Thanksgiving Centerpiece Ideas: Poppies and Posies
Design*Sponge
If you are looking for a beautiful DIY autumn centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table, check out this step-by-step guide and prepare to wow your guests.

Consider This! A Multi-Course Plated Thanksgiving Dinner
The Kitchn
“Sure, it’s traditional to pass huge platters around the table in one merry food frenzy at Thanksgiving. And, yes, we’ll be busy enough just getting all the food prepared, so why throw in the extra step of multiple courses and plating food individually? We’ll give you two big reasons why we’re thinking about doing this.”

Thanksgiving Specials Across the U.S.
Open Table
If you’d like to be giving thanks for not having to cook, check out Open Table’s guide for where to eat on Thanksgiving Day.

101 Head Starts on the Day
New York Times
“For cooks, most Thanksgiving problems are brought about by the sheer number of dishes competing for the stove: It’s not easy to roast a turkey and sweet potatoes for 20 at the same time. The best solution is to make food in advance, like one of the dishes that follow.”

It’s Thanksgiving; We’re Doomed
City Room Blog (New York Times)
If you feel like Turkey Day might make you crazy, you’ll like these Thanksgiving stories from psychiatrists. Don’t forget to check out the numerous comments for tales of Thanksgiving disasters, which might make you give thanks for a relatively normal celebration.

10 fanciest home upgrades
Charles and Hudson
“While these upgrades may be much higher budget than the average homeowner’s desire or ability, they still are pretty to look at and dream about.”

2010-2011 Cost vs. Value Report just released
Kathy’s Remodeling Blog
“Will you get your money back on that bathroom remodel when you sell your house? How about that new deck? How much will that increase the value of your house? For hard numbers on how much you’ll get back from your remodel, you can’t do better than the Cost vs. Value Report put out each year by Remodeling Magazine. The 2010-2011 Report has just been released.”

Federal Energy Tax Credit: Use It before You Lose It
Old House Web
“Several weeks ago I wrote about the federal energy tax credit that expires December 31; but it wasn’t until this week that I realized what a really great deal it is, and it’s not likely to be extended. The tax credit will cover 30 percent up to a maximum of $1,500 …”

Homes that were once churches
Curbly
This round-up post from Curbly’s DIY Maven includes some gorgeous photos of places of worship converted in fancy homes.

The boldness of neon in the home
Houzz
“Neon colors have impact but can be harsh on the eyes. Still, it’s a popular option for home accessories and interior paint. So how do you make neon work in your space? First, select your shades of neon carefully. Second, choose the rooms where you want the lively feel of neon. Then make sure you balance the neon with black, white and neutral colors.”

For no particular reason, today’s link love round-up features all sorts of ideas about kitchen design. Have at it!

4 Most Popular Kitchen Countertop Materials
CalFinder Blog
A great overview of popular materials for kitchen countertops and what each offers. Be smart before making your decision.

5 Artistic and Colorful Kitchen Countertops
CalFinder Blog
If going with one of the tried-and-true most popular options isn’t your thing, check out these funky alternatives — like the crystal swirl countertop shown in the photo.

5 Tips for Designing a Green Kitchen
Re-Nest
This post shares a great video full of tips from Dwell about making a nice, useful, environmentally friendly kitchen.

24 Smart Organizing Ideas for Your Kitchen
Real Simple
A great set of photo-based tips for getting organized in the kitchen — the room in which organization is arguably the most important.

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Getting your home ready for winter
Home Renovation Guide
“Turning on that furnace for the first time after months of inactivity is often a shock. It can literally be a shock to your heating system, or it might be a shocking experience when you get your first heating bill! But there are common sense things you can do to get your heating system ready for winter. And, take it from a technician who visits a variety of homes every day, most people do not adequately prepare their home for the peak winter months. Here is some advice to consider before the next big chill.”

Just how important is a home energy audit?
CalFinder Blog
“Everyone wants to make their home more energy efficient, but most have no idea where to start. That’s where home energy audits come in handy. By completing a DIY audit or hiring a professional home energy auditor, you can begin cutting your energy dependence and lowering utility bills at the same time.”

