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 I recently interviewed Nicolas P. Retsinas, the director of Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies and lecturer at Harvard Business School. Nicholas noted a possible upside in the current real estate market in that houses may be viewed once again as places to anchor and raise families rather than primarily as profit centers. He wrote a thought-provoking essay that appeared in Working Knowledge, a publication of Harvard Business School, and he gave me permission to reprint it here:
A house divided: investment or shelter?
By Nicolas P. Retsinas
Dictionaries are not static. Some words go unused for so long that lexicographers dub them archaic. Definitions also gravitate to that catch-bin.
The plummeting housing market has forced a reevaluation, not just of the financial value of a home, but of its meaning. Once just a place for a family to live and take root, the home in recent times has been elevated to Investment Opportunity, a place where you stayed for awhile, made a lot of money, then moved on to the next home-investment.
Is the definition of home about to change once again?
Family sanctuary
When immigrants crowded into this country, they yearned for shelter, a sanctuary in a new land. That shelter could be a tenement, a farmstead, a ramshackle cottage. For families, home had a connotation of safety and stability.
Banks did not lend with 30-year amortizing mortgages, but with five-year loans and a balloon payment at the term's end. A family needed to amass a 50 percent down payment; few Americans could. So homeownership was neither a plausible individual aspiration nor a policy prescription. The word home had no investment connotations.
Continue reading "Is the definition of home about to change?" »
 I was frustrated a few months ago when I sought out green products at my local Home Depot and didn't find much. And of course, I blogged about that.
So when Home Depot marketing person Sarah Hereford came calling, I took the opportunity to ask:
What can I buy green at Home Depot?
Here are some green-leaning items she pointed me toward:
Thomasville Nature’s Retreat seven-piece outdoor dining set
All wood parts of this set — chair frames, table top, turned table legs, etc. — are made from FSC-certified eucalyptus. FSC stands for Forest Stewardship Council, which offers a stringent certifying process for forests and products.
Hampton Bay 3-tier solar lights
A package of six, with Siemens solar cells and LED lights. Now if only the bases and shades were made of recycled materials, that would be impressive.
Freshaire Choice (no VOC paint)
In case you didn't know, VOC stands for volatile organic compound. Having the word "organic" in there used to confuse me. So I looked it up on Wikipedia, and learned if you substitute the word chemical for organic, as in volatile chemical compound, that sounds more like what it is, dangerous chemical compounds that are volatile, meaning they vaporize in normal conditions into the air we breathe. Not so good. Paint, adhesives and finishes with no VOCs are the way to go.
Also, Sarah says Home Depot carries FSC-certified lumber (though I have not been able to find any in my store) and Millstead pressure-treated wood that is Scientific Certification Systems Green Cross certified.
See an explanation of green product certifications from Environmental Building News.
Whose living room is this?
ANSWER
Take the baby Famous folks at home quiz
(Photo: Architectural Digest)
Another way to express ourselves: House numbers!
(Photos: KPR)
 Attention all readers:
From the Reader-to-Reader Forum:
Question: Shouldn't the HOA be responsible for this water damage? Why weren't we warned? more »
Question: Do you know a good contractor to assess an old Craftsman I want to buy and fix up? more »
Question: If we refinance, will it cause a reassessment and higher property taxes? more »
Please, help these people . . .
 Question: Could you find a landscaper to comment on pros/cons of pea gravel in a residential setting? I'm entranced with the look, and permeable hardscape is important to me.
However, when I research on the Internet, I find most postings by homeowners are negative: It does not stay put if there are children or dogs in the household, neighborhood cats use it as litterbox, ants build mega cities in it, it's not a realistic choice if children run barefoot in the yard, a wheelbarrow pushed down the path creates ruts and sends pebbles into the flower beds.
I've also read that 2 inches is not sufficient and that 6 inches is needed and that the gravel should be mixed with aggregate to stabilize it better.
Answer: From Pamela Berstler, landscape designer of Flower to the People in Los Angeles:
We LOVE gravel as a mulch in the garden, and most people in the Mediterranean would agree with that assessment. It reflects heat, but protects roots, and it maintains moisture, reducing the need for irrigation, and does not decompose and require replacement.
The wide variety of local colored stone can really enhance a natural landscape installation, but we try to stay away from exotic or excessively processed material, as it is not a sustainable solution.
Gravel mulch and pathways require different treatments. In the garden beds, as mulch, 2 inches is pretty much the maximum required (not 6 inches). You actually want to use less rather than more, as the deeper the gravel application, the more difficult to keep it away from the base of plants, keep ruts out and keep it from spilling everywhere. When the application is thin and slightly compacted, it works beautifully. And of course, we recommend NO weed barrier beneath.
The optimal type of gravel will vary for pathways and planting beds. Gravel in the planting beds can be rounder, and perhaps even smaller — as small as 3/8-inch diameter, and as round as a beach pebble. Our favorite simple gravel for mulch in planter beds is 3/8-inch to 1-inch Del Rio pebble, but pretty much anything will work.
