JTGoldberg's blog http://www.blogher.com/blog/32662/atom/feed 2008-07-16T00:09:00-05:00 The upside of Man Caves! http://www.blogher.com/upside-man-caves 2008-11-05T09:52:00-06:00 2008-11-05T09:52:00-06:00 JTGoldberg My husband hates HGTV and most aspects of home design bore him to tears.  The one exception is entertainment electronics.  He's been grumbling about a noisy fan in our master bedroom for almost a year, and hasn't called anyone to fix it yet, but when the big screen TV went fuzzy recently, he was on the phone within an hour to find a repair tech! 

]]> My husband hates HGTV and most aspects of home design bore him to tears.  The one exception is entertainment electronics.  He's been grumbling about a noisy fan in our master bedroom for almost a year, and hasn't called anyone to fix it yet, but when the big screen TV went fuzzy recently, he was on the phone within an hour to find a repair tech! 

His ideal man cave would be a home theater room with all the bells and whistles.  That would be fine with me -- as the Abbott & Costello piece from his ex-wife will move out of our office and into that room pronto!  The mugs from around the world and Don Rickles-autographed hockey puck might find a home there, too!  

If you're sensing a decluttering trend here, you're not wrong.  A man cave frees your home of his sentimental, not always style-friendly, stuff!  You should embrace the man cave.  It lives in the unused room of your house, maybe a spare bedroom or basement.  It's where he relaxes with his stuff and his buddies.  It's where they put their feet up and ignore coasters.  Here's a guide to planning a man cave for your guy:

http://jgkitchens.blogspot.com/2008/11/in-praise-of-man-caves-with-prime...

 

]]> Counter Intelligence http://www.blogher.com/counter-intelligence 2008-10-07T11:00:02-05:00 2008-10-07T11:00:02-05:00 JTGoldberg Are you looking at your 20-year-old countertops wondering why their raggedy selves are still there?  Do you pine for the handsome stones you see in kitchen mags?  Have you ever seen recycled glass or concrete counters?  In my current blog posting, I "Pro" and "Con" different countertop options, and feature many different types in a StyleFile feature.  Enjoy! 

]]> Are you looking at your 20-year-old countertops wondering why their raggedy selves are still there?  Do you pine for the handsome stones you see in kitchen mags?  Have you ever seen recycled glass or concrete counters?  In my current blog posting, I "Pro" and "Con" different countertop options, and feature many different types in a StyleFile feature.  Enjoy! 

]]> "Laundry Lust" http://www.blogher.com/laundry-lust 2008-08-27T21:10:10-05:00 2008-08-27T21:10:10-05:00 JTGoldberg This posting isn't about sitting atop vibrating spin cycles or meeting Mr.

]]> This posting isn't about sitting atop vibrating spin cycles or meeting Mr. Right at the laundromat.  I'm sorry if you're disappointed.  (OK, not really.  But I got your attention, right!)  Weekends at Casa de Jamie, husband and teenager are typically about two or three loads of whites and an equal amount of darks.  Our master bedroom, where our hampers live, is at one end of the house and up a flight of steps.  Our laundry room, where the washer and dryer patiently await tribute, is on the first floor near the garage.  In our five years of living in this house, we have never once walked into the house from the car and put our clothes in the machines.  Have you?  Or does your wardrobe and linen closet travel, like ours, up stairs, down stairs and across the entire length of your home?  Sometimes, the baskets get so heavy that I ask my husband to bring them upstairs.  (I'm not the bodybuilder I was in my 30s!) 

So if the Remodeling Fairy raised his magic money wand in my direction, I might ask for the new Asko washer/dryer set.  It was one of my favorite finds at the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show this year, and could conceivably convert my weekly laundry trek into a much more back- and knee-friendly stroll.  I put it in my Top Bath Products from KBIS 2008 blog posting last night, as a "Bonus" note at the end. 

I'd love your comments on:

1) Where you'd love to have your washer/dryer located in your home?
2) Which of these Top Bath Products intrigue you the most?

