Storing Wine In Your Kitchen: Mistakes to Avoid

As a follow up to my Storing Wine In Your Kitchen Series, I want to share with you some mistakes to avoid.

1. Make sure the openings for storing wine is deep enough so that the wine bottle doesn’t stick out too far.

2. Don’t make the opening so tight it only fits the standard size wine bottle (750 ml). The 1.5 liter size wine bottle (magnum) is also very popular and I recommend that your openings be able to fit both sizes.

3. Pay attention to the location of the kitchen windows and make sure sunshine will not shine directly on your bottles of wine.

4. If you store wine behind a cabinet door and want to be able to lock that cabinet, inform your builder/cabinet maker before the cabinets are made.

5. Consider any physical restrictions you might have that would prevent you from stooping over to retrieve wine stored below the kitchen counter or reaching high to retrieve wine stored above the kitchen counter.

6. If you have young children, make sure wine stored below the counter is located behind a door which can be locked with a key or childproof locks can be applied.

7. Though in the series I showed some photos of wine stored above the refrigerator, it is important to make sure the heat generated from the refrigerator motor does not reach that area as it can dry out the cork and spoil the wine.

Source of photo unknown

8. Avoid storing wine above an oven due to the heat that escapes when the oven door is open.

9. Ice makers generate a lot of heat so make sure if you are storing wine near an ice maker it will not be affected by the heat.

10. Spend time calculating how many bottles of wine you will be storing so you do not end up not having enough storage or you end up wasting space with too much storage.  In the photo below over 100 bottles of wine can be stored under the island. If you do not have that much wine, a better use for some of the space would be to add  cabinets, drawers, or shelves for cookbooks.

Source: The New Smart Approach to Kitchen Design by Susan Maney

11. Make sure if you use decide to have individual storage using the criss-crossed design that the wood is substantial enough so it will not split or break.

Source: Kitchen Ideas That Work by Beth Veillette

My hope is that you enjoyed this series- giving you ideas and preventing mistakes!  Blessings.  …susan

PS I forgot my laptop at home when I left town this past weekend so I skipped my Spiritual & Inspirational Sunday Post.

Kitchen Utensil Storage: Mistakes to Avoid

As a follow up to my post on Kitchen Utensil Storage Options (which you can scroll down to read), here is a list of Mistakes to Avoid when designing your dream kitchen. By providing this list, it is my hope that I have stimulated your thought process and helped prevent avoidable mistakes. My goal is for you to end up with a functioning and aesthetically beautiful home, avoiding mistakes that might become a daily irritant.

Mistakes to Avoid

Before you begin designing your kitchen, identify all of your kitchen utensils. The best way is to lay all of them on your counter. Decide how they need to be grouped together, i.e. all wooden utensils, all baking utensils, etc. Then decide the type storage option you want to use and the location of the storage option. Will you store them in a drawer or drawers, in a container on the counter, hanging on the wall, hanging vertically behind a pull out cabinet door, in a basket under the counter, etc.  Next, decide the area of the kitchen where the storage option will be located. Keep in mind their use and then determine the location of the drawer(s), container(s), wall hanger(s), baskets, etc. so that the utensils are handy. For those items used when cooking on the stovetop, you would want the drawer or container near the stovetop.  For those items used when baking, you will want them stored near the counter where you will prepare the food for baking. I am sure you get the idea.

Storage in Drawers-Mistakes to Avoid

1. Make sure the drawer is tall enough so that the utensils will not jam when opening and closing the drawer. Don’t you just hate it when a ladle, large whisk, or rolling pin get jammed in your drawer and you cannot open it!  I usually add at least a half inch to the standard measurement for drawer height.. However, it is best to take the actual measurement of the tallest utensil you plan to store in the drawer.  I like how deep the drawer is in the photo under number four below.

I am a huge fan of having drawers in a kitchen instead of lower cabinet doors. You might want an extra tall drawer to hold items such as a sifter, four-sided grater, and other items requiring extra drawer height.  Perhaps you have a drawer for mixing bowls and a divider in the back of the drawer for some taller items such as the sifter.  I recommend putting the actual items you plan to store in each drawer on your counter and take measurements for your cabinet maker.  Then take a photograph of each group. Print the photograph on regular paper and fill in the measurements. 

2. Don’t waste valuable storage space with thick drawer dividers. Looking at both the photo below and the photo after item four, doesn’t it make you wonder why the dividers are so thick?

Source unknown: If you know the source of the photo above, please contact me and I will note it. 

3. Discuss with your cabinet maker if the drawer can be built so that the dividers can be moved around or removed to accommodate new items you might pick up. I can see grooves being cut in the drawer bottom and being able to lift the dividers and move them into another groove to change the configuration.

4. Think about the use of the utensils and the drawer being close to that area. If the utensils are for cooking on the stove, when designing your kitchen cabinet layout, put the drawer either under the stovetop or next to the stove so that they are an easy reach when cooking.  If the utensils are used when baking, put the drawer near the counter where you will prepare the food for baking. If  you own quite a few utensils, you might need more than one drawer stacked on top of each other that are designated for utensils.

Source: Tauton’s Home Storage Idea Book by Joanne Kellar Bouknight

5. Make sure the drawer runners you select are adequate for the weight of the drawer and the items you will be storing.  Decide if you want self-closing drawer runners. 

Storage in a Container-Mistakes to Avoid

1. Make sure the container when filled with utensils will still fit under the upper cabinets. I love using an urn in the photo below. The height  works because  it is located under the vent hood. 

Source: Great Kitchen Ideas

Storage on a Wall-Mistakes to Avoid

1. Hanging utensils from a wall rack creates the look of a professional kitchen and can be handy for the gourmet chef.  However, if you do not cook often, the utensils will gather dust.  

