It's usually a party kill when half of the guests decide to leave and go to a bar downtown.  This happened at a party I went to a couple weeks ago. It was initially a huge group, but the party took two major blows. First there was a car accident in front of the house, and half the people left to see the damage. Then, after the crash scene disappeared, everyone except six people went to a bar. It was absurd, especially since the host had bought a keg for everyone! Only myself and the two hosts took any beer from it. Maybe having a killer bar at a party can trump the barhopping mentality. [caption id="attachment_419" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Martini Shaped Bar Sink by Elkay"]chandelier styles available. [caption id="attachment_562" align="aligncenter" width="466" caption="A Contemporary Look from Crystorama"][/caption] Silver is a popular...

If you're setting up a home theater, or maybe even a gallery, track lighting can provide the perfect atmosphere. It's the latest craze.  Track lighting has superb advantages in a home theater, and the contemporary styles available are stunning. Surface mounted lights are easy to install because the heads are attached to a track rather than individually wired into the ceiling. More lights and less junction boxes installed into the ceiling will result in a smoother remodel. It all begins with an outlet adapter track to mount the lights on. [caption id="attachment_783" align="aligncenter" width="466" caption="Track Lighting and Mirror...

The big tub with all the jets has everybody's vote. It's as simple as queen size bed versus king size. Nothing beats a spa with jets in the master bathroom. Bathtubs with jets have many restorative powers for people and pets. If your dog is allowed in the bathtub, the jets massage deep tissue and are very good for releasing stress and toxins. [caption id="attachment_1043" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Jacu...

There are two kinds of people in this world: people who wash, and people who bathe. If you're the latter, you probably know what I mean. Whether you're taking a hot shower or a luxurious bubble bath, it isn't just about getting in, getting out, and getting clean. For bathers, the journey (the long soak, the relaxation) trumps the destination (merely getting clean). Now, as a huge fan and advocate of opulent bathrooms and home spas, I'm absolutely in love with the growing popularity of freestanding tubs - especially the trend of putting them in the middle of the room instead of sticking them against a wall.

Advantages of Freestanding Tubs

Growing up, I remember spending long evenings in the winter camped out around the fireplace at my grandparents' house. I'd spend hours curled up by the fire reading, soaking in the heat and just enjoying watching the dancing of flames. But if you don't already have a fireplace, installing one is all but impossible - at least a traditional one. If you love the look of natural fire, but don't happen to have a chimney, or if you're just looking for something a little cleaner burning, you might want to look into biofuel fireplaces.

Why Biofuel Fireplaces...

The concept of a waterless urinal not a new one. The very first versions became available in the early '90s, and have begun to gain widespread notoriety and acceptance. But in a time where water is becoming increasingly scarce - and expensive - ditching the flush is an excellent way to conserve water both residentially and commercially. More than that, though, waterless urinals aren't some ill-advised attempts at eco-friendliness; they really do mark a significant improvement in urinal design, not just in your bottom line or for the planet, but for the user experience. [caption id="attachment_2465" align="aligncenter" width="210"]custom showers to deep soaking tubs and even home steam baths

Earth Day 2012 is upon us, and even if you aren't the type to take to the streets about environmental issues, there are more than a few reasons to celebrate the day. In big and little ways, making your home environmentally friendly can really do wonders for your bottom line. From more efficient appliances to lower water bills and even government rebates and tax credits, going green can get you some green, and you'll be able to feel good about doing it, too. EnergyStar Appliances bar sink or not. Depending on the location of your bar, and that location's access to plumbing, this can be a relatively simple job. But if not, is it really worth spending the extra money for a water supply and drain, or even worth altering the location of your planned project to get one? Bar sinks add important utility to a home bar - and can be pretty snazzy to look at, too - but what diffe...

There are really two kinds of home bars out there: ones modeled after old school pubs, hardwood and dartboards, and those you'd more likely pair with a cocktail dress and a skyline view. Now, unless you've got a whole room to spare, chances are that building your own in home pub might not be feasible, but creating your own compact cocktail lounge is a lot easier - and less expensive - to pull off, especially if your home already errs a little on the side of modern design. If you've got the balcony (and a bottle or two), pulling off modern home bars can mean as little as procuring a few pieces of bar furniture. [caption id="attachment_3507" align="aligncenter" width="356" caption="Clyde A...

At its core, Parisian chic design is an homage to the fashion and luxury - past and present - of the City of Light, and a way to bring a little slice of it into your home. It's one part modern, one part antique, and all about luxury and style. As with any theme, Parisian chic design is best done on a smaller scale (say, a single room) to keep it simple, keep it subtle, and to keep it from overwhelming the rest of your design. I find the best place to try out a Parisian chic design is in a bathroom - it's a great place for luxury, a great place to feel pampered, and a small enough room that you won't get lost in the little details. Intrigued? Here are a few designs - and the stuff you'll need to recreate them in your own bathroom! [caption id="attachment_3775" align="aligncenter" width="...

