Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Holiday Home

Morben Isaf
Machynlleth's Premier Caravan Park for Holiday Homes, Touring Caravans, Motorhomes and Camping.
Caravan Holiday Homes for Sale at Morben Isaf
We have an ever changing range of quality used caravan holiday homes for sale, as well as new holiday homes and empty pitches for your own choice of holiday home from Salop Leisure.
Our current list of caravans for sale are:
Holiday Home Year Size Price
Atlas Everglade 2005 35 ft x 12 ft x 3 bedroom
with double glazing, 2nd toilet and wash hand basin.
£16,000

Cosalt Celtica 2002 28ft x 12ft x 2 bedrooms £9,995

Atlas Moonstone 2000 28 ft x 12 ft x 2 bedrooms £6,995

Atlas Florida 2004 32ft x 10 ft x 2 bedrooms £11,000
Willerby Winchester 2007 38ft x12ft x 2 bedrooms
central heating, double glazing, en-suite toilet and wash hand basin, walk in wardrobe
£29,995

Willerby Vacation Mk3 2007 35ft x 12ft x 2 bedrooms. Double glazing and plinth heaters. £21,000

Carnaby Siesta 2002 35ft x 12ft x 2 bedrooms £10,500
Cosalt Baysdale 2004 34ft x 12ft  x 2 bedrooms £14,250
Atlas Florida 2004 35ft x 10ft x 3 bedrooms, lovely views £12,000



Berma Home

Berma Home Description

http://ghanahomesforsale.com/assets/images/berma/berma.jpg 
This striking home is great for a growing family; with a generous great room over looking a front porch; 4 bedrooms with attached baths; 1 spacious master suite; 1 half bath for guests; a separate study; a lavish kitchen with a terrace; and a convenient drive way that connects to the carport.

Property Information

Property Type/Name: Berma - New Construction
Country/City Ghana ...financing available.
Bed 4 Beds
Bath: 3.5 Baths
Size: 326 Sq. Metre(M2)
Property Type: Single Family
Property Style: One Stories
Garage: 1
Plot Size: 100' x 80'
Priced from: $125,510.00

Contact Information

Ghana Office +208. 919. 529
+024. 463. 4287
North America Office +1. 847. 754. 4907
Send Email to info@ghanahomesforsale.com

Our Locations

Ghana Office Ghana Homes Group
InterContinental Estate Developers
Asti Agencies Ltd.
Trinity House F919/1
1st Ringway Close
Accra - Ghana
North America Office Ghana Homes Group
InterContinental Estate Developers
3255 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Suite 511
Arlington Heights, IL 60004

Florida Log Home For Sale by Country EI Log Homes

Location: 1000 Keen Park Road, Frostproof, Fl. 33843
1 HR. from Orlando/Disney world
1 HR from Tampa
2 ½ from Ft. Lauderdale – Miami
15 minutes to nearby mall, shopping centers, and great restaurants.