Source: Great Kitchen Ideas

Vertical Storage in a Pull Out Cabinet-Mistakes to Avoid

When looking at the photo below I can see several advantages of this type of storage. First, the metal peg board gives you the great flexibility in the configuration of the utensils. It also allows you to easily see the utensils.

For some reason, this option does not appeal to me. Maybe it is because I have not personally used this type of storage option? I keep imagining the utensils swinging around and clanging when I open and close the cabinet. I am not even sure that would actually happen.  The photo makes me think I would do a lot of stooping over or squatting to remove or replace the utensils. I would like to hear your thoughts in a comment if you have used or are using this type of storage option.

I do like the design of the cabinet front on the pull out in the photo below because when closed, it blends into the cabinet design. Because the design goes to the floor, it gives extra support when it is open. I like the idea of leaving it pulled out while cooking. Make sure if it is left pulled out there is room to walk around it.

Source unknown: if you know the source of this photo, please contact me and I will note it.

Blessings.  …susan

Kitchen Office/Desk Area: Mistakes to Avoid

As a follow up to my post on Kitchen Office/Desk Area which you can review by clicking here, is a list of mistakes to avoid when designing your dream kitchen office/desk area.

Mistakes to Avoid

1. Depth of the top of the desk-  a  common mistake is for the desk top to be too shallow. However, if the desk top is an extension of the kitchen counter, (see photo below) in order to look aesthetically pleasing, it will need to be the same depth as the counter.

If the desk area is located on a separate wall as shown in the photo below, then you have more flexibility in the depth.  ^Source of photo unknown

^Source of photo unknown

2. Distance between the desk top and the shelves or cabinets above-  make sure there is enough vertical height between the desk top and the bottom of the upper cabinets or shelves so the items you plan to place on your desk top will fit.  Typical items include a computer monitor, lamp, wall mounted bulletin board, blackboard, message board, or vase for flowers. In my opinion, in the photo below there should be more vertical distance separating the desk top and the bottom of the upper cabinet. 

 

^Traditional Home March 2008

^

3. Backing in the wall above the desk top- during framing of your home, it is wise to add backing between the studs above the desk top so that bulletin boards, blackboards, and any other item which needs to be mounted on that wall can be mounted into the wood backing vs drywall for better stability. If you want to read a previous post on backing, click here.

4. Height and width of the knee hole-  if you are planning for a pull out keyboard, make sure you have adequate height for a person to sit at the desk and not scrape their knees.

5. Easily accessible outlets for items that you will be plugging in and out-  identify those items needing the ability to plug in and out such as a laptop computer, cell phone charger, lamp, pencil sharpener, cordless phone base, and Ipod station. Make sure the outlet(s) are aesthetically placed.  In the photo below, the outlet would have been less noticeable and still easily accessible had it been place in the upper back corner of the knee hole.  Don’t forget to have a hole cut in the top of desk for the electrical cords to pass through. Take time to think through the location of this hole. In the photo below I see a hole cut in the top of the desk that is unused perhaps due to the fact the computer monitor is on the left of the knee hole and the hole cut is on the right side. Is a surge protector necessary?

^Source of photo unknown

6. Location of light switches-  identify which light fixtures and outlets will need light switches. Make sure the light switches are aesthetically placed yet functional. In the photo above, there is a combination outlet and light switch mounted on the wall. It appears the light switch turns on the under cabinet lights. I do not think the outlet is necessary since there is a hole cut in the desk top with an outlet below. I would have preferred the light switch to have been on the far left side of the desk near the door as it is a bit of an eyesore in its present location.

6. Adequate number and proper location of outlets for those items needing electricity-  identify those items which will need an outlet such as computer hard drive, printer, fax, router, paper shredder, etc.  Will some of this equipment be stored in a pullout drawer or pullout shelf (see photo below)? If so, the outlet needs to be located in the back of that drawer or pullout shelf. Will any outlets need a surge protector or will you use a surge protector strip?

^Southern Living July 2009

7. Adequate amount of hanging file space and correct size-    two common mistakes are having more files than storage space and only being able to use letter size files and not legal size.

8. Phone jack  cable internet accessibility- identify whether or not you need a phone jack for a fax machine or access to the cable for your router. Make sure these are aesthetically placed and accessible.

9. Proper configuration of cabinets, drawers, and shelves-   make a list of all items you want to store in your office/desk area. These might include office equipment such as a printer, hard drive, paper shredder, fax, router, adding machine, label machine, cookbooks, books, hanging files, office supplies, pencil sharpener, paper cutter, etc.  A well designed and functional desk will have a “home” for each object.

10. Adequate space and ventilation for all office equipment-   if you will place a hard drive behind cabinet doors or a printer in a pull out drawer, discuss ventilation with your cabinet maker.

11. Drawer locks- will you be storing personal or sensitive information in your files? If so, discuss options for locking those drawers.

12. Proper selection of drawer runners/glides- don’t skimp on the quality of drawer runner/glides especially on file drawers or pullout drawers holding heavy office equipment.    

13. Adequate lighting- identify what type of lighting you will need for the desk area: recessed spot or flood lights, lamp, lighting from underneath the upper cabinet, or other.

14. Where will you put your waste paper basket?  Every desk needs a waste paper basket. Often they are located in the knee hole area. An alternative is to have a pullout drawer that would hold the waste paper basket or have a hole cut in the desk top with a waste paper basket located in a cabinet underneath the hole. Don’t forget to think about recycling.

15. Aesthetics from outside-  if your desk area will be located under a window, take into account what will be seen from the outside looking in.

