Alamodoso Living Inside this issue Bathroom Remodeling Ideas
Page 2
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 3
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 4
Our Favorite Bathroom Upgrades If you're planning a bathroom remodel, consider adding a few of these fabulous features. From radiant-heat flooring to a roomy whirlpool tub, these upgrades will require a small investment but you'll reap restful and stylish rewards.
Floating Vanities A floating vanity updates any style of bath and makes the room feel airy by adding open space between the bottom of the vanity and the floor. A floating vanity can be as simple as a solid plank of wood with a vessel sink or, like this one, can be outfitted with double sinks and drawers for storage.
Windows & Skylights Brighten a dark, dull bathroom by adding windows or a skylight. Let your room's proportions and features dictate size. If wall space is limited or views unappealing, consider a skylight. Operable models, called sky windows, offer ventilation as well as light and have frames that match wall windows. To prevent moisture and condensation problems, choose high-quality windows and install them according to the manufacturer's specifications, or call on a professional. issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 5
Storage Solutions Take a beautiful bathroom to the next level by adding practical and pretty storage. It's easy for bathrooms to get overloaded with cosmetics and grooming products; smart storage allows you to put everything in its place. Mix open and closed storage, or try frosted-glass door inserts, shown in this bathroom, to add interest to the room and break up a wall of cabinets.
Steam Showers If you truly want a spa experience without leaving home, put in a shower that doubles as a steam shower. To make your shower steam-ready, equip it with a door that seals tightly on all sides. Install a vapor barrier on the ceiling and wall framing to prevent moisture, which causes wood rot, from reaching studs and joists. Include a steam generator outside the shower. This heats water from your water system using a 220-volt electric heating element. issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 6
Frameless Glass Showers A glass shower door lends a luxurious look to any bathroom, but the reason for installing one might not be all about looks. This shower lacks a ledge or lip to step over to enter the shower, making it a great choice for aging family members.
Radiant-Heat Flooring Radiant heating is a lovely feature in a bathroom, particularly on a cold morning or when you get out of a nice warm shower or tub and step onto a tile floor. The simplest way to have this feature in most homes is to have an electric radiant mat installed under a tile floor. The mat is tied into the house electricity and is controlled by a thermostat. The temperature can be set at a constant level or designed to vary according to the time of day. For example, it could start heating the floor in the early morning, go off in the midmorning and come back on in time for an evening bath.
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 7
Glowing Hearths Put a fireplace in your bathroom to enjoy the sight and warmth of a roaring fire as you relax in the tub or do evening stretches. If the bathroom is attached to your bedroom, consider a double-sided fireplace for twice the enjoyment.
Luxury Showers Dual showerheads, handheld showerheads, body sprays, and a broad bench take an ordinary shower experience to invigorating and lavish. Wall-mount showerheads can be adjusted to spray high or low for people of different heights. Many handheld sprayers can be adapted to existing plumbing making for easy installation.
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 8
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 9
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 12
Bathroom Vanity Ideas
Find the ideal vanity for your bathroom. Whether you're searching for a traditional, vintage, or modern look, a stylish vanity is essential to helping the room shine. Plus, learn how to choose the right vanity top and mirrors to create the perfect ensemble.
Dresser-Style Vanities A dresser-style vanity can be an ideal way to blend modern and vintage elements in your bathroom. Matching furniture-style vanities flank the door in this bath, providing separate grooming areas and an upscale look in the functional space. Cabriole legs give the vanities their furniture look, while soft gray paint complements the room's soothing monochromatic color scheme.
Bathroom Vanity Cabinets Add a twist to your vanity by extending storage space from floor to ceiling. When the cabinetry reaches past the countertop to the ceiling, the vanity takes on the essence of a freestanding hutch and offers ample storage space for multiple users. This vanity's pilasters and glass-font doors provide the elegance of fine furniture, while a gilded antique mirror framed by an arched valance enhances its vintage charm. Sage green paint brings a hint of color to the retreat. issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 13
Double-Sink Vanity A double vanity can be ideal for a couple, providing space for two to use the area simultaneously. The muted blue tones of the cabinetry and walls in this bathroom create a clean and calming look. The elegantly arched surround integrates the dual vanities, while a makeup station between the sinks provides a sense of separation and additional grooming space.
