Are you tired of looking at those out dated sliding closet doors? Instead of investing in new doors why not investigate the option of remodeling them. In standard new built developments contractors keep the house prices low by installing inexpensive features and your closet doors may be in need of a face lift.

The great thing is you don’t even need to remove them in order to spruce them up. You have options at your fingertips you probably are not even aware of.

In this article we’ll explore the wide array of choices to modify and beautify your current sliding closet doors.

Your first option would be to add a coat of paint. The standard choice is usually bare or white wood. By using a latex- based paint you’ll add a distinct luster to the material. A designer technique called white washing can also be used.

To white wash your closet doors you’ll need white paint and a complementary color paint along with two paint brushes, disposable rags and denatured alcohol. Test piece some scrap wood to practice your technique.

Clean the doors first so the paint will adhere better to the surface. When they are dry apply a coat of paint starting with the base and working up to the doors. Once the one coat is dry you then apply the complementary color of your choice directly over the first coat of white paint.

Then using your practice wood dip a rag into the alcohol and rub the wood lightly or as heavily as you wish which will depend on your desired consistency. If you want just a peek of the other colors showing through then rub lightly consequently a heavier rub will produce a bolder effect.

Once you are satisfied with the look of your practice piece you can remodel your sliding closet doors. Change your rags often or they will not work the way they should. After you have finished you can reattach the doors to their base. You can even go one step further by adding new handles to kick the look up a notch.

Once your cabinets are clean and dry, begin by applying a white coat of paint. Start with the base of the cabinets and work your way to the doors. This way, once you are ready to re-hang the doors, you can be sure the bases will be totally dry. Be sure to let the cabinets dry completely. Depending on the climate, paint will take longer to dry in humid conditions, so take that into consideration when doing this project. A rule of thumb would be to wait at least 24 hours before going to the next step.

Once all the bases are covered with one coat of white paint and totally dry, apply a coat of blue (complementary color of your choice) paint directly over the initial white coat. Again, wait until this coat is completely dry before proceeding to step three, which is to apply another coat of white paint over the blue. After 24 hours’ of drying time for this third coat of paint, it’s time to “whitewash.”

Another design element popular with home interior designers is the use of mirrors. Attach a full length mirror on one side and paint the other door any solid color of your choice. Then as a unique touch you can either stencil or apply using a freehand artistry artistic touch such as flowers or an expression or quote that resonates with you. The choice is yours as to what appeals and fits your overall design preferences.

How about adding texture to your sliding closet doors with the addition of molding? A moderately flat type of molding with specific design elements is your best choice. A thicker type molding may tend to cause the second door to catch. This simple construction can be completed by nailing or gluing the molding. If you choose you can also paint the molding in a complementary color from the door.

Stenciling adds a very chic look especially when done in black on white. Keep the doors themselves white in color. Then choose stencils in any sort of intricate shapes. You then stencil them on using black paint. Shelving is another great way to change up the look of your sliding closet doors. Paint the doors a solid color. They can be found at virtually every home store. The kits come with complete instruction and are very easy to install.

Joel is an expert author whose been publishing online for several years. Visit his latest website discussing Sliding Closet Doors. These insightful articles are a must read if you are considering upgrading the look of your home with sliding room dividers.

In recent years, there have been several changes in our country. And one of the changes that effects homeowners more than many of them realize are the weather patterns. There have been significant increases in stormy weather over the past couple decades, driving up the cost of homeowners insurance, and increasing the frequency of basement flooding. And with flooding occurring in more and more basements, basement waterproofing is becoming the solution of choice.

Although basement waterproofing can help many homeowners keep their lower levels protected from the storm, it can become rather expensive to leave everything to the professionals. Clearly, there are many tasks that are much better left to a pro, but there are also several things a homeowner can do on their own to make sure their basement stays dry and reduce the chance that they will need to call in and expert.

The first thing for homeowners to do is an examination of the potential moisture problems downstairs. Look specifically for cracks in the foundation, walls and floor. Cracks in cement are a common sight, and for this reason, many homeowners just dismiss them as part of the normal wear and tear of the basement. Nothing could be further from the truth. These types of cracks are one of the biggest contributors to moisture in the lower level.

If you do find any structural cracks in the basement, waterproofing should be done before these cracks get bigger and create a greater problem. But before you do anything else, you’ll need to determine the extent of the damage. Remove all furniture and other items from the area of the cracks and look at how far the moisture has spread.

Next, look for other possible sources of water damage in your basement. These can result from leaking ducts, tubes, hoses and other devices that connect various parts of your basement where the water runs. Once you’ve found all the possible sources of leaks, it’s time to get the basement dried out. Take a dehumidifier and run it around all the affected areas for a day or two each. This will address the immediate moisture problem, provided it’s not already so widespread that it’s beyond the ability of a dehumidifier to fix.

After the lower level is dried out, it’s time to do the basement waterproofing. This generally entails sealing up all the cracks and leaks with a reliable sealant like RadonSeal or Dryloks. Once you’ve applied the sealant per the directions and given it ample time to dry, you should be good to go.

