10 Tips for Water Damage Repair

The key to water damage repair is to take care of the problem as soon as possible. Flooding and water damage is a very common issue. Even though there’s little you can do to prevent this, there are many steps you can take to limit the damage.  

Here are 10 simple steps that you can explore before the water damage company arrives:

Turn Off the Water and the Electricity

The most important thing to keep in mind during flooding is safety. You must turn off the main water and electricity supply to the building before you start working on anything. Turning off the water could help reduce the extent of the flooding. Switching off power reduces the risk of electrical shock.

Inspect for Serious Issues

The second step is to inspect for serious issues after the flooding. Things like mold and mildew should be your main focus. Some types of mold and mildew can be toxic to humans and the last thing you want is to live in a home infested with them.

Dry Out the Affected Areas

It’s also important to dry out all the affected areas. This should be done as soon as possible. The more the water remains clogged the more damage it will cause.

Disinfect Materials

There’s no way of knowing what kind of germs came with the flooded water so don’t take any chances. Disinfect every inch of the flooded areas to avoid any issues.

Replace Damaged Wood

The wood will suffer the most when flooding occurs. Inspect the wooden structures in your home after the water is dried off and replace any damaged or rotten wood as soon as possible.

Start Off with Ceiling

Just like wood, the ceiling is also susceptible to damage after flooding. The rule of thumb in cleaning up the mess is to start from the top to the bottom. In light of this, inspecting the ceiling for damage and drying it off is highly recommended.

Install New, Sealed Floors

Once you have removed the rotten wood, disinfected the entire place, and dried off the water, it’s time to consider possible repairs. Installing a new, sealed floor should be your first step. A water damage restoration service can help you a lot with this.

Replace Drywall

Once the sealed floor is in place, you need to move to the drywall. Take all the necessary measurements and replace the damaged drywall accordingly.

Check Your Insurance

The cost of restoring your home after flooding can be high. If you have homeowner insurance, it’s important to get in touch with your provider and see what options for your specific situation are.

Inspect External Siding

Finally, repair the siding on your home too. The damage on the siding might not be extensive if the flooding was internal but it doesn’t hurt to check.

These are the ten simple steps you can take in water damage repair. But always make sure you move as fast as possible to limit the damage extent.

Modern Luxury at the Hamptons

Thinking of Long Island houses, particularly in the Hamptons, may force you to consider this conventional shingle design that influences to this day. But as I’ve explored previously, there’s a strong history of contemporary residential architecture on the island. 1 inheritor of this more recent convention is Bates Masi Architects, the company of Harry Bates and Paul Masi situated in Sag Harbor. The duo has compiled an impressive portfolio that’s consistently modern while ranging from small to big in their unique answers to site requirements. On the larger end of this spectrum is this home that’s a brief walk from the beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. Let’s have a tour of a home that’s modern and open yet warm and scaled to the family’s use of the home.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Alison and Andy Brod — she runs a PR company and he’s an investment manager — and both sons
Location: Bridgehampton, Long Island, New York
Size:
6,500 square feet
That is interesting:
Alison asked architect Paul Masi for a weekend home using Zen-like calm akin to one of her favorite Aman Resorts

Bates Masi Architects LLC

While big at 6,500 square feet, the home is broken down into six boxes arranged in a casual L shape. From the road side we can see three of those boxes. In the center is the open living/dining area; to our right is the two-story box with all the children’s bedrooms above guest rooms; around our left is the small family area box, even though a hint of others can be found beyond it.

The exterior includes a small but abundant palette of mahogany, glass and travertine. They’re all used in contemporary manners, but the first two mention the island’s shingle-style architecture.

Bates Masi Architects LLC

The view of the back of the home reveals a pinwheel-like symmetry, where a two-story box is on the right side. Again there are guest rooms, this time above the garage (obtained from the right). The box projecting toward the pool on the left is the master bedroom.

What is also constant from front to back is the way the boxes have been articulated, with glass facing one direction and wood walls on the side. With neighbors on three sides, glass had to be used selectively, even though the expanses are rather big. The L shape allows for a courtyard and a private zone where glass can be used without worry of their neighbors.

Bates Masi Architects LLC

There’s actually a seventh box, the pool house, that’s taken out of the remainder of the home. The pool home combines with all the stepped landscaping to help screen the home from neighbors on this side.

This view of the pool home also gives a closeup of this travertine, which is cut thin and applied like shingles. Bates and Masi had to design a custom system for hanging the rock, given this atypical use of this substance.

Bates Masi Architects LLC

The one box where glass is used on two parallel sides is the central living/dining place, which can be the main entrance. A wraparound canopy provides shelter at the doorway while echoing the way in which the wood siding wraps the boxes.

The Brods desired to be able to have different things happening at once — for example hosting a dinner party while amusing kids — and the six boxes accommodate that. They also lead to the striking views through this central portion of the home.

Bates Masi Architects LLC

One enters the house into the open living/dining place, awaiting the courtyard through the glass walls. The most striking part of this tall space is the fireplace created from vertical bronze bits in a different shingle reference. This thing, which includes storage on the trunk, also serves to divide the space between the living area onto the best and dining area on the left side.

The mahogany proceeds inside on the walls, ceilings and flooring. The flooring also include travertine.

The Brods acknowledge that a lot of their guests are surprised by how small furniture is in their house, which comes about through built-ins the architects designed. 1 example is the bar on the side wall of their living space, made of the same mahogany to blend in almost seamlessly.

Bates Masi Architects LLC

From this angle, we can see the dining area and glimpse the opening to the kitchen beyond. The view through the glass wall shows the back leg of the home (the garage/guest chambers). In the distance we can actually understand the neighbor’s home peering above the trees.

Bates Masi Architects LLC

Of the few furnishings in the home is the striking dining room table, one of 2 tables (the other is the 1,000-pound plexiglass coffee table) designed and constructed by Alison’s dad Alan Friedman, a former antique dealer who currently designs bronze and iron furniture in West Palm Beach. Above the table is a Terzani chandelier created from two miles of bronze string.

