Archive for October, 2009
October 30th, 2009 | 
Author: Even after 150 years, the octagon house floor plan remains a curiousity of architectural design. The original architect, John Richards, first designed the octagon house just before the Civil War. Whether he was in competition with his fellow land owners and town leaders or was merely trying to impress Eliza Forbes, his heiress wife. The impressive structure he left behind still draws fascinated visitors to the elegant eight sided mansion in Watertown, Wisconsin every day.
The original octagon house floor plan, built in 1854, is a fantastic 5 story brick building with 57 rooms. It also contains forerunners of modern conveniences such as running water, central heating and ventilation systems. A 40-foot-high cantilevered staircase also graces the interior. The story behind the octagon house was that Mr. Richards made a promise to his wife, Eliza, to build her the finest home in the Midwest.
John Richards was most likely influenced by fellow designer, Orson Fowler, who was a leading spokesperson for the construction of eight sided houses. At that time, the octagon house was touted as being an efficient, economic and beautifully esthetic housing design that dated back to the ancient Roman architects.
There were at least 36 homes constructed from the octagon house floor plan between 1844 and 1905. All of these homes were located in Wisconsin. Octagonal houses continued to be built through the Civil War. After that time period, most octagonal houses were either torn down or remodeled until they lost their original shape.
John Richards’s octagonal house was given to the Watertown historical society in 1938. The house was in nearly mint condition and maintained with no electricity, no modern plumbing and not telephone – just as it had been when Mr. Richards and his wife lived there in the 1850s.
Tours of the Octagon house can be made daily May through October and directional signs are posted throughout Watertown. Summer hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. after Labor Day. Admission is $7 for adults; $6 for AAA members; $6 for children ages 6 through 12 and children under 6 are free.
Many individuals, especially those who are newbies in solar technology might wonder how solar panel works. But first, what is a home solar panel? This is a sun-powered gadget that collects and utilizes the energy from the sun via its rays and converting them into power.
Some residents use home solar panel gadgets to act as alternative source of power for their small home appliances, effectively complementing the electricity consumption from the local utility.
Still there are home owners who invest on residential solar panels that can fully power the home, running all its appliances, water heater and even the swimming pool. However, for you to own and install your own home solar panel that will work as sole source of your everyday power requirements can be very costly. A solar panel unit actually has an exorbitant price of several thousand dollars.
Now, how solar panel works can be answered simply. It has photovoltaic cells in the panels that mainly work by collecting the energy from the rays of the sun that falls on them. Such photovoltaic cells effectively convert solar energy into electricity for home use.
You can very well consider these gadgets as investments, because you need to shell out a sizeable amount of money in order to purchase and install them as your power source. It is certainly a serious investment as albeit you only have to spend an initial sum of money, the amount needed is really a big one. After the purchase you need not worry about it as the solar gadgets runs on its own, creating endless supply of power for your residence with the help, of course, of the sun.
Many advocates of clean and green environment recommend the utilization of home solar panel if only because the energy that it gathers and converts to power comes from the sun. Hence, the produced power is clean and harmless to the world environment. Likewise, you need not worry about solar energy running out as the supply is endless. Solar energy is clean renewable energy, and so is considered as the best alternative energy there is.
For more photovoltaic cells and home solar panel articles, do visit our Solar Panel World blog.
Have you ever seen one of those homes where no matter how the furniture is arranged the home just feels crowded and awkward? It is unfortunate when this occurs and generally in order to fix this problem some renovation is in order. When thinking about floor plan one must think about how energy will flow from one room to another. Most homes are intuitively designed so that the layout of rooms makes good sense and it is not hard to decorate the rooms accordingly. However when a home’s design leaves something to be desired then creating a pleasant living environment can be trying. Open floor plan living area are very popular as they allow more space and less confinement with walls and barriers.
People’s moods and emotions are very much tied into their surroundings and the way their homes are set up is a big part of this. This is one thing that most people will have to think about when selling their home or purchasing a new home. It is probably not one of the first things that people think of in regards to new homes but unconsciously people will be aware of how the home feels from a space perspective. If you are going to try to augment the home’s floor plan then try to think ahead to how you would like the home to feel. A more traditional roomed approach or an open concept space? One thing that most homes will have to in common is the location of rooms that require plumbing as keeping those in the same general area makes sense from a plumbing perspective.
When buying a home this is especially important as you are choosing the area that you will reside in for the next while and if you end up with a space that does not suit you then going home at the end of the day can be harder and more stressful. Be extremely careful when choosing your new home. If possible then try to spend a bit of time just getting used to the “flow” of the home and deciding if it suits you and your space needs. At times it may not seem like a hugely important thing but in reality it has more of an effect on your moods and energy than one might think. Your mental and emotional well being is important and being in a space where you feel comfortable and at home makes anyone happier and that’s what proper energy flow is all about.
