Are you in the process of choosing a new garage door? Your front door isn’t only the one that needs to look gorgeous. You also have to make sure that your garage door is a design in itself. Bear in mind that your garage door is very obvious, the fact that it’s quite larger than your front door.

There are quite a number of options to make your garage stand out. With the right style garage door, you will be amazed to see how your garage door turns your exterior so gorgeous and stunning. It’s like a beautiful backdrop for your outdoor home curb appeal.

How to Choose the Right Style Garage Door

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Take note of these ideas on choosing the right style garage door:

Consider formality when choosing your door

How about turning your garage into a formal entry hub? You can definitely do this by opting to choose a stained wood door material. Cut this material into Craftsman-style architecture. This is a simple design yet so elegant to look at. Match it with a stone foundation and muted paint colors. Then, finalize the design with a mounted copper lantern for superb formal garage entry appearance.

Take a look at these 30 garage door ideas on HGTV.

Consider adding a rustic touch to your garage

Bring a farmhouse feel in your garage by making some rustic changes in your garage door. Make sure that you have the trademark “X” or “V” design braces in your garage door. Color it with gray palette and do some imperfections to make it look farm tested. Place reclaimed wood siding to enhance its farm-look effect. Also, consider using different color paint stains and paint colors for your garage.

This idea is simple yet provides an attractive appearance at your garage door. You need to have a natural wood material for the door colors it with maple or anything that will enhance the wood grains. Of course, don’t forget the swing. You can have it swing manually or with the use of a remote.

These garage door ideas from Houzz can give you inspiration!

These are just some of the beautiful ways to style your garage. Make it your weekend project and be rewarded with an attractive home exterior, highlighted with your beautiful garage.

For more architectural ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by James Hardie Building Products Inc. in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

Hardie Board Ideas: #JamesHardieInspired For A Magazine-Like Exterior

If you’ve been trying to beautify your outdoor home, Hardie Board or cement fiber board is one of the most beautiful ways to do so. Home siding options have come a long way and I’ve paired with James Hardie® building products to show you the architectural design options available cement fiber board siding. From modern to rustic and from coastal to the mountains, Hardie board is a tried and true material. Take a look at how you can transform your exterior and achieve an outdoor home that is worthy of pinning to Pinterest!

All images via: James Hardie® Building Products

How Do You Want to Enjoy your Outdoor Home this Season?

Do you love to spend time outdoors entertaining, relaxing or just throwing a stick with your favorite dog? I love beautifying the exterior of a home as it connects you with nature and your family and friends at the same time. James Hardie® offers a versatile collection of products meant to keep your home looking beautiful for years to come.

How to Choose the Right Cement Fiber Board Siding For Your Home’s Architecture:

Whether your home is a historic Tudor architectural style home in the suburbs or a Modern revival home with clean lines, there are profiles, colors, and textures to match your home.

Do you want a rustic shaker style cladding to your exterior home? Or do you like a coastal beach-themed façade? I always love how a home can change its appeal just by adding bold color or texture from its surroundings. Take a look at your façade and decide which product will match your neighborhood and environment.

• HardiePlank® lap siding – Comes in a variety of textures including smooth or beaded.
• HardieShingle® siding – Replicates the look and feel of cedar shakes but are more durable than traditional cedar. They also are pest resistant and can withstand the elements. They come in staggered edge and straight edge varieties.
• HardiePanel® vertical siding & HardieTrim® boards – When coupled together they resemble board and batten and can transform your rustic or contemporary home’s façade.

Colors and Textures of Cement Fiber board Siding Options:

Choose from hundreds of cement fiber board color combinations. Mix and match regional and national colors to bring out your home’s natural architectural beauty. 

Select from a wide range of colors to fit your home’s architectural style

Not sure which to choose? Order free product siding samples!

James Hardie® wants you to feel confident and comfortable in choosing exterior siding for your exterior home. You can order free cement fiber board siding samples here.

Gain Inspiration from Sunset’s 2016 Idea House:

You can see how the products were used to create a unique facade on this ultra-modern home in this cement fiber board siding video.

