| Classic
Homeworks' WINTER 2006 Newsletter (text only)
Keep
In Mind
If
you are considering a remodeling project in the future, here
are a couple of things to keep in mind.
Allow
enough time- If you want to have that new sunroom
addition in time for summer you should begin your planning
at the beginning of the year, if not sooner. By allowing enough
time for all the design work, product selection and ordering
you are sure to get the finished product that you desire.
Create
a realistic budget- Sometimes all that we desire
is not all that we can afford. Lay out your needs versus your
wants and set aside money accordingly.
Holiday
Treat: Mint Fudge
12
oz. chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. white baking pieces
1 tbsp. peppermint extract
1 drop green food coloring
In heavy
saucepan melt chocolate chips and 1 cup of the milk over low
heat. Add vanilla. Spread 1/2 the mix into a waxed paper-lined
8 or 9-inch square pan. Chill 10 minutes or until firm. Hold
remaining mix at room temperature. In heavy saucepan melt
white baking pieces and the rest of the milk. Add peppermint
extract and food coloring. Spread white mix on chilled chocolate
layer. Chill 10 minutes. Spread remaining chocolate on top.
Chill 2 hours.
Recipe from www.anniesrecipes.com
Prepare
For Winter: Helpful Tips for your Home
• Double check your windows & doors -
Weather stripping helps to keep cold air and moisture out
of your home, so double check that the stripping around your
doors and windows is not torn or missing.
•
Save Plywood Scraps - Set any spare pieces of plywood aside.
When cold weather is about to come through, set the boards
against exterior basement vents on whichever side of your
home takes the brunt of the winter weather. This tip can help
prevent frozen pipes. Make sure to re- move the boards as
the weather warms up.
•
Make sure you have enough insulation - Before it gets too
cold, check to see that you have enough insulation, especially
if you live in an older home. You can buy un-backed or loose-fill
insulation to help plump up what is already there.
•
Clean the Dryer Vent - Pull the dryer away from the wall,
unplug it, and vacuum behind it. Also, unhook the tube that
leads to the vent and remove as much lint as possible. Tackle
the outside vent as well.
Kitchen
Remodel: Outdated to Outstanding
After
living in this 1924 Congress Park home for over 12 years,
the homeowner decided that her bungalow was in need of some
updating. The kitchen was dimly lit and very confined, making
the space uninviting. The poor arrangement of major pieces
and lack of counter space made it difficult to function in
this small room. Wanting to get rid of the dark floor coverings
and outdated wall paper, the homeowner decided to go ahead
with a complete kitchen remodel.
By removing a structural wall, the kitchen became far more
open. Relocating a window centered the room and made it brighter
and more inviting. The space now includes new appliances,
cherry cabinets, a new desk area and updated plumbing and
electrical. This has greatly increased the rooms functionality.
Additional warm lighting helps to accent the beautiful new
coutertops and the new fir wood floors give a classic finish
to this newly updated space.
Six
Reasons to Hire a Design/Build Firm
With all
of the remodeling options available to you today, it’s
important to take your time and hire the right company for
you and your project. Design/Build can offer you a simpler
alternative to the other remodeling options. Below are a few
things to remember when considering a remodeling project.
1.
Design/Build saves the time and stress of hiring both an architect
and a contractor- Hiring one company can be difficult enough,
but searching for two reputable companies can be almost impossible.
With Design/Build you get two in one.
2. Design/Build closes the communication
gap between designer & contractor- When they’re
partners on the same team it’s easy to maintain open
lines of communication.
3. Design/Build helps to maintain your budget
from start to finish- When the designer knows your budget
for construction from the beginning, they’re able to
design a space within your budget.
4. Design/Build allows the homeowner, to
play the role of decision-maker, rather than mediator- Without
the clashing of contractor and architect the homeowner can
focus on the fun parts of remodeling, such as product selection.
5. Design/Build allows you to get involved
in the design of your project- With frequent design meetings
and several plans to choose from the homeowner decides on
the perfect design for their space.
6. Design/Build creates a schedule from the
beginning of the design- Rather than wait for the design to
be finished to create a schedule for construction, Design/Build
can create a job schedule from the beginning of the design
To
see if Design/Build can help you with your next project, call
us today!
Washington
Parks Early Days
“30
acres of bare land, lying above the city ditch, with no tree
or even shrub upon it...when nothing resembling a park can
be made in the next 10 years.” What a difference 100
years makes! It is hard to believe that one of Denver’s
most popular parks, Washington Park, was met with such skepticism
from The Denver Eye, at the turn of the 20th century!
Originally part of the town of South Denver, Smith’s
Lake was eyed by Mayor Thomas S. McMurray as the ideal location
for a new park. He purchased as much land as he could and
then began proceedings to condemn additional property, reaching
a total of 160 acres by the time all of the legal wrangling
was finished in 1899.
By 1901, streetcar lines were expanding heading south on Franklin
from Alameda, with one branch heading down S. Gaylord to Louisiana.
With the increase in accessibility came the first interest
in building in Washington Park. Joseph Sterling’s park
front home was built in 1906 and Washington Park Place was
platted by the Park Place Land Company in 1907.
The extensive landscaping at the park required a great deal
of water, and Smith’s Lake came in handy. Grasmere Lake
was also added at this time for additional water supplies.
The first bathing beach at Smith’s Lake opened in 1911,
and prior to being integrated in 1914, the lake was actually
divided off by rope to keep the men and women apart! J.J.B.
Benedict designed the boathouse and pavilion to the south
of the lake, which were completed in 1913.
