Posted in Architecture, Beauty, Design, Design Products, Home, Real Estate, tagged contemporary, demijohn, dog, Fireplace, fresh, green, home, interior design, Jessical Helgerson Interior Design, leaves, Living room, nature, pets, summer, tree branches, vases, white, windows, wood floors on March 27, 2013| Leave a Comment »
Here’s a beautiful room that reminds me of summer. I love the dark wood floors, the white walls and furniture, the wood accents (coffee table and chair arms), the fireplace, and the wall of windows. This is a great example of bringing nature inside your home. Isn’t it inviting? The pet dog seems happy enough.
Posted in Beauty, Lake, Minneapolis, Our Beautiful Cities, Photo of the Day, Photography, tagged arch, autumn, Autumn leaf color, balcony, Beauty, chairs, colors, crimson hues, crimson leaves, fall, fall colors, fence, friendship, home, house, lake, Lake of the Isles, Minneapolis, minnesota, MN, Photo op, Photography, POTD, red, seasons, sunlight, walking, windows on October 5, 2012| Leave a Comment »
On Tuesday I spent the afternoon with a friend. We walked around Lake of the Isles. The crimson and golden hues presented plenty of photo opportunities. Here’s are some photos from the afternoon walk. Big thanks to my friend for stopping and waiting for me to capture all the images.
Posted in Architecture, Lake, Minneapolis, Photo of the Day, Photography, Weekly Photo Challenge, tagged "street photography", Architecture, children, city, D‘Amico Kitchen, Lake Minnetonka, light, Minneapolis, Minneapolis Public Library, minnesota, minnetonka, Photography, play, postaday, reflections, shadows, sky, sunlight, tree, weekly photo challenge, windows, wordpress on June 29, 2012| 25 Comments »
Minneapolis Public Library in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota
Setting the table at D’Amico Kitchen restaurant in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Children playing in a tree next to Lake Minnetonka
Learn more about the Weekly Photo Challenge: Fleeting Moment.
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Posted in Beauty, Design, Home, Minneapolis, Photography, Real Estate, tagged Beauty, chairs, chandelier, design, dining room, doors, glass, home, interior design, Photography, real estate, relaxing, table, trees, vaulted ceiling, view, windows, zen on May 10, 2012| Leave a Comment »
– Dining Room 1 –
This dining room is surrounded by glass on three sides and features a vaulted ceiling. The view provides a relaxing ambiance.
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Posted in Architecture, Beauty, Minneapolis, Photo of the Day, Photography, Real Estate, tagged arch, deck, flowers, French windows, green, home, Minneapolis, minnetonka, MN, Photography, POTD, trees, windows, woods on March 23, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Yesterday’s post showed a home by the wetlands, shrouded in mist. Today’s photo shows a home in the woods. Which do you prefer?
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Posted in Architecture, Beauty, Design, Gardens, Minneapolis, Photography, Real Estate, tagged Architecture, artistic, blissful, bold, caring, color, confident, content, creative, doors, exterior house colors, fence, fun, garden, gengle, home, house, Minneapolis, ornate detailing, pink, serene, Victorian, Victorian era, windows, wood siding on January 22, 2012| 1 Comment »
I always seem to notice pink homes. Perhaps it’s because they are rare. What sort of person lives in a pink house? Creative? Confident? Artistic? Fun? Bold? Gentle? Caring? Content? Blissful? Loving? Sweet?
What if I wrote those same adjectives in another way:
Creative.
Confident.
Artistic.
Fun.
Bold.
Gentle.
Caring.
Content.
Blissful.
Loving.
Sweet.
If a home is going to be pink, it needs to be the right shade and hue of pink. This Victorian wears its pink well. Some homes will wear pink better than others. Victorians, yes. Cottages, yes. These styles generally have some architectural detailing that works well with pink. Your basic 1950’s rambler? Probably not so much.
Locale makes a difference. Southern states may have more of these pink homes than northern states. This home is here in the northern state of Minnesota. I get the sense winter wouldn’t be quite so dreary coming home to a pink house.
Landscaping can make a difference as well. Note the variety of landscaping here that softens the overall ambiance.
Would you live in a pink house?
I would.
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Posted in Home Improvements, Other, Real Estate, tagged Devonshire building, ductwork, Efficient energy use, energy, Energy conservation, energy upgrades, EnergyStar, home improvements, HVAC, insulation, Newcastle University, programmable thermostat, real estate, recessed lights, reducing utility bills, Shelton Group, Utility, utility bills, water heater, window replacement, windows on January 18, 2012| Leave a Comment »
Published: November 3, 2011
Image via Wikipedia
The award-winning energy-efficient Devonshire building
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A new study says home owners won’t see their utility bills drop until they’ve conducted four or more energy upgrades. Here are projects that will give you the greatest bang for your energy buck.
I’ve long suspected that saving energy is like saving calories: Small measures add up, until a Thanksgiving pecan pie — or a dazzling holiday light display — wrecks a year’s worth of small though consistent efforts.
Evidently I’m right, according to a new study claiming that doing a couple of small, energy-saving measures actually increase utility bills. And that a home owner must perform at least four energy upgrades before their utility bill drops.
Image via Wikipedia
The 450-page study, conducted by the eco-curious Shelton Group, found that energy-efficient home owners think they should replace water heaters and install a higher-efficiency HVAC system, though they actually replace windows and add insulation.
We think they’re half right: Adding insulation, especially in the attic, is a low-cost way to reduce utility bills. But replacing windows requires a huge upfront cost, which you probably won’t live long enough to earn back.
To see net-net savings — in your lifetime — select upgrades that reduce energy consumption by 5% and require modest initial investments. We suggest:
How many energy-efficient improvements did you make last year? Did you see a drop or increase in your utility bills?
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