http://www.loghome.com/images/florida-log-home-for-sale.jpgLand Description: 2.4 AC. A peaceful dead end road with electric gated private entry. Borders A large track of land that has a combination of woods, fields, and wetlands. Abundant wildlife, and birds. 150’ True lake front, “White sand beach” on pristine, Spring fed, 6000+AC. (Crooked Lake) “Fish & Ski lake” Well Known for it GREAT bass & Spec fishing. Has private spring fed pond. NO deed restrictions against water craft, or sea planes.
Log Shell built by: Leatherwood Log Homes Ltd. 142 Davy RD. Mara BC. Canada VOE 2K0 PH. 250-838-6600 E Mail/Website: Leatherwoodloghomes.com Year built, and complete: 2003-2005. Home was recently featured on front cover of Log Home Design, July 2008 Issue.
Log Home Description: “Hand Crafted” Full Scribed, Scandinavian Swedish cope. Large diameter, (12” – 24”) Termite treated, Old growth Western Red Cedar logs with flared ends.
Home specifications: 2200 SF AC’d, Large ¾ wrap around house porch, 2 large master suite bed rooms, 2 ½ Baths. Hand crafted cedar stair case with railings leading to the 2nd. Floor bed room & loft, which is open to great room. Entire home has Natural wide plank, knotty pine wood flooring throughout, except for bath room areas. All Bathroom flooring is smooth natural Tennessee River rock.
First floor bath has large natural Tennessee River rock cave like double head shower/Jacuzzi jet spa bath. Has 2 natural granite bolder rock sinks, Has a separate vanity top, and a separate toilet room. 2nd floor bath has smooth natural Tennessee River rock shower with thick glass front, and glass door. A pedestal sink, with an Old restored claw foot tub. Great room has a wood burning, Large granite rock fire place, large prow back windows with spectacular views to lake, 27’ high vaulted pine wood ceilings with exposed log perlins, and ridge post. Kitchen has 1 double large and 1 single stainless sink each with a garbage disposal. Under counter garbage compacter, 45” 6 burner top down draft Gen air stove, reverse osmosis under sink for pure water. All cabinets throughout home are maid of old naturally weathered barn wood with 3CM. granite, chipped edges, and flamed brushed tops. All doors are hand made cedar. All windows and glass are double pain. Exterior roof shingles are 50 year Owens corning. There is a ¾ wrap around wooden porch deck. Home and shop are fully wired with alarm system.
Shop Description: A total of 50’ X 24’ with cedar posts, and covered roof with an enclosed cedar sided 22’ X 24” garage/work shop. There is full power, with built in shelving, and storage cabinets along with a 15’ heavy dutie work bench. The bench is equipped with vice, grinder, and a peg board wall surrounding bench. The enclosure has two large metal reinforced cedar doors that have 11.5’ ground clearance with a with total of 13’ there are 2 outside under roof parking areas.

Home construction completion: 2005
Countryei Log Homes
(888) 210-6622 ext 303
www.countryei.com

Thursday, September 16, 2010

House Cleaning Tips

House cleaning is a tiresome chore for most of us. Nonetheless, it needs to be done regularly. Most of us fret by the thought of cleaning house regularly. Still, if it is done with a proper procedure and technique, it can be a fun and less time consuming job. Following are some tips for house cleaning.

House Cleaning Tips
You must be knowing that if work is divided, it is easier to do and also complete it. Therefore, split the work and do it part by part. If you start cleaning all the rooms and closets and walls and the laundry at one time, you will only end up in a bigger mess. Hence, the key lies in doing it part by part. Similarly, division of labor is also equally important. Distributing the work among family members can save a lot of time as well as energy. Let us make a start with the following household cleaning tips. Know more on house cleaning rates.

Clean the Clutter
One of the best house cleaning tips is to simply pick up the things lying around and put them in their places. With this, nearly half of your job is done. So start from the living room; pick up the magazines, papers, glasses and dishes from the coffee table and couch. The same things may also be lying on the side table in your bedroom. Also, throw away all the left over foodstuffs, empty cartons and other stuff from the kitchen and put the greasy dishes and utensils in the sink.

Clean the Household Appliances
With the help of a feather brush, clean the music system, television set and other things in the living room. In the kitchen, clean the refrigerator, oven and microwave according to the instructions given in the user's manual. Do not clean kitchen appliances by splashing water in it. Clean the mirror and dressing table with a semi wet cloth. Also clean all the wall hangings and decorative articles in each of the room with a feather duster.

Wash the Washables
Now take down the curtains and cushion covers from the living room and put them in the laundry. Similarly, change the bed spreads in the bedroom and replace with fresh ones. Do the dishes in the kitchen in one go. If they are extra oily or greasy, soak them in soapy water for 20-25 minutes and then wash them. Similarly, clean the kitchen counter top with soap and water. In the bathroom, clean the sink and toilet with suitable cleaners. Also take down the shower curtain for cleaning. Do not forget to clean the mirror and faucets.

