A day approaches, and it’s not far off, when a very deserving group of firefighters is going to get an awesome new kitchen in the firehouse! Thanks to Ikea, The Family Handyman Magazine, and YOU!

If you vote, that is.

Go check out the voting page at RescueRemodel.com and see if your firehouse or a local department is in the running!

You can read the entries from the fire stations in the running and take a look at some of the pictures.

Yuck!

Some of these guys are really getting by in some rough conditions.

I didn’t choose the worst picture.

The one shown to the right is actually decent compared to the others.

These guys could use a hand!

The site to vote at once again:

RescueRemodel.com

I’m kind of a know-it-all when it comes to remodeling. While in my heart I know that other people really are entitled to their opinion as to what looks good and doesn’t, I just can’t seem to get that to work for me in reality.

In my humble opinion, if I say it looks good, it does. And if I say it ugly, it is.

Usually I say French Doors painted one color on the outside and another color on the inside are ugly.

Usually.

It’s the contrast that happens when the doors are open that generally gets me all worked-up and thrown out of people’s homes. If the exterior color scheme blends not with the room, then God help us all.

But what if they do go together? What if the exterior door color works great with the interior. Now that’s a different story.

This picture, as tiny as it may be, shows a really great looking use of color that works when the doors are open, and when they are closed.

Can I point out a few other noteworthy details from this little picture:

• the custom china hutch with a beadboard back is way too cool.
• the light pattern on these doors is unique (light pattern = how many glass panes there are)
• love the marble table – check out the thickness and edge detail. Hire a mover.
• What do you think about that small chandalier hanging near the fireplace? I think that works kind of a cool magic with the big mirror on the nice little mantle.

Another day, another opinion. Take it for what it’s worth.

~Tim

photo from pinterest – no original link available

Doors don’t get much cooler than this.

Check out this awesome set of doors:

Steel windows and doors offer greater strength and design flexibility.

Noteworthy unique features:

• Look how much less “structure” is in these doors. Less to obstruct your view!
• Look how wide each door is!
• Steel ages a little over time, creating comforting authenticity
• Steel windows and doors are very secure

Hard To Find?

100 years ago doors and windows like this were manufactured by the thousands, so they do exist. They may be very hard to find, but if you know of some good vintage building material hunting grounds, it would be worth an excursion. Sounds fun anyway!

Designing a project around an awesome old piece found in a pile somewhere is about the pinnacle of remodeling rock-star status anyway, so I think you should go for it!

Have Them Made!

If someone told you to go out and have your own unique custom new car made, you would probably think they were either way too rich or just plain crazy. Cars are expensive enough when mass produced, let alone made just for you.

Interestingly, the price bump for custom made building products is rarely as substantial. Look closely at an old steel window or door. It’s not that complex. A willing steel shop could fabricate a set of doors like this in less time than you would think and in my experience the price isn’t that bad. Especially when you compare it to the cost of a mass-produced “high-end” window or door. Those things aren’t cheap!

Tips for having doors or windows custom made:

• have an example to show – find an old window sash that is made the way you want, even if it is the wrong size completely. You can use it to show the fabricator what you want.
• bring a picture – If you can, bring a picture like the one above that is as close to what you want as you can find. It’s much easier for a shop to price custom work if you say the magic words “exactly like this”.
• bring a drawing – If you have the skeeelz, draw a plan showing what you want. If you know a draftsman you might have an actual plan drawn up. (caution: showing up with expensive looking plans will help you get what you want, but it will usually raise the price)
• think it through – Imagine the process of creating and installing the custom item. Think of how you’ll attach it to the building, how high you want the handles, how many hinges you want, etc. This will help you get an accurate estimate and a finished product that meets your needs.
• think beyond the specialist – Steel work requires on very skilled guy: a welder. Beyond that, you don’t necessarily need a “window maker”. You’ll probably pay more at a “window and door” shop than you would at a place that looks a little like a junkyard but has a sign out front that says “steel fabricator” or “metalwork”.

Have you ever had a custom building product made? Have you ever designed and remodeled around a vintage bit of greatness?

