Adding sitting areas to a master suite is a great way to create a personal retreat.

Annie Schwemmer, Renovation Design Group

Home design is where art meets science, function meets beauty and a house becomes home. While the average homeowner can recognize a room that looks and feels good in real life, they can rarely feel what the architect has designed on paper. However, there is a method to the madness.

Part of the method of design is to understand how the homeowner will use a room. Take the master bedroom for example. Determining the size and elements of this room depends on how it will be used and how the residents will live in the space.

Do you need a big bedroom?

Big, spacious master bedrooms are good for people who plan to use their bedroom as a private getaway. When you have or create a large master bedroom, it is important to not waste the extra space. Create a mini living room with a seating area and a TV and/or fireplace. If relaxation is not your main goal, you can use the space to express your creativity with activities such as crafts, painting or practicing an instrument. The key is to individualize the space to offer a place to wind down after a long day. Large bedrooms such as these pair well with a bathroom and a closet to create the luxurious master suite. A typical master suite requires about 400 to 800 square feet and will cost about $150 per square foot for a remodel and about $220 per square foot for an addition.

The downside to a large master suite is the potential for clutter buildup. Make sure you stay organized by having a place to keep everything. A disorganized master suite will never qualify as a personal retreat.

Do you need a small bedroom?

Even though we design plenty of beautiful, spacious master suites, we still stand by our motto: Bigger isnt always better. Sometimes a small bedroom can be more restful and relaxing than a large master suite. The master suite can seem frivolous and wasteful to someone who doesnt plan to do anything but sleep there. A bedroom designed as a cozy sleeping nook really only needs space for a bed and a nightstand. A small but well-designed, bedroom can actually turn out to be more restful than a bigger bedroom and will stay cleaner.

Another plus to creating a smaller bedroom is that the square footage could be used in a different part of the house. If the bedroom isnt your priority, then you could create a design that steals a few feet from the bedroom to make a bigger living room.

Continued here:
Renovation Solutions: Understanding the master bedroom madness

After three months of remodeling, the Capital Hotel is reopening its flagship restaurant today, August 8, under the name of One Eleven at the Capital. More has changed about the place beyond the name One Eleven features a newly renovated dining room and an overhauled kitchen that reflect ChefJol Antunes' vision of a more contemporary, modern menu in a setting that is still elegant enough to be worthy of the legendary space it occupies.

I was fortunate enough to attend a tasting last night that featured dishes from One Eleven's dinner, dessert, and new bar menus and I've got to say, I was impressed. Dishes were simple, with attention paid to making sure each flavor worked together, and the high quality of ingredients was apparent in every bite.

The new place looks great. Ashley's always seemed a bit dark to me, but the new space is light and open, with a beautiful zinc bar greeting diners immediately as they enter the restaurant. Gone, too, is the partition that divided the dining area in half the new dining room is far more open, with a good flow and energy to it accentuated by a light color scheme and fresh artwork on the walls.

As for how the new restaurant concept will work, Antunes has scuttled the long-time prix fixe model in favor of a less rigid al la carte menu. The new lunch menu features dishes in the $15-$25 range, a price point that marketing director Chuck Magill said was intended to turn One Eleven into a place that downtown workers felt like they could eat at more than just once in a great while. The dinner menu, too, is intended to change the "special occasion only" reputation of Ashley's by keeping dishes in the $25-$45 range certainly in line with other high-end restaurants in town.

In addition to the new lunch and dinner menus, One Eleven will be featuring a revamped breakfast and brunch menu, trading in the white tablecloth dinner atmosphere for a more casual, open setting. Even better, a new coffee bar serving espresso and other coffee drinks is slated to turn the Capital's central lobby into a hub of activity, developing a caffeinated link between One Eleven and its across-lobby neighbor, the Capital Bar and Grill.

Moving into the appetizer menu, things got even better. The Maine Oysters Rockefeller were a revelation: a poached oyster resting under a blanket of luscious hollandaise that was the definition of decadent. This was followed by a small crab cake served over cole slaw (perfect flavor, with a nice contrast of textures) and a shot glass of asparagus soup that tasted better than any soup has a right to.

Following these excellent dishes, we were treated to a risotto with fresh green peas and black truffle that was one of the creamiest, best versions of the dish I've ever tried. A Berkshire pork cheek with pasta and chorizo had the pig-lovers at the table going crazy, but it was the Belle Evans Farm roast chicken that really blew me away one of the only times that I've actually liked the chicken better than the pork (although both were excellent).

Dessert brought a raspberry cheesecake that I predict will become a local favorite, a light, tender chocolate souflee, and a caramel popcorn and ice cream dish that was very unique. By this point, we were all groaning with our gluttony, but we managed to suffer through you know, in the name of journalism.

The name One Eleven represents a few things: it's the address of the hotel, the address of Stephens' headquarters, and it even hearkens back to the original Stephens offices at 111 Main Street. As the restaurant ramps up its new service model, I predict that One Eleven will represent something else: excellence in dining that will seldom be paralleled in the city. Chef Antunes is a star, and with this new opening, he's ready to start dazzling his way.

