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Here Are This Weeks Key Resources for Interior Design Success
Read the interview senior editor Daniel DiClerico with Consumer Reports did with Michael A. Thomas, as he answers the top ten questions about Aging-In-Place as well as offers tips for making your home more accessible in only a weekend. www.ConsumerReports.org
 Abbie Sladick, CAPS, a
home remodeler in Naples, Florida designed a line of grab
bars ( aka balance bars ) that are high style while providing support and safety
for your clients. Available in several finishes, the grab
bars are ADA compliant and have matching accessories that
can provide an additional measure of safety in the room where
the greatest number of household accidents occur: the bathroom.
You can see the entire line at: www.greatgrabz.com
ASID has devised its own set of 'green' remodeling guidelines
in conjunction  with the U.S. Green Building Council. This
is impressive accomplishment and the tools should be a part
of every design firm’s tool kits. The guidelines along with
case studies as examples can be seen at: Regreenprogram.org website.
 Good and cheap. In fact its free. Even better. What is
it? Its a great 3-D conceptual software program that is such
an incredible design tool. Available for Windows-based and
for Mac computers, it is easy to download from the Internet,
easy to learn, easy to share among members of your firm,
with clients and design team partners. And it works with
a number of other CAD programs. It has ability to rotate
objects and do a fly-thru as easy as a toy plane. But its
no toy. Google bought this little company started by a few
geeks who were looking for better ways to create 3-D models.
Then Google did something really amazing. They made it available
for free to you and me. So take the afternoon off and play
with it. Discover it at www.sketchup.com
 And speaking of Mac Computers, we are a big fan. ( We have
10 Macs connected to a wire and wireless network.) Newest
models are stylish, powerful and prices start under $600.
for a Mac Mini ( plus a monitor.) We run all sorts of software,
search the Internet with ease and when we absolutely need
to, we can run Windows.
But once you “Mac.... you never go
back.”
Go to www.apple.com
*Also check out the Apple 2008 Environtmental Update*
Finally, in this weeks Key Resources, you will notice that
we added a tab for our new
design success blog. Its free and its
easy and its worth signing up for. Conversations among the
design blog membership will be initially be focused on sharing
survival techniques in this slow sluggish economy. So sign
up and join the conversations. Think of it as a virtual “peer
group” to share the good, the bad and the ugly.... and with
the ability to post questions on things like how to charge,
what to charge and when to charge.
Still don’t know what
a blog is? Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog
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