It is my hope that by reading this list of mistakes to avoid and I have stimulated your thought process and your kitchen office/desk area will be functional, aesthetically beautiful, and meet all of your needs.  Blessings.  …susan

Paper Towel Holder: Mistake to Avoid

As a follow up to my recent post on paper towel holder options, I want to share with you my list of mistakes to avoid.  

Mistakes to Avoid

1. Centering  If you plan to mount a paper towel holder underneath your upper cabinets, make sure it is centered on the cabinet door.

2. Secure  If you plan to mount a paper towel holder on the wall underneath the upper cabinets or on the wall in front of your kitchen sink, you will want to add backing underneath the dry wall so that the paper towel holder will be secure. Click here to read a previous post on backing.

3. Fit If you will use a decorative paper towel holder stand on your counter, make sure it will fit between the counter and the upper cabinet.

4. Diameter  If you will use a paper towel holder underneath the counter in a cubby hole, you need to make sure the height of the cubby hole is tall enough for a jumbo paper towel roll.  Additionally, if you want to put your paper towel roll in a drawer, make sure the height of the drawer is sufficient for a jumbo roll.

5. Sticky  If you decide to place your paper towel holder in a drawer, acknowledge to yourself before doing so that the drawer front and hardware will often get sticky or wet due when opening the drawer to reach for a paper towel.

Mud Room: Mistake to Avoid

As a follow up to my post on mud rooms, I wanted to point out some mistakes to avoid. In doing so, perhaps this list will trigger other thoughts for your mud room. For those of you who are lucky enough to add a mud room to their home, remodel an existing mud room, or are designing their dream home which includes a mud room, let’s make sure you think of everything and make no mistakes!  Any additional mistakes to avoid or other comments are welcome to be added by clicking on the word comments at the end.

By the way, My Domestic Bliss happened to do a post on mud rooms this week. Check it out by clicking here.

Mud Room Mistakes to Avoid

Door

• direction of door swing
• adequate width of doorway for your needs
• doggy door attached to door
• adequate threshold height so door does not get hung up on floor mat or rug when opened

Floor

• non-slip surface
• water and stain resistant
• color or pattern that does not show every speck of dirt
• grout color that will not get dingy over time
• drain in floor if necessary
• height of actual drain lower than the floor surface

Plumbing

• faucet on the wall with sprayer for cleaning floor if necessary (great for sandy areas, farm/ranches, hunting areas, and rainy climates)
• sink in area for miscellaneous use
• dog bath area
• powder room off of mud room

Electrical outlets

• on shelf or in cubby to charge cell phone
• for automatic dog feeder
• for boot warmer or dryer
• for 5-gallon water dispenser
• for vacuum cleaner
• camera battery
• other items that need charging

Backing

• for support holding coat hooks
• for the built-in cubby holes and shelves to attached to the wall
• for a mirror (nice to have a mirror to take one quick look before you leave the house or to put on lipstick as you go out the door in a hurry)
• for other items that might be mounted on the wall

Lighting

• adequate lighting to see what is in a cubby hole or locker
• specific lighting fixture to use as a night light

Built-ins: lockers/shelves/cabinets/cubby holes/drawers

• correct size for tennis racquet to fit
• correct size for skis to fit
• correct size to hang jackets and coats
• adjustable shelves and cubby shelves
• ridge to keep balls from rolling off
• large enough area for dog bed
• area for cat litter box
• place for pet food and pet equipment
• place for dirty clothes basket
• place for dirty shoes box
• enough shelves, cabinets, and cubby holes to hold all items you plan to store (make a inventory list of what you want to store)
• enough drawers to hold all items you plan to place in a drawer (make a drawer inventory list)
• not enough lockers for all household members (don’t forget live-in helpers, elderly relatives)

Hallway or Room

• wide enough for your built-ins to fit
• wide enough for your rug to fit
• wide enough for your door mat to fit
• long enough if you want a to locate a specialty room or powder room off of the mud room
• wide enough if you are adding a piece of furniture such as a bench or chair
• space to place an umbrella stand if you so desire
• a place designated for a bike if you keep your bike or bikes inside

Misc.

• not enough coat hooks for jackets, hats, etc.
• no place to sit down to put on and take off shoes
• not enough space for shoes and boots
• clothes drip area for clothes or umbrellas if you live in a rainy climate or run or bike outside even if it is raining
• drip area for waiters to dry if you are a duck hunter (I have seen a pulley system in a mud room that hoists the waiters up off the floor for drying)

After being away for nine days, I have been trying to catch up on reading the posts on the blogs I follow, scanning photos and writing the posts for my blog, and playing catch up as we all do when we have been away. Unfortunately, a few days after returning home, my 30 year old friend’s heart decided to start racing and he ended up in the ER on Monday night. What a crazy story. His parents are both deceased; his mother died a few months ago. Michael called a mutual friend and told her he was jogging and all of a sudden his heart started racing. So this friend said she was coming to pick him up and take him to the hospital. As the friend was driving to pick up Michael, he called her and said he decided to drive himself to the ER so meet him there. Our mutual friend said when they arrived at the ER and Michael got out of his car, he began vomiting and was clammy. He should have never driven himself to the ER! The nurse took his blood pressure and pulse and quickly put him in a wheel chair and rushed him to the trauma room. Having his heart race has happened to him twice before in the past couple of months but his heart calmed down after a few minutes. Our mutual friend begged him to see a doctor back then but he ignored it. The ER doctors assessed the situation and ended up stopping his heart with medicine. It restarted itself. He said it was surreal to have a team of doctors and nurses standing over him including one holding shock paddles and being told they were going to stop his heart. He said all of a sudden he couldn’t breathe and then his heart started beating. When I arrived at the ER, he was telling jokes and cutting up. He was trying to talk the doctor out of admitting him to the hospital as he was totally in denial of the seriousness of the situation. I spent quite a few hours in the ER that night and visiting him in the hospital the next few days. He went through several tests the next two days and the cardiologist determined he actually had suffered a mild heart attack. He has some sort of a congenital issue with his heart rhythm. He has been released from the hospital but has further tests to undergo as an outpatient. I ran into Michael at a restaurant last night. He is out and about as if nothing ever happened. Please pray that he has a proper diagnosis, responds to the treatment, and realizes even though he is only 30 years old, this is serious!

