You can turn virtually any surface in your home into a blackboard with chalkboard paint. You apply it just like any other paint. Then invest in a box of chalk and an eraser and you have your very own reusable, eco-friendly list maker, drawing surface, calendar—you name it!

Drawing a blank? Here are a few creative ideas!

Need more inspiration? Look to the Benjamin Moore Pinterest board “Chalk it up” or visit their website for more creative ideas!

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2012 trends include tall, solid-surface backsplashes, smarter storage, handy task stations and sheen instead of shine

This year, the driving force behind what we want in our kitchens is our need for calming spaces and improved functionality to reduce stress in our busy lives. All of these trends either make our kitchen-related tasks easier, or they aesthetically move the look just a little more in a minimal direction.

If you are getting ready to build or remodel — or even if you just want to freshen up your kitchen a bit — here are 9 features to consider for your dream kitchen.

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www.DrummondHousePlans.com - Plan # 3849

Adorned with covered porches front and back, Palladian windows, and sweeping roofline, this 3321 sq. ft. design is picture perfect. An architectural style combining country and manor styles results in an elegant and pleasing home.

A discreet, side-entry garage ensures the handsome facade is uninterrupted. A home office is located conveniently close to the front foyer. Within, a sense of openness is achieved by an open staircase, vaulted ceiling and ample windows. The open family and dining room share the fireplace. The kitchen with island pairs with a cheerful breakfast room and convenient laundry.

Retire in elegance to a fantastic sleeping level. A mezzanine with skylights embraces a cozy seating area. Relax in the master suite featuring a 5-piece attached private bathroom, walk-in closet and Juliet balcony. Three additional bedrooms share a full bath.

The plan includes an unfinished basement which could be developed to suit. Perhaps a media room? Your choice!

For more details on this plan, click here.

Looking for other Country-Style or Manor-Style House Plans? Check our Country-Style Design Collection, Manor and Small Castle Design Collection, or use our Advanced Plan Search to find homes with specific features.

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I know it is hard to imagine spring when many of us are socked in with snow so it is time to think happy, warm, springtime thoughts! Many cities are amending bylaws to allow laying hens to be kept within city limits. If you are going to have a hen house in your backyard, it should be something beautiful, should it not? Country Living Magazine contributing editor, Heather Bullard has featured her coop in her blog and it is a work to behold.

"Chez Poulet" by Heather Bullard

Being a country girl, I know that the basics of a great space for chickens are:

• Nesting spaces
• Roosting spaces
• Outdoor area
• Feed area
• Storage
• Access for easy cleaning
• Easy access for collecting eggs
• Predator-proof
  

  "Chez Poulet" nesting boxes

I have to say that Heather receives kudos for all of the above and does it with such grace and style that anyone would be proud to have a backyard structure like this.

You can learn more about this hen house and follow all of the hen news on Heather’s blog.

Check with your city by-laws before adding laying hens to your family. In most cases where hens are allowed, roosters are not welcome (for the peace and sanity of your neighbors). Fresh eggs are fabulous, but keep in mind that like all pets, chickens require a commitment and they can live for many years.

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there are plenty of ways to spice up a simple solid-front door. There’s a lot you can do to make them special with stains, paint, stencils, fabric, hardware, embellishments — you name it. With a little creativity and elbow grease, the sky’s the limit.

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www.DrummondHousePlans.com - Plan # 3282

A proud new addition to the Drummond collection of contemporary designs, this sleek little single-storey easily fits in most higher density developments but without sacrificing style. A mere 36 ft. wide and 50 ft. deep with attached 20 ft. x 14. ft. garage and simple roofline allows more of your building budget to be devoted to interior spaces. The simple lines actually enhance the classic lines of this fine home.

The proposed exterior façade includes tiers of architectural brick for a chic modern look. Dark windows and doors add to the contrast and overall character.

Inside, like the similar model 3281, there is a windowed entry with generous closet and nearby garage service entrance. A fully open activities area is filled with natural light. The kitchen allows room to create and socialize with lots of storage, 60” x 48” island, and patio door for back yard access. A laundry closet is conveniently located adjacent to the two bedrooms. Each bedroom includes a walk-in closet and easy access to a bathroom with separate shower and bath.

Clean and serene, your home will be your sanctuary!

For more details on this plan, click here.

Looking for other Narrow Lot or Modern Contemporary House Plans? Check our Narrow Lot Design Collection, Modern Contemporary Design Collection, or use our Advanced Plan Search to find homes with specific features.

Want to receive all of our newest designs directly by email? Create  a “New House Plans – Latest Trends” Alert  and be the first to see all of our new releases!

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I  grew up in the country where our tradional “row garden” could not only put up preserves for a family of five for an entire year, but also supply most of our city aunts, uncles, and cousins with care packages and provide us with an income from our summer berry picking. As many rural children do, when I grew up I moved to the city but the love of gardening never left me.

More years ago than I care to admit, I was given a copy of the book “The Square Foot Gardener” for Christmas. I was tantalized by the idea of growing a garden in my postage stamp-sized yard. Over the cold winter, I read and re-read this book, preparing for the joys of spring. The essence of the square foot gardening practice is to utilize a grid pattern to grow a garden that uses only about 20% of the space of a “traditional” row garden and yet provides the same yield of produce. With the exception of a slug invasion (the book covers the remedy for that as well), the system worked admirably.

