Recently, a friend asked for my help with a design of an apartment she is looking to set up as a vacation spot for her family in Batumi, Georgia. Excited with a challenge at hand — maximizing function within a minimal footprint — I set out to create a compact unit that offers its guests all the comforts of a luxurious hotel room.
I attended LA Build Expo a couple of weeks ago. Overall, it was disappointing, but I did come across a very interesting product; it's called wedi. A 100% internally waterproof modular shower system, a lightweight and dimensionally stable (flat) panel assembly that acts as a substrate to virtually any stone or tile adhesive. I was happy to learn about it and look forward to specifying it.
As architect on demand, I frequently get emails from DIYers concerned with their home’s curb appeal. When adding a few potted plants or planting climbing vines is enough to spruce up the entryway, Martha Stewart has great advice. However, it could be a question of subtracting, instead of adding. There are times when a façade can benefit from authentic architectural details and intervention.
Wasn’t I writing a guest post about turning my LES (Manhattan Lower East Side) studio apartment into a home just last week? It feels like that! Well, now I have crossed the bridge and moved to Brooklyn, and this time it’s not just me in a studio… I have a new roommate, my boyfriend. I am returning to DIY Ally’s blog to chronicle our experiences of transforming a one-bedroom apartment into a home!
I just devoured Making House: Designers at Home — a very inspiring book. So much so, that quite a few times I caught myself losing concentration, wandering off in a daydream. I was imagining my future country home or a beach house. The more I read, the more I wanted to expand my own environment.
As previously mentioned, I visited both of my daughters in New York last month. They have just moved from Manhattan to Williamsburg/Brooklyn into their new digs. Mia, a veteran at this — it’s her third move — is working on a guest post. No doubt she’ll share some of her wisdom and experience along with design tips from Alla DIY Ally (AKA mom). So very grateful that she involves me in the process.
The other day I complimented a friend on the waterline tile he selected for a private swimming pool. He thanked me and added: “The tile does not change color when wet.” I found it interesting that a detail like that would be an important consideration.
I am back from New York; it was a week of intense work coupled with mother-daughter(s) quality time. As far as the Hamptons project, I handed it off to be submitted for an assortment of building permits. The next step is to focus attention on the site plan, starting with the hardscape and then transitioning into the actual landscape.
Recently, a client complained about our interaction to the Better Business Bureau. In my opinion, the claim is rooted in her misunderstanding of the services I provide online as DIY Ally.
Architect Tony Moretti is one of the most unassuming and humble people I know. He’s my hero along with Louis Kahn and Carlo Scarpa. Extremely knowledgeable, he embodies the growth mindset in everything he does — from professional to personal life.
Sunday morning is the time for connecting with nature. I am walking barefoot on a sandy beach of Santa Monica. Lucky for me, it’s only a thirty-minute drive from my house.
I received an email from a DIY Ally client with the subject line: “Exterior elevations. Front door entrance, steel French doors and windows.” The message read: “Alla, I am thrilled to find your website and would appreciate your help. I am in the midst of remodeling my 1930 home and having difficulty determining the appropriate look of French doors, windows as well as the front/back door.”