Feel Confident About your Exterior with These Unique Features:

• Stands up to storms and harsh weather
• Water resistant to protect against swelling, warping and cracking; also resists damage from mold
• Won’t be eaten by animals or insects
• More fire resistant than wood or vinyl siding
• ColorPlus® Technology finishes can add years of unrivaled color performance
• Helps reduce time and money spent on maintenance as compared to wood or wood-based siding

I encourage you to follow and gain inspiration from James Hardie® on their social channels.

Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Are you looking for a contractor to help with installing your siding? Take a look at this Hardie board siding options post.

This season enhance your outdoor home with these cement fiber board siding options. You will love how sprucing up your exterior patio, front entry, and overall exterior facade will transform the way you entertain, relax and enjoy your home!

Do you love antiques and beautiful farmhouse decor? Over the past years the organic nod back to simpler times is evident in farmhouse decor and bringing this decorative style into your home is easier than you think. Here are some creative ways to bring farmhouse design into your interiors.

Farmhouse decor is greatly gaining popularity. Many are opting for it to bring in that cozy feel into the house. Farmhouse style is simplistic in nature and allows you to do-it-yourself without having to enlist the services of a professional. Some of the things associated with this decor style include recycling, renovating and upcycling. Clearly, farmhouse style is the way to go because not is it simple to grasp, but it also blends in well with many other décor styles such as cottage, modern, traditional, Southern, and even industrial style decor. If you’re looking for creative farmhouse decor ideas take a look at Country Living’s ideas here.

How to Bring Antique Farmhouse Decor into your Stylish Home

What are the Characteristics of Farmhouse Style?

A farmhouse decor style is characterized by bringing back images of the past and recreating the harmony and atmosphere that was unique to this era. To achieve this look, a lot of soft colors, natural wood, beamed ceilings, fireplace, and textile go into bringing in that inviting, cozy feel that makes you want to while away all your time indoors. You are basically looking for a lot of simple lines and simple designs as you go about decorating your farmhouse styled home.

On the outside, farmhouse style incorporates large porches and patios, gabled roofs, and wraparound verandas in its architecture. Many consider it an American style, but farmhouse style combines a lot of English and French elements. On the interior, wood is included to bring in a lot of warmth and charm into the design. Many light colors are also associated with this décor style because back in the day, there was no access to many of the colored finishes we enjoy today. It is therefore quite customary to have white walls as the backdrop for the interior decor. On matters fabric, farmhouse style mostly incorporates natural and handmade ones such as leather into its design.

Bringing Farmhouse Decor into your Living Room:

In the living room, farmhouse style is associated with a fireplace and vintage decorations. A lot of natural materials and different textures all blend in well to give you that cozy, comfortable finish. Leather, burlap, cotton and checkered patterns can definitely not be missed if you want that farmhouse decor ambiance in your home. Remember to throw some rustic farmhouse style pillows on the seats to complete the look. Additionally, do not forget the pale, neutral colors to exude a laid back country style interior into your abode. DIY Joy features decor for your farmhouse abode.

Bedroom Farmhouse Decor Style:

As you know by now, farmhouse style goes for that cozy feel, and this is also evident in the bedroom. To help you with that inviting feel typical in country farmhouse bedrooms, vintage chic furniture with a rustic flair to it should do the trick. Light pastel colors, natural textiles, and materials should also help you complete the look.

A Farmhouse Kitchen Sink Defines your Home & Bathroom:

The kitchen is at the heart of farmhouse style home. Big, spacious kitchens with a lot of woodwork perfectly describe the kitchen in a farmhouse style home. They are designed to be used but still have that inviting and welcoming atmosphere that makes you want to pull out a chair and have a seat at the table. Farmhouse style kitchens are characterized by wooden floors, but terracotta and checkered tiles may also be used. Additionally, the kitchens incorporate a lot of wooden cabinets and open shelves into the design. Big stoves are used that allow easy preparation of food for many people. Farmhouse style kitchens also come equipped with big kitchen tables that double as both preparation and eating tables. The tables and cabinets are made of heavy wood, which is also used in making the kitchen countertops.

