How to Care for Your Hardwood Floors

Hardwood floors add so much character to our space. With regular maintenance they can last more than a lifetime. A quality hardwood floor may need light sanding and finishing after a decade or two. In the meantime keep them looking wonderful with these maintenance tips.

• Place doormats at the entrances, this will reduce not just dirt but lead and pesticides
• Remove shoes the entrance.
• Promptly remove any spills.
• Plan regular sweeping, vacuuming or dust-mopping.
• Keep pet's nails trimmed. 
• Block harsh sunlight using window covering to avoid discoloration.

For cleaning your hardwood floor:

• Vacuum or sweep to get rid of excess dirt and grime that could scratch the floor.
• Water is an enemy to a wood floor. It can warp and damage the wood. Use a damp microfiber mop to wipe the surface clean. Don't ignore corners of the room where more dust can get trapped.
• Wipe twice, but each time rinse the cloth and squeeze excess water out. Then Dry using a clean and dry microfiber cloth attached to your mop.
• Ordinary household soaps and detergents can be damaging to hardwood. Oil soaps and other cleaners that promise shine can build up. White vinegar with acid will penetrate the finish. 
• Best non-toxic cleaner would be 1/4 cut mild dishwashing detergent added to a bucket of water for damp mopping.
• Do not use steam cleaners or floor scrubbing machines. They will weaken the seal and scratch the surface.

Hardwood floors can be used anywhere inside the home even the bathroom and kitchen following these simple tips and they can look gorgeous for many many years.

What is accessible or universal design?

Basically a universal design is barrier-free design. It is a holistic approach to designing a space to suit anyone. These considerations include: eliminating steps or stairs, roll-in showers, wider doorways to accommodate walker or wheelchairs, lower or adjustable countertops.
Many people have to stay in their current home longer. Many of these homes are not designed with aging in mind. Steps into a shower or tub, stairs to the bedrooms, steps to get in and out of the house, all will be barriers as we get older. Any one may end up on crutches or a wheelchair due to an accident and builder never really take that into account.

Universal or accessible design allows ample room for maneuvering a wheelchair in every space. During a remodel, changes can be made to bring many of these features into an existing home: Replace the tub with a roll-in shower, create room under countertops to allow for a wheelchair to pull up close,  install attractive ramps outside next to steps, widen doorways, and many more. You should consult a design professional about these changes however before you take on such renovation.

An accessible bathroom will have enough clearance under the countertops to allow for a wheelchair, but elegantly hide the plumbing pipes. It is equipped with a roll-in shower with a seat and an area for dressing.

disguising unsightly A/C condenser unit- Avid carpenter handyman's advice

The lattice box on the right disguises the unsightly condenser unit.

I received a note from my friendly carpenter/handyman regarding how to disguise an A/C compressor.
I hope you enjoy his idea.

I have a client who lives in a Condominium where the  Condenser Unit is located on  her small deck.
The unit is rather large and (to her) ugly. She wanted me to do something to hide it.
My first thought was to build a couple of walls made of redwood fencing lattice to allow good air flow
 all around the unit which is a manufacturer's requirement.
She also wanted to be able to decorate it with a plant of some type, so I made a top to accomodate that too.
We decided to paint it the same color as the exterior siding so that it wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb.
Here's what the finish product looked like.

Mike Fair
"Handy Is The Man Who Can"

Thanks Mike for your suggestion. It's a great idea.

After

Before

Working with an interior designer- 7 steps to a successful relationship

Do you fear you may lose control of your project or your budget if you hire an interior designer? Do you fear that you may not like the results?

Here are few things to consider when working with a designer to assure you stay within your budget, and get what you want and need in your project:

1. Prepare yourself. Know your project. Are you looking to remodel, or change colors and finishes, or buy new furniture? Collect some photos of interiors you like and note what you like about them, color, texture, furniture layout, lighting, etc. You should make a prioritizes list of all your needs and concerns.

2. Know your budget. No one likes having a budget, but everyone has one. A designer can even save you money by allocating resources wisely. For example invest more in a substantial purchase such as a sofa or bed, but spend less on accessories when there are budget concerns. There are many ways to use a designer on a very tight budget.

Good designers also will do their best to work with what you own. If you own a good quality sofa it can be reupholstered or the cushions can be replaced to be firmer. Even the arms can be altered by a good upholsterer. A good designer will have good crafts persons for variety of needs.

 3. Find your designer. Now that your know what your project and your budget are, you can look for a suitable designer. You can ask a friend for a recommendation, or you can find them in a local home design publication where you can see photos of their work. Designers often have web sites or blogs that can give you an idea of your local designer's philosophy or previous projects.
You should know that an educated and experienced interior designer may do many different things. They could simply provide color suggestions or design an entire building from ground up including where to put the sprinkler heads or manage a construction project from start to finish. Make sure you hire a designer with a formal education if you are looking for more that a decorating project. A designer with a formal education will be concerned with local codes, health and safety issues as well as the aesthetics and quality of products. Describe your vision. It is important to make sure your designer is comfortable with the simplicity or complexity of your particular projects.
You should discuss your concerns about sustainability, healthy design or disabilities to make sure your designer is knowledgeable and capable of handling them.
You can start small using a designer for a short time on an hourly basis for a specific project. This helps you get to know each other and you can decide to pursue more projects with this designer.

4. Ask about the fee schedule. Make sure you're very clear on exactly how you'll be charged, if a deposit is required and when the work will be completed. Designers charge different fees and have different way of charging clients. Some charge hourly, some charge a flat fee, plus percentage of product purchases, or a combination of both. Ask if you will be charged for phone calls or emails.

 5. Be prepared for a contract. You should always work with a designer with a contract. A contract will protect both sides. It should include the fee schedule, the scope of services, and a time frame. It should also include how the contract can terminate and method of arbitration should there be a dispute. Take time to read the contract on your own time and do not feel rushed to sign. Be sure to point out what the terms of the contract you disagree with and work out terms agreeable to both sides. A contract can be amended in writing at any time if both parties agree.

6. Communicate your thoughts. The more information you can give to your designer the better. Let the designer know what your budget and your vision are. Your needs, your preferences, and your hopes can be conveyed in both words and pictures that you collected.
Once you are presented with a proposal, study it. You don't need to love everything. Let your designer know what you like and dislike about the proposal.

7. Listen and be open to suggestions.  Good designers educate their clients about their choices. There are many reasons why a designer may not completely agree with you. For example, polished tiles and stones look fabulous on the floor of foyer, but not a safe choice. So your designer may suggest a honed stone instead.

Finally enjoy the process. A designer is there to help you realize your vision.  You can get what you want and even better.