Lots of stuff requires a place to put it. This is why storage is a top-of-mind need in just about every household of every size.
With a little creative direction, there are many ways to increase storage space. Adding shelving systems, installing more cabinets and buying armoires or antique chifferobes are typical options. Along with these common solutions, let’s consider what other options might maximize storage potential.
Storage Under the Stairs
Put all that square footage under a set of stairs to use as a closet. Just as important as the space to store belonging is ease of access. In the example above, Mosby designers created a unique set of folding doors that expose the entire contents under the basement stairs.
Wall of Bookcases
Floor-to-ceiling bookcases across an entire wall is the dream of many book lovers, as well as a smart way to get maximum storage while using up minimal living space. In the example shown above, the desire for more book space was answered by Mosby designers with built-in bookcases lining three walls of a home office, customized shelving heights and cabinet doors to match the homeowners needs.
Customized Closet
A Christmas tree collection brings about very special storage needs for such large objects. As part of a basement remodel, Mosby Building Arts planners configured space within an exercise room purposely designed to house trees. Behind a pair of sliding doors is a spacious Tree Closet! See more of the home with these 3 clever storage ideas.
Add Space in the Walls
Take advantage of the space between wall studs by adding recessed cabinets or niches. For the master bathroom shown above, Mosby inserted a lighted niche with glass shelves into the marble wall, creating a stylish and useful space that keeps the clean lines intact. See more photos of this master bathroom project.
Built-In Bench Seating
Built-in seating provides a place to sit without taking up valuable floor space, and it doubles as a wonderful place to store things out of sight. With the family room addition shown above, there’s bench seating with storage on both sides of the fireplace. To the right are pull-out drawers, and to the left is a clever way to disguise a pop-up TV screen (as seen in the photo inset). See more photos of this family room addition.
There are so many clever and useful ways to create more storage in every home, and we invite you to work with the space planning designers at Mosby Building Arts to explore the best organization solutions. Call the office at 314.909.1800 or contact us here.
The level of detail in the painted cardboard is awe-inspiring. You can almost ehar the sound of a glass ball ornament rolling across the floor, which awakens…
…Cindy Lou Who, who is no more than 2!
Gingerbread Cube
The level of detail on this cube is overwhelming. The two ladies responsible for this candy land cut out every single piece by hand and pasted it together and up onto the house. The icing is via caulk gun.
Quite the arts & crafts accomplishment!
Old Mosby Logo Cube
Our old company logo featured a house, and one of our carpenters recreated that logo as only a builder can.
The Christmas trees are decorated with our old business cards.
And even his fish Elmo gets a hat (on the tank) and a stocking, which holds his fish food!
NASCAR Christmas
These 2 ladies sit in an extra-wide cubicle which they refer to as “the double-wide trailer.” Thus was born NASCAR Christmas. They have an actual NASCAR tire that was donated by one of our fellow employees.
Their level of cultural detail was accurate and loving. We’ve all fallen in love with Killer, the stuffed pit bull!
When it comes to the best way to heat your home, there is one option that towers above the others: split geothermal systems.
It is a superior choice because it uses no fossil fuels, is 300 - 400% more efficient than the highest-rated gas furnace, and costs less to operate over time which creates substantial savings on energy bills all year round.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency calls geothermal systems “the most energy efficient, environmentally clean and cost-effective space conditioning systems available today.” To back up that endorsement, the government is offering a federal tax credit of 30% of the installation costs for homeowners who install a geothermal system in 2009 or 2010.
How Does It Work?
Geothermal essentially means the heat from inside the earth. Unlike traditional heating systems that burn a fuel to create heat, a geothermal system collects and distributes heat that already exists naturally, with 2/3 of it being free energy from the earth right beneath your feet.
The earth absorbs and stores nearly half of the sun’s energy that hits the earth. A geothermal system taps into that free, renewable energy at a constant temperature and puts it to work in the home. The earth’s natural heat is collected in the winter by a series of pipes called a loop system. The loop carries heat to the home where it’s compressed and released to raise the inside temperature (this process is reversed in the summer).