Staircase Railings: Mistakes to Avoid-I forgot this one!

Hi! I just realized I forgot to mention an important mistake to avoid in my previous post.  Please forgive me!

Make sure the design of the staircase railing will allow you to install a child’s safety gate at both the upper and lower level of the staircase to prevent children from climbing the stairs.  Many parents and grandparents use a removable gate.  These gates are also used to prevent dogs from going up or down the stairs.

An alternative to the removable child’s safety gate is to have a custom gate made to match the staircase railing. When not in use and left open against the wall, this gate can be a decorative element to the staircase.

The custom decorative gate works well if you are hosting any type of open house or party and you do not want guests going upstairs.

Staircase Railings Part Five: Mistakes to Avoid

Welcome to the final post on staircase railings series. There are a couple of very important mistakes to avoid listed below. Many of the other mistakes listed are of an aesthetic nature. My goal is to present information that will prevent you from making any of these mistakes.

Most people do not realize the many choices they actually have when it comes to their staircase. One thing that is avoidable is for a homeowner to move into their home and be disappointed in the location of the newel post, the width of the staircase, the size of the tread, etc. These are all things that can easily be customized if the homeowners wishes had been known to the architect.

1. Make sure the distance between each spindle or baluster meets the requirement set forth by the building codes department. Also, the height of the railing must meet the building code requirement.

You do not want a child’s head to become stuck between two spindles or your pet’s head either.

2. Before deciding on an elaborate ornate design, consider the effort it will take to keep it clean. You don’t want a beautifully designed railing to be full of dust.

A good analogy is the wheels of a car. Some of the best looking wheels are intricate and to look their best need to painstakingly be cleaned by hand. Due to time and budget constraints a car owner will find they often drive around with somewhat dirty wheels.

3. If selecting an iron railing and adding a brass design element, keep in mind that the brass will occasionally need to be polished.

4. If any part of your handrail is attached to the wall, make sure there is backing in that wall for maximum support. See previous post on backing here. It is a good idea to add backing to  both walls so if an additional handrail needs to be added, it will be securely attached to the wall.

5. Be specific regarding the location of the newel post.

You have several options: Attached to the floor, on the first step, second step, third step, built into a step, etc.  Click here to see some of the options.

6. Be specific in stating whether you want an iron handrail or a wooden handrail (or other material).

If  your staircase railings will be iron, let your architect, designer, or builder know your preference on railing. You don’t want any assumptions. Click here to see iron handrails and click here to see wooden handrails.

7. Be specific regarding the circumference of the spindles or balusters and their shape.

You don’t want anyone making assumptions regarding what you want.

8. If your staircase will have a landing at a turn, make sure the width of that landing will accommodate any furniture you plan to move to upper floors.

9. Spend time noticing and measuring the width of your friend’s staircases so that you have an actual visualize on the width you desire.

10. Make sure the height of all rises is consistent from the first step to the top step.

I was in a home where the height of the riser changed at the landing midway up the stairs which throws off the cadence you have developed in your step thus having the potential to cause a fall. 

11. Specify whether you want an open sting(er) or closed one. Click here to see photos.

12. If you are a big footed family and need deeper treads, let your architect know before drawing the first floor plans so extra space can be allocated for the staircase.

13. If you want any type of lighting on the riser or tread make sure that is specified.  Often lights are placed in the staircase wall but in some cases the stairs have a lighting detail.

Feel free to leave a comment, I love hearing from you! …susan

Porches, Patios, and Decks: Mistakes to Avoid

Misti, my talented blogging friend invited me to do a guest post on her blog StudioMDesign last Friday. In case you missed it and want to read it, click here. I like to follow up my residential design posts with a related Mistakes to Avoid post so here is the Porches, Patios, and Decks Mistakes to Avoid. I realize the Mistakes to Avoid post related to bath tubs is still due and I will post it soon.

Porches, Patios, and Decks: Mistake to Avoid

1. Building a porch, patio, or deck without defining its purpose and use only to realize after you begin using it that you wish you had this, that, or the other.

Identify why you are building a porch, patio, or deck and for what purposes will it be used.

2. After building a porch that is detached from your home, you learn that the Homeowner Association does not allow detached structures.

Know your HOA covenants and bylaws before building anything!

3. Not having enough seats either in the lounging area or at a dining table to accommodate your usual gathering of people.

Identify the minimum number of people you will have at a routine gathering of family, neighbors, supper club, etc. Make sure you design allows for at least this number of people to have seating.

4. Wanting to add a swing,hammock, or bed hung from the ceiling only to learn there is no structure that will support any of these.

5. Not doing a furniture plan to ensure the furniture you plan to use will fit appropriately.

6. No forethought for a grill or grill area.

Once your porch, patio, or deck has been built you decide to add a grill however there is no area in the design for a grill to fit. Or you want to build in a grill and again the design you built does not allow for adding a grill. Additionally, you did not plan for a natural gas line if you wanted a gas grill. You did not plan for electric power for any outside kitchen appliances.

