Gulf Oil Spill- Worker Spotted Leak Weeks Before Explosion

Gulf Oil Spill-

• A survivor of the blast says a key piece of safety equipment was faulty weeks before the explosion.

• (June 21) — An oil worker who survived the Deepwater Horizon explosion has claimed that he found a fault in a key piece of safety equipment weeks before the disaster, according to a British television report.

Report: Oil Worker Spotted Leak Weeks Before Explosion

Updated: 2 days 1 hour ago

Print Text Size

EmailMore

Theunis Bates Contributor

AOL News

(June 21) -- An oil worker who survived the Deepwater Horizon explosion has claimed that he found a fault in a key piece of safety equipment weeks before the disaster, according to a British television report.

Tyrone Benton told the BBC's Panorama program -- due to be broadcast tonight -- that he had spotted a leak on the rig's most crucial piece of safety equipment, the blowout preventer. That device uses a pair of giant shears to cut off and seal the well's main pipe if an accident occurs. However, several weeks before the April 20 blast that killed 11 people, Benton said a problem was identified with the blowout preventer's control pod, which contains the electronics and hydraulics used to operate the system.

USCG / AFP / Getty Images

Coast Guard crews battle the blazing remnants of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig on April 21. A survivor of the blast says a key piece of safety equipment was faulty weeks before the explosion.

Benton said that his supervisor e-mailed BP and the rig's owner, Transocean, about the leak, and that the faulty part was switched off rather than repaired.

"We saw a leak on the pod, so by seeing the leak we informed the company men," Benton told the BBC, according to a clip on the broadcaster's website. "They have a control room where they could turn off that pod and turn on the other one, so that they don't have to stop production."

Professor Tad Patzek, a drilling expert at the University of Texas, described the companies' decision as "unacceptable."

"If you see any evidence of the blowout preventer not functioning properly, you should fix it by whatever means possible," Patzek told the program.

Benton said that he didn't know whether the leaky pod was fixed or turned back on before the explosion. Repairing the control pod would have meant stopping drilling work on the rig, which was costing BP $500,000 a day to operate. BP has said that responsibility for blowout preventer maintenance lay with rig owner Transocean. In turn, Transocean said it had successfully tested the device before the April 20 blast.

Eyewitness to a Disaster

AP

500 photos

 

 

A worker maneuvers an oil boom while doing cleanup work near oiled marsh grass in Barataria Bay on the coast of Louisiana on Sunday. Click through for more photos.

(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=876657&pid=876656&uts=1277118540

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Eyewitness to a Disaster

A worker maneuvers an oil boom while doing cleanup work near oiled marsh grass in Barataria Bay on the coast of Louisiana on Sunday. Click through for more photos.

AP

FR158704 AP

Following the explosion, BP sent robot submarines to the seabed to try to activate the blowout preventer, but failed. The company told a congressional committee investigating the accident that the undersea bots discovered a leak in the safety device's hydraulic systems, and so couldn't generate enough force to cut through the pipe.

Last week, BP CEO Tony Hayward repeatedly identified the blowout preventer as a major cause of the accident, saying it was "clear" it was "not as failsafe as we'd believed it to be."

The revelations pile yet more pressure on BP, which has so far spent $2 billion dealing with the disaster and is currently battling with one of the well's co-owners -- Anadarko Petroleum Corp. -- over how the bill should be split. Anadarko, which has a 25 percent stake in the well, is refusing to pay its share of the cleanup, saying that BP was guilty of "gross negligence" or "willful misconduct" over the way exploratory drilling was carried out.

Don't Miss

Liz Condo, Pool / AP

Watch: Live Video of Spill
Judge Blocks Obama's Drilling Ban
BP Executive Heckled in Speech
Worker Saw Leak Weeks Before Blast
Hayward Slammed for Yachting
Who's in Charge of BP Response?
BP's Biggest Gaffes
Full Coverage: AOL News
Full Coverage: Politics Daily

BP countered Anadarko's claims, saying in a statement issued Friday that "all the co-owners of the leasehold" had agreed to "share the costs of operations, including the cost to clean up any spill ... according to their respective ownership interests."

And Hayward is also facing new calls to stand down after he was photographed this weekend at a yacht race off the southern coast of England. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., dubbed Hayward's involvement in the event -- which took place a day after BP said Hayward was stepping back from day-to-day management of the Gulf of Mexico cleanup -- "the height of stupidity."

"I believe myself that he should go," Shelby told CBS' "Face the Nation." "I don't know how he can represent a company in crisis like BP and ignore what's going on