender will base the property tax escrow on the last owner’s taxes. In accordance with”The Street,” when the tax invoice turns out to be greater, you could observe a sharp increase in your escrow payments: If the lender receives the tax bill in July, for example, and you owe $12,000 more for your year than expected, your monthly escrow will go up $1,000. You’ll also need to pay an extra $6,000 for January through June, to make up for the months when you’re paying in at the lower rate.

Protecting Yourself

It’s not unknown for lenders to forget to pay your taxes to underpay them”Realty Times” states. If your taxes are escrowed, your lender should send you an account statement each year. Proceed and make certain payments are being made the way they’re supposed to be Contact your tax collector to double-check your payments are being obtained, if you are concerned.

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What Do Banks Use to Home Equity & Determine House Value?

The more equity you’ve got in your home, the more of the house you really own. Equity is the amount of your home’s value that isn’t encumbered by a mortgage or other loans. When banks look to lend you money for a mortgage or a home equity loan, the value of your home and of your equity will affect the rate of interest you may get.

Appraisal

The very first step for a lender figuring the value of your home or the home you wish to purchase is an assessment, the All Area Appraisal Affiliates Network states. The home will inspect your home, looking at the dimensions of the living space, the dimensions of other spaces like the garage, cellar and deck, the number of bedrooms and baths, and special attributes or serious flaws.

Neighborhood

The appraiser will then identify homes that have characteristics similar to yours, in similar neighborhoods–violent areas shouldn’t be compared to tranquil roads –that have sold in the past year. The prices those homes sold for will give an idea of the current market value for the residence.

Debt-to-Value Ratio

If you are applying for a mortgage, then the value of the house above the amount of the mortgage you are asking for signifies your first equity. The ratio of loan to value is very important for creditors, according to Lending Tree, since the equity you have the less likely you are to give up the default and house. Anything greater than an 80 percent debt-to-value ratio will probably lead to higher rates and need mortgage insurance.

Home Equity Loans

Your mortgage isn’t the one thing that affects your equity: any debt that uses your home as collateral, like a home equity loan or line of credit, will also reduce your equity. Bankers creating a home equity loanalso known as a second mortgagewill check the debt-to-value ratio as well. As with a first mortgage, if borrowing from your home reduces equity to less than 80 percent, the rates will be greater.

Down Payment

If you can not make a down payment of at least 20 percent, you won’t meet the 80 percent loan-to-value standard, meaning higher interest or no mortgage at all. 1 way to prevent that is to apply for mortgage insurance from the Federal Housing Administration. When the FHA covers a mortgage, then banks will take as small as a 3.5 percent down payment. The Washington Post reported in 2010 that some members of Congress want to increase the minimum to 5 percent, but that the Obama administration opposes the idea.

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Types of Interest Only Mortgages

To make homeownership more affordable and attainable, lenders made variations to the traditional 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage loan by introducing the adjustable rate mortgage (ARM). While the most common ARMs include a predetermined interval during which borrowers cover both interest and principal, lenders also offer interest-only ARMs by which borrowers pay only the interest on the loan for a specified period. The benefit is that payments are kept low for a set number of years, enabling borrowers to financially prepare themselves for as soon as the payment amount resets higher to account for principal amortization.

3/1 Interest-Only ARM

A 3/1 interest-only ARM is a form of loan where the debtor pays a fixed-interest rate for the initial three years. Then, the loan converts into an adjustable-rate mortgage where the interest rate varies yearly based on an index like the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR). To ascertain the interest rate, add the lender-specified margin to the current index rate. For example, assume the lender-specified margin is 3 percent and the present rate on the one-year LIBOR is also 3 percent. The interest rate on the loan is therefore 6 percent. Be aware that during the initial three years of the loan, not one of the obligations goes to amortizing the principal. Hence, the borrower is going to be left with higher mortgage obligations (even if premiums remain the same) following the loan resets to account for principal amortization. For example, a borrower with a $200,000 mortgage plus a 6% introductory rate is going to have a monthly payment of $1,000 for the initial three years. Then, if the premiums remain the same, the mortgage payments will grow to $1,262 on a 30-year loan.

10/1 Interest-Only ARM

A 10/1 interest-only ARM is a kind of loan where the debtor pays a fixed-interest rate for the initial ten years. Then, the loan converts into an adjustable rate mortgage where the interest rate varies yearly based on an index such as LIBOR. None of the obligations made during the initial ten years goes to repay the key. Therefore, the debtor will face higher monthly payments once the mortgage registers to account for loan payable. For example, a borrower with a $200,000 loan plus a 6% introductory rate is going to have an interest-only monthly payment of $1,000 for the initial ten years. Then, the mortgage payments will reset higher. If interest rates remained the same, the debtor will have monthly payments of $1,453 on a 30-year loan.