If you’ve taken all the ‘do it yourself’ basement sealing steps and your lower level still has moisture, it’s possible that the problem is beyond the scope of the homeowner to fix. However, that doesn’t mean it’s beyond hope. A basement waterproofing contractor can come out and assess the situation and give you a free estimate of what is needed and what the cost would be to repair. If nothing else, the contractor can at least let you know free of charge what the exact problem is, then you can decide if it’s something you can fix on your own or if you need to hire a professional.

DryMaster – Basement Waterproofing Gladwyne PA.  Our Glenside PA Basement Waterproofing Specialists adhere to simple guidelines of integrity and responsibility

A couple of years ago, my husband and I decided we needed to get a headboard. You know, like real adults have! We were lucky to have a local furniture outlet that was selling a headboard for $99 made out of wood.Score!

Yet, not everyone may have a furniture outlet near them. Here’s a list of ideas for you to create your own headboard.

Buy a blank canvas and cover it in your fabric. So easy to buy your favorite fabric and staple it to the wood frame on the canvas.

Buy a sheet of MDF, cut out a shape, pad it and upholster it. Make sure you know how wide your bed is and mark it off on the board. From there, sketch out what you want your headboard to look like and cut it out. Get some batting and fabric, assemble and staple it to the back.

Use a salvaged mantel as a headboard. You hang it high enough on the wall so you don’t knock yourself out, and underneath it, you will need to add two to three large pillows to balance the weight from the look of the mantel.

Buy a brand new 6 panel door and turn it on its side. Paint it whatever color you want and then scuff it with some sandpaper for an aged appearance.

Paint a stripe on your wall. Make the strip as wide as your bed and paint it from the ceiling to the floor.

Build Boxes to hold decorative tiles on the wall. You could buy decorative floor tiles in 12 x 12 or 18 x 18 and build boxes that frame the tiles and have a cleat to hang on the wall. Arrange as a grid on the wall.

Hang drapes from the ceiling. If you hang them from ceiling to floor and just behind your bed, you will have created a dramatic look.

Looking for more smashing decorating hints and tips? Would you like the *FREE* Design Guide & the e-Zine? Check out http://www.ajwdesignco.com.

Alycia Wicker is a certified interior designer located in Eastvale, CA providing Interior Design without the Designer Attitude.

Do you need some virtual interior design help? Check out http://www.e-decorating.com. You can also find Alycia on Facebook and Twitter.

Interior designers seek wooden shutters because they can give any home a very classic look. If you have wooden shutters in your home and you’re ready to give them a facelift, you can paint them. Painting is not a very difficult task, but you must get the colour scheme correct if you want it to match other features of your home. The typical homeowner will need to paint them about every five to six years. If you seal them with a good sealant, you might get even more time out of the paint job.

The first thing you need to do is remove the shutter from your home. This might be easier said than done depending on your house. If you are trying to paint them on second floor of your home, you will need a ladder and a screwdriver. If they are being stubborn, use a drill with a screw bit. Have a friend or spouse hold the ladder as you go up. You want the ladder to be secure as you climb it. Never stand on the top step of the ladder, as this is a safety risk.

Use your drill bit or screwdriver to remove the screws holding them in place. Removing all of them at one time is the most time efficient way. Take all of them into a well ventilated area. If you are wary about getting paint on your driveway, use a drop cloth with a couple of rocks to keep it secure. If you do happen to get paint on your driveway, use a paint thinner and hot water to get it off.

Use soap, hot water and a metal paint scraper to remove the peeling paint. If the paint is being stubborn, use a light grained sandpaper. If the paint still won’t come off, upgrade your sandpaper to a thicker grain until you can get it off. Use an outdoor primer to coat the wood. This is a sealant that will keep the wood from weakening during the elements. Wait for the primer to dry and then paint the wood with a topcoat of the paint you chose. Wait for the top coat of the paint to dry and then finish off the wood with another coat if needed.

Painting your wooden shutters can breathe new life into your house. When you are choosing paint, use a colour wheel to get the right hue. If you aren’t too sure what colours will go well, ask a painting expert at your local home improvement store. Make sure that all of the paint is completely dry before you reinstall them to your home. Always take caution when you are use a ladder and secure them back to the home with enough force so they stay in place without stripping the pilot hole. After all of this done, you can stand back and take a good look at your finished product.

Find out more about shutters.

Every room in your house should have a main focal point, or at least a point that the eyes are automatically drawn too when you come through the door. If you aren’t sure if your main living room has a focal point or not, go out and shut the door. Then come back in and see where your eyes are drawn too. This should be an architectural feature, not the TV set and if that’s all that jumps out at you, its time to start decorating.

The best focal point for any room is a fireplace, fact. If you have never particularly been a fan of fireplaces, you obviously haven’t checked out the enormous range of fireplace design ideas that are readily available these days. There is literally a fireplace to suit everybody, and every room. From modern and contemporary to rustic and ornate, you will find the perfect one for you.

Never try to install a new, or update an old, fireplace and attempt to make it fit in with the rest of the room. The new fireplace is going to be your focal point, so strip the room bear and start with the fireplace first, then design the rest of the room around it. The first place to start is the position of your fireplace. If you have never been happy with the location of your fire, now is the time to change it.

Once you have decided on the location, its time to choose the style, color and, very importantly, the size. While it needs to stand out and immediately draw your eye to it, you don’t want it to seem as if it overpowers the room and gives the impression that your room is small and cluttered.

