Home Building Design & Planning

Floor plans are views of the room or house from above, and elevations add the vertical dimension of the plan. It's necessary to know the heights of the objects to draw the elevation, and it's helpful…

Perhaps you're a fan of J. R. R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings" series, or you're looking for a way to build a small, inexpensive dwelling that uses little energy and exists in harmony with…

Curved staircases are an architectural element where design and art meet. Steel staircases are appropriate for use indoors and out, and allow you to save floor space as you connect floors. You can…

The Kronotex Econoline brand of wood flooring includes a wide variety of faux-wood laminate surfaces such as cherry, pine, oak, pecan and others. The flooring comes in different edge patterns that…

Outdoor dining and entertaining areas, such as patios, decks, pergolas and outdoor kitchens, are the transitions between the indoors and outside. Homeowners can spend thousands of dollars on…

Framing the floor is critical in any house with a raised floor system, built on basement or stem walls, or a pier and beam foundation. A concrete slab is both the foundation and floor in slab-on-grade…

Decorating the windows in a split-level home is similar to decorating windows in other style homes. There are, however, two common issues that split-level homeowners often have. From the outside of…

Home remodeling often includes redoing an attic to create a new living space. As part of these renovations, you must include more ventilation in the attic, not only for air quality but temperature and…

A spiral staircase gracefully winding around a fountain looks elegant, but it is not a combination you add on a whim. Not only do you have the usual safety issues surrounding staircases, but now you…

When looking for creative ways to add storage in your home, consider the possibilities that your windowsills offer. Often, the space above and below a window is essentially wasted in terms of storage…

If you want to create artwork on your computer but don't have image editing software or a scanner, you can still create complex images using a text editor and the printable characters on your…

Banisters consist of a top piece that you hold on to as you go up or down stairs, also known as the handrail, and balusters or posts below the handrail that provide support. Banisters are made of a…

Closing off the end of a driveway with a gate can set the tone for how you will feel driving to your cabin while also keeping trespassers away. A simple wooden driveway gate is fortunately a…

Making the entrance of a split-level home more contemporary will give it an inviting look. An outdated foyer gives the impression that the whole house is outdated. By changing just a few materials,…

If you are looking for a simple way to improve the curb appeal of your home while also blocking out harsh sunlight, consider building awnings for your home. Homemade awnings can be constructed out of…

Log staircases are ideal for those looking to add unique character to their home's interior. These staircases are handcrafted to be durable and functional, and the natural and unique art work of the…

A wiring closet is an enclosed cabinet or small room in your home that functions as a central hub for your telecommunications network and devices. While not all homes have wiring closets, they are…

Having a bath in a bedroom space or upper-level area is necessary for convenience. A full bath is ideal for most homes, but installing a half bath can work if space is limited. Plan the bath fixtures…

Stairs come in all shapes and sizes, but the construction of staircases will generally follow the same basic process for most people. Some variation may exist, especially in instances where you intend…

A walk-in closet is a useful addition to any room in a home. They provide ample storage and allow you to view the items stored within with ease. No matter how vast the space in a walk-in closet, it…

Creating a "his and her" closet for great efficiency calls for physically dividing the space. If you don’t have room for a walk-in closet, you can design a reach-in closet that…

If you are contemplating a remodel of your home or a large interior project, like new flooring, it is helpful for you to know the appropriate dimensions of your home. You do not need a CAD program to…

Designing an attractive staircase can turn your basement entrance into a welcoming retreat rather than a rickety descent into oblivion. There are a range of options to consider when designing a…

Split-level houses combine a two-level story with an attached single-story structure. One part of the house may have a full basement, and the other a crawlspace. Insulating basements requires…

Building masonry or metal chimneys at the proper height avoids potential fire hazards and saves you money in the long run. Modern U.S. residences with chimneys must meet fire prevention standards,…

Old movies show a creaky floorboard or staircase as an obstacle for teenagers to creep past after midnight. But in reality the cracks, creaks and squeaks are much more annoying. The additional noise…

UTP refers to a cable containing an unshielded twisted pair (UTP) wiring used in various electronic devices. It is called a twisted pair because several small copper wires are individually twisted…

A brick rambler is a ranch-style house with an L-shaped or U-shaped floor plan and brick exterior walls. These houses originally were built in the western U.S. but spread nationwide in the tract-house…

Hiring a roofing contractor may require you to invest a significant amount of time and money. With so many roofing companies in business, unethical ones do exist. In most cases, finding the right…

RG59 and RG6 are two types of coaxial cables that can be used for many of the same types of connections, but also have advantages when used in certain situations. Both types are named using the…

While modern technology allows you to create digital floor plans using your computer, if you prefer a more tangible, tactile method, a physical floor plan is the method for you. It doesn't necessarily…

A subbasement is a level or floor of a house or building that is located beneath the main basement. For example, in the 1950s, a subbasement was added to the White House during a major renovation.…

The process of installing carpet on stairs is similar to that of installing it on a flat floor. It requires the same type of tools and supplies. However, the process varies slightly for different…

Brick moulding spans between wooden door framing materials and exterior brick walls. Brick moulding not only creates an attractive transition, but also covers the gap between the adjacent materials.…

Repainting the inside of a split level home often proves to be more difficult than many other homes. In the center of the home where the two levels join, high walls and ceilings are an issue. Unless…

Movie cowboys of the Wild West, fresh in from riding the trail, always used the washbasin and pitcher on top of the hotel chest of drawers to wash their dirty faces. Movie viewers never saw the…

In the early- to mid-1900s, American residential architecture was dominated by the Craftsman style, also known as bungalow. The look is characterized by gabled rooflines, wide eave overhangs,…

Gambrel roofs, often called barn roofs because they have the same distinctive rooflines as those found on traditional hay barns, are not common in new urban housing developments. You're more likely to…

Local building codes describe limits on the amount of land that structures can cover, depending on the land use zone. The codes may use the term building coverage or lot coverage, and it's expressed…

Vaulted ceilings entail designs that rise up in an incline and exceed the standard 8 foot height. Cathedral ceilings angle upward and meet in the center, while cove ceilings ascend upward in a curve.…

Whether you incorporate it into a butler’s pantry or designate a nook in your kitchen, a butler’s bar corrals all of your spirits and barware in one place. Ideally, it incorporates both…

A smoker uses a large cooking chamber with a smaller firebox connected to one end to slow-cook food with wood chips, an electric element or charcoal. Since smokers are typically made of thin metal, it…

Closed circuit television (CCTV) is distinguished from broadcast television by the intended audience. A CCTV setup is for local use only within a few small rooms. A lecture or church would have one to…

If you and a friend use the same Xbox 360 console to play “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,” you have the ability to configure split-screen mode so you can play and level-up together.…

Suspended concrete floors are rare in residential construction in the United States but are common in commercial construction. The American Concrete Institute (ACI) maintains standards for the…

If you want to keep your house cool without the expense and trouble of installing central air conditioning, don't worry -- you can lower the temperature inside without snaking ductwork throughout your…

A heavy downpour is an excellent time to see how heavy water affects your proposed building area and surrounding landscape. A professional foundation expert can determine what is necessary to correct…

A portico is typically found at the entryway of a home, some extending out just a foot or two and others covering much of the front walk. Porticos provide shelter from rain, sun and other elements,…

Inspired by brothers Charles Sumner Greene and Henry Mather Greene, the Craftsman style home originated in southern California. It was the most popular style for smaller homes built in the first two…

A split-level home is a particular style of house where one floor level resides halfway between the floor and ceiling of the other part of the house. Spilt-level homes often contains two staircases in…