Vacuum the Floors
This should always come last, as all the dust and dirt from other articles gathers on the floor as you clean them. Therefore, it is always advisable to clean the floors at the end. Vacuum all around the living room, kitchen and bedrooms. Clean the floor in the bathroom with water and brush. Also look out for the dust in corners, windows and window sills. Move the furniture and clean under it if possible.

Clean the Closets
Now once we are done with all the above, most of us will hardly have any energy and patience left to clean the closets. Therefore, this can be shifted to the next day. Start with the drawers in the living room. It is always better to start with the topmost one first and going downwards. In the kitchen cabinets, throw away all the unused and expired items and rearrange the remaining ones according to their daily necessity and usage. For e.g., keep the cornflakes at the front. Read more on housekeeping.

House Organizing Tips
There are certain tips for house cleaning that can help in minimizing the work and time required for cleaning. They include:
  • Clean the spills on the carpets, mats, floors, counter tops, walls, refrigerators, etc. immediately when they occur. This way you won't have to struggle with them later.
  • Cleaning the laundry daily instead of weekly can reduce a lot of weekend work.
  • Organize and plan your work by making your own house cleaning schedule and house cleaning checklist.
  • Make a habit of returning things to their proper places after use. This will also be helpful when looking for things during an emergency.
  • Go through the refrigerator everyday and throw away whatever has expired or is empty.
Lastly, put on some good music or have someone to help you, and you will realize that house cleaning is not all that boring! I hope these house cleaning tips will be helpful in making this tiresome job more interesting! Also remember, multitasking can be extremely helpful!

Home Cleaning Solutions

A clean home not only looks attractive but also help you keep various health problems at bay. So cleaning your house regularly is something that needs no mention. If you follow the cleaning and vacuuming routine, you would hardly need to get into tough cleaning task. Well, cleaning home consists of kitchen cleaning, floor cleaning, upholstery cleaning and much more, which you need to do properly to have a clean and healthy place to stay in. Here are some home cleaning solutions to help you get the best results.

Best Homemade Cleaning Solutions

Vinegar
One of the natural and easy solutions for home cleaning is white vinegar. Keeping a gallon of the same at home can be useful in many ways. You can mix it in water and use for cleaning flooring and wall tiles, even the wood flooring. It is also one of the best ways to clean carpet. What's more, this easily helps you get rid of smelly washing machine or refrigerator after a wipe. You can also clean your hands with this after cutting an onion, and the smell will vanish. White vinegar and water mixed in equal parts makes an effective glass cleaning solution. For clean wooden furniture use 4 tbsp. white vinegar, 2 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 quart of warm water.

Baking Soda
Baking soda is another useful ingredient to clean your home. This can be used to unclog a drainpipe. Pour a cup of salt and baking soda in the pipe and leave for about 30 minutes before pouring water. Also, you can make one of the effective home cleaning solutions for tough stains using equal amounts of white vinegar and baking soda. You can clean wooden furniture and wooden window frames using a mixture of baking soda and toothpaste. Read more on carpet cleaning solutions.

Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is amongst the best home cleaning solutions. One of the cleaning tips for your home is that you must use hydrogen peroxide only on white surfaces. You can use this homemade house cleaning solution for the bathtub, white sink, white flooring, white bathroom tiles. The reason is that hydrogen peroxide can often discolor the surface. Check out these useful house cleaning tips.

Dishwashing Detergents
For cleaning your kitchen countertops it is safe to opt for cleaning detergents. Whether it is a marble or granite countertop, detergents works well in clearing the stains. Mix the detergent in water to make a solution and apply it on the marble with a sponge, rub the tough stains and wash off with water. Remember that using detergent on regular basis might lead to soap scum built-up on the countertop which will take away its shine. Hence, you can first try using lukewarm water and rub the countertop with sponge. If you have successfully cleaned it, no need to use a detergent. In case you opt for detergent, make sure you remove it thoroughly using clean water. One of the home cleaning tips is to restrict use of any ingredients like lemon, vinegar, hydrogen peroxide on marble surfaces as it can easily get discolored with these.

