That’s the number of gallons of surface water sucked into power plants each day to generate this nation’s electricity.

Per DAY. That is a staggering number, even in the land of 10,000 lakes.

What does that look like?

That’s over half of the daily flow of the Mississippi River through New Orleans.

That’s like filling and draining the Metrodome four hundred forty-five times each day, including the arc of the dome.

Or, consider 4.6 times the water that crests Niagara Falls each day.

When you think of conserving electricity, think of conserving our waterways, lakes, and streams.

This colossal hidden cost lurks behind each kilowatt on your monthly utility bill for steam-generated power, whether coal or nuclear.

Ask what you can do to conserve electricity in your home and business.

We were thrilled to get the new Clay Squared to Infinity catalog in the mail yesterday and to find the Union Street project we designed on the inside cover. It’s a whole new feeling of personal satisfaction and joy to see a past project published. We hope the owners feel the same way and are excited about their project all over again. The “Cosmic” line of tile perfectly converged with the design of the kitchen.

This was not a big kitchen, but it had a lot of owner-driven detail: extra-deep cabinetry, a storage ledge, big windows/views, durable counters and clean lines. It also needed to be a work horse and easy to clean for a serious cook.

It was a fun and interesting project with a challenge: how do you add a kitchen and mudroom to a bungalow, not increase the footprint by much, make every inch count, and ….oh yeah…add a green roof? You can see other photos of the exterior and roof here.

We think the tile really complements the kitchen: functional, fun, and bright. Often times when we design the space, we leave areas like this backsplash available for personal touches. To set a plain white tile or just paint would have been a missed opportunity and we are thrilled with how the tile has become a focal point. Working with artists and other suppliers, we can help your project go from good to out of this world!

Friendly reminder: If you’re hoping to get a new project in the ground when the frost comes out, now is the time to be designing, pricing, and signing a contract for construction.

We will help you get your ducks in a row so your project gets prompt attention when the season for building blossoms.

Public Service Announcement: Federal $8,000 tax credit still in effect until 30 April 2010.

This could apply to you if you haven’t owned a primary residence for three years and can close by 30 April.

Here’s a link for more information.

May your new year be filled with peace, happiness and prosperity!

Peter + Mary

We wish you a Christmas blessed with peace and happiness this holiday season!

Whether remodeling, expanding or building new, It can be challenging to visualize how your building project will look. With your invested dollars at stake, it makes good sense to verify that you’ll be happy with the finished product before it is installed. Otherwise you risk living with space that doesn’t fit or paying the high cost of replacement or modification.

Our design process helps you at each step of the way.

This photo was taken during Design Development for a residential remodeling. Mary, our lead Interior Designer, is reviewing finish options with a client. After initial Schematic Design conversations about the overall look and feel for the remodeling, Mary assembled several possible material combinations onto presentation boards. We then reviewed each on site with the homeowner so that decisions were made in the same light in which they will be installed. In parallel, we provide a big-picture view of the whole project through 3D computer visualization. With professional input and advice, our clients receive needed assurance that the picks will, indeed, be beautiful and functional when installed.

This is part of the way we strive to make your experience pleasurable and rewarding: interaction and collaboration. You will find our designers to be responsive, caring and professional.

When construction begins, we’ll review the colors and finishes again to make sure they are exactly right; adding windows and changing wall colors will affect your perception and it’s got to be right!

It would be a delight to serve you.