“A critics’ darling at film festivals across the globe and Winner of the Excellence in Cinematography Award at Sundance, BLUE VINYL is a deeply personal and frighteningly vital exposé that has been applauded as “funny and irreverent…one of Sundance’s best documentaries!” (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times).
natural building
Pedestrian and Garden Gates
The following photos show how gates can dramatically affect the appearance of a home. From simple to classic, each has a character all its own. It’s fun to browse websites and catalogs for design ideas to help visualize how your home will look.
New Earthbag Videos
Earthbag Building / Superadobe / Rammed Earth
Steamer Trunk Furniture
In keeping with our series of articles about super low cost and free DIY furniture, let’s look at steamer trunk furniture. Everyone has probably seen these old trunks from days gone by, but using them creatively as furniture is less well known. The trunks may need refurbishing or repair, although it’s not always necessary. One technique is lining the inside with aromatic cedar planking (available from specialty wood stores) for use as a storage chest at the foot of beds or elsewhere. Trunks with flat tops make good coffee tables and end tables. And, as you can see in the following photos, trunks can be assembled into desks, bookcases, shelving and other furniture.
Cool Roofs
“Cool roofs are the roofs that can deliver high solar reflectance (the ability to reflect the visible, infrared and ultraviolet wavelengths of the sun, reducing heat transfer to the building) and high thermal emittance (the ability to radiate absorbed, or non-reflected solar energy). The benefits associated with cool roofs include reduced cooling energy load, reduced air pollution and greenhouse gas emission, and improved human health and comfort. Cool roofs may extend the roof service life and help mitigating the urban heat island effect.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Recycling Barn Wood
“1. Don’t take on a barn reclamation project yourself. The cost of labor and time makes a barn wood recycling project a costly venture. Most barns have 10,000 board feet or more of good used building materials, much more than you can use in one home project.