On the wire… cable railing!

Cable railing began as a solution for exterior deck and stair systems in situations where an uninterrupted view of the landscape was important.   Rather than looking between balusters to see the lake, forest or the backyard, the cables all but disappear. Today we see this system being adapted for interior stair systems.  The overall look […]

5 things I love about this space!

In a previous blog we talked about the elements and principles of good design.  This morning, while flipping through photos we’ve taken of finished projects, I stopped on this image.  It’s a beautiful space and a gorgeous photo. Like all good design, if we spend just a few minutes thinking about those basic elements and […]

Columns 101: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian or… tapered?

Even a ten minute run-through of architectural history would include a study of the ancient column orders (or styles).  What’s the big deal about columns, you ask?  They are one of the few, enduring architectural elements utilized in every historical period across the globe since they were established in ancient Greece! There is, quite literally, […]

Hardware; the first and the finishing touch!

If you had to guess, what hardware finish would you guess is the most popular? Satin nickel? Brass? While satin and aged brass finishes are making a slow but steady comeback, our three, most-popular-ordered-every-day-of-the-week finishes are:  oil rubbed bronze, satin nickel and satin brass; in that order.  And you thought I was kidding about brass! […]

Color of the Year – a follow-up!

Last week’s blog included a drum-roll presentation of our #1 most requested color; Custom!  Despite sticking to the facts, many of you didn’t like the answer.  “Custom isn’t a color!” To satisfy our readers, we tabulated the numbers again but this time limited them to the paint and stain categories we offer within our color […]

Did you see us on TV?

We had the great pleasure of welcoming Dean Johnson from the PBS television program, “Hometime,” to our plant last month. It was fun to introduce he and Miriam to our Bayer Built family and walk them through both our prefinish and production facilities. Dean started Hometime in the early 80’s when Bayer Built was just […]

Lighten UP!

In the Midwest, we are nuts about daylight; literally.  Without it we establish something un-affectionately referred to as “cabin fever.”  Talking to ourselves, becoming short with each other, sleeping for 14 hours because it’s dark at 5pm…these are the maladies of winter; some would say, “a gentle form of torture.”  In just a few weeks, […]

Remember that time we were at Grandma’s?

The holidays are approaching and throughout the United States, uncles will be cracking corny jokes and mothers will be crowding the kitchen.  Families will gather, friends will congregate and inevitably, memories will be recounted over a glass of wine or at the dinner table.  We have a fancy word for this sentimentality for the past; […]

To paint oak or NOT to paint oak… that is the question answered today.

Painted cabinets and millwork is not a new trend.  It gained popularity during the recession because of its very attractive price point.  Plus, there are few things more enjoyable than a clean, bright, spanking-new kitchen in the whitest of whites!  And while trends do come and go, paint is sticking around…at least a little while […]

Blue skies and clean air!

How do we keep that sky both blue and clean?  What is environmental stewardship and why do we care?  Just about everything we do as humans contributes something positive or negative to our environment.  Earth is habitable because of two cycles within our ecosystem; the carbon and hydro cycles.  Within this process the earth recycles […]

One Step at a Time…

Because staircases are so often centrally located in our homes, they are a natural place to focus on detailing. With a wide variety of newel posts, spindles and handrails, it’s easy to come up with a look that is unique to your home and that carries the architectural details from the exterior of your home into the interior.

Stair System Options

There are several stair part terms that make me smile. Not because I love them, but because I can imagine a homeowner’s expression when faced with the challenge of selecting a stair system. Newels, volutes, gooseneck fittings, over the post…what the what? Where to start? These industry terms are second nature to seasoned installers and most builders, but to a homeowner stair parts can be very intimidating.

Traditional vs. Contemporary Mouldings (Part 1)

Last week we talked about the various parts and pieces called mouldings. This week we’re going to look more closely at the profile or cut of each of those pieces to determine what style home they’d look best within. To illustrate the detail we’re going to compare two drastically different rooms and the mouldings that have been used to provide such different effects.

Behind Closed Doors

At the end of any organizing job, the last step is to close it up. You might close the lid, or the drawer or a pair of solid, wood doors. And with that final step your eyes no longer see clutter. Better yet, your brain doesn’t think mess. Because behind those doors is an organized haven. You can relax and move on to more enjoyable tasks. Your room has a fresh, new feel to it and you might feel compelled to repeat the process in another space.

How Many Doors Are In Your House?

How many doors are in your house? Which of them lock and which do not? Do they have pivot, ball bearing or pin hinges? Seldom do we think about the hardware in our homes, life is too busy to notice unless a handle is loose or not working. And yet, hardware helps us to secure our homes and pass from one room to the next.