Ideas for Wooden Window Valances

The following are several ideas that have been created to dress up windows where casing is absent. This first example shows a valance that is approximately 10 inches tall with a fancy crown moulding and a bead moulding at the bottom edge that has two coves on each side. The top seems to be rather thin, maybe about 1/2 inch thick and has been rounded some on the edge. This is from hgtv.com.

© hgtv.com

The next example shows a standard crown moulding, a top that is a bit thicker, and a base cap moulding at the bottom edge. This also looks to be between 8-10 inches tall. The cornice is perfectly sized only extending just slightly more that the drapery as the first example. This one seems to carry a stronger distinction, and a bit more traditional, it is from Tedswoodworking.com.

© Tedswoodworking.com

The following example claims to be 9 inches tall but looks to be 12 inches upon sight. The moulding at the bottom edge is uncertain, and instead of crown moulding at the top, a chair rail type is used with a top extension. The extension from the wall also seems to be a bit excessive which may be to allow draperies that are not shown. This is from 3blindmiceusa.com.

© 3blindmiceusa.com

Here is an example of a valance without a top cover. One issue with dressing up a window is to take advantage of the idea of keeping dust off of the drapery. Why not add a top to protect any kind of window covering utilized? The bottom edge profile has been incorporated into the face of the valance providing a nice detail. This is also more difficult to mount to the wall, from alfa.com.

© alfa.com

This last example shows a window that has been cased and the drapery hides most of the window trim except the stool. This allows you to have a bit of perspective in how size and proportion affect the overall look. This valance also does not seem to show a top cover and may be a bit tight on the drapery. This is from WindowTreatmentDesigns.com.

© WindowTreatmentDesigns.com

Design Ideas for Headboards with Cabinet Storage

When looking at various designs for Headboards one begins to understand the difficulty in arriving at a workpiece that is non-obstructive while also providing useful functionality. In the following design, the thickness of the cabinet is reduced on the inside edge to add less obstruction, in effect splitting the upper cabinet with a door to the outside, while leaving the inside open and adding small lights. The is a bedroom set from taragodwin.com.

© Taragodwin.com

Here is another bedroom set that has picked up the same idea, although contemporary in design, the addition of a pullout in each side cabinet is more traditional along with storage above the mattress. Here, the upper cabinet is again reduced to the inside edge to meet up with the headboard. This is from Interiorbit.com.

© Interiorbit.com

A more elaborate design is made by separating the bedframe from the cabinets in this fabulous teenage room workpiece where a cabinet over the bedframe is attached to the two additional storage cabinets. Then lights are added in various locations, and the cabinets are likely attached to the wall for security. This is from homegoid.com.

© Homegoid.com

The idea that a bedframe must always be incorporated into a design is not necessary especially if one decides to upgrade bedding or alter colors. The following allows the wall color to show through adding to the design flavor. This is from homedit.com.

© Homedit.com

Being creative is the key while also blending the necessary colors and tones that are pleasing and functional. We found this last example outstanding. This is from FallsMillworkelley.com.

© Falls Millwork

Glass houses? Scientists develop ‘transparent wood’ for electronics, construction

RT | May 17, 2016

© umd.edu

Scientists at the University of Maryland have developed a see-through wood which is stronger and more insulating than glass.

The transparent wood could be used in car manufacturing, for light-based electronics systems, and as a building material, according to the study published in Advanced Materials.

"It can be used in automobiles when the wood is made both transparent and high strength," said Dr. Mingwei Zhu, the co-author of the paper. "You could also use it as a unique building material."

The team led by materials scientist Liangbing Hu removed the molecule in wood - ‘lignin’ - that makes it rigid and dark in color. They did this by boiling wood in a bath of water, sodium hydroxide and other chemicals for about two hours.

This process left behind a colorless cell structure which the team then filled with epoxy to make it four to six-times stronger.

@talius (cont) 1 Lignin removed, polymer-filled
2.Transmittance for transparent wood with 2 anisotropic structures pic.twitter.com/OBIVL5lt6Y

— Tali (@talius) May 6, 2016

The transparent wood could be used in car manufacturing, for light-based electronics systems, and as a building material, according to the study published in Advanced Materials.

"It can be used in automobiles when the wood is made both transparent and high strength," said Dr. Mingwei Zhu, the co-author of the paper. "You could also use it as a unique building material."

The team led by materials scientist Liangbing Hu removed the molecule in wood - ‘lignin’ - that makes it rigid and dark in color. They did this by boiling wood in a bath of water, sodium hydroxide and other chemicals for about two hours.

This process left behind a colorless cell structure which the team then filled with epoxy to make it four to six-times stronger.