For pathways, there are more basic rules. First, gravel pathways are best installed over a stabilized base — stabilized compacted soil, decomposed granite or a plastic grid like a grasspave work the best, and only about 3/4-inch to 1-inch depth is required. Second, gravel pathways must be contained with a barrier that rises 1 inch above grade at a minimum. We like stone edging (classy and very Mediterranean), but bender board, aluminum or steel edging would work too. Third, and perhaps most important, the type of gravel needs to be the sharper-edged gravel, not the rounded beach stone. The sharper gravel will grab on to its neighbor and become firmer and easier to walk on than the rounded stones.
E-mail Pamela
(Photo: Flower to the People)
Back in the 1980s, Michelle Griffoul chose her home for one reason.
"It had forklift access to the backyard," said Michelle, who bought the home, in the Santa Barbara County community of Los Olivos, when she was a fledgling ceramic-tile artist with a very large kiln. "The house itself was irrelevant."
But the sage-green house with eggplant-colored trim has become relevant over the last 24 years, serving as a canvas of sorts where Michelle has tried out and lived with her whimsical ceramic and bronze tiles. Today she makes her living designing and manufacturing tiles sold in 140 showrooms nationwide.
Michelle's own tile projects -- in her bathrooms, on fireplaces and walls, on furniture and in and around a sumptuous swimming pool and spa -- remind her of the stages of her life: a first marriage, motherhood, divorce and remarriage. And they also chronicle her emergence as an artist.
Continue reading "Tile artist's home is her canvas" »
Whose room is this?
A. Suri, daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
B. Max and Emme, son and daughter of Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony
C. Max, son of Christina Aguilera and Jordan Bratman
ANSWER
(Photo: People magazine)
 I'd rather see solar panels on my rooftop and yours, but this is still pretty cool.
A project has been proposed that will place photovoltaic cells on 65 million square feet of commercial building roofs in Southern California.
The cells will generate as much as 250 megawatts of electricity -- enough to power about 162,500 average homes -- based on an estimate that 1 megawatt would serve about 650 average homes. Wow!
The plan, the largest rooftop solar installation project ever proposed by a utility company in the country, was announced by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Southern California Edison, according to a story in the L.A. Times.
This could "set off a huge wave of renewable-energy growth," said Schwarzenegger
And you know what that means? Typically when there is more demand for technology, the price drops. And that means affordable home systems could be coming our way sooner rather than later.
The first of the solar rooftops, in San Bernardino and Riverside counties, is expected to be up and producing electricity by August.
Another project recently announced proposes to place a 250-megawatt plant, dubbed the Beacon Solar Energy Project, on about 2,000 acres in eastern Kern County.
Read the whole story
 I see a couple of ideas here that are useful for my own remodeling. But the thing that really jumped out at me in this story is that the homeowner and I have nearly the same name: she is Kathryn Price, I am Kathy Price. However, she has three kids and a law degree. And I don't. But still.
This simple dining room makeover took place in a Western Springs, Ill., home, near Chicago, and was reported on by the Chicago Tribune.
Here's what I noticed that can help me:
Paint that table: I have a wooden table in my kitchen that probably won't retain any zing whatsoever after I get my kitchen walls and cabinets repainted. Trouble is, my husband Bill bought that table a few years ago and brought it home for me as a gift (see it here). Now, Bill is not very domestic. That's all on me. So for him to take the initiative and have enough caring and concern to actually pick out a table and bring it home . . . well, that's not something you want to set out with the recycling. So this room shows me that painting a wooden table can be a solution. And I'd definitely go with high gloss. And it looks great with wooden chairs, and I have wooden chairs.
Go bold with the chandelier: I've had this same issue, using a too-small chandelier or hanging lamp to fill the space. Going big and bold takes courage, but what a difference it makes here. I'm considering a hanging lamp over my kitchen table, so I want to remember this lesson.
Pour on the moldings: This room already had base moldings, but nothing where the walls meet the ceiling. Adding the crown moldings gave this room a substance it couldn't have gotten otherwise.
Anything you like here?
Read the whole story
 A tragedy occurred last week in Walnut Creek and the thought of it continues to haunt me. Here's what was reported yesterday in the San Jose Mercury News:
Murder and other felony charges were filed Tuesday against a Martinez contractor who prosecutors say killed a Walnut Creek man during a confrontation over a home remodeling job that sparked a lawsuit. Read the whole story.
This is extreme, to say the least. But it got me thinking: When is it a good idea to sue a contractor for bad or incomplete work?
And when is it just not worth it? When is it better to accept the loss and move on?
Anyone who's been involved in a lawsuit knows how nerve-wracking and time consuming it is. There may be headaches involved, and stomachaches and sleepless nights. It can mean months or years of negativity. And even when people win, they often can't collect.
Nolo, which provides legal information to non-lawyers, gives tips on deciding whether to sue someone and suggests you ask yourself three questions:
1. Do I have a good case?
2. Am I comfortable with the idea of a compromise settlement or going to mediation?
3. Assuming a lawsuit is my best or only option, can I collect if I win?
If you cannot answer "yes" to all three questions, Nolo's advice is that you don't sue.