Excerpt from:
One Eleven at the Capital (formerly Ashley's) opens today

Barnes-Jewish Hospital officials are urging patients to bring no more than one guest to the emergency department while the hospital renovates the waiting room.

A temporary building has been placed outside the ER to serve as the temporary waiting room during the renovation, which is expected to be complete by mid-September, hospital officials report.

The renovation is expected to improve patient flow and create a more comfortable space for patients, the health system reports.

The Charles F. Knight Emergency and Trauma Center was built in 2002 and is a Level One trauma center with about 95,000 visits each year. This remodel is not part of the overall campus renewal project in the citys Central West End.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital is owned by BJC HealthCare, a nonprofit health care system with 12 area hospitals and $4 billion in revenue in 2013. BJC HealthCare is led by CEO Steve Lipstein.

Samantha Liss is a business reporter at the Post-Dispatch. Follow her on Twitter @samanthann and the business section @postdispatchbiz.

Read more:
Barnes-Jewish Hospital begins ER remodeling

David Galassi, building official/director of Marion County building department, adds a few things to a shadow boy while putting the finishing touches on his "work of art" Monday morning.

When remodeling contractor Mike Pryor visited the Marion County Building Safety Department on Monday morning to get a permit for a window change-out job, he was met with a surprise.

Now that makes it feel like the building department, said Pryor, who operates American Remodel and Tile in Ocala, as he looked at the recently completed 30-foot long trade themed wall mural in the client waiting room.

A vintage Yankee mechanical hand drill, a stick ruler, several types of circular saw blades, an antique caulk line and a level thought to be about 100 years old are a few of the tools that are arranged in wood framing and shadow boxes in an artistic tribute to the building trades.

Most people dont want to be here, but getting a permit is a necessity and we try to make being here more pleasant. Were charged with making sure state building codes are followed to ensure life safety, said David Galassi, the department director and a building official.

Galassi, head of the department for two years, was a building contractor in Chicago for 25 years. He is experienced in Victorian renovation and has worked on a Frank Lloyd Wright home.

Several employees worked on the mural over the last two weekends in July as volunteers. The tools were donated by employees. The adjacent wall is done like a wall framing job, with a window and a site sign for a fictitious contractor showing what should be on a site sign, including the contractors number, Galassi said.

The waiting room also features a television tuned to the Home and Garden TV channel and a status board that displays appointments and other information.

David Doolittle with Sunshine Pools was at the department Monday, accompanied by his grandchildren Hailey Doolittle, 6, and Dylan Doolittle, 7.

As the youngsters looked at the mural, Doolittle said he has to pull permits in five surrounding counties in the course of his work.

Excerpt from:
Building department 'art wall' is visitor friendly

Miami Beach, FL (PRWEB) July 29, 2014

Home Show Management Corp, producer of the Miami Home Design and Remodeling Show, has been bringing consumers of home improvement products and services together with the trade for over forty years. The Labor Day weekend tradition opens to the public Friday, August 29th and continues through Tuesday, September 2 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. Participating exhibitors state that the sales generated at the show are a significant share of their annual business.

According to the Miami Association of Realtors, Miami real estate sales, particularly for single-family homes, continue to reflect strong demand. New condo construction has slowed the sales of existing condos, but the movement in the single family housing market should continue. Real estate growth goes hand-in-hand with home improvement spending, said Sharon Berube, spokesperson for the Show. So, the strength of the single-family home market should continue to fuel growth in home improvement spending.

Recently the National Association of the Remodeling Industry reported significant increases in both home improvement bid requests (up 6.29% )nationally and sales conversions( up 5.83%). Businesses exhibiting in the Labor Day Weekend show hope to match those national gains with strong sales during and following the event. If tradition holds true, said Berube, they will!

About the Home Show: Each Labor Day weekend, the Miami Beach Convention Center is transformed into a one-stop, interactive marketplace featuring thousands of products for home improvement, remodeling, interior design updates, outdoor improvements and enhanced South Florida lifestyles. In addition to a wide range of products on display, the show offers consumers the opportunity to talk one-on-one with professionals. Special show pricing offered throughout the five day event is an added incentive.

The show will also offer attendees entertaining activities at the event including complimentary seminars by industry experts on a variety of home improvement projects,. The Home Improvement Stage will feature tv lifestyle and design expert Jennifer Farrell who is currently featured on the Emmy-nominated series Home Made Simple (Oprah Winfrey Network). Jennifer will share top ten design tips for kitchen and bath remodeling, and offer special insight for condo owners on best practices for compact living. In addition to seminars the show features the Artist Encounter art show, featuring pop artist Stephen Gamson, daily cooking shows with guest chefs from around South Florida, original designer room settings by professional members of the interior design community, wine tastings and more.

Show hours: Friday (8/29) 6:00 pm-10:30 p.m.; Saturday & Sunday (8/30-31) noon-10:30 p.m.; Monday, Labor Day (9/1) noon-7:30 pm; Tuesday (9/2) 6:00 pm -10:30 pm.

