Building an atrium is an excellent way to enjoy natural light and an outdoor feeling with limited exposure to the elements. Constructing a small enclosure with four walls and glazing overhead will permit you to use the space in a variety of ways. You can treat the atrium as a sunroom, greenhouse, family room or foyer.
A set of noisy stairs can sorely test the day-sleepers and tiny babies in your household.
Transforming a buried basement to a walk-out adds convenience and an element of safety to a home. Basements often have only one entrance, coming from the main level of the home.
Salami aficionados are often struck with an intense urge to ferment and cure their own sausages. A simple curing chamber carved from an old refrigerator is large enough to accommodate most home sausage makers' needs.
Skirting protects the underside and plumbing of mobile homes from the effects of sunlight, weather and animals. Properly ventilate the area closed in by the skirting to prevent moisture buildup from causing mildew and mold from forming under the house.
Installing a lock on a basement bulkhead door is an important step in home security. While a padlock on the inside or outside of the door may suffice for an outbuilding, in an emergency you can't risk being trapped in a locked basement.
Plumbing supply lines for sinks are usually located on the rear wall under the sink or on the side of the cabinet wall under the sink, though sometimes they're routed through the floor directly under the sink in the center of the vanity or cabinet. Any of these locations is acceptable.
The water quality in your home or building can often be improved with the installation of a water softener. A water softener reduces the concentration of magnesium, calcium and other minerals, reducing the hardness of your water.
If you've renovated an older home or divided one into apartments, you may find yourself with a staircase that is no longer used. This can create an awkward flow in a house or cause separate apartments to be connected. This is easily remedied, however, by simply closing off the top of the stairs.
Your child throws the backpack to the side and runs straight to the fridge. Does this sound familiar? After a long day of back-to-back classes, you can’t blame your kids for their rumbling tummies and desire to grab anything -- and everything -- in sight.