Winter Blues

Living in a northern climate is often accompanied by the winter blues.  Feelings of fatigue and sadness creep in as the days get shorter in the fall.  Taking vitamin D tablets, exercising and getting outside for an hour at the peak of the day as well as using a sun lamp can ease symptoms due to lack of light.  Certain architecutral features can also help brighten things up.  Living spaces should be oriented to the south, with lots of windows.  Window treatments can be eliminated or kept to a minimum.  Curtains with valances keep out a lot of light.  Blinds are better if privacy or sun control is required.  Having "layers of light" can allow flexibility for different seasons.  For example in a living room, you can have recessed can lights for general lighting, table and floor lamps for task lighting,  sconces and cove lighting on walls for accents.  Art work can be highlighted with spot lights.  In the summer, perhaps only the lamps would be used.  In late afternoon in the winter all the lights could be on, to give the feeling of the day being extended.  In bedrooms, lights can be installed that simulate the sunrise, which can help fool the body into thinking it is not winter.  Having windows in a room that face several directions can also improve the light quality in a room.  If you can have one window facing east and another facing west, then that room can have some natural light most of the day.  Skylights can also help with this.  Suntubes can bring light into rooms that can't even have a window. Also if a room is not going to get alot of natural light it would be better to paint it a light color.  Dark colors absorb light.  Whether you a building a new house, adding on to an existing one, or sprucing up your current abode, it pays to think about letting natural light in, before you get the winter blues.

Strategies for Affording an Addition

Limited real estate inventory is forcing many people to consider doing an addition rather than moving.  Materials costs are up and contractors are busy.  Consequently bids for construction are coming in high.  The following are some ways to help make adding on more affordable:

1.  Masterplan.  Think of everything you want to do, then break it down into Phases.  Only build what you can afford now.  Save some work for later.  While construction is disruptive, many people like their contractors so much, that when they decide to do Phase II down the road, it is easier than Phase I.
2.  Only build what you need.  Rethink your entire house.  If you have rooms that you don't use, figure out new uses for them.  Improve flow between rooms so they will be used.  Double up on room functions (mudroom/laundry, office/guest room).  Finish an attic or basement to reduce the amount you need to add.
3.  Throw, throw, throw.  Get a dumpster.  If you haven't used something in a year, get rid of it.  Less stuff equals more space.
4.  Be willing to live more casually.  Formal separate rooms with specific functions take up more space than rooms with multifunctions.  Let kids share bedrooms.  They'll have to in college anyway.
5. Know what you can afford.  Talk to a bank before you talk about design. Stick to a budget.  Keep affordablity in mind when making every construction decision (both large and small).

These strategies can help you afford to do an addition, if moving is not an option.

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