If you are restricted to where you can put your fireplace and it is going to have to be a small one, a beautiful mirror or picture above it will draw attention to it instantly. If this doesn’t appeal to you, there are other options you can try. By adding some dramatic sculptured piece to the mantel, or even painting a faux border around the fireplace will give it that wow factor.

Be sympathetic with the décor and ensure that the color of the wall doesn’t clash with the fireplace. It is for this reason that contemporary colors such as black, white or gray are becoming increasingly popular as you can redecorate over and over again knowing that everything will blend with your fireplace.

Antique effect fireplaces deserve colors from the period it is emulating, and remember if your fireplace is a light color have it against a dark wall, and vice versa. Arrange your furnishings so that the fireplace can be appreciated from wherever you or your guests are sitting and voila, you have a fabulous room complete with focal point.

For more fireplace design ideas, visit http://www.FireplaceDesignInfo.com

Lack of storage space and light ventilation may be the two most important factors why you want to turn your old home into a new one that looks like a modern home. Discover the below 10 ideas to make your old home looks like new one.

1. Deco apartment aliases to illuminate
Move a wall non-carrier between the dining room and / or the kitchen and the living room to create a large living room.
Break down barriers can enhance the natural light and the volume of space, expanding the sense of space, especially in rooms like the kitchen or hallway.

The great outdoors are trends because they allow the whole family to live in ease and comfort.

2. Modernize the kitchen
Kitchen should be practical and functional at all times. Melamine and Formica kitchen traditions can sometimes be a hindrance to modernity of piece like the rustic wooden elements.

You can paint your walls only if the material elements permit you to do so with colors pop.
You can also change the signs of your cupboards for more likely effects, such as red or white lacquer.

You can also upgrade your bar counter by covering it with a raw wood or aluminum. If your countertop is laminated, you can paint with bright colors, a reminder of your walls.
If your kitchen is equipped with marble flooring then you may also change it to the wooden flooring to match it with the wooden cabinets and other kitchen furniture.

3. Plan the extension
If your old house is too small, you can earn square feet by adding an extension by several ways.

The first solution is to encroach on the garden through all the stages of conventional construction: earthworks, foundations, masonry.

The second solution is to elevate the house, complex operation since it is necessary to disassemble the frame. Check that your home can handle the overload. It is then possible to consider a break in style from your house.

You can add an extension of wood or metal with a stone house or classical style. Feel free to ask the opinion of many architects.

4. Optimize the attic
Optimize your attic by installing an extra room as a guest room, a playroom or office.

The attics allow you to enjoy the full potential of your old house charm. Indeed, beam or paneling gives style to your room in roof pitch.

In addition, those small or large spaces in the attic are real allies in terms of saving space. For example you can install the dressing of your dreams that do not fit into your room. You can even build a nice cozy bathroom.

5. Start with environmental standards
Construction or renovation, your work will have to meet new environmental standards.
Official standards should be in the place and must be respected. The standard HQE (High Environmental Quality) is a project that seeks to minimize the impact of the house on the environment, while ensuring healthy living conditions and comfort.

There is also the standard RT 2005 (thermal regulation) which aims to optimize the thermal performance of the house.

Many others are in force, particularly for construction of wooden houses.

6. Value the character of house
Stones, mud, timber, raw lime, some houses were built in the style of their region or their time. Architectural treasures of authenticity to be preserved and enhanced.

You can then undertake the restoration of traditional elements in accordance with the techniques of the past. Many artisans specialize in this area.

But nothing prevents you to add your touch of modernity. The contemporary swears not necessarily with the old, far from it.

You need to well take care of some furniture like dining table, sofa sets, bedroom furniture and wardrobes for better looks and feel along with the long life of the furniture.

7. Give a facelift to flooring
If the tiles of the house are a little older or that the carpet is worn, you can upgrade the soil, giving a facelift to the room immediately.

Pull the old carpet, or cover the tile surface with a contemporary. There are many models in all styles. You can opt for a polished concrete floor. There are also many PVC coating, mimicking tile, wooden flooring or concrete, which are also easy to get.

Finally, laminating the flooring is the most beautiful effect.

The choice is yours depending on the style of your room. But you can also keep the ground in places of origin, if it is a beautiful parquet floor tiles or old, that will give style to your home.

8. Refresh the front
If the exterior of your home country is damaged, it is best to swallow the front.
To rejuvenate a home without the cost is excessive; you can simply paint the doors, windows and shutters.

Similarly, you can add a small gazebo or refresh your driveway with beautiful tiles.

But you cannot possibly do without the facade renovation if it is damaged because it may suffer the condition of your house. It is to be considered at the time of purchase.

If you have a good knowledge of masonry and scaffolding (it is possible to rent) you can repeat the cleaning yourself. We must then make an inventory before starting work and to choose between plaster and paint.

9. Give a second life to chimney
Your house has a rustic fireplace brick or plaster topped by a wooden beam or a coat of stone. You can choose to replace it with a contemporary fireplace.

You can opt for a less expensive solution: the upgrade.

A simple and aesthetic is to cover the hood of aluminum plate for a more design. You can also cover your briquettes flames of a coating.

