I agreed to help one of our clients provide their contractor and plumber with a list of Hansgrohe shower/tub valves for the rough-in plumbing.  This was easier said then done. The Hansgrohe website left a great deal to be desired, especially with respect to clearly defining pressure balance and thermostatic values for showers and tubs. Luckilly, we found a great resource provided by Mid-Valley Plumbing Supply in Pennsylvania that demystified the differences in plain English.

Any discussion of renewable energy involves how to get the power from remote areas to where it's needed. That involves building high voltage power lines across several States in many cases. It also involves years of effort, a great deal of environmental analysis and fighting every community that thinks the lines should be buried or go somewhere else.

Now I think of how great it would be if we could just send that electricity through the air just like we send things using wireless communications. Turns out that many people including Thomas Edison also thought it would be a cool idea. They too thought it was a bit absurd to drag all the cables across the country.

I have no problem spending money on complicated remodeling tasks such as plumbing, masonry, electrical, heating & ventilation (HVAC) and structural work. However, paying $30 an hour to clean up the trash and other things that I can do myself or with a helper is not smart.

Years ago when trying to come up with design ideas, I would buy lots of magazines and go through them for ideas. That got pretty expensive and for the most part, some of the photos were not too good. Now with digital cameras and smart phones equipped with good cameras, I no longer buy magazines. Instead I head off to Crate & Barrel, the Pottery Barn, the Room Store, Dominion and Restoration Hardware. Any store that goes through the trouble of designing vignettes is a good candidate. 

When doing an extensive bathroom and/or kitchen remodeling project, you don't want to skimp on the  plumbing. That's because if the plumbing is not done correctly, you'll find out well after the plumber is gone. The costs to fix things are frayed nerves, extra dollars and a complete mess.

If you are designing a medium to large space, it's a nightmare trying to find art or a wall decor that is tasteful and sets the mood of the space. That mood could include your own personality or something that you see every day like your children, a far away place in the big city or country side.

I can't hold a candle to a Generation Y or Millennial guy or girl when it comes to computers and communication gadets. However, I can tell you a thing or two about buying your first place and remodeling. Unless you are relatively wealthy and buy a home, apartment or condo brand new, you will have to remodel it.

Clean up your room! Those words might have been the most spoken words you heard from your mom or dad when growing up. Your parents got on you, because they felt that organization and cleanliness were important habits to learn. Besides that, they just got tired of picking up after you.

Believe it or not the same applies to your construction and remodeling job site. A disorganized, messy and trash ridden construction or job site conveys several things to workers, existing clients and even potential clients:

Years ago when you thought of modular homes you didn't think of quality construction. Those days are long gone as Architects, Builders and Haven Homes, a modular home residential manufacturer, combine forces to provide homeowners and remodelers an option to building a stick house or doing an extensive renovation. Modular construction is more common than we think. It's very common in the aerospace and maritime industries and increasingly popular for buildings. In fact, modular construction was used to construct the Athelete's Village in Whistler British Columbia for the recent Winter Olympic Games. The structure even won a design award.

Anyone thinking of buying an older home in or around Washington DC or other metropolitan areas has to consider the costs and stress associated with remodeling the home so it can work for today's family. Open spaces, a family room adjoining large working kitchen like the one below, and master bathrooms where we can unwind are what we desire. Getting all of that without going crazy is the challenge.

Sometimes I dream about being at a Remodeling Convention and speaking my mind to a room filled with contractors. Sure we all know thta the National Association of The Remodeling Industry suggests ways of finding a contractor.

Most of us are quite willing to pay a bit more for a green product that delivers environmental benefits and meets our individual needs. Finding such products is not so easy and then evaluating fact from fiction is another matter. Enter EcoBold, a small startup company, whose mission is to help us do all of the above and to live a greener and more sustainable lifestyle.

 EcoBold's founder Steffany Boldrini does the leg work for us. She finds green products and talks to the people behind the products. Then each week, EcoBold delivers a product review and a video of the interview every Tuesday and Friday, respectively.

Our take on Ecobold
We listened to two very different videos to get a flavor for how helpful EcoBold is. The first was an interview with ZoLi, a manufacturer of green baby products and the other was on recycling tires by West Coast Rubber Recycling. As far as we're concerned the videos were just the the right length- less than 6 minutes. 

So you want to "go green" when you decorate or furnish your home! Just the thought of doing that may conjure up going to a chic city showroom and choosing some expensive furniture made of native materials from the rain forest. Of course that may be a part of going green, but you don't have to spend a lot of money to go green. Instead, just consider buying plain old furniture made in the U.S.

Last year we were a little late with our holiday gift ideas, so we made a New Years resolution to bring things up earlier. These stocking stuffers and gifts are igreat for the do it yourselfer or that friend who is into eco-friendly gadgets. We've added some cool stuff for the ladies as well.

Choosing paint colors is always a hassle. We found that Paint Test Boards by Tru-Hue make it much easier and can be used to select not only paint colors, but also your home furnishings as well.

If you are like me you are worried about your home, your job and your future. I sometimes turn off the news because by nature I am pretty positive and I get weary of all this bad news. I ask myself constantly "how bad are things and how does it compare to the Great Depression in 1933. I found a great article today that will help you put things in perspective.

 Have you ever tried to lay out a new kitchen or a bathroom or just remodel your old one? If you are about to for first time or again, you'll appreciate these handy guides that are used by the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) certified designers.

You have surely thought it before - "to slipcover or not to slipcover - that is the question."  Do you cover your existing sofa with a slipcover, or do you just go out and buy a new one? This might be especially important if you are staging your home for resale  or if it just needs a lift.

In recent months I've noticed two things about Home Depot and Lowes in the Washington DC area. First, the stores are less crowded....no big surprises there.

The private quarters in the White House will be getting a makeover by LA designer Michael Smith. Michelle Obama selected him because he shares her vision for creating a family-friendly feel to the Obama family's new home.