When planning your new house, an energy efficient green house floor plan would be an excellent alternative to a traditional stick built home. One improtant thing to consider is the orientation of your home on the property. One way to gain energy savings is to situate the house toward the northwest and use fewer openings and heavier walls on that side.
The house should open up to the southeast in order to take advantage of solar heat. Use louvers to block harsh summer sun angles and also allow weak angled winter warmth. With a southeast orientation, the slope of the main roof should face southwest with solar panels placed on that side.
Another way to save money is in the configuration and construction of the house. Heavy mass should be used on the north or northwest side in a green house floor plan to block the winter cold. It also is an efficient way to run plumbing and HVAC. The roof may be designed to collect rainwater in large barrels or cisterns which will cut down on city water costs.
The interior of a green house floor plan should be open and spacious to allow for natural airflow from open windows and stragically placed panels. This type of design cuts down on the need for air conditioning by making use of wind currents to bring fresh air into the home. Pick out the most energy efficient doors and window you can afford since they will provide an excellent return on you investment in lower energy bills month after month.
The true beauty of a green house floor plan is the ability to live “off the grid” with only a few extra features. A combination of features such as rain water collection,gray water reuse, solar panels and wind power with battery back up will afford a better lifestyle that is also easier on Mother Nature. With careful design and planning you can make your new home easier on the environment with a green house floor plan.
One way to give your home a warm, comfortable look and feel is with western home decorating. As you might expect, there are some items that depict cowboys and rodeos, but there’s a lot more to it than that. Come along while we explore the wide variety of furnishings and accessories that fit right in with the western style of home decorating.
Whether you just want to add a few decorative pieces here and there, or decorate your entire house, western style décor can add charm and down-home coziness. If you don’t already have a few ideas about the look and feel you want, try browsing through a few home decorating or interior design magazines. Also, print and/or online catalogs from western furnishings stores have lots of ideas and suggestions. No matter where your creative ideas come from, the best advice I can offer is to pick at least a few items that reflect your personal interests and maybe even a side of your personality that others might not be aware of. That makes your room(s) unique while allowing you a perfect opportunity for some self-expression.
One of the great things about western home decorating is that it can be done fairly quickly and in a way to fit almost any budget. Since the flavor and feel of a room usually comes from the accessories and accents, you can often decorate a room without buying new furniture and other high-dollar items. You can create the feel you want with items such as an accent rug or two, a few table decorations, a decorative lamp, sofa or floor pillows, some wall art, and whatever else you want that will match or complement the overall desired ambiance.
Often, a fresh coat of paint on the walls will do wonders for a room. Many people like the living room and other common areas to be somewhat of a neutral color. An off-white, light tan or sand color works well for western style decorating, since those are subdued earth tones. A good paint color for bathroom trim might match something in the natural landscape such as a sky blue, forest green or dusty rose color.
Floors are often overlooked when it comes to decorating, which is a shame because area rugs and accent rugs not only serve a useful purpose, but they might also be considered as art for your floor. Rugs that go great in a western styled room include animal skins (real or faux), rugs with a southwest design, sheepskin rugs, and rugs that depict wildlife or horses. There is also a leather shag rug that is made with strips of suede sewn into a rag rug that would look great in many western rooms.
Lamps and lighting fixtures are an essential part of almost any room, but we sometimes neglect to make them fit in with the overall room décor. There are plenty of lamps and lighting fixtures to choose from, including ones made from antlers or small logs or ones with depictions of western scenes that add interest and visual appeal to the western style of home decorating.
Decorative pillows with a bold design and/or a splash of color might be just right for adding a bit of panache to the room. Bright colors or a bold design on a sofa could overpower the room, but pillows and a few other accessories and accents can give you lots of flexibility to get the overall look and feel you want. You can set the mood of the room to be as wild or as mild as you want.
Some items, such as sofa pillows, floor pillows, or table centerpieces, are usually affordable enough that it might be fun to have one set for everyday use and another set that can be put in place in a matter of minutes when certain guests are expected. That way, you can enhance the “wow” factor to fit the occasion.
Small bronze sculptures or horse figurines are a good example of decorations that you can display on a table, in a curio cabinet, or on a knick-knack shelf. One of my favorite things to display is a baseball-sized geode, which is a certain type of rock that has been cut in half to reveal the crystal formations inside.
Wall art includes paintings, drawings, photographs, and more. No matter how a room is decorated, too much bare wall space can often make a room seem unfinished. Plus, items on the wall can reflect your hobbies or personal interests as well as being decorative. Some of the rugs that have a southwestern design or a depiction of a scenic vista or animals are great for hanging on a wall, like a tapestry. It may sound a little unusual, but even things like samples of barbed wire or different kinds of horseshoes can be mounted and framed to make something that really goes well in a western style room.
Whether you prefer the traditional ranch style of western furnishings or the western style with a contemporary influence for your western home decorating, you can be assured that you’ll have plenty of accessories and accents to select from that offer down-home appeal and casual charm.