If your chimney is unusable or too cumbersome and messy to activate, you can install a nice wood stove or modern classic in the hearth of the fireplace. In addition, it will take you great discounts on electricity bills.

10. Put color on walls
Old-fashioned wallpaper or plaster worn, one of the surest ways to give a facelift to your home is to heat the walls with color trends.

Feel free to play with range of colors, contrasts, mixing such as fuchsia or turquoise with chocolate.

The sunny colors give punch to a room rather than old architecture. Conversely, pastel colors create an atmosphere of retro and romantic in a house such as “floor-molding”.

The colors can also play on the volumes of parts, sometimes problematic in the houses of traditional. Narrow room and low ceiling, the colors can overcome these drawbacks by creating optical effects.

Author recommends to invest in high quality modular kitchen furniture, kids furniture, modern bed furniture and wooden flooring.

Putting a bar in your home can be so easy if you are willing to be creative. You might want to hire a contractor and spend tons of money. But, you can do it yourself if you just form a plan and then figure out the best way to put it together.

The back of your bar can be as easy as installing shelves that reach the ceiling on both sides. Place a mirror in the middle and hang a television. Now, you have a sports bar look that makes you feel like you are in a real sports bar. But, that was easy. Here are a few ideas you may not have thought could be so easy.

The next thing you might want to add to your home bar is the glass holder that hangs above the bar. You’d be surprised how easy it is to make one. You need wood slats that form the base of your frame. The perfect size wood slat for this part of the glass holder is about 2 in. X 2 in. Then, you need wood slats to serve as the holder for the different types of stemware you have. But, this part is actually the teamwork of two different sized slats. One is about 2 in. X 1/8 in. and the other is 1/4 in. X 1/4 in.

The best way to attach these slats is with a handful of nice looking, gold nails. Run 2 in. X 2 in. slats horizontally spaced as far as a foot between. But, it’s a little classier if you place them about 4 inches from each other. Vertically, you will run your 2 in. X 1/8 in. slats about an inch apart. But, make sure to place a 1/4 in. X 1/4 in. slat under each one. Drive a nail through the 2 in. X 1/8 in. slat and the 1/4 in. X 1/4 in. slat where each 2 in. X 2 in. slat sits. That way, you’ll create a nice ledge where you can hang your stemware. Attach your glass holder to the ceiling with hooks and chains. You’ve got a great look that has functionality.

For glasses with handles like mugs and coffee cups, create a wood slab where you can screw golden hooks into and use them as hangers. You can stack all other types of glasses or you can create another wood slab with clamp-like holders directed upward. If you can’t find the clamps at a hardware store, you can take the time and make them yourself using a sheet of metal. The gauge shouldn’t be too thick but strong enough not to bend to the weight of the glass.

Cut your metal using metal cutting shears in 4 in. segments. Drill a hole through the metal and into the wood slab you have ready for hanging in your bar. Then, screw the metal clamps to the wood slab and begin hanging all the glasses you have left.

Now, every glass in your bar is off the counter. Watch television or enjoy looking at yourself in the mirror. But, you’ll have plenty of counter space for other things like liquor dispensers and pretzels.

Stan Schubridge is a beer enthusiast who loves tasting new beers and attending beer events. Staying up to date on new innovations in beer and beer products keeps Stan on top of the beer world. You can read a great deal about beer and what Stan has found at Beertaps.com

It is important to know the recommended measurement if you are designing a new kitchen. If the distances are too small or too large, it will make the daily work much more difficult. In this article you can find 10 important advices on how to design the perfect kitchen.

1. For efficiency, the work triangle (the space between the sink, refrigerator, and stove) should measure 26′ or less with no single side longer than 9′, or less than 4′.

2. In kitchens smaller than 150 sq. ft., opt for at least 13′ of base cabinets, 12′ of wall cabinets, and 11′ of countertop. In kitchens which are larger, go with at least 16′ of base cabinets, 15 1/2′ of wall cabinets, and 16 1/2′ of countertop.

3. Plan you work aisles no less than 42″ wide if you are one cook and 48″ if you are more than one in the kitchen.

4. Have a least 24″ of counter space on one side of the sink and 18″ on the other side.

5. To have the best landing when you are unloading groceries, you should have at least 15″ of counter space on the handle side of the standard refrigerator. If it is a side-by-side model, have the space on both sides. Or maybe even better, have a landing area directly across (no more than 48″ away) from the refrigerator.

6. To make it easy to clean up, the dishwasher should not be more than 36″ of the edge of the sink. Leave minimum 21″ of standing room next to it.

7. For ovens and microwaves, make at room for no less than 15″ of counter space with a minimum depth of 16″.

8. For optimum clearance, no entry, appliance, or cabinet doors should interfere with another.

9. The prevent repetitive-motion injury make the work counters have different height. For chopping and seated-use access have them between 28 and 36″ off the floor, and for more general tasks make then between 36 and 46″. This is standard measures. Taller cooks may need higher counters.

10. The clearance between the cook top and a cabinet unit must be minimum 24″ if the surface is fireproof and 30″ if it isn’t.

Kitchen design is equally divided between science and art. You can have a lot of good ideas, but if you do not know the recommended measurements, the result will never be satisfying. It is expensive to build a new kitchen, so you should make sure that you get the best result.

