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  • submittal requirements, one-story addition, alteration, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Submittal Requirements for a One-Story Addition or Alteration / Part 1

    A friend of a friend asked me to help with producing a set of documents necessary to get a building permit. Acting as an owner-contractor, they are planning a one-story addition/alteration and need to demonstrate that all of the submittal requirements per the Department of Building and Safety are being fulfilled.

    Read More Submittal Requirements for a One-Story Addition or Alteration / Part 1Continue

  • little details, bath, shelf, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Working Out Little Details: a Bath Shelf

    A potential DIY Ally client asked me if I enjoy working out little details. She wrote: “Hello, I am remodeling a 1938 bath in Washington DC. Have worked with architects previously, so attempting this without an architect, with a very trustworthy contractor. But he’s not a designer, and I want to do something unconventional (from…

    Read More Working Out Little Details: a Bath ShelfContinue

  • customizing IKEA, wall-mounted organizer, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Customizing IKEA: Wall-Mounted Organizer

    I’ve written about my garage conversion frustrations. I also discussed at length my plans to install Sunnersta mini-kitchen by IKEA. Now that the project is completed, I’m happy to share one of my customizing-made-affordable efforts — a wall-mounted organizer.

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  • site plan, backyard, pool, hot tup, pergola, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Site Plan: Backyard Pool, Hot Tub, and Pergola

    My friend called to discuss his DIY project. They recently bought a property in Palm Springs and he said that the house itself is in a pretty good shape, but the backyard is begging for a makeover. He shared his initial sketches. Intuitively, he started designing with a site plan — arranging a pool, a…

    Read More Site Plan: Backyard Pool, Hot Tub, and PergolaContinue

  • how to streamline kitchen elevations, architect on demand, advice without strings

    How to Streamline Your Kitchen Elevations

    My DIY Ally client emailed: “They have hooked us up with a contractor to do our kitchen remodel, which includes ‘design’ services. We have been underwhelmed by their cabinet layout designs, so we were wondering what you might charge to look at their proposal. Can you show us how to streamline our kitchen elevations?”

    Read More How to Streamline Your Kitchen ElevationsContinue

  • reflected ceiling plan, design, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Reflected Ceiling Plan Design

    As DIY Ally, I’ve been asked to help with a design of a reflected ceiling plan (RCP). Nothing technical, just a drawing, which shows the lighting scheme of a space. A client’s email stated: “So we are adding a room to our house, it will be 16′ x 20′ with a single pitch ceiling from…

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  • moving kitchen plumbing, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Moving Kitchen Plumbing? No Problem!

    As DIY Ally, I’ll gladly delve into the issue of moving kitchen plumbing. The other day, I received an email with the subject line “dumbfounded duplex in Minneapolis.” Having signed up for the initial consultation, a client was asking for “help with generating ideas.”

    Read More Moving Kitchen Plumbing? No Problem!Continue

  • displaying, organizing, continuity, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Displaying and Organizing While Creating Continuity

    My living room and adjoining dining room are abundant with the artwork by our daughters. But there’s nothing random about what I’m displaying. There’s a sense of continuity, a cohesive connection between all of the pieces. The organizing element, the theme of this curated installation is Human Beings. On view, there are sculptures, drawings, paintings,…

    Read More Displaying and Organizing While Creating ContinuityContinue

  • floor plan, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Start Every Project with a Floor Plan

    The importance of starting with a floor plan cannot be emphasized enough. A new client writes: “Hello Alla. We have been renovating a house we bought last year, and our next project will be the front porch. The basic concept is to turn the current sunroom into 2/3 open porch and 1/3 mudroom/entry way. We…

    Read More Start Every Project with a Floor PlanContinue

  • IKEA's Sunnersta mini-kitchen, architect on demand, advice without strings

    My Plans for IKEA’s Sunnersta Mini-Kitchen

    IKEA’s new Sunnersta free-standing mini-kitchen is ideal for my garden room. Maybe to someone, it’s “the no-commitment kitchen,” but I love it. It was just unveiled as one of the brand new designs in IKEA’s 2017 catalog, which claims that this tiny thing offers “all the function of a full-sized kitchen with just a fraction…

    Read More My Plans for IKEA’s Sunnersta Mini-KitchenContinue

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