Bates Masi Architects LLC

A lot of the Zen-like personality comes across in the kitchen, a generous area with windows to the semi-enclosed courtyard and the front of the home. The built-in banquettes and island seating are like a fusion of a sushi restaurant and also a resort.

Bates Masi Architects LLC

The kitchen might be located in its own box, but it is visually open to the living area in addition to the exteriors. The location of this sink onto the island is strategic, giving a view to the landscaping in front of the home.

Bates Masi Architects LLC

The travertine wall opposite the window in the past view is another detail which exudes the Zen-like calm, while also bringing a depth from the outside inside. The effect is heightened by the strip skylight above the wall.

Bates Masi Architects LLC

A similar notion comes across in the mahogany-lined master bedroom. Bates Masi designed the platform bed and inserted it into an alcove with a custom leather wall.

Bates Masi Architects LLC

This last view of the home is the master bathroom, which includes a tub between glass-enclosed toilet (left) and shower stalls (right). Here, Walker Zanger’s glass tiles add a splash of something different, also as the mahogany continues on the floor. Natural light comes in through clerestory windows which face another personal courtyard.

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What Does a Home Evaluation Consist Of?

In a real estate transaction, the purchaser wishes to ensure he isn’t paying over a home is worth. At the exact same time, the lender wishes to provide financing which will not depart the debtor overextended with debt at a home that isn’t worth the mortgage sum. That’s why the appraisal is so important: It offers an objective and precise valuation of the property.

Definition

A home appraisal is a thorough valuation of a home, offering an estimate of its worth. The appraiser usually charges a flat fee for the property appraisal, subsequently submits copies of the written appraisal report to the purchaser, the actual estate agent, the seller, the lender or lender, as well as the underwriter.

Components

The purchaser in a real estate transaction typically orders and orders for the assessment. A licensed or certified appraiser visits the house to assess the house’s worth and to compare it to other homes in the region that have sold in recent months. The appraiser compiles a written report which details the appraisal value, which the lender, mortgage company or other lender uses to underwrite the financing. In general, the appraisal value has to be equal to or higher than the purchase price for financing to be accepted.

Factors

The appraisal is a crucial step in the financing part of the real property sale, as it could spur or discontinue a purchase. A professional appraiser knows how to interpret the present marketplace and compare possessions in order to deliver a valuation of the property accessible. The condition of the home plays to the final appraisal.

Reasons For Appraisals

Appraisals are arranged for reasons other than purchases. Included in these are settling an estate, determining a list price, contesting real estate taxation, establishing replacement expenses and determining compensation for possible condemnation. Within the appraisal report, the appraiser should include the causes of its assessment.

Three Kinds of Appraisals

Three forms of appraisals may be used in assessing properties. The cost approach estimates replacement expenses minus physical harm, decrease of the property’s value resulting from surrounding home usage and other deterioration. The comparison strategy only contrasts the subject property with similar properties in the region that have sold in recent months. The next strategy is based on income and is generally used for properties that are properties. It simply estimates how much an investor may pay for the house as determined by the net income produced by the property. Each strategy results in a comprehensive report of market data, giving a final amount of the property’s value.

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A Makeover Turns Wasted Space Into a Dream Master Bath

It’s like the original design of this 1980s condominium’s master suite was a puzzle someone put together the wrong way, and 30-some decades after an architect arrived and put all the bits in which they always should have been. Architect Amy Alper took a badly laid-out master suite and reconfigured it into a smaller bedroom with a fresh bathtub and sink space, a hallway and a cupboard. The owners are empty nesters that reside in Los Angeles, and they purchased the Sonoma, California, condo to have another house near their kids; they are likely to live there full time eventually.

Before Photo

This condo was created from the 1980s, a time that adopted extra expanses of square footage from the bedroom. “There has been an undefined sitting area adjacent to the bedroom which was a big, empty space,” Alper says. The adjoining bathrooms were small and utilitarian.

The distance between the double-door entrance to the space and the window seat was empty and fresh. The mattress is just to the left of the tall dresser (see expanded view).

Amy A. Alper, Architect

Alper scooped up this distance and reassigned into a new bathtub and vanity room. Now the bathtub sits in the bay in which the window seat has been. She reassigned the outdated mirrored cupboard to upper and lower recessed cabinets with touch-latch hardware; 2 of those cabinets are shown on the ideal side of this picture.

Alper balanced the living space with a thoughtful flow of color and materials. The flooring tile continues up the bathtub surround. The 11/2-inch-thick Caesarstone from the countertop continues round the space as a sill. The same white pine outlines all the lower cupboards on the ideal side of the space.

Sconceson dimmerscreate a flattering light.

Cabinets: habit, Hope Cabinetry and Builders; window remedies: Smith and Noble; sconces: Elf2 Toilet Light; tile: Designs Tile and Stone; hardware: Sugatsune; sinks: Kohler; faucets: Axor Starck, Hansgrohe

Amy A. Alper, Architect

Prior to the remodel that the couple had two comparatively small closets. Alper transferred the entrance to the space to the left, making space for a new walk-in closet and hallway, as you can see in this plan.

Before Photo

The area you see in this film is currently the master bathroom/hallway and walk-in cupboard. Alper shifted the double entrance doors closer to the bed, as you can see in the ground plan. The toilet/shower room remains in the same place, supporting the mirrored cupboard.

Amy A. Alper, Architect

The owners wanted their house to have clean lines and textures, which Alper brought in through bamboo floors and ceramic and glass tile.

Continuous edges give the space a contemporary sense, while the mix of textures and rich, neutral hues warms the room. The accent wall and tubular sconces bring about some curves that are welcome.

Ceiling light: Elf 8 Square Ceiling/Wall Light

Amy A. Alper, Architect

The mosaic glass tile on the curved wall can be looked at from the bathtub and out of the mattress. “It’s the unique piece and has been worth the splurge,” Alper says. “The room feels larger because it incorporates the hallway together with all the glass wall as a backdrop to the space.”

