Creating a nursery that is both inviting and thoughtfully organised is easier than you think. Hello! So happy to be here again. And with a new focus. Since I posted last, I have built a studio and wrote/illustrated a picture book about designing a nursery from a kid’s point of view. It made me realize…
A DIY Ally client hired me to help with a layout of a master bedroom/bathroom suite. She listed the “must haves,” sent photos of the current conditions, and shared that it’s their second home soon to be their only home in a rural area of Texas. Based on the information provided, it appeared that they…
When you live close to the beach in Santa Monica, California, your home must celebrate indoor/outdoor lifestyle. Another prerequisite is that its kitchen architecture should feel inviting. With a sense of calm and order. Airy. Sounds formulaic? Of course! That’s because combining comfort with spaciousness and good light is a fail-safe recipe for success. I…
Last week I attended my daughter’s new brand launch party. While chatting with her friend Eric, we got on the subject of alladiyally. He was curious to learn about the way it started, and I enjoyed reminiscing. Offering virtual architectural services was an innovative concept; thankfully, it has evolved into a thriving online business. Besides,…
A DIY Ally client wrote: “Hello Alla, I’ve much enjoyed your website, particularly your 11-step eBook and blog entries. I have a space planning question. My husband and I are downsizing from a 2300 sf home to a 1948 ranch 3BR/1BA 1100 sf home. Every sf needs to count. Over the 5+ years we’ve owned…
Sorry, I haven’t been posting. Was teaching my DIY Like an Architect workshop at Art Center last two weekends. Besides, this project in NY is keeping me very busy. Performing construction supervision remotely — discussing every little detail with the contractor over the phone in addition to emailing a lot of drawings and instructions. Most…
I’ve been getting a lot of traffic on AllaDIYAlly lately. For instance, just last week I heard from a client in Washington’s Wenatchee Valley who is enlarging a small bedroom and adding a bath suite. He inquired: “If I send current dimensions and include a sketch and additional square feet, can you work from that?”…
If you read this blog, you’ve already heard about my project in the Hamptons. The first stage of it is under construction, which consists of the garage remodel/pool house conversion. With respect to the existing structure, the intent is to preserve as much of it as possible, especially the operable barn door — keeping this endearing element…
A client wants to build a deck at the top of her steep hillside property. The view from there is breathtaking! Unfortunately, structural requirements make it prohibitively expensive. In addition, the obligatory 25-foot-wide side yard deems the project impossible to implement at the location we’re considering. Well, I am not giving up just yet. There…
You’ve heard a great deal about my project in Bridgehampton; it’s been a year in development. Finally, the first stage of construction has started — we are repurposing a free-standing rustic garage into a guest house. I am busy making sure that all of the elements come together seamlessly. Still refining the design for a closet…