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What makes reclaimed wood so appealing? Its appeal is based on more than just the patina it has acquired during its years of use as a building material… the character associated with old wood started developing when it was still in the forest.

Wood utilized more than a century ago in the construction of old barns, factories, and warehouses throughout the United States is now one of the most highly desirable and sought-after raw materials in the flooring industry. Popular in both residential and commercial environments, vintage reclaimed wood flooring is appreciated by architects and designers for its history, quality, character, and environmental benefits.

The Fairfield House, designed by Webber + Studio, is located on a tree-lined street in the Austin, Texas, neighborhood of North Hyde Park. The Hyde Park Historic District is listed in the National Register of Historic places, and the area’s popularity has been growing in recent years due to its proximity to the University of Texas. In many respects, the 3,180 sq. ft. home, an Architectural Record House of the Month in 2009, draws upon the district’s rich architectural traditions, just as its neighbors do. In response to Texas’s hot, humid climate, for example, the house is separated into small building masses that are open to ventilation. A breezeway – another classic architectural element – connects the front and the back portions of the building, but that is where the nod to tradition ends. In every other aspect of its design, the Fairfield House is an exercise in modernism.

When considering a florescent lighting system upgrade, many facilities managers are retrofitting by placing adapters in existing lighting fixtures. Lighting retrofit kits with adapters have advantages over more comprehensive lighting system component upgrades – they reuse existing lamp fixtures, provide new self-contained electronic lamp ballasts, and offer reduced installation, maintenance, and operating costs. We’ll take a look at the basic ideas involved in a T5 lighting retrofit project, including a return on investment (ROI) case study that calculates payback as less than five years.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) 2009 American Housing Survey (AHS) determined that 66% of U.S. households have a dishwasher. It's not really any surprise that two-thirds of our homes have a dishwasher when you consider that today's Energy Star dishwashers will save you time, water, and utility costs. Depending on how often you use your dishwasher, you can expect an average life expectancy of nine years, according to the Study of Life Expectancy of Home Components, prepared in 2007 by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Performing simple maintenance tasks will help your dishwasher last longer than expected and will also reduce the likelihood that your dishwasher will cause water damage to your home.

Use our handy pool maintenance checklist to get your swimming pool ready for summer.

You can get the tools you need to complete almost any upcycling, repurposing, or refurbishing project at your local hardware store. Join Rachael, the host of {Re}habitat, as she shares her tips on assembling the simple tools you need to get started.

Your local hardware store has thousands of tools on display, but you only need a few basics in your toolbox. Rachael tells us what to look for when choosing tools, how to keep sustainability in mind, and repurposing tricks of the trade.

These eight tips on multi-tasking rooms will help you to maximize your small space.

What are some of the challenges – and pathways to success – when it comes to designing commercial architecture?

Stuart Silk Architects, based in Seattle, Washington, has more than 25 years of experience producing residential and commercial architecture. We spoke with John Adams, AIA, Principal of Stuart Silk Architects, to learn more about the latest challenges associated with commercial design. Although commercial design certainly has its nuances, his firm has successfully bridged residential and commercial design with a simple and unified insight: the client is always passionately and personally invested.

A husband-and-wife design team in Denver use salvaged items and found materials to create intricate interiors that belie their humble origins. Randy Rushton and Sabin Aell discuss their craft, their belief in collaboration, and the way they "exploit fun."

John McAslan + Partners created a canopied addition to the historic King's Cross Station, leaving the original western facade intact.

Heralded for its historical importance but rather drab, London’s King's Cross Station recently underwent a multimillion dollar redevelopment, reopening to the public on March 19, 2012. The newly overhauled King’s Cross Station was lit up in celebratory bright colors, creating a concert-like atmosphere – appropriate to its new youthful vibe. It was a timely redevelopment, as the XXX Olympic Summer Games will be held in London in 2012. The station’s western concourse, at 7,500 m2, is Europe’s largest single-span station structure. Each year 45 million people pass through King’s Cross Station, and that number is predicted to rise by 10 million by 2020.

Staff housing for the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, inspired by the colorful forms found in local art, is designed to be sustainable and also resistant to seismic forces.

Sorg Architects, an international architectural firm, has created sustainable staff housing for U.S. Embassy staff members stationed in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Construction on the housing units will begin in March 2012 and is scheduled to be completed in January 2014.

Where an architect created harmony and balance, locals see discord and ostentation.

San Sebastian, in Spain’s Basque country, is one of those incredibly majestic places you can visit once and never forget. Unlike many of Spain’s Mediterranean towns that have been massively overdeveloped over the years, San Sebastian still offers breathtaking beaches and wide boulevards, perfect for that famed Spanish strolling. The city of San Sebastian has class, style, and, of course, spectacular views of the Bay of Biscay. It’s easy to see, then, why local residents are quite protective of any development proposals in their idyllic hometown.