Tabla de contenidos para Feb/March 2021 en House Beautiful

It’s fair to say we’re in the midst of a renovation boom—so Editorial Director Joanna Saltz chatted with experts across the country to better understand the highs…and lows. WANT TO TALK? E-MAIL ME AT EDITOR@HOUSEBEAUTIFUL.COM. Joanna Saltz: I’m hearing that it has never been more expensive to build than right now. What is going on? Kiley Baun: In Philadelphia we have a huge demand. I think there’s been more of an interest in design over the last couple of years and particularly since COVID-19. Dustin Ence: Our home costs for new construction have almost doubled in the last two to three years. In southern Utah, we’re getting a lot of people coming from cities and towns that have been under much more strenuous lockdown. We’re busier than ever. Jessica Pleasants:…

1. Count the panes. Are there multiple layers of glass or just a single one? If it’s the latter, you might want to upgrade. “Double- and triple-paned glass will reduce energy consumption and cost,” says architect R D Gentzler. 2. Feel for a breeze. A drafty room means you’re spending more on heating and cooling, says Gentzler. One telltale sign is if your curtains move even when a window is closed (you can let your resident ghost off the hook for this one). 3. Check for rot. Bubbled, peeling paint and swollen wood that’s not flush with the wall point to signs of rot. If you’re not sure, a basic home inspection will clear things up. 4. Open it up. An obvious—but often overlooked—test: Simply see if the window is…

Safe & Sound A smart lock will allow you to open and secure your WeShed remotely (e.g., from bed!) by simply tapping your phone. Not sold on keypads? A Level Lock turns your existing hardware into a smart lock. “It was created for people who equally value design, security, and technology,” says John Martin, Level cofounder and CEO.…

Laura Stanley + Lizzie Bailey BOZEMAN, MT + NEW YORK Onetime design magazine editors Laura Stanley (formerly of Country Living and Martha Stewart Living) and Lizzie Bailey, an alum of House & Garden, decided to join forces to launch their design firm, Story Street Studio, in 2019. Their shared appreciation for layering old and new—with plenty of patterns in the mix!—results in interiors that make their inhabitants feel “joyful, energized, and at ease.” Their former careers still shape the way they work: When it comes to getting inspired, “we rely on—some might say hoard—a massive stockpile of old magazines,” Stanley says. @storyststudio Anthony Dunning / NEW YORK Besides being a designer, Anthony Dunning is a classically trained opera singer, Realtor, home stager, consignment shop owner, and artist. “My arts background…

“SHE NEEDED IT TO BE A HAPPY PLACE,” RECALLS DESIGNER KESHA FRANKLIN. BUT THIS seemingly simple design directive belied a much more nuanced task. Franklin, the founder of New Jersey–based Halden Interiors, had been enlisted by a set of siblings to help their recently widowed mother renovate her new waterfront condo in Weehawken. If anyone knew about new beginnings, it was the apartment’s owner, Patricia Hunter-Bunyan, a psychoanalyst and grief counselor. “There was a very interesting dynamic of a healer seeking healing,” says Franklin, who endeavored to “lift” the white-walled space to create a sophisticated backdrop for her client’s large—and meaningful—art collection, a mix of works by Black contemporary artists and pieces picked up during extensive travels with her late husband. It was a challenge, the designer says, that aligned perfectly…

TRADITIONAL For historic (or historically inspired) homes like this brownstone designed by Paloma Contreras, windows with grids—strips of wood, metal, or another material used to visually divide the panes—are the classic choice. ARTS AND CRAFTS Organic and geometric, this style is full of quirky intricacies. Here, Paul Bertelli of JLF Architects incorporated reclaimed materials in an arched leaded glass window (another Arts and Crafts staple). CONTEMPORARY Large plate glass windows with few visual separations are a natural accompaniment for minimalist decor. They also allow a stunning view to take center stage, like in this apartment by designer Ahmad AbouZanat. MIDCENTURY MODERN Wall-spanning windows (and clerestory windows, above eye level along the roofline) provided ample light for the open floor plans of post-WWII homes. In this room by Madeline Stuart, wood…

Walk-in Closet: Picking out an outfit will be 100 percent more enjoyable when your floor mirror is awash in natural light (but still private). Kitchen Island: If you need task lighting, bright overhead lights will work, of course, but imagine prepping ingredients under crystal-clear sunshine! Home Office: For a private mood-and-productivity-boosting room, install a skylight right over your desk. Even at night, it’ll be inspiring: Look up to see stars in the sky. TREND FORECAST The old-school energy of stained glass contrasts perfectly with contemporary decor. It can also be a great problem-solver, providing privacy or hiding a less-than-stellar view while still letting in natural light, as in this home by Reath Design.…

