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Everyone needs a comforting space where they can recharge and feel safe. Superman™ built the Fortress of Solitude as his secret sanctuary. Now’s your chance to dream up something equally nurturing for yourself. You could even win two tickets to Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood in Burbank, California, plus a travel fund (total value: $3,100).
To celebrate the world premiere of SUPERMAN on July 11, 2025, Houzz has partnered with Warner Bros. Pictures to give participants the chance to win tickets to tour the iconic studio. To enter for a chance to win, use the Houzz Pro 3D Floor Planner to visualize your own SUPERMAN-inspired Fortress of Solitude, a private space for recharging. An internal Houzz committee will select four finalists from the eligible entries, and the winner will be chosen in a public vote. Submissions open June 16 and will close June 30. Community voting will begin July 7, and one voter will also win two tickets to the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood, plus a travel fund.
Here’s more on how you can wield your design powers toward victory.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Floating Desks
Consider your desk first. Think about whether the desk should float in the room, as here, be placed against a wall or be built in. The standard desk height is 29 to 30 inches (74 to 76 centimeters).
Freestanding desks range in size, but common dimensions are 48, 60 and 72 in. (122, 152 and 183 cm) wide and 24, 30 and 36 in. (61, 76 and 91 cm) deep. Get the largest desk that fits comfortably in your space, as you can never have enough work surface.
If you float your desk, leave at least 30 in. (76 cm) between your desk and wall or shelves behind it. On the other side of the desk, allow 48 to 60 in. (122 to 152 cm) for additional chairs and tables, if needed.
Note: Conversions to metric dimensions are approximately translated from standard U.S. dimensions. Each country can be unique in its standards. Investigate the customs in your locale or work with a design pro before committing to a plan.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Budget
A good estimate on the total cost, properly divided into each stage, is imperative for this plan to work.
If your plan is simple and includes new appliances, new paint and some new hardware, then the estimate will be easy. Go to an appliance store or go online and price out the appliances. Get that painting bid for your cabinets and walls. Count up the hardware requirements, price out your selection, and there you have it. Three simple stages and not much risk (as long as you confirm your appliance selections fit their respective spaces — more on that later).
In larger, more complex jobs, though, it’s difficult to properly price things out without some experience, as kitchen remodels can potentially involve framers, finish carpenters, drywallers, electricians, plumbers, tile setters, slab fabricators, painters and possibly even foundation contractors, roofers, insulators and more.
The point is that it can be challenging to properly estimate a phased remodel, or any remodel, but you need to have a go at it and keep refining and updating as needed. Contractors are experienced at the task, but if you are estimating on your own, make sure you get bids for every subcontractor task and price out the fixtures and materials. And, if you can, try to get some consultation from someone with experience.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
Why Hire a Designer?
1. You’ll Save Time
You may not know how structural choices can impact the installation of the mechanical system. Or about options for new materials or technologies that might be cheaper, better or more appropriate than what you are familiar with. Figuring those things out takes time, and lots of it. A skilled professional will have this information at the ready for you.
Plus, with advances in technology, new building envelope techniques are coming on the market with increasing frequency, and new, tougher energy-efficiency requirements are transforming how walls are constructed and bringing an end to many traditional building practices. So it’s more crucial than ever to have someone on your team who understands how your building assembly meets current building code requirements.
These codes are typically complex texts that are difficult for those outside the building industry to understand. When designers submit drawings to the building authority, a plans examiner reviews them and issues a revision notice to address any variances from the current codes and construction standards.
A well-informed designer with up-to-date knowledge of building science can get building projects through with the minimum number of revisions. Since each revision takes time to be completed, having fewer revisions will allow you to get your permit faster. Low-quality or incomplete documents can delay your construction. Hiring a designer will help ensure that your project meets relevant codes so it can progress smoothly through your municipality’s process.
This could save you many sleepless nights and potentially weeks on your project trying to determine what is needed to satisfy the code requirements.
Find an architect near you
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
These days, finding home design inspiration often starts in a search bar. Ideas for color schemes, decor styles, fun features to enliven a home — it all starts with typing in a few key phrases. A look at how these search terms evolve over time can give fascinating insights into current design trends.
