El Cerrito laundryroom made elegant with cherry cabinets,
    granite counter and backsplash, and two-tone fixtures with
    special features.

 
Home Energy Newsbits

According to EPA estimates, the average American family uses 100,000 gallons of water each year to bathe, cook, clean, and flush, and to water their lawns and gardens. Not counting irrigation, the agency says this could be cut by 11,000 gallons a year by the installation of water-efficient fixtures.

Because fifteen fake products earned the Energy Star label, the program has recently come under fire from the government and the media amid allegations of faulty certifications and lack of verification.
As houses get tighter, they become more susceptible to indoor air quality problems due to buildup of moisture, stale air, dust, pollen, and chemical pollutants. Tighter homes (more thoroughly sealed) also pose combustion safety concerns because chimney-vented furnaces, water heaters, and fireplaces need adequate fresh air for proper operation, which is compromised by negative air pressure.

To meet healthy air quality standards, modern homes need continuous mechanical ventilation and provisions for safe operation of combustion appliances.

 
     
    *ABGSLTeam Manager Patricia Mok beams for the
    camera and for On The Beam's team: the Vicious
    Vipers of the 2010 Season.
   *(Albany-Berkeley Girls Softball League)

According to *NKBA, here are the top 5 design trends of 2010:

1.   Concealed kitchens:  They are incorporated into the home's
      primary living and entertainment rooms.

2.   Beverage stations:  This area is comprised of an undercounter
      refrigerator, wine chilling unit and a coffeemaker.

3.   Scaling of elements:  Shapes, textures and placement of fixtures
      are being used to create scale.  Some examples of this trend are:
      symmetrically hung pendant lights; tin ceilings; pebble-textured
      walls; and reflective metallic material.

4.   Color with energy:   This means bold colors, such as rich blues,
      purples, greens and yellow in kitchens and baths.

5.   Soft geometry:   In other words, rounded archways, curved light
      fixtures, curved islands and countertops and other organic shapes.

*National Kitchen and Bath Association 
    

 
Curved, organic shapes make this Oakland hills deck trendy.