Most of us would focus only on the first issue: Do I have a good case? And often, there is no doubt at all that is true. You might have a great contract. And abundant evidence of work not done or done badly. But issue No. 2 — a willingness to compromise or call in a mediator — is hard to do when one is consumed with anger or hurt.
And issue No. 3 is profound: A deadbeat cannot and will not pay up.
So there might be times — especially if your life savings is not on the line — when not suing might be the kindest thing to do for yourself.
Have you ever sued a contractor for bad work, or decided not to? And would you recommend your course of action to others?
 High-tech wizards have tried to get us to use our computers to control so many mundane daily tasks: opening and closing the drapes, turning on the hot tub, setting back our thermostats.
But so far, we've resisted, finding a quick yank on the drapery pull easy enough.
But here's a device that might tip us toward high tech: a computer-controlled and weather-report-influenced sprinkler system.
Here's how the Cyber-Rain system works: You program into your computer how much water and when you'd like each zone in your automatic sprinkler system to get. What are your zones? You name them in the software so you can recall them easier, such as the "side yard near Bob and Jean's house." Or the "strip near the street."
The Cyber-Rain Access Point gizmo (which attaches through a USB port to your PC) sends a wireless signal to the controller telling it what to do and when. And it keeps track of water usage. And it adjusts for Daylight Savings Time.
But here's the cool part: The software checks the weather report each day through your computer and, if rain is indicated, it'll shut down watering for the following 24 hours.
According to the company: "Nearly 70 percent of landscape watering ends up as runoff contributing directly to pollution and water waste. The EPA ranks urban runoff and storm sewer discharges as the second most prevalent source of water quality impairment in our nation’s estuaries."
The system costs $349 and the company claims it will likely pay for itself in seven months because of decreased water usage.
 As I plan to paint and lighten up my kitchen, to spend around $200 on a beautiful, yet-to-be-determined backsplash and under-counter lighting, I got to thinking about how much stuff is on my counters.
Do I need all that stuff out ALL the time?
When I visit kitchens for my articles, the homeowners seem to have cleared the counters.
See what I mean in this Claremont kitchen, or this Downey kitchen, or this West Adams-adjacent kitchen, or this Manhattan Beach kitchen. Do people live like this? I suspect not.
I'd love to have clear counters, but what kind of hassle is it to haul things out all the time?
Here are some of my counter clutter challenges, from right to left (above):
Bread maker While I only use this wedding gift four or five times a year, I love having it handy in case I want to amp up the dough action. But how likely is that?
Cake plate We use this like a cookie jar, but the sweets are visible for all to admire.
Spice and hot sauce tray So handy for cooking. But I wonder if I should explore getting one of those cool, pull-out spice racks. I do have a slot to the right of the stove.
Cooking utensil basket How do people live without one of these on the counter? I love the feeling of pulling just the right spoon or spatula or whisk from this basket.
Coffee paraphernalia Imagine what my counters would be like if we didn't indulge in one of the greatest legal drugs of all times? We've got the coffee maker, coffee grinder, French press and tea kettle. All are too precious to hide.
On the other side of the sink we've got the rice cooker/vegetable steamer, blender, waffle maker, table lamp and microwave. And in a nook there is a Cuisinart mixer, toaster, hand mixer, juicer and electric can opener (the latter we never use).
It's a gadget gallery in there. Do I need these things out all time, 24/7?
I'm curious: How do you work it out in your kitchen? Do you leave everything out? Keep everything put away? Or, what is your middle ground?
 When I visited Renata Kanclerz to see her gorgeous Hollywood Hills kitchen remodel, I asked her what kinds of green features and materials she used. She just seemed like the kind of person who would pay attention to that sort of thing.
But . . . thinking green during the hectic planning and execution of the remodel totally slipped Renata's mind. And she was shocked that happened, because she's a member of the Green Party, lives a green-oriented life and maintains a sustainable garden.
So that's where this new Green Product Checklist could come in handy, to help green-leaning people keep focused. It's two pages in PDF that asks: What makes a product green? The checklist was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council and the American Society of Interior Designers, who joined up to create the recently launched ReGreen Program.
The list has a place for your notes and asks questions like this:
• What are the raw materials used to create the product?
• And where do they come from?
• Is the manufacturing process energy efficient?
• Does the manufacturing process release harmful substances?
• Does the product release VOCs? At what rate?
• How is the product packaged and transported? And so on.
All this might seem like a lot of work for choosing a tile or wall coating. But as the health of the planet continues to decline, and human diseases linked to our environment continue to rise, we will probably all get more motivated to ask these questions regarding the products we bring into our homes.
The list also includes information on six green product directories, including Greenspec Directory and Oikos.
Download the Green Product Checklist here. I've got one in my own project notebook.
 When the housing bust started and home prices began their slide, some homeowners thought the cost of remodels might slide proportionately. That did not happen because the cost of remodeling was never temporarily and artificially inflated, as were some home prices.
For instance, a $50,000 oak and granite kitchen remodel done in a Long Beach home that was valued at $425,000 in 2002 did not cost $100,000 in 2006 when the same house might have risen to $800,000 in appraised value. The $50,000 kitchen remodel of 2002 probably cost $55,000 or $60,000 in 2006.