So we reviewed search terms on Houzz from January through March 2025 and compared them with searches from the same period last year to see how homeowner preferences might be changing. The results, highlighted below from the 2025 U.S. Houzz Emerging Summer Trends Report, show rising interest in French country style, wood elements, warm metal accents and other design inspiration worth searching for.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
1. Buy Easy-Clean Appliances
It’s understandable to be dazzled by the performance or look of a smart new kitchen appliance, but Eva Byrne of Houseology suggests that you also consider potential purchases with a view to keeping them clean.
“Choose a [range] that’s fuss-free and easy to wipe down without needing any exotic lotions or solutions,” Byrne says. “Have a good look at details, such as the knobs on your oven, to make sure there are no hard-to-get-at nooks. Knobs that are too close together mean you can’t get a cloth between them, for example.”
Designer Nicolle Whyte agrees and suggests choosing an induction cooktop, “as it’s flat, easy and safe to clean.”
Furthermore, Louise Delaney, design manager at Cameron Interiors, says, induction cooktops save you from having to clean the grates and other parts found on gas cooktops.“We recommend choosing appliances with cleaning programs included. Let your appliance do the cleaning for you!” She suggests choosing ovens with pyrolytic cleaning functions (which heat the oven to high temperatures to burn off residue), steam ovens with automatic steam cleaning and drying programs, and coffee machines with automatic cleaning.
Find a kitchen designer near you on Houzz
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Other special features. “A full-height quartzite (Patagonia Green) backsplash with dramatic veining creates a stunning backdrop, tying the whole room together with elegance and ease,” Harrison says. “Designed with a family of enthusiastic home cooks in mind, the kitchen features multiple work zones, dual sinks and generous counter space, making it easy for everyone to cook, prep and clean up together.”
“Uh-oh” moment. “We were set on using Patagonia quartzite for both the countertops and the full-height backsplash, but with such a bold, dynamic stone, matching the patterns across multiple surfaces was no small feat,” Harrison says. “The veining is incredibly distinctive, and we knew any mismatch would be obvious. We ended up securing five slabs to give us the flexibility we needed for a cohesive layout. Even with that, templating was a challenge. It took careful planning and layout work to ensure the most dramatic sections aligned perfectly across the island and backsplash. The result is seamless and showstopping, but there was definitely a moment of, ‘How are we going to pull this off?’ in the middle of it all.”
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
This Minneapolis couple and their three kids love cooking and baking together. But the cramped U-shaped kitchen in their 1904 home didn’t exactly feel family-friendly. To help them create a larger, more functional kitchen with improved storage, workspace and a personalized style, they hired designer Kate Roos to spearhead a major remodel.
Roos took over a mudroom to expand the kitchen, adding 45 square feet and freeing up room for an island with seating. A nifty rolling baking cart can tuck away into the island. The walnut island coordinates with a focal point range hood and red oak flooring to add warmth to the light gray perimeter cabinets and white tile. A colorful handmade backsplash design over the range punches up the space with playful personality.
This article was originally published by a www.houzz.com . Read the Original article here. .
8. Skimping on Borders
“Many clients understandably don’t want a high-maintenance [yard] and this seems to manifest in them asking for narrow flower beds, as these will require less work — right?” Reader says. “Actually, this is wrong.”
Solution: Use shrubs. “The best low-maintenance plants are shrubs,” Reader says. “They last many years, don’t require a lot of looking after and can deliver interesting structure, flowers, berries and autumn leaf color — and many of them are evergreen, so look good in winter too.
“The thing about shrubs, though, is many of them will get quite big,” he continues. “So if you put them in a narrow bed, you’ll fairly quickly be having to cut them back frequently, as they’ll overhang the lawn or paths. This destroys the beauty of their natural shape, creates woody holes in the foliage canopy and creates maintenance.
“By having a wider bed to start with, the shrubs can be gently pruned as they reach their mature size every three to five years and be kept looking beautiful,” he says.
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“These pleated screens are a really cool product,” Trakas says. “They are on a track, and they fold up into themselves like an accordion.” The screens are opened and closed manually, and when the homeowners aren’t using them, they tuck right up next to the columns.
Retractable screens: ZigZag2, Genius
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