Be aware of the smoke created by a grill and make sure it will not be a nuisance to guests.

7. Inadequate light around a grill area.

You are doing your best to grill hamburgers or steak but due to the poor lighting you cannot tell if they are cooked. Nothing worse than hearing your beef moo once it has been served.

8. The fireplace you built with a chimney is against the HOA bylaws and covenants.

9. After you built your fireplace, you then wish you had a heath to sit on and an area to store firewood that will keep it out of the elements. You also did not plan for a natural gas line to use as a starter.

10. Your fire pit does not have a ledge around it for seating nor does it have a gas starter line.

11. Your flat screen TV has been mounted but when you go to watch it you find the afternoon sun shines right on it or creates a glare preventing you from seeing the TV screen.

12. Your lifestyle requires parties with a tent erected however due to the design of the patio there is no place to secure the tent so you are forced to rent a much larger and expensive tent than you need.

Work with your builder and tent rental company so that you can make provisions in the design of the patio or deck that will make installing a tent easier and more secure.

13. You had a vision of exteior awnings around your porch but the design of the porch does not lend itself to having awnings.

Let your design team know awnings are important to you early in the design process.

14. You have a mulit-level patio or deck but find guests have a hard time maneurving the steps.

Unless you are built on a side of a hill or mountain which will require a multi-level deck, multi-level decks are just an accident waiting to happen. Usually on a porch, patio, or deck the light is dim and libations are being served thus a recipe for a fall.

15. You did not plan for an outside powder room and realize your guests have quite a distance to go to reach your home to use the powder room.

16. You are having a party on your porch, patio, or deck and you realize you will need trash cans. You wish they had been built in instead of free standing plastic cans. You also wish you had an area built in for recycle items.

17. After using your patio or deck you would prefer some sort of covering whether it is panels of fabric, wood, or vines.

Think about the times of day you will use your patio or deck and decide if a covering or partial covering is necessary.

18. The area you live is gets humid but you did not think about having a ceiling fan installed.

19. You forgot to specify natural gas for your outdoor lanterns, sconces, chandeliers, or lamp posts or you forgot to specify electrical power for all as well.

20. Your location for the porch, patio, and deck light switch is not convenient.

You need at least a three-way switch so you can turn the lights on from inside your home as well as outside. It is a good idea to install a light switch outside on your porch that you can flip on when entering a dark house.

21. You want to plug in an oscillating fan with a misting system but there is not a conveniently located outlet. The same with a margarita machine, ceiling hung heater, waterpoof lamp, cordless phone base, and even your computer.

Note in photo below upper left corner is an electric heater which needs an outlet.

Pay close attention to what you might want to plug in and the exact location of those outlets. Identify any outlet that needs to be on a light switch.

22. You have planted beautiful flowers in pots all around your porch, patio, or deck only to realize when you go on vacation you have to pay to have someone come water them.

Decide ahead of time if you will want a drip system for your flower pots or planters. Will it require electricity to operate?

23. You are enjoying your porch, patio, or deck and would like to hear some music only to realize you did not plan for music.

24. It’s Christmas and the location of your porch, patio, or deck would be a perfect location for some Christmas decorations. However, you don’t have any outlets to plug in the lights.

Plan ahead for Christmas decorations and specify outlets to accommodate.

25. After a few gathering on your porch you realize the mosquitoes and flies are having more fun than you are. So you want to add a retractable motorized screen but you need electrical power to operate the motor which is not available.

The retractable motorized screens such as those by Phantom are great. When bugs are not an issue, they retract and you don’t even know they are there. Plan ahead for pests.

26. You want to hose off your porch, patio, or deck or want to water the plants and there is no faucet nearby.

Every porch, patio, deck, and balcony should have a faucet and depending on the size, some should have more than one faucet.

If using a fan with misting system you will need to attach to a faucet.

27. Water puddles on your porch, patio, or deck after a rain or after being hosed off.

Be diligent during the building process about a proper slope. You might even use your own level and check and recheck. Adding a drain may help however, make sure the cap on top of the drain pipe is lower than the floor.

28. You add some outdoor appliances and a sink but do not have a water line for those that require one.

29. You have cushions and pillows for your furniture on your porch, patio, or deck and have to haul them into the house to keep them clean and dry.

Consider a using a bench that can double for storage for your cushions and pillows. On your porch you might add a closet for cushions and pillows as well as other items used when entertaining.

30. When your dog or children are on the porch, they keep trying to escape causing you to have to get up and down often.

Have a gate made to match your railing so you can close off the exits to keep your dogs and children contained.

Consider using a dutch door between your home and the porch.

There is still time to be eligible for the book giveaway. The winner will be decided and announced at noon on Monday, April 20, 2009. To participate, scroll down to the post titled “Guest post and Giveaway! and click on comments at the end of the post.

Backing: Mistakes to Avoid

It is hard to believe, but it was two months ago that I posted my first blog!

1. Be sure to discuss your backing needs with you builder so that the framer will include it in his/her quote.

2. Make sure your interior designer has identified any backing needed with the interior design plan.

3. Make sure you take a photograph showing the location of the backing once it is installed in the wall. Give a reference measurement so the location can be identified once covered with drywall.

