Dreaming in Color: 8 Eye-Opening Yellow Bedrooms

I have a tendency to associate the color yellow with all the sweet corn my hometown, just outside the reach of suburban Chicago, is famous for. It is also the color of one of the first flowers of spring in that part of the nation, daffodils, which my mom planted in beds round the house […]

Discover the Language of Trusses in Layout

Exposed trusses are exceptional architectural components, at structural — they hold up the roof — while controlling a space to give it scale and rhythm. But with the many truss types on the market, how do you decide which to use? Even a seasoned architect can get lost in the language of trusses, especially because […]

Fantastic Design Plant: Coast Silktassel

Among the coastal shrubs and wild chaparral that predict the mountainous coast of California and Oregon house, the pendulous catkins of shore silktassel (Garrya elliptica) really are a decoration. When most plants sleep through the winter, shore silktassel comes to life with a cascade of floral tassels. Found by noted botanist David Douglas, shore silktassel […]

7 Ways Connect After Disaster and to Charge Up

As we learned from Hurricane Sandy, disasters can suddenly transform a contemporary place into a crude one — no roads, no gasoline, no power, no online access without a phone support. And no place is safe from the possibility of natural disasters. The East Coast and Southeastern coastal regions of the U.S. are vulnerable to […]

How to Prep for a Holiday Party at One Week

During the holidays, when weekends book up fast with workplace parties, cocktail gatherings and kids’ events, an informal, spontaneous get-together could result in a refreshing change of pace. Or perhaps you’ve simply procrastinated, despite the fact that you’ve known since Labor Day that 30 of your closest relatives are coming to celebrate Hanukkah with you. […]

En Suite

“En suite” is a phrase used in house layout to indicate that there’s a bathroom within the bedroom. It’s French expression, meaning that the bedroom and bathoom type a set. In other uses it may refer to anything that’s in a sequence or is part of a group or series. Rudolfsson Alliker Associates Architects In […]

Great Design Plant: Crape Myrtle

One of my favorite things about living in the American South is that crape myrtles grow. This exceptional tree has year-round interest, with its sculptural shape, several stems, long-lasting flowers and gorgeous exfoliating bark. In Atlanta, our crape myrtle population is extremely high, since the city went mad and implanted 1,000 of them across the […]

How to Work With a Plumber

You have probably heard that old joke about the plumber’s invoice: “Tapping on the pipes, $10; knowing where to tap, $200.” There’s more than a grain of truth in there. When pipes drains or burst build-up or water pressure withers, the expertise of a licensed professional plumber may be well worth every penny. Use our […]