Best,
Jamie

]]> HGTV vs. Real Life http://www.blogher.com/hgtv-vs-real-life 2008-08-19T22:46:12-05:00 2008-08-19T22:46:12-05:00 JTGoldberg Any HGTV fans on BlogHer?  Since I'm a professional kitchen and bath designer, prospective clients mention the Home & Garden Television channel all the time, and I often enjoy watching it myself.  There are so many terrific projects shown.  At the same time, the actual process of bringing those projects to life is so fundamentally different than what you see on television, I feel compelled to share some of the differences between real life and HGTV that

]]> Any HGTV fans on BlogHer?  Since I'm a professional kitchen and bath designer, prospective clients mention the Home & Garden Television channel all the time, and I often enjoy watching it myself.  There are so many terrific projects shown.  At the same time, the actual process of bringing those projects to life is so fundamentally different than what you see on television, I feel compelled to share some of the differences between real life and HGTV that are helpful to know if you're planning a remodeling project.    HGTV:A full-scale kitchen or bath remodel is completed in 30 minutes.   REAL LIFE:A full-scale, full-service kitchen or bath remodel is completed in 30 days or -- more typically -- longer.  (Yes, I know there are one-week bath firms out there, but their scope is somewhat limited.) HGTV:The happy homeowners see their re-done room for the first time at the 25th minute of the show. REAL LIFE:The homeowners are on site the entire time and see their room at all phases of the project.  These include the scary "there's no sink in here" phase, the dusty construction phase, and the touch-ups at the end phase long before my personal favorite "everybody hugs each other" phase. HGTV:A designer magically appears when you need one and knows all of your wants and needs after a five-minute meeting. REAL LIFE:You spend significant amounts of your free time looking for a designer, interviewing designers and, if you hire a true professional, spend more than an hour sharing your preferences and needs with someone who will factor them into your remodel.  HGTV:Budgets are rarely, if ever, discussed. REAL LIFE:

You're dealing in real dollars -- your hard-earned dollars -- and the professionals you hire need to respect your budget and advise you if a choice you make impacts it.  

 HGTV:Covers the annual Kitchen/Bath Industry Show in a one-hour special and features exotic products you'll probably never consider or really need. REAL LIFE:Check out my Gold Notes blog posting this week at http://jgkitchens.blogspot.com/ for top products from the show that you might actually want to buy.

]]> My Olympic Dream http://www.blogher.com/my-olympic-dream 2008-08-12T21:58:53-05:00 2008-08-12T21:58:53-05:00 JTGoldberg So Dara Torres isn't the only 40-something American female with high hopes for these games.   Check out my weekly blog posting to see what this hopelessly non-athletic designing woman's Olympic dreams look like.

]]> So Dara Torres isn't the only 40-something American female with high hopes for these games.   Check out my weekly blog posting to see what this hopelessly non-athletic designing woman's Olympic dreams look like.

I'll give you a hint… My medal wouldn't be gold, silver or bronze -- more like stainless steel. While the message is tongue-in-cheek -- I hope! -- there are some useful tidbits here, too, an inspirational moment and a fundraising appeal. 

]]> Healthier Kitchens - Countertops, Cabinets and Flooring http://www.blogher.com/healthier-kitchens-countertops-cabinets-and-flooring 2008-08-05T14:03:42-05:00 2008-08-05T14:03:42-05:00 JTGoldberg I bought a catalog cabinet to hold our cook books and some cookware last year that made me sick.  Whenever I walked into the kitchen or family room -- where we spend most of our time! -- I would get headaches.  It didn't take me long to finger the low-budget import as the off-gassing culprit.  I'll never again buy another cabinet or furniture piece from a country without environmental controls.  Nor should you, if you want to keep yourself and your family safe!