I’d love to hear your story in the comments!

~ Tim

image 1: countryliving.com image 2: remodelista.com

I was just browsing through some of the pictures on our newest blog, RemodelingTherapy.com, and this one made me stop and think for a minute…

Of course my first thought was just how nice, comfortable, and relaxing of a space this is. It just looks like the kind of room you want to curl-up in and just sit for awhile.

I’ll be honest and tell you that my next thought wasn’t quite as positive. I was having visions of the long-term impact of real life on floors with gaps so large. Don’t try this at home unless you have one of those vacuum cleaners that will pick up a bowling ball.

But the thing that really made me stare for awhile was the authenticity of this look. It’s not easy for most people to pull-off. I’ll give you the secret…

Mess Up On Purpose!

I’ve built rooms like this and one of the biggest challenges, yet most important requirements, is to get the carpenters to go against their training.

Take a look at the roof framing in this example, which I’m under the assumption is all for show. See how it’s not evenly spaced? That’s important to the look, and it’s hard to get a good carpenter to do that!

Another example is the beam to the top right of the picture. It’s hard to tell exactly what’s going on there, but I can tell that some pretty big gaps in the woodwork are showing.

To a professional contractor or carpenter, that’s kind of a no-no! You have to force this kind of thing.

If you’re a novice DIY’er some of these goofs might happen naturally. If you’re looking for an authentic shabby-chic or rustic-not kind of look, let them be. And if you’re hiring a pro…

Tell them you won’t pay-up unless they mess-up!

See more pictures of beautiful white spaces at this post on RemodelingTherapy.com

Everybody knows that firemen like to cook. Many fire districts require firemen to be on for 48 hours straight and the rest require 24 hours. No running out to Olive Garden for lunch either… they have to be ready to roll at all times.

That means at least three meals a day prepared in every fire station in the country. The question is, are those meals prepared in style?

For the lucky firehouse that wins the “Rescue Remodel” contest currently being run by The Family Handyman magazine and sponsored by Ikea, the answer will be a resounding yes.

Ikea is providing a $25,000.00 kitchen remodel complete with cabinets, appliances, and cookware.

Nominate your local firehouse at the website: RescueRemodel.com

Kim and I have recently started a new site all about remodeling and design ideas and pictures. This article was inspired by one of the images Kim found for the new blog – you can find it here: Beautiful Workspaces {Dreamy Desks}.

The floor in the photo above is, for lack of a more boisterous term, totally crazy awesome!

I love the whitewashed finish and the grainy wood used. I also love the way the boards were not staggered and instead a few boards run the other direction separate sections of the floor.

But the thing I notice the most when I look at this floor is the gaps left between the boards. On this particular job that gap may be partially design statement (dark gaps often look good against light wood), but they also serve a practical purpose.

In fact, gaps are an essential part of any natural hardwood floor installation.

Allow For Expansion and Contraction

That’s just the way we say it, but the real truth is that you’re only allowing for expansion. The wood can contract and not cause real issues, but if it expands and you’ve left no gap, it’s a serious problem. See the photo below:

This is what happens when wood is installed too tight and/or without enough fasteners (aka nails). Each plank of wood expands and the compound sum of that expansion can add-up to inches. Inches that aren’t there! The result is a floor that buckles and creates quite a mess.

Severe buckling like seen above usually only happens in the event of a serious water issue such as a flood or broken pipe, but a lesser version of it can happen just as a result of cleaning the floor and/or natural humidity issues.

The Wood Determines The Gap Needed

Wood that is drier and more naturally stable, such as white oak, requires less gap than wood that has a higher natural moisture content, such as pine.

Manufactured wood flooring products like most prefinished floors are not “solid” wood, but rather more like plywood. These don’t expand as much.

Another factor to consider is the normal humidity conditions where you live. I recently saw a forum post where an “expert” was telling a lady her whole floor should be replaced because it was installed with some gaps left in it.

In Florida, where I live, that would not at all be true. We expect floors to expand and usually allow for it by leaving plenty of space around the peremiter and by including some coin thick gaps every five or six feet on a really large room.