So when the party was over in the real estate and new-home market, the party did not end in the remodeling business, though it slowed down a little bit.
According to Harvard University’s Joint Center on Housing Studies, remodeling activity has held pretty steady at about $172 to $176 billion in 2007 and is projected for the same in 2008, up from $143 billion in 2004 and down from a peak of $181 billion in 2006.
So the cost of remodeling will not drop 20%, as have the prices of homes in some areas, and waiting for that to happen is useless.
Still, there are reasons why this is a good time to remodel:
1. Interest rates are low, so if you have any untapped equity, the price to borrow against it is very much in your favor.
2. Houses age no matter what the market is doing. Roofs need to be replaced and exteriors painted and worn appliances fixed or replaced.
3. As this is not a good time to sell, and may not be for a few years, it could be time to make the current house a better place for you and your family.
4. Competition is strong among remodeling contractors and the new-home builders who are now remodeling. One contractor told me he is more interested in making price adjustments to get the work. Not radical adjustments, because wages and materials are still high, but there is more flexibility than before.
5. Unless it's a very hot contractor, you won't have to wait six months to a year to get started. And if you begin now, you can be done in time for Thanksgiving.
Remember a few years ago when the biggest complaint was that contractors did not return calls? They do now.
Any thoughts on this?
 In all the years I've been writing about remodels (nearly 20) and in all the gorgeous homes I've visited (more than 500), I've only felt envy three times.
One of those times was as the Santa Ynez Valley home featured this week in the L.A. Times Home Section: Pastures that echo the South of France.
I visited this property in 2003 to write an article about it for Santa Barbara Magazine (pictured here).
The home's owner is furniture designer Hélène (pronounced EY-len) Aumont, and it's a rustic yet cultured 1940s farmhouse. She lived there at the time with her now-ex-husband Patrick, and a few darling offspring. Of course, they were making cookies when I arrived.
My envy was painful. The objects of desire:
• Extensive gravel pathways. Ah, the sounds of crunching!
• Lavender everywhere
• Horses and a barn
• A living room that feels like a French apartment
• Several covered porches
• The white kitchen with a marble countertop fashioned from an antique pool table top
Ironically, as I review photos of Helene's home, I realize I'm going in that same direction of a white and luminescent kitchen.
My current thinking: Don't get so caught up envy (on those rare occasions I experience it) and feel ashamed of it and try to shut it down. Rather, ask myself:
What is so beguiling about this place? And how can I create some of this for myself?
See a photo gallery of the gardens in the Home Section
(Photos: Hélène Aumont)
 My mother-in-law is visiting from Santa Barbara and wonders if she can rinse off her truck at my house. It's no longer allowed in her town.
As the population explodes here on the planet, supplies of fresh water don't seem to be keeping up. Something has to give.
A helpful article in Sunday's newspaper, headlined "More changes that help conserve water at home," guides SoCal homeowners through the increasing mandates to cut back.
For instance:
"Long Beach has forbidden using hoses to wash off patios, driveways, sidewalks and parking areas unless the hose has a certified water conserving nozzle; a regular on-off nozzle doesn't qualify. Residents are allowed to water on Monday, Thursday and Saturday, and "inefficient" sprinkler systems -- those that over-spray, soak sidewalks or apply too much water -- also are forbidden."
I like the idea of landscaping consistent with the natural environment. Here's a quote from Kim O'Cain, spokeswoman for the Santa Monica Environmental Programs Division:
"The California-friendly landscape uses 90% less water, creates half the yard waste and takes about half the work of lawn, once the plants are established."
When saving water means saving money and less work for me, you've got my attention.
But here's what intrigues me:
The article states that while 10% of water in Southern California is used by residents watering their lawns and gardens, 80% of the water in Southern California is used for agriculture.
So if I'm changing my life to adjust to more people and less water, and my 85-year-old mother-in-law can't rinse off her car, what life-altering measures are these companies taking to save water?
Are agribusinesses sacrificing as much as we are?
Wouldn't that be a fascinating thing to learn?
(Photo: Manzanita, California native, by KPR)
 While searching for cabinet hardware, I came across these glass knobs made by Aurora Glass.
They are made of 100% post-consumer recycled glass and sales of them benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Society in Eugene, Ore., which helps homeless people and others having a hard time in life.
I love the idea of choosing items for my remodel that have meaning, that send my money to good causes.
It's not that typical commerce is not good. I'm all for business. But to have that added zing of doing good, for people and for the planet, is what I want.
These knobs come in 1-inch and 2-inch models, and the riser can be either nickel or brass.
Prices for these are much higher at $12 to $14 each than the least expensive pulls you could find on the Internet that look kind of the same for $2 or $3.
My budget is tight, but I might look for a way to spend $100 or so by using them only on my top cabinets or just on my drawers.
Whatever I spend will soon be forgotten, but the reminder to be on the compassionate side of commerce will live on.
Also from Aurora Glass: accent tile in amethyst, apricot, cobalt, clear, emerald and aqua blue (about $8 for a 6-inch strip).
Also, rosette blocks that are 2 1/2 inches ($8), 3 1/2 inches ($10) and 4 1/2 inches ($12).
