Websites
We're pleased to announce the launch of 5 more blogs which will focus on Kitchens, Paint, Green Building, Tools and Home Security.
The depth of these categories is huge so we felt they needed their own websites.
You can reach these other blogs from the navigation bar at the very top of the page and don't forget the content on every blog is also segmented into specific categories which you'll find along the right-hand side of the website.
We can now offer direct advertising opportunities across our entire network or on a single blog within the network.
We'd like to thank Maggie Hong of Pixrelated for creating our great crest logos and Chad Everett for his Movable Type mastery in developing the back-end of our blogs.
We'd also like to thank our bevy of bloggers who pump out great content on a daily basis, Katy Ryan, Tabatha Muntzinger, Laura Serino, Diana Dart, Deren Monday and Jennifer Volland. You can also check out the rest of our team here.
If you're interested in blogging for Charles & Hudson or have a product or service announcement you think would be a great fit for our home improvement blog network please contact us.
Thanks for reading and we hope you enjoy our new blogs.
Today, the shelter-centered parts of my feedreader exploded with excitement and joy -- there was a new shelter magazine released! In the wake of such greats like Domino and Metropolitan Home being discontinued, it seems like a welcome reprieve to welcome a new contender to the ring.
So, without further ado, I introduce you to Flea Market Style, the magazine.
Created by Matthew Mead, a regular contributor to Better Homes & Gardens and Victoria magazines, and Ki Nassauer, the former editor and columnist of Country Home magazine, Flea Market Style is supposedly for both the scavenger/repurposer and the DIY crafter.
Spotted over at IKEA Hacker, I love Melanie's bench-coffee table contraption. Melanie used an Ikea office bench (in zebra), a Flort remote control pocket and u-shaped tables made from plywood.
Here's how she did it:
For the U-shaped red tables, I went to the hardware store with the measurements of the zebra bench. There, I had sets of plywood cut in the exact right size, bought metal brackets, Spax screws and red acrylic paint - and built those U-shapes at home in an afternoon.
Now those little tables can be removed from or repositioned on the zebra bench - and each table has the exact size for a laptop or an A4 paper plus some room for a cup or a glass.
While perusing my usual rounds of shelter blogs, I came across this post from Apartment Therapy's sister site Re-Nest, giving ideas for 25 DIY projects under $50 and thought I'd pass it along.
It's not often these days that we have an extra $50 to spend (with our son turning one this weekend and another baby on the way, we have to put the kiddos before the house) but I appreciate the idea that not every project to beautify your home has to be labor intensive and wallet-draining.
One of the hardest parts about nearly any home renovation project is deciding what goes where. Whether you're planning a space from the foundation up, or just trying to think of new ways to arrange your living room, thinking spatially can cause major headaches (as well as backaches from moving all that furniture).
Well, thanks to FloorPlanner these arduous tasks just got a whole lot easier.
I'm a big fan of Craigslist. I've found lots of goodies like a vintage Formica kitchen table to a fabulous pine dresser that I'm hoping to pick up today. If you're looking to score on a great find, follow these tips before you buy.
Early Bird Catches The Worm
If you're in the market for a particular item - say a nightstand or a great vintage wing chair - search constantly. There's no rhyme or reason to when things are added to Craigslist, often it's about being in the right place at the right time. Try and do a search a few times throughout the day to get the newest updates in your area.
Get A Peek
If a photo isn't posted on the ad, make sure you email the seller and ask to see photos. If they aren't willing to provide, proceed with extreme caution.
Ask Questions
Find out about minor scratches, if the piece has been refinished, where it was originally purchased, measurements - everything you'd know upfront as if you were buying from an actual furniture dealer.
The only pure internet play we saw at the 2010 Builders' Show was BidForMaterials.com. One of their programmers was on sight and he took us through the process of listing supplies as well as how contractors bid on materials on their website.
Once you sign up you have access to a database of subcontractors who are seeking suppliers and can bid on your materials or contact you directly and privately.
Even though the convention center wi-fi was spotty the application ran smoothly on their PC laptop and we created a business profile then started searching for leads. You can geo-target searches and there are also email alerts that you can setup.
If this site gains enough traction it could be a real player in the market. No one wants to take a loss on materials and we are all looking for a bargain which is the space that BidForMaterails.com is trying to fulfill.
The conversation right now is on Twitter. If you love home improvement and DIY you'll find many great writers, bloggers, magazines, company reps and a few remodeling celebs (@BobVila) on Twitter.
Make sure you follow us @Charles_Hudson as we tweet from events, industry tradeshows and often break giveaways and share home building news throughout the day.
We are also building our Facebook community at facebook.com/charlesandhudson. We post our most popular articles and share other websites that we love.
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter
We pride ourselves on being a bipartisan blog but when it comes to voting in the Big Window Challenge we've put our support behind the meticulously appointed window of Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan of Apartment Therapy.
This challenge also includes Eddie Ross of ELLE DECOR and Eilene Joyce of Bloomingdales. We'd choose Eilene's window over Eddie's but both seem a bit conventional and we've seen it all before.
Maxwell kept his library quirky and bold. His room is highly stylized yet very approachable. Kudos to Max for injecting a bit of steampunk into his design. Not a lot of folks get it but we do.
Decide for yourself and vote here.
Twitter is tailor made for trade shows and the 2010 Builders' Show is no exception. It's been great for us to follow vendors on Twitter straight from the showroom floor. Many of them broadcast events and presentations happening now or upcoming at their booth.
Keep following us @Charles_Hudson for live show updates and follow the Builders' Show at #IBS2010 to watch the real-time conversation.
We've pulled together the full-list of vendors tweeting at the Builders' Show. If we've missed you please let us know and we'll add you to the list.
@AmanaStyle
@AW_inournature
@behrpaint
@BoschAppliances
@CertainTeed
@clopay
@ConcreteThinker
@craftsmanclub
@CraftMasterDoor