Mix a Shaker-inspired bath table with ornate goldframe mirrors for a vintagemeets-modern look that feels more collected than designed. The brushed-nickel faucets, a marble countertop with a traditional edge detail, and a white finish keep it feeling fresh. A wicker basket and tiny drawer add quirk to the bathroom vanity design. issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 14
Oversized Mirrors This unique vanity is modeled after a Parsons table and features an 8-foot-long slab of concrete that protects the maple-veneer cabinetry below from water splashes. Two glass vessel sinks lighten the look and repeat the soft, watery tones of the glass tiles that adorn the walls. Above the vanity, a large mirror framed in decorative tiles visually expands the room and enhances the bathroom's geometric feel.
Once you've determined your style objectives for your bathroom—modern, vintage, traditional, eclectic, or something else all together—shop for a vanity and sink to fulfill your vision. Study photographs in magazines, books, and online to find decorative elements that appeal to you, such as clean lines for contemporary bathroom vanities or classic recessed panels for traditional appeal. Then seek out a vanity and sink with characteristics, materials, and colors befitting your style goals. You can successfully combine looks, too, by linking subtle design references between pieces. In this guest bathroom, for example, the homeowners wanted sleek materials with hints of cottage charm. A issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 15 vintage dressing table stands in as an enchanting vanity while a new concrete countertop lends a modern bathroom vanity vibe. It's paired with a vessel sink that's clean and contemporary, yet it's also reminiscent of a vintage pitcher and bowl set so it makes the connection to a bygone era. Another option is to let either the vanity or the sink take the starring role. For example, select a dramatic vessel bowl of hammered bronze and pair it with a clean-lined console-style dark wood vanity. Or, find a vanity with a theatrical personality, such as a filigree wrought-iron console, and top it with an undermount sink paired with the understated elegance of a soapstone Find color connections to visually link your vanity, countertop, and sink. Even very subtle color similarities can allow the pieces to work together. You can carefully match materials or bathroom vanity colors or simply select similar shades. Pairing opposites, or complementary tones, is another strategy that can yield dramatic results. The shining nickel finish on this hammered bowl imparts a glam look that pairs perfectly with the gray veins in the white marble console vanity. Silvery metal banding on the vanity emphasizes the relationship between the sink, the veining, and the console accent pieces. In the past, the standard height for a vanity cabinet was always 30 inches, purportedly to suit the height of every user in the household. Today, however, you can select a vanity height that feels most comfortable for your frame. issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 16
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 17
Small Make a big splash in a pint-size bathroom by indulging in chic details and glamorous finishes. Look to colorful fabrics, updated fixtures, and storage niches to help your tiny bath sparkle.
Space Saver When you're tight on space, call on a pedestal sink -- or two! A traditional vanity would have closed in this bath, but a pedestal sink maintains an open feeling. A pair of windows above adds natural light to this small space, also making it feel bigger.
Slide, Don't Swing Trade a standard door for a sliding pocket door to utilize floor space once reserved for the door swing. This small bathroom features a sliding door with a frosted-glass panel that allows natural light to filter in while still providing privacy. Bifold doors (doors that fold up like a screen) can also save space. issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 18
Show a Little Leg Cabinet doors can visually weigh down a small bath. Keep things light and airy with a furniture-style vanity. Use baskets to hold supplies beneath an open vanity to ensure the undersink area provides plentiful storage. Small drawers on the front of this vanity house toiletries and cosmetics.
