One of the latest trends in the home building and renovation industry is the “smart home”; a concept which is good but whose name needs to be re-thought. I mean, if you can have a smart home does that mean you can also have dumb one?

All kidding aside, the concept of a smart home involves [...]

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Treasure Hunting at Home

by Phil on August 28, 2009

Max, An 83-year-old widower from Liverpool, England decided it was time to sell his home and move to a smaller space. The former doctor planned to insulate the home’s loft in order to increase its market value, but first it needed to be cleaned out. Among the many items in the doctor’s storage were more [...]

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How to Build Your Own Half-Pipe

by Phil on August 14, 2009

Skateboarding was originally a fad of the late seventies but has since re-emerged to be the favorite hobby of millions of teenagers. Many communities don’t have proper skateboard facilities for their youth, leaving them to ply their supra skateboard skills on public sidewalks, curbs, and staircases. Since these public areas aren’t designed to accommodate skateboarders, [...]

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How to Build a Treehouse

by Phil on July 28, 2009

In my day, building a treehouse was like a standard part of growing up. In my old neighborhood alone, there were at least half a dozen treehouses of varying shapes and sizes, including the one my brothers and I built in the early 1970s.

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A Dream Home for Fido?

by Phil on July 14, 2009

For many dog owners having Fido around the house is a real joy….at least most of the time. But for some breeds, leaving them alone in your home all day while you’re at work can lead to destructive behavior. The solution? Build man’s best friend his own dog house. It’ not as difficult or expensive [...]

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Is there any sweeter sound in the world than a thick, juicy steak hitting the grill?  Let me rephrase.  Other than ‘cracking’ open an ice cold beer can on a swealtering summer’s day, is there any sweeter sound than the ‘tssssszzzzz’ of beef of the BBQ?  I submit there is not.  Depending on where you [...]

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Replace or Reface? That’s the Question

by Phil on June 19, 2009

Replacement kitchen cabinets or sprucing up the old ones… It’s a debate many a homeowner will engage himself in this spring. Many people put of remodeling the kitchen ear after year because of the expense involved in new cabinetry. Contractor prices are astronomical, especially if the contractor purchases the cabinets and re-sells them to the [...]

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Hey Buddy, Want to Buy a Rug?

by Phil on May 30, 2009

Wall to wall carpeting was big in American homes during the 80s and 90s, but recently there has been a gradual return to hardwood floors and area rugs. Area rugs come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns, from the $50 offerings found at the discount store to the exotic rugs costing thousands of dollars. [...]

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The sauna is a Finnish creation with a long history that is still used by the vast majority of Finns today. The popularity of the sauna has been slowly growing around the world to the extent that Americans and Europeans alike are building them in their own homes. But is it feasible for the average [...]

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It’s unfortunate but true: we live in an increasingly more violent and crime-laden world. Hardly a day goes by when criminal activity doesn’t impacts us or someone we know. For this reason, personal security is becoming a boon market for entrepreneurs everywhere, and one of the more popular security products is the home surveillance system.

These [...]

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