5/1 Jumbo Interest-Only ARM

A loan is a mortgage that exceeds a specific quantity. In 2007, this amount has been put to $417,000 for the continental United States. A 5/1 jumbo interest-only ARM functions like others of its own variety. It starts by offering a fixed-interest rate for the initial five years of the loan term before resetting into an adjustable-rate mortgage having a yearly fluctuating interest rate. Suppose a borrower takes out a 30-year 5/1 interest-only ARM with an introductory rate of 6 per cent for the amount of $600,000. For the initial five years, the debtor will have monthly payments of $3,000. Then (supposing interest rates remain the same), the borrower will have monthly payments of $3,911 to account for loan amortization.

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Guest Groups: 20 Fab Outdoor Finds, Practically All Under $100

Catch your flip-flops, because it is time to upgrade those outdoor spaces which are faded and worn out of the harsh winter elements. The most cost-effective way to do this is by simply including a few new outdoor furnishings and accessories for your current patio or deck furniture. With the addition of bits with vibrant colors, modern clean lines and earthy textures, your screened porch, deck or patio will appear clean, updated and ready for warm-weather entertaining with family and friends. Check out my cheap picks for upgrading any outdoor space, plus they are (nearly) all for under $100! — Jane from Finding Fabulous

Cost Plus World Market

Spicy Orange Classic Adirondack Chair – $99.99

Adirondack chairs are timeless. I love them in vibrant colors, and World Market conveys several colour options including turquoise, red, apple, green and more.

Overstock.com

Pillow Perfect Opal Outdoor Flamestitch Corded 18 1/2-Inch Throw Pillow – $52.79

Pillows are a great way to add colour to any outdoor space or patio. I love these daring corals, greens and blues. And also the ikat pattern is such an enjoyable fad right now.

Target

Worchester Rectangular Bordered Patio Rug, Chestnut/Sand – $69.99

Insert this great outdoor rug into your screened porch or terrace. I love the chunky border and the fantastic price.

Crate&Barrel

Tidore Planters – $79.95

I love the clean lines of those brownish planters that are Tidore. They are tall and thinner in scale, which makes them perfect for smaller patios and decks. They also look great in a grouping of two or three.

Pottery Barn

Branch Coral Embroidered Outdoor Pillow – $49.50

Proceed coastal and add a pop of color and texture to any outdoor seating area with this embroidered pillow out of Pottery Barn.

Cost Plus World Market

White Lili Punched Drum Stool – $59.99

Every outdoor space wants a garden stool. They are not only pretty, but versatile too. They may be used as extra seats, and operate as side tables that were small as well.

Crate&Barrel

Helix Lanterns – $34.95

I love the feel and functionality of those votive candle lanterns. They are perfect for adding a soft evening glow into any outdoor dinner party or get-together.

Target

Round Pulley Patio Umbrella, Orange, 9′ – $74.99

Outdoor umbrellas are both functional and beautiful, and they’ll keep sunlight off your mind when dining outdoors. I love the tangerine shade.

Target

Threshold Outdoor Seat Cushion Set, Neutral Chevron – $29.98

These chevron patterned chair cushions are a steal. Perfect for upgrading an present deck or patio table, their neutral tone will match just about any decor.

West Elm

Ombré Colored Glassware – $32

These are really fun! I love the beachy blue hues in this collection.

Cost Plus World Market

Green Paisley Antigua Plates – $8.98

All these melamine plates are great for outdoor cookouts and dinner parties. The vibrant colors and paisley pattern will add the perfect dash of colour to any table setting.

Big Rectangle Lacquer Trays – $59

These large lacquer trays are great for spring and summer entertaining. Clean modern lines and cool colour hues make them functional and fabulous.

Pier 1 Imports

Woven Water Hyacinth Round Metallic Placemat – $7.95

I love the natural grass texture of this placemat. Additionally, it is coated with a silver metallic finish, so it is going to add a little shimmer and glow to your next outdoor dinner party!

Outdoor Bamboo Ottoman, Burnt Orange – $80.99

This outdoor ottoman is so fun. It would be great for extra seating or as a footstool. Insert a few to your kids on a patio or deck, and they could lounge in fashion.

Buy

Pier 1 Imports

Casbah Chair, Ocean – $139.95

Want an excess seating area in your deck or patio? A few of them will do the trick. I love their smaller scale and clean lines, which teal color is just beautiful.

IKEA

Garpen Bar Table – $99

Check out the Garpen pub table from Ikea. It’s a great spot for cocktails and appetizers when entertaining guests. And I love that it is made from black rust-proof aluminum.

Modern Outdoor Cushions And Pillows – $20

Every seating area requires a few lumbar pillows for comfort and back support. I love this green colour, and cabana stripes are all so fun.

Cost Plus World Market

Blown Glass Hurricane Candleholders

Dine outdoors by candlelight with these hand-crafted blown-glass candleholders out of World Market. I love them!