Squeezing the most out of a small space
This Old House
“Karen Shen and Kevin Costello loved the extraordinary craftsmanship of their four-story 1904 Renaissance Revival brownstone in Brooklyn, New York, site of the current This Old House TV project. But to save money, the couple is renting out one and a half floors of the house, leaving about 1,500 square feet of narrow living space for them and their three boys. … Squeezing a family of five into a two-floor apartment posed several logistical challenges, but they managed to make a compact space feel like a roomy home. Here are a few of their best solutions for making a small house feel bigger.”

Design dilemma: 10 simple ways to save energy
Home Design Find
“When it comes to saving energy at home, a lot of us think we need to undertake major renovations or completely replace inefficient appliances to really make a difference. Costly measures like buying new windows or new energy-efficient refrigerators come to mind. Actually, though, there are a number of very small steps you can take to help reduce your energy and water use while helping you save money, too. None of these steps require that you buy a new appliance or invest thousands in home renovations.”

It’s Gonna Get Ugly
This Old House
Desiring a room makeover? Just be grateful you don’t have one of these rooms in your house! You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll cringe.

Bathroom Sinks Made from Recycled Rubber Tires
Calfinder
It’s not beyond the prototype stage yet, but some clever designers have found a way to take old tires and turn them into sinks. They look cool and unusual, while being green. An idea whose time has come?

Green Remodeling Tips from Sarah Susanka
Charles and Hudson
We love Sarah Susanka and her vision for remodeling. Here, she shares her tips for green remodeling with Charles and Hudson.

How To Choose A Good Window
Re-Nest
Interesting article about windows from an (relative) “outsiders” perspective. We agree: “One of the first things people look to when designing or renovating a home is good, energy efficient windows.”

High-Tech Bins Will Fine People for Not Recycling
Inhabitat
Cleveland has a new solution for reluctant recyclers: “The city’s officials plan to implement a smart recycling bin program city-wide that will fine residents up to $100 for not recycling. The smart bins will eventually cover all 150,000 households and will monitor how many times residents take their recycling bins to the curb. If it is noted that a household isn’t bringing their recyclables out, their regular trash will be sorted through and if more than 10% recyclables are found, they’ll be fined.”

Don’t It Yourself
Curbly
Not every DIY project has a fairytale ending. For anyone who’s relied upon bubble gum and duct tape for a quick fix, these photos are for you.

5 Factors in Kitchen Pricing
Kitchen + Bath Business
Wonder why the final costs of a kitchen remodeling project often differ so greatly from the initial estimate? Here’s a breakdown of where your money goes once the project launches.

5 Ways to Make Colors Pop
Curbly
Here’s some helpful hints from the folks at GE on how to make the colors your home come alive.

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Add Intrigue To Your Home With A Secret Room
Charles and Hudson
“It’s confession time, C&H readers. When I imagine the house of my dreams, there are several must-have features on that list: a claw-footed bathtub, a library with floor-to-ceiling shelves (and a purple velvet chaise, but that’s another story!) AND, *drumroll please*: a secret room! Turns out my fiance and I aren’t the only ones who share in our love of top-secret spaces…”

10 of the Most Cool Glass Staircase Designs
DigsDigs
Great eye candy in these photos. “We all know how cool glass staircases look like. The easiest way to check that out by yourself is to visit some Apple stores that feature them. Although sometimes such staircases also could be found in the residential houses and lofts. There are different models of them from different combinations of glass and other materials. Although any glass staircase could become an unique and eye-catching feature of a house. Here are some design inspirations for you.”

5 Design Ideas for Small Bathrooms
CalFinder blog
Whether you’re looking for ways to make your bathroom more style or more useful, this article should have some good tips for you.

Selecting Kitchen Backsplash Materials
Home Construction and Improvement
“Kitchen backsplashes serve a functional role as well as a major design feature on most modern kitchens. Most backsplashes are built with a durable material that makes kitchen clean up much easier. The wall behind the countertop typically get’s splashed with food, grease and water which highlights the need for a durable surface.”

