As One of my goals for 2013, I am planning a trip to Italy.   This Hotel in Matera is built into a cave and the design is so serene with simplistic beauty.  The design is so calming and welcoming.     Matera is the only place in the world where people can boast to be still living in the same houses of their ancestors of 9,000 years ago.

Until the late 1980s this was considered an area of poverty, since these houses were, and in most areas still are, mostly unlivable.  Today there are many ...

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People are really big into the open kitchen, den/living rooms right now.  That's why our TVs keep getting bigger and bigger- people are watching them from 2 rooms over! Also, something I have noticed is people are leaning towards smaller, more quality space vs. a lot of unused square footage. The out door Space becomes a part of the living space and extends the smaller interior spaces to include this wonderful space
 Buying and selling homes is an emotional decision, people buy from the heart,...
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This is  actually a small space, but this designer used every inch in the best possible way for a dining room.  French reclaimed doors, limestone fireplace and antique chandelier are the first things that stand out when you look into this room.  The simple lack of color allows this space to be very elegant and welcoming to your dinner guest. 

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12 Things Entrepreneurs Should Be Thankful For

1. Customers.

2. Getting to pick the exceptional people we work with.

3. An opportunity to add value, big or small, to people's lives.

4. Not having to ask permission to try something crazy.

5. The patience and understanding of our family and friends — especially when we likely don't deserve it.

6. Receiving payment for value delivered. There's no feeling like it.  

7. The joy of seeing a sliver of light after some dark, dark, days.

8. The free...

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Great place to have a cup of hot chocolate with friends on Halloween!

I believe that a kitchen is a special place and I absolutely love it when I am cooking and everyone is in the kitchen with me!  The aroma's, the taste, the conversation and the love.  No place I would rather be.    

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About 20 years ago, I became interested in spaces inside the home that had a step down.  Just one or two steps down, to a more dramatic room design.  In the 70's, these rooms had a modern feel to the with contemporary pictures illustrated in this era, couples having small parties. How fun!   While designing my home on Coshatt Trail in 1999, I considered adding this to my plan.  However, in determining the cost associated with a small step down was a great deal more cost than I expected. Since...
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If you are like me and live in an older home, built between 1965 and on, you have a small closet in your hallway, or  under the  steps.   Is yours organized,  so anyone wearing a coat can open the door and hang it up when they come to visit?  LOL, were in Alabama and no one wears coats, with the exception of maybe a few days in Jan and Feb.  If your home is like most homes we tour, this closet is almost always a mess.   So I have an idea for you today, check out this great idea on what you ca...
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