Claw foot tubs are what characterize bathrooms in farmhouse style homes. Storage baskets, vintage sinks, rustic lighting fixtures and open shelves all adorn theses bathrooms.

Dining Room Farmhouse Decor Ideas:

Comfort summarizes dining rooms in farmhouse style homes. From the dining chairs, tables, candle lanterns, open shelves used for displaying colorful bowls, and wooden flooring, class and comfort jump right at you. Apart from these, they also come furnished with vintage cabinets and stick to light colors of natural shades.

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, check out our shabby chic style ideas here.

The best home renovations can add substantial property value to your home while providing you the ability to have more function in your home. It may require a little bit of strategy, but proper diligence and prior research can yield a higher return on investment or ROI. Following are several ideas to help you maximize your property’s potential with home renovations.

Choosing The Best Home Renovations for Added ROI

An Attic Bedroom could Yield More Return

Your property may have several kinds of rooms such as an attic. Newer attics have a combined propensity to be useful or not. Older attics are normally going to have utility because they’ve generally been more securely constructed, but there are always exceptions to any rule.

You’ve got to be careful that your attic is secure enough to turn into a room. Renovating it into an additional study or bedroom is a great way to add utility and property value to your home. If the attic is structurally sound enough to so, getting this value and utility could be as simple as a little spring cleaning and furniture arrangement.

These 10 home renovations are DIY Network’s top picks.

Sweep the floors, put in some carpet, maybe wallpaper if the room requires it. Move some chairs or a futon up there, add a few lamps; suddenly there’s a new peaceful room anyone in the house can escape to if the need arises. If there is no structural rebuilding necessary, this is a very cost-effective remodel for home improvement ideas.

Bathroom Design Ideas for your Remodeling Project

Your bathrooms are going to require a remodel eventually and a bathroom design should be thought through carefully. A lot of necessary hygiene takes place in these areas of the home, and natural entropic wear and tear over time will always leave its mark. Older bathrooms will usually be in greater disrepair than newer ones; they’ll also be stylistically defunct.

A bathroom remodel can get expensive if you make it your prerogative to ensure it has the most modern fixtures available. However if your drive in renovation tends less toward modernization, and more toward utilitarian upgrade,  you can get your bathrooms remodeled in a cost-effective way that adds value to the whole property

The decoration is where the greatest advantage lies, cost-wise. You can make an older set of fixtures appear more modern if they’re encountered in surroundings that feel as though they’ve been recently upgraded.

If you need additional bathroom renovation ideas we love these Houzz ideas.

Consider a Garage Kit or Adding a Shed

For those who have space outdoors, adding a shed or building an additional garage could turn out to be a good decision. Thinking outside the box can be especially lucrative. According to leading steel brands that sell garage kits, “Adding a new metal garage or storage space to your property can boost your home’s value by as much as 14%, and they consistently retain their value.”

Such storage spaces are often characterized as garages or prefabricated steel buildings. Think a curved warehouse made of metal. The thing is, you don’t have to store a vehicle in one. You don’t strictly have to use one as a means of manufacturing goods or developing services. Such a structure can function as an additional living space (depending on local zoning/living ordinances), or even a craftsman’s workshop

Architectural Home Renovations Depend on your Current Home

Take stock of your home’s architecture. What is the state of the bathrooms? Is the attic strong, and relatively unused? Do you have space in the front or backyard that’s essentially inert? You could have a great deal of opportunity just waiting to be noticed.

For more home remodeling ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

It’s the look that’s sweeping across modern homes and office spaces—industrial interiors. This trend takes the appearances of the old and fuses it with the practicality of the new, making for a warehouse-like space that looks great and serves busy lives well. Industrial-style spaces feature clean lines and cut down on clutter, which are characteristics all of us busy moms can appreciate in our homes. If you’d like to emulate this look and bring a sense of utility to your home, read on and redesign your space in a jiffy.

Modern Industrial: How to Get the Look

Neutral Color Palettes

Neutral color palettes work well with modern, industrial designs. Repainting your walls with various grays, soft beiges, or light browns can help you better envision the new furniture you’ll need to complete the look. If you’d like to experiment with various shades, grey is a wonderful color choice to start with, as the juxtaposition of cool and warm shades can provide a simple but effective jumping off point for accent pieces.

