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Experience Texas’ Most Elegant Historic Home
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Experience the beauty and elegance of Austin Museum of Art’s recently renovated Laguna Gloria. This historic, 1916 Italian-style villa was once the home of Texas legend, Clara Driscoll.
Laguna Gloria is the museum’s original home and provides visitors with the unique experience of history, art and nature. Inside, guests get an intimate view of Clara Driscoll’s life by exploring the rooms and halls that she once roamed. Outside, museum patrons can wander through the historic gardens or stroll across the flourishing 12-acre grounds that overlook Lake Austin.
Austin Museum of Art guided tours of the home are offered every Saturday at 1 p.m. beginning Sept. 4 and continuing through Oct. 2.
If you have never experienced this national treasure, you’re missing out on one of the nation’s most unique historic sites. Owners of luxury homes in Austin will appreciate the detail of the home’s design and fixtures.
For more information about the exhibits and guided tours offered by the Austin Museum of Art, visit the website.
Fall Home To Do List
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With the commencement of school arrives the proverbial four month to do list. It is just the way it is. We must get our calendar in order and our life organized at least through December! Whether your schedule includes school activities and sporting events for one or more (grand) children or includes work commitments, vacations or volunteer schedules or ALL of the above; as responsible homeowners we must include Austin custom home maintenance on our fall calendar!
There happen to be many tips and preventative maintenance ideas available on the internet. Whether you are a do it yourself-er or hire the maintenance work done or a little of both, we have compiled a list of the top most important items “to do” this fall.
1. Chimney and Fireplaces – although Austin is a temperate weather city, fireplaces indoors and out add to the ambiance of a quiet evening or an evening of entertainment. Call a professional to inspect and clean your chimney(s) in order to prevent hazardous chimney fires. Also, check your flue for a tight seal when closed in order to prevent a breeze.
2. Gutters and downspouts. Clean and keep these free from a buildup of leaves and debris. Neglected gutters can cause roof and wood trim damage, and pest invasion. Verify that water is not coming down behind gutters and Read More→
Bamboo lovers rejoice. The Bamboo Festival returns to Texas for its 18th consecutive year of celebrating the magnificence and usefulness of this wonderful plant. The festival will be held Saturday, Aug. 28 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Zilker Botanical Garden in Austin, Texas. Admission is free and parking is only $3. This year’s theme is “Growing and Using Bamboo.” Plan to bring your whole family for a day of fun.
The festival is sure to be a fun success with many vendors, speakers, entertainers and contests. Some of the featured speakers include the bamboo artisan, Matthew English; bamboo flutemaker, Mike Jones; and bamboo bow and arrow maker, Jack Farrell.
Vendors provide a wide range of beautiful crafts including Native American flutes, handcrafted bamboo and bone jewelry, bamboo beads and jewelry and original bamboo artwork, to name a few. When you attend the festival, be sure to get some ideas on incorporating bamboo flooring and products into your new home. Austin custom home builder Sterling Custom Homes is more than happy to utilize Read More→
Austin Bat Fest is Back This Weekend
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Batfest returns to Downtown Austin this coming Saturday, August 21. It will be held on the Congress Ave. Ann Richards Bridge from 1 p.m. until midnight. It is free, so plan to bring the entire family because all ages are welcome and there is something for everyone. An estimated 1.5 and 2 million Mexican Free Tail Bats should start flying between 8 and 9:30 p.m. Bats are a bit unpredictable, so plan to be at the event early so you don’t miss out!
This is the 6th Annual Batfest and it will feature more than 20 bands on two stages, as well as arts and crafts made in Austin, food, children’s activities, educational displays and bat watching.
Many professional artists and craftspeople will participate in Batfest. Around 50 Booths will be overflowing with arts & crafts such as pottery, jewelry, fine art, woodwork, stained glass, metal sculpture, mosaics, glasswork, photography and much more. This is a great opportunity to find unique gifts.
Batfest is expecting large crowds, so make your parking plans in advance! There are many paid lots in the area including Read More→
Designer Wood Flooring Adds a Timeless Look
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If you are building a new home, chances are you will be interested in wood flooring in at least one of your rooms. Wood flooring has a timeless look, and gives the house a warm feel. The decision between solid hardwood vs engineered wood flooring can be confusing. Many luxury home builders include hardwoods in the homes they build and you will need to make a decision on what they should include. To help your decision, here are a few features and benefits of both types of wood flooring.
Solid hardwood floors have been around forever. This type of wood flooring is solid all the way through. Due to this, it can be sanded and refinished 3 to 5 times. It can come either unfinished (no stain or sealant) or prefinished (prestained and sealed). Solid hardwood typically comes unfinished.
Solid hardwood floors must be nailed or glued to a wooden sub-floor, but it should not be installed straight on concrete. Solid hardwood is not recommended in high moisture rooms, like the kitchen or bathroom. The high moisture content in the air can cause the wood to ripple or buckle over time.
After installation of an unfinished wood a light sanding, custom staining and sealing is done. After sealing you will need to wait at least 48 hours for the sealant to dry before walking on it. This process can hold up other subcontractors on the job site.
Solid hardwood is great for the homeowner looking for a unique custom look. It can be custom handscraped, distressed and stained, giving you a one of a kind look.
Engineered wood flooring is an common alternative to solid wood for the Austin market. It is less expensive than solid and can be glued direct to the slab and glued or nailed to a sub-floor. You will be able to get up to two resurfacings from most engineered hardwood floors. Engineered wood is suitable for areas with light moisture like Read More→