Forget the Open Floor Plan--It's Time to Bring Back Walls

  1. Highlight the Rich Warm Qualities of   Materials Architect  John Lum  likes to add rich warm tones through materials that have meaning. “For our residences, we tend to choose materials where decoration comes from the material itself, rather than applied,” Lum says. “We like having a design logic that justifies the materials so that nothing is arbitrary.” For example, in this San Francisco home, the firm designed with a client’s collection of Eastern European furniture and his appreciation of Japanese Zen design. For Lum, this meant layering materials that would work with the two cultures. In the great room, teak wraps a stage area — from the floor up the walls and across the ceiling — while  shou-sugi-ban,  a  blackened Japanese cypress, provides a backdrop. While there’s meaning behind the layering, it also was an aesthetic balancing act. “The teak adds a richness to the overall interior while  shou-sugi-ban  provides a moody depth that...

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  Old logs, branches, weeds and rubble all can mount up in the yard. But before you toss out everything in the trash, it might be time to rethink what you consider garbage. The Royal Horticultural Society hosts flower shows around England, with London’s Chelsea Flower Show being the most well known in the U.S., and its shows earlier this year offered plenty of ideas for using waste materials to build a beautiful space for both humans and wildlife to enjoy. 1. Logs If a tree has fallen or been cut down in your yard, don’t rush to get rid of the logs. Dead wood not only provides a fantastic habitat for wildlife but can be used as a raised bed. Designer Zoe Claymore planted perennials in some rotted logs for her  show garden at the  Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival . The result was similar to a permaculture technique known as  hügelkultur , in which dead wood is used to create a raised bed. Decaying wood is much better at retaining moisture than soil and provides pl...

  1. Swapping a mortgage doesn’t make sense right now With mortgage rates sitting at around 7% on 30-year fixed-rate loans, homeowners with a lower rate might want to stay where they are. Say you’re thinking about moving to a smaller house to save money, and your current house has a 2.95% interest rate for the next 15 years--when you add up the costs for a 7% interest rate in today’s market, you may end up with a 20 to 30% smaller house but with the same housing payment over the next 15 years. In that scenario, you would not reap the massive savings that usually comes with downsizing. You’d have the same payments and a smaller house. 2. You can’t afford the cost of selling Don’t have a mortgage? Downsizing can potentially reduce your living expenses in the long run; but in the short term, it could end up costing you more than it’s worth. The costs of selling a home—think real estate agent commissions and  closing costs —can outweigh the immediate financial benefits.  Addi...

  A successful landscape design starts with a detailed and well-thought-out plan. While it can be tempting to dive right in to your renovation, investing the time and budget upfront to map out your entire space will help ensure a cohesive, long-lasting design — and often save time and money in the process. Read on to learn from professionals on Houzz about the details of a landscape master plan, the benefits of getting one and other considerations to make sure you get the landscape you want. ROCHE+ROCHE Landscape Architecture What Is a Landscape Master Plan? A landscape master plan, also called a site plan, is a detailed scaled drawing that shows everything in a landscape’s overall design. It includes the site’s orientation and conditions, from sun and wind patterns to soil, drainage and slope issues. The plan also contains the design’s hardscape and structural elements — with specified materials for each — along with the planting plan and house location.  The Benefits of Havi...