The cork flooring is comfortable underfoot, absorbs sound and provides delicate texture and color.

Mosaic tile: Oceanside Glasstile

Amy A. Alper, Architect

Dashed tile details play pattern in the new shower. Though the dimensions of the shower room remain exactly the same, the crystal clear glass and new tile give it a more spacious feeling.

Shower fixtures: Axor Starck, Hansgrohe; tile: Designs Tile and Stone

Contractor: Rockridge Construction

Inform usPerhaps you have reclaimed an embarrassing or unused space in your house? We would love to see everything you did.

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Windowpane

In a window, a pane is a part of glass. Windows are available with single, dual and triple panes. Multiple panes, which are full of gas, raise the window insulation abilities.

Chris Hill

A pane may be a single square of glass, as is most frequently true for contemporary windows, the whole sheet within a sash.

All About Windows Inc

Steel Window Bronze

This really is a window.

Custom Spaces Design

The bottom here features a pane without a muntins.

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Things You Need to Know About Buying a Sofa

A sofa is one of the biggest furniture investments you will make — and one of the most permanent. Even when you’re just purchasing one for a temporary fix, it’ll eventually get demoted from your living room to the living room into the cellar and, eventually, the dorm. Before you know it, a few years or more has passed, and that urge purchase is becoming part of your life. So give some thought to it before you buy. Then buy the best-quality sofa which you can spend. Your purchase will be amortized over many decades.

Chloe Warner

How to Spot a Quality Sofa

Evaluation its sturdiness. Quality couches should feel heavy and solid. Flop about on you to test its sturdiness, then lift it up by the corner and then shake it a bit. If it feels shaky or light, have a pass. Start looking for a frame created from a kiln-dried hardwood like oak, alder, walnut, walnut or, alternatively, high-quality hardwood plywood or marine plywood. Eight-way, hand-tied springs are a hallmark of fine furniture, however sinuous S-shaped springs can provide nearly as much comfort. Drop-in coil springs are far less costly option.

Contemplate the cushions. Most cushions have a center of polyurethane foam; the denser the foam, the heavier it is and the longer it will last. In the cheapest furniture, the pillow is full of only the polyurethane foam center. In better furniture the center is wrapped with Dacron batting. Higher-quality options include poly-down cushions, which come down combined with the batting; spring-down cushions, which comprise a center of springs surrounded by feathers and foam; and down, which can be all feathers (and all operate, therefore avoid this unless you have servants).

Check the joints and framework. The very best couches have joints which are double doweled and fitted with corner blocks which are both glued and screwed (not stapled) right into position. Quality pieces have legs which are a part of the framework, not just attached to it (though removable feet do make it easier to get items through doors).

jamesthomas Interiors

Tobi Fairley Interior Design

How to Make it Work With Your Room

If your interior is traditional, start looking for a sofa with rolled arms, a contoured back, skirting or tufted cushions.

Contemporary sofas often have cleaner lines, fewer flourishes and royal upholstery.
Contemplate the proportions of the space and ascertain what height, duration and thickness of sofa would seem best in the area.

If you’re unsure, mock up a footprint on the floor using masking tape or blue painter’s tape. Or consider “building” a sofa from boxes — then live with it for a couple days to see how it feels.

When you intend to devote a lot of time lying on the sofa for studying or naps, make sure it has sufficient space between the arms. Don’t rely on total length independently, since the width of the arms will influence the space between.

Catherine Staples Interiors

If you’re short on space, think about purchasing a sofa with low arms or no arms — it’ll make your space seem larger.

Shoshana Gosselin

Oakley Home Builders

How a Lot of People Do You Wish to Seat?

That might seem like a ridiculous question, but the truth is, nobody enjoys sitting on the crack. Therefore, in the event that you get a sofa with two cushions, then anticipate just two people to utilize it. To accommodate more people, get a sofa with three cushions or a single long cushion, called a bench cushion.

Sofas normally include one of two types of springs: a cushion back, which includes detachable cushions or pillows along the rear; or a tight spine, where the upholstery is tailored to the contours of the couch’s back.

MuseInteriors

Pillow-back couches are usually considered more comfy and inviting, but there’s a downside: Unless you’re diligent with your fluffing, the cushions will usually seem slightly askew.

If you’re the type of person who’s driven to distraction by some thing like this, you might want to take into account a tight spine.

How to Pick the Ideal Sofa Cushion

Kendall Wilkinson Design

When it has to do with couches, one size doesn’t fit all. The thickness of the seat and the angle of the trunk will influence how comfortable you feel.

How do you understand what thickness is right for you? Let experience be your guide. When there’s a sofa or chair which you find particularly comfortable, assess the distance from the inside of your knee to the spot where your lower spine strikes the back of the sofa, then buy a sofa which has comparable dimensions.

Anna Lattimore Interior Design

Think About the long-term

Since couches are such a big investment, you will need yours to stay in fashion as long as possible. Given that, it is often better to stick with a neutral fabric. You can always add color and layout with throw cushions. Additionally, cushions are easy and inexpensive to change if you decide to redecorate.

Lucy and Company

If you have kids and a neutral sofa seems to be an invitation to disaster, consider a darker color or a sofa with a subtle overall layout.

Usually, synthetic fabrics are more durable, colorfast and cleanable. Tightly woven fabrics and fabrics which are hefty will endure to wear and tear better, as will leather. Avoid satins, brocades and damasks unless the sofa won’t find much use.

Rachel Reider Interiors

Whatever fabric you select, ask the store for a sample or cutting that it is possible to take home on acceptance before you buy. (If no sample is available, ask for a pillow) That way you can see the material under the light in your room and with different parts of furniture. When you’re spending this type of money, the last thing you need is a surprise.

