<p>“I will emphatically support the deep drawer bottom cabinets!”
I totally agree with Mominva. I hate my pull-outs a and love my pot drawers. If I had it to do over, I’d go with all drawers.</p>
<p>One other thought… when we did a remodel, we installed outlets on the underside of the roof overhang and at various points along the fence. When it comes time for Christmas lights, no extension cords. All of the outlets are switched on and off via a bank of switches in the laundry room. Sure makes it easy to do the lights each year.</p>
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<p>Yep. We just completed a large renovation in our home that went 20% over budget because of things I added. The contractor is there to make money and keep his subs busy, so they will do anything you want and tell you it’s not a problem, won’t be too expensive. The problem is it does add up.</p>
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<p>I have an outdoor hot tub and * loathe * to get in it when it’s cold precisely because of having to walk in the cold air, especially when you get out and are wet. Then again, I might feel differently if I was 17. :)</p>
<p>We redid our kitchen 2 years ago. One of my favorite additions–2 pull-out spice rack drawers–one near the cooktop for spices and oils I use very frequently and a second a distance away for infrequently used spices, oils, etc. These pull-outs are open on both sides and have 3 shelves, which are adjustable. I also have two side-by-side floor to ceiling pull-out pantry cabinets–also open on both sides so it’s easy to see everything inside. Enjoy!</p>
<p>The plans already do include an outdoor hottub on the roof (we have a large rooftop deck) which I am really excited about! We will also have an elevator that goes from the ground floor/garage to the second floor where the great room (living/family room, dining area and kitchen,) and Master bedroom, and powder room is. My husband and I basically will live on the second floor (third level) with the other bedrooms and laundry room on the second floor (maybe we will put in a laundry shoot?). This “reverse living” is the norm for the area, which is meant to maximize views of the ocean and bay. The plans call for composite decking on the first floor (which is covered) and fiberglass decking on the second floor and roof.
Should we make all the decks fiberglass Packmom? The glass pickets for the decking fence will hopefully not make the narrow width seem too small. It is becoming more and more common in these upper end beach houses and the builder says it is no maintenace and durable. I will see if I can post a photo.</p>
<p>Here is what I mean by the glass pickets with the plastic railing and fiberglass decking. This is “all the rage” now in our area, though some still do the all plastic fencing and the composite decks. NO ONE does new wood anymore…the ocean eats it!</p>
<p>[Beach</a> house ideas pictures by seiclan - Photobucket](<a href=“Photo and Video Storage | Photobucket”>Photo and Video Storage | Photobucket)</p>
<p>I helped a friend design a house that she built in northern England. I talked her into a laundry chute from her master bathroom to the laundry room downstairs. Her builder had never seen such a thing but told her that after he built her house, he suggested it to other clients and has built several more of them. My friend loves hers.</p>
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<p>I have a similar type of design (horizontal rails rather than vertical rails) on my deck–it’s not piping, we used stainless steel for the whole thing. We’ve got great gardens, so the unobstructed view is really nice. Just after we built it, a neighbor who was building a new house down the road was visiting and said that our town had just changed its building code and that the horizontal railings were illegal. Apparently, the horizontal railings are considered a hazard for kids–easier for them to climb up and fall over. My kids were in high school/college when we built the house, so it wasn’t an issue. We’ve had young kids here and not one of them ever seemed interested in climbing on the railings.</p>
<p>Visualize a deep wooden front drawer for your pots and pans…but…once the drawer is pulled out, you will notice that the sides are shallower than the front because hidden on top and still within the large drawer is also a shallow drawer for lids that can be pulled out separately (but only if the main drawer is open) I just saw this in a magazine an loved the idea. They also utilized this same concept for their pull out recycling - sitting above the built in recycling bins and allowing for several inches of clearance is a shallow pull out drawer/shelf that holds bags/twist ties/whatever.</p>
<p>I have a small built in desk in my kitchen and I wish I could close it off. Like those doors you find on entertainment centers where they slide back in to the cabinet.</p>
