The arrival of spring and its promise of renewal is a great time to assess home exteriors with a fresh eye.  Did the roof emerge from the snow and ice season without damage?  Does the siding remain in good condition?  How did the concrete driveway and walks hold up to the Midwest freeze/thaw cycles?  And does the home look crisp and pleasing to your eye?

Now is the time to asses a home’s exterior health and attractiveness and begin the improvements that will increase the value, soundness and curb appeal of an important home investment.  Consider the importance of investing in exterior design that also reduces your future maintenance.

Water is the constant enemy of a house, and most exterior components of our homes are designed to keep water out.  Gutters, downspouts, flashing, roofs and attics require regular attention because they work together as a water management system.

There are ways to significantly reduce water management damage and maintenance.  Installing seamless, clog-free gutters removes cleaning gutters from the list of chores, and properly placing downspouts to move water away from the house helps avoid interior leaks and damage.  Flashing works in tandem with a roof to direct water into the gutters, so correctly installed flashing is as equally important as a sound roof that withstands rain and wind storms. Read here for the ill effects of bad flashing.

Roofing options are endless, and some good examples can be found here.  Issues such as heat gain, mold resistance and attic ventilation can be addressed in the type of roof chosen, but please pay attention to aesthetics as well as function.

A roof represents roughly one quarter of the look of a home.  Ever notice how an old, worn out roof with dirt streaks can cast communicate neglect on an otherwise tidy house?  Coordinating the look of the roof with the rest of the home is essential.

Think of coordinating roofing, siding and shutters in the same way we dress ourselves each day.  We mix and match our clothes to express different moods or reflect the occasion, and select accessories that enhance our desired colors.  Applying these same principals to a home is the basis of exterior design, and it contributes to curb appeal.

As with roofs, siding choices are endless and is best selected according to the amount of acceptable maintenance and the style desired.  Let’s review exterior siding choices.  Remember that choosing quality materials reaps the long-term benefit of durability which equals spending once to last a lifetime.

Pay particular attention to the colors of concrete driveways, sidewalks and patios because they contribute to first impressions.  They also affect the safety of those using them.  Cracked or spalling concrete is caused by water problems, and should be repaired or replaced.  Dirty concrete detracts from the appearance of the home and its landscaping beauty.  It is wise to protect your concrete investment with the durability that comes from cleaning and long-term sealing.

There is much to be gained from coordinating the exterior design of a home, and choosing the products that will bring the most value and durability.  Mosby Building Arts has a deep bench of roofing, siding, roof cleaning and sealing professionals experienced in enhancing and protecting your home’s exterior.  View an example of an award-winning Mosby project that completely transformed a house built in the 1980s. Learn more about Mosby Building Arts’ home exterior services here. And when your home is ready for an upgrade, call the Mosby Team at 314.909.1800 or contact us here.

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 learn more about Mosby Building Arts space planning and remodeling here.  To explore your best organization solutions call the Mosby office at 314.909.1800 or contact them here.

Part 1: See photos and video of  the holiday cube contestants.

Part 2:  And see the rest of the decorated cubes here.

And the winners are…….

3rd Place: Happy Holly Days

2nd Place: Old Mosby Logo

1st Place: Candy Cane Condo

And here’s video of the winners:

Thank you to everyone who participated because you made a positive difference in our office for the holiday season!

The recent New York Times article “To Have, Hold and Cherish, Until Bedtime” set off a groundswell of interest, especially in St. Louis, as the article focused on a local couple living in the Central West End.

The main point of interest has been the revelation that some couples purposely and happily sleep in separate bedrooms, and have done so for years. Debunking the popular myth that married couples are supposed to sleep together, voices have been speaking up to say that rather than erode a daytime relationship due to sleep-time incompatibilities, separate bedrooms can actually strengthen a marriage.

What we find most intriguing about the “new trend” of separate bedrooms is how people are willing to make their homes work for them. The key to living right is taking stock of how to optimally live your life and finding solutions that support that.

So, if the husband snores and the wife has endured that for decades, when the opportunity arises to rethink their home (think Empty Nest), making a personal space for each of them is both empowering and comforting. Plus, making their home truly work for them elevates their well-being and lifestyle.

Two separate-but-equal dual master bedrooms can be created when remodeling your home. A floor plan for that concept can look something like this:

But customizing your sleep needs can be as simple as one of you taking over one of the spare bedrooms as your new nighttime domain. There are endless possibilities when customizing your home to match your ever-changing lifestyles, but the most important factor is: You deserve it, so explore your options….
…and get some quality shut eye, in the bargain!

We have just begun a new project in the Fountain Park neighborhood in North St. Louis city. The owners have lived in the stately, stone-faced house (built in 1893) for 30 years. Over the years, two 2^nd floor rooms were converted into a large master bedroom with a makeshift closet. Now, the owners are treating themselves to an official master suite. The space will be stripped down to the brick walls and studs, and new flooring, walling and bay windows will go in. It promises to be a dramatic and gratifying transformation.

It’s also exciting to be in this historic neighborhood. Fountain Park (the fountain is shown above) was first plotted in 1857, and landscaped by the City of St. Louis in the 1890s, which is also when most of the homes surrounding it were built.

This old postcard below shows a Fountain Park church just down the street from our project site:

The church was erected in 1895, and the original congregation was a merging of the Third Church with the Aubert Place Church. The Centennial Christian Church occupies it today.

And it’s this type of history in such a picturesque setting that makes this such an exciting project. Mosby gets to combine modern design and amenities with historic restoration sensitivities. Plus, after 30 years, the homeowners have decided that they – and their home – deserved a gorgeous new space. It’s all about living right!