Fast forward to current date and it is time for the sequel to this book – the All New Square Foot Gardening.

All New Square Foot Gardening available as paperback or Kindle book.

The essential theories are the same but the author has added some new ideas and simplified others so that even a gardening novice should be able to achieve spectacular results. Rather than the “100-mile diet”, you can enjoy fresh produce mere steps from your backdoor with relative ease. Really, there is no excuse for anyone anywhere not being able to enjoy fresh produce. There are even suggestions for people with limited mobility.

If you are curious or serious about having fresh food that you can take pride in, this book is an excellent resource. Make sure to let us know how you make out!

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The tech wires are all abuzz from all of the technical writers at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) currently on in Las Vegas.

The folks at Digital Trends shared some news that should have some impact on media room planning… Samsung’s new 55″ OLED TV.

Caleb Denison of Digital Trends writes:

We expected Samsung would bring an OLED TV to the show, and it has. Samsung’s 55-inch “Super OLED” TV looked pretty impressive from 75 yards away and the company promised it would be available sometime this year, though they didn’t get any more specific than that. Samsung made much of the fact that it makes 90% of the world’s OLED panels and that it is in a strong position to be the OLED market leader. We’ll see. Samsung still needs people to want to buy in to OLED and we’ve yet to see any digits relating to price.

For the full article and other highlights of the 2012 CES show, click here.

Hmm… 55″, super skinny OLED. Keep some open space in your floor plans folks, you’re going to need it!

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What exactly does Chinoiserie mean? In this day and age, I simply look to my pal Wikipedia to say these things as clearly as possible. Quoting from other sources, Wiki says “Chinoiserie, a French term, signifying ‘Chinese-esque’, refers to a recurring theme in European artistic styles since the seventeenth century, which reflect Chinese artistic influences. It is characterized by the use of fanciful imagery of an imaginary China, by asymmetry in format and whimsical contrasts of scale, and by the attempts to imitate Chinese porcelain and the use of lacquerlike materials and decoration.”

So, back then, Louis XV dug it because it worked well with all that rococo stuff he loved so much, and the English garden designers based their follies upon “Chinese-esque” architecture. That’s all fine and dandy, but what does Chinoiserie mean in design today? How is it utilized? I will attempt to answer this without Wiki’s help.

Touches of Chinoiserie became popular in the states in the 60′s (see Betty’s recent living room makeover on “Mad Men”), its ornate characteristics were mixed the with clean lines of more modern pieces. The resurgence of Hollywood Regency’s popularity in recent years (see Kelly Wearstler’s work, pre-eighties fascination she’s on lately) has brought with it many touches of Chinoiserie. For instance:

PATTERN: Asian-inspired floral fabrics, wallpapers, and rugs. Birds are a welcome addition to these prints, as are cherry blossom branches.

PORCELAIN: Fine porcelain ceramics, from vases to lovely jar and gourd shaped lamps

COLOR: Bold reds, Sleek Black, Rich Jewel-tone Blues

DETAILS: Touches of Gilt in patterns and details such as hardware

FINISHES: Touches of Gloss – Take those shabby chic pieces, sand the heck out of them, and have them lacquered for a sleeker look.

SHAPE- For example, pagoda-shaped light fixtures, jar-shaped lamps.

STYLE: Cane and Chinese Chippendale Chairs, Large Lacquered Armoires, Chinese Garden Stools.

ARTWORK: Asian paintings and prints are perfect Chinoiserie accents.

Obviously, this is the tip of the iceberg. I think the examples below can do a much better job of showing you the Chinoiserie accents I’m talking about.
 

If you are a real fan of Chinoiserie design, you may also wish to visit the Blog – “Chinoiserie Chic“. Beth Connolly is truly passionate about this style of interior design.

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www.DrummondHousePlans.com - Plan # 3700-V1

This classic wraparound porch would be a great place for an old-fashioned porch swing, ice cold lemonade and great conversation.

The generous entry features a convenient adjoining guest bathroom. Within, we find a great semi-open activities area, allowing zone tasks without total separation. The front-facing living room is the next stop after the porch swing and is warmed by a two-sided fireplace. Or, enjoy the hearth from the other side in the dining room. For lighter meals and snacks, the kitchen with island is sure to be the hub of the house. A small office and laundry room are tucked next to the kitchen for easy access and convenience.

The upstairs is host to the sleeping level and includes a master bedroom with walk-in closet, two secondary bedrooms and a spacious family bathroom complete with tub and large separate shower.

For more details on this plan, click here …

Subtle variations of this model are available in models 3700 and 3700-V2.

Looking for other Narrow Lot or Modern Country-Style House Plans? Check our Narrow Lot Design Collection, Country-Style Design Collection, or use our Advanced Plan Search to find homes with specific features.

Want to receive all of our newest designs directly by email? Create  a “New House Plans – Latest Trends” Alert  and be the first to see all of our new releases!

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