<p>I would also have a place by the back door to set purses, briefcases and keys. It would also have a “mail station” complete with a recycling can and a place to charge several cell phone/ipod type devices. If this stuff makes it into my kitchen the result is an instant mess.</p>
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That’s pretty cool-looking. How kid-proof is it, in terms of breakage?</p>
<p>The builder told us it (the railing shown in post 86) was pretty durable, tempered glass. I don’t think we are permitted to do horizontal railings in this area btw (I did look into this) and I would also worry that one of my dogs (they are small terriers) would fall off the deck if the gaps between the rails or pickets were too wide.</p>
<p>Here is a website that sells the glass fencing:</p>
<p>[Decks</a> and railings by Homestead Fence](<a href=“http://homesteadfence.com/decks_railling.html]Decks”>Decks and railings by Homestead Fence)</p>
<p>I would love to have a laundry chute!</p>
<p>If I had a chance to build a house, I would make sure that my sink either was not directly in front of the kitchen window, or that the window was a garden window–set back from the sink. The water splashes on the window too much as it is!</p>
<p>I would have built-in shoe racks in the mud room so we could store our most-used shoes there and take them off as we came in the house.</p>
<p>As to the earlier discussions about dishwashers–my Bosch dishwasher is very quiet. My mother has the next model up, and hers is so quiet that you could stand in front of it and truly wouldn’t know it was running except for the light that shines on the floor to tell you that it is.</p>
<p>Good luck to you!</p>
<p>I love the look of the glass fence. Would definitely consider it if I had a view of water or something else that was special. I do wonder, though, how much of a pain it is to keep clean? Maybe they coat it with something.</p>
<p>We’ve had glass panel/anodized aluminum deck railing on our north-facing deck for 3 years now, and I cleaned it only once - squeegee, rag and soapy water, hosed off at the end. It is very easy to maintain compared to wood railing or pickets. The decking itself is not wood or plastic - we used stone decking. I give it two thumbs up for its ease of cleaning. Every spring I give it a good brushing with a brush and soapy water (I use dish soap) to dislodge moss and debris that fell on it during winter months, and then I hose it off. No staining, no bleach cleaning, no power washing. The deck is huge, but it does not take me long to clean it. It stays nice and clean all summer long.</p>
<p>seiclan, the glass pickets are great looking. I’ve never seen them before. They will be great for the ocean view.
My MIL lives on the Outer Banks so I know what you mean about the ocean air eating wood.</p>
<p>Our horizontal piping is spaced about 6 inches apart but I guess a tiny dog could scoot under it if they tried. Our top rail is pretty high…hits between my waist and chest…so hopefully we catch any future grandchildren before they get to the top.</p>
<p>I live in a beach town and my friend uses the tempered glass from used sliding glass doors she purchased from a building material recycle shop and inserts them in between the rails on her deck. That way, there is no obstruction to the view and no gaps in the railings. The deck has to be engineered to support the greater weight.</p>
<p>We had a laundry chute in the townhouse we rented when we first moved here. Loved it.</p>
<p>I put the laundry chute on our list to mention to the builder when we meet with him. Our closet is almost just above the laundry room so it should not be easy to do. </p>
<p>I had fun looking at kitchen appliances in an upscale appliance store the other day. If our budget allows, I am picking a 36" wolf cooktop range with sealed burners, sub zero 48" side by side fridge, sub zero undercounter dual zone wine cooler, a miele OR a kitchenaid dishwasher.I want 30" double wall ovens with a warming drawer and a built in microwave but am not sure which brands to get of those. I kinda liked the kitchenaid ones but the stainless is more brushed and has different handles(as opposed to the shiney Wolf and sub zero).</p>
<p>Seiclan-
When I remodeled the kitchen at our lake house I put in a Sharp microwave drawer. It is the bee’s knees! Last I heard other companies had these drawers but they were all manufactured by Sharp.
I wish sealed burners were an option when I bought my Viking. It is a chore just wiping the dang thing down after preparing dinner. I also have a Viking warming drawer, although it usually just houses the junk food I I don’t want to look at unless we are entertaining or serving multiple courses like at Thanksgiving or Christmas!</p>