Shoe Molding is Your Friend

If you really don’t want any unsightly gaps left in your flooring installation, i can suggest two things.

1. Use a ton of nails and/or glue. Really fasten the floor in-place well.
2. Leave a good sized space around the peremiter of the room and cover that with shoe molding.

Climatize Your Wood Properly

The final bit of advice is to allow the wood to sit in your air-conditioned home for a good while before installing. A couple of weeks is ideal, but if that’s not practical at least a few days.

Happy Remodeling!

~ RG

Kim and I have recently started a new site all about remodeling and design ideas and pictures. This article was inspired by one of the images Kim found for the new blog – you can find it here: Beautiful Workspaces {Dreamy Desks}.

This photo is one of those that I could write ten posts about. Just for fun, let me point out a couple of cool ideas here before getting into the real subject matter of this post. Starting in the foreground and working back:

• Old fashioned crystal door hardware… hot!
• Using mounted accessories such as a coat hook and a thoothbrush holder on a desk… smart!
• Painting or wallpapering the inside of that desk an accent color… sexy!
• Check out that door… it’s a good old fashioned Dutch Door… proof of mad skills!

But none of that is the real thing I want to look at. Let’s take a look at the beadboard wainscot and topping molding, which could be called a picture molding, a chair rail (not so much), a cap rail, or any other make-it-up-so-you-like-the-sound name.

How High Should Beadboard Go Up A Wall?

First, there are two answers. One applys to the low version, which is much more common. That’s the one where you see wainscot go up the wall about 1/3 and be capped by a proper chair rail.

I answered that question in detail at Remodeling Guy Answers (where you’re encouraged to ask your own questions)… here is the link: http://www.remodelingguy.net/answers/?p=61

Second, is when the beadboard paneling is covering a much larger portion of the wall and only leaving a small section of smooth wall surface showing at the top. This is what’s seen in this picture. The same tool applies to both options.

The Golden Ratio

I’ll refrain from a lengthy diatribe about the Golden Ratio and all the ways it proves that life was designed by a Master Architect. If you want to believe in mindless evolution of life and the world we see, be my guest, just don’t look too hard at the science which proves otherwise.

The Golden Ratio is a naturally occuring mathematical formula that essentially dictates what looks right to most people. You can start learning about it at Wikipedia if you’re so inclined.

But if you want to know how high to run your paneling up the wall, you can use the Golden Ratio as a guide. Here are the exact numbers using the Golden Ratio Calculator:

Wall Height —- Low Wall Wainscot —- High Wall Wainscot

96″ —- 37″ —- 59″

120″ —- 46″ —- 74″

Adjust To Taste

Here’s the thing… there are no exact right answers. If you apply the Golden Ratio as a guide it can help you, but as a steadfast rule it might steer you wrong.

What if your walls are 12′ tall, should your chair rail be over 4′ high? No. It would look ridiculous. I usually won’t take a chair rail above 42″ no matter how tall the wall is.

Another example is the photo above which looks like an 8′ tall room. (I figure that based on the roof overhang visible outside) The paneling goes higher than 59″, but not by much. It looks to me that it’s about 64″ above the floor. (you can assume that the door is 80″)

Like I said, it’s a guide. I hope it’s useful for you. I’d love to hear your thoughts on how high chair rail or wainscot paneling should go. I’ve been running a survey on this monumental question for awhile now and I could use more input!

~RG

Kim and I have recently started a new site all about remodeling and design ideas and pictures. This article was inspired by one of the images Kim found for the new blog – you can find it here: Beautiful Workspaces {Dreamy Desks}.

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Find Your Color Bliss With Spray Paint

I have no idea whether the desk and chair above were painted with a can of spray paint, a professional spray rig, or a traditional paint brush. Even my brilliance doesn’t quite reach that level. However, what I do know is that they could be painted with a spray can.

