My Home Inspire Ideas

Guest author, Joe Ahmann, owner of Ahmann Design Inc, has kindly written this article to help you in your house plan search. So you’ve bought your home lot and you’re ready to by the perfect house plan, but you don’t know where to start. There are important questions that you should ask your designer before buying that house plan, and I can help. I have been designing custom home plans and stock house plans for 20 years, and I have compiled a list of questions you should ask your home designer before buying. 1. How long have you been designing house plans? The more experience your home plan designer has, the more detailed his or her plans are likely to be. Stock house plans experience is also important because with all of the competition for online house plan exposure, there are plenty of home designers out there with little or no experience. 2. Do you design custom house plans? You think you’ve found the perfect house plan, but you want to make a few “tweaks”, and before you know it, your revision bill is 2-3 times the cost of the original home plan. A good designer will recognize the fine line between designing a custom home plan for you and spending too much time on revising a stock house plan. 3. Can I return my house plan if I decide not to build it? Most stock plan brokers online have an “all sales are final” policy, so make sure you check it out BEFORE you click the “buy” button. But there are some house plan companies and home plan designers WILL allow you to return your house plan with a minimal restocking fee, so be sure to ask. 4. Why can’t I return my house plan? Because there are so many house plans sold online to different parts of the world, it is hard to police theft. Bottom line is that there are many people out there buying a house plan and building it more than one time, which is a copyright infringement unless agreed to by the house plan owner. Home designers have limited resources to check to see if you are telling the truth or not, so most have adopted the “no returns” policy. 5. Will I need to have my house plan reviewed by a local architect? House plans sold through the large brokers online are required to be 2006 IRC compliant at a minimum, but some areas of the country require special additions to the plan that are specific to that area. It’s best to check with your local building official before buying a house plan. 6. Do you have references I can talk with? Most home plan designers will not have a problem giving you names of past clients, and if they do, reconsider using them! 7. What is your timeframe for completing my house plan? If you are hiring a home plan designer to draw a custom home, or modify an existing stock house plan, ask up front how long it will take so there are no surprises later. Many home designers who sell their house plans online are a “one man shop” and may require more time to complete the work. 8. Do you have photos of the house plan I like? Many times the house plan designer will have photos of a stock plan that’s already been built, so it’ always good to ask. 9. Who owns my house plan when it’s finished and paid for? The original designer is the owner of the copyright of your house plan, even if you’ve made changes to a stock plan. What are your payment terms? Some home plan designers will require an up-front deposit to begin the project, and it’s always a good idea to find out ahead of time how payment will be handled. (more…)

Amazing story of a single mom and her two daughters, one who has special needs. My name is Marjorie J McDonald.   I am an award winning clothing designer.   I am returning to work after recovering from a accident injury and extensive rehab.   Recently, when attending a networking event I had the pleasure of meeting Linda Katz.
I was so impressed with her story that I felt that I would like to help her by doing 2 fund raiser fashion shows.
Linda is a single mom with two daughters, Emily and Erin. Emily, her older daughter is a 15 year old spastic quadraplegic since birth and due to medical complications Emily is also blind and deaf.   In spite of all of the challenges of her short life up to now, Emily is one of the happiest children you could ever meet and her smile is absolutely engaging.   She knows only unconditional love.   Linda is very diligent to provide the care her child needs. Their relationship is amazingly touching. Her main floor is primarily used for Emily’s care andequipment.   The only bathroom on the main floor is a half bath so Emily has hadto have sponge baths for quite some time. The goal is to raise enough funds toconvert a sunporch on the first floor into a full bathroom so Emily can havethe necessary care with her bathing needs.
Recently Linda had a flood inside of the house and had extensive damage to the interior making it even harder for her to care for her family.
In Linda’s words, here is her story:I’m one person trying to juggle the load of about 7 people. I have had to make up the slack of my ex leaving and not being there to help me, have had to monitor on a daily basis the nursing help to be sure that Emily is safely cared for, have had to be proactive in being an advocate for her care when she is in any medical facility and in getting help to cover the cost of her care.