Read sofas of every size and style in the Shop section

More
How to Purchase a Sleep Sofa
How to Buy a Sectional
How to Purchase a Mattress

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New Tile Trends Play With Pattern and Geometry

The 2013 Coverings trade show in Atlanta revealed the latest in tile styles from around the world, some brand new and some familiar but twisted into something brand new. Besides innovations in the wood look, manufacturers are also playing pattern and geometry. Patterns are appearing tiles themselves, and some tiles are being designed to create patterns by the way they are installed on walls and flooring. Some installations are a mixture of both. The brand new tiles from this year’s Coverings shown below should spark your own tile layout ideas.

Stripes

Designers are producing large striped compositions like this daring one by employing different-size tiles as well as strong color contrasts.

Shown: One Set by Viva

Long vertical stripes highlight the ceiling and divide the big tiled wall here. The tiled wall additionally creates a backsplash.

Shown: Play by Sant’Agostino

Colorful stripes add energy.

Shown: Top Color by Sant’Agostino

Patchwork

Mixed gingham, stripes and solids in lively pastels create a quilt-like composition here.

Shown: Lamosa

Florals, neutrals and shades of purple tile backsplash that this bathroom wall.

Shown: Cotto Vogue Collection by Cir

A smaller patchwork of patterned tiles looks like a painting on this Mediterranean weathered kitchen wall.

Shown: Cotto Vogue Collection by Cir

Florals and Botanicals

Tiles can produce modern vertical gardens, using small- and large-scale botanical designs covering entire walls like wallpaper. A big benefit to selecting tile wallpaper in the bath or kitchen is that tile stands up to water, food stains and steam.

Shown: Home by Sant’Agostino

Large-scale branches produce a tiled mural within this elegant bathroom. These tiles also provide metallic and texture colour, two more trends we will explore more in another ideabook.

Shown: Java by Grespania

Watercolor petals on tiles unite the trends of florals and stripes.

Shown: Pamesa

Strong Geometry

designs are taking on crisp geometric forms and lively patterns.

Shown: Miroir by Viva

Brazen op art patterns play tricks on the eye.

Shown: By Arturo Stevens for Original Mission Tile

Circles and ovals are big as well, in popularity and in size.

Shown: Glam by Ulf Moritz for Viva

Freer Forms

Since tile is shooting over whole walls, big undulating patterns now have space to ebb and flow.

Shown: Grespania

Classics With a Twist

a bigger scale and lively pattern give traditional hexagonal tiles a modern twist. It’s hard to see in the photograph, but these tiles have a bulge in the center that adds measurement. That’s another trend for another ideabook and only a little hint at the sculptural qualities some tiles now have.

Shown: Apavisa

A medium-size hex tile dances this wall up.

Shown: STN Ceramica

Small-scale penny tile in various colors dazzles with motion.

Shown: Rex-Cerart

Mad Plaids

designs are now part of larger patterns that spread upon the ground. In cases like this the floor takes on a crisp and chic menswear-inspired look.

Shown: Frame by Refin

Bigger tiles stand up with this expansive living room’s scale.

Shown: Unique Collection by Rex-Cerart

Conventional Mission Patterns

Traditional patterns of tile play are playing a big role in today’s popular Spanish colonial, assignment, Mediterranean and Moroccan looks. These tiles are cement — learn more about cement tiles.

Shown: By Arturo Stevens for Original Mission Tile

Large-scale patterns may transform a ground or wall into the most fascinating part of the room. These tiles recall cement and encaustic tiles but are ceramic.

Shown: Frame by Refin

More:
See the Most Up-to-date in wood-look tile

10 hints for choosing shower tile

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Travel Guide: Atlanta for Design Lovers

“After all, tomorrow is another day,” says Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind, mostly place in Georgia in the era following the Civil War. It is a fitting quotation for resilient Atlantans, who rebuilt their city after the destruction of the war to be better than ever, with incredible Southern architecture by way of Victorian, Italianate and Arts and Crafts homes.

The power continues now, and not just at the busiest airport in the world, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson. Megacorporations like Delta, Coca-Cola, CNN and Home Depot all call the city home. And Vivien Leigh could have been pleased with Atlanta’s climbing studio business, where residents and visitors have a decent chance of running into Jake Gyllenhaal, Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy or a Vampire Diaries heartthrob.

However, what may surprise you about Atlanta is that as you travel round the city proper, you don’t feel as though you’re in a world-class city, as a result of some leafy canopy that covers the majority of neighborhoods. That is the reason why a lot of locals have dubbed it “The City in the Trees.” Aside from the woodsy appeal, every locality is walkable and has its own unique flavor, like the artsy shotgun shacks and yard art in Cabbagetown, the gingerbread Victorian houses encompassing Grant Park and also the mansions of Buckhead, I.T.P. (that’s local talk for “inside the perimeter,” that the 285 bypass that circles the city). And every one has its own regional haunts.

Just make sure you get some shrimp and grits or poultry with country gravy and biscuits as you’re in town. We take brunch very seriously here, so don’t miss it on Sunday.

Notice: Prices provided are for adults not eligible for a discount. In most cases senior and child costs are reduced; costs can change at any moment. Be sure to bring any membership cards into gardens, historic houses and museums, along with your National Trust for Historic Preservation card. Many institutions have reciprocal privileges that will help save you money on admission.

Must-Sees

The High Museum of Art
Location: 1280 Peachtree St. (Midtown)
Price:
$19.50; half price on Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 pm
Noteworthy: Architect Richard Meier made the original museum, while architect Renzo Piano made an inclusion.

Recent partnerships include exhibitions in the best museums in the world, including MoMA and the Louvre, in addition to its enormous permanent collection.

Check out the large collection of artwork by Southern self-taught artists including Bill Traylor, Nellie Mae Rowe, Reverend Howard Finster and Thornton Dial, and one of the best collections of photography in the civil rights movement.

More info: High Museum of Art

The Atlanta Botanical Garden
Price: $18.95
Location: 1345 Piedmont Ave. (Midtown)
Noteworthy: The Canopy Walk, a suspended walkway where guests stroll through a woodland canopy 40 feet above floor.

