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Latest Articles
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An Introduction to Architects
Aside from that mischievous caveperson in France who used a piece of charcoal to draw a line around some stick figures that suggested some kind of manmade shelter, it is generally acknowledged that...
written by: Dan Maginn10.12.10 -
An Introduction to Building Codes
Fuss all you like about sprinklers and guardrails, we need building codes. Here's how to get your architect to play along.
written by: Dan Maginn09.29.11 -
An Introduction to Contractors
Architect-author, Dan Maginn of El Dorado Inc., in Kansas City, Missouri, gives us the inside track on one of his favorite subjects: contractors. Learn what makes them tick, how to work with them,...
written by: Dan Maginn01.26.10 -
An Ode to the IKEA Cabinet
Joining the Grecian urn, the much-rhapsodized IKEA cabinet finally gets its poetic due as a heroic ode. Anyone who owns a set may verily be inclined to put quill to paper and dash off a few stanzas...
written by: Dan Maginn01.30.09 -
At Home in the Zone
Sustainability doesn’t have to mean monasticism and darkness—with this zone-by-zone guide to the domestic world you know best, going green can be both more efficient and fun.
written by: Dan Maginn05.12.09 -
Beyond Thunderdome
Ten years from now, a hundred, a thousand? Yeah, we know what architecture will look like then.
written by: Dan Maginn10.12.10 -
Building Tomorrow
What will the future hold for contractors and builders? We asked three industry leaders for their prognostications.
written by: Dan Maginn01.25.10 -
Edit Your Life
Good Small Spaces start with Good Small Occupants. Now, it could be that you’re one of the few who are hardwired to live compactly. But the rest of us need to sharpen our metaphorical red...
written by: Dan Maginn11.17.12 -
Exploded View
There is so much rolled up in a building—form, function, historical reference, materials, craftsmanship—that developing a comprehensive opinion on its design can be daunting. If you...
written by: Dan Maginn10.12.10 -
Get the Right Light
Daylight is the lifeblood of a Good Small Space. Start the process of getting the light right by better understanding the nature of the light-emitting gas ball that we call the sun.
written by: Dan Maginn11.17.12 -
Ich Bin Ein Mulcher
When, at cocktail parties, the conversation turns from the fleeting news of the day to the subject of sublime beauty, Dan Maginn often find himself smiling, for soon, he will speak of mulch.
written by: Dan Maginn02.04.09 -
Ill Communication
The Joneses went for a splashy starchitect to design their new home. Then things took a turn for the worse.
written by: Dan Maginn10.12.10 -
In the Nick of Time
Though contractors are unusually deft with tools, accidents do happen. SawStop puts an end to that.
written by: Dan Maginn01.25.10 -
Let's Get Small
A five-step program for those suffering from too much stuff and not enough space.
written by: Dan Maginn11.17.12 -
Measure Your Life
With less stuff, you’ll need fewer square feet to jam it into. But how small is too small?
written by: Dan Maginn11.17.12 -
Modern Problems
Love superclean design but fear the building inspector? Here's our guide to skirting those modernist missteps.
written by: Dan Maginn10.05.11 -
On the Level
Sadly there's no blueprint for how to best work with an architect. Follow the example of the Smiths, though, and you'll come out ahead.
written by: Dan Maginn10.12.10 -
Permission Denied
Muculus Grigsby runs afoul of the permits department, costing him a chunk of change and loads of time.
written by: Dan Maginn09.29.11 -
The Bathroom Zone
Reducing your water usage is easy, and it doesn’t mean you have to brush your teeth with a pinecone or weep with remorse every time you flush the can. As is the case with all resource usage,...
written by: Dan Maginn01.01.09 -
The Food Zone
Fine-tuning your cooking and dining areas pays off in more ways than just saving resources. As in other functional zones, their success starts with awareness: Where exactly does your food come from...
written by: Dan Maginn01.01.09 -
The Living Zone
Let’s talk design for a minute. It’s important to remember that potential modifications to your home must be carefully considered before you implement them. If you blindly follow the...
written by: Dan Maginn01.01.09 -
The Sleeping Zone
Sleep on this: You probably spend more time in your bedroom than any other home zone, so it’s important to get it right.1 Reducing your resource consumption here requires a close look at how...
written by: Dan Maginn01.01.09 -
The Utility Zone
Your garage, laundry room, basement, and other nonglam support areas: These are the silent killers of energy-efficiency in your home.1 Because these spaces are largely “unseen” (and...
written by: Dan Maginn01.01.09 -
The Whole House Zone
By conceptually dividing your home into zones, you can analyze each of its functions in turn. From there, you can develop strategies to understand how you actually live inside these zones—...
written by: Dan Maginn01.01.09