I’m trying to work to provide the needed income from my regular job and my 2part-time jobs and I have to cover whenever the nursing staff does not showup when they are scheduled. I’m an expert at stretching but the extra neededto do the home remodeling project is just beyond my capacity to stretch any further.   I still have to make time and energy for my younger daughter and now have taken in an exchange student who needed a place to stay. She has been such a blessing to everyone in the family.
Emily has stayed in the hospital for 6 months at a time and I have almostlost her a number of times because of medical errors, caregivers who did nothave her or my best interest at heart, or did not want to work hard or hadsome perverted desire to withhold care so her life would be shortened. One was even caught throwing away her food.
I’m one small person (with a big heart) carrying a huge load, who feelsblessed everyday that I get to spend with my kids and that they are aliveand happy.   I’m maxed with my stretching and even finding it difficult to move Emily in and out of the house when I need to take her for care.
Besides my monumental efforts to get her all the help she needs it is stilla daunting challenge.
Any help or contributions would be welcome.   You can get additional informationat http://www. marjoriejmcdonald. com/fashionshow
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Buying authentic designer brands are an investment in themselves and so where you buy them can make all the difference. In a time challenged world, when you don’t really have the time to visit the brick-and-mortar stores, you may take the easier way out and shop online. In fact online shopping is taking the world by the storm and to cash on its popularity, many high end brands are taking the online route to improve their sales. While online selling has its advantages in that the stores are open 24×7 enabling people to shop at any time of the day and night from the comforts of their homes, it also has its disadvantages, the major being that people can be taken for a ride. This is all the more possible with online stores selling fake brands. All they need is to put up images and pictures that closely resemble the originals and since as a customer you can not touch and examine the clothes and accessories closely, there are high chances that you can mistake the fakes for the originals.  So the question arises, how to identify a store that is authentic and is selling genuine brands and not fakes. If you don’t have the time to shop in person and are considering buying from an online source, you must make sure the store is authentic. For this, check out the reviews of the customers on the online store’s website. Testimonials are an important way of identifying if the store is genuine. Secondly, you must check out social networking sites and try to find the reviews of the people who have bought from a particular store. In fact studies reveal that a majority of the people in the USA first ask for reviews of a particular product, service or store in the social networking sites before actually making a purchase. For example, if you are buying from Ebay, you can go to the discussion groups for the item you have in mind. You’ll come across various threads on fakes, how to identify fakes and if some one has had a bad experience from which you can learn. Then again there are many expert buyers who can offer you tips on how to identify the fakes from the genuine. Then again, you must have an idea of the price of the clothes or accessory that you wish to purchase. Always remember that branded goods usually come in limited editions and are expensive. So if a particular online store is selling these products at lower rates, chances are they are probably fake. If you don’t have much experience in buying brands, be it clothes, shoes, or handbags, you should first visit a brick-and-mortar store that is nearby and get an idea of their colors and look. Designer products usually come in limited colors and patterns and develop what you can say is an experienced eye, you would be able to identify the genuine products. Finally, you can visit the website of a particular brand and write to their customer care to enquire which online stores stocks their brand. (more…)

Interior designers sometimes get asked about the hottest colour trends. And this season, we have a confession to make: white is the new black! White interior designs are hip and trendy once again, and in particular those sterile white kitchens are now all the rage. This is particularly true in London, where the dull and gloomy skies can make clients cry out for a touch of bright white interior design freshness. When you walk into a beautiful white kitchen designed by a top London Interior Designer, what do you feel? Many of us are overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions. We feel carefree and almost as if we are floating on air. The pervasive whiteness brings to mind age-old simplicity, sanitary freshness, contemporary impact, and a roomy, playful outlook. The interior designer will use the white kitchen as a philosophy to evoke a sentiment of purity for food preparation and to empower boundless chef-inspired inspiration. Many interior design consultancies use white as a fabulous background for the presentation of magical colours and textures. For example, one top trend today is to use deeply varnished wooden joists to contrast with sharply-defined white architectural surrounds. Colourful interior design accents really “pop out” in this context. Alternatively, the quiet pastels of a London autumn can make for a classic and sophisticated interior design scheme. The newest London kitchens may be white today, but the true home of the white kitchen has got to