Remodeling can be a major pain in the you-know-what! I finally decided to replace the builder grade carpeting on my two staircases, landings and bedrooms after detesting it for the 13 years I’ve lived here. I held off before, expecting that I’d be moving soon and why make the investment. Well, I’m still here and still detest the carpet! If Murphy’s Law still applies, as soon as I replace it, my forever home will come on the market and I’ll finally be moving. At that point, my new organic wool carpeting will be a plus for buyers and maybe enhance my offers. Who knows.
What I’ve been experiencing in this small scale process is that it takes far longer than you’d imagine to get bids from contractors and samples from manufacturers. I’d sure hate to be taking on a kitchen or bath remodel at this point. Turns out that many other Americans are having the same thoughts — and delaying remodeling projects, however beneficial they may be.
Here’s what Houzz has to say about it, along with some worthwhile wellness projects and why waiting to start has its benefits.
Homeowners want to update their bathrooms with wellness features,
but many are delaying project [PHOTO: GENESIS HOMES NW (C) HOUZZ]
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SPECIAL BOOK PREVIEW!
When I wrote my latest book and sent in the final manuscript, I had no idea that a pandemic was going to be hitting us in a matter of weeks. (Wellness by Design published in September 2020 when we were deep into it.)
We’ve experienced a great deal of national crises in the three years since – including some of the worst wildfires and hurricanes – so I thought a bonus chapter would be helpful for readers. Here are some of the topics that will be covered:
- Adding resilience to your home
- Insights and benefits of multi-generational living
- Tips on noise reduction
- How and why to create flex spaces
- Importance of access to nature
- New advances in smart home technology – what’s next!
If you have your copy of the book already, you know that there’s a URL for bonus resources on my website. That’s where the bonus chapter, (working title: Lessons for Today’s Homeowners), will publish in late October.
I’ll keep you posted.
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BONUS NUGGETS
My latest Trend Spotting just published, with the hottest trends from the design world on appliances. Check it out here.
I was delighted to be interviewed by Axios on spa bathrooms. You can read that piece here.
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NIFTY NUGGET
Workout fan is cool new gear for exercising at home!
(Photo Courtesy: Sharper Image)
It has been hot as Hades here, which has made my workouts more challenging. As regular Gold Notes readers may recall, my living room has doubled as my workout space since Covid shut down my gym in 2020. I found that I really like working out at home, and have continued doing so in the three years since then. The living room, where I do my strength training two afternoons a week, has a ceiling fan, which generally works very well to keep the area cool, but for a couple of weeks a year, it’s not enough.
That was true this week and I was very, very glad to have a new fan designed for workouts sent from a promotional company. It’s called the FLY 01 High-Velocity Fitness Fan and it’s from Sharper Image. I used it for the first time on Monday when my trainer created an especially ornery routine and it was especially warm! (Yes, I have air conditioning here, but I much prefer keeping my windows open!)
What I really like about this fan are its power and terrific ease of adjusting that max airflow where it’s most needed between sets. The promo copy says its strongest setting simulates the wind resistance you’d experience when running, cycling or rowing outdoors, and that’s certainly credible. (Except at this time of year when there’s next to no wind outdoors!)
I really like that I can easily tilt it as needed, for sets done standing up and those done on an exercise mat, without losing a beat, and it doesn’t take up a ton of floor space. If you use a treadmill, rower, ski machine or stair climber, you can adjust the fan speed or turn it on and off with a remote that wraps around the handles of your exercise machine. (It looks like a watch, but isn’t designed to be worn on your wrist!)
For more info and to purchase ($129.99), visit its Amazon page. You can also find information on the Sharper Image site.
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SOCIAL GOLD
I’m saying goodbye – at least temporarily – to Clubhouse. The new update to the app has made it ridiculously unfriendly to creating and hosting my WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS interviews there. I’ve absolutely loved interviewing experts from the health, design, remodeling and technology spheres these past two-plus years and am searching for a better platform to continue them. (Let me know if you have thoughts on this.)
In the meantime, you can enjoy the earlier conversations via recordings on my blog links.
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PAST CLUBHOUSE RECORDINGS
Here are links to Clubhouse recordings from past sessions.
2023 Recordings:
- 9/6 Designing with Steam Showers and Saunas — Recording Link
- 8/16 Wellness Design and Allergies — Recording Link
- 8/2 Back to School Ideas — Recording Link
- 7/19 Designing for Music — Recording Link
- 7/5 Best She Shed Ideas and Trends — Recording Link
- 6/21 Best Man Cave Ideas and Trends — Recording Link
- 5/17 Designing Outdoor Kitchens and Living Spaces — Recording Link
- 5/3 Designing with Water Features (Ponds, Fountains, Water Walls, Etc.) — Recording Link
- 4/5 Top Tile Trends — Recording Link
- 3/15 Wellness Design and Dementia — Recording Link
- 3/1 Best Wellness Products from Design & Construction Week — Recording Link
- 2/15 Designing with Fire Features (Fireplaces, Fire Tables, Fire Pits, Etc.) — Recording Link
- 1/18 Healthy Home Improvements with Best ROI — Recording Link
- 1/4 Creating Home Fitness Rooms — Recording Link
2022 Recordings:
- Find these links on their new archive page!
2021 Recordings:
- Find these links on their new archive page!
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GOLD DUST
Here are some links from around the web to enhance your home, health, safety and life:
- Organizing-related: 7 Things you should never store in the garage – Real Simple
- Health-related: How to prevent mold and mildew in your washing machine – AHAM blog
- Remodeling-related: The best bidet toilet seat – New York Times Wirecutter