The loop system is what powers geothermal energy, and there are 4 loop configurations available to match the needs of any new or exiting home. For instance, to retrofit an older home in an exiting neighborhood, the vertical loop is often used because it fits in where land area is limited. Certified and experienced installers can find a way to make geothermal work in most every residential situation.
How Much Do Geothermal Heating Systems Cost?
Geothermal heating systems are more expensive than traditional heating systems, but it is a one-time cost to purchase and install it with no monthly bills to the utility company to heat and cool your home. Compare that to traditional systems that require you to continually pay for fuel and maintenance after the initial purchase and install, and the long-term cost savings of geothermal becomes apparent.
With the rising price of oil, gas, and electricity, a properly installed geothermal heat pump system can literally pay for itself in only few years. Plus, the environmental benefits are tremendous: installing geothermal in a home is equivalent to removing two cars from the road or equal to planting a full acre of new trees.
When building a new home, geothermal is absolutely the way to go. When it’s time to upgrade the system of an existing home, explore all the options available for geothermal retrofit. It is important to work only with proven geothermal professionals to get the system and installation that makes it such a worthwhile investment in comfort and efficiency.
We invite you to call the Mosby office for a recommendation of the company we trust to deliver the knowledge and service needed for geothermal heating and cooling. Call us at 314.909.1800 or contact us here.
This time of year is so festive because we decorate our homes with twinkling lights. Inside and out, this warm glow lifts spirits and makes everything look special. Have you noticed how empty a room feels once the holiday lights come down in January? That’s because the extra lighting has disappeared, which highlights how important the proper lighting is for our spirits.
Every room needs multiple sources of light for the proper balance of productivity and mood. A single, overhead light in a room is only the starting point for the layers of light needed to boost our productivity and mood. An effective lighting master plan often includes the following types of lighting:
• Task Lighting Task lighting illuminates a specific task or work space for function and safety. Applying makeup in the bathroom, cutting vegetables in the kitchen and woodworking in the garage require proper amounts of light aimed exactly where you need it most. Recessed, lamp and pendant lighting are examples of efficient task lighting.
• Accent Lighting Illumination can be used to draw attention and set something apart from its surroundings is the intent of accent lighting. It brightens perimeters, fills in backgrounds, and highlights special objects (such as art work or architectural details). Other benefits of accent lighting is that it contributes to the overall illumination of a space, sets a mood or feel with the light, and can increase home security both indoors and outdoors.
• Convenience Lighting Safety and function are enhanced by convenience lighting when entering spaces, so we need to see clearly and immediately as we enter a space by flipping a switch. Convenience lighting may be a ceiling-mounted light fixture, or lamps connected to a wall switch, even the light that automatically comes on when opening a garage or closet door.
• Energy Efficiency Lighting costs account for about 30% of our energy use and is a smart place to increase energy savings. Dimmer switches and whole-house lighting control systems allow for more precise usage, energy conservation, extended lamp life and a welcoming feel. Low-voltage bulbs such as compact fluorescents (CFLs) and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) provide high quality, warm light and last many times longer than incandescent bulbs for a fraction of conventional energy costs.
• Security Lighting Properly seeing our surroundings creates a sense of safety and security. Outdoors at night we need sidewalks and entrances to be properly lit at all times for our safety. Motion detectors can greet us and welcomes us home while also deterring vandals and burglars. Indoors, lights on timers can create the illusion of someone being home at all times. Adequate lighting throughout the home improves safety by illuminating hazards and prevents tripping and falling.
Good & Bad Lighting Design
All the effort we put into creating perfect spaces with carefully chosen paint colors, furniture and flooring can be instantly undermined by bad lighting, and brought alive with good lighting. A room with harsh lighting or that’s too bright may be just as disconcerting as a room that’s too dark. A personalized and thorough lighting plan significantly contributes to a safe, comfortable, familiar and inviting space, and is a key component of a successful remodel.
Lighting design can become overwhelming for even a do-it-yourself veteran because of all the layers of light that need to be considered. We recommend working with the design professionals at Mosby Building Arts, who are experienced in the science and intuition of well-placed lighting. Together, we will map out a master plan that addresses all the exterior and interior lighting needs of your home, and assure that it reflects your taste and style.
