Issue 223
Features
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Design the Perfect Pantry
Hard-working kitchen storage takes less space than you think.
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A Suite Bathroom Carved Out of Closet Space
Reorganizing an awkward floor plan shows how function and comfort can be achieved in small spaces.
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Mosaic Kitchen
A dazzling backsplash crowns a kitchen that got better by getting smaller.
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Cost-Conscious Heating for Remodels
For remodeled spaces both large and small, stand-alone electric systems can be an affordable heating option.
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From Cardboard Mock-Ups to Kitchen Cabinets
Fine-tuning a kitchen makeover with mock-ups dialed in a delightful design.
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Pipe Placement 101
Ensure your plumbing connections are in the right spots with this guide to kitchen and bath rough-in.
Article
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Installing Stock CabinetsMaster these pro techniques for hanging cabinets to achieve a flawless new kitchen.
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A Brilliant, Affordable Kitchen
How a young architect designed and built the kitchen of his dreams for under $10,000.
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A Three-Quarter Bath in Half the SpaceClever layout and fixture choices help a bathroom under a narrow staircase make the most of its 25-sq.ft. footprint.
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Tubs for Small SpacesWhen a standard 5-ft. tub won't fit the bathroom, consider one of these alternatives.
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A Cabinetmaker's KitchenA new kitchen combines exemplary woodworking and a practical plan.
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Singular and SereneA remodel turns the only bath this Austin homeowner has into the only one she needs.
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Choosing Washers and DryersThe cleanest clothes from the gentlest machines while using the least water and energy.
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10 Steps to Better Washer and Dryer InstallationThe long life and dutiful service you expect from these machines depends on the quality of the installation.
What is the Difference
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Drain/Overflow AssembliesLearn the difference between the three basic styles of drain/overflow assemblies.
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What's the Difference: Degree of openingEuropean-style cabinet hinges, also known as concealed hinges, are affordable, simple to install, and unparalleled in adjustability. There is a European hinge for just about every situation: face frame or…
Drawing Board
Fixtures and Materials
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A Smarter Bath FanFor almost two decades, Panasonic has been the leading manufacturer of quiet, energy-efficient bathroom exhaust fans. Recently, they released the WhisperSense series, a line of fans equipped with sophisticated automatic…
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Polymer Shower WallsAn Australia-based company has introduced low-maintenance polymer panels for shower walls that have a “glasslike depth of color” and clean up with nothing more than warm water and a microfiber…
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Flush-Mount Body SpraysMoen’s Flushmount body sprays install flat against a shower wall and pivot up to 20° in any direction. Moen says the spiral-shaped nozzle produces an invigorating water spray with an…
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A Stylish EntrantTacta, a new door handle from Italian manufacturer Colombo Design, is a sleek marriage of metal and wood. The conical shape of the brass neck is complemented by the teardrop…
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Adjustable-Height FaucetThe Elevate EXT faucet from Pfister (formerly Price Pfister) takes customization to new heights, literally: The arching spout is height adjustable.Depress a button near the spout base, and pull the…
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Low-Profile ShowerShower seats don’t have to look institutional. The SerenaSeat from HealthCraft’s Invisia Collection is a low-profile wall-mount fixture whose Brazilian-walnut (ipé) panels are naturally moisture and mildew resistant and up…
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Deluxe Refrigerator DrawersTrue Manufacturing’s award-winning Undercounter Refrigeration Drawers, part of the company’s True Professional Series, are a step up from the competition. The units are stainless steel inside and out, which prevents…
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Renew your Existing Tub—with CautionUnderstand the pros and cons of bathtub-refinishing services.
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Overflow-Protection ToiletA 2007 State Farm Insurance report says that the average cost of toilet overflows is $10,000 after flooring, carpeting, and ceiling damages are tabulated. Disposing of the embarrassment factor? Priceless.Now…
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Undermount Stainless Sinks for Laminate CountersKarran, the same company that introduced undermount acrylic sinks for laminate counters, recently introduced stainless-steel models that undermount seamlessly in laminate countertops. The sinks are mounted and epoxied flush to…
Feedback
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Better Choices Put the “Fab” in Prefab GranitePrecut slabs in the warehouse I have some customers who refuse to consider prefab granite. Their view is that if it costs half as much, it must be only half…
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An Education in InductionIf you read the reviews of various induction cooktops online, you’ll get the idea that induction is the miraculous next generation in cooking technology. After cooking on an induction cooktop…
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Ideal Concealed LightingGood countertop task lighting is an important element of any well-balanced kitchen-lighting scheme. It eliminates shadows from overhead fixtures and puts light where it’s most useful—on the countertops. Without wall…
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Compost in a CanMy wife runs an organic farm and is an avid gardener; I am an enthusiastic cook when not woodworking. This combination of interests produces a lot of compost. When designing…
Great Ideas
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Television GarageWhile my wife and I aren’t big TV watchers, she likes to watch food shows as she cooks, and I occasionally like to relax while watching a baseball game. We…
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Slide to Hide the MirrorBathroom space always comes at a premium, so during the renovation of our upstairs bathroom, I designed a sliding privacy door for the toilet alcove. But instead of a typical…
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Grocery ShelfThe back door at Michael and Liannes’s house gets more use than the front. It’s the route for most departures and arrivals, and often a package needs to park somewhere.…
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Laundry-Room Trifecta: Hamper, storage area, and drying racksTucked in a hallway that leads to an exterior side door, our laundry “room” was neither functional nor attractive. Outfitted with just a washer, a dryer, and two sagging particleboard…
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Clothesline Deck ShelfWhen my wife and I bought our house, one of the first things we decided to add was a clothesline. Our dryer uses about 945 kwh of electricity each year,…
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Dish Rack in a DrawerNo matter how hard they try to make dish drying racks beautiful, industrial designers will never solve this fundamental problem: When in use, a dish-drying rack looks like a pile…
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One-Step StorageWe’re not a short family, so when we renovated a first-floor half-bath, I wanted to raise the vanity height to 36 in. But we also have a 4-year-old, Max. Rather…