The gardens are spectacular year-round. Past exhibits include Andrew Crawford’s iron gates, Dale Chihuly’s glass sculptures and sculptures by Henry Moore. Recent developments include the Canopy Walk, a new visitor’s centre, an educational building and educational green technologies used and clarified throughout the gardens. There is also an extensive orchid collection and a large conservatory, an interactive children’s garden and an eco friendly café with yummy offerings from MetroFresh.

More info: Atlanta Botanical Garden

The Swan House
Location: Atlanta History Center,130 W. Paces Ferry Rd. (Buckhead)
Price: $16.50
Noteworthy: This iconic mansion was Constructed in 1928 for the Edward H. Inman family, made by famous Atlanta architect Philip Trammell Shutze.

Along with audio and guided tours inside, entry also gets you round the gardens. While they’re spectacular year-round, I suggest moving in the spring to get the showiest flowers in blossom.

A ticket into the Atlanta History Center also allows you to See the Centennial Olympic Games Museum, that the Smith Family Farm and 33 acres of gardens as well as the Margaret Mitchell House, all within nine days.

More info: Atlanta History Center, Margaret Mitchell House

The Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC)
Location: 351 Peachtree Hills Ave. (Buckhead)
Noteworthy: Famous Atlanta architect and developer John Portman established the 550,000-square-foot campus.

Once open only to the commerce, the centre is currently open to all design fans. Over 60 showrooms display furniture, rugs, lighting, accessories, wall coverings, fabrics, fine artwork and frames, tile and stone, home theater products and more. If you’ve wondered about working with a designer or are searching for you personally, ADAC is a fantastic place for media.

More info: ADAC

Fernbank Museum of Natural History
Location: 767 Clifton Rd. (Druid Hills)
Price: $15; $23 includes an IMAX ticket
Noteworthy: While the displays will thrill your kids, the design by Graham Gund Architectswill excitement you. The construction encompasses an atrium that includes a number of the most significant dinosaur skeletons ever discovered, including those of Argentinosaurus, Giganotosaurus and Pterosauria, the tiniest suspended overhead. Vast windows open out to views of the forests, creating a breathtaking atmosphere.

Catch an IMAX film on the five-story screen; Friday nights are martini and film nights for adults. Entry is $13.

After you leave, go down Clifton Road into the unique Italianate campus of Emory University and catch some top-notch barbecue at Community Q.

More info: Fernbank Museum of Natural History, Emory University, Community Q

Must-Eats

There are so many world-class restaurants in Atlanta that you can not go wrong. Here I’ve compiled some areas that are located in great buildings and have cool interiors and only very good locality vibes overall.

Parish
Location: 240N. Highland Ave. (Inman Park, along the BeltLine)
Price: Entrées, $14 to $28
Noteworthy: This restaurant is located in the sole remaining structure in an old deserted pipe factory.

This area is my favorite in Atlanta. It has been thoughtfully restored, with a tin-tiled ceiling, original crown moldings and peeling plaster that partially exposes the brick. Antique Parisian sconces mingle with reddish Philippe Stark lamps on the pub, while Murano glass chandeliers hang overhead.

Farm tables, unique antiques, a zinc bar and bread delivered into the tables in paper bags add to the charm. There is a more casual market area downstairs with a large communal table, a back patio and a porch; it is a popular brunch place for many Atlantans.

More info: Parish

Carroll Street Cafe
Location: 208 Carroll St. (Cabbagetown)
Noteworthy: Along with being a café, pub, lounge and fine dining table, this bistro also acts as an art gallery with regular openings and yearly singer-songwriter nights.

Along with the yummy food (for both good dining and brunch) and comfy setting, what I love most about this spot is that it is a true neighborhood joint. In fact, the area itself is well worth a stroll. Cabbagetown is full of amazing shotgun shacks and the Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts, which were originally housing units for employees once the mill was operating. A great deal of artists live here, and I am always struck with joy from the odd and cheery paint colours on the houses.

If margaritas and Southwestern fare are more your speed, just head down the block to Agave.

More info: Carroll Street Cafe, Agave

This is only one of Cabbagetown’s brightly colored houses, across the road from Carroll Street Cafe.

H. Harper Station
Location: 904 Memorial Dr. (Reynoldstown, between Cabbagetown and Glenwood Park)
Price: Entrees, $12 to $28
Noteworthy: The restaurant owners have revived the historic Atlanta & West Point rail station depot construction.

That I love the vibe of the place. You are surrounded by brick walls with Depression-era glass chandeliers and Edison bulb fittings overhead while sitting in a classic midcentury Navy seat. The whole area feels like a Southern speakeasy, but with superior cocktails prepared by expert mixologists. I could mock the beverages as being a little Portlandia design if they were not so damn great.

More info: H. Harper Station

Wrecking Bar Brewpub
Location:
292 Moreland Ave. (Little Five Points)
Price: Sandwiches, $7 to $11; entrees, $13 to $16

When I first moved to Atlanta, this was a fabulous architectural salvage place called The Wrecking Bar, which I still miss. However, the bar is a great replacement. The building was originally a private mansion, designed by architect Willis F. Denny and built in 1900 for a prominent Atlanta family. A Methodist Protestant church and also a dance school also once inhabited the space.
Local designer Jenn Ryan made the brewpub area, which is on the ground floor (the second floor is an event space called The Marianna), and the stone walls and kilometers of timber make it a cozy place for gathering with friends. The beers aren’t for the meek. Check out what they are pouring now

More info: The Wrecking Bar Brewpub

Must-Dos

Piedmont Park
Location: Between Piedmont Avenue, 10th Street and Monroe Drive (Midtown)
Noteworthy: The Olmsted brothers (sons of Frederick Law Olmsted) established the master plan for Piedmont Park.

If you’re not up for splurging about the Botanical Gardens, go next door to this amazing park. In 1904 the City of Atlanta bought the former fairgrounds and portion of the Piedmont Driving Club; it used the Olmsted brothers’ master plan in 1912.

I stroll through this beautiful park many times every week. It truly has something for everybody, by a dog park into a pond, a public pool into a weekly farmer’s market, a wetland walk into free concerts by the Atlanta Symphony.

