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April home-maintenance checklistFix fences, improve energy efficiency and spiff up your home's entrance.
15 ways to update your kitchenNo huge remodel required; try these clever tips for a fabulous face lift.
Refreshing your kitchen for a resaleThese 5 changes can add a new feel to an old design.
Update your entry on a budgetTransform your home's look with easy updates to your entryway.
Get a smart home at any price point These 5 smart-home systems range from $2,000 to more than $1 million.
What's haunting your house?Learn what's behind those odd noises, creepy voices or scary visions.
Building the right fenceHere's how to plan, design and buy a fence that meets your budget.
10 kid-spoiling home additionsThese elements may rock your kids' world and add value to your house.
How to pressure wash your houseIf you want a clean house, you must use this powerful tool correctly.

© Robbie Caponetto

© Robbie Caponetto

© Robbie Caponetto

© MyHomeIdeas.com

© John O'Hagan

© MyHomeIdeas.com

© Jean Allsopp

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wow!, i missed the whole conversation, or did i miss the argument. somebody enlighten me! RSVP.
Some of these projects look pretty expensive! These days we are looking for bargains. I would like to know
if someone could advise me on what type wall shelves or containers for a home office are most efficient and
look best. I am using the fabric suede type boxes now from Target but I need to use some wall space for
the best use of available corner room. I really like natural wood and look......Thanks. Chuck
I'd have to agree with you raykibb! ![]()
stupid sex spam junk - I know I personally have complained several times about this same exact post when I found it in other areas of the msn pages....
First off, this is a wonderful idea if you don't mind loosing the bathroom.
Second, what is up with all the comments for sex related sites? This is not an intelligent conversation.
Add a room without adding on
Powder room to bar and laundry
The challenge: How do you add a laundry room to a modest 1930s cottage without losing crucial closet space?
The solution: Cottage Living Style Editor Heather Chadduck said goodbye to a cramped powder room and built a desperately needed laundry area there instead.
“At first I was hesitant to lose a bathroom,” Chadduck says, “but it seemed like such a waste of space since it was right next door to a full bath.” For an unexpected twist, she hung an off-the-shelf tablecloth on a slim metal curtain rod to mask the appliances when she's not using them. During parties, she uses the countertop as a bar area — the most popular spot for mingling.
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Add a room without adding on
Transformation process
With the help of a carpenter, Chadduck tore out the old bathroom fixtures and opened up the wall. Then she built a pedestal to raise the washer and dryer off the floor, lined the top half of the closet with beaded board, and installed a concrete countertop. Finally, she stocked the bar with drinks above and detergent below.
Add a room without adding on
Smart details
When remodeling a tight space like this, it’s the little touches that make the biggest difference:
Chadduck cut a pom-pom-fringed tablecloth in half and sewed curtain rings onto the hem. When she's not doing laundry, she closes the curtain.
A concrete countertop does double duty as a bar or as a table for folding laundry.
A simple, narrow cart holds detergent and everyday cleaning supplies, keeping household items below the counter and bar supplies above it.
A carpenter built a platform to raise the height of the washer and dryer, saving Chadduck from deep knee bends.
Add a room without adding on
Closet to compact home office
The challenge: How do you add a home office to accommodate busy family life?
The solution: Take an underutilized hall closet and turn it into a useful and attractive home office.
In order to carve out this practical workspace, homeowners Lisa and Richard Todd had to think outside the box — and inside the closet. They added shelving and a laminate desk that runs the length of the closet, and installed electrical and phone lines for proper lighting and computer use.
The Todds also livened up the space with vivid colors (aloe green for the walls, blue for accents and accessories), a custom framed bulletin board and a decorative butterfly motif.
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Add a room without adding on
Blank wall to bookcase
The challenge: How can you liven up an unused staircase wall while following a development’s design and architecture regulations?
The solution: Add a unique built-in bookcase for style and function in an unexpected place.
Instead of serving only as a path from one floor to the next, the savvy stairwell in this home offers creative storage and display space. “The requirement of having windows in the stairwell left us with a strange transition between stair treads and wall,” says interior designer Lila Adams. To avoid ordinary linear shelves, boxes were built to fill the gap between the steps and the window. “Using random sizes and shapes, you obtain an artistic and visually stimulating stairway and a great place to stop and ponder your next beach read,” Adams says.
Add a room without adding on
Closet to open bar
The challenge: How does a couple find extra space to entertain?
The solution: Convert an undeveloped and undervalued walk-in storage closet into a centrally located bar.
Known by family and friends as consummate entertainers, Toni and Gary Hightower believed that this essential space, at the heart of just about everything, was not reaching its full potential. “I call it my hole in the wall, because it wasn’t supposed to be,” Toni Hightower says. “It was a regular closet. You always need storage, but we entertain so much, we needed a wet bar even more. It’s large enough to fit the basic elements for entertaining.”
Add a room without adding on
Garage to home office
The challenge: How can you renovate a dilapidated garage on the original 528-square-foot foundation?
The solution: Turn part of the space into a home-office getaway and keep the rest for storage.
“For those who work at home, the garage can be a great getaway,” says homeowner Virginia Hendrick. When she learned that her hometown would require her to rebuild her outdated garage on the existing foundation, Hendrick knew she had a challenge on her hands. Windows, an updated door and shutters transform the previously plain building’s exterior.
Add a room without adding on
Breakfast room to laundry room
The challenge: How do you add space for a washer and dryer without adding on a laundry room?
The solution: Renovate a tiny, unused breakfast nook into a double-duty laundry room and serving area.
By concealing a front-loading washer and dryer in a custom cabinet, homeowners Janice and Peter Young created a multipurpose space. One minute it's a fully functional laundry with plenty of room for folding and hanging clothes. Then, once clothes are put away, it becomes a decorative serving area.
Because the space is in plain view, the Youngs chose to conceal the washer and dryer within a cabinet. Baskets hide clothing, and a plate rack is adapted for hanging clothes.
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