]]> I bought a catalog cabinet to hold our cook books and some cookware last year that made me sick.  Whenever I walked into the kitchen or family room -- where we spend most of our time! -- I would get headaches.  It didn't take me long to finger the low-budget import as the off-gassing culprit.  I'll never again buy another cabinet or furniture piece from a country without environmental controls.  Nor should you, if you want to keep yourself and your family safe!

As an independent kitchen designer, I can choose which project components I recommend to my clients, and which ones I suggest they avoid.  (I'm not restricted by allegiance to a single showroom paying my salary.) 

I just finished a post on my blog about four products I feel comfortable recommending.  These include quartz and Corian's (very cool new!) Illumination countertops; Breathe Easy cabinetry and Marmoleum Click flooring.  All offer health, as well as style, benefits.   

Breathe Easy is particularly noteworthy.  I call it the Volvo of cabinets:  safer, stylish, upscale, built to last.  You would never know by looking at these beauties that they're eco-friendly with formaldehyde-free construction and low-to-no VOC finishes.  They just look gorgeous! 

Feel free to ask me any kitchen or bath design question you have, or participate in my FREE "Help My Home" blog offering.  (Details on the upper right corner of my blog's home page.)

]]> Granite countertops, radon and cancer -- media hype or major problem! http://www.blogher.com/granite-countertops-radon-and-cancer-media-hype-or-major-problem 2008-07-27T23:55:06-05:00 2008-07-27T23:55:06-05:00 JTGoldberg The New York Times, Fox Business News and numerous other well-known media outlets are carrying headlines about the link between granite countertops, radon and cancer.  Lawyers are advertising for granite buyers to join lawsuits.  (Who are they going after, Mother Nature?)  Several friends and relatives sent me the articles this past week, knowing that I help clients choose materials for their building and remodeling projects. 

]]> The New York Times, Fox Business News and numerous other well-known media outlets are carrying headlines about the link between granite countertops, radon and cancer.  Lawyers are advertising for granite buyers to join lawsuits.  (Who are they going after, Mother Nature?)  Several friends and relatives sent me the articles this past week, knowing that I help clients choose materials for their building and remodeling projects. 

The link between radon and granite isn't new -- or news, for that matter -- but since this is the first time it's become a front-page/prime time story since I earned my design certification, I decided that I needed to comment on the matter and provide what I believe to be a full accounting. 

My blog posting tonight covers the topic at length, with links to some of the news stories, helpful resources and scientific testing results.  If you have any questions after reading it, please feel free to drop me a note.

Jamie Goldberg, AKBD
http://www.jgkitchens.com
http://jgkitchens.blogspot.com/

 

]]> Does your kitchen or bath need some style or storage help? http://www.blogher.com/does-your-kitchen-or-bath-need-some-style-or-storage-help 2008-07-25T00:13:34-05:00 2008-07-25T00:13:34-05:00 JTGoldberg I've added a "Help My Home" feature to my blog recently and am looking for submissions from folks with kitchen or bath design/storage problems to solve or questions they want answered on improving those spaces.  It's free, of course.   Go to my blog home page at http://jgkitchens.blogspot.com/ for submission details.

]]> I've added a "Help My Home" feature to my blog recently and am looking for submissions from folks with kitchen or bath design/storage problems to solve or questions they want answered on improving those spaces.  It's free, of course.   Go to my blog home page at http://jgkitchens.blogspot.com/ for submission details.

Each month, I'll choose one Q and A to feature on my residential design blog, Gold Notes.  Are you interested, or know someone who would be?  (If so, please pass this along!  I'd really appreciate it.) 

I'm an NKBA-certified kitchen and bath designer.  While I do charge for my services when I make a site visit, design a room layout, coordinate colors and materials, or help someone shop for their fixtures, flooring, appliances, lighting, etc., I'm happy to answer as many questions as I can via e-mail without charge.  Design is both my profession and my passion!

Thanks, fellow Bloghers!