More info: Piedmont Park Conservancy

The Atlanta BeltLine’s East Side Trail
Location: Between Piedmont Park and Inman Park; access the trail throughout the Monroe from Park Tavern if you’re already down in Piedmont Park. See all access points
Noteworthy: This 2 1/4-mile finished portion is one of the first finished trails of the BeltLine, which will eventually connect many in-town areas with a 22-mile-long loop on the city’s former railroad tracks.

The entire loop will eventually serve as a linear arboretum with artwork along the way. You can pass over busy streets without needing to stop. A brisk walk from Midtown/Virginia Highland through Poncey Highland into Inman Park and the Old Fourth Ward takes about Half an Hour. On the weekends lots of things pop up along the BeltLine, from performance art to The King of Pops selling deliciously weird Popsicle flavors.

More info: Atlanta BeltLine

Inman Park Neighborhood
Location: A mile from downtown, this area boundaries the amazing Little Five Points area — excellent for shopping for vintage threads and live music — also Cabbagetown and the Historic Old Fourth Ward.
Noteworthy: Inman Park was Atlanta’s first streetcar suburb.

The area blends Victorian, Italianate and Arts and Craft architecture, large and small, in addition to warehouses and other industrial structures. A recent development in the former Mead newspaper plant has completely transformed the energy of the area with flats, townhouses, single-family houses, stores, salons and great restaurants, and is a fantastic example of well-designed urban infill. One of the first finished phases of the BeltLine and another large park cross right through the center of the area. It also has its own MARTA stop.

Little Five Points
Location: The intersection of Moreland Avenue and Euclid Avenue is the heart of Little Five (between Candler Park and Inman Park).

This area is hipster central. Nearly all vintage clothing stores are here (my favorites are Stefan’s, in 1160 Euclid Ave., which is beautifully curated and justifiably pricier than the remainder, and The Clothing Warehouse, that’s a fantastic place for picking up a pair of vintage cowboy boots, preferably in red.

Catch a hamburger at The Vortex, a hefty brew at The Porter gastropub or barbecue in Fox Brothers (you might see Jimmy and Roslyn Carter there). For a beautiful courtyard and New Orleans–inspired fare, head to Front Page News. Be ready for a lot of tattoos and piercings. You can continue a walk through the heart of Little Five Points right into Inman Park down Euclid.

More info: The Clothing Warehouse, The Vortex, The Porter, Fox Brothers, Front Page News

Druid Hills
Location: Close Oakdale Road, The Byway and Lullwater Road
Noteworthy: The home of Miss Daisy, the primary character in the film Driving Miss Daisy, is located in this area on Lullwater Road. And the home is up for sale.

If you’re using an automobile to get around Atlanta, pop over to Druid Hills to rail several streets. I suggest a loop, driving or walking, around Lullwater Road into North Decatur Road into Oakdale Road into The Byway. The beech-lined trees and stately houses are charming. You can continue down North Decatur into Emory village and the campus.

The Historic Old Fourth Ward
Location: Just north of where I-20 meets Boulevard (the main thoroughfare); adjoining Inman Park and Cabbagetown.
Noteworthy: Martin Luther King, Jr., was born here.

This charming area is in transition, and is full of wonderful cottages and other turn-of-the-century houses. It is also where The King Center and also the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church (Heritage Sanctuary) are located. While you’re in the area, stop at Lottafrutta to get a smoothie, Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and Ping-Pong Emporium for some irreverent artwork, tabletop sports and a beverage, and The Audio Table for cool tunes and good food.

More info: The King Center, Ebenezer Baptist Church, Lottafrutta, Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and Ping-Pong Emporium, The Sound Table

Oakland Cemetery
Location: 248 Oakland Ave. (boundaries Grant Park and Old Fourth Ward)
Noteworthy: There are separate Confederate and Union soldier segments in the cemetery. Besides many Georgia governors and Atlanta mayors, Margaret Mitchell and Bobby Jones are buried here.

This cemetery dates back to 1850 and overlooks downtown Atlanta. It was designed during the Victorian garden cemetery era and is full of beautiful mature trees and other plantings. Take a self-guided walking tour or join a guided tours.

More info: Oakland Cemetery

West Midtown
Location: Spanning from the intersection of Howell Mill Road and 11th Street
Noteworthy: For years this area functioned as the gritty, industrial, railroad-adjacent section of town, full of slaughterhouses and food storage buildings.

A current resurrection has made the district a preeminent place for high world-class and design cuisine. Some of the city’s greatest restaurants and shops are a stone’s throw from active railroad tracks and razor wire. It is a fantastic combination and leads to wonderful repurposed spaces, most notably the White Provisions construction, which houses a large Room & Board store and many other high-end stores.

Stores like Bungalow, Saavy Snoot and Sid and Ann Mashburn paved the way, drawing stores like Jack Spade (the interiors seem right from a Wes Anderson film) and also Jonathan Adler from any mall.

More info: Bungalow, Savvy Snoot, Sid and Ann Mashburn, Jack Spade, Jonathan Adler

Must-Stays

Stonehurst Place Inn
Location: 923 Piedmont Ave. (Midtown)
Price: $169 to $399
Noteworthy: This 1896 inn is not only on the National Register of Historic Places but additionally underwent an extensive eco friendly renovation in 2008, earning it the name EarthCraft Home and Southface 2008 Renovation Project of the Year.

The inn combines a charming historic mansion, tailored and comfy transitional design, and ecofriendly layouts that have solar panels and panels for energy efficiency, graywater and rainwater harvesting.

But don’t let its 1896 vintageness fool you; the inn is appointed with all the modern conveniences, like heated marble bathroom floors, iPod docks and Wi-Fi. The owners also share their extensive art collection throughout the inn. On top of that, it’s steps from the lively area around the intersection of Piedmont Avenue and 10th Street and Piedmont Park, yet far enough away to escape the sounds.