Use natural exposed finishes and muted tones

Image via: Digs Digs

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Metal and Wood Finishes

Mixing metal and wood is a great place to start when you begin your redesign. Metallic pieces can do a lot to change your home into an industrial paradise. Rod-iron accent pieces, steel high chairs, and metal fixtures add to a manufactured style. Use a metal finish spray to upgrade pre-existing doors or accent pieces. If you don’t mind losing a bit of edge in the look and would prefer a softer industrial vibe, you can also go for more colorful metal options like copper and nickel. Wood pieces can also be utilized in an industrial-style home to add a bit of rustic appeal. Wood paneling on ceilings, distressed doors, or furniture pieces that incorporate both metal and wood are wonderful ways to start revamping any living space. Try pairing a wooden dining table with metal chairs as a starter example. If you like the look, continue further with larger pieces, and let the theme spread throughout the house; from kitchen to bathroom to bedroom.

Go Modern

One simple way to infuse a more industrial look into your home is to swap out more traditional pieces for modern accoutrements. Shopping for furniture and wall art at a website like Touch of Modern makes finding the perfect industrial-inspired pieces easy. Rustic furniture pieces and manufactured accessories combine to create an industrialized space you can be proud of. Urban concrete art and murals that make a statement are the perfect accent to a warehouse-type space, and will contribute to an overall urban look.

Neutral colors and metal and wood finishes make this industrial kitchen sing

Image via: Architecture Art Designs

Creative Lighting Ideas

Lighting is important to showing off your new space, so you should update your light fixtures to match your newfound style. As the industrial trend has grown, so too has your selection of lighting options. Choose a lamp with a bronze finish, or install some sconces for soft lighting with a modern edge.

Don’t Conceal It, Feel It

A big portion of industrial-style design involves exposing housing elements that many homeowners and builders tend to cover up. Uncovered pipes and ceiling beams are staples of ready-made warehouse-style homes. Exposed brick can be cleaned up and used as is, or a coat of paint in a neutral color or stark white over the top can further add to your theme. Wooden beams can be weathered with home décor products to give them an intentionally unfinished look, and create a unique appeal in your home you never knew you had.

Use home decor to bring out your style

Image via: Decoholic

Home Decor Accessories Matter

If you don’t have natural brick walls or an old space to revamp, it’s easy to inject a bit of industrial air with some well-selected accessories. For practicality and looks, purchase an industrial-style bar cart for your living room and display your favorite beverages in carafes. With clean lines and metal and wood workings, this cart can easily get you on your way to your newly-themed home. Items that display inner working mechanisms are ideal for an industrial house or apartment, and the more metal, the better. Don’t go overboard with your additions and create clutter, but pick pieces that easily encompass the industrial look and let the clean lines tell your design story.

If you’re looking to revamp your home into an industrial mecca, start small by ridding yourself of older, outdated furniture, and direct your attention to items with clean, classic appeal and an unfinished look that will meld with your walls. This look is easy on the upkeep, provides plenty of budget-friendly design options, and will impress any guests.

For more home decor ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Most people can’t get enough of tree houses when they are young. But as soon as they become adults, they forget about them. However, tree houses are much more than childish structures. They can be used for observation and leisure, as workspaces, and as retreats. The newest tree house is a sight to behold. It runs on solar power, is controlled by voice commands, and even lets you know when you’re about to run out of beer. It has a 360-degree view, Wi-Fi, and different options for mood lighting. Named “The Skysphere,” it is the perfect getaway. Its name fits it perfectly. The floating room supported by a steel base is built on a hill encompassed by trees. It looks like it came out of a science fiction movie. It not only boasts a stunning design, its indoor features are sure to impress.