4. Do not skimp on the size of the wood you are using for backing.

5. Do not forget the items mounted in the ceiling that need backing as well as those mounted on the walls.

Items to consider for backing include:

Audio/video equipment

Ceiling or wall mounted projectors

Drop down screens

Speakers

Wall-mounted televisions

Bathroom

Art

Ceiling fans

Decorative mirror

Grab bars

Magnifying mirror

Medicine cabinet

Shower curtain rod

Shower door

Toilet paper holder

Towel bar, rings, hooks

Towel warmer

Cabinets above toilet

Bedroom

Canopy

Ceiling fan

Headboard

Decorative hanging pieces

Art

Mirrors

Portraits

Sculpture

Wall mounted corner cabinet

Garage

Athletic equipment racks

Bike rack

Garage door motor

Garage door tracks

Tool holders mounted on the wall

Hardware

Clothes hooks or robe hooks

Coat rack

Kitchen

Pot rack

Upper cabinets

Laundry room

Broom, mop holder

Ironing board holder

Lighting

Chandeliers

Sconces

Track lighting

Mantels

Staircase handrail

Window treatments

Cornice

Curtain rod

Curtain tie backs

Miscellaneous

Tapestry

Game, fish, and other trophies

Wall safe

If you can think of other items that need backing, leave them in a comment. Blessings. ...Susan

Bookcase Lighting: Mistakes to Avoid

Before I list the bookcase lighting mistakes to avoid, I realized I left off one option for bookcase lighting on my last blog. That option would be to light the bookcase from a recessed can light mounted in the ceiling several feet out from the bookcase. There are various types of canned lights from which to choose.

Bookcase Lighting Mistakes to Avoid

1. Make sure your electrical plans indicate the kind of bookcase lighting you plan to install and pay close attention to the location.

2. Make sure the size and shape of the lighting fixture is adequate enough to cast enough light to illuminate your bookcase. You will also want to make sure the scale of the light fixture is in line with the scale of the bookcase.

3. Determine that once mounted, how many shelves below will the lighting fixture illuminate?

4. Determine if it is important to you that the lighting fixture and the arm of the lighting fixture be able to move around so that you can adjust the lighting?

5. If your bookcase almost reaches the ceiling in height, make sure when mounted, the lighting fixture you select does not project to high upward and end up hitting the ceiling.

6. When selecting a light fixture that mounts into your bookcase, make note of how far it will project out from the bookcase once mounted. The projection will need to relate to the size of the room and the size of the bookcase.

7. If you have stereo equipment such as a receiver, CD player, etc. located on your bookcase shelf, make sure there is enough light to illuminate the dials and buttons so you can see to operate the equipment.

8. If using rope lighting, make sure when installed and you are seated in the area, you cannot see the actual rope lighting. Being able to see it takes away the aesthetic quaility of using rope lighting.

9. Realize if you use a recessed canned light or puck light installed above the top shelf of the bookcase, it will only provide light for that top shelf. Even if you use glass shelves, the objects on each shelf will block the light from traveling below. A solution is to have a puck light mounted underneath each shelf so that it will light the shelf below. However, a skilled electrician and carpenter will need to work together to create an aesthetically pleasing mount. Another solution is to use rope lighting for the lower shelves.

10. Take time to think through where you will locate the light switch(s) to turn on the bookcase lighting. Will you want to use a three-way or even a four-way light switch allowing you to turn the bookcase lights on at each entrance to the room with the bookcase and have a light switch hidden within one of the shelves? Will you want a dimmer switch on each light switch?

11. Will you place a small lamp on one of the bookcase shelves? If so, plan for an outlet. Will you want to be able to turn that lamp on and off at a light switch instead of having to walk to the bookcase each time you want to turn it on and off.

Remember Earth Hour is Saturday March 28, 2009, at 8:30 pm local time wherever you live on planet earth. Join in and turn your lights out for one hour.

Shower Shelves: Mistakes to Avoid

My last blog consisted of twelve photos showing an array of shower shelves. Being a fan of shower shelves and recommending them, there are a few mistakes you want to avoid.



1. Adequate shelf space to hold all of your items. The height, length, and depth of the shelf needs to accommodate the items you will store on the shelf. Take an inventory of all items you use in your shower. If you purchase super-sized products, measure those products and make sure you specify that the FINISH height, length, and depth meet the measurements you provide.



2. No water puddling on the shelf. The shower shelf should have a ever so slight tilt away from the wall to prevent water from puddling along the wall and in the corners.


3. Avoid having the shower spray direct on the shelf. The relationship between the shower shelf and the spray from the shower head(s) needs to be noted. You do not want the flow of your shower head to hit the shelf. I have found that shower shelves on the wall directly below the shower head do not get much water.


4. Access to the shelf if sitting on your shower bench. If you will have a bench in your shower, make the shower shelf accessible to the person sitting on the bench. You may need to have two separate shower shelves, one to hold items used when showering and one for items used when sitting on the bench.



5. Think twice about the material you will use. I would be reluctant to use glass shelves as keeping the water spots off would become a never ending chores.


Faith Makes All Things Possible, Not Easy (as seen on a church sign in Nashville)
Blessings ...Susan Lang

Mistakes to Avoid: Dinner Plate Storage

As promised in my recent blog DINNER PLATES: Options for Storage, I am blogging about the mistakes to avoid when designing where you will store your plates in your dream kitchen.

I. Upper Cabinet Shelf If you choose what is the most common method for dinner plate storage, the upper cabinet shelf, you will want to measure the diameter of your dinner plate and specify that the upper cabinet depth with the cabinet doors closed be that measurement deep. You would be quite surprised at how often a person who has remodeled their kitchen or built a new home with their dream kitchen moves in only to learn their plates are too big for the cabinet door to close tightly. The old standard measure for upper cabinet shelves was approximately 12" deep. With everything becoming oversized, including our dinner plates, the plates have grown but the standard cabinet shelf depth has remained the same. If you were to look at your grandmother's dinner plate, you would think it was today's salad plate!