ARCHIVE DIVE: JULY 1978 SOAKING TUBS For a truly spa-like experience at home, a Japanese-style tub is a worthy investment. Former vice president Nelson Rockefeller’s bathroom, designed by famed architect Junzo Yoshimura, was clad in fragrant maki wood for next-level relaxation. ARCHIVE DIVE: FEBRUARY 1988 WALL SCONCES For the most flattering effect, skip the too-bright overhead fixtures and opt for old-school wall lights. Layer with lamps or candles, like designer Marlea Cashman did in this vintage-inspired showhouse space. WHAT’S NEXT Vinyl Tiles To cover drab floors (and cushion your feet), spring for these easy-to-install squares. ARCHIVE DIVE: FEBRUARY 1995 ALLOVER PATTERN Top-to-toe toile can be just as chic in the bath as it is in a bedroom—Yves and Michelle Halard used a classic French design in their château WHAT’S NEXT…

STANDARD These come in an array of different styles, from simple panels to slat-like louvers or rustic board-and-batten. Atlantic Architectural Raised Panel shutters, decorativeshutters.com BAHAMA Also called Bermuda shutters, these attach to the top of a window for extra protection from heavy tropical rains and wind. Standard Bermuda shutters, timberlane.com INTERIOR These block out light from inside the window, similar to blinds or curtains, but fold open like exterior shutters. NewStyle Hybrid shutters, hunterdouglas.com…

As busy parents can attest, what busy parents really need is some quality alone time. It was with this in mind that husband-and-wife team Brett and Kara Phillips of High Street Homes dreamt up a 440-square-foot back house dubbed “The WeShed” for our 2020 Whole Home Concept House in Colorado. Part indoor hangout space and part covered patio, the building was constructed to serve as a retreat for date night—though every family member would want to use it. “We thought about our own lives, and realized this could be a place for having one-on-one time with each other, but also with our kids individually to really connect away from technology,” Kara says, pointing to the roomy window seat, kitchenette, and split-unit heating and cooling system that make it so cozy.…

“It’s like a marriage: Is this [house] the one, or are you trying to make it into something it’ll never be?”—VICTORIA SASS, PROSPECT REFUGE STUDIO 1. YOU DIDN’T BUILD OUT THE BUDGET. ONLY ONE IN THREE renovation projects actually comes in on budget, according to a Houzz report. The primary reasons? Scope creep (“You might as well repair that while you’re here”), extra work fixing a previous contractor’s mistakes, and surprises after demolition. New builds come with their own eye-openers—not to mention expenses like land preparation, builder fees, or post-construction landscaping that homeowners may not have originally considered. Having funds reserved for the unexpected (NerdWallet recommends creating a cash reserve of 10 to 20 percent of your project budget) will make those costs less painful when they arrive, and help…

SCROLLING THROUGH LISTINGS online seems to be the first step these days. But when Joy Cho set out to find her family’s dream home, she landed somewhere else: Google Earth. It was 2014, and Cho, the graphic designer behind blog-turned-lifestyle-brand Oh Joy!, was looking to trade the apartment she shared with her surgeon husband and young daughter for a full-fledged house in Los Angeles that checked all the boxes—good school district, outdoor space, reasonable price. It wasn’t going well. “We were about to give up when a friend suggested that we basically look for patches of land from the sky,” says Cho. They struck gold with an adjacent pair of hillside lots, and with the help of Project M Plus (aka husband-and-wife duo McShane and Cleo Murnane—he’s an architect, she’s…

IT WAS EARLY MARCH, AND LOS Angeles designer Katie Hodges had just set a construction date for her latest project, a Studio City house that Cupcakes and Cashmere founder Emily Schuman had recently purchased with her husband. A full renovation of the kitchen had been finalized; new bathrooms were in the works. And then COVID-19 hit. “It threw a big wrench in our plans,” recalls Hodges. But rather than hit pause indefinitely, she and Schuman decided to re-strategize. They scrapped major construction for more cosmetic fixes—like new fireplace surrounds and refinished floors—that could take place over the summer, and with the kitchen and baths no longer top of mind, “we wanted to make a bigger impact with furnishings.” Imagining how a lifestyle guru (Schuman’s résumé includes books, a clothing line,…