Outstanding Mudroom Cabinet/Storage Ideas

Personal entry ways are common any many homes without the formality of the main foyer which is often not suited for such arrangements. There are several cabinet ideas available from HomeStratosphere.com such as the one below where coats, boots, and miscellaneous storage are commonly stored, although we don't often wear boots in Florida. The following offers locker-type cabinetry for family settings, drop-panel doors and cabinet sides with bolection molding, inset doors, storage above with a darker backside which doesn't show marking as easily, and drawers below. The grating in the doors offers extra ventilation.

© HomeStratosphere.com

Lumber Liquidators Plummets as Losses Mount, Sales Slide Lingers

Bloomberg | May 10, 2016

© angieslist.com

Lumber Liquidators Holdings Inc. tumbled after reporting first-quarter results that were weaker than expected, showing that allegations it sold tainted flooring continue to dog the chain.

The net loss was $1.20 a share, the Toano, Virginia-based company said Tuesday in a statement. Analysts projected a deficit of 22 cents, on average, but the figures may not be comparable. Revenue sank 10 percent to $233.5 million, which was less than analysts estimated.

The quarter marked Lumber Liquidators’ fourth straight sales decline since the “60 Minutes” news program reported in March 2015 that the chain sold Chinese-made laminate flooring with cancer-causing levels of formaldehyde. The company denied those allegations and eventually stopped selling those kinds of floors.
The shares fell as much as 18 percent to $11.07 for the biggest intraday drop since Feb. 22. The stock already had declined 23 percent this year through Monday.

Once a fast-growing retailer, Lumber Liquidators is now trying to revive a damaged brand and rebuild confidence with investors. The stock has lost more than 70 percent since the allegations, which were fueled by short sellers such as Whitney Tilson.

Management Changes

The company has gone through a management shakeup as well, with several senior executives leaving. John Presley, a longtime board member, became chief executive officer in November. He has since been diagnosed with leukemia and yet has remained involved in day-to-day operations.

The falloff in the business was swift after the “60 Minutes” report last year. Revenue tanked, and those declines accelerated, with sales at established stores going from a 1.8 percent drop in the first quarter of 2015 to a 17 percent decrease in the final three months of last year. Revenue by that measure dropped 14 percent last quarter. The lack of demand has led to losses and forced the company to borrow from its credit revolver.

Involvement by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hasn’t helped. The agency, which was helping the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission with a probe of the company’s products, said in February that testing on the flooring in question showed minimal health risks. It then came back and said it made a basic math error and that the exposure to formaldehyde was three times higher. That brought a whole new round of negative headlines for the brand.

Legal Challenges

The company also is facing a wave of litigation from consumers and shareholders. One potential headache for the chain was alleviated in April, when a judge ruled in its favor in a lawsuit over label regulations in California.

Lumber Liquidators has been dealing with other regulators, too. The company received a third subpoena from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in March, regarding an investigation into compliance with disclosure, financial reporting and trading requirements.

Bathroom Wainscoting Beadboard Contrasting Colors

Here we have an outstanding mission style bathroom detail. The wainscoting is run horizontally, while beadboard is vertical above, a matching frame for the mirror, and free-standing vanity furniture style with a bit of rustic flavor, butt hinges, simple pulls, and vertical grooves in the inset doors. Notice also the medicine cabinets are matching the vanity on each side. A brilliant job and the contrast between the vanity and wainscot really sets it off, from Minimalisti.com. It is assumed by looking in the mirror there is a shower (door right next to towel hook) on the other side with a commode in the small lighted room adjacent. A small bedmolding on the ceiling finishes it off.

© Minimalisti.com

There are three styles of profiles that exist. They are the cove, bead, and the ogee. However, in using them, one often attempts to add flavor into a work where flavor does not exist.

They exist as a compliment and the more I study craftmanship, the more I realize their restriction allows the artist the ability to think. Although there are many types of elaboration in architectural design far beyond these profiles, they provide the basis of milling technology.

In this particular artwork, there is a cove in the vanity legs, a small bead in the vertical woodwork, probably a cove on the raised panels in the medicine cabinet doors, and a 45 degree angle cut on the horizontal wainscoting to help the eye accept the joinery, otherwise without this small straight line profile, the eye would see variations in the gap, and the brain would not as easily accept it. By adding what is called tongue and groove to the joinery, the eye accepts it as the joinery is smoothed for the mind. The gaps in the inset doors and drawers on the vanity are made consistent otherwise the mind sees the imperfections.

Applied Wainscoting with Embossed Moldings

Here is an fantastic idea which has been installed with the right proportions and reveals. Embossed molding is pre-fabricated using many of the older traditional ideas in mind. This particular work incorporates a mirror in the extended section of the wall, done very nicely, from Pinterest. Here, we see contrasting color really is an improvement on what the eye sees and appreciates. The use of a rosette in the corners adds the flair in just the right amount to make a great wall decor.

© Pinterest