Lemon Juice
Lemon juice contains acid which helps remove tough stains. It also helps get rid of rust stains. Lemon can be used to clean dirty dishes, faucet, white tiles, grout cleaning, for cleaning plastic items, floor cleaning (except marble). Slice a lemon and rub it on the surface to be cleaned. Leave it as it is for 30 minutes and wash off with clean, cold water. This is one of the easy home cleaning remedies. It is one of the effective home cleaning solutions for your white laundry. Just add 1/2 cup lemon juice to the rinse cycle to get cleaner and whiter clothes.

Expert Solution for Home Cleaning Blues

Home sweet home!’ This is how you feel after returning to your abode after a tiring day’s work. But is there something that makes you feel less enthusiastic about what your home has to offer? Is it possible that your dampened spirits might be the result of your inability to maintain your house in proper order? Cobwebs in your cupboard, oil stains on your kitchen tiles, dust on the tables, overflowing dustbins… the list is endless! These are enough reasons to give you nightmares when you get home.

The hectic lifestyle of the majority of the urban population leaves them with very little time to manage other household chores. Many of us are even unwilling to have guests round so as to avoid being embarrassed on account of untidy houses. These are worrying problems indeed, but as the saying goes: 'there is a solution to every problem'. Thanks to the help of professional agencies providing exclusive housework and cleaning services.

Home cleaning services have come as a great relief to families, especially if the married couples both happen to be workers. Professional home cleaning agencies offer an entire package of housecleaning services ranging from dusting, vacuuming, polishing, mopping and other regular domestic duties. The cleaning services can be used according to your own circumstances. Most families prefer weekends for all the cleaning jobs, thus allowing them enough time to relax and spend quality time with each other.

The advantages of professional housework services do not end here. Expert cleaning services provided by the cleaning agencies ensure proper maintenance of the larger house. With their cleaning services near at hand, you can be assured of fresh carpets without dust mites, cobweb free cupboards, shining floors- to be precise, a fresh clean house. One of the biggest advantages of calling for professional help is that you don’t have to tell them what to do. These cleaners know their job well and are highly efficient, and will complete their cleaning work within a few hours. That's the reason why landlords too prefer hiring professional home cleaning services to get their property ready for the next tenant.

Professional cleaning services also cater to the needs of shops, offices, showrooms and home businesses. In some cases when you use a local cleaner to sort out the mess of your office, you might have to wait for a week! Using home cleaning agencies not only guarantees quality work but also cuts down on time. Just in case you happened to look around your squeaky clean house, you eyes might land on the pile of clothes that need ironing. The good news is, these professional house workers not only clean your house but also sort out the ever-increasing pile of ironing.

Housework and home cleaning services thus allow you to relax during weekends without worrying over the impending household chores that used to haunt you in your sleep. So do away with your cleaning blues- just call up the experts!

Home Cleaning Services

Having your home cleaned by someone else can be a luxury to anyone, but having it done when you move into a brand new home and leave your old one can save you many hours of cleaning that you really don’t want to take part in.


House cleaning can range from many various options, whether it’s a basic clean of your home or everything imaginable being cleaned. It will vary on what you select and the cost of the cleaning services.


It can be difficult determining whether you should or should not utilize house cleaning services over doing it yourself, and many feel that it can be a waste of money having someone else clean their home. In the end there are many pros and cons to having someone clean your home for you. When you don’t seem to have the time to clean your home you can find yourself getting frustrated.