Martin Elmer is writing about refrigerators in koeleskab. Read more about buying refrigerators in vinkoeleskab.

If you are planning to open an espresso bar/coffee shop, then developing an efficient store design and layout will be one of the most important factors in positioning your business for success.

Speed of service is critical to the profitability of a coffee business. An efficient ergonomic store design will allow you to maximize your sales by serving as many customers as possible during peak business periods. Even though your business may be open 12 to 16 hours a day, in reality, 80% of your sales will probably occur during 20% of those hours. Coffee is primarily a morning beverage, so your busy times of day (those times when you are most likely to have a line of waiting customers), may be from 6:30AM to 8:30AM, and then again around lunchtime. If you have a poor store layout, that does not provide a logical and efficient flow for customers and employees, then the speed of customer service and product preparation will be impaired.

Think of it like this; if someone pulls open the front door of your store, and they see 5 people are waiting in line to order, there’s a good chance they’ll come in, wait in line, and make a purchase. But, if they see that 20 people are waiting in line, there is a high probability that they may determine that the wait will be too long, and they will simply get coffee somewhere else. This is money that just escaped your cash register! And, if they come to your store multiple times, and frequently find a long line of waiting customers, they may decide you are not a viable option for coffee, and will probably never return. Poor design slows down the entire service process, resulting in a longer line of waiting customers, and lost sales. So in reality, your daily business income will be dependent upon how many customers you can serve during peak business periods, and good store design will be essential to achieving that objective!

The financial impact of a poor store design can be significant. For the sake of this example, let’s say the average customer transaction for your coffee business will be $3.75. If you have a line of waiting customers each morning between 7:00 AM and 8:30 AM, this means you have 90 minutes of crunch time, in which you must drive through as many customers as possible. If you can service a customer every 45 seconds, you will serve 120 customers during this 90 minutes. But, if it takes you 1 minute 15 seconds to service each customer, then you will only be able to serve 72 customers. 120 customers x $3.75 = $450.00 x 30 business days per month = $13,500. 72 customers x $3.75 = $270.00 x 30 business days per month = $8,100. This represents a difference of $5,400 in sales per month ($64,800 per year), coming from just 90-minutes of business activity each day!

So how should you go about designing your coffee bar? First, understand that putting together a good design is like assembling a puzzle. You have to fit all the pieces in the proper relationship to each other to end up with the desired picture. This may require some trial and error to get things right. I’ve designed hundreds of coffee bar over the past 15 years, and I can truthfully tell you from experience, it still usually takes me a couple of attempts to produce an optimal design.

The design process begins by determining your menu and other desired store features. If you plan to do in-store baking, then obviously you’ll need to include in your plan an oven, exhaust hood, sheet pan rack, a large prep table, and perhaps a mixer. If you plan to have a private meeting room for large groups, then an extra 200 sq. ft. or more will need to be designed-in, in addition to the square footage you are already allocating for normal customer seating.

Your intended menu and other business features should also drive decisions about the size of location you select. How many square feet will be required to fit in all the necessary equipment, fixtures, and other features, along with your desired seating capacity?

Typically, just the space required for the front of the house service area, (cash register, brewing & espresso equipment, pastry case, blenders, etc.), back of the house (storage, prep, dishwashing and office areas), and 2-ADA restrooms, will consume about 800 sq. ft. If space for extensive food prep, baking, coffee roasting, or cooking will be required, this square footage may increase to 1,000 to 1,200, or more. What ever is left over within your space after that, will become your seating area.

So, a typical 1,000 sq. ft coffee bar, serving beverages and simple pastries only, will probably allow for the seating of 15 to 20 customers – max! Increase that square footage to 1,200 sq. ft., and seating should increase to 30, or 35. If you plan to prepare sandwiches, salads, and some other food items on site, 1,400 to 1,600 sq. ft. should provide enough space to seat 35 to 50, respectively.

Next, you will have to determine the tasks that will be performed by each employee position, so that the equipment and fixtures necessary to accomplish those tasks can be located in the appropriate places.

Normally, your cashier will operate the cash register, brew and serve drip coffee, and serve pastries and desserts. Your barista will make all your espresso-based beverages, tea, chai, hot chocolate, Italian sodas, as well as all the blender beverages. If you’ll be preparing sandwiches, panini, wraps, salads, snacks and appetizers, or will be baking on-site, then a person dedicated to food prep will be necessary. And, if you anticipate high volume, and will be serving in or on ceramics, a bus-person/dishwasher may be a necessity.

After you have determined what you will be serving, the space you will be leasing, and what each employee will be responsible for, you will then be ready to begin your design process. I usually start my design work from the back door of the space and work my way forward. You’ll need to design in all of the features that will be necessary to satisfy your bureaucracies and facilitate your menu, before you make plans for the customer seating area.

Your back door will most likely have to serve as an emergency fire exit, so you’ll need a hallway connecting it with your dining room. Locating your 2-ADA restrooms off of this hallway would make good sense. And, because delivery of products will also probably occur through your back door, having access to your back of the house storage area would also be convenient.

