architecture

Today's Market Ready post on NYTimes.com is all about trying to sell a house with a less-than-desirable layout. Should you remodel it first, or leave it for the buyer? Their advice is spot-on, and is even something Metamorphosis has done before: get some plans drawn up to show potential buyers the possibilities.

Well, they were right about the skyscrapers, but it's 2012 and we still don't have airplane landing fields on top of buildings or a separate road for slow drivers. Maybe by 2050?

"Future city streets, says Mr. Corbett, will be in four levels: The top level for pedestrians; the next lower level for slow motor traffic; the next for fast motor traffic, and the lowest for electric trains. Great blocks of terraced skyscrapers half a mile high will house offices, schools, homes, and playgrounds in successive levels, while the roofs will be aircraft landing-fields, according to the architect's plan."

Even the White House needs a revamp every once in a while...but did you know in 1948 it was in danger of completely falling apart? "By the time Truman became president, the decay could no longer be ignored... Engineers declared the whole house to be in imminent danger of collapse.” It took three years to completely remove and replace the interior of the White House, while the president lived across the street.

More fascinating photos at Retronaut.com.

Do you subscribe to Mpls+StPaul Magazine? Look for us in this month's issue in the Building Beauty, Creating Value section, their feature on NARI's 2011 Contractor of the Year award winners. See the full feature on our Media page.

How cool to see a local couple's Lake Nokomis bungalow be featured on ApartmentTherapy.com's "House Call" spot! Congrats to Rob and Matthew for the great write-up. See the whole feature here.

This Freshome.com post features some interesting and unique business cards by architects, but these 3-D cards were our favorites! Especially the Legos...

We're proud to show off these photos of a recently completed kitchen remodel near Lake Nokomis. Click here to read all about it and to see more stunning before & after photos.

This hobbit-like home was built for less than $5000! The owners built it by hand (with help from passers by), and from natural and reclaimed materials. They're able to live completely off the grid, with a low impact on the environment. While hobbit-living isn't for everyone, clearly it suits some. Could you handle it, for a home that rustic, beautiful, and cheap? (Not to mention environmentally friendly.)

From Grist.

Natural Home & Garden put together a great article on how to easily install a sliding barn door in your home, with information on the required hardware and assembly instructions. They recommend using sliding doors in a bathroom, both to save space and to save a complicated remodel for a pocket door.

We think there are lots of creative ways to use a sliding barn door in the home:

To cover an office nook:


For a laundry station:


To easily divide living spaces:


Or on a bathroom:


What's your favorite use of the sliding barn door? Would you put one in your home, and where?

See more examples of sliding barn doors in action at Remodelista.com.

This kitchen remodel in the Kingfield neighborhood is a great example of how a few simple updates can bring new life into a space! We put in new cabinets, countertops, and appliances, and left the structure and the flooring the same, and now it feels like a whole new space! Click here for more photos.