More info: Stonehurst Place

Urban Oasis Bed and Breakfast
Price: $125 to $195
Location:130 Krog St. (Inman Park)
Noteworthy: This lofty B and B was formerly a cotton-sorting mill.

This isn’t your great-aunt’s bed-and-breakfast. Situated in a warehouse construction along the BeltLine, the Urban Oasis has easy accessibility to most of the historic architecture of Inman Park and the Old Fourth Ward. It’s about a mile from the Martin Luther National Historic site, including his birthplace as well as The King Center.

The interiors are full of midcentury modern and nuclear era style, including Bertoia diamond seats and Eames shelves. The flourishing neighborhoods of Inman Park and the Old Fourth Ward are chock of a number of Atlanta’s most happening pubs and bars, including Sotto Sotto, Fritti, Rathbun’s, Kevin Rathbun’s Steak (my personal favorite and only steps from the Oasis), Highland Bakery, Thumb’s Up Diner, Serpas, Noni’s, P’Cheen and The Sound Table. Plus, you’re likely to see one of the many film and TV celebrities milling about town in Barcelona, Parish or Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and Ping Pong Emporium.

More info: Urban Oasis Bed and Breakfast, The King Center

The Social Goat Bed and Breakfast
Price: $125 to $240
Location: 548 Robinson Ave. (Grant Park)
Noteworthy: You will share the property with 2 Nigerian dwarf goats named Sherman and Tallulah; fresh baby hens named Daisy and Olive; three cats named Monkey, Leon and Tanuki; three black Spanish turkeys named The 3 Tenors; 11 hens; 2 roosters termed Fabio and Velvet Elvis; 2 fresh rabbits; and plenty of goldfish and koi.

More info: The Social Goat Bed and Breakfast

No, you won’t be sharing the space with a goat in the barn. This is the beautiful B and B’s main building.

Nearby Grant Park is the city’s oldest park, first formed in 1882. In 1889 a traveling circus came through town and then went belly up; the city purchased the animals to create the next Zoo Atlanta.

The Georgian Terrace
Location
: 659 Peachtree St. (Midtown)
Price: $128 to $1,500
Noteworthy: President Calvin Coolidge and F. Scott Fitzgerald slept here, and also the Gone With the Wind premiere celebration happened here in 1939. The glamour continues, since the resort is a favorite place for film shoots, most recently The Change-Up and Identity Thief.

About a hundred years old, this is only one of those buildings that lived vast teardowns that made way for Atlanta’s skyscrapers. The swanky resort is located right across from the fabulous Fox Theater, another demolition survivor. It holds a proud place on the National Register of Historic Places.

Stop by The Livingston Bar downstairs for a cocktail. Go super Southern with its namesake beverage, which is composed of Johnny Drum private stock Kentucky bourbon infused with Southern tea leaves, muddled mint and lemon.

More info: The Georgian Terrace, The Livingston

Must-Visit Shops

Pieces

Location: 3234-A Roswell Rd. (Buckhead)

Owner Lee Kleinhelter is an Atlanta and nationwide trendsetter, with her keen eye for finding unique pieces and contrasts with snappy upholstery and finishes (bold-colored lacquer is a significant one). She also dubs Pieces’ design “Hamptons low-key luxury having a midcentury Palm Beach punch”

More info: Pieces

Paris on Ponce
Location: 716 Ponce de Leon Pl. (Virginia-Highland)

This magnificent warehouse emporium of unique antiques and oddities from all over the world is a treasure-hunting treat in 46,000 square feet. I’ve a claw-foot tub and 2 patent leather ottomans that allegedly came from a playwright’s home in the Berkshires, all from this amazing store.

Additionally, one side of the warehouse opens into the BeltLine, in which walkers, bikers, in-line skaters, skateboarders and runners are welcome to make a pit stop to use the restroom, catch some sustenance (there are always lemonade and biscuits) and allow their dogs rehydrate.

More info: Paris on Ponce

South of Market

Orange Palette Table of Market from South – $995

South of Market
Location 345 Peachtree Hills Ave., Suite 100 (Buckhead near ADAC)

Owner and inner designer Kay Douglass comes with an eye for unique pieces, which she scouts in France and Belgium. While she has many distinctive industrial pieces (metal lighting fixtures crafted from cable wastepaper baskets or baskets; coffee tables crafted from carts), her taste in linens and accessories balances the crustier stone with sophistication. If you have fantasies of French flea markets and Belgian design, then you’re going to want to go into this store.

More info: South of Market

City Issue
Location: 325 Elizabeth St. (Inman Park)

Just a Couple of steps in the BeltLine in Inman Park, City Issue is paradise for midcentury modern fans. You’ll find vintage pieces like Eames lounge chairs, Danish wool rugs, Blenko vases and Eastern Airlines barware.

More info: City Issue

Hidden Stone

Museum of Design Atlanta
Price: $10
Location: 1315Peachtree St. (Midtown)
Noteworthy: The construction is striking and was remodeled beautifully by Perkins + Will.

Located across the road from the High Museum, MoDA occupies the space under Perkins + Will Architects and a branch of the Atlanta public library. It was originally built in 1985, and Perkins + Will recently revived the building, cutting energy costs by 58 per cent and attaining Platinum LEED certification. The building’s facade has been beautifully upgraded.

More info: Museum of Design Atlanta

Kudzu
Location: 2928 E. Ponce De Leon Ave. (Decatur)

Technically this place is in Decatur, but I could not leave my favorite antiques haunt this off list. Additionally, it is a beautiful drive down Ponce De Leon Avenue throughout the Druid Hills area.

I’ve seen everything in Kudzu, from outsider artwork to an antique European confessional. Whether you’re searching to get McCoy pottery, nuclear age lamps, schoolhouse graphs, vintage clothing or a rustic farm dining table, you will find it here. There is also a excellent farmer’s market up the street.

More info: Kudzu

Ria’s Bluebird
Location: 421 Memorial Dr. (Grant Park)

Noteworthy: The New York Times named Ria’s buttermilk pancakes “the best pancakes in the world,” so maybe this gem is no longer concealed.