Jamie
www.jgkitchens.com

]]> Kitchen Tools that Multi-Task - Great for Holiday Entertaining and Year-round Efficiency! http://www.blogher.com/kitchen-tools-multi-task-great-holiday-entertaining-and-year-round-efficiency 2008-07-22T22:49:53-05:00 2008-07-22T22:49:53-05:00 JTGoldberg I've come up with some strategies to beef up your kitchen storage, improve its efficiency, add cooking and party power -- all without a major remodel.  These four tools can make your holidays less crazy and turbo-charge your kitchen. 

]]> I've come up with some strategies to beef up your kitchen storage, improve its efficiency, add cooking and party power -- all without a major remodel.  These four tools can make your holidays less crazy and turbo-charge your kitchen. 

They're built on the multi-tasking principle.  You do it, why shouldn't your kitchen?  For example, put these unused spaces to work:  Your kitchen ceiling and backsplash.   Upgrade your microwave to one that also serves as a food warmer and second oven.   Get a three-in-one-appliance that fits into a two-foot space.   I've spelled them all out in detail on my latest blog posting.  Check it out if you're interested in products that can make your kitchen work harder and your holiday entertaining easier!

Also, if you have a vexing question about your kitchen's (or bathroom's) layout, storage situation or overall style, please take part in my new design service:  Help My Home.  There's no charge and no commitment, only a willingness to have your question posted on my blog, Gold Notes:  Nuggets from the Residential Design World.

]]> Aging-in-Place Design: Making your parents safe and comfortable in their home or yours http://www.blogher.com/aging-place-design-making-your-parents-safe-and-comfortable-their-home-or-yours 2008-07-19T02:01:08-05:00 2008-07-19T02:01:08-05:00 JTGoldberg Many Americans are helping parents cope with aging issues.  If you’re one of them, here are some ways to improve their comfort and safety in accident-prone bathrooms: 

  • Replace knob-style faucets with lever-handled f
]]> Many Americans are helping parents cope with aging issues.  If you’re one of them, here are some ways to improve their comfort and safety in accident-prone bathrooms: 
  • Replace knob-style faucets with lever-handled faucets
  • Replace a standard toilet with a comfort height version
  • Add grab bars in the shower, tub and toilet areas
  • Replace a wall-mounted shower head with one on a slide bar
  • Replace a pre-code shower valve with a non-scald version
  •  Add a bench to the shower stall
  •  Increase the bathroom’s lighting
  • Check that the vent fan is working properly to help avoid mold
  • Replace any sharp-cornered countertops with rounded ones
  •  Replace smooth, slick flooring with a less slippery textured tile.
  • Remodel any tubs that have steps to tubs without steps, or walk-in/roll-in shower stalls
  • Widen any doorways to allow for walkers or wheelchairs to get through.

]]> Top Three Kitchen Remodeling Mistakes You Want to Avoid http://www.blogher.com/top-three-kitchen-remodeling-mistakes-you-want-avoid 2008-07-16T00:09:00-05:00 2008-07-16T00:09:00-05:00 JTGoldberg Are you, (or someone you love), about to embark on a kitchen remodel?  For anyone starting that process, this short article on costly mistakes to avoid is one that can save thousands of dollars and some serious long-term heartache.  Please share it with anyone, anywhere in the country, who could benefit from the information.

]]> Are you, (or someone you love), about to embark on a kitchen remodel?  For anyone starting that process, this short article on costly mistakes to avoid is one that can save thousands of dollars and some serious long-term heartache.  Please share it with anyone, anywhere in the country, who could benefit from the information.

In brief, the top three mistakes are:
1) Over-spending relative to the *current* value of your home
2) Not taking into account your home's architecture and nearby, visibly large furnishings
3) Slavishly following trends, while ignoring your own taste and #2 considerations.

I've spelled these out in greater detail -- with tips on avoiding such costly errors -- on my blog tonight:

http://jgkitchens.blogspot.com/

Please share this info with anyone you know who could benefit from the info. 

PS:  I'll probably write a Part Two, and maybe even Part Three to this article.  Feel free to share your top mistake entries.

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