Category: Custom Home

Lessons learned: don’t have the same bad experience over and over – Customer Service – builders – Brief Article Carol Smith Lessons learned in the daily conduct of business leave their footprints in a builder’s operations. An experienced builder can review a professional colleague’s practices and paperwork and make an educated guess at past problems. […]

Portable power – Outdoor Kitchen Appliances The 26-inch Titanium series gas grill is constructed of heavy-duty 304 stainless steel and features two burners with an output of 20,000 BTUs/hour. Grill racks are porcelain-coated and two side shelves offer work or storage space. A rotisserie system is available. Capital Cooking Equipment. 310.605.5000. Circle 22 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] […]

Safe filling The Melrose collection 15-inch swinging pot filler features a shut-off valve at the wall and a control valve at the end of the spout to make controlling water flow safer and easier. The pot filler is available in chrome and stainless steel. Danze. 877.530.3344. www.danzeonline.com. Circle 159 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COPYRIGHT 2004 Hanley-Wood, Inc. […]

Mold management – Trends Lines/What’s New – from GP Gypsum – Brief Article A recent innovation in gypsum technology promises to be an important weapon in the war on mold in buildings. GP Gypsum’s two new patented gypsum wallboard products, DensArmor Interior Guard and DensArmor Plus Interior Guard, combine the company’s patented glass-mat Dens technology […]

Filter fresh – Faucets The Triflow water-filtration bathroom faucet incorporates a third handle that operates the filtration system. Independent water lines run through the faucet and spout for filtered and unfiltered water. The system’s filtration unit fits under the sink. Handles are labeled “hot,” “cold,” and “pure.” Franke. 800.626.5771. www.frankeksd.com. Circle 167 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] COPYRIGHT […]

Electronic chatter: appliances get smart Rebecca Day Out in Irvine, Calif., the folks at Smarthome see the networked home in two ways: gadgets that deliver entertainment on one side and appliances that can be controlled on the other. The first group–the networks for sharing Internet access, the audio servers that stream music throughout a house, […]

Take a powder: make way for bold powder rooms Shelley D. Hutchins Powder rooms go beyond function; for many homeowners they’re all about style. “Powder rooms have less programmatic weight to them by not having all of the functional requirements of a full bath,” says architect Mark Weber, principal at Chicago-based Wheeler Kearns Architects. “Plus, […]

Surface treatment: the basics of ceramic tile Patti Fasan Although it is well known that kitchens and baths sell a house, exterior roomscapes and the lifestyle they suggest are emerging as the new must-haves. For many home buyers, the perfect dream property now includes terraced seating areas, private decks, and furnished outdoor living rooms; transitional […]

Hip to be square – Products/Fine Finishes The Magic Square sink resembles an ancient Greek fountain, but functions as a sink for the kitchen or bath. The exterior basin is lined with a stainless steel pan, which is hidden beneath a slightly angled tray of tumbled marble or Venetian glass mosaic. Waste water runs off […]

Desert drama: between the rocks is a fine place Leslie Ensor Nestled into a boulder-strewn mountainside near Scottsdale, Ariz., this 10,000-square-foot custom home enjoys both a commanding view of Phoenix and complete privacy. The privacy is provided by two enormous granite outcroppings–each approximately 20 feet high and 30 feet wide–flanking both ends of the rectilinear […]