I’m talking an off-the-shelf can of good old spray paint. And I’m talking quality here too. Not just some ho-hum job meant to last long enough for a photo shoot. (Maybe not heirloom quality either… something in the middle)

Spray paint rocks for good reason:

• Your color options are extensive
• Your tool requirements are minimal
• Your dry time is faster
• The overall job is done faster
• It’s easy, fun, and will make you feel like a rock star.

A Half-Dozen Tips For Quality Spray Paint Perfection

1. Put more effort into prep than paint – The surface you’re painting is more important than the paint you use to cover it. Take the time to get it really ready:
2. • Scrape or strip all loose paint
   • Sand the entire surface with two goals: first is to rough-up the surface and remove any existing glossy sheen so your paint will stick; second is to smooth down any edges left by scraping old paint off.
   • Clean off sanding residue completely with a tack cloth. The best cloth is a clean rag or t-shirt with a little bit of water or mineral spirits (paint thinner). I prefer the paint thinner because it evaporates quickly.
3. Use a primer coat – This step is somewhat optional depending on how close to the aforementioned heirloom quality you want to get. A good solid coat of primer, allowed to dry properly before top coat, will greatly increase the durability of your finish. They always sell the primer right next to the spray paint cans. It’s not super critical which primer you get. I’ve used automotive primer on wood before with great results.
4. Spray very thin coats – Did I say thin? I meant thin. The biggest mistake people make with spray cans is putting on too much paint. Spray paint is thin so it’s very prone to running, which is a big mess. Thin coats prevent that and they dry fast.
5. Never hold the can still. – “Just-Keep-Moving” should be your motto. Be moving before you hit the button and be moving when you let go. Never pull the trigger on a stationary spray can. Trust me.
6. Use plenty of coats – The thing with thin coats is that they’re, um, thin. If you want a durable surface, you’ll need a good thickness of paint, so use more coats. It’s not unusual when spraying furniture to have four, five, or even six coats on the finished work.
7. Finish with a clear coat (or four) – The last secret to a great spray paint finish is to use a liberal amount of clear on top. You can choose your sheen (glossy, semi-gloss, satin, or flat) with the clear and apply thin coats. Make sure the color coat is totally dry before applying the clear.

Not As Much Work As It Sounds Like

While this may sound like a ton of work, it’s really faster and easier than any of the other alternative methods. The thin coats dry fast.

Drawbacks – cost (those cans add up) and environmental concerns – wear a mask and don’t breath that junk in!

Thinking about spray painting your kitchen cabinets… you can do it! We tried it awhile back. Here is the post.

Do you have any spray paint tips or projects you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments!

Enjoy!

~RG

There are a few things in home design that just totally rock my world, and this is one of them. Reclaimed or salvaged wood is one of those rare items that can achieve perfection on multiple fronts at the same time.

• First and foremost, it’s flat out beautiful
• Second, it’s about as green as you can get. 100% making use of something otherwise to be wasted.
• Third, it’s wood – which means you can do just about anything imaginable with it!

I’ve scoured the web for some images, links, and ideas related to reclaimed wood and I’ve got them here for you to enjoy.

Reclaimed Wood Beams

Salvaged wood can make for some really incredible open beam ceilings. The room above, which is featured at the website of a company that sells reclaimed wood, is undeniably beautiful.

A close look reveals original notches done by barn builders long ago along with years of impossible to fake wear and tear. Question: Is it too much?

————

This kitchen, from countryliving.com, shows the opposite extreme. In this case they’ve either only used one beam, or spaced them widely.

I totally love the way the same barnwood beams are used in both the structure and in the cabinets. This is great design, planning, and attention to detail. Check out how carefully the original mortises (those square holes you see) are positioned to be visible in the island legs. The old wood with a granite counter just looks so cool! (gotta love those stools too!)

Without getting too far off track, let me point out something that might help anyone doing a room addition for the kitchen. Take a close look at this picture. As you can see, this is a real kitchen. It’s not an outdoor kitchen or a porch kitchen, it’s the main kitchen.