be Sweden. Just like London, Stockholm has short days and long nights for much of the year. Homeowners naturally crave interior designs that maximise the amount of reflected internal light in these climates. Swedish interior designers will create themes that are inspired by the widespread use of wintertime candles and sconces. Returning to less northern cities like London, a simple white kitchen works well with dramatic black accents. A very dark or bold interior design element, used rhythmically in the kitchen, creates balance and interest. Contrast in tone and color is the underpinning of what might otherwise be experienced as a ‘simple’ or ‘flat’ kitchen. Is a white kitchen ‘classic’ in the sense that it can ‘fit’ into any interior design? Certainly not! Understanding design context, and especially the architecture of all the elements, the proportions of color and tone, and a true balance with the surrounding interior spaces, are essential for the presentation of a visual logic, a ‘whole’. Top London interior designers recognise this, and their efforts have made the white kitchen philosophy a real winner today. (more…)

As a professional London Interior Designer, I meet with clients all the time who simply crave more originality and personality in their interior spaces. It is such a delight for the interior designer to be able to transform a house into a home by judicious use of lighting, stencils, photo frames, rugs and frames, to name just a few. Each of the different classes of accessories allows the professional interior designer to lean into a certain style, emotion or personality framework in order to create stunning results. In this article, I will draw on my experience in London’s design community to suggest a few great options if you’re looking to spruce up your home this winter with some interior designer magic. LIGHTING. If there are nooks and crannies that just don’t get enough light, interior designers may recommend low-voltage illumination to make your interiors look larger and more welcoming. This can also boost your mood – perfect for the gloomy and overcast London skies that are all too common this time of year. Some professional interior designers will recommend theatrical lighting moods, so that you can flip between settings to choose either relaxed, or atmospheric and edgy, or task-orientated, all according to your needs. COLOUR. The hue of the lighting system can substantially impact the overall look of a room. Incandescent filaments are now being phased out across the European Union, and London interior designers are having to rely instead on compact fluorescents or halogens to create custom effects. SCONCES. Wall-mounted sconces slide over lightbulbs to give a gentle fuzzy glow to a room. Interior designers sometimes combine glass outer sheaths with paper diffusers to create unique effects and soften the overall feel. ARTWORK. Art is great, but well-lit artwork is even better – and interior designers are often specially-trained in how to perfectly illuminate choice pieces of art. Recessed lighting can be a great solution for both photographs and paintings. For sculptures, some interior designers love to use spotlights or feature lighting for more of a museum showcase feel. INTERIOR DESIGNERS DO OUTSIDE, TOO! Exterior lighting is a great way to make a fabulous first impression for evening dinner guests or invitees to a luxury London soiree at your designer home. Exterior lighting solutions can even cast light indoors, as well . . . some interior designers like to be really creative and hide exterior lights in bushes or under trees to create natural diffusion before the light trickles in through the windows and makes fabulous patterns on the ceiling or wall. This bring to an end my mini-series on how London interior designers use accessories, styles and history to create astonishing results. (more…)

Who designs kitchens in Sydney and how can you be sure they are right for you? Anyone can project a corporate image using the internet these days. There are companies offering kitchens in Sydney that have created websites that make their operations look more impressive and substantial than they really are. Creative marketing and slick studio produced images are relatively easy to arrange and you will find many kitchen design companies in Sydney using this to their advantage. Web based commerce is quickly replacing the old conventional bricks & mortar storefronts that used to be found around Sydney. Whilst this may work well when purchasing CDs or a laptop, you would not expect to purchase a quality kitchen this way. Here are a few things to keep in mind when looking for new kitchens in Sydney: •When researching a new kitchen, look for more than a slick image. •Visit the showroom to view their kitchens. •Are the kitchen displays up to date and in order? •Are the kitchens actually on display in Sydney, or are they only photos? •A showroom will give you an indication of what to expect for your project. If you’re looking for a kitchen in Sydney, but the showroom is in another state, it’s best to keep looking! •Ask to visit the factory where the kitchens are made. •Is the factory well laid out? Is it clean? Is it safe? •Look up company records. •Check license and insurance details. •Look for companies that have established track records for kitchen designs. •Look for continuous company ownership. •Visit consumer affairs sites- check for performance records. •Meet the staff at the showroom. Ask about the team. •A well run company will be happy for you to meet staff and are proud of their kitchen showroom and Sydney-based factory. •Ask to visit past clients’ homes. •Ask to view portfolios of past jobs in Sydney. A good kitchen design company gets a lot of repeat work. •A good