To explore the possibilities of lighting design, call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact us here.
We joined with ReBuilding Together St. Louis, hundreds of local volunteers and HGTV to remodel the home of Hence Forland, and now we all come together once more to see the final results of our collaboration. Hence is a Desert Storm veteran who opens his home to homeless veterans, so it is appropriate that on Veteran’s Day we honor his dedication with the ultimate gift of transformation.
The Moolah Theatre doors open for this free event at 6 pm. The special will be broadcast on the big movie screen promptly at 7 pm. Celebrate with us and all the volunteers, veterans, and recipients involved in the restoration of the Windsor Transitional Home. This effort was a year in the making, and you can experience the first viewing of “the reveal” on HGTV with all of us. Click here for more viewing party details.
This was one of the most inspiring projects we’ve been involved with, and the sense of community pride it created remains with us always. Come share the energy and celebration at the Moolah Theatre on November 11th.
Scott Mosby, president of Mosby Building Arts and the KMOX Home Answer Man, is on the cover of the October 2009 issue of Professional Remodeler magazine featuring the 2009 Market Leaders.
Scott was chosen by the magazine’s editors as the best example of an experienced and proven remodeling company staying strong during trying economic times, and the residential architecture and remodeling company is a St. Louis Market Leader for the third year in a row.
The guiding principal for Scott and his company is to stay positive, focus on quality and deliver lasting value. This has contributed to the company surviving and thriving in 2009.
At the Windsor Transitional Home, brick tuckpointing is now finished.
Mosby Building Arts is dedicated to more than enhancing homes. We enhance the way people live. Although each of our client’s home projects receives the highest priority of our attention, there has probably never been a house assignment more important than the Windsor Transitional Home which will serve the needs of honorable St. Louis veterans. Mosby professionals have been hard at work in preparation for the HGTV crew on June 19th to begin filming. The project is scheduled to be complete on June 21, 2009.
In the backyard, the fence has been removed and the old sidewalk and porch have been removed. Big plans for the backyard!
We take pride in the fact that our service approach is unique to our industry, and our “do-whatever-it-takes” attitude has helped us to quickly and accurately measure and photograph the Windsor Transitional Home to create floor plans that will assist Rebuilding Together St. Louis, as well as HGTV representatives and the volunteer trade partners participating in this important refurbishing and renovation project.
The painting of walls and trim in the first floor living room is done. Morning sunlight through the stained glass is a beautiful sight.
For over 60 years, people in the St. Louis area have turned to Mosby Building Arts for home enhancement answers. Now our own Scott Mosby has utilized his experience supervising remodeling jobs to create an organizational system on the veteran’s home job site that will enhance the productivity and efficiency of hundreds of volunteers.
The kitchen is now ready for paint, flooring, appliances and cabinetry. This room will magically transform over the weekend!
Scott defined the structure and responsibility so each room had a captain. Captains are responsible for monitoring progress in their rooms, from scheduling to construction to punch list. This organizational structure helps to create a sense of order and helps to divide this large project into manageable segments, while each Captain provides helpful guidance and direction to the volunteers within their room.
A Rebuilding Together volunteer installing wood paneling to one of the ground floor rooms.
All of the first- and second-floor interior walls have been patched and prepared for painting. Some rooms that have been without ceilings now have drywall installed, along with new connections for light fixtures.
A volunteer doing last minute prep work as the new flooring was being unloaded from the truck. The new floors will be protected while HGTV filming goes on this weekend.
As we took these photos of the progress at the home, volunteers were finishing up last-minute prep work as new flooring was unloaded from a delivery truck.
The second floor is patched and prepped for painting. Here you can see some of the new thermal windows already installed in every room of the veteran's home.
New thermal windows were donated for the project, and all of them are now installed. This will contribute greatly to the energy efficiency of this 109-year old home.
The second floor had been without a ceiling for some time, so it is gratifying to have this completed. Loving the original fireplace surround.
Even before the final construction push begins on Friday morning, the house is a beehive of activity, with a wide variety of tradespeople working concurrently.