Streamline Storage For a sleek, clean look, keep storage flush with walls whenever possible. Narrow shelving units also help you edit what you keep in your bathroom. With just enough storage, you'll have space to stash the essentials with no room left over for clutter. issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page19
Take a Reflective Look Mirrors stretch space by reproducing it. Mirroring the long wall of a narrow bath, for example, can change the room's proportions and make it seem wider. Be sure to place mirrors so they reflect the bath's assets -- whether that's a wall hanging, a panoramic view, or the widest room angle. Two mirrors positioned opposite each other create the illusion of a never-ending room.
Treat Windows Simply No matter their size or style, windows enlarge the feel of a room if they're allowed to transmit light. If possible, leave windows unadorned with clear or frosted glass. Mini blinds, matchstick blinds, or shades that can be drawn to the top of the window are other sleek solutions. Or cover the lower half of the glass with sheer fabric that will admit light but maintain privacy. issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Lead the Eye Upward Make a ceiling look taller with some visual tricks. Vertical stripes on the walls or a shower curtain can give the illusion of a higher ceiling. Wood moldings, wallpaper borders, and tile designs placed where the walls and ceiling meet will also provide a splash of color and help naturally draw the eye upward. Otherwise, choose a wallpaper with a small, airy print or lattice design. Avoid large or busy patterns that will diminish the scale of the space.
Depth Perception Extend the sight lines of a small bath by using a light color throughout the space. In this room, white finishes on the floor, walls, sconces, toilet, and shower make the small space seem bigger. A few gray and black tiles on the floor and wall add visual interest without overpowering. issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 23
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 24
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 25
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 26
World’s Oldest Public Toilet Discovered Scientists have discovered what they have determined to be a prehistoric communal latrine which they believe is the world’s oldest public toilet. The dinosaur-age discovery was made in La Roja province in Argentina by researchers who identified a 200million-year-old toilet used by the rhino-like dinodontosaurus megaherbivores which are in the dicynodonts family. The fossil corprolites that were found in various clusters came in various shapes and sizes: “Some were sausage-like, others pristine ovals, in colors ranging from whitish grey to dark brown-violet.”
minimize the distribution of parasites around it.” Study leader Dr. Lucias Fiorelli noted that the dinodontosaurus public bathroom was “also a warning to predators. If you leave a huge pile, you are saying: ‘Hey! We are a big herd. Watch out!'”
The study was published in the November issue of Scientific Reports. Martin Hechenleitner, another one of the authors, commented that “When Scientists concluded that the cracked open they reveal fragments of dinodontosaurus was the only species extinct plants, fungi, and gut parasites. that was capable of producing that Each poo is a snapshot of an ancient amount of dung, and the bones of the ecosystem — the vegetation and the prehistoric animal were found at the site food chain.” as conformation. The study concludes that “… the According to the London Telegraph, massive coprolite accumulations from “As well as providing clues to what the the Chañares Formation (Ladiniananimals ate, the discovery provides the Carnian) are the first record of earliest known example of groups of communal latrines for extant and animals defecating in the same “public extinct non-mammal megaherbivores, toilet” — a behavior exhibited today by indicating that this mammal-type species including horses, tapirs and behavior was actually present in much elephants. By dumping their waste in older relatives of mammals, and predate the same spot, groups can not only its oldest fossil record in around 220 mark out their territory but also million years.” issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 27
The Toilet (Circa 2800 BC – Present) Arguably, one of the most important inventions in human history is the modern Toilet. The Toilet as we know it today had very humble, and inadequate, beginnings. When early Man needed to defecate and/or urinate, he simply performed this basic bodily function wherever it was most convenient. Such impromptu actions had many negative ramifications. As we can imagine and maybe even experienced at some point; relieving oneself anywhere and anytime posed basic concerns/problems of privacy, comfort, cleanliness, social stigmatism, morality and more. Eventually, as Man became more civilized he adopted more progressive and healthy means of performing his basic bodily functions. He used simple pots to collect his waste in order to dispose of it away from his living area. He quickly set aside specific places to perform these functions so that privacy and a more sanitary environment could be accomplished. Such crude early “restrooms” usually consisted of holes in the ground, sometimes accompanied my running water, to collect and dispose of his waste. From a privacy point of view, these early rooms were walled off to allow the user more privacy.
