Sarah Susanka is one of today’s most luminous architects and designers. The creator of the “Not So Big” books and philosophy recently designed a house in Libertyville, Ill. It is a showcase designed with the principles of good, usable design and walkability within the neighborhood. According to the project description: The Showhouse features all the [...]

We all want to stay at home for our lives, enjoying our communities and and houses. As your clients age, this will be something many of them want. As a builder or remodeler, you have the unique ability to make people’s homes comfortable and livable for the long haul. We found a great article on [...]

Architect John Hill, writing at Houzz.com, reminds us windows are more than just functional openings to let in light and fresh air. Carefully placed, well chosen windows serve an important aesthetic purpose, as well, framing the view outside like a perfect work of art. He writes: The following photos exhibit a variety of ways of [...]

For our latest BuildChat, we caught up with residential designer Kelly Morisseau, CMKBD, CID, who resides in Northern California and maintains an excellent home remodeling blog, Kelly’s Kitchen Sync. We discussed trends in the kitchen and bathroom. We also found out the key to an effective designer-contractor relationship. Which kitchen design trend are you most [...]

It’s a fact: nothing is certain by death and taxes, and before we die, we will (hopefully!) be old. Old age means various physical and mental changes, and with more and more Baby Boomers joining the ranks of the 65 and over crowd everyday, universal design is something builders and remodelers should be thinking about. It’s [...]

Every year, the NAHB International Builders’ Show acts as a summit for builders, architects and designers alike to not only check out new products and trends, but to gauge the state of the industry. We caught up with design pro Paul Anater, editor and publisher of Kitchen and Residential Design, to get his take on this year’s [...]

We spoke to designers, architects, builders and others in the home and fashion industries. As we had those conversations, some topics kept cropping up. Here’s what your peers are talking about: the top trends for 2011 in home building and design. Let us know if this matches what you’re hearing. What would you add? Trend [...]

Architect Sarah Susanka has made a name for herself with her popular “Not So Big House” series of books, which emphasize designing, building and arranging homes to use space more effectively — not simply for more space. Recently, EcoHome magazine carried a piece that shares some of Susanka’s tips for designing homes that feels spacious [...]

The American Institute of Architects’ recently published report on top home design trends offers an interesting glimpse into the American homeowner’s mindset. Affordability — making practical renovations and additions more so than flashy and perhaps unnecessary ones — is key, the report finds, though homeowners are certainly not shy about investing in features and products [...]

A recent Newsweek article by Cathleen McGuigan discusses the phenomenon of iconic architecture and experimental design that was fostered by the economic boom of the late 90s. Now, as we climb out of the recession, architects seem to have learned the lesson along with the rest of the population: bigger, more extravagant building isn’t always [...]