company will have countless names of past clients to offer. •Have they worked in the Sydney area? •A good company will attract clientele from a wide area and will be able to cater for regional/interstate work as well as local Sydney work. •Find out exactly what is on offer. •Does the company split kitchen contracts and subcontract or does the company offer a complete service? •Beware of split contracts as they are often to avoid statutory insurance obligations •Does the company offer comprehensive kitchen design services? •Does the company offer comprehensive kitchen installation services? •Does the company supervise all aspects of your job? •Will the company travel outside of Sydney to do work and follow-up visits? •Does the company offer a full service warranty? •Does the company offer long warranty periods (min 7 years)? •Ask the company for referrals from past kitchen clients in Sydney. •Try to find companies that have been in business for many years and that can demonstrate continuity of ownership and teamwork which give actual value to a warranty period. Educating yourself before purchasing a new kitchen will not only save you money and time now, but also prevent any troublesome issues from occurring in the future. (more…)

In life a constantly reoccurring theme for most people would be, the search for what makes them happy; in addition a common answer for this question would be: an extension to our wardrobe. Designer Studio’s motto is “Always fighting for better fashion”, so any quest for this year’s new must-have items ends here! Our new project to take on the big-bad internet is just another of our endeavors to provide you, the costumer, with the latest designer numbers. Whether it be at our stationary store, or at our new location in cyberspace! Designer Studio has all the raw new fashions.   Any of our featured looks can be found in these two locations. The website link is: www. designerstudiostore. com.  It is the personal styling instincts of the company’s owner, native-born Frenchman, that is responsible for obtaining and making available to you, this harvest of designer dishes. Makinig his way from fashion show to the next; one might define Laurent Baillieux as the most á la mode man here!  Designer Studio’s team of fashion specialist is sent directly to explore new brands and opportunities to bring in the latest fashions for the season. Our team can be found frequently participating in Fashion Weeks in the major fashion cities across the world: Las Vegas, New York, Paris, Los Angeles, and Miami. In Las Vegas: Project and Magic As well as Pool, a fashion show opportunity for young and upcoming designers. From New York the in vogue fashions of Coterie. Class- from fashion week in Los Angeles Traffik- from the sizzling city of Miami And Agenda, here in Designer Studios home city of San Diego!  This international traveling has afforded us the opportunity to obtain some worldwide clientele as well. We sale products all the way to the other side of the pacific, as far away as Japan, so you’re never too far away to receive any of these spectacular pieces. If interested, we are located in America’s finest city, San Diego, and our website is http://www. designerstudiostore. com. (more…)

Cabinet is a prominent accessory of kitchen, and hence it is important to seek professional guidance in kitchen cabinet refacing, or, while designing newly. It is imperative to seek a kitchen cabinet designer who has experience in installing premium kitchen units, worktops, doors, appliances, sinks and accessories for beautifying a kitchen. And when it comes to the best place to search for a kitchen cabinet designer, internet comes as the right choice. Now, all you need to do is just type in with ‘expert kitchen designer’ with a place notation to find someone right from your locality. Finding an expert kitchen designer can help you in following ways: An expert can design a dream kitchen cabinet layout by simply knowing room details and dimensions like door openings and windows. The expert can provide you cabinet layout drawing, full price quote and 3D rendering of kitchen cabinet. The designer will visit your kitchen and will show you cabinet design layouts made according to your specifications. One of the biggest benefits of finding expert kitchen designers is that they can give you free planning and designing assistance. The designer will charge you money only if you approve their layout and finalizes the kitchen remodeling deal with them. The expert can help you in selecting the right type of kitchen cabinet that can beautify your kitchen – all within affordable prices. An expert kitchen cabinet designer will help you in selecting the most suitable finishing for your kitchen, such as maple finishes, cherry finishes, oak finishes, birch finishes and white styles. Most of the established kitchen cabinet designers offer their support with a service warranty. This way you can stay away from the worries on how to fix the flaws in the kitchen cabinet designing. Remodeling your kitchen can surely be a daunting task but you can make it easier by being assisted by an expert kitchen designer. The expert can guide you in cabinet installation, cabinet cleaning, cabinet refinishing and cabinet refacing. By choosing kitchen cabinet designers on the internet, you can save the time and hassle that is involved in making phone inquiries for selecting appropriate kitchen designer. (more…)

How do you create an attention-grabbing, designer kitchen on a reasonable budget? How do builders and remodelers design kitchens that sizzle? They’ve figured out the secret to creating kitchens that sell. They hire a kitchen designer! So, if builders think kitchen design is a smart idea, do you think it might be worth the investment?