See the process whereby recycled glass is collected, crushed, washed and mixed with metallic oxides that produce rich colors when melted. Once the furnace is loaded with 500 pounds of the crushed glass, the "batch" is transformed into a glowing liquid and "cooked" at 2,300 degrees overnight. Then the molten glass is molded into architectural and decorative items.
"Creating treasure from yesterday's trash is a beautiful thing," the website states, "and we are proud to make products of simple beauty that also help reduce landfill waste in our community."
 After countless vain attempts to locate a solar-powered fountain similar to the one I stumbled upon at my local Home Depot, I've decided the better way is to find the components and assemble one myself.
The elements are shown above: fountain + pump/solar panel = solar-powered fountain.
Fountain: The fountains come from places like OSH, where I snapped a photo of this one. In the past, I thought it tacky that most of the fountains I've seen say "pump not included" on the price tag. But now I think that's perfect because I don't want a pump that plugs into the power grid, but one that plugs into the sun, via a solar panel.
This faux-stone fountain (see larger view), which is about 3 feet high, costs about $150. The pump fits inside the bottom basin and the water is pumped via a tube behind the fountain and up to the top. See that here. I found fountains at OSH and other stores for $50 and up. The key for me is to find a fountain with shallow places where birds can bathe and frolic. One deep well or bowl, for instance, will not work. This fountain has two shallow lips where water gathers and then spills over. The bottom bowl is a bit deeper and I might put rocks in there to create more places to perch. I realize that inviting birds to a fountain cause problems with droppings and feathers that can clog the pump. But that's a price I will pay.
Pump and solar panel: I've located two pump/panel combinations. The one pictured here is from a company called Improvements. I've never done business with them, but they do have a brick-and-mortar retail store in Ohio, and that always makes me feel more secure. This pump/solar panel costs $99 and has some neat features, including a battery that charges up to run the fountain when the sun goes down, and an AC plug to run it from the grid. The same item without the battery backup is $69. This setup pumps 43 gallons per hour, with a maximum lift of 27 1/2 inches. If the distance between where the pump sits and where you want the water to come out is more than that, you have to get a larger pump. My fountain is unique in that the pump sits up high underneath the second tier and the water gets lifted only about 8 inches to the top tier, where it can spill over. See it here.
Another pump/panel I've located is from a company called Gaiam, which I have done business with and like very much. The pump/solar panel offered by Gaiam is only $59, but it has a few drawbacks. First, there is no battery backup available, so the pump will only run when the sun directly hits the panel. And second, the Gaiam pump uses a motor with brushes inside, and the company says you can expect two years of use from the pump. The pump from Improvements uses a brushless motor, and those tend to last longer, though the website doesn’t mention an expected life span.
If you do buy a fountain, and add your own solar-powered pump, please e-mail me a digital photo of it when you've got it up and running.
 I'm enthralled with this 435-square-foot apartment in Greenwich Village, N.Y. It has only one window, in the living room, yet the space feels light and open. What you see here is the living room from each end, with the kitchen on one side, and the bedroom on the other side through glass doors. (Click photo to enlarge.)
The story in the New York Times says the couple — husband Suchitra Van is from India and wife Nette Gaastra is from Holland — bought the apartment for $296,000 and remodeled it with $26,000 they got from wedding gifts, along with $15,000 of their own savings. That's $41,000 to remodel a space just a bit larger than a two-car garage.
How did they spend the money? Some prices were revealed: a DeLonghi stove for $1,762, a G.E. dishwasher for $622 and a Hansgrohe shower faucet for (wow!) $670. The steel-framed doors into the bedroom cost $986 and were shipped from India and fitted with glass in Manhattan. And yet, the four Ikea cabinets cost only $141. The floor looks expensive, and the husband designed the porcelain enamel backsplash and countertop.
This place makes me want to declutter and lighten up.
See the full story and more pictures.
(Photos: New York Times)
 Question: Will a refinance trigger a reassessment?
Got some advice for this guy?
Post your answer here
 As you may recall, my current kitchen is a somewhat garish blue and orange with sage green counters. What is it with me and garish colors? Do you think I'm still trying to be noticed, to overcome a childhood feeling of invisibility? Nah!
For my rethought remodel, I'm definitely keeping my current cabinets. They are wood. They are good. That's what you call an eco-decision.
I've pretty much decided to go with white cabinets (off-white, really, with white on the crown moldings) and a light sage green for the walls. Better Homes & Gardens has a great slide show on kitchens with white cabinets, and I'm grazing there to get ideas.
My cabinet doors have no moldings. So, I'm going to add those.
But, as I can't really decide anything without seeing it in person (are you that way?), I've decided to remove one of the doors and play around with it. (As I unscrewed the hinges, I was reminded how my awesome cordless screwdriver/drill feels like I'm holding a Porsche in my hand — smooth, powerful and sexy.)
I'll be looking for moldings and ideas at the local lumberyard (which I hear has a good "molding shed") and online at Windsor One, Decorative Specialties and other sources. I'll get a few pieces of moldings and touch them, move them around, get to know them. Adding the moldings will be a big job, so I want to spend this time up front making sure I like what I'll end up with.