Between 1920 and 1930 the population of Washington Park increased
by 75 percent and brick bungalows popped up everywhere. The
fire station, at 1540 East Virginia was built in 1924. South
Gaylord St. was zoned for business at its initial zoning in
1925 creating a thriving shopping area where local residents
could find anything they needed from a haircut to a night
out at the movies.
Today, Washington Park is arguably the most popular and most
loved park in Denver. The flower gardens are spectacular and
feature over 62 varieties of annuals. No matter what the weather
you always see someone taking advantage of the beauty of the
park, a bare piece of land no more!
History provided by Jennifer Collins of Leonard Leonard &
Associates. Contact the company at 303-744-6200 or visit their
web site at www.leonardleonard.com
Safer
Alternatives to Household Cleaners
Try
these wallet & eco-friendly cleaning solutions the next
time you clean your home.
All-Purpose Cleaner - Mixing vinegar and
salt together creates a great surface cleaner. For kitchen
and bathroom surfaces, dissolve 4 TBS. baking soda in 1 qt.
warm water, or put a little baking soda on a damp sponge.
Drain Cleaner - Place 1/2 cup baking soda
and 1/2 cup white vinegar down your drain and cover the drain.
Let it set this way for a few minutes, then pour a kettle
of boiling water down the drain to flush it out.
Lime & Mineral Remover - Soak a paper
towel in vinegar and then cover any lime deposits. Leave the
paper towel for about an hour and then clean as normal, the
vinegar softens the deposits for easy removal. To remove deposits
from metal shower heads, combine 1/2 cup white vinegar and
1 qt. water. Completely submerge showerhead and boil for 15
minutes.
Furniture Polish - Mix 2 parts olive oil
and one part lemon juice. Apply mixture to a soft cloth and
polish. To remove water spots on furniture, rub gently with
toothpaste on a damp cloth.
Employee
Spotlight: Paul Fread
Paul is an exciting addition to Classic Homeworks, recently
transferring from StudioTBD. With a background in both engineering
and architecture, Paul has always enjoyed both the practical/utilitarian
aspect of design as well as the more conceptual and artful
side. A design/build is a natural fit for him; where, as the
Architectural Designer he can explore design with a broad
range of clients and occasionally get out into the field and
get his hands dirty building some of the more unique and complex
parts of a project.
Away from the office, Paul trains for the upcoming triathlon
season, spending a lot of time swimming at the Wash Park Rec.
Center and biking on the Platte River Trail. He also enjoys
film, traveling, volunteering, backpacking, skiing, rock climbing
and most of all spending time with his friends and family.
Super
Subcontractor
In
our industry, our subcontracting partners help make your remodeling
projects possible. Often there are companies or individuals
that go out of their way to make sure a job is done correctly
the first time. We would like to take this opportunity to
say thank you to those hardworking people.
D.J. of D.J.’s Dispose All is one of those individuals.
Specializing in excavation, D.J.’s job is never easy
& sometimes dirty, but he never complains. Thank you for
a job well done, we truly appreciate your dedication to perfection
on the jobsite.
Project
Spotlight
The basement
of this 1912 bungalow, although partially finished, was cramped
and lacked a unique style. The homeowner decided to transform
this boring space into an area that reflected her personal
tastes.
Classic Homeworks helped the owner realize her dreams. This
basement facelift came complete with a new office and guest
bedroom that included a new egress window. The new basement
bathroom features roughed edged Italian tile and a pedestal
sink. The floors are now covered in a Fiber floor, which is
sturdy, tough and comfortable. The reconfiguration of the
space, coupled with a new 90 percent high efficiency furnace
creates a very cozy place to relax. This is no longer a basement
hidden from company and used for storage; it is now a beautiful,
comfortable lower-level. Remodeling the existing space was
the perfect addition to this nintey-four year old home.
Fact
or Fiction: Hauting Stories of Famous Denver Landmarks
If you’ve lived in Denver for a while, places such as
the Molly Brown house & Red Rocks Ampitheatre are probably
familiar landmarks. However, many of these famous Denver tourist
spots have quite a history that might shed a different light
on their popularity.
Built in 1894 the Molly Brown house was once occupied by the
famous “Unsinkable Molly Brown” and now hosts
tourists who wish to explore the old Victorian building. However,
tourists visiting might not be alone. It is rumored that the
house is haunted by Molly’s husband J.J. Brown. As the
story goes Mr. Brown was never allowed to smoke in the home,
but now rebels; as witnesses have often smelled pipe smoke
coming from the attic and the basement. Other phenomena rumored
to have occurred in the home include doors opening and closing
of their own accord, footsteps in the upstairs ballroom, cold
spots throughout the house and an angry butler who stares
at the mirror.
The Tivoli Street Union, now home to the administrative offices
of three Denver colleges at Auraria campus, was once part
of the Tivoli Brewing Company back in 1866. While home to
students much of the day, the building still contains much
of the large brewing equipment. Today, whispers and voices
are often heard throughout the building and some say that
on occasion the sounds of an elegant party can be heard through
the vents coming from the third floor.
Red Rocks Ampitheatre is probably the most popular concert
forum in all of Colorado, arguably the nation, and it too
is the setting for some haunting stories. Many witnesses claim
to have seen a bearded man, standing on the “restricted”
side of the stands. He appears to be from the Colorado mining
era; he is grizzly, wearing a dirty hat and holding a bottle.
He is said to hang around for a few moments and then vanish.
Occasionally however, this old man has some company up on
the rocks. It is rumored that a headless woman riding a horse
and carrying a bloody hatchet often rides throughout Red Rocks
Park. Appearing at night, it seems she is riding with the
purpose of stopping any mischief or romance that might be
taking place.
So beware and keep a look out the next time you are visiting
your favorite Denver landmark. There just might be more to
the story than you know.
For
more fun stories, visit www.legendsofamerica.com
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