Today’s remodeled kitchen can easily cost $25,000 – $50,000 or more. If you are going make a sizeable investment upgrading your kitchen, you may want to allocate a portion of your budget to kitchen design. Why? Because a good designer comes up with great ideas. You pay for a trained eye to see what you can’t see. A good designer suggests design elements that won’t blow the budget. They know which details are relatively inexpensive, but add significant “punch” to your project.
Once you’ve budgeted money for design (generally 3-5%), now what do you do? Well, before looking for a kitchen designer, start thinking about what want in your kitchen. A kitchen designer will ask you what you have in mind so they can narrow the focus of your design. Is there a specific appliance that you want to make the focal point of your kitchen? Do you like exotic wood cabinets? Or do you just want a kitchen where everything coordinates and flows together?
Before you contact a kitchen designer, you may also want to visit a kitchen appliance dealer. A designer vent hood or an oversized range can serve as a great focal point for your new kitchen. Then you may want to start looking in design magazines, a great source for design ideas. Find the kitchen or the design elements you like in a magazine and simply replicate those ideas that appeal to you. Finally, after you’ve gathered some general ideas of what you want in your kitchen, start looking for a kitchen designer.
Where do you find a good kitchen designer? And once you’ve settled on a designer and come up with a design, how do you know what your design will cost to build? How do you avoid designing a kitchen you can’t afford? Wouldn’t it be helpful if you had some guidance throughout the design process to determine construction costs?
That’s where a “design-build” firm can help. Design-build remodelers offer both design and construction services. When working with a design-build contractor, the designer creates the beauty (the floor plan, the cabinet elevations, the finished material selections, etc. ) and the contractor creates the estimate. There’s no more guesswork. When you hire a design-build contractor you know exactly what the design will cost.
Today, there are number of professional remodelers offering design services. Some design-build remodelers provide in-house design services. Other contractors outsource design to kitchen-designer, business partners. The best design-build contractors couple top design talent with professional construction services.
So how do you create a designer kitchen? Since they appreciate the value of good design, you may want to start by looking for a good design-build contractor. Check their work, check their trade associations, look at their project pictures and talk to their designers. A reputable design-build remodeler can be a valuable partner for creating your new designer kitchen!
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  Design professionals are your resource to the latest trends, best products and ideas to help assist you in the best possible way to achieve your goals. The designer will do the footwork for you while providing the very best for your budget. They can save you hundreds of dollars on just one project by helping to prevent costly mistakes. The agreed upon fee can be by the hour or by the project depending on the client’s needs. Below I have outlined some tips for choosing a designer:   1. Interview several designers to find the best fit for your project. 2. A professional will be upfront about the fees and cost so there will be no hidden fees that will surprise you in the end. Ask questions! 3. Find a designer that fits your budget and project. Some professionals only deal with certain aspects of design and have a minimum charge. Interview over the phone first and get some pricing upfront. 4. Be sure to express your feelings to the designer and keep the lines of communication open. 5. This should be an enjoyable experience! If not, then choose another designer. Any recommendations you can get from other clients are always helpful. 6. A true professional will be able to buy at wholesale and save you money! 7. Get references! A professional will have references and photos that show projects that have been completed. Ask detailed questions about any concerns you may have about the projects completed. Actually check the references from the portfolio. 8. Address any concerns about the time that you have appropriated for the project, monies involved and the overall schedule that you must meet. 9. Discuss the quality you expect and what you hope to gain from this project. 10. Get any details in writing that you feel necessary. Such as: project time limits, monies to be paid to the designer, contracts, agreements and the scope of the work.   Remember that your designer is a complete resource for the creation of the lifestyle that you want to bring to your home or office. Hiring a designer can be one of the best decisions you ever make!   (more…)