I don't know at this point if the moldings will be the same off-white as the doors, or a contrasting color, or if I will give them an antique look, a glazing or some other kind of embellishment.
Next steps: Get some molding samples, and sand and prime this door.
(Starting your own project, large or small? Handy with a digital camera? Consider being a guest blogger and letting all of us follow along with your progress. Email me at podblog@aol.com to discuss.)
 Check out the new Pardon Our Dust Reader-to-Reader Forum.
On the forum, you can ask remodeling questions of SoCal homeowners and others.
And you can offer your own wisdom. Like:
Where to get lumber in Long Beach?
A contractor in Covina?
A roofer in Riverside?
Granite in Glendale?
A painter in Palmdale?
Actually, there is a question on the forum right this minute from someone in your community:
Hi, I'm currently interested in buying a Craftsman style house in Atwater Village that will need a complete remodel. I would like to get in touch with a contractor who specializes in the Craftsman style in order to get an estimate so I can judge whether I can afford the remodel and how much to offer for the house. Does anyone know of a contractor who specializes in this field? Thanks, EG
Got advice for EG? Click here.
There's a link to the forum on the right side of this page, just under my bio. Visit often!
 For Kim Myles fans who were put off by what one commenter here called a “bizarre” color scheme during HGTV’s “Myles of Style” show on Sunday, tonight's presentation may have been her vindication.
The boutique hotel décor of the reveal was stunning with a richly hued wall of puddling drapes and a three-toned upholstered headboard. (Click photo to enlarge.)
It turns out Sunday’s show was a “sneak peek,” and tonight's was the real premiere. The homeowners, a couple named Buddy and Tamara, had filled their bedroom with enormous, chunky wood furniture that stuffed the room. The walls were peach-colored, and the whole thing just wasn’t working.
Kim’s idea was for a "permanent honeymoon hotel retreat." The walls were re-painted “cool khaki” and a new headboard was made from panels of plywood covered with brocade fabric in three luscious colors. Two sections of wall were painted metallic gold, and small shelves held a dozen red candles. “Metallics are your friends,” Kim said, “they’re going to bounce light around.”
And a final touch: Buddy covered two accent tables with sheets of glass tile. Amazing. I need to do that, or find ways to use glass tiles other than a backsplash because, frankly, how many backsplashes does one have in a house?
In the end, the whole room came off like a $500-a-night hotel room (not that I’ve ever stayed in one).
A few minor quibbles: What happened to the original furniture? It looked like it cost a few bucks. Did they sell it? Also, who’s going to light a few dozen candles on a regular basis, or ever? I have two wall hangings with three candles each, and I think I’ve lit all six about three times.
If you saw the sneak peek Sunday and the premier Thursday, did Kim vindicate herself?
Note to HGTV: I'd love if you'd include "before" photos on your website so we can more fully appreciate these transformations.
(Photos: HGTV)
 The county of Los Angeles is considering adoption of a green building program and is holding a series of public meetings to get comments. Discussions will focus on green building, drought-tolerant landscaping and low-impact development.
Now, you may think: Oh, yeah, green building. Of course. It's a slam dunk. Full steam ahead.
Hold up. My experience with these things is that there is a powerful coalition of stakeholders who are extremely opposed to green building mandates. Home builders are the main objectors, in my experience. And for good reason. They feel they have too many mandates already: for structural safety and fire safety and energy efficiency and all kinds of restrictions. And now they're expected to save the planet? Well, yeah, that's kind of the plan.
So these public meetings are a place for those who will be affected — in the unincorporated areas of the country — to make their preferences known.
Here are the meetings:
Mon., March 24: Santa Clarita, 6 to 8 p.m.
Tues., March 25: East Los Angeles, 6 to 8 p.m.
Thurs., March 27: Los Angeles, 6 to 8 p.m.
Sat., March 29: Palmdale, 3 to 5 p.m.
Mon., March 31: Whittier, 6 to 8 p.m.
Get the locations. Note: Prior meetings were held in Altadena and Calabasas.
Here are some comments and concerns already identified: • Concern that the county is putting future development standards in the hands of noncounty agencies (such as LEED and Green Point Rated, two certification programs being considered)
• Phase-in period is too slow -- or too fast
• Already-too-restrictive building codes that do not allow some green building practices (note: this sounds like a fishy objection to me)
• Too costly
• Need more outreach
Flip through an enlightening PowerPoint presentation of the proposal.
If you can't make one of the meetings and want to comment, ask a question or get on the mailing list, e-mail zoup@planning.lacounty.gov.
 I've been lucky enough to meet two amazing TV decorators: Amanda Pays from Fine Living's "Breathing Room," and Kitty Bartholomew from HGTV's "You're Home: Kitty Bartholomew." (Kitty and I later wrote a book together, now out of print).
Amanda and Kitty shared with me two golden nuggets of decorating wisdom.
But really, those nuggets never really clicked until now, as I've begun to navigate my own whole-house upgrade.