Have Fun in This Solar-Powered Tree House

The tree house is powered by solar

Image via: Yahoo Homes

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The Solar-Powered Tree House Project

The Skysphere is the brainchild of Jono Williams, a graphic designer and plastics engineer from New Zealand. He dreamt of creating an elevated building with a 360-view and Wi-Fi connectivity. Williams says that from a young age, he loved making things. When he was a kid, he would raid building sites to find wood for his tree houses. However, things have changed as he now imports up to 4 tons of steel to make a tree house.

Williams says that when building The Skysphere, he knew that a typical tree house would not be able to match his idea of an elevated room. Regular tree houses have many limitations. First, trees are affected by the elements and houses built on them can be damaged by harsh weather conditions. Secondly, trees grow with time and their branches can destroy tree houses as they expand. Trees also tend to obstruct the view from different angles and it’s almost impossible to see the surroundings. To avoid these drawbacks, Williams decided to forego a tree house and construct his own steel support. He customized the tree-like structure, ensuring it is ideal for any space and not just places where big trees grow.

It offers extensive views

Image via: Mashable

The engineer spent $50,000 and took 3 years to create and assemble each element – from the sphere and steel structure to the wood flooring and ceiling. He attended classes to learn how to make his tree house structurally sound and able to endure earthquakes and high winds. The end result was an incredibly awesome tree house that is pleasing to the eye and fitted with top-notch features. The structure is really impressive bearing in mind that Williams had no architectural experience before he started. The engineer not only created the basic design and energy systems, he also incorporated some avant-garde details.

Standout Features

The Skysphere is located in Linton, New Zealand and is comprised of a single room with transparent walls which provide guests with panoramic views of the surrounding area. The room can be accessed via a single ladder found at the base. The glass walls add to its beauty and bring the outdoors in. The tree house boasts a sleek modern design that makes it more striking than other tree houses. It is entirely powered by solar panels and uses solar power for all its devices.

This solar-powered tree house has dimmable LED lighting, high-speed internet, a wireless sound system, fingerprint entry, a refrigerated beer dispenser, and a Miracast projector. All of these features can be accessed through a Smartphone app. After you open the tree house with your fingerprint, climb a ladder to go to the main room, or up to the rooftop if you want a high vantage point. The room has a couch and a queen size bed where you can relax. The cooler is built into the couch ensuring refreshments are always within easy reach. The couch’s armrest has a built-in coaster which goes down and comes up with beer. In addition, the fridge sends an alert when the stock is diminishing.

The Skysphere boasts wonderful features

Image via: Latest Solar News

The Skysphere is self-reliant thanks to solar panels. The panels power everything for 2 days every week and make the tree house a perfect weekend getaway. You won’t have to worry about powering your gadgets when it gets dark. The tree house doesn’t have a bathroom because Williams says he didn’t want to bother with plumbing. But he’s planning to build one in the surrounding trees.

Every person likes to have their own cozy space where they can be themselves and do whatever pleases them. Most people designate one room in their homes, but there are others who don’t conform to this trend. They leave no stone unturned to build their dream lounging room. Jono Williams did just that. If you love nature and are eco-conscious, visit this amazing structure. When evening comes and the stars shine brightly, you won’t have to say goodbye to the outdoors. You will lounge in your personal haven as you enjoy spectacular views and tranquil seclusion.

For more cool architecture on Stagetecture, click here.

It’s always exciting to see what the latest trends in interior design and latest products that manufacturers have in store for the upcoming year. This September 22-26^th Cersaie Ceramic Tile and Bathroom Furnishings show in Bologna, Italy will showcase some of the top tile and bathroom furnishings in the industry.

Excited for #Cersaie Tile Show – Bologna Italy – Sep 22-26

#Cersaie Tile Show is Ready for the World

“Organized by Edi.Cer SpA and promoted by Confindustria Ceramica in collaboration with Bologna Fiere, the show attracts nearly 1,000 exhibitors from 30+ countries and over 75,000 visitors each year.”

I’m extremely excited as I am just off the heels of the Tile of Spain’s tile trip in Valencia, Spain when we attended Cevisama. To be able to witness the Italian tile show will be an awesome experience.

Cersaie 2014 – You’re Invited Video

Link to –>  Cersaie 2014 You Tube Video

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Cersaie Highlights to Look Out For:

• Expanded categories of interior and exterior floor and wall covering materials including marble, natural stone, wood and laminate.

