Eight Homework Areas That Make Back-To-School Rock

 It's hard to believe school is back in session. Now is the time to set aside a special place for the kiddos to get their homework done in peace. Here are some ideas for making homework less of a chore and more of a joy.

• The breakfast table or dining table is a great place to designate as your official homework area. You can prepare dinner and keep your eyes on your little workers at the same time.

• An architectural nook set aside for after-school work. The space is differentiated with a different color paint than the rest of the room; it's a room within a room. 

• A large stair landing or an underutilized nook in your home can transform into the ideal homework area with a diner booth setup. A built-in bookcase is a perfect place for stashing a dictionary, a thesaurus and a good atlas. 

• A homework area build-out offers everything children need to get their work done: a writing surface, task lighting, a corkboard, closed storage and cushioned seating. 

• Do you have a spare closet that could be outfitted as a homework station? No mess, no fuss - just close the doors when the space is not in use.

• Maybe your kids are easily distracted? Provide each child with a place to get his or her work done, but face them in opposite directions. This setup keeps learners focused on their own homework, rather than being visually distracted by a sibling.

• Maybe you could pair your workspace with your child's homework space. Both of you can get a little work done, but you can still be on hand for assistance and make sure your pride and joy stays on task.

• Color and style make organization more attractive to children. Really! Cubbies, files and a place for their stashes make homework time and locating papers that need signing less of a burden. A simple bookcase in a corner of the kitchen or in your back hall could easily be converted to help school-goers stay organized.

September 2012 Newsletter

To subscribe to our monthly newsletter click here.

American Cabinet & Flooring, Inc. - September 2012 - Newsletter      Featured in House Beautiful's 2012 - Kitchen of the Year - Kraftmaid Cabinetry teamed up with Chicago based kitchen designer Mick de Guilio for House Beautiful's 2012 Kitchen of the Year. The 1,000-square-foot kitchen was on display through Friday - July 20, 2012 - at Rockefeller Center in New York City. It represents transitional style and features a Butler's pantry sporting dove white painted Sedona cabinet doors with glass doors and matching interiors. The asymmetrical kitchen includes cabinets of varying heights that incorporate Slate stain contrasted by polished nickel hardware. All of the doors and drawers feature KraftMaid's soft-close Whisper Touch System.  "The Kitchen of the Year showcases the best of kitchen design and inspires homeowners with ideas they can bring into their own home," said Kate Thompson, lead KraftMaid designer on the project. The design did leave many dreaming about bringing the Kitchen of the Year to life in their homes. Well, dream no longer! Thanks to The Suffolk ReStore and KraftMaid one homeowner will have the opportunity to make the Kitchen of the Year cabinetry their own. As Kitchen of the Year came to an end, KraftMaid donated the cabinetry to the ReStore of Suffolk County, NY; which will sell the cabinets and donate the proceeds. The sale of the cabinetry will raise over $24,000 for Habitat for Humanity, giving one lucky individual the kitchen of their dreams and providing support to families in need. American Cabinet & Flooring is a proud carrier of KraftMaid Cabinetry. Come visit our design center and meet with one of our talented Design Specialists to get your remodel project started today!   Nine Whimsical Touches to Wake Up the Garden As the August heat started to wilt everything outdoors, ask yourself how you feel about this season's garden. Do you love every inch of it, or does all of that dead headed, pruned perfection leave you wanting more? It's time to have some fun in the garden, and this is the perfect time to start playing around and planning for next year. September is a great time to plant new trees, shrubs, and fall bulbs, and as everything starts to wither on the vine, you can spend your time painting the shed, building window boxes, adding trellises, bringing in a statue, changing up the plan, putting out birdseed in funky feeders and scooping up outdoor furniture and decor on clearance. Here are nine fun elements that will get your gardening mojo flowing again.  Vertical Delights: today's vertical gardens can take on all sorts of graphic designs. You can even create a sign, a painterly composition or spell out a monogram with plants on the wall. Cutouts: heart shapes entice visitors to pass through your garden doors. Unexpected Color Sneak a Design into the Plan View Wall Planters: classical statuary plantings with Medusa-like 'dos made of succulents bring a giggle to a fence or wall. Birdhouse Villages: the only thing more fun than a single birdhouse is a swinging singles birdhouse community. Embellish the Shed: you can go over the top with a shed in a way you can't on the main house. Have some fun with color and accents such as barn stars, window boxes, trellises and climbing vines. Surprising Scale: oversize items become eye-catchers when placed strategically in the garden. Kooky Statues: place a statue in a spot where people will delight in stumbling across it. We want to hear from you! We value feedback from our customers and want to hear how we did on your project. You can easily submit a review as well as see what others are saying about American Cabinet & Flooring by clicking on the following links: Angie's List Facebook Google Local CitySearch Yahoo Local Yellow Pages DexKnows Houzz Forward to a Friend GE Capital Fast. Smart. Simple. Quick Credit Decisions Simple & fast application process Low minimum monthly payments Come in & see a Sales Associate for program details and apply today! To subscribe to our monthly newsletter click here.