The coffee is heavenly, the jam on the table is always homemade, and I’ve never tasted a better biscuit. The wait may be long on the weekends, but it is well worth it. The interior is comfy, retro yet trendy, and makes the food taste even better.

More info: Ria’s Bluebird

The Wren’s Nest
Location: 1050 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd. (West End)
Price: $8; you can also use your ticket over in the local Hammonds House Museum.
Noteworthy: WriterJoel Chandler Harris lived in this Queen Anne Victorian from 1881 to 1908 and composed a number of the Brer Rabbit stories on the front porch.

Tucked into a rather busy portion of the West End, The Wren’s Nest is just a couple miles from downtown. Check it out on Saturdays for tours that include storytelling.

More info: The Wren’s Nest

Ann’s Snack Bar
Location: 1615Memorial Dr. (Kirkwood)
Noteworthy: Mind your manners, wait for your turn and take your food as Miss Ann prepares it no alterations.

This location isn’t hard to miss. Just know that it’s on Memorial between the lights in Whitefoord and Wyman; if you get to Wyman from Whitefoord, you went too far; turn around and it’s going to be across the road from Wyman. It has a screened porch. Get the Ghetto Burger, which has double bread and bacon cheese.

Noguchi Playscape
Location: Piedmont Park near the 12th Street and Piedmont Avenue entry
Noteworthy: Finished in 1976, this is the only playscape in the U.S. made by Isamu Noguchi that was finished during his life.

This sculptural playscape was designed back in the 1970s together with The High Museum of Art to familiarize kids with colors and shapes. I strongly recommend going down the dual slide with a friend.

Architects, taC studios

2013 Home Tours Worth Visiting

Atlanta has numerous diverse neighborhoods full of their own unique character, and home tours are a fabulous way to peek into how individuals have renovated and decorated their houses.

May 11–12: Gardens for Connoisseurs Tour
Exclusive private gardens have been opened to tours to reap The Atlanta Botanical Garden.

May 11–12: The Grant Park Home Tour
Peek into richly renovated bungalows and Victorians in this beautiful area that surrounds Grant Park and the Atlanta Zoo.

May 11–12: Kirkwood Spring Fling and Tour of Homes
Everything I appreciated so much about this tour in a previous year was the assortment of home designs (from nuclear ranch into Queen Anne) and that lots of these were starter homes for young singletons, couples and families. It is a terrific way to find realistic renovation and DIY ideas.

June 8–9: The Modern Atlanta Home Tour
The 2013 tour will consist of exceptional contemporary residential and industrial spaces.

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Boldly Stylish in Hong Kong

“Tiny” doesn’t have to mean “shy” Project Manager Javis Ma of Urban Design & Build maintained this mantra in mind when turning a small Hong Kong residence to a trendy one. The 630-square-foot flat is located within an old tong lau construction in Central Hong Kong; tong lau buildings were originally tenements, usually built from the first to mid-20th century. This building now contains small units designed for both residential and industrial purposes.

Stripping the unit down to its bones, Ma designed a new layout which makes use of the flat’s long and narrow shape. A kitchen with a workspace serves as the heart, and a living area, bedroom and bathroom complete the area. Smart storage options and a couple of visual tricks take advantage from the flat’s limited square footage.

in a Glance
Who lives here: A single expat businessman
Location: Central Hong Kong
Size: 630 square feet; 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Cost: Around $45,000

Urban Design & Build Limited

A number of these tong-lau buildings were renovated and turned to rental units throughout the postwar years, which saw an influx of immigrants to Hong Kong. Single rooms were frequently split into sleeping areas with bunk beds, while residents shared the bathrooms and kitchens.

This specific building had an extremely traditional tong-lau layout, with the most amount of square footage utilized and a higher ceiling height compared to many residential flats in Hong Kong.

Urban Design & Build Limited

Ma designed the flat using a multipurpose waist with different spaces at both end. The kitchen is the center of the apartment. The custom worktable may be used for dispensing foods, eating or working.

With restricted access to the outside, the flat had poor air circulation, and one side faces a busy road. A brand new air conditioning and ventilation system today provides clean air.

Bar Condominiums: X2 Beat Stool, Homeless Hong Kong

Urban Design & Build Limited

A built-in closet offers storage without taking up extra room. Chalkboard paint means it could double as a place for writing shopping lists and recipes.

Urban Design & Build Limited

The easy furniture highlights the flat’s industrial and contemporary mix of raw concrete and clean white lines. Splashes of natural feel, neon blues, vivid yellow and burnt green add visual flavor to the otherwise stark space.

Couch: habit; java table: Klubbo, Ikea

Urban Design & Build Limited

Rest and play areas are on both sides of the kitchen. The layout makes for a seamless transition from one action to another.

Constructed upper cabinetry lines one full wall of the flat for plenty of storage. The shortage of hardware helps the units combine into the wall.

Rug: Hampen, Ikea

Urban Design & Build Limited

The kitchen presented some unique challenges. Ma wanted to design an area that looked minimalist but still had all the vital functions for a multipurpose space which could fit in the flat’s limited square footage. Expanding the kitchen countertop marginally into the living room created more prep room and makes the room look bigger.

Urban Design & Build Limited

The lineup of the kitchen counter tops visually extends to the bedroom, separating the customized MDF headboard out of a cork bulletin board.

Table lamp: Lane Crawford Hong Kong

Urban Design & Build Limited

A thin piece of aluminum divides the two substances, while “collapsing” built-in MDF shelving emphasizes the natural, natural feel in the room.

Urban Design & Build Limited

A toilet and shower area in the back of the bedroom will get plenty of natural light from a window in the back of this unit.

Urban Design & Build Limited

Customized stone tilework complements space-efficient storage.

Urban Design & Build Limited

Inspired by stained glass churches, the bedroom sliding door diffuses soft light to the area. Each of the yellow panels slides out separately, creating different light patterns in each area based on the time of day.

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