• Keynote lecture by Toyo Ito, winner of the 2013 Pritzker Prize, on Thursday, September 25. Known for creating conceptual architecture in which he seeks to simultaneously express the physical and virtual worlds, seminal works include Sendai Mediatheque, “Tower of Winds” in Yokohoma, Torre Realia BCN in Barcelona and, most recently, the Taichung Metropolitan Opera House in Taiwan.

Architect, Toyo Ito will be the Keynote Speaker at Cersaie

A Peek at a Few of the Italian Tile Manufacturer’s Showing at Cersaie:

*REFIN – Ceramiche:

Ceramiche Refin has developed a completely new visual language for ceramics, and the 2014 edition of Cersaie will take visitors on a journey inspired by material and re-invented by ceramic technology, peppered with a spirit of renewal and a desire to amaze.

Teatro tile – inspired by theater wood floors

Teatro, meanwhile, takes its inspiration from the values linked with memories, awareness of our cultural heritage and local roots, in a particularly alluring collection inspired by the floor inside the Municipal Theatre in Modena. Actors, audiences and theatre workers thus form part of the very soul of a collection, which, by reproducing the wood found on the stage – with everything that implies for the artist – and in the foyer, captures and recalls the magic of endless evenings, creating an evocative sense of history and prestige.

*SUPERGRES – Ceramiche

Ceramiche Supergres produce floor and wall coverings for residential building in the medium-high market segment, further divided into sub-segments for porcelain stoneware floors for outdoor and indoor use and white-body wall tiles for bathrooms and kitchens.

Lakestone – Ivory

Supergres Lakestone tile in Ivory – inspired by natural stone

Great graphic versatility and natural harmony, like a natural stone 

A collection featuring unique pieces, created for those who are looking for a floor characterized by great chromatic versatility but that is also as natural and harmonious as stone. It is Lake Stone by Ceramiche Supergres, a ceramic product inspired by natural stones extracted for more than 400 years in the British Lake District and manufactured by expert craftsmen to create prestigious indoor and outdoor projects.

Every single slab that has been chosen and reproduced is different and unique in order to create the natural effect of age-old materials: a random yet balanced and harmonious versatility. Different and varied veining on the surface, different shades in a perfect balance with a strong personality.

*CESAR – Ceramiche

One 

The life of every single one of us is made up of unique moments, all able to tell a story, to evoke a tactile sensations, to remind us of a colour, a shape, an emotion. With One, the sense evoked by traditional cotto and the contemporary mood of cement in architecture find the perfect merger to create a unique style, a unique harmony. Thanks to its versatility, One is the perfect solution to dress any space with a touch of exclusive class, a personalised ceramic style and an original appeal.

Caesar -One – A modern cement architectural tile

There will be nearly 1,000 exhibitors at Cersaie so stay close to Stagetecture in the upcoming weeks to see more highlights before, during and after the show.

About Ceramics of Italy

Ceramics of Italy is the trademark for Italian manufacturers of ceramic tiles, sanitaryware and tableware, that are members of Confindustria Ceramica. For more information on the ceramic tile sector, visit www.italiantiles.com. For instant updates from Ceramics of Italy, follow them on Facebook (facebook.com/CeramicsOfItalyNA) as well as on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest (@CeramicsofItaly).

Follow Stagetecture at Cersaie

Follow Stagetecture and the #Cersaie on your favorite social media channels. You can also follow my Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, Tumblr, Pinterest and Google+ for the latest happenings! (All the links are located on the top right side bar of Stagetecture’s website under “Join Me”)

For more media and design events on Stagetecture, click here.

The kitchen is the heart of the house, a space where you prepare nutritious food, to keep your loved ones in a good shape. A kitchen that aids in cooking these delectable and healthy meals ought to be hale and hearty, doesn’t it? Well, most of the times it isn’t. Let me introduce you to a few ways by which you can green your kitchen with sustainable finishes and practice.