I'm a big advocate of using lighting in your home as something more than mere function. Lighting fixtures themselves should be beautiful, and choosing the right type - and amount - of lighting can totally transform the way you experience your home. Humans are instinctively drawn to light, and a well-lit space will feel warm, inviting, and cheery. This applies every bit to the outside of your home as it does to the inside, and one of the best ways to enhance your home's curb appeal is to add a little outdoor lighting. [caption id="attachment_4023" align="aligncenter" width="500"]fireplace without all the work or expense of installing one? If that sounds pretty good to you, you're in luck! Ventless fireplaces are easy to inst...

If you're reading this, it probably means you're concerned about the quality of your drinking water. Unfortunately, it's a good concern to have. Little scares (and bigger ones) regarding water quality seem to have been popping up a lot in recent years, from water bottles containing BPA to traces of pharmecutecal drugs in your tap water, it can be easy to feel like what you're drinking isn't safe. Even buying BPA free bottled water doesn't necessarily mean the water quality is going to be any better than what comes from your tap. So how can you ensure that you're getting the cleanest, healthiest water for your family? This quick summary of what kinds of water filtration systems are out there and how they work should help you decide the best option for your home.

The Water Filtration Pi...

The time between Halloween and New Years is probably the single worst time of year to do any kind of major home remodeling. Between guests, celebrations, tight budgets from gift-giving, and just good old fashioned bad weather, there's a lot stacked against end-of-the-year renovations. But this is also the time of year where people that don't usually see your home are the most likely to - whether that means friends, relatives, or even co-workers, which means it's the season you most want your home to shine. So if you want to spruce up your home for the holiday season, these five ways won't break your budget, and don't require any messy demolition or construction.

New Furniture (Or At Least New Furniture Covers)

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Today we got our first real snow up here in the frozen north, and waking up to all that white powder (and a home that's a few degrees colder than I might like) got me to thinking about ways to keep warm this winter. I've already raided my spiced tea stash and fought the cat for a fuzzy blanket, but I've also come up with a few home improvements to help beat the cold that don't just involve hunkering down, cranking up the heat, and waiting for spring.

Heat When You Need It

[caption id="attachment_5052" align="aligncenter" width="300"]big comeback. It's going to be a good year to remodel, renovate, fix up, or update your home, but the common thread between all the most common projects is eco friendliness and sustainability. If you're looking to green your home this year but aren't quite sure where to start, here are a few types of "green home" upgrades to help you figure out where your home is doing well, and where it can stand to improve.

Energy Efficiency

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Pantone's color of the year for 2013 is Emerald green - a bold, regal gem tone in contrast to last year's bright, spunky tangerine. That means that it'll be the go-to color in everything from fashion to cosmetics and - you guessed it - interior design. So if you like the color and want to keep you home on top of color trends, this year you might want to incorporate the color into any new designs. Whether that means swapping accessories or remodeling from the ground up is up to you, but if you aren't sure where to start, here are a few ideas to help you build an Emerald dream you'll love.

Why Emerald?

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These days, kitchens are getting bigger, better, more centralized, and more extensive. In fact, as dream kitchens become the entertaining heart of the home, they even become more... professional. I don't know if it's the rising popularity of cooking shows, a growing desire to eat better, a way to save on date night expenses, or what, but people are starting to cook at home more often, both with and without guests. The result is a big shift toward professional grade kitchenware, from high powered cooking ranges to even something as seemingly simple as the kitchen faucet.

With newer kitchens trending more and more toward professional grade cooking appliances - especially large gas ranges - it's more important than ever to have proper ventilation. Ducted range hoods improve indoor air quality, keep kitchens cleaner, and even help lower heating and cooling costs. Of course, not all models are created equal, and there are a few features to look for specifically, but XtremeAir range hoods definitely come out at the front of the pack.

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To me, the biggest difference between traditional and modern lighting fixtures is innovation. Lovely as they may be, and often grand and stunning as they are, there isn't a whole lot of variety in traditional lighting fixtures in shape, style, form, or material.  But with modern lighting, the sky is really the limit - modern designers embrace any and every type of light, no matter how unusual or even wild the design, and use them to turn a utilitarian light socket into a stunning, artistic focal point. Spiral pendants are one great example of this. With sinuous lines and a totally unique shape, they're defi...

One of the most interesting up and coming new design trends is one that isn't actually new at all - the re-emerging popularity of large format, full length mirrors. Despite their usefulness, mirrored closet doors have started to feel a little dated. But old fashioned freestanding mirrors (and genuinely old ones) are making a big comeback. Not only do they let you see your full body in reflection, but offer several unique design possibilities as well.

Double Trouble