George Salaka

Small Barn House Inspiration: Exterior Ideas That Create Big Impact When those tiny barn houses get it right, they don’t merely “borrow” from barndominium chic; they really capture its awesomeness and discard all the stuffy stuff. That teeny footprint means every single design choice has to truly count, unlike those McMansions where they just fling […]

A Guide to Matching Deck Stain Colors with Different Woods The Color-Stain Mistake Almost Everyone Makes We’ve lost track of how often we’ve watched owners strain their backs constructing a deck—selecting the appearance, the ideal wood, even the hallowed railing finials—only to cap it off with a stain color that in essence shouts slogans on

Choosing Cedar, Redwood, Pine, or Ipe: How Wood Impacts Your Fence Design We’ve come across more fence lines than we care to count (it’s an occupational idiosyncrasy, I guess), and here’s the thing: the truly great fences aren’t merely constructed to endure; they’re actually born to. And that slight injection of magic begins long, long

A Guide to Selecting the Right Exterior Colors for Red Brick Houses Oh, the old problem: your trusty old red brick home, looking back at you, almost begging to be touched up with something, anything, that won’t result in it appearing like a used Christmas decoration or a regretful party face paint. We’ve all been

How to Design an Above Ground Pool Deck That Goes Beyond the Basics Most in-ground pools get the bare minimum: a few boards, some steps, maybe a railing if you are lucky. Functional? Sure. Cute? Not really. Your pool deck sets the whole vibe of your yard. It is not just a walkway; it is