Spirits are high on the job site and there is a very positive energy. Everyone we spoke with is intensely focused on doing their best work as a way of giving back to a man who has dedicated his home and life to helping homeless veterans.
Hence Forland, Jr., the man who has dedicated his home and life to helping homeless veterans. That smile is always on his face, and his spirit is infectious.
And the happiest man on the job site? That would be Hence Forland, Jr. He has been working side by side with us to realize his vision of helping those who have served our country. The feelings of joy and gratitude that radiate from him are both infectious and inspirational.
The Windsor Transitional Home has already come a long way in a short period of time. This weekend, hundreds of volunteers and the HGTV crew will work together with Mosby professionals to help Hence Forland realize his vision of helping worthy veterans to discover “the art of living” well.
The Windsor Transitional Home being prepped for tuckpointing.
Mosby Building Arts has always been dedicated to the art of home enhancement and the positive effects it has on people’s lives. So when we had the unique opportunity to partner with Rebuilding Together St. Louis and HGTV to help repair and transform the Windsor Transitional Home to make it a first-class facility for some of our war veterans, we were honored to volunteer our time, plus our design and constructive expertise to this worthy endeavor.
You may have read in our earlier blog post that HGTV will be in town on Friday, June 19th to begin the project. Let’s take a closer look at the work that we have completed thus far with Rebuilding Together St. Louis and HGTV in preparation for the renovation of the Windsor Transitional Home owned by retired First Sergeant Hence Forland, Jr.
Rear of the home at 3837 Windsor Place, before the rebuild begins.
When Forland purchased the 109-year-old house at 3837 Windsor Place nearly two decades ago, little did he know the positive impact it would create. Inspired by the homeless veterans he met through the nearby John Cochran VA Medical Center, Forland was determined to provide a safe haven for these honorable servicemen. In 2007, he opened his doors to veterans and officially created the Windsor Transitional Home.
The back stoop is in bad shape. Mosby Building Arts has designed a new porch and patio for this area.
Forland invested his time, energy and money into the home to make the house safe and inhabitable, but it is an ongoing struggle. In early 2009, Rebuilding Together St. Louis entered Forland’s home into HGTV’s “Change the World. Start at Home” competition, and with the support of an overwhelming number of St. Louisans voting online, this veteran’s home was selected to receive $40,000 for repairs and updates.
The proposed design for the Windsor Transitional Home's new back porch, designed by Mosby Building Arts.
In April, Mosby Building Arts was proud to partner with Rebuilding Together and HGTV to inspect and evaluate the challenges facing the home, and to develop floorplan drawings. We are excited to have been asked to design a new back porch and patio for the facility and look forward to working with HGTV and Carter Oosterhouse on completing this project during filming on July 19th through the 21st.
Through his dedication, Forland installed a new roof and upgraded furnace to provide a warm and cozy atmosphere for the deserving veterans, but virtually everything else in the home needs to be repaired, updated and remodeled.
The front hallway and the stairs leading to the 2nd floor.
In preparation for the filming of the HGTV show beginning on June 19th, volunteer crews have already initiated work on the house. As a starting point, lead paint in the home has been completely encapsulated.
Electricity for the home has recently been re-wired. Patching, prepping and painting the walls takes place the weekend of June 12th.
Plumbers and Pipefitters Local #562 has donated its time and supplies to update all of the plumbing, and IBEW Local #1 has completely rewired the electricity in the home, bringing light to rooms that have been dark since 1983.
The veteran's home kitchen before the remodel begins.
Area businesses have generously donated appliances to help update the kitchen, and these items will be installed during HGTV filming.
A 2nd floor bedroom before HGTV and the Rebuilding Together volunteers transform it on the weekend of June 19, 2009.
To ensure efficient climate control - and a beautiful view - new thermal windows for the entire house have been donated, and soon Bike & Build will help to replace the subfloors.
To help maintain a strong foundation, tuckpointing is being completed on the home’s brick exterior.
The basement will get new support columns.
During the weekend of June 12th, volunteer crews will patch walls, install trim, and prepare all surfaces for painting.