Photo courtesy of DigsDigs and Chistophe Moinat Design

Tastefully Incorporating Televisions
Houzz.com
Design ideas for placing TVs tastefully. Unfortunately, they can be an eye-sore sometimes. “There are many tasteful ways to incorporate televisions into living rooms, it just takes a little extra planning and foresight. The ultimate solution is to hide it away when not in use, or flush mount it inside the wall or built-in cabinet. Not everyone has the budget for custom solutions, so read on for a mix of good ideas that will have you watching in style.”

We tried it: Using a remote design service
Shelteriffic
“I’ve been intrigued by the idea of “remote” interior design services for some time now, and I recently decided to give it a try. I wanted to get a designer’s reaction to our master bedroom because I was having issues with color and needed help with finishing touches to pull it all together.” Here’s how it went…

Remodeling Rules Have Changed
Charles & Hudson
“The Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard has announced that in 2010 remodeling will increase 5% over 2009. This would mark the first increase since 2006. Great news for all of us in the home improvement business. But the key factor to note from this study was not the minor increase but more why people are choosing to remodel.”

4 Cool House Projects for the Whole Gang
CalFinder Blog
“If you prefer a root canal over tackling home improvement projects, then it may be time you take a less conventional approach. How about getting your family or group of best beds to keep you company while lightening your load? Here are some home improvement projects perfect for the whole gang.”

Photo courtesy of Houzz.com and Jacobs Design

Danish Tabletops Made from Leftover Industrial Materials
Re-Nest
“These tabletops by Danish designer Vibeke Fonnesberg Schmidt are made from leftover wood and laminates from the Danish kitchen manufacturer Multiform. The project was carried out at the National Workshops for Arts and Crafts in Copenhagen, and is the second project of its kind from Vibeke.”

Teak Mosaic Tiles Made from Decommissioned Boats
Luxury Housing Trends
Speaking of piecing together reclaimed wood: These beautiful wood floors, called Driftwood Mosaics, “are made from from old-growth teak that is reclaimed from decommissioned boats in China that are more than 100 years old.”

Contemporary Glass Radiators for Central Heating System – Art Glass Radiators
DigsDigs
“Central heating radiators are usually boring and simple but these ones are not only functional but also stylish. The Art Glass Radiators by Tell Me First are designed to be easily fitted into your existing central heating system but also can feature some beautiful pictures on the glass. … All you need are large, high quality photos and you’ll be able to express yourself in your interior even with radiators.”

Smart Grid: 10 Definitions and Why the Grid Should Matter to the Consumer
HomeIntel
“High capital investments and the overall attention and research surrounding smart grid technology have made the push for smart grid quite aggressive. Although the term ‘smart grid’ is frequently used, do we really know what it means? Is it something that the normal consumer should care about? And why should they? In efforts to understand the meaning of smart grid we shall take a brief look at how a mix of companies and government agencies are defining smart grid.”

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Ask a Contractor: Should we renovate all at once, or in steps?
Kathy’s Remodeling Blog
Question: We want to do several upgrades to our house, including the kitchen, the master bathroom and a new deck. Should we have them all done at the same time, or would it be easier on my family to have them done one at a time? Answer: From Alon Toker, president of Mega Builders in Chatsworth, California…

How to Design a Kitchen Work Triangle
Charles and Hudson Kitchens
“When remodeling your kitchen, make sure you consider the kitchen work triangle as a guide to cooking productivity.” Here are some tips on how.

Avoid the Pitfalls of Remodeling in 2010
CalFinder Blog
“While humanity often seems averse to change, everyone likes a beautiful home remodel. It gives a sense of newness, renewed pride, improvement, and progress. But what many don’t know is that so much can go wrong during any phase of the project, especially now in a tough economy and slowly recovering housing market. Here are the 10 pitfalls of remodeling in 2010, and how to steer as clear from them as possible.”

What New Lead-Paint Law Means for Homeowners
WSJ Developments Blog
The Journal has a report on “how professionals who repair or renovate homes and other buildings constructed before 1978 are now required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to adhere to strict lead-safe work practices. … Some contractors, property-management firms and landlords who work on building renovations say they plan to pass the costs of complying with the ruling onto consumers. Those costs range from materials such as lead-testing kits, plastic sheeting and respirators to training and certification.”

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