The Great Room Evolves

Eight new residential design trends turned heads at the annual Best in American Living Awards (BALA), presented by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) at the 2012 International Builder's Show. One of the most-buzzed-about was a changing approach to "the family triangle." The term refers to the three activities and spaces that generally draw families together: cooking (kitchen), eating (dining room), and relaxation (living/family/great room). The latest approach creates spaces that link these activities, as a traditional great room would, while also allowing private nooks. 

The family triangle continues the movement away from formal, compartmentalized space toward more open living. One of the judges, Heather McCune, Marketing Director for Bassenian Lagoni Architects of Newport Beach, CA, said demand for such spaces is strong across all buyer profiles, in all regions of the country.

Photo: Bassenian Lagoni Architects

More than a Big Room

But the family triangle is more than just a big room. It modifies the conventional open floor plan by including "different areas for different tasks and levels of comfort," says Amy Martino, principal of Building Site Synergy, an architectural firm in Media, PA. "It should be able to accommodate large groups, but should also feel comfortable if just one person is in the room." For instances, eliminating the living room and adding a flex space or den near the kitchen and family room allows for privacy when needed, but let's family members in different parts of the space easily interact with one another.

McCune isn't surprised at this trend. In fact, she sees adaptable spaces as a sign of the times. "We're looking to shrink the home's overall footprint, while allocating space in the home so it lives bigger. It seem natural in a post-recessionary period."

Emphasizing the Practical

To help the home live bigger, a plan that emphasizes the family triangle will eliminate spaces that aren't needed and more practical touches to spaces that are. Case in point: don't count on hallways sticking around. "The spaces that people never use are gone." says McCune. 

What you're more likely to see is a kitchen island with lots of convenient storage and an island sink that faces the living space. The expansive island provides useful workspace for one or more cooks, while also creating a "safe zone" that separates the cook from children and guests. When no one is cooking, the island can also serve as a place to study or work on a project. Incorporating varying counter heights makes the island comfortable for family members and guests of different ages, heights and levels of ability. 

A nearly universal element of the family triangle? "Some kind of kitchen command center," says McCune. Often a small dedicated desk area works as a place for bill paying or where children can do homework.

Defining Spaces

One challenge when designing a family triangle revolves around how to create small pockets of relative privacy in the midst of all that space. According to Martino, designers use architectural elements like ceiling treatments, columns and softfits to create distinct zones for reading, working or simply relaxing, while also retaining the openness of the overall space. 

Lighting plays an extremely important role, too. Different levels of lighting with dimmers can accommodate different tasks and completely change the room's ambience. Layered lighting - overhead, sconces, accent lighting, task lighting, and specialty lighting such as a chandelier or colorful pendant - can be adjusted, used separately, or as a group to create a sense of place within the space. 

Nine Whimsical Touches to Wake Up the Garden

If the August heat is wilting your enthusiasm, try these playful ideas to jump-start your gardening moxie

As the August heat starts to wilt everything outdoors, ask yourself how you feel about this season's garden. Do you love every inch of it, or does all of that dead headed, pruned perfection leave you wanting more? It's time to have some fun in the garden, and this is the perfect time to start playing around and planning for next year.

September is a great time to plant new trees, shrubs, and fall bulbs, and as everything starts to wither on the vine, you can spend your time painting the shed, building window boxes, adding trellises, bringing in a statue, changing up the plan, putting out birdseed in funky feeders and scooping up outdoor furniture and decor on clearance. Here are nine fun elements that will get your gardening mojo flowing again.

#1 Vertical Delights: today's vertical gardens can take on all sorts of graphic designs. You can even create a sign, a painterly composition or spell out a monogram with plants on the wall.

#2 Cutouts: heart shapes entice visitors to pass through your garden doors.

#3 Unexpected Color

#4 Sneak a Design into the Plan View

#5 Wall Planters: classical statuary plantings with Medusa-like 'dos made of succulents bring a giggle to a fence or wall

#6 Birdhouse Villages: the only thing more fun than a single birdhouse is a swinging singles birdhouse community.

#7 Embellish the Shed: you can go over the top with a shed in a way you can't on the main house. Have some fun with color and accents such as barn stars, window boxes, trellises and climbing vines. 

