Posted on May, 22nd 2013 By Susan Bady
It’s well known that Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes, while they’re architectural masterpieces, often have structural issues such as leaky roofs. Wright also disdained such modern must-haves as large kitchens and abundant storage.
Surviving examples of Wright’s residential work are getting close
Posted on May, 13th 2013 By Susan Bady
One of the latest trends in community development is the farm—an integrated space for the production of organic food. I don’t think this is a brand-new idea, but it’s certainly one that has enjoyed renewed popularity ever since the baby boomers starting retiring or, if you will, reinventing
Posted on May, 8th 2013 By Susan Bady
A number of homebuilders in the Washington, D.C., area have stopped using the term “master” to describe the largest bedroom in the house. According to an article in the Baltimore Business Journal, Winchester Homes, Pulte Homes, NV Homes, Ryan Homes, Van Metre Cos. and D.R. Horton have all replaced
Posted on Apr, 30th 2013 By Susan Bady
In an earlier blog post, I talked about being inspired by the home improvement shows on HGTV. But I know at least one builder who gets design ideas from other types of television programs, such as dramas and reality shows.
Sean Ruppert, principal of OPal LLC in Lanham, Md., started including
Posted on Apr, 23rd 2013 By Susan Bady
Art and architecture lovers, rejoice: Tour season is about to begin at architect Philip Johnson’s Glass House campus in New Canaan, Conn. From May to November, the public is invited to view 14 Johnson-designed structures and a variety of paintings and sculpture on the 49-acre campus.
This year’s
Posted on Apr, 15th 2013 By Susan Bady
Active-adult communities sure have come a long way. We all know that the massive numbers of baby boomers hitting retirement age want to remain active in their golden years, and they’re very demanding about home and community design. But some of the newer projects coming online are over the top.
Posted on Apr, 8th 2013 By Susan Bady
Seattle architect Ross Chapin has been designing and writing about small homes for 30 years. Examples of Chapin’s work can be found in various parts of the country. Some of his techniques for maximizing space will be featured in the May issue of Professional Builder, but Chapin has many more ideas
Posted on Apr, 1st 2013 By Susan Bady
There’s an interesting article in the March 25 issue of Time magazine called “10 Big Ideas” (read the digital version here). Some of the ideas are fanciful, but idea #2 resonated with me: Shrink your living space.
Check out the photos and floor plan of a New York City micro-apartment. At 250 square
Posted on Mar, 25th 2013 By Susan Bady
An article in today’s Wall Street Journal shed light on investors who are buying foreclosed homes, fixing them up, and renting them out. Flippers and speculators were blamed for inflating the housing bubble of the past 10 years; now they’re getting prospective buyers, who are afraid of missing out
Posted on Mar, 18th 2013 By Susan Bady
The courtyard, an ancient concept for bringing natural light into homes while preserving privacy, is in full flower in America today as lots get tighter and the popularity of outdoor rooms increases. Courtyard homes have been around for years in those parts of the U.S. that get plentiful sunlight
