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December 20, 2010Article written by Lisa Sten, as seen in Relocation Bay Area Magazine
Congratulations on moving to the San Francisco Bay Area! Our region enjoys an exceptional climate, varied cultural events, and remarkable people to boot. We hope you can complete your move promptly and feel “things are in order” so you can quickly take advantage of the many exciting local opportunities available here.
To get settled in your home promptly and efficiently, you may want to consider working with a licensed interior designer. In addition to helping you get your home to meet your needs, an interior designer can actually save you time and money! A Certified Interior Designer (CID) has a broad base of knowledge from big picture space planning and efficient design, to remodeling and maintenance, and of course to the hardware and soft goods such as window treatments, furniture, and yes, also pillows! Designers can also save you a great deal of time and effort by doing the legwork for you! Some basic factors to consider in working with an interior designer include:
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Gardener’s Retreat, Storage Shed or Playhouse
September 27, 2010Article written by Lisa Sten, as seen in Relocation Bay Area Magazine
Enjoy your yard, gain storage space…..and with the holidays just around the corner, a playhouse may be just thing to put under the tree!
Are you longing for extra storage space, is your garage filled with bikes, gardening tools and decades-old clothes, do you dream of a get-away gardening spot? Perhaps it’s time to find a little area in your backyard to install an accessory structure that can be used for many purposes ranging from a small playhouse to additional storage to a gardening shed.
Before you buy the 2×4′s and cut the plywood, take the time to plan your accessory structure and consider the following:
Purpose: How are you going to use your accessory structure? For storage, a playhouse, a gardening shed or a small get-away office? Once you’ve determined the purpose of your shed, you can determine the size – an 8′ x 10′ might work well for most (see Planning, below).
Planning: Most jurisdictions have several restrictions regarding the location (out of your set back, for example) and size of your structure (height and total floor area coverage). Check with your City and obtain the necessary permits before you start.
Chararacter / Style: Consider whether you want the garden structure to match the architectural characteristics of the main house, or have a distinctly different style. Do you want the building to be a focal point or be tucked away into the back corner? Your new structure should proportionally fit your yard and your other buildings. Determine whether you’d like a shed roof (one slope), a gable roof (a double sloping roof with a ridge in the middle) or another style of roof. Your windows, doors and the type of roof (asphalt shingles, metal or wood shakes) will also greatly influence the style of your accessory structure. For an exterior wall material, you may want to consider horizontal or vertical siding, wood shakes or a newer “green” and long-lasting fiber cement
material.
Embellish the Building: To dress up your backyard structure you can add features such as window and door trim, flower boxes, weathervanes and brackets or corbels at the roof overhang.
Building the Structure: Not ready to build your own structure? Consider one of several companies who offer pre-fabricated shed kits. All pieces are pre-cut and ready to assemble.
It’s time to enjoy your yard again!
Posted in Outdoors | Tagged outdoor structure, playhouse, shed, yard | View Comments