West Elm

Marbleized Planter, Ledge – $34

This planter out of West Elm is a great pot for succulents or shade-loving plants. I love that it looks like concrete.

Pottery Barn

PB Launched Glass Buoys – $59

I love that these buoys are made from hand-blown glass. They’ll make a great centerpiece for any outdoor dining table.

Next: 6 Ways to Light Your Outdoor Space

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Tour the Space to Get a Newly Modern Seattle Home

Four and a half an hour. That’s how long Mary Hurlock-Murphy husband Grant Risdon, their three children, two dogs and a cat lived in an 800-square-foot, three-bedroom, 100-year-old farmhouse at Seattle before undertaking an remodel.

The couple — she works at electronic agency Razorfish; he works in biotech — adored their desired neighborhood of Queen Anne homes, and moving into a nearby home wasn’t an option, because demand had priced them from the area. So they decided to stay put and make the most of their small house and lot. Architect Chris Pardo of Elemental Architecture provided a light in the end of the tunnel. By casting the job as a remodel, regardless of the renovations being so extensive that the home would be nearly a new construct, they were able to steer clear of new house setbacks that could have yielded a ridiculously slender 5-foot-wide house.

Instead, Pardo built up and up as far as possible, doubling the square footage to 1,600. He turned two amounts into four adding a rooftop deck in a partial-daylight basement, an in-law studio apartment, which the homeowners now rent out to offset their mortgage. Pardo also fulfilled a lifelong dream of Hurlock-Murphy’s to have a home library. With such limited space, Pardo Gently divide the library into three custom-built sections throughout the home.

Despite it being a “compact home,” Pardo states, the couple is happy with their four bedrooms; this is actually the first time in years they haven’t slept on a Murphy bed.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Mary Hurlock-Murphy, her husband Grant Risdon, their three children, two dogs and a cat
Location: Seattle
Size: 1,600 square feet; 4 bedrooms
Budget: $165 per square foot

Chris Pardo Design – Elemental Architecture

This is only one of the library markets Pardo used to divide the homeowners’ book collection. The seats directly in front of it are covered in linen toile and filled with down. An sofa seat is faced by them.

Sofa: G. Romano

Chris Pardo Design – Elemental Architecture

Since the home is very close to its neighbors, Pardo built up and picked to get a reverse floor plan that place the living spaces on the third level to maximize views and light. It also gives solitude from passersby.

Cost saving was a big issue, so Pardo had to get smart with his design decisions. To give the exterior the commercial glass-storefront look he pictured, he designed a cruder variant of 2-by-4 posts wrapped in aluminum cladding. The commercial system could have run around $96,000; Pardo layout price $18,000. “It was among the biggest cost-saving items for us without diminishing the layout,” he states.

To honor Pardo’s job, the homeowners chose for their doorway color the same hue as Elemental Architecture’s emblem: Pantone 144.

Chris Pardo Design – Elemental Architecture

The master bedroom is via the doorway. “If you’re hungry in the morning, it ends up,” says Pardo. Minerit panels, also located on the exterior, constitute the floor of the dwelling spaces. Carrara marble was used for the countertops, kitchen island and the connected dining table. The Burke seats were purchased via Craigslist; they are modeled after the original designs in the starship Enterprise, with “late-’60s, early-’70s Brady Bunch gold cushions,” the homeowner says. The cabinets are walnut.

Chandelier: Design Within Reach; artwork: Todd Karam

Chris Pardo Design – Elemental Architecture

The all-glass wall and spacious floor plan permit for leafy views of the neighborhood and nearby University of Washington.

Chris Pardo Design – Elemental Architecture

Boxed tubular steel treads onto a steel beam produce a spine-like staircase. More Minerit panels constitute the floor.

Chris Pardo Design – Elemental Architecture

A very simple bed and graphic yellow bedspread — both from Ikea — brighten this kids’ space, as does a midcentury swivel chair with a burgundy Naugahyde design.

Artwork: Todd Karam

Chris Pardo Design – Elemental Architecture

Bamboo floors, a blue Ikea mattress and an opaque confetti-patterned vintage chair make an original look in another kids’ room.

Chris Pardo Design – Elemental Architecture

Pardo wanted something fairly minimalist for the toilet, with a wall-hung cupboard and glass tile to reflect light from a skylight.

Chris Pardo Design – Elemental Architecture

The claw-foot tub was original to the previous 100-year-old house. The homeowners had the once-rose-colored tub restored everywhere.

Chris Pardo Design – Elemental Architecture

An outdoor staircase contributes to a rooftop deck. The structure gobbles up the majority of the lot, so the deck is a means of having outdoor living room, with views of the University of Washington.

Daybed: Restoration Hardware; blue table: Ikea; Eames-style seats: Craigslist

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