Here's what Kitty told me about choosing colors: Start with one item you love — a painting, a rug, a piece of patterned wallpaper, patterned upholstery or whatever — and choose your colors from that. If those colors look good all together in that painting, for instance, they will work together as a decorating scheme. In Kitty's own house, she used a painting as a starting point.
Here's what Amanda told me about choosing colors: Pick five colors (includes woods and metals) and run with those throughout the whole house. For instance, you might choose nickel (metal), ash (wood) and three colors. Then your house will have a flow. And Amanda's house really did feel serene and pulled together.
I knew all this. But it didn't seem to apply to me somehow. Until tonight, that is, when I was sitting in the living room and gazing upon the stained-glass lamp you see here. It hangs above my dining room table. The lamp is kind of a pain, really. It's too small for the space I'm asking it to fill. The way it flares out makes it easy to bump your head on it. And if you're a short person sitting at the dining room table, the bulb in the lamp shines right in your eyes.
But here's the one thing it has going for it: I love the colors so much I could eat them.
And then it hit me: These are my colors! These are my five! Can I get a "duh"?
Now it all makes sense: The yellow I've painted some walls. The green laminate counters I see no need to replace. The dark metal bathroom faucet I've already bought. The RED of my exterior. Hello? And when I add the cedar wood that is all over my house, I've got it covered.
So these are my five: 1) brick red, 2) sage green, 3) butter yellow, 4) dark metal, 5) cedar.
Now, as I shop or decide or ponder, I'll ask myself: How would this fit into my five?
Do you have five? What are they?
 Seen while walking . . . here are some ways urbanites try to keep dogs and their droppings off private property.
Now if only dogs could learn to read, we'd be all set.
Any other "doggie don't" strategies?
 Los Angeles-based Pardee Homes received an Energy Value Housing Award last month at the International Builder's Show in Orlando.
The awards recognize builders who voluntarily incorporate energy efficiency in the design, construction and marketing of new homes.
The word "voluntarily" is key for builders, who want to avoid more regulations and mandates. These builders are not just complaining about pending mandates for green building; they are helping to stave it off.
The Pardee home recognized is in Sacramento, is 2,264 square feet and cost $58 per square feet to build using the guidelines of the ComfortWise program. See more on that.
Energy features listed for the home (pictured here) include:
Foundation: Slab-on-grade
Exterior wall construction: 2x6 @ 16" o.c.
Wall insulation: R-13 fiberglass batt plus R-4 foam sheathing
Roof construction: Trusses @ 16" o.c.
Ceiling insulation: R-38 fiberglass batt
Windows: Low-e vinyl; U-0.32 to 0.35; SHGC 0.33 to 0.34
HVAC: 80 AFUE gas furnace; 13 SEER air conditioner
Ducts: Less than 10% of ductwork in conditioned space; ducts sealed according to energy efficiency program protocols
Water heating: 0.82 EF tankless gas water heater
Lighting: 72% fluorescent (32% dedicated fluorescent fixtures)
Appliances: Energy Star refrigerator, dishwasher and washer
Innovative features: 2.3 kW photovoltaic system; radiant barrier; programmable thermostat; lighting controls
See more environmental awards Pardee Homes has won
 Is the stock market crashing? Is the worldwide economy heading into the deepest, darkest depression ever? Truth be told, my own economy is not that all that great. My savings aren't at the level they should be. My house needs a new roof, and my bathroom is wretched.
So why do I feel like the richest woman in the world?
The feeling comes over me around 3 p.m. as I sit studying some notes on the back patio.
I face the afternoon sun, which is still not as high as it will be by summer solstice, but so much higher than in the past few months.
My awesome little Home Depot solar fountain is really going at it, shooting its stream so high that it splashes a bit onto the concrete. Small, quick birds had a raucous group bath in the fountain earlier. And so I've gotten used to refilling it each day.
Behind me, a feeder hangs from a falling-apart arbor in the yard, and blue jays and doves and sparrows eat the seed I left for them.
I look down at my notes and then up again at the Buddha statue near the fountain. It's only 3 feet high but made of a concrete mix that puts it at about 200 pounds. Behind that, a rock rose I bought 15 years ago at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden is showing off a profusion of tiny pink flowers. I've had that bush longer than I've known my husband.
Back to the notes. I really do have to get an article done. And then the wind shoots through the tops of nearby pine trees and I have to watch that spectacle. Is there a better sound than wind through the tops of trees?
In the foreground I behold once again the back wall of my house, newly painted brick red, and no longer the peeling gray that chilled my days for too long. And against that, the old wooden work table I refinished and embellished.
How can I possibly look down at my notes with this pulsating artwork before me?
There's been talk of a stock market collapse, of a depression far worse than the one my dad was born into. There was fear in the air today, and dread, and uncertainty about where this is all headed.
If we are going down, if the dollar tanks, if the world's economies go down with us, I know exactly how I'll make it through.
It will be here, in this house, in this warmth, in this pocket of grace where today I felt like the wealthiest woman who ever lived.
It will be my home that sustains me, no matter what.
 Walking through neighborhoods is so enlightening. You get to check out house colors you're considering, or decorative stone faces, or architectural details.
