Archive for March, 2010

March 31, 2010

How to Get Good Design on the Cheap in Phoenix

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet There’s a misconception out there that good design costs more.  And if you’re lazy, it does.  You can always buy good taste, right?  Just go to the most expensive stores, buy the most expensive things and you’re bound to get good design. But where does that leave most people who can’t really afford to buy their way to good taste?  Newsflash:  you don’t have to be Donald Trump to live in a cool house.  With some creativity, a good eye, some time and hands-on research you can find inexpensive ways to add design to your home while being environmentally…

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Tweet Architects have a reputation for spending their client’s money to live out their design fantasies.  Admittedly, there’s a reason for this reputation.  It happens. This is a big problem and it’s one we in the design industry need to address.  This reputation has led to our marginalization.  No wonder architects have little clout when it comes to convincing municipalities or developers to build smarter, better, efficient developments that work well. People with money who want to build something have lost faith that architects will spend their money wisely.  This is only because it’s true for the most part.  Many…

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March 29, 2010

Your Contractor Doesn’t Know Jack About Design

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet So stop expecting to get a great result when you cut out the architect/designer. I’ve noticed in residential remodeling that many people decide to save money by not hiring an architect/designer and instead rely on a contractor alone. They expect a contractor to suggest solutions that will look good, perform well and be healthy for their homes. But they got another thing coming my friend. Your contractor is most likely going to install what he’s always installed before, in the cheapest and fastest way he can. He’s most likely not going to give you options, think out of the…

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Tweet Last week I had the pleasure of previewing the film Visual Acoustics: The Modernism of Julius Shulman with Steve Weiss of No Festival Required at the Phoenix Art Museum.  To be honest, and this is a little embarrassing coming from an architect who loves modernism, I had never heard of Julius Shulman before so I didn’t quite know what to expect.  It turns out I had been seeing his work throughout my education and career without even knowing it. Julius Shulman is only the most renown architectural photographer of the past century and this movie is a story of…

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March 22, 2010

Why We Are Surrounded by Crappy Buildings

by: Taz Loomans

Tweet This weekend a client was driving me to a house to show me the style she’d like for some renovations at her house.  I half expected to be shown a run-of-the mill stucco cookie-cutter home with little personality but that somehow seems luxurious to people.  This isn’t a reflection on my client but on most people I’ve run into who aren’t designers themselves. I was shocked and relieved that she showed me this beautiful ultra-modern renovation of a mid-century modern home: The owner of this house directed us a few blocks north of him telling us that there was…

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March 17, 2010

Shade the Rocks to Cool the House

by: Doreen Pollack

Tweet Today, guest blogger Doreen Pollack talks about something we rarely think about and that’s shading our rocks and paved areas.  She tells us why this is important and how it contributes to reducing our city-wide heat-island problem and how it can keep your own house cool. ________________________________________________________________________________________ Doreen Pollack is the Garden Goddess and owner of Down 2 Earth Gardens, providing garden consultations and coaching.  Get gardening tips at monthly workshops, on her blog or newsletter.  Visit www.down2earthgardens.com to learn more. Driveways, sidewalks, paved patios, and rock yards retain heat longer than planted areas after the sun goes down….

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March 16, 2010

This Shade is Sure to Grow on You!

by: Doreen Pollack

Tweet Today, guest blogger Doreen Pollack teaches us about the many green benefits of growing a vine at home.  What I love about Doreen’s strategies is that they not only offer shade to your home, which is so important here in the desert, but they have many other benefits as well.  This makes sense because that’s how nature works! ________________________________________________________________________________________ Doreen Pollack is the Garden Goddess and owner of Down 2 Earth Gardens, providing garden consultations and coaching.  Get gardening tips at monthly workshops, on her blog or newsletter.  Visit www.down2earthgardens.com to learn more. Using a tree or even a…

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March 15, 2010

Money Just Might Grown on Trees

by: Doreen Pollack

Tweet This week on the Blooming Rock Blog, I’m excited to have guest blogger Doreen Pollack teach us about passive cooling strategies with planting. With our brutal Phoenix summer sneaking up on us, this information is a must know to guard against unnecessary heat gain inside our homes, whether it be for this summer or for summers to come. _______________________________________________________________________________________ Doreen Pollack is the Garden Goddess and owner of Down 2 Earth Gardens, providing garden consultations and coaching. Get gardening tips at monthly workshops, on her blog or newsletter. Visit www.down2earthgardens.com to learn more. It’s scientifically proven that when you…

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Tweet If you’re interested in participating in the Arizona Appliance Rebate Program which starts April 12, wait for this information to be announced: The telephone number and website address where you can make your reservation. What time on April 12 you’ll be able to make your reservation. I’ll post this information as soon as it becomes available. For an overview of this rebate program check out Monday’s post.  Remember there are a total number of about 35,000 reservations the state is giving out and they will go fast. So be prepared, know the appliance you want and the rebate you’re…

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Tweet The latest news on the Arizona Appliance Rebate Program is the confirmation that you can’t buy your appliance before April 12, 2010 if you want to participate in the rebate program.  But this doesn’t mean you have to sit idle between now and April 12.  Use this time to research and price out the appliance you want and get ready to apply for the reservation on April 12.  You’ll be able to make your reservation on the phone or through a website, but neither the phone number or website have been released yet.  I’ll post those as soon as…

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