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  • architect on demand, advice without strings

    Stone Walkways: Dry Construction or Wet Construction?

    Last year, in addition to being under a tight deadline, I was working with a very tight budget. Consequently, I compromised on stone walkways, opting for “pool sand,” which turned out to be a mistake (soft underfoot and sticks to shoes). A year later, I am ready to fix it and am trying to decide…

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  • roofing materials, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Roofing Materials To Protect You From The Elements

    It’s pouring outside. Since the roof over your head is the best protection from the elements, I decided to look into what types of roofing materials are commonly used to do the job right.

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  • kitchen, cabinets, Home Depot, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Martha’s Kitchen Cabinets at The Home Depot

    Martha’s kitchen cabinets exclusively at The Home Depot are the answer. Edward and Margarita need my advice on updating their condo. It’s easy. It just needs fresh paint and new kitchen cabinets. They can keep the existing boxes, but replace drawers and cabinet doors.

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  • dream home, architect on demand, advice without strings, DIY Like a Hummingbird

    Our Dream Home Was Designed to Cultivate Family Relationships

    Thanks to my daughters, I have charted a career path of an architect whose main objective is to foster creativity. I have included them in my experiments. And they have validated my efforts time and time again. Building our dream home is a good example of the collaboration.

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  • how to nurture, DIY Like a Hummingbird

    How to Nurture Your Kids’ Creativity: #1 Is to Respect Their Feelings

    I have been preoccupied with how to nurture my kids’ creativity ever since they were born. Recently my daughter Mia told me that a toy I made for her when she was approximately five years old is the inspiration for a collection of handbags she is designing: “Your favorite handbag as a transitional object.”

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  • urban apartment, architect on demand, advice without strings

    An Urban Apartment: 5 Tips for Organizing & Displaying Your Collections

    I know this client since the 80-ies; he is my ex-husband. Actually, he is one of my biggest fans these days and talks about the great job I‘ve done remodeling and organizing his urban apartment when I am not there to hear it.

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  • outdoor kitchen, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Designing an Outdoor Kitchen: 5 Steps to Thinking Outside of the Box

    Opening your mind to undefined possibilities is what they call thinking outside the box. My friends reached out to me last-minute; they were starting a project in the backyard — installing an outdoor kitchen and a new hardscape.

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  • space-saving desk, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Born out of necessity: Space-saving Desk Does 5 (actually 10) Things at Once

    Space-saving design is born out of necessity. It solves, simplifies, and gives an alternative. Sometimes, it even anticipates a problem before it occurs.

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  • turning house into home, alla diy ally, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Turning a House Into a Home: 5 ways to mix old and new

    Imagine turning a house into a home. House vs home. What is the difference? I conjure up an image of an apparatus programmed to cooperate, even anticipate and inspire. It’s a sophisticated contraption attending to all of my whims — ascertaining that my emotional and physical wellbeing is taken care of. It’s designed with efficiency…

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  • above-ground pool, architect on demand, advice without strings

    Above-ground Pool in the Front Yard: 5 Ways I Used Constraints to My Advantage

    My kids, my students, and my fellow DIYers (those home improvement enthusiasts I consult online as Alla DIY Ally) have all heard me exclaim time and time again: “That’s a blessing in disguise!” I love when perceived design problems (like the ones I’ve encountered while designing an above-ground pool) are turned around and emerge as…

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Get to know

  • Meet Alla
  • Testimonials
  • Accolades
  • Get in touch

Get inspired

  • DIY like an architect
  • Kid-Focused Design
  • Idea books
  • Blog
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  • get to know
    • meet Alla
    • testimonials
    • accolades
    • legacy
  • get started
    • DIY like an Architect
  • get inspired
    • kid-focused design
    • ideabooks
    • blog
  • get in touch