According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Americans spend on average 7 percent of their annual income on utilities. It’s no wonder we’re always looking for ways to save a few dollars, especially in the warmest summer month where the utility bill — and the heat — can keep you up late at night.

Tom Kraeutler, host of The Money Pit, recently shared a list of economical tips and tricks to help you keep your utility bill low as the temperatures rise. Here are a few items often overlooked:

• If your air conditioning equipment is getting old (and therefore less efficient), you might actually make money by trading up to Energy Star-qualified AC units and systems. Installing a new system now can compound your summer energy savings with valuable tax credits and local utility rebates that are available until the end of this year.
• Seal all duct seams to keep that hard-earned cool air from escaping into dead ends. As much as 20 percent of circulating air is lost to leaks and faulty connections, but a bit of your time and some mastic sealant or metal (UL 181) tape is all it takes to seal ducts in attics, basements and crawlspaces.
• Strategic landscaping will have your home made in the shade, so add and maintain trees on the south and west sides to help shelter and shield the sunniest sides of the structure.

If you haven’t the time for a landscaping job or AC replacement before the next heat wave, think smaller.

Check out the latest product from Dyson – the Air Multiplier. These bladeless fans draw in air from the base and amplify it 15 to 18 times. This product has drawn a lot of buzz at tradeshows with its sleek design and unique function. Dan Neil of the Los Angeles Times wrote, “It functions beautifully and looks great too. This thing is flat-out brilliant.”

To show how the product works, the team at Dyson created this video which shows the device drawing and amplifying air. Check it out:



Keeping cool in the dog days of summer is a post from: MLuxe - Distinctive Home Style

I give the advice all the time to have your heating and cooling system checked each year, but did you know spring and early summer are actually the best time to have this done? You see, if your central air conditioner needs some TLC, it needs to be above 70 degrees to properly add the right amount of refrigerant.   And just as you would control drafts in the winter, you want to make sure that your windows and doors are tightly sealed in the summer, as well. If you need new ones then all you need to do is visit www.marvin.com.

At my house, the use of the A/C is sporadic at best.  One issue for us and many others is that closed-in, stale feeling the air can have when the system is running for days on end. One way to help the indoor air quality is to install and outside air exchange system. Many manufacturers offer these. The unit brings in fresh outdoor air, filters it and then circulates it through your system to keep the air fresh inside your home. This can be especially helpful to those who suffer from allergies or Asthma. In fact, the EPA estimates that the indoor air inside your home can be 10 times more polluted than the outside air. The cost of installation is around $1,500-$2,000. You can talk to your HVAC contractor about this.

Another way to stay comfortable is to move the air. Keep those ceiling fans turning to keep the air temperature consistent at all levels of your home. By doing this, your HVAC system will actually run less and you could even save a little on your energy bills this season.

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Summer means fun — and comfort is a post from: MLuxe - Distinctive Home Style

The Calfinder blog sets the stage by suggesting a few tips for creating “the perfect gathering spot” in your home:

• warm and chic: blend the style with the comfortable, stylish living room or family room that neighbors your dining room
• eccentric and colorful: with a simpler, modern furniture style, spice up the room with some bold, even funky decor to surround the understated furniture
• boxy-modern: ultra-modern style choice can, in and of themselves, be a conversation piece and can add a nice bit of sophisticated fashion to the dining room

Of course, dining rooms and kitchens so often work hand-in-hand, so it doesn’t do much good to design with one without concern for the other. A recent post from Re-Nest should provide all sorts of design and remodeling inspiration, as they show off photo (and links to more information) from 20 “amazing bright, light” kitchens (and some bathrooms, too).

If all of these photos and ideas have inspired you to give some redesign or remodeling a go, the aptly named Remodeling Guy has 10 great kitchen remodeling ideas, including “bold colors on bottom,” solid black countertops, glass cabinet doors and more.

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Inspiration for dining room and kitchen makeovers is a post from: MLuxe - Distinctive Home Style

Design Dilemma: Help for Hallways
Home Design Find
“We lavish lots of attention on perfecting our kitchens, living rooms, and even our bedrooms. But there’s one space that ironically is the most used AND the most neglected: the hallway. Many of us simply forget to spend any time at all making it a more pleasant passage. Just a few touches, however, can make a dramatic difference that will have even more impact if a hallway begins at your front door.”