One major time that it can be difficult to get your home clean is after you are moving. Usually when a house is sold it’s required to be cleaned for the next home owners. After you’ve just moved to a new home though one of the last things on your mind is having to clean the house you just left, so why not have someone else do it for you? Instead of wasting more time in a house that is no longer yours have a house cleaning company do it for you.


This is the same for when you are moving into a home that doesn’t seem to be overly clean and the previous owners didn’t take the time to clean the house. It can be quite frustrating to have to move into a home that is not yet clean, so having a house cleaning company do it for you can be less frustrating and allow you to move into a home that’s spotless.


When it comes to house cleaning services not all offer the same type of services. Some only do certain cleaning and others offer others. This will require you to do some research on your local cleaning services to find exactly what you need. Home cleaning services can be quite beneficial for those with little time to spare.


As you can see there are many benefits to having someone else clean your home, but if you are worried that they are not going to do it the exact way you want it give the cleaners a list of some things that they may not do. Do interviews with the companies and ask as many questions possible. You must remember they are going to be cleaning your home and if they can’t live up to your expectations then it’s just going to be a waste of time for everyone. Don’t find yourself wasting money with a house cleaning company that doesn’t do what you want, find the perfect one and you’ll be happy with the results and not be redoing things yourself. Remember it is your home; you live in it, not them.

European Home Plans

http://content.secondspace.com/p/hmp/1.0/c/img/DRB066-FR-RE-CO.jpgEuropean-style homes borrow materials and exterior details that are common to the French, English Cottage, Spanish home plans, and Mediterranean architectural traditions. Typical features of European-style home plans include keystones, quoins, copper-top bays, repeated arches, wrought-iron balconies, clay-tile roofs and decorative window boxes. Exterior cladding is usually stucco, stone or brick. The best-designed European-style home plans are enjoying a resurgence in the United States.
http://www.designsdirect.com/images/plans/dag/exteriors/5019front.jpg
Features
  • Keystones and quoins
  • Repeated arches
  • Bay roofs

Country Home Plans

http://content.secondspace.com/p/hmp/1.0/c/img/FBA409-FR-PH-CO.jpgOne of the most popular styles of home design in the United States right now is the traditional country house. Typically, country home plans combine several traditional architectural details on their well-proportioned, cozy facades. Look for porches, gables, lap siding, shuttered windows, and dormer windows on country home plans. Their famous nostalgic look lends them their enduring appeal. Picture a home in a Norman Rockwell painting and, inevitably, you'll be imagining a country home plan. Perfect examples of country home plans are also found in New England and the South.
http://s3.amazonaws.com/timeinc-houseplans-production/house_plan_images/6727/original.jpeg?1279317236
Features
  • Front porch
  • Shutters
  • Lap siding
  • Dormershttp://houseplans.designsdirect.com/images/default/hollowcrest-featured.jpg

House Plan

Having an architect draw out the house plans for your upcoming home construction can be very costly. Luckily, you can draw out your own custom house plans for free by using one of the many architectural software programs available in trial form. These effective programs will give you all the tools you need to complete professional-quality drawings at no cost.
Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

  • 3D Home Architect Program, Free Trial Version
  • Computer
  1. 1
     
    Download a free trial version of an architectural program such as 3D Home Architect (see References). The trial version of 3D Home Architect will give you all the tools necessary to complete your drawing. Once you've downloaded the program, open a new plan file by clicking on the tab "File" at the top of the screen and selecting "New" from the list. The screen will turn white, indicating that the new file is ready to be customized.
  2. 2
     
    Add the walls to the house plan. Click on the tab that looks like a cross-section of a wall. This is the wall tool, and it will allow you to draw out the walls of the house and measure them as you draw, providing exact dimensions. Once the tool is selected, click and drag the exterior walls of your house. Make sure the walls are proportionate by watching the measurements as you draw. Once finished, draw the interior walls to separate different rooms in the house.
  3. 3
     
