The original part of the home only offered one small bathroom.  The previous owners built another small one off of the master bedroom.  They were both just bad, but the guest bathroom was our first priority.  There was nothing we wanted to keep.  I mean absolutely nothing.  Here’s what the space had to offer:

• On top of the standard drywall a vinyl wall was tacked up.  If you have ever been into an RV bathroom, it was that same stuff.  Yep, we had RV vinyl walls in our home.  It was disgusting looking.
• The linoleum was not only hideous, but it was poorly done.  I can’t believe anyone would like the design of it.
• There was a drop ceiling installed, you know like you see in basements and office spaces.  Under it, the ceiling slanted up and really opened the space, so I still have no clue why they hid it like that.
• The vanity was dirty and would not come clean.
• The mirror looked original to the house.
• Lastly, I had no clue they made straight plastic bathtubs.  Yes.  The bathtub was like plastic.

We had a huge project on our hands, but we got it all done in a weekend.  Vinyl walls came down and the drywall was patched up.  The drop ceiling was officially dropped and the new slanted ceiling gave it a much needed look to seem larger.  New tile flooring, a new tub and subway tile, and a new vanity made it the bathroom of our dreams.

If you are looking at homes just remember you cannot have it all if you are on a budget, but overtime you just might get exactly what you wanted.

The outdoor kitchen dates back to the beginnings of enclosed homes.  In fact, in the early American antebellum period, a kitchen in the house was considered in poor taste and was a sign of poverty.  The kitchens of the well to do in society were always separate structures, and while they were enclosed, the purpose of them was to keep the smells of cooking out of the home.  In modern times, indoor kitchens are a sign of advancement — and outdoor kitchens, of style!  Here is a video that will show you how to make your own outdoor kitchen.

During the Victorian Era, home decor was understandably all about clutter.  The more objects and heavy fabrics one had, the better.  This was because the Industrial Revolution had made possible for the first time in history the purchase of items that had been mass produced.  Before, if people wanted such things around, they had to make them themselves, or hire a local artisan to create them.  The lure of the ownership of many objects was irresistable to Victorian homesteaders, so they accumulated lots of “stuff” that had little personal meaning.  There was also no home security at that time, so thievery was likely a bigger problem than it is today.

The trend now is towards a clean minimalism with a smarter aesthetic.  Check out the infographic below to help you get started working on your own minimalist home redecorating campaign.

The graphical image below has tips and tricks for protecting your well designed home from the ravages of a variety of disasters.  You will be familiar with some of the advice here, no doubt, but some of it may still surprise you.  For example:  notice that flooding is a leading cause of property damage in every single state — but coverage requires an additional, separate policy from general homeowners’ insurance.  Click to expand:

Here is a video showing how to build a Pompeii pizza oven in your own yard.  Imagine having your friends over for a Saturday evening party involving tasty wines and other drinks, a festively appointed patio, and the alluring smell of a real wood fired pizza being cooked right there amongst yourselves.  Entertaining is one of the many great joys of home ownership, so check out the project below and see how to get started building your own.

Do you have any idea what the most popular things are that homeowners are doing with their homes right now?  Below is an infographic you will find interesting whether you are a designer or not;  it’s kind of like being able to have a look inside your neighbors’ houses, a glimpse of what your fellow Americans have been doing with all those tape measures, cans of paint and stain, and tools.

And don’t forget:  one of the best home improvements a person can make is the installation of home security burglar alarms.

The first step into designing the perfect kids bedroom is you have to take into consideration that they are going to grow very quickly, meaning that you are going to need to design and plan for the future so you aren’t having to totally start over in a couple of years. Once you have the theme picked out, stick to it. When you are designing a jungle style room for little boys carry that theme throughout the whole room.

Although it is very time consuming painting images and decorations on their walls will add a lot of individuality and creativeness to their bedroom. Also if you have a larger space you can add something fun to the room like a cave, tree house, or life sized doll house. These small touches will be well worth it to your children.

It’s also important that there is a well laid out space for doing serious things like reading, school work, and going to sleep. Many parents don’t take the time to design rooms that their kids and their friends will enjoy because they have other things to do and spend the money on. You should invest in direct tv service for their room as well. You will be surprised at how much your child would love having their birthday or Christmas present be a room make over. When you have the creativity and eye to see how things will look and turn out in the end it’s not hard to make it happen. The hardest part in designing your kids bedroom is taking the time to get it done.

If you simply don’t have the time to get it done then you can hire a small contractor or a carpenter and painter to do the work for you to complete it faster. Designing a kids bedroom is one of the most fun projects that you can work on when you are doing a house. Just think about all of the things you wish you could have done in your own bedroom and make it a reality for your children.

Creating an amazing bedroom for your kids is a must if you are in a stable house that you will be at for several years. They will always remember playing in their custom bedroom and will most likely continue the tradition with their own kids.

I have been a shopaholic for a long time and as a result my closets get full very quickly. I also have a mild case of ODC so things have to be perfectly in order and color coated like you can imagine the perfect american home closet should be. My closets aren’t perfect by any means but I do try and keep them very orderly and yes color coated. I also have a home security system in my closet to protect my jewelry and clothes.

The majority of people don’t care about what color their clothing is hung up or placed in a drawer which is perfectly fine. What most people do want however is a large closet that they can neatly fit all of their belongings in. I have always dreamed of redoing my closet and putting in custom pieces that fit all of my needs.

I was looking for some really cool closet ideas that both looked amazing and were effective in organizing a lot of clothing. I found this video on closet design idea’s and I wanted to share it with you. If you are also looking to redo your closet these are some of the best custom closets that I have seen.

If you are looking to make a similar statement and use some graffiti art in your own home design, it isn’t restricted to standard wall art.  The nature of this artwork indicates that it can be found just about anywhere.  For one client, I took two simple black end tables to my artist and told him to let his imagination run free.  The result was two phenomenal pieces that coordinated beautifully yet each had its’ own personality and flare, an aspect of street art that never ceases to astound me.  My favorite graffiti work that I’ve incorporated so far involved the painting of an inset in the wall of a formal dining room.  Every piece of furniture in the room was black so the piece really popped.  Once the artwork was complete, glass shelves were installed in the inset and the home owner placed some of her most valued crystal on the shelves.  The result was absolutely breathtaking.  Colors bounced off of the glass and the elegance of the crystal was enhanced by the almost street like feel of the backdrop.

I will never be ashamed to take a piece of the streets into my designs because I have seen the end results and never been disappointed.  Don’t hesitate to think outside the box when it comes to this design inspiration and make sure you’re taking a good look at your surroundings when you walk through downtown next time.  You never know where inspiration will find you.