Stairs must be designed and built to code. Stair treads should be 10 inches and the riser should be 7.5 inches to make what I believe are the perfect set of steps. When building stairs make sure what the elevation of the finished floor at the top and bottom of the staircase is. Adding a thick tile or hardwood floor could change the riser height causing safety hazards.
Home design is one of the most important parts of home building. Design your home without all the errors that other homes have. Exterior home design includes things such as drive and walkways, air conditioner unit placement, porches. Interior design includes small things such as outlets, switches or large things such as traffic patterns.
Exterior home design is important to the look, the running and the future of your home. Custom design of your home should include porches and deep overhangs for inclement weather. Driveways should have conduit piping underneath them for future electrical installation outdoors such as lighting or invisible fencing. Add beautiful features on your roof such as turbine vents and chimney caps.
Kitchen design or redesign can be can be very exciting. Electric or gas utilities can be moved. Drainlines and water can be moved. Add pantry space. Go for the countertops and sink that you really want. Add natural and electrical lighting. Kitchen flooring ... the sky's the limit! Don't settle for less than you want.
Interior design can add a lot to your home if you
work with the right group of people. Interior designers, architects and
contractors should be part of your team. Be ready to tell your interior design team what
you like and want. Interior designers will know how to work with you if you
pre-plan some of your likes and wants. Take pictures and make lists.
There are two sources of fantastic interior design information. Both are associations that have large memberships. You will find professionals at both places. If it were me, I would contact both groups and see what members are located in your area to get information and free pamphlets for interior design.
You want a change - an interior design change. Change costs money. It is a fact of life. So, the first item on your interior design checklist should be: Create a Budget. Here are four steps to planning an interior design makeover.
Do you think it costs a king's ransom to hire an interior designer? If so, you are mistaken. Interior designers can add spice to your home by knowing the ins and outs of decorating, including more than just paint and wallpaper. Interior designers can inform you about lighting choices, carpet and much more.
Kitchen design should include a work triangle and throughways that allow safe passage from one room, through the kitchen, to another room. You don't want a collision while carrying a pot of chili. Studies have been done that determine minimum standards regarding cabinetry, countertops and drawer space
The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) has numerous kitchen design books and manuals. The primary one is 340 pages long! It must have 200 or more design ideas. Here are 20 ideas when designing a kitchen that I think are important.
The kitchen is the heart and soul of a house. If you keep statistics of your waking hours when at home, you will likely find that you and many members of your family spend more time in this room than in any other in the house. Here are some things to consider about cabinets, islands and the function of your kitchen.
How many thousands of hours will you spend in your kitchen during the next 10 years? I'll bet that it will be close to 11,000 hours (3 hours X 365 X 10)! Don't hope that your kitchen will magically work out. You must take responsibility for the destiny of your kitchen investment. The following publications and resources will help you prepare for this investment.
Disabilities may eventually make living in your home hard to accomplish. Kitchen design with barrier free planning will make things simpler. Make sure there is enough room to maneuver a wheelchair if necessary. Design heights of sinks and cabinets is important. Kitchen appliances should be user friendly for those with limited mobility.
The key to building and or remodeling a kitchen that will be barrier free lies in the planning and design phase. You should attempt to talk with physical therapists and occupational therapists who work to rehabilitate people who become disabled. They can be found in almost every major hospital and can point you in the direction of people who work in this field each and every day. Often they will be more than happy to share with you tips and the latest barrier-free suggestions/products in the marketplace.
If you are not currently disabled, but are past the age of 60, it might be a good idea to start thinking of what you would do in your kitchen in the event you start to lose your motor skills. The simplest tasks become tough or impossible! It will be worth your time and effort to explore all of the design options, called universal design, that will allow you to use a current kitchen if you are fully capable, but yet change it slightly to accommodate a person who becomes partially disabled.