Now look at the wall where the door to the next room is. That wall is complete with windows, an exterior door, a porch light, the whole bit. This is either a really well executed “faux outside wall” or this is a kitchen addition designed to leave original exterior wall components in-place. I think it looks cool!

Reclaimed Wood Flooring

Which do you think is better? Really rustic, like in the picture below:

or

Smooth and finished, like this…

or

A cross between the two, like this…

Personally, I love the last one!

I’m starting to realize this post could go on forever! Reclaimed wood is used beautifully in doors, siding, furniture, and more!

To see some awesome etsy finds in reclaimed wood, check out Decorating with Reclaimed Wood on EverythingEtsy.com

It’s no secret that I’m never the first kid on the block to like the newest look in shoe-laces. The same thing applies to paint colors and fancy embroidery on my butt.

But it’s okay because these trends take awhile to really catch-on. Take the practice of painting your window sashes or window trim black, for example. It’s not “new” per se, but I’m not alone in really starting to think it looks great.

Here are a few pictures that might get you revved-up for a little bit of black paint action.

Black Trim and Sunflowers – The Perfect Mix

Give me a break! This is awesome! I’d like to give that disembodied hand on that rockin’ pedestal a high five!

The trim here is a high gloss black with a very shiny, piano-like, sheen. But don’t let that scare you. If you look closely, you can see the imperfections in the wood from here, and you’re pretty far away! The point is that you might hear this from your painter (or the little voice in your head if that’s you):

If you want high-gloss paint, especially black, you’re going to need major surface prep.

Don’t believe it. At least not too much. You certainly will see more imperfections with a glossy black trim paint than you would with a flat white, but that doesn’t mean you should shy away from it. It doesn’t have to be perfect!

Before moving on from this picture, check out a couple more strokes of awesomeness in this room.

• Board and Batten Paneling – the walls in this studio are the perfect compliment to the black trim, both in color and in style. To see and learn more about board-and-batten, see this post.
• What’s with the Floors? - I can’t tell if this is a really fancy floor, such as a special concrete finish or a terrazzo, or if this is a very inexpensive floor done with painted plywood. I guess that’s the point! In any case, it looks great! Don’t you think?

Why Yellow Roses? Nothing to Be Sorry for Here!

I’m sure that black windows look good without yellow flowers in the room, but the last two pictures show that they certainly don’t hurt!

This room looks great and, like the room above, it’s very much helped-out by having awesome windows to begin with. I love the light pattern on these windows (known as a “3-over-3″ pattern)

Interestingly, this room also has a smooth white floor. This one is definitely painted.

What if You’re Normal?

It’s okay. Most of us don’t have dedicated studios with solid blocks of wood the size of a djembe, or a city apartment with walls of glass and the freedom to have white shiny floors. We are gloriously normal(ish) and have to keep our decor in the realm of semi-reality.

No worries, black is still in for you!

This kitchen combines black painted window sashes (on normal size windows) with white trim and white marble wall tile (in a running-bond pattern). A little bit of hot pizzazz is thrown in with the glossy black shelves. Love those.

The mix of colors in the mixer, brightly colored bowls, and the cool green glass bottles really makes this a great space.

Check out another “normal space” below:

Hey, if this isn’t “normal” to you, why not? Let’s get it done! The difficulty doesn’t match the awesomeness! You can do this.

A few key points of this space:

• The windows are actually a dark wood, which really look great against the white ceramic tile (not marble in this case).
• The island has a beautiful carrerra marble top. No plumbing in the island makes this much easier to add if you don’t have one already. (I’ve always wanted my own island)
• The lighting in this kitchen RAWKS! I just love the black fixtures against the wall that is completely covered in tile. Can I get an amen?
• Don’t try that crown molding your first time out if you’re DIY. That’s serious stuff at least 7″ wide.
• These windows are trimmed with an apron and a wood sill, which really adds to the look.

A Forum Thread with more info:

If you want to read more about black windows and doors, check out this forum post at iVillage GardenWeb.

While I don’t think I’ll ever give-in to the Ed Hardy-esque look in back-pocket embroidery, I think I’m sold on black windows, doors, and trim.

How about you?