Ideas and Inspiration

The ‘Mascord Living Spaces’ iPad app and its creator have been recognized by Adobe Systems Incorporated in the announcement and promotion of Adobe® Digital Publishing Suite Single Edition at Adobe MAX 2011. ‘Mascord Living Spaces’ is the first iPad magazine app to be launched from the offices of Alan Mascord Design Associates —Portland’s premier home design company.

“Working with Adobe InDesign and Digital Publishing Suite allowed us to turn our print catalog into a rich, interactive digital magazine without disrupting our existing workflow,” said Gary Higginbotham, director of marketing, Alan Mascord Design Associates Inc., a Portland, Oregon-based residential design firm. “With Adobe Digital Publishing Suite, Single Edition, it’s even simpler for a small business to reach out to customers in exciting, affordable ways.”

As our lives change, so do our needs for our home. Allow Houseplans.co to transform your current home into the house of your dreams will our remodel design services.

AMDA’s new magazine app includes feature articles, slideshows, video, and 360 degree revolving renderings for new home designs. The app — available for free download — also includes an easy to use menu system featuring interactive table of contents, page thumbnails, and a story view.

It's very practical to select furniture and furnishings that you could use in any room in your home. Read these tips on choosing furniture and accessory pieces that can work well in small or large rooms, offer storage, and can be moved around the house when you need to.

I'm always interested in seeing what ideas builders and designers come up with, and how they implement some of the more fun elements of building science - and this example certainly caught my eye. Built in Wisconsin by designer Shane Black, the home uses solar thermal panels to heat a bed of sand beneath the house, keeping the interior temperature comfortable throughout the year.

Well, the kitchen depicted when Doc and Marty went 30 years "Back to the Future" (circa 2015, predicted in 1985), complete with hydrating pizza oven, voice activated roof mounted fruit bowl and dodgy virtual window display seems to be a bit far off the mark, but I wonder if those creative guys over at IKEA will be any nearer with their vision of the future (circa 2040)? The 3D food printer certainly seems intriguing, as does the self-cleaning kitchen countertop. Hope it doesn't clean away my sandwich while I'm still making it!! I guess if it does, I can just print another one, right?

I was recently at a meeting between local leaders, discussing how the newly released National Green Building Standard (NGBS) fits in with existing state and city level green building programs and incentives. There were a number of interested parties involved, including builders, designers, local utility companies, performance testers, city departments and state non-profits. I was extremely happy that we had such a wide range of perspectives present; the conversation was most interesting and I’d like to quickly share some of the thoughts that came from the group.

Create large spaces in smaller homes. Break down walls and open up communication. Maximize your home’s natural cooling and heating properties to lower your bills and minimize your environment footprint. With an open floor plan, separate living and dining areas coalesce into one unified space, which encourages connection and makes compact homes — from remodels to cutting edge “green” bungalows — surprisingly roomy.

Alan Mascord Design Associates took part in the 30th Northwest Natural Street of Dreams, with two homes that depict contrasting styles. The contemporary Prairie style features a dramatic 75 foot long skylight, and the traditional East Coast Shingle style, reminiscent of a Long Island vacation home, incorporates more traditional and formal detailing. Both homes were designed by AMDA Design Director Eric Schnell.

Textured walls, worn stone, distressed finishes, wrought iron and colors of cream, deep brown, burnt orange, burgundy and navy blue bring Old World style to the everyday, modern kitchen. Hoods, ranges, sinks, backsplashes and countertops usher in the latest innovative kitchen technology with rustic flair. Placing stone alongside dark woodwork, barn-door inspired cabinetry and the most recent, sleek subzero appliances brings an air of antiquity to a fully equipped cooking space, set to fulfill even the most discerning chef's needs.

Had Nietzsche boasted a great room of his own, perhaps the philosopher would have written such an architectural assertion in place of his oft-quoted theological one. The great room, frequently as grand as its name suggests, eliminates the need for a separate living room by revolutionizing the traditional home layout, bringing a sense of grandeur and togetherness to a home of any size.