World Toilet Day - November 19th

Somehow we missed the news that yesterday was World Toilet Day. We want to stop and reflect on the most underrated of home necessities. Sinks and refrigerators continue to get all the glory but without the toilet, well let's not even go there.

Honor your toilet by keeping it operating efficiently and clean.

photo: Preters

Do Bathtubs Affect Home Resale Value?

We've got mixed feelings on renovating bathrooms before resale. On one hand a sharp looking countertop, tile and fixtures can certainly give a wow impression especially if the taste level and decor sensibilities are the same for the buyer but many buyers just want to know that there is a bathroom and where it's located as they plan on renovating it themselves and don't see added value no matter what type of remodel you do.

Trolling through HomeSavvi's Community boards we found a conversation that covers a deeper issue, bathtub resale value. There are so many spectacular looking showerheads and fixtures but a good percentage of homeowners still really value a bathtub, especially those with kids.

When Should You Call In a Design Professional?

I love my finish nailer. Well, I don't really love it, but I like it, I enjoy it, I find it useful for creating the world's most perfect crown molding corner (a future blog post, for sure).

But do I bring out the pancake compressor and finish nailer to drive a single finish nail into my son's train table? Do I go through 5-10 minutes of set-up when just grabbing a finish hammer and a nail set would do the job in 2 minutes? Of course I don't. And neither would you. Why? Because even though I find my finish nailer very handy for certain jobs, it is not meant to be used every time a finish nail is encountered.

The same can be said for a professional designer, or a myriad of professionals for that matter. They are very useful and necessary, but not in every situation.

So how do you decide if you need a design professional? It really comes down to your skill and the risk level you are willing to take. The following scenarios usually require a design professional, which is a general term I use to encompass architects and engineers. Upon reading this post you will have a better idea of when you should, and possibly should not, use a the services of a design professional.

Scenario 1: Structure Will be Affected

Any time your work will affect a load-bearing wall, column, or floor, you will likely need to consult an architect or engineer. It's simply not worth the risk to save money on this element of the project. Perhaps if your affect to the structure is minimal, you can have a designer address just that issue and you can take the rest on separately.

Expect to spend a minimum of $450 for a designer to analyze your project and draw details for the building department.

How To Patina a Mirror for that French Bistro Look

We recently contributed to TimeOut New York's Home Design 2009 issue which hit newsstands today.

We're featured in the Steal This Idea section for creating a patina mirror just like you've seen on the walls of your favorite French bistro (We prefer Le Singe Vert over Schiller's any night).

Pick up a copy today!

The Bathroom Reinvented: Turning to Greywater

Close loop water systems are sustainable and a major step in water conservation.

Ecologist Brent Bucknum, principal of Hyphae Design Lab in Oakland, California, shares the ABC's of re-routing a home's waste water (greywater) to sustainably irrigate gardens and other green spaces. He takes us from his live/work space in Oakland to several residential sites around Berkeley that feature greywater systems in various stages of completion.

[via Dwell]

Low Water Pressure Sucks!

American's have become used to expecting a strong stream of water from our faucets and shower heads. Thanks to larger diameter plumbing and high-pressure water pumps, the stream that flows into American homes is one of the highest in terms of gallons-per-second. Unlike our European or Asian counterparts who deal with older and less modern plumbing systems as well as more urban environments that put a higher demand on each water source, American's typically enjoy baths and high water pressure that other parts of the world do not.

In an age of water conservation the rise of high pressure yet low stream kitchen and bath products have become popular. The technology behind shower heads that feel as if they are delivering strong streams of water but really use much less is interesting. Many shower heads use a combination of water constriction and air injection to provide a shower with a strong stream but using less water.

Pamper Yourself with these Outdoor Showers

There is nothing more refreshing than taking a cool shower outdoors. Unfortunately the only chance we get to do this is at a public shower near a beach which is great but wouldn't it be nice to just cool off quickly in your own backyard without investing in a pool.

You can build your own outdoor shower or check out this list from Maxwell of Apartment Therapy as he's done a roundup of the coolest (literally and figuratively) outdoor showers around.

Make sure you subscribe to his newsletter as he shares great product reviews and house tours on a daily basis.

Beautiful Open-Air Showers

This photo slideshow from Dwell shows some of the sharpest outdoor showers and baths we've ever seen. The settings certainly help (the mountain one) but they all are minimalist and tend to flow with the design of the home. Here is a simple outdoor shower you can build yourself.

How To Fix a Leaking Bathtub Faucet

We've had a leaking bathtub faucet for awhile and never realized just how much water we were wasting until we placed a canister underneath which filled up overnight. Our dog had gotten used to water always being in the tub and now considers it an alternate source of water beyond her bowl. At this point we realized we had to do something about it.

First make sure to shut off your water, both your main line and your water heater line. Our main line shut-off is located in our front yard near the wall and the water heater shut off is located at the water heater.

Snakes in a Drain

We've had plumbers snake our sewer drains before as tree roots have infiltrated the line from our house, but typically when our kitchen and bath sinks clog up we break out the plunger and gently try the clear the line. In a two-sink kitchen make sure you've covered the opposite drain opening with a rag or something to create a seal or else you will simply blow air into the open drain and not through to the clog in the line.