Show Info: http://www.homeshows.net . Like us on http://www.facebook.com/FloridaHomeShow and follow us on Twitter @FLHomeShows.

Read more here:
Miami Home Design and Remodeling Show: A Forty Year South Florida Tradition in the Home Improvement Industry

New restaurant will open in Alex's old spot

Elijah Katkin hopes to have his new restaurant, The Brickroom, open by Aug. 1 in downtown Ashland where Alexs Plaza Restaurant and Bar operated. Daily Tidings / Jamie LuschJamie Lusch

By Teresa Ristow

Posted:2:00 AMJuly 26, 2014

The Plaza's newest restaurant will open early for espresso and close down late with music and drinks, and owner Elijah Katkin hopes it will serve as a locals gathering house.

The Brickroom is set to open to the public by Aug. 1, occupying the space where Alex's Plaza Restaurant and Bar operated for more than 25 years before closing in January.

"We're really excited about this space and we feel very lucky to have the opportunity to take it over," said Katkin, 34, who co-owns the Brickroom with his mother, Gina Katkin.

The second-story restaurant was completely gutted, leaving only the hood in the kitchen, and redesigned with a more open, friendly configuration.

A larger granite bar replaced the business's old bathrooms, leaving more room around the building's front windows for a stage and dancing space than before.

An auxiliary dining room that was seldom used by Alex's was transformed into larger, more modern bathrooms.

Link:
Make room for The Brickroom

While spring may be the season for cleaning up around the house in the Beehive State, summer is the unofficial remodeling season for many Utah homeowners. Making the decision to invest in home improvements can be especially important.

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SALT LAKE CITY While spring may be the season for cleaning up around the house in Utah, summer is the unofficial remodeling season for many Utah homeowners.

Whether it's adding a room or upgrading an already existing space, making the decision to invest in home improvements can be especially important, particularly as it relates to home values.

Experts advise homeowners to compare the construction costs of individual projects to estimates of their resale value. In Utah, the top projects include upgrading a bathroom, adding a new deck or a garage addition.

Some other improvements are popular, but seldom yield high resale value, according to Angie Nelden, president of the Salt Lake Board of Realtors.

Adding new high efficient windows can help save money on energy conservation, but dont offer homeowners the same kind of return on investment that a kitchen or bathroom renovation would, she said.

For a minor kitchen remodel, the (homeowner) gets 82.7 percent recouped, Nelden said. However, window replacement recoups about 65 percent. And basement remodels also very common recoup about 78 percent, she noted.

Homeowners, she said, should put the most money into the areas that will get them the most return if they decide to sell. Taking that approach is usually money well spent.

More:
Remodeling? Experts say some projects add to home value more than others

Heineman

Tips for controlling clutter

Whether it's a separate room, a corner of the kitchen or a desk in the guest room, one challenge of having a home office is keeping it neat and tidy. It's still a part of the house and not everyone wants to see stacks, piles and clutter.

Here are some tips for staying organized from Emily Davis and Cara Applegate of Ducks in a Row Organizing in Charleston:

Add decorated baskets or bins under your desk for storing supplies and work information.

Make use of vertical wall space by adding shelves for more storage space and add matching boxes or bins to house your supplies and paper. Use wall-mounted calendars, file storage containers and magnetic or cork boards to help in vertical organization.

Designate specific places for all of your paper: a file or binder system or keep it electronically.

Try to get rid of as much paper as possible. You probably don't need everything you have.

Use websites and apps such as Evernote to help you organize your emails, documents and lists.

Use Dropbox to electronically share and update documents with clients or coworkers.

Read more from the original source:
Taking your work home: Personal touches, creative storage add to home office functionality

SIOUX CITY | Ben Catus, station manager for Morningside College's student-run KMSC-FM, likes to think he represents the eyes and ears of the campus.

Unfortunately, the radio station's temporary digs aren't equipped with a window for Catus to actually see outside of his broadcast booth.

"It feels weird to be on the air in this tiny room," Catus said, as he sat inside the makeshift Lewis Hall studio that was formerly used for storage by the Spanish Department. "It feels closed-off at times."

Since June, KMSC has been broadcasting a few buildings away from its longtime Hickman-Johnson-Furrow Learning Center home.

The change in locale is because of remodeling being done inside of the Learning Center as well as the ongoing construction of two neighboring buildings, which will soon house new classrooms and an expanded advising center.

The $13 million project is expected to be complete by fall.

Dave Madsen, head of the college Mass Communications Department, said he chose Lewis Hall as KMSC's alternate site because the station's transmitter happens to be on the roof of the building. Madsen admits the control booth -- which has no air conditioning and is cooled solely by two small fans -- is far from ideal.

"We're basically broadcasting from inside of a closet," he admitted.

Once the Learning Center remodeling is complete, Catus will return to the old studio.

Still, the station's afternoon DJ is making the most of the situation.

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HORLYK: Former storage room becomes Morningside College radio studio

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