Flowing water greatly improved the disposal of human waste. As early civilizations matured, formal waste areas using flowing water became more available and helped dramatically in improving Man’s waste disposal problem in many ways not the least of which helped reduce diseases. Ancient civilizations that implemented early toilet systems attached to flowing water sewage systems included those of ancient Crete, Greece, Egypt and Rome. In the East, ancient civilizations such as Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa of the Indus Valley in India and Pakistan also implemented early
Toilet systems. First Flushing Toilet Possibly the first flushing human waste management system or early Toilet appeared in Minoan Crete, in the Mediterranean Sea near Greece, around 2800 BC. Artifacts and ruins uncovered suggest that these early Toilet systems used troughs where one would sit over flowing water operated by using a release handle mechanism to initiate the water release to “flush” the human waste away.
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 29
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 30
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 31
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 32
A Short Story On the history Of the Toilet “Civilized man has always been outraged by what he sees, or else there would be no civilization,” Norman Mailer once wrote. And, in fact, among the greatest feats of civilization is a technology that has enabled us to get one of humanity’s most primal yet most outrageous sights as far away from us, and as quickly, as possible: the modern toilet.
were frequently neglected to a point of spilling into adjoining water supplies or overflowing into the streets. And just when one feels things couldn’t get any more nauseating, Bryson introduces the people who cleaned the cesspits, semieuphemistically known as “nightsoil men.” Their duties put in perspective any presentday complaints about the struggle to find fulfilling work:
Perhaps no word in English has They worked in teams of three or four. undergone more transformations in its One man — the most junior, we may lifetime than toilet. Originally, in about assume — was lowered into the pit itself to 1540, it was a kind of cloth, a diminutive form of ‘toile’, a word still used to describe scoop waste into buckets. a type of linen. A second stood by the pit to raise and lower the buckets, and the third and fourth Then it became a cloth for use on carried the buckets to a waiting cart. dressing tables. Then it became the items Nightsoil work was dangerous as well as on the dressing table (whence toiletries). disagreeable. Workers ran the risk of Later it became the dressing table itself, asphyxiation and even of explosions, since then the act of dressing, then the act of they worked by the light of a lantern in receiving visitors while dressing, then the powerfully gaseous environments. dressing room itself, then any kind of private room near a bedroom, then a room Given this was unfolding during the used lavatorially, and finally the lavatory heyday of Adam Smith, it is perhaps itself. Which explains why toilet water in English can describe something you would unsurprising that nightsoil workers made gladly daub on your face or, simultaneously up for the extreme disagreeableness of the job and the skewed supply-demand ratio by and more basically, water in a toilet. charging formidable fees. Meanwhile, the fate of the actual toilet This presented another problem: Poorer water — at what is referred to by that term today — was far less polished. As recently districts, often in the overcrowded inner city, couldn’t afford their services, which as the beginning of the 18th century, most caused their cesspits to overflow regularly. sewage still went into cesspools, which issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 33 Given the extreme population density — in London’s most compressed districts, 54,000 people were packed into a few blocks and one one report claimed that 11,000 lived in 27 houses on a single alley — this was a problem. A new word crept into the vernacular to describe such neighborhoods: slums. Though its exact origin remains unknown, Charles Dickens was among the first to use it, in a letter penned in 1851. A solution to the cesspit crisis was desperately needed. But when a successful one finally arrived, it wasn’t the result of a eureka! moment for groundbreaking technology — it was a concept that had been around since the end of the 16th century but, as is the case with many scientific and technological breakthroughs ahead of their time, had stopped short of perfecting the prototype enough to gain commercial traction.