A Mosby Building Arts planner with owner Hence Forland, Jr. (right) discussing some needed repairs.
Hence Forland, Jr. understands the basic human need for shelter, and has created safety and order for the veterans in his home. With this wonderful gift of repair and remodeling comes the opportunity to demonstrate how a sound, healthy and attractive home elevates the spirits and lifestyle of the people who live in it. This is the core belief of Scott Mosby and Mosby Building Arts, and we are honored to be a part of this effort.
Here’s your chance to contribute! Rebuilding Together is seeking skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled volunteers to assist with this project on June 12th, 13th, 19th, 20th and 21st, 2009. As a volunteer, you must be able to work a full-day or half-day shift and you can indicate your availability. We encourage you to help make a positive difference now in your own city by contacting Rebuilding Together’s Jessie Connor at 314.918.9918, ext. 24, or by email at jconner@rebuildingtogether-stl.org.
Scott Mosby of Mosby Building Arts (left) and Lynn Rajani of Rebuilding Together St. Louis (center) going over design and construction plans on the front steps of the Windsor Transitional Home.
Please join Scott Mosby, Rebuilding Together and HGTV on June 19th at 8:00 a.m. for the official project Kick-Off at 3837 Windsor Place in St. Louis City, 63113. Also, be sure to tune into KMOX 1120 AM on Saturday, June 20th from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. for a live broadcast of The KMOX Home Improvement Show with Scott Mosby from the project site. Finally, you can read regular reports of events and progress on the home by following Scott Mosby on Twitter. Scott will “tweet” (provide online updates) regarding all phases of the project from its beginning through the finished project reveal on June 22nd, plus provide details of when this project will be televised on HGTV. Follow Scott on Twitter now.
People of St. Louis: You voted in record numbers and, thanks to you, you’re helping to “Change the World” by starting in your own city! St. Louis, through its representation by Rebuilding Together St. Louis was recently announced as a winning city in HGTV’s Change the World. Start at Home program. This nationwide effort, which awards $40,000 toward renovation expenses, encourages Americans to become engaged in community projects, and the 2009 campaign highlights historic veterans’ group homes.
On Friday, June 19th HGTV is coming to town and with the assistance of Rebuilding Together volunteers will help to transform the Windsor Transitional House into the facility owner Hence J. Forland, Jr. - a retired Army First Sergeant - can use to make a positive change in the lives of fellow servicemen. You can learn more about the cause here. Mosby Building Arts is very proud to participate in this worthy effort by lending our time and home enhancement expertise and encouraging fellow St. Louis citizens to become involved, as well.
After this event, the project site will be closed to the public until “the reveal” on Monday, June 22nd, so this is your chance to join in and encourage and thank the volunteers who are giving of their time to make a positive change in the St. Louis community.
KMOX Live Broadcast, June 20th, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Our own Scott Mosby and “The Voice of St. Louis” will broadcast live from the project site, so be sure to tune in for the latest backstage information, interviews, and progress reports, along with call-in questions from area listeners.
Follow the Project on Twitter
Twitter is one of the newest and most respected forms of social media that is used to provide quick updates (140 characters or less) of important happenings in the world around us. Beginning the week of June 15th until the end of the project, Scott Mosby, spokesperson for Rebuilding Together St. Louis, will “tweet” (provide online updates) about the latest details of the project. While the actual work site will be closed, Scott will give you unique online access to all the latest happenings and progress of this very special event. Follow Scott on Twitter.
Please Help Us by Volunteering!
Rebuilding Together is seeking skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled volunteers to assist with this project on June 12th, 13th, 19th, 20th and 21st, 2009. As a volunteer, you must be able to work a full-day or half-day shift and you can indicate your availability. We encourage you to help make a positive difference now in your own city by contacting Jessie Connor at 314.918.9918, ext. 24, or by email at jconner@rebuildingtogether-stl.org.
Since 1947, Mosby Building Arts has been improving the lives of Metropolitan St. Louis families. From architecture & remodeling to maintenance and repairs, all the knowledge and performance you need is under the MBA roof.
