Other stories by Dick Kawalek

  • SketchPad: Suites

    One of the most popular remodeling projects is the creation of a separate living suite within or attached to the main house.

  • Remodeling is Inherently Green

    Unfortunately, I'm not talking about the green stuff you can spend at the store; but, ultimately, the good green things that we do for our planet such as saving trees and reducing landfill.

  • Paying Attention to the Front of the House

    The front of the house is where extra attention is well-deserved.

  • Sketchpad: Landscape Values

    Few home remodeling projects would fail to be improved by better landscaping. This is an underappreciated aspect of construction that can quickly turn a good project into a great impression. The job really isn't done until that mess in the yard is cleaned up and the builder and the owner both look...

  • Designing a half-bath into your remodeling job

    When remodelling a house it's almost always possible to fit in a new half bath — meaning a toilet and a sink. The real variable is the degree of convenience one can achieve when locating the new facilities in the space allowed.

  • Sketch Pad: Proper Faux Columns

    Columns today are not used in quite the same way as they were used by the Greeks and Romans, but we do persist in trying to replicate these symbols of their civilizations.

  • Take Care When Vaulting Ceilings and Adding Dormers

    When remodeling an old house, what can be more tempting than to vault the ceilings or add a large dormer? The attic joists don't seem to be doing much.

  • Choosing the right style for a home addition

    Do we want a Frank Gehry on our block? Or do we want another standard Colonial? Or a McMansion? Every situation is unique, but there is one golden rule: Be a good neighbor.

  • Sketchpad

    Sometimes the inside and outside of a home demand different window proportions; here are some ways to satisfy the requirements of each.

  • Make the kitchen more than a cabinet showroom

    When remodeling a kitchen, the tendency is to fill all the walls with cabinets and counters. Everyone wants more storage and work space, but there are other things that need to happen in a kitchen