Green Kitchen Ideas- Choosing Sustainable Materials

A Green Kitchen Using Formaldehyde Free Raw Materials

 Image Via: Photo By Eric Ferguson, Carpentry By Black& Sons Furniture Makers

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The Right Countertops

Countertops take a major brunt of cooking. Be it cutting and chopping vegetables or just keeping washed vegetables on them, countertops are sure to come in very close contact with the food you eat in one way or the other. Hence, it becomes very important that the countertop comes from an environment friendly source. Granite, a favorite with homeowners, is known to emit radon and certain cement bases that hold in terrazzo or recycled glass are not very health friendly too. When going the eco-friendly way remember to make queries about the adhesives involved in counter installation and avoid the ones with a formaldehyde base. Consider options that are easy to clean and maintenance free. Non-toxic, formaldehyde free composite boards made out of sunflower seeds and wheat can be a good choice. Bamboo, recycled wood, Paperstone, bio-glass and stainless steel are some great alternatives that are low on maintenance and sustainable in nature.

Paperstone Countertops- A Beautiful Alternative

Image Via: Brennan+Company Architects

Green Cabinets Ideas

Kitchen cabinetry is usually composed of particle boards, MDF boards or ply, all of them being rich in formaldehyde based adhesives which gives out very subtle vapors of formaldehyde. These fumes usually die down in an year or two. So, in case you plan to redo your kitchen cabinetry, try and use the same wood as it is now free of toxic smell. The cabinets can in fact be brought to life using a coat of paint and they will be as good as new. Reclaimed wood cabinetry is one of the most environment friendly alternative you can use. When going in for new cabinetry try using materials that have non formaldehyde adhesives. As far as the paints and stains go, using VOC free ones or completely non VOC ones.

Reclaimed Walnut Wood Kitchen Cabinets

Image Via: New Woodworks Fine Woodworking

Environmentally Friendly Flooring

Flooring takes a lot of rough usage with us constantly walking and kids running all the time. The good news is that there are eco friendly options that can take a lot of misuse and look equally pretty. Yes you guessed it right, I am talking about cork flooring. Cork, available in many colors and designs is a perfect flooring choice for kitchens as it is environment friendly, does not emit anything toxic,  is super comfy to walk on and is rather gorgeous to look at. Bamboo flooring too can be a great choice if it does not use formaldehyde based glues. Natural Linoleum, is another eco friendly alternatively.

Cork Flooring- A Green Choice

Image Via: RoehrSchmitt Architecture

Cooking Green: Containers & Utensils

Finally its your pots and pans that you cook your meal in, your stove that lights the flame, your chopping board that aids cutting and your containers that store food. So how can these be ignored!

Eco_Friendly Cookware

Image Via: Ecofriend

It would be wise to stop using plastic, be it for storing or heating food. Shift to glass or ceramic containers instead, since these are BPA free. Your non stick cookware, though allows minimum usage of oil, still contains PTFE and PFOA which can be potentially harmful for your health. Try using stainless steel and iron cookware. If using non-stick cookware, cook on low heat as low heat releases less toxic substances. Also hand wash your nonstick cookware avoiding any scratches or scrapes on the surface. Once your nonstick has scratches and scrapes you should discard it. Switch to wooden chopping boards in your kitchen and do not forget to disinfect them with vinegar and hot water after use.

When using gas stoves, ensure a blue flame while cooking and ascertain that your chimney vent opens in the outdoors.

Instead of switching to chemicals for cleaning your kitchen, try your grandma’s tips and tricks. A vinegar and water spray is a very effective cleaning agent and can be used to remove even hardened stains. Lemon juice works well against grease and tarnish and a salt water mix can do wonders too.

Ensure your kitchen is using green – sustainable finishes

Image via: Homes

Choosing to go green is a healthier way of living. Recyclable and repurposed items can come to great use and produce very nice aesthetics too. So when you decide to revamp your old kitchen or make a new one, ensuring a few things as small as better ways to cook and store and bigger things like chemical free permanent kitchen fixtures will go a long way to enhance your families health.

It would be great to hear from you, how you have adopted a greener lifestyle in your kitchen.