In the back of the house, at minimum, you will need to include a water heater, water purification system, dry storage area, back-up refrigerator and freezer storage, ice maker, an office, 3-compartment ware washing sink, rack for washed wares, mop bucket sink, and a hand washing sink. Do any food prep, and the addition of a food prep sink and prep table will be necessary. If doing baking, gelato making, full cooking, or coffee roasting, all the equipment necessary for those functions will also need to be added.

After all the features have been designed into the back of the house, you will then be ready to start your design work on the front of the house service and beverage preparation area. This area will probably include a pastry case, cash register(s), drip coffee brewer and grinder(s), espresso machine and grinders, a dipper well, possibly a granita machine, blenders, ice holding bin, blender rinse sink, hand washing sink, under counter refrigeration (under espresso machine and blenders), and a microwave oven.

If serving food beyond simple pastries and desserts, you may need to add a panini toaster grill, a refrigerated sandwich/salad preparation table, soup cooker/warmer, a bread toaster, etc. If you plan to serve pre made, ready to serve sandwiches, wraps, and salads, along with a selection of bottled beverages, an open-front, reach-in merchandising refrigerator should be considered. Serving ice cream or gelato? If the answer is yes, then an ice cream or gelato dipping cabinet will be necessary along with an additional dipper well.

Finally, when all the working areas of the bar have been designed, the customer seating area can be laid out. This will, of course, include your cafe tables and chairs, couches and comfortable upholstered chairs, coffee tables, and perhaps a window or stand-up bar with bar stools. Impulse-buy and retail merchandise shelves should be established, and a condiment bar should be located close to where customers will pick-up their beverages.

A quick word about couches, large upholstered chairs, and coffee tables. Living room type furniture takes up a lot of space. If you plan to be opening evenings, and will perhaps serve beer and wine, and having comfortable seating will be important for creating a relaxing ambiance, then by all means do it. But if you have limited seating space, and are not trying to encourage people to relax and stay for long periods of time, then stick with cafe tables and chairs. The more people you can seat, the greater your income potential!

Features from the front door to the condiment bar should be arranged in a logical, sequential order. As your customers enter the front door, their travel path should take them past your impulse-buy merchandise display, and the pastry case, before they arrive at the point of order (where your cashier, cash register, and menu-board will be located). Exposing customers to your impulse items and pastries, before they order, will greatly increase their sales. Then, after the order and payment has been taken, they should proceed down-line away from the cash register to pick-up their beverage, and finally, the condiment bar should be located beyond that point. Be sure to separate your point of order from the point of product pick-up by at least six feet, otherwise customers waiting for their beverage may begin to intrude into the space of those ordering.

Don’t make the mistakes that many inexperienced designers commonly make. They arrange these features in a haphazard way, so that customers have to change direction, and cut back through the line of awaiting customers to proceed to their next destination in the service sequence. Or, wanting to make their espresso machine a focal point to those entering the store, they place it before the cashier along the customer’s path of travel. Customers inevitably end up trying to order from the barista before they are informed that they need to proceed to the cashier first. If this happens dozens of times each day, confusion and slowed beverage production will be the result.

On the employee’s side of the counter, work and product flow are even more important. Any unnecessary steps or wasted movements that result from a less than optimal design will slow down employee production. All products should flow seamlesly in one direction towards the ultimate point of pick-up. For example, if preparing a particular item is a 3-step process, then placement of equipment should allow for the 3 steps to occur in order, in one linear direction, with the final step occurring closest to the point where customers will be served.

Equipment should be grouped together so that it is in the immediate proximity of the employee(s) who will be using it. Beyond the actual equipment, empty spaces must be left on the counter top to store ingredients and small wares (tools) used in product preparation. Counter top space will also be needed where menu items will actually be assembled. Think of the grouping of equipment for different job functions as stations. Try to keep different stations compact and in close working proximity to each other, but make sure that there is enough space between each so that employee working-paths don’t cross, which could contribute to employee collisions.

Creating defined work stations will allow you to put multiple employees behind the counter when needed. When it is busy, you may need to have 2 cashiers, another person just bagging pastries and brewing coffee, 2 baristas behind the espresso machine, a maybe even a dedicated person working the blenders. If you’re preparing sandwiches and salads to order, then another person may need to be added to handle that task. Keeping your stations in close proximity to each other will allow one employee to easily access all equipment during very slow periods of business, thus saving you valuable labor dollars.

When you arrange equipment in relationship to each other, keep in mind that most people are right handed. Stepping to the right of the espresso machine to access the espresso grinder will feel more comfortable than having to move to the left. Likewise, place your ice storage bin to the right of your blenders, so when you scoop ice, you can hold the cup or blender pitcher in your left hand, and scoop with your right.

As you create your store layout, the equipment you select should fit your space and the needs of your anticipated business volume. A busy location will most likely require a dual or twin, air pot, drip coffee brewer (one that can brew 2 pots at the same time), as opposed to a single brewer. If you anticipate selling a lot of blended and ice drinks, then an under counter ice maker, one that can only produce 100 pounds of ice or less per day, will not be sufficient. You should instead locate a high-capacity ice maker (one that can make 400 or 500 lbs. per day) in the back of the house, and transport ice to an ice holding bin up front. Plan to bring in frozen desserts and ice cream? Then a 1 door reach-in freezer in the back of he house will probably be inadequate for you storage needs, so you’ll need to consider a 2 or 3 door. I always recommend a 3-group espresso machine for any location that may generate 150 drinks per day or more. And, I can tell you from experience, you can never have too much dry or refrigerated storage space!