    Add the windows and doors to the house plan. Click on the tab that looks like an open window. This is the window tool, and when you click on it a separate screen will appear containing different types of windows. Select the window you want to add to your home design, and click on a wall to place the window. To add a door, click on the tab that looks like an open door. Once selected, another screen will appear with door choices. Click on the door you like, and click onto your design where you want the door to go. Repeat this until you have inserted all the doors and windows you want in your house.
  4. 4
     
    Add the plumbing and electrical fixtures. To add plumbing, click on the utilities tool, which looks like a toilet. This will take you to a new screen containing various plumbing items, such as bathtubs, water heaters and sinks. Insert the plumbing items that you want in your house. Next, click on the electrical tool, which looks like an electrical outlet. Then, simply click anywhere on your house design to add outlets.
  5. 5
     
    Add the roof to complete the house. To do this click on the roof tool, which looks like a gable roof. A new screen will appear containing different styles of roofing and different pitches. Choose the roof style and pitch that you prefer, then click "OK." The roof will automatically be placed onto your house design, and your plan will be complete.

Finding your Dream Home

All the best homes, all in one place.
  • Quick search helps you find a home that fits your overall lifestyle needs
  • Advanced search allows you to choose from an abundant list of amenities that help narrow your results
  • Collection has plans categorized by architectural styles for easy searching
  • Find out what your dream home will cost to build by using our estimated cost to build by zip code feature
  • Exclusive resource center has helpful articles, tips & tools starting from the ground up, including building green, home financing, decorating, landscaping and much more
  • Save favorites, compare plans, create your own personal printable catalog of your favorite dream homes
  • Look for builders in your area using the locate a builder function
  • Create an account to sign up for discounts, free books and promotional offers
  • If you are a builder sign up for the free Builder’s Advantage program for extra benefits
  • and more...our extensive project plan collection includes garages, sheds, decks, backyard and many other great projects for your home
Looking for the home of your dreams can be a very daunting task. The terms home plans, home designs and floor plans are all one in the same, but can often be confusing to a new home buyer when searching for their dream home. Our goal at houseplansandmore.com is to help you find your dream home plan that incorporates every architectural design feature you need to make your new home highly functional for your lifestyle. We offer pre-drawn floor plans ready for you to purchase and build as is, or to use as a starting point to your own custom design, including all of the amenities you could ever want.
Houseplansandmore.com offers a wide variety of home building resources and helpful tools all in one convenient website organized to make your home plan search simple and easy. Find a blueprint that fits your style and your budget. Our resources include our home plan cost estimator, our advanced search, and other resources made to make your job easier. With the assistance of our Cost Estimator feature, you can locate the house plans within your budget quickly and easily. Or if you prefer, compare house plans by their price to build. We also allow you to enter your zip code and determine a specific home's estimated cost to build within that zip code - not like most websites that only offer regionalized cost to build.
Our collection features several different home plan styles categorized for easy searching. You can search house plans by style, which allows buyers to view all of the house plans available for a certain home style. Our wide variety of blueprints allows you to find the dream home you have been looking for with ease.
You can also use our website to locate a builder in your area. As part of the resource center, you can just click on the state where you intend to build your dream home and a list of qualified builders appears. Our Builder's Advantage program provides an opportunity for builders to receive discounts, free plan books and benefits. Builders can find blue prints for their house plan and project plan needs all in one place. It's another way to make the entire building process even easier from start to finish.
Houseplansandmore.com has the best homes all in one place, so finding the home of your dreams is simple and fun. The search for your special home can be rewarding and fun if you have all the information from the start. As a division of HDA, Inc., we are dedicated to enabling families to build and improve their home, providing all of the resources you need in one place. With a large variety of architectural designs, we are sure you will find the plan that is right for you. Browse our site and find the perfect designer home. And, when your dream home is completed, check out our household project plans section that includes several hundred do-it-yourself projects. Our project plan collection includes garage plans, shed plans, backyard project plans, and plans for other great project plans for your home. Our project plans are the perfect addition to your new completed home!

