"My two-story suburban home is lacking curb appeal. How can I make my entry look more inviting?" Answer from Ross Sanders Hello Michael, As the tie between the public domain of the street and the private domain of your home, the entryway can make a powerful statement! It plays a big role in the curb appeal of your home, so let’s take a quick look at some design considerations. While your front door is designed to keep the elements out, it can benefit from additional protectio

"In the drawings for my home renovation you show “cement board siding”. What is that, and is it better than wood siding?" Answer from Ross Sanders Dear Mark, Two great questions! Fiber cement siding, or cement board siding, is a variation on a siding product long used in the U.S. It is commonly used in a lap-siding format, which essentially means that the upper panels overhang the lower panels. Lap-siding formats are used as a means for adding weather-resistance to your home

Continuation on last week’s Q&A from Mary - Universal Design Answer from Ross Sanders Last week I received a question from Mary asking about the best options for improving home accessibility for her aging husband who is finding it increasingly difficult to get up and down the stairs. I discussed seat lift systems, which are a relatively inexpensive and efficient way to make multi-level homes navigable. I wanted to use this week’s Q&A as an opportunity to touch on another majo