Make sure that any equipment you select will be acceptable with your local bureaucracy before your purchase and take delivery of it. All equipment will typically need to be NSF & UL approved, or have a similar, acceptable, foreign certification equivalent. Your bureaucracy will most likely want to see manufacturer specification sheets on all equipment to verify this fact, before they’ll approve your plans.

ADA (American’s with Disabilities Act) compliance will also come into play when you are designing your coffee bar. In some areas of the country, this will only apply to those areas of your store that will be used by customers. However, other bureaucracies may require your entire store to be ADA compliant. Following are some of the basic requirements of compliance with the code:

• All hallways and isle ways must be 5 feet wide (minimum).

• All countertop working heights must be 34 inches high (instead of normal 36 inch height).

• 18 inches of free wall space must be provided on the strike-side of all doors (the side with the door knob).

• All hand-washing sinks must be ADA friendly.

• All bathrooms must be ADA compliant (5 foot space for wheelchair turnaround, handrails at toilet, acceptable clearance around toilet and hand washing sink, etc.).

• No steps allowed, ramps are OK with the proper slope.

• If your space has multiple levels, then no feature may exist on a level where handicapped access has not been provided, if that same feature does not exist on a level where it will be accessible.

You can find the complete regulations for ADA compliance at the following website:

http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm

Beyond the basic Equipment Floor Plan, showing new partitions, cabinets, equipment, fixtures, and furnishings, you’ll need to produce some additional drawings to guide your contractors and satisfy the bureaucracies.

Electrical Plan

An electrical plan will be necessary to show the location of all outlets needed to operate equipment. Information such as voltage, amperage, phase, hertz, special instructions (like, “requires a dedicated circuit”), and the horizontal and vertical location of each outlet, should all be specified.

A small, basic coffee shop might get away with a 200 amp service, but typically 400 amps will be required if your equipment package will include items like an electric water heater, high-temperature dishwasher, or cooking equipment (ovens, panini grill, etc.).

In addition to the electrical work required for your coffee business-specific equipment, you may need to adjust existing electrical for additional or reconfigured lighting, HVAC, general-purpose convenience outlets, and exterior signs. Also, have your electrician run any needed speaker wires, TV/internet cables, and cash register remote receipt printer cables at the same time they are installing electrical wires. Finally, make sure your electrician makes provisions for lighted exit signs, and a battery-powered emergency evacuation lighting system, if needed.

Plumbing Plan

A plan showing all plumbing features will be necessary. At minimum, this should show stub-in locations for all needed water sources (hot & cold), drains, your water heater, water purifications system, grease interceptor (if required), bathroom fixtures, etc.

While a typical P-trap drain should be acceptable for most fixtures and equipment, some will require an air-gap drain. An air gap drain does not go through the “S”-shaped twists of the P-trap. Instead, the drain line comes straight down from the piece of equipment or fixture, and terminates 2 inches above the rim of a porcelain floor sink drain. This porcelain drain basin is usually installed directly into the floor. The air gap between the drain line from your equipment or fixture, and the bottom of the basin, prevents any bacteria in the sewer pipe from migrating into the equipment or fixture. I drain the following pieces of equipment to a floor sink drain when creating a plumbing plan:

• espresso machine

• dipper wells

• ice maker

• ice holding bin

• food prep sink

• soft drink dispensing equipment

To save on the life of your water filtration system, only your espresso machine and coffee brewer should be supplied by with treated water. Coffee is 98% to 99% water, so good water quality is essential. Your ice maker should only require a simple particle filter on the incoming line (unless your water quality is terrible). There is no need to filter water that will be used for hand and dish washing, cleaning mops, flushing toilets, and washing floors!

Be aware that many bureaucracies are now requiring a grease interceptor on the drain line from your 3-compartment ware washing sinks and automatic dishwasher. A grease interceptor is basically a box containing baffles that traps the grease before it can enter the public sewer system.

Also understand that a typical retail space will not come equipped with a water heater with enough capacity to handle your needs. Unless your space was previously some type of a food service operation, you will probably need to replace it with a larger one.

If cutting trenches in the floor will be necessary to install porcelain floor sinks, a grease interceptor, and run drain lines, then establishing a few general purpose floor drains at this same time behind the counter, and in the back of the house, will prove useful. Floor drains will allow you to squeegee liquids away when spills occur, and when washing floors.

Finally, if you added some new walls during your remodel, you may need to have the fire sprinkler system for your space adjusted or reconfigured.

Cabinet Elevations

Drawing cabinet elevations, (the view you would have if you were standing in front of your cabinets), will be necessary for your cabinet maker to understand all the features they will need to incorporate into your cabinet designs.

These elevations are not meant to be shop fabrication drawings for your cabinetmaker, but merely serve a reference, showing needed features and desired configuration. Where do you want drawers, and under counter storage space; and, where do you want cabinet doors on that under counter storage? Where should open space be left for the placement of under counter refrigeration and trashcans? Will cup dispensers be installed in the cabinet face under the counter top? These elevations will provide your cabinetmaker with a clear understanding of all these features.