You can also see the real life of plants, far from the dreams and fantasies you harbor at the nursery, far from the lovely images of well-tended gardens in designer books and magazines.
You get to see what happens to plants that are not taken care of.
A case in point is Equisetum, the delightful California native commonly called horsetail (pictured above in two SoCal yards). It's characterized by slender, hollow, leafless reeds with ringed joints. It looks exotic, hardy and Zen-like.
You can imagine an innocent soul at the nursery, taken in by this plant's allure, handing over a few bucks in a moment that could well become a long battle for control of the yard.
This plant has a creeping root system that can, as you see from the photo on the right, invade places you never wanted it to go. And its aggressive nature can choke out everything else in sight.
On the Garden Web forum, comments like this should be fair warning: Giant horsetails, the thugs, on steroids? Be mighty careful where and how you plant them, & let us know if your house disappears (LOL)
I'm no garden expert, but I've heard this advice on horsetail enough times to repeat it here: Confine this beast to a pot. Or else, prepare for battle.
 This was supposed to be a review of the new HGTV show "Myles of Style," hosted by Kim Myles, who won the Design Star 2 competition and was rewarded with her own show.
I say this was "supposed" to be a review because I missed the premiere Sunday night. It seems my satellite TV service is on Eastern Standard Time while I, of course, am on Pacific Standard Time. So I missed it.
I'm bummed about it because the show promised low-cost design ideas. And I'm into that.
Even though I haven't seen the show I already like it, mainly because the host does not look like a super model. Yippee!
Anyone catch the premiere?
UPDATE: Here's a review of the show and an interview with Kim Myles by Rick Ellis on All Your TV.
Dingy: Original Contract; Yacht: Change Order
(Photo: Rand.com)
Here's a question from reader Dan in Canada:
I am seeking information on solar blinds. I am up in Canada but have south facing windows in our home which cause tremendous heat in the summer, even with our Energy Star-rated windows.
I have seen manufacturers of so-called "solar blinds" talk to their value without disrupting the view from the inside and wanted to know do they actually work, if it is better to have the kind on the inside or outside the window and who produced the best solar blind?
I have seen a few manufacturer websites and think that the ones from EZ Snap seem to have the best possibility costwise (under $3 per square foot), but I just don't know.
Thanks in advance,
Dan
Any advice for him? Please comment below.
 I'm not big on showers. Baths are my daily therapy. (However, according to my poll, only 22% of you agree with me.)
But I'll admit that my husband's rainfall-type showerhead makes for an extremely satisfying experience.
And it occurred to me while reading an article about rainfall showerheads in the Chicago Tribune that standing under one of these is one of the great luxuries of an otherwise modest life.
They range from 6 to 24 inches in diameter, while a typical showerhead is from 2 to 4 inches. And you don't need to hang them from the center of the shower ceiling during a remodel or new construction. Retrofit models, like ours, could not be easier to install. Just screw it on like a typical showerhead.
Here are some affordable models:
Top: Waterpik AquaScape Spa Shower Head, 8-inch diameter, nickel, choose between five spray settings — pulsating rain, drenching rain, water saver, center spray, pulsating massage, Bed Bath and Beyond, clearance sale, $69
Middle: Conair large Rainshower dual showerhead, hand-held and wall-mounted, chrome and white, Target.com, $69
Bottom: 100 Sprays square showerhead, 100 small anti-clog nozzles, 10-inch arm, Overstock.com, $30
 You'd hardly know there was a housing crisis by watching reality home shows. The properties on these shows are still getting bought, sold, flipped, updated and dated (as in TLC's new show "Date My House").
According to HGTV, nine of its top 10 series deal with buying and selling homes, including "House Hunters," "My First Place," "Hidden Potential," "Buy Me" and "Designed to Sell." This is a departure from the craft and garden shows that populated HGTV's early years.
And the property shows increasingly reflect market reality.
It's now a buyer's market, thus the focus on "dating" a house or sleeping on it, the theme of another new show. Remember back when houses got multiple offers within the first hour? Back then, you'd barely have time to shake a home's hand, much less spend a night with it.
In my opinion, the house-flipping shows (which are still popular) should reveal more reality, as in: How much did the house sell for after the upgrade? In the past, I've felt ripped off when, at the end of a flipping show, the house didn't sell. What's the point of the show if we don't see the outcome? Did they lose money? Or make money? Or was it a wash? What were commission and closing costs?
That vagueness will change, according to an Associated Press article: "Flip That House" will become more reflective of the economy, said Brant Pinvidic, TLC's senior vice president of programming. Not every "flipper" gets rich quick. The show will make sure every time at the end to clearly outline how each investor did, he said.
And I'm sure the design shows will be even more budget-minded with the down economy. I'll be interested to see Kim Myles's new show, " | |
I recently interviewed Nicolas P. Retsinas, the director of Harvard University's Joint Center for Housing Studies and lecturer at Harvard Business School. Nicholas noted a possible upside in the current real estate market in that houses may be viewed once again as places to anchor and raise families rather than primarily as profit centers. He wrote a thought-provoking essay that appeared in Working Knowledge, a publication of Harvard Business School, and he gave me permission to reprint it here:
