Skip to content
  • RULES OF
    GOOD DESIGN
    • BEAUTY
    • FLEXIBLE
    • TIMELESS
      • Christopher Alexander “TIMELESS”
    • FUN
    • ALIVE
    • FLOW
    • LIGHT
    • FIT
      • 1-2 BAD FIT
      • BEDROOMS IN BASEMENT
    • SITE
    • ONE
    • HUMAN NATURE
    • PROSPECT & REFUGE
    • INTERIOR DECORATING
    • PATTERNS OF CHRISTOPHER ALEXANDER
    • BEFORE & AFTER
    • SIZE OF ROOM
  • 2 PROCESS OF
    DESIGN
    • SEE-DRAW-BUILD, EXAMPLES
    • BAD RENO vs GOOD RENO
    • DESIGN WITH MEMORIES
    • COMPROMISE
    • LET THE HOUSE TELL YOU!
    • LET DESIGN EVOLVE
    • DESIGN BY COPYING
    • SPEED VS SLOW
    • DESIGN WITH SENSES
    • BEFORE COMPUTERS & 3D
    • DESIGN WITH COMPUTERS
    • ADDING INPERFECTIONS
    • WORK BACKWARDS
    • WORK ALONE
    • CONSTRUCTION & YOUR MARRIAGE
    • OPTIMISM
    • THINKING, BEING IN THE FLOW
    • WHEN ARE YOU DONE?
    • SO…. HOW’D IT GO FOR ME?
  • 3 DOUBTS
    & WORRIES
    • AFTER IT IS DONE…
    • AFFORDABLE HOUSEING
    • AVOIDING FAILURE
    • BE HUMBLE & KIND
    • BE YOUR OWN CONTRACTOR?
    • DEFERRED MAINTANCE
    • DELAYS & WAITING
    • DESIGN FOR THE AUTISTIC SPECTRUM
    • DESIGN FOR YOU? OR THEM?
    • DUNNING-KRUGER EFFECT
    • HAVING DOUBTS
    • HOUSE AFFECTS YOU KEEP
    • HOW THIS CAN GO SIDEWAYS
    • IT TAKES SO MUCH TIME!
    • KEEPING SANE
    • DIRT
    • LANGUAGE BARRIER
    • MAKING DECISIONS
    • MONEY
    • MOVING TARGETS…
    • NIGHTMARE!
    • SELL? MOVE? RENOVATE?
    • TOO MANY CHOICES
    • TIME OR MONEY
    • WHY RENOVATE?
    • WHAT IF ITS GOOFY?
  • 4 GREAT
    DESIGNERS
    • BUNNY MELLON
    • BUNNY WILLIAMS
    • Christopher Alexander
    • Edith Wharton
    • JAMES CRISP
    • JUHANI PALLASAA
    • Nikos Salingaros
    • PATRICK AHEARN
  • 5 CONTRATORS
    & SUBS
    • Demo
    • DOORS
    • DRIVEWAY
    • DRYWALL
    • ELECTRIC
    • FOUNDATION & CEMENT
    • HVAC
    • GUTTERS
    • HARDWARE
    • LIGHTS & FANS
    • LANDSCAPING
    • PAINTING EXTERIOR
    • PAINTING INTERIOR
    • PLUMBING & GAS
    • PUNCH LIST
    • TILE
    • TIPS?
    • WINDOWS (build, subs)
  • 6 BEFORE
    BUILDING
    • 3 UGLIES…dumpster, portable potty, signs
    • APPRAISAL
    • THE ARCHITECT
    • AS BUILT
    • BANKS
    • THE BID…
    • CHECK LIST FOR CHEAP DESIGN
    • BLUEPRINTS
    • CONTRACTOR
    • PERMITS
    • SAFTEY
    • SURVEY & SET BACKS
  • 7 ROOMS
    & PLACES
    • ATTIC
    • BATHROOM
    • CANTILIVERED PLACES
    • CAT ROOM
    • CEILING
    • CLOSET
    • DECKS
    • DINING ROOM
    • DRIVEWAY
    • DORMERS
    • ELEVATOR
    • EVES
    • FIREPLACE, RAISED
    • FLOORS
    • FOCAL VIEW
    • FOYER
    • GARAGE
    • GUTTERS
    • HALL
    • HIDDEN PLACES
    • INSULATION & SOUND PROOFING
    • KITCHEN
    • LAUNDRY
    • LIVING ROOM
    • MACHINE ROOM
    • PORCHES
    • RAIN SHOWER
    • ROOF
    • SHOWER
    • STAIRS
    • STORAGE ROOM
    • SUNROOM
    • TRASH
    • TRIM
    • VESTIBULE
    • WALLS
    • WINDOWS (PLACE)
  • 8 ABOUT
    ME
  • ...