For more kitchen & bath ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Very soon in the next few days – June 20 – 22, 2014, Dwell on Design will be upon us. For many of us this is an exciting three day Designer event full of dynamic exhibitions, unparalleled educational opportunities, cutting-edge technologies, 90 onstage programs, 200 speakers, and more than 2,000 innovative modern furnishings and products.

Dwell on Design 2014

Image via: Dwell

Dwell on Design is America’s largest design event, making it the place to be to understand the many design trends in the interior design world for the coming year and immerse yourself in new ideas for the modern lifestyle. The Dwell on Design event takes place in Los Angeles, CA from June 20th – June 22nd. If you are planning to attend, think about participating in some of these activities.

Dwell on Design Convention

Image via: Land8.com

Designer Event: Dwell on Design 2014

Home Tours

One of the can’t miss activities at the Dwell on Design Event is the home tours they do every year. As part of the conference, they sell tickets to tour homes of the Los Angeles area that exhibit cutting design and unique aesthetics that exhibit inspiring architecture and interiors. The proceeds from the ticket sales will go to Architecture for Humanity this year.

Home Tours

Image via: Timeout.com

Dwell Design Source Consultations

As part of this year’s Dwell on Design Conference, private consultations with architects and interior designers will be available on site to help you with any questions you may have for current projects or future projects for your home. This is a great opportunity to get some expert help on some to do projects you may have in mind for your home.

Consultations

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Guest Speakers and Exhibits

At the conference, many exhibits of new products, furniture, and trends will be on display to bring light to the newest and hottest items out there today in the architecture and interior design world. In addition, there will be many guest speakers including Stephen Burk. Stephen Burk is one of today’s most interesting Modernists and is pushing the gamut with his multifaceted approach to design. Be sure to check out the schedule prior to attending this Designer conference to be sure to get the most and enjoy all of the activities available.

Exhibits

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Don’t miss out on this must see designer event!

For more design events on Stagetecture, click here.

Just like with selecting the right school for your children or the right foods to eat, choosing the right home is just as important. The floor plan of the home needs to have the ability to accommodate the lifestyle of you and/or family. Such as, if you have a large family that likes to entertain most of the time then an open kitchen connected with the dining area as well as the family would be more ideal than walled-in areas. Choosing a home can be a truly rewarding experience so here are some ways to help you go about the process of selecting the right floor plan for you.

How to Choose the Right Floor Plan for your Style

Choose a floor plan that flows with your family lifestyle

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The Location

First things first location of the home is key. Did you need to live near amenities such as schools, grocery stores, libraries etc.? Or would you rather live in subdivision or perhaps an area that is closer to the beaches? Where you live or where you are choosing to live can be a major deciding factor on what type of floor plan will work for you and your family.

What Size Do You Need

Depending on your family size and your guy’s lifestyle will help your to figure out what the sizing of the home should be. Determine how many rooms you and your family will need as well as how many bathrooms will be adequate for your and future visiting guest. Settle on if a single family style, townhome/condo, a large two-story home, or a connected unit will work for your household.

Choose a floor plan with a style you love!

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The Right Design Style

You want the floor plan to match up or closely resemble your design style. Would you prefer a contemporary or modern floor plan, with clean lines and more open spaces? Or is the traditional style with more of the walled off rooms for your family a better selection? Also, think about what will be occupying the space; the furniture and décor and how the floor plan will harmonize/balance out with that.

Contemporary and Modern Floor Plan

Image via: Cult Homes

Compromise with the Floor Plan

Remember that there isn’t an absolute perfect floor plan, so you will have some things you love and others you would rather do without. How you handle that is finding a floor plan that carries the most pros and has the cons that you can actually live with or are able to modify to your tastes. Say the space has large windows that let in plenty of light yet will make the space cooler during the winter and fall months. You can easily add in drapery that helps to block out the cool air during that time.

Finding a home is a wonderful thing. However when you are looking for that right floor plan that will work for you and your family can be a bit of a twist. So here are some ways to help you through this process to make it as pleasurable and less stressful as possible. Take a look above again and let some of the ideas help you in the future.

For more architecture and design ideas on Stagetecture, click here.