“Delightfully Smart Real Estate Search”

Shelterific points us to Trulia.com. Its one of those sites that does everything you want it to. The site searches the entire world wide web and compiles every real estate listing it finds all on one page. It has all the normal stuff; photos, prices, addresses, stats. But wait…there’s more. It has a GoogleMap that shows you the location of each listing. Want to be the first to know about the next listing? Sign up for their email alerts.

Who knew that searching for real estate could be so much fun?

Check out Truila listings for:

Chappaqua
Armonk
Katonah
Bedford
Pound Ridge
Scarsdale
Harrison
Rye
Larchmont

bonluxat

If you like contemporary design, you’re going to love bonluxat.com. An exclusive collection of contemporary designers, bonluxat.com includes a selection of furniture, lighting and accessories.

The Lemonade Lounge Chair pictured above was designed by Michael Young.

Abboud by Kravet

The Jospeh Abboud decorative fabric collection reflects the rich and sophisticated look of Pound Ridge resident Joseph Abboud’s menswear line. Texture was a crucial element in the creation of this line. With a plush pile and a soft, tactile hand, the extensive collection consists of various constructions and patterns including paisleys, mohairs, jacquard velvets, chenilles, and alpaca. The Joseph Abboud Trimmings Collection further enhances the uniqueness of this distinguished line.

Living Well Link of the Week: The Jospeh Abboud Fabric Collection by Kravet

The Ideas of IDEO

A truly inspiring company, IDEO is the industrial design firm behind many of the world’s most successful products. From the original computer mouse for Apple, to the Palm V organizer (as well as most subsequent Palm and Palm-like PDA devices), to the Swiffer Sweeper, IDEO has played a major roll in making our everday lives safer, healthier, more convenient, more comfortable and much more fun.

In a Newsweek web exclusive interview with the firm’s founder, Bill Moggridge, he notes, “I believe you have to have both excellent design that people like or fall in love with, and you also have to have the systemic approach that looks at the entire experience.”

As you will see throughout the IDEO website, the firm consistently succeeds in creating objects and experiences that people fall in love with over and over again.

Patterns of Home

Many, many years ago I studied the iconic book, A Pattern Languageby Christopher Alexander. Assembled by a group of architects and students, the book explains the underlying patterns of behavior and form that shape our everyday experiences. Each of the chapters document one of the some 250 patterns that effect the way we all work and live.

Yesterday I recieved a package from Amazon.com containing a book entitled, Patterns of Home. It was a gift from one of our clients. We are preparing designs for a major renovation to his 1927 tudor in Larchmont.

Patterns of Home is written by two of Chris Alexander’s students and their current partner. The book is intended to simplify the study first developed thirty years ago and hones the massive document down to the 10 most essential patterns;

Inhabiting the Site
Creating Rooms, Outside and In
Sheltering Roof
Capturing Light
Parts in Proportion
The Flow through Rooms
Private Edges, Common Core
Refuge and Outlook
Places in Between
Composing with Materials

It looks like a great book and I’m looking forward to getting into it. Check back in a few days and I will post a review.

E-code Library

What are your required property setbacks? Maximum allowable building coverage? Are you permitted to install a shed on your property without a building permit? How does the municipal approval process work? Are you required to have an Registered Architect prepare construction drawings for your project?

All the answers are in your town’s code.

General Code’s E-Code Library publishes an online version of many local town codes. Just click on your state and then scroll to your town link. Some towns even post their meeting agenda and minutes.

We use this tool at least once a week when preparing zoning analyses for our residential architecture projects.

Click here to read some tips and hints for using the E-Code Library.

A “Temporary” Place Called Home

One of the many questions I am asked when I interview for a new residential architecture project is, “Do we need to move out?”.

There are few thing more emotionally challenging than a family living through a major construction project. The day that the demoilition crew comes in and starts tearing your “home sweet home” apart with hammers and crowbars is a day that you will not soon forget. Your stomach will turn and an overwhelming fear will take the place of all the euphoria that has been building throughout the design process. Then… once you finally come to grips with the emotional rollercoaster you and your family are riding, then we need to discuss hazardous dust and dangerous conditions. Asbestos, lead, dumpsters, construction equipment, excavations…you just don’t want to deal with it all.

My advice to our clients…Get Out!

If you can find a place to live for the entire construction project, I highly recommend that, but not everyone has 8 month’s rent figured into their construction budget. In that case, I recommend moving out, at least, until the project is demolished, framed and fully enclosed. At that point most of the pain has past and daily progress will help to override the inconvenience of living through construction.

A friend of mine, Beverly Harris, owns a company called Homestay. Based in Ossining, Homestay specializes in placing families in short or medium term housing throughout Westchester, Putnam and Fairfield Counties. Beverly is also a Licensed New York State Real Estate Broker, so she is prepared to help you with everything from an unfurnished single bedroom offered by a “host” family, to a complete house that you may purchase, live in during construction and “flip” when you’re finished.

Unless you have fabulous inlaws (Annmarie’s parents hosted my family, including our two kids, five cats and a dog, for 12 months… We had such a great time, it was tough coming back home.) who will put you up for a few months, Homestay may be a place to start your temporary housing search.

Warm Colors

Straight from the Fivecat Funky File…check out Moving Color’s Northern Lights product line featuring glass tiles that change hue when heat is applied.

2 x 2 x 2 x 2

If you enjoy reading Living Well in Westchester, please forward a link to ALL your friends and invite them to subscribe to the email blog feed. I hope they will enjoy it too!

If you tell 2 people…and they tell 2 people…and they tell 2 people…and they tell 2 people…

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Note: The image above is the McNaught Comet, seen early morning from Pucon, Calafquen Lake sector, Chile. (AFP/David Lillo)

The link was submitted to LWW by my brother Scott LePage… Thanks Scott.

Thanks Mike!

Michael Shilale, AIA, LEED has officially past the torch to 2007 AIA Westchester / Mid-Hudson President, Robert R. Stanziale, AIA. Mike wraps up his term in a Post Occupancy Evaluation of his past twelve months in office.

Michael… we at Fivecat Studio thank you for your committment and dedication to the profession of architecture.