While your kitchen base cabinets at home are typically 24 inches deep, for commercial applications they should be 30 inches deep, and 33 inches if an under counter refrigerator is to be inserted. Also, when specifying the size of an open bay to accommodate under counter refrigeration, be sure to allow a couple of inches more than the physical dimensions of the equipment, so that it can be easily inserted and removed for daily cleaning.

Dimensions Plan

You will need to create a floor plan showing all the critical dimensions for new partitions, doors, cabinets, and fixtures. This will, of course, help make sure that everything ends up where it is suppose to be, and will be the right size.

A final thought about design; unless the space you will be designing is a clean vanilla shell (meaning, nothing currently exists in the space, except perhaps one ADA restroom), you will have to make sure that all the features that you are considering keeping, will be acceptable with your local bureaucracy. Many older buildings were not designed to present codes. If the business type remains the same (your space was occupied by a food service establishment before you), then some times any non compliant features will be grandfathered-in, meaning you don’t have to bring them up to current requirements. But don’t count on this! You need to check with your bureaucracies to make sure. More and more I see bureaucracies requiring new business owners to remodel, so that all features are compliant with codes. This means you may have to rip-out bathrooms and hallways, add fire sprinkler systems, and provide ramps where there are steps. Better you know all these things before you begin your store design!

I always tell my consulting clients, that if I produce a perfect design and layout for them, they will never notice… because everything will be exactly where you would expect it to be. Unfortunately, if you create a less than optimal design for your coffee bar, you probably won’t realize it until you start working in it. Changing design mistakes or inadequacies after the fact, can be extremely expensive. Not correcting those mistakes may even cost you more in lost potential sales. For this reason, I strongly suggest using an experienced coffee business space designer to create your layout for you, or at very least, to review the design you have created. Doing so will payoff with dividends.

Ed Arvidson is President of E&C Consulting Inc., a company specializing in Specialty Coffee Industry consulting. He frequently creates coffee bar designs for those starting a coffee business. Examples and information related to his design services can be found at: http://www.CoffeeBizConsultant.com/service5.php

This style of pergola is a truly wonderful feature for the garden. It has a unique form, due to the fact that its rafters radiate from a central point. And, when completed, what a fantastic structure it is, especially when draped with the most heavenly climbing plants! But, could you really build one yourself? Yes! And you will be so proud of it when it’s finished.

Even though this style of pergola looks as if it should be complicated to build, it is easily achievable, even for a beginner. Making it yourself will be much cheaper too. Here are 8 basic steps to give you some ideas on how to build a fantastic corner pergola. And, of course, remember that you can always adapt d.i.y. pergola designs and plans to fit perfectly in your own garden.

1 Mark out the footprint

This can be either

a right-angled triangle, or
a right-angled triangle, with the points cut off, to make small side entrances. (Try it with a piece of paper to get an idea of the footprint).

My preference is for the second style, which is outlined here, and looks fantastic when built.

2 Put in the posts

Use

concrete
spiked post anchors(checking there are no underlying pipes or cables)
concrete-in post anchors or
bolt down post anchors(for building your pergola on an existing patio)

These secure the posts to the ground. Make sure the posts are level at the top. One post goes in the corner and one, or more, (depending on the length of the sides), stand at ninety degrees to this post. Add trellis between the posts at this stage, if you wish. The easiest way to do this is to make the pergola fit the trellis, rather than the trellis fit the pergola.

3 Preserve cut ends

All wood must be treated. Paint any cut ends with a clear preservative. This can be done as you go along.

4 Cut the rafter tail ends

This can also be done as you go along. The rafter tail ends can be straight, or shaped for a unique design. You will need a jig saw to cut the curves. Make sure both ends are the same way up when cutting!

5 Notch and position the main supporting rafters

Cut notches to secure the main rafters to one another, and also one end of the two side rafters. Make sure the notches are the correct way up.
Bolt one of the right-angled main rafters, and the diagonal rafter, onto the posts. Use these to support the others.
The side rafter end, next to the diagonal rafter, is cut straight, and then angled to fit flush with the post. It is screwed at an angle into the post.

6 Attach the corner support.

The corner support is a short piece of rafter spanning the two main rafters, near to, and equidistant from, the apex (corner). It has no tail ends. Using ladders, mark from the top, notch, and then use a mallet to tap into the main rafters.

7 Attach the radiating rafters

Lay on top from the corner support to the diagonal rafter, spacing equally.
Mark notches, from the top, and cut.
The radiating rafters can be flush fitting(by notching half way down the rafter), or raised(by notching less than half way), although for this pergola, I prefer the flush fitting rafter.
Tap in and screw from the top.

8 The final touches

Plant fabulous climbing plants for beautiful colour and gorgeous fragrance. Add furniture, cushions, throws, bean-bags, hanging chairs, lights, fragrance burners – anything you like – to make your pergola a welcoming and cosy outdoor space.

Enjoy! All that’s left is to stand back and admire your wonderful creation!

Diane Turnbull has designed and built many gardens. For further information on pergolas, including pergola plans for beginners, pergola kits, sourcing and choosing climbing plants, pergola ideas, garden furniture, accessories, and more, visit http://www.pergolaplans4free.co.uk