House Plans

Plan W2179DR: Year-Round Vacation Retreat

Elevation #2

Plan W2179DR: Year-Round Vacation Retreat

Rear Elevation

House Plans and Home Designs

Yes, but don't take our word for it. Just key in the web address of any online home plan provider and you’ll discover that more people visit COOLhouseplans.com than any other home plans website.

Our plans come directly from the designer or architect to you.

When you order your home plans from COOLhouseplans.com the construction drawings will be shipped directly to you from the design firm that designed your home. If you have any questions before or during the construction of your new house, simply pick up the phone and call the design firm listed on the product package or on the front page of your new house plans.

Unique house plans collection!

At The COOL House Plans Company we choose to provide all home plans offered by each of the home designers. With such an amazing variety, you can decide for yourself what's hot and what's not. If we featured only our best-selling home plans, our collection would be just the same as our competitors’ (yawn). Some of the home designs you’ll find on COOLhouseplans.com are unique to this house plans website.

Searching through tens of thousands of stock home plans has never been easier.

Search by categories such as One-Story Homes, Two-Story Homes, Luxury or Small Home Plans. Or, you can simply search by home styles such as Country, Victorian, Colonial, Traditional, European, Mediterranean and many more. You can even search for a home plan according to your individual needs. For example, are you tired of climbing stairs at bedtime? Search for homes with the master bedroom on the main level. We’ve made it easy to find a home plan that’s right for you.

Building a new house but can’t find the perfect houseplans?

It is not uncommon for our customers to want to make changes to a home’s floor plan. Depending on your individual needs, you may want to move walls or enlarge the size of your garage. Maybe you’ll need to change the home’s foundation type, or increase ceiling heights to suit your specific taste. Whatever the case, your home builder or a local home designer can help you make changes, or you can call our modification service at 800-482-0464. Remember, any home plan can be changed, and almost any change can be made, so let our experienced design staff create a customized home plan that meets your specific needs and desires.

Custom building material cost estimates to build your new house (based on your zip code).

You've selected a home plan to build, but with so many available choices in building materials, the cost of construction could vary greatly. BuildQuote™ takes the guesswork out of construction cost estimating by allowing you to compare the use of various building materials for the same house based on your choices and where you will build the home in the USA.

The Once and Future Kitchen

The open kitchen, as illustrated in architect Leon Meyer’s handsome contemporary

Seasons Plan 496-2 — is not a new idea.

The modern habit of combining cooking, dining, and living functions in one space harks back to the early American home, where everything was done beside a large open hearth,

as illustrated at the University of Pittsburgh’s Cathedral of Learning  (in one of the so-called Nationality Rooms, which you can visit). It was a “Great Room” before there was such a concept. Later kitchens became separated or closed off from the rest of the house partly to protect from fire and partly to accommodate emerging systems and equipment like indoor plumbing and new-fangled appliances. The kitchen became more specialized. In their book The American Woman’s Home , published in 1869, two famous sisters — Catherine Beecher and Harriet Beecher Stowe — argued for efficiency. Their ideal design provided separate areas for storage, food preparation, and cooking.

They set the kitchen apart as a kind of laboratory (see the University of Houston for more about this book.)
But by the mid twentieth century an interest in more casual arrangements along with the rise of venting devices like fans (to evacuate cooking odors) lead to the dining  or family-kitchen,

like this one by ranch house designer Cliff May from the 1940s, with its kitchen pass-through and big Colonial style hearth that also includes a modern barbecue (presumably the rifle is just an accessory).
More recently the advent of quieter dishwashers and refrigerators has made it possible to make the kitchen part of a larger entertaining space, as we have seen with the Meyer design. Throw the fire back in, along with walls  that  disappear to unite inside and outside

and you might get the  Colonial/ranch house kitchen — “Part Deux.” This 21st century example was designed by Sebastian Mariscal Studio (photo courtesy the same).