The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is reporting that “the Remodeling Market Index (RMI) climbed to 50 in the third quarter of 2012, up from 45 in the previous quarter.” This is great news for the remodeling industry. The increase brings the RMI back to 2005 levels.

“The strength of the RMI, especially in owner-occupied properties, shows that home owners are investing in remodels as home prices stabilize,” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman George “Geep” Moore Jr. “As owners become more confident that investments in housing will hold their value, they are beginning to undertake projects to improve their comfort that they had been putting off.”

According to NAHB, “All three indicators of current market conditions improved: maintenance and repairs rose to 56 (from 50), minor additions and alterations to 51 (from 47) and major additions and alterations to 49 (from 42). Current market conditions improved or held steady in all four regions in the third quarter of 2012.”

What do you think this means for the remodeling industry? Is this a sign that the housing market is picking up?

As the Northeast braces themselves for Hurricane Sandy, we wanted to share these somewhat eerie photos we found on Curbed. According to Curbed, “The MTA put New Yorkers on house arrest last night, shutting down the entire public transportation system for an indeterminate amount of time because of Hurricane Sandy’s looming arrival.”

From Grand Central to Penn Station, it appears the hallowed halls of New York City’s transportation hubs are on hiatus.

Photo via Curbed

Photo via Curbed

Another New York City landmark that was shut down due to Hurricane Sandy was the New York Stock Exchange, which was last closed for weather conditions in 1985.

Photo via NY Post

We wish everyone in the Northeast who is affected by this storm all the best.

Most young kids have a hard time understanding the importance of being energy efficient. Yes, we teach them to put their containers in the recycle bin instead of the trash can, but turning off the lights is a harder message to convey. For some reason when it comes to reducing the consumption of electricity in the homes, kids are missing the mark.

Designer Danny Taylor hopes to help conserve energy in the home with his “Dimmer Switch.”  According to Taylor, “This simple ‘dimmer switch’ humanises an ordinarily ubiquitous object to help the child form a relationship which they will want to participate with and affect. The act of turning the light on creates a ‘sad’ face, and turning it off contrastingly makes the character ‘happy’.”

So next time your kids leave the room without turning out the lights, tell them to turn the frown upside down.

How do you teach your kids about the importance of sustainability?

Photos via Danny Taylor.

We’ve been hearing the rumors for months about the new iPad mini that would rival the popular Kindle Fire by Amazon. Today Apple revealed their design for the Mini, which will be smaller and lighter than its predecessor, measuring 7.9 diagonal inches and weighing just 308g.

Photo via Mashable

The cost of the iPad mini will be a little higher than the other tablets similar in size, with the Wi-Fi only version starting at $329 and the cellular version starting at $459.

According to Apple, the iPad Mini features “a beautiful display, powerful A5 chip, FaceTime HD camera, iSight camera with 1080p HD video recording, ultrafast wireless, and over 275,000 apps ready to download from the App Store.”

We this new iPad will be a hot item for the  holidays. You can pre-order your iPad mini beginning on Oct. 26 with a shipping date of Nov. 2.

Ever wonder how the rich and famous live? Well Curbed is featuring the newly sold penthouse of New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. Jeter’s former four bedroom penthouse at the Trump World Tower recently sold for $15.5 million after being on the market for over two years.

Some of the top-of-the-line features found in Jeter’s home–remote controlled privacy shades and entertainment system, billiards room, piano lounge, wet bar, and a 14 seat formal dining room table.

Photo via Curbed

Photo via Curbed

Photo via Curbed

Photo via Curbed

Photo via Curbed

It is rumored that the future hall of famer will be downsizing to a smaller space. What do you think of his former pad?

The London-based firm foster + partners has just been awarded the redesign of 425 Park Avenue, a 55-year old building between 55th and 56th Streets in New York City. Lord Norman Foster beat out three other “starchitects” for the commission– Zaha Hadid of Zaha Hadid Architects, Rem Koolhaas of OMA, and Richard Rogers of Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners.

Photo via Architizer.

According to Architizer, “The tower will replace a 32-story building completed in 1957. At 625,000 square feet, the Foster building will reportedly be the first full-block office tower to rise on Park Avenue in nearly 50 years.”

Foster says of the honor, “I have a personal connection with New York, which has been a source of inspiration since my time at Yale, when the new towers on Park Avenue and its neighborhoods were a magnet for every young architect…Seeing firsthand the works of Mies van der Rohe, Gordon Bunshaft, Eero Saarinen, and Philip Johnson was tremendously exciting then—I am delighted to have this very special opportunity to design a contemporary tower to stand alongside them.”

L&L Holding Company and Lehman Brothers Holdings are developing the project with construction set to start in 2015.

What do  you think of Foster’s design?

We wish we had this All Nighter Original poster handy when we were studying 20th and 21st century architecture. This poster breaks down the work of some of the greatest architects of all time. From I.M Pei to Frank Lloyd Wright, you’ll learn the signature styles of each of these 30 iconic architects.

Take a close look at the structures below, there might be a quiz later.

Which one is your favorite? Who would you have added to the list?

Photo Source: ArchDaily

Earlier we featured five of the ten best apps for architecture according to ArchDaily. Here is the continuation of the list for those who are looking for ways to make working on the go that much easier.

1. Photoshop Express– Edit your photographs and renderings like a pro with Photoshop Express.

2.  Flipboard– ArchDaily says, “Flipboard is a free App that turns your life into a Magazine. The App syncs with all your social networks (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, etc.) and news/entertainment providers (Google Reader/YouTube/Instagram) and creates a visually stunning Feed that’s tailor made to you.”

3. Magic Plan– Let MagicPlan do all the work. Magic Plan “MEASURES your rooms and DRAWS your floor plan just by taking pictures.”

4. Houzz– Need inspiration? Search the Houzz database for home design ideas. 

5.  AutoCad WS- A must for architects, AutoCad WS allows you to work virtually from anywhere.

A lot of these apps are free and available at the  iTunes.
Photos via ArchDaily and iTunes

Looking for some great apps for your new iPhone 5? Well our friends at ArchDaily just featured “The 10 Best Apps for Architects.” These apps are guaranteed to make your job a whole lot easier.

1.  Evernote- Organize your thoughts, notes and life with this great app.

2.  STEEL– Working with steel? This database has decades worth of steel shapes readily available.

3. Dropbox- Bring your work files with you with Dropbox.

4.  Instagram– Give your photos a retro look with this great application, not just architects.

5.  Sketchbook– Who needs a pad of paper and pen when you have Sketchbook?

What is your favorite app? Leave us a comment below and share which iPhone app you can’t live without.

Don’t let another ski season go by without a building your dream home in the Colorado mountains. A home in the mountains is a place for family and friends to gather while enjoying incredible views of nature.

One of the best ways to decorate your mountain home is with rustic furnishings.  Below are a few ways to achieve the rustic look in your home courtesy of Houzz:

• Consider the use of log accents in your mountain home.  For example, this log wood bunk bed featured in Houzz is perfect for accommodating guests at your mountain retreat.

Image via Houzz

• Mix and match weathered furnishings with modern and tailored pieces to give your home a rustic, yet sophisticated look

The Trilogy Partners team can help you to design and build the mountain home of your dreams.  Contact us today to discuss how we can make your dream a reality.