bowl acted as a conduit to the smells of cesspit and sewer. The backwaft of odors, particularly in hot weather, could be unbearable. The final link in this chain of problemsolving came from an inventor with perhaps the most brilliantly appropriate name in history: Thomas Crapper. Crapper was born into a poor family in Yorkshire and reputedly walked to London at the age of 11. There he became an apprentice plumber in Chelsea. Crapper invented the classic and still familiar toilet with an elevated cistern activated by the pull of a chain. Called the Marlboro Silent Water Waste Preventer, it was clean, leak-proof, odorfree and wonderfully reliable, and their manufacture made Crapper very rich and so famous that it is often assumed that he gave his name to the slang term crap and its many derivatives. In fact, crap in the
That solution was the flush toilet, which John Harington, the godson of Queen Elizabeth I, had built for the Queen in 1597. Delight by his invention, she promptly installed it in Richmond Palace, but it never expanded beyond the royal dwellings Almost 200 years passed before Joseph Bramah, a cabinet maker and locksmith, patented the first modern flush toilet in 1778. It caught on in a modest way. Many others followed… But early toilets often didn’t work well. Sometimes they backfired, filling the room with even more of what the horrified owner had very much hoped to be rid of. Until the development of the U-bend and water trap — which create that little reservoir of water that returns to the bottom of the bowl after each flush — every toilet
Thomas Crapper (1836-1910)
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 34
“If I were asked to name the chief benefit of the house, I should say: the house shelters daydreaming, the house protects the dreamer, the house allows one to dream in peace.” — Gaston Bachelard “The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.” — Maya Angelou issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 36
Custom Walk-In Humidors
Smokers’ Hut 910 N New York Ave | Alamogordo | (575) 446-6133 issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 37
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 38
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 40
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 41
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 42
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 43
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 44
Toto's $19,000 dream tub
Toto, the makers of smart toilets and other bathroom fixtures, have an all new product called the Floating Tub. It is a $19,000 marble covered bathtub that has all sorts of integrated tech, but the coolest thing is that it is designed to mimic zero gravity, basically the feeling of floating in space. So the way they do this, is with the design in the bottom of the bathtub. It has integrated jets That are designed to sort of buoy your feet up into the air, and make it feel like you're actually floating, but you'll be in the bathtub. It also has a panel on the inside where you can make adjustments. You can turn on a LED light panel that goes along the bottom side of the outside of the tub, which It's supposed to add ambiance to mood lighting to the whole bathroom experience. It also has a built-in pillow that also has an integrated faucet that is designed to bring water around your neck for an even more relaxing experience. It's also adjustable if you have people of different heights using the bath tub. Again this thing is almost $20,000 but it's so cool and looks so amazing. issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 45
Kohler’s Numi Toilet Has Whopping
$6,650 Price Tag For those that really relish their restroom trips, why not be entertained while on throne? For those who don’t mind dropping $6,650, Kohler’s Numi toilet is the throne for them! Besides its traditional functions, the quite expensive toilet come with lots of innovative features that you would never think would be on a toilet. It has a Bluetooth receiver that can stream music directly to your smart phone and even has an SD card slot for users to make their own play lists for when they indulge in their private time or can add a personalized greeting. Other features include ambient lighting that comes with 7 different colors, a battery back that supports up to 100 flushes, so if the power goes out the toilet will still function, and finally a USB port on the back that can update the firmware on the toilet. All the toilet’s functions can be controlled via a wireless remote, even the opening and closing of the lid. issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Make Sure the Contractor is Licensed to Work in Your Area, Bonded, and Insured Having a license and insurance demonstrates a contractor's credibility and knowledge, says Bob Peterson, CGR, CAPS, CGP, co-owner of Associates in Building & Design Ltd., in Fort Collins, Colo., and chairman of the NAHB Remodelers Council. The license shows that contractors have taken an exam and proved they know building codes and processes. "A license minimizes the risk to homeowners of getting ripped off," he says. To be sure, get the contractor's license number.
Tips for Hiring a
Contractor Sometimes it makes sense to hire a pro rather than take on a job yourself. But choosing the wrong contractor can lead to delays, subpar work, and even legal problems. These guidelines will help you choose a professional contractor and ensure a good working relationship.