#8 Surprising Scale: oversize items become eye-catchers when placed strategically in the garden.

#9 Kooky Statues: place a statue in a spot where people will delight in stumbling across it. 

How to Work With a Remodeler

Avoid costly mistakes and get exactly the upgrade you want for your home by working with a professional remodeler.

Lifestyles evolve over time, and so do our homes. Babies are born; kids grow up and leave the nest; aging parents join the household. And even if a house functions just the way it needs to, changing design trends and new materials can leave older spaces looking a little musty and dusty.

That's where a professional remodeler comes in. Read on to find out what a remodeler can do for you and how to get the most out of your experience. 

What a remodeler does: A remodeler is a contractor with a focus on making structural alterations to an existing home or building. He or she implements architectural plans and sometimes provides residential design services. Remodelers also perform many of the same duties as a general contractor, such as hiring and overseeing subcontractors and sourcing materials. Many states have certification requirements for remodelers. 

When to hire one: If you're planning a significant change or addition to your home, hire a remodeling contractor to ensure the integrity of the design and construction, and also to ensure that you'll meet current building codes. Remodelers also are well versed in cost estimating, legal issues and other nuts and bolts concerns.

What it will cost: Remodelers' fees take several different forms, and costs vary widely depending on the nature of the work and the materials used. While some will agree to a flat fee, others charge a percentage of the total labor and materials cost (typically 10 to 15 percent, but sometimes as high as 25 percent).

It's worth noting that, as with many aspects of home improvement, you get what you pay for - a remodeler who may charge more but has deep experience and a sterling reputation is generally worth the extra cost. Don't hire based on the lowest estimate alone. 

Where to find one: Browse the directory of professionals on Houzz.com or use a reliable source such as the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). Check to see if there are remodelers' trade organizations in your area as well. Another professional you're working with, such as an interior designer, also may be able to give you leads.

If you notice that one of your neighbors is having work done (remodelers often place a sign with their name and logo in the front yard during construction), ask whether they'd recommend the professional they've hired. 

Have a clear idea of what you want: Maybe you're looking to double the size and change the footprint of a dated kitchen, or perhaps you want to convert your attic into a guest suite. Think through the scope of the project you have in mind and create a Houzz ideabook or pull other design resources for inspiration. Don't worry too much about whether every detail is feasible; your remodeler will help you brainstorm alternatives if it isn't.

Interview the candidates on your short list: Not only should you confirm that they have experience with the type of project you have in mind, but you'll also want to be sure that you have a good rapport and communicate well.

Ask detailed questions about job history, professional training and affiliations, licensing requirements and insurance, and get the names of a few references. If lead paint is a concern in your home, you may also need to confirm that the remodeler is lead-safe certified under EPA guidelines. 

Visit an in progress job-site (if possible): Ask to drop by one of the remodeler's current job sites. This can give you a sneak peek at what your experience might be like. Is the site clean and well maintained, and does work appear to be progressing in an orderly fashion? Look closely at the quality of the construction and the attention to detail as well.

Be sure you understand the terms of the contract: Once you've chosen a pro, go over the contract in detail to be sure you won't encounter any surprises. Besides basics such as contact information for the remodeler and others who will be supervising, license number, insurance information, it should include a start-to-finish timetable, a materials list with price breakdowns, payment terms, change order specifications, blueprint or detailed sketches and provisions for conflict resolution. Don't be shy about asking the remodeler to clarify any details you find confusing.

Confirm which areas of your home the project will affect: You may be remodeling a single room, but the temporary disruption could extend to adjacent spaces. Plumbing, electrical wiring and other behind-the-walls systems might be affected as well. Ask the remodeler which rooms the work will touch so that you can prepare accordingly.

Do your part to make the remodeler's job easier: Clear out furniture from affected rooms, be sure the work crew has adequate space to park and transport materials, and make provisions to keep pets and kids well out of the way. Give the remodeler an idea of your family's daily schedule and stick to it as closely as possible to minimize disruptions to the workflow. 

Make sure you're easily reachable even when you're not onsite. And if you decide to make a change along the way, try not to drag out the decision-making process, which can throw the timetable significantly off schedule.

Don't wait to call attention to issues: Few, if any, remodeling jobs reach the finish line without a few bumps and snags along the way. Speak up as soon as a problem arises, whether it's substandard work quality, a communication breakdown or a subcontractor who leaves the site in disarray. That way, you and the remodeler can agree on a plan to resolve it as soon as possible, before work proceeds too far - and you'll feel reassured that you'll be completely satisfied when it comes time to make the final payment for the job.