The Scoop on Radiant Floor Heat
Re-Nest
A run-down of the pros and cons (mostly pros) of radiant floor heating. All sorts of advantages — relative efficiency, invisible, silent — seem as though they outweigh the big drawback: the system is far from quick to kick in when you need it.

Fabulous and Fire Resistant
Curbly
“Located in Malibu, CA, this weekend get-away was designed with an emphasis on sustainability and fire resistance. Owners and architects Nick Roberts and Cory Buckner incorporated a ‘noncombustible shell’ and ‘deep-set fire-resistant windows’ into its construction. The couple’s interest in fire resistance comes from personal experience. In 1993, a wild fire consumed the 4000 sf they were living in at they time. They escaped the fire with 3 carloads of belongings and moved into Cory’s parent’s house 30 minutes away. A week later, fire destroyed that house too.”

You could say they’re a little obsessed: Theme houses and replica rooms
Shelterrific
“There are people who love a good theme room, and then there are people who really love a good theme room. For whatever reason, sometimes obsession sets in, and quite suddenly you’re knee-deep in a replica room.” This post introduces you to a few of these gung-go shelter geeks, with photos, of course.

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Link love: Shopping for vessel sinks, decorating tips for hallways and more is a post from: MLuxe - Distinctive Home Style

Looking back, the worrying was pretty much unwarranted. As we prepare to start yet another year and yet another decade, bring some optimism and happiness with you into 2010.

Happy New Year!

Have a Safe and Happy New Year is a post from: MLuxe - Distinctive Home Style

Merry Christmas! is a post from: MLuxe - Distinctive Home Style

Epicurious offers 25 recipes for Christmas cookies–plenty to choose from!

If you want to swap your delicious Christmas cookies, consider a cookie exchange. Better Home and Gardens has some helpful hints for a successful party:

• Don’t invite too many people — 8 to 12 is the right amount. Although you want to make sure there are lots of cookies to exchange, you don’t want your guests to have to make massive amounts of cookies.
• Make sure you know what sort of cookies everyone is bringing. You don’t want everyone to show up with peanut butter blossoms!
• As the host, you will need to provide beverages and maybe a few snacks–not too many, since you’ll be filling up on cookies!
• A cookie exchange is a great time to bring out all your fun holiday decorations and dishes.

Happy baking!

Image courtesy of  Key Lime Yummies Bakery on Flickr.

Countdown to Christmas: Cookies is a post from: MLuxe - Distinctive Home Style

As part of the myMarvin campaign, Sarah was asked to design her dream window — then we built it. The video above shows the behind-the-scenes work involved in bringing Sarah’s inspiration to life, and she discusses her inspiration and design philosophy as well as the importance of windows and good lighting. You can see the design drawings, and more unique windows from other myMarvin designers, at myMarvin.com.

Sarah Susanka Talks About Windows and Design is a post from: MLuxe - Distinctive Home Style

In order to do this, Feldman had to make some changes, including moving the living spaces to the top floor, where the light is best. Almost all walls that could be removed were, to create a more open floor plan. Windows were added along the length of the house to let daylight flood in.

The owners of the house wanted to take advantage of the renovation to make the house as green as possible. A solar-powered radiant heat system, a large photo-volatic roof array and recycled materials for insulation, flooring, cabinets and countertops were added. Marvin’s double-paned clad casements and Ultimate Double Hungs with Low E II coatings also help Pierce House be energy-efficient. To add even more “green-ness” Feldman used a portion of the upper floor for a roof top garden.

Pierce House is now a true San Francisco treat! For more information, visit the myMarvin Architect’s Challenge page.

myMarvin Architect’s Challenge: Pierce House is a post from: MLuxe - Distinctive Home Style

The house is called Oldfield, and it is also Lilley’s home. The house’s traditional look hides its very modern credentials. It was designed to make maximum efficient use of daylight and fit the lifestyle of the occupants. Oldfield also is a green house and achieved EarthCraft House™ Platinum Certification.

One unusual aspect of this house is that it is located in a hurricane zone and therefore must use windows and doors that can help protect it against the storms. Oldfield uses StormPlus products from Marvin to create a beautiful, energy-efficient look that will still meet building code requirements.

Oldfield combines the best of the past and present for a home with Low Country style and green sensibilities.

myMarvin Architect’s Challenge: Oldfield is a post from: MLuxe - Distinctive Home Style