II. Vertical Plate Storage If you choose vertical plate storage, (1) be sure to measure the diameter of the plate you are storing to make sure the plate will fit the opening specified on the drawings. Do not make this too snug of a fit as you will need space to lift the plate in order to clear the rail that holds it in place. (2) Use this same measurement for the depth of the storage slot. (3) Additionally, measure the height of your plate if it was place on a counter to make sure the distance between the slots is sufficient. (4) Identify the number of plates you will be storing making sure there are enough slots specified to hold your plates. (5) If using two tiers of vertical plate storage, decide if you want the upper tier a little shorter for salad plates or do you want both tiers the same height. I recommend if using two tiers that the larger plate be stored in the bottom tier.

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The location of the plates should be near the dishwasher for easy unloading or near the dinner table for easy table setting. Do not locate the vertical storage shelf too close to the stovetop lest all of your places will be coated by the odors emitted from the stove. (7) Do not store the plates too high for safety reasons. (8) Do not store the plates above a microwave or appliance garage. You want an open counter below the plates to be able to stack them when taking them down or to place a stack before individually putting them in the slot. (9) I would refrain from storing the plates over a sink, as shown in one of the photos, as the steam from using the sink will coat them. Also, depending on the plate size, you could bump your head.

III. Drawer Storage I like the idea of a device such as a peg or dividers to hold plates in place in a drawer so the stacks don't move when opening and closing the drawers shown in the picture below. Look at the bottom of the drawer and you can see the peg board which gives you the flexiblity of moving the pegs to accommodate your plate sizes. You will want your plates stored in the top drawer underneath the counter so you will not have to bend down too far. Also, do not make the drawers too large because in time the weight will stress most drawer glides. Instead of one large drawer consider two or more smaller drawers depending on how much china you are storing.

IV. Pull out Shelves Behind Cabinet Doors I am not a fan of pull out shelves for one main reason. In order to pull them out even a short distance, the cabinet door or doors must be fully open. If not fully open, the shelf will ram into the cabinet door creating marks. See photo below how the door is fully open.

Storing Glasses in a Drawer

My last blog discussed options for storing dinner plates. Linda from the blog Lime in the Coconut commented that she stored her glasses in a drawer. I wanted to share two tear sheet photos I have showing glasses stored in a drawer.

There are several reasons that come to mind why a person would want to store glasses in a drawer instead of an upper cabinet.

1. No upper cabinets. One client who was building a home in the mountains of Colorado wanted a large window in his bar as the view was magnificent. This particular bar was two parallel counters; one where guests would sit facing the window with the view and the other counter was under the window. This left no upper cabinets or upper racks to store glasses without interferring with the view. The solution was to put the bar glasses in drawers under the counters.

2. Handicapped people. A person in a wheel chair or with shoulder problems would have easy access to glasses stored in a drawer.

3. Dwarfs and shorter people. Dwarf people (4'10" and under) are unable to reach for a glass in an upper cabinet in the common kitchen. Some people who are relatively short in height also have a difficult time reaching for a glass in an upper cabinets. In both cases, drawer storage for glasses and other items is a perfect solution.

4. Children. Storing plastic cups for children to use in a drawer allows the child to get his or her own cup and if old enough, they can fill it from the refrigerator door or water dispenser on their own.

May your day be filled with Blessings. ...susan

Warning: If you store glasses in a drawer and you have children in your home or children are frequent visitors to your home, make sure you have a child safety latch on your drawer.

Disclaimer: Pictures used in this blog are from tear sheets I have collected for years. Unfortunately, when collecting these, I did not note the source of the picture. I will be happy to add the source of the picture if contacted or remove it if necessary.

Which Banquette Is Your Favorite?

Having a banquette area around your breakfast table or

even around your dining room table creates a wonderful gathering place for friends and family. This arrangement provides a perfect place to work on your laptop, handle correspondence, and even help your children with homework. Please leave me a comment and tell me which banquette you find most appealing?
Wouldn't you like to spend your morning sipping coffee or tea, eating a healthy breakfast, and reading the morning newspapers seated in a cozy banquette like the one in the photo to the right? Aren't the plump seat cushions beckoning you to come sit down?And what about the black and white photos on the wall; isn't that a great decorative accessory to the room? (1)

The use of a sofa in this furniture arrangement gives the cozy look of a banquette. (2)

When using sconces on the wall behind a banquette bench consider the height they are hung and the shape to prevent someone from hitting their head. (3)












Becareful not to make your bench too long if you are only using one table. It will require quite a bit of "schooching" over for the person sitting in the center of the bench. It will also inconvience several people in order for that person to get up from the table. A good option for a long bench is to use two tables. (4)
This bench serves as both a window seat as well as a seating area for meals. (5)
















A corner bench provides easy access to and from the table. It also can make quite a statement of color if using bright fabric on the bench and back cushions as well as on the pillows. (6)

This seating arrangement has a free standing bench across from the banquette bench instead of chairs. (7)

This corner banquette bench makes a strong decorative statement with the pillows and decorative accessories hanging on the wall. Keep in mind the item and the height it is hung on the wall making sure a persons head or back will not hit the item. (8)

An interesting look is this bench which appears to be built into the curve of the island. (9)

I love the drawer coming out from the side of this banquette bench and the cabinet doors on the back side of the back of the banquette bench. Great storage with easy access. (10)

This banquette in the photo at right has a cabinet door built into the side of it. I assume there is storage under the seat cushions. (11)

Photo from Beautiful Kitchens Magazine 2008

This window seat in the photo to the left can double as a banquette bench if the table is pulled in front of it creating more seating around the table. (12)

Mistakes to Avoid

1. Consider the "schooching" distance when determining the size and shape of your banquette bench.

2. Make sure a person sitting in the banquette will not hit their head on a sconce or decorative wall hanging.

3. If hanging a chandlier or pendant, take extra care in figuring out how far from the bench the table will be located so that the hanging fixture will be centered on the table.