If a contractor doesn't have insurance and a worker gets hurt on your project, you could be liable. The same goes with accidents that damage your next-door neighbor's home. "If you have scaffolding that fell and damaged the property next door, you want the contractor's liability to cover the cost of that damage," LaPelusa says. Get proof of insurance. 3. Pick a contractor who specializes in your project type.
Pick a Contractor Who Specializes in Your Project Type "It's important to research contractors to know if they have experience in a type of project," Peterson says. "Today, so many projects are regulated and code-specific that you want someone who knows the details of what's required." He points out that pros often take classes and research the kinds of projects they undertake, so they're experts in their fields. This enables them to address potential problems and perform the work correctly. "A good remodeler knows how to anticipate the nuances of the work," he says.
Go with Your Gut
A contractor could be in your home and around your family for days, weeks, or even months while changing the way your house looks and functions. So if you don't like a contractor for any reason, don't hire him or her, says Tony LaPelusa, president of If you're asking several contractors for a bid, LaPelusa Home Improvements, Inc., in Niles, Ill., make sure each one is using the same set of plans and past president of the National Association of the and specifications, the National Association of Remodeling Industry. Home Builders (NAHB) advises on its website: "You can't effectively compare estimates from "The biggest thing is choosing the right contractors who plan to use different brands of contractor," he explains. "If somebody says building materials." something that's even an embellishment, it's enough of a reason not to trust him and move on to the next Have a Detailed Contract in Place Before contractor.
any Work Begins
You have to trust the contractor 100 percent, not 95 percent."
The contract should cover costs, brands of items being installed, approximate start and finish dates,
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine
Page 47 and the complete set of drawings being used with written specifications, LaPelusa says. "There's never too much detail in a contract." If a specific brand for a part hasn't been agreed upon yet, the contract can include allowances instead, such as "up to $500 for a front door." A lot of homeowners talk to multiple contractors to get bids on the job, and then they can't remember who told them what, LaPelusa says. The contract spells out everything. "A contract is really an expectation setting, right down to what color the hinges are," Peterson adds. "It's all about expectations. If we agree on everything upfront, then there are no surprises."
Find out Who's Performing the Work Will the person you're hiring do the work himself, or will it be subcontracted to someone else? It's nice to know who will be showing up on your doorstep, and large jobs like additions and major kitchen remodels often involve multiple subcontractors, such as electricians and plumbers. General contractors often subcontract specialty jobs, like roofing or vinyl siding, to other pros.
Look at Work Samples This lets you see a contractor's handiwork and may spark ideas for your project. "Samples are more important than references," Peterson says. "They allow you to see the quality of our work. You can see the designs we came up with and how creative we are." Looking at a contractor's past projects also lets you see the variety of work the company has performed, such as contemporary, Craftsman, or historic designs.
Think Locally Area contractors who have been in business for a long time are usually reliable and safe bets for projects. If they didn't do good work in your community, they wouldn't still be around. "I always say shopping locally is the best approach," LaPelusa says. "The company is involved in the community, the workers are probably local, and if you have a problem later, a local contractor is going to be on top of it."
"Having subcontractors is sometimes a good thing. They have a more thorough knowledge of their part of the job," LaPelusa says. "It all goes back to hiring a contractor you can trust because he's never going to put a bad subcontractor on your job."
Give the Contractor Guidelines for Working In or Around Your Home If you don't want the workers showing up before a certain time, staying past a certain hour, using your bathroom, or you need to have the project finished by a specific date, tell the contractor before you hire him, LaPelusa says. The contractor may not want or be able to accept the job based on your parameters. "The contractor has to know what your limits are and what your expectations are," LaPelusa explains. "If people don't want you starting until 9:30 and want you out by 4, that project—instead of taking 30 days—might take 45. That means it might cost additional money."
Know What Your Responsibilities Are You may have to move everything out of a room so it can be painted or remove a fence so a concrete truck can be driven into your backyard.
issuu.com/alamodosomagazine