4. There is valuable storage space under the bench, make use of it.

5. Make sure the finished height of the bench with cushions will be comfortable when eating a meal.

6. Make sure the depth of the bench is a comfortable fit when seated. Don't forget to allow for the thickness of the back cushions.

7. Pay attention to sunrise and sunset and how the sun's rays will affect people sitting at the table. Make sure you plan for proper window treatments if necessary.

8. If you will be plugging in your laptop or an adding machine, plan for an easy assessible outlet.

9. When deciding on your window treatment, make sure you will not have to climb over the banquette bench in order to open or close your shutters, shades, etc.

(Photos used in this blog are tear sheets I have collected for years from various magazines. Unfortunately, I did not note on each picture from which magazine it was taken. I will be happy to give credit to the appropriate magazine or remove the photo if contacted.)

Things That Make Noise

It has taken a year, two, or maybe three to design and build your dream home. Finally, you have moved in and are spending your first week at home. This is a week of truths as you learn how your home functions and how well it allows for peaceful sleep.

What about noise? While designing and building your home, did you think about all of the things in a home that make noise? From where will the noise come, what kind of noise will it be and who will hear it? This is an important step to consider when working with your architect and looking at the architect's floor plans.

On page 264 of my book Designing Your Dream Home, is a checklist of things that make noise. Some of these include appliances which are a big contributor of noise, especially ice makers. It starts off with you hearing the ice drop followed by water released to refill the ice making tray. If you have an ice maker in a bar, how close is that bar located to a bedroom? Is the ice maker located near your favorite chair or sofa where you take naps? Believe me, it will disturb your sleep!

What about your laundry room walls? Are they opposite any bedroom walls or media room walls? Would the sound of the washer and dryer or that of a person working in the laundry room disturb you?

Don't forget about dishwashers and dishwasher drawers as well as the kitchen exhaust fan.

There is a great deal of noise that is generated from a bathroom. The toilet flushing, the shower water running, faucets running, the exhaust fan turned on, and hair dryers blowing are all culprits. Think about what rooms and areas of your home are next to, above, or below all bathrooms. Imagine someone being in one of the bathrooms shown on your floor plans using any of these items listed above. Who might be disturbed by the noise?

Exterior noise such as cars moving on your driveway, street traffic, and HVAC equipment are major causes of noise. How does the location of all bedrooms relate to the driveway or street. Make sure HVAC equipment is not located under a bedroom window or for that matter outside your dining room window.

Another common complaint heard regarding noise is hearing a person walking around on the floors above or hearing a person walk up and down the stairs. You certainly do not want a bedroom located next to the staircase.

Garage doors opening are often a welcoming sound as it let's you know your love ones have arrived. However, if your love ones are arriving late at night or departing very early in the morning, perhaps you don't want to know. If there is a bedroom obove the garage, it is almost impossible to silence the sound of the garage door opening and closing.

One of my pet peeves is hearing the chime of the security alarm being turned on late at night by the last person home or turned off early in the morning by the first person up. Pay close attention to the electrical plans which will show you where these will be mounted.

Lastly, don't forget about the sound coming from a TV, especially the media room which usually has a sound system that can produce substantial noise. Again, think of what rooms are above, below or next to the media room.

Fortunately, there are various soundproof options on the market that you can discuss with your architect and builder. Some of these include acoustical wall products, sound membrane on the floor, fabric in the ceiling, floor floaters, silent joists, soundboards, and fiberglass insulation. Night Night!

Finally you have moved in, the moment of truth...

Welcome to my blog! I'm breaking out of my comfort zone and starting this blog to share some of my best information about designing a home. I'm a first-time author. My book, Designing Your Dream Home, is a resource for people who are designing a home or going through renovations. With this blog, I'll be sharing tips from the book and (hopefully) providing great dialogue to help you in case you're in that boat. I'll do my best not to shove the book down your throat, but know that my book is my baby and I'm passionate about the information within its pages. I'm a home design consultant specializing in assisting a homeowner in identifying their needs, wants, and desires so that their home will be functional yet beautiful. Please be forgiving as I muddle through and learn about blogging. I'd also appreciate feedback, so leave comments and let me know what areas that interest you!

So, you have spent a year, two years, or even longer planning and building your dream home. Finally you have moved in and you face the moment of truth, "Does my new home function like I envisioned or did I even think about the function?"

The moment of truth hits you in the face as you reach for a light switch in the dark and it is not there. You think, oh my goodness, why is the light switch not on this wall? All of a sudden you feel panicked wondering what other mistakes have been made? There is a group of light switches ganged together and the order of the switches makes no sense to you as you keep flipping switches trying to find the one you want to turn on. You walk into a dark room reaching for a light switch only to realize it was mounted on the wall behind the door. Is it possible that each time you want to turn on the light you will have to close the door and reach around to find the light switch? Maybe you want to plug in something and there is no outlet in the area. You have received a beautiful house warming floral arrangement that you place on your dining room table only to realize the chandelier is not centered on the table. Perhaps you go to the entertainment center and open a door to turn on your stereo system only to realize it is too dark to read the buttons on the receiver. You have three things (lamp, cordless phone base, alarm clock) you wish to plug into the duplex outlet by your bed. You ask yourself, why didn't I put a quad outlet there?

These are just a few residential electrical plan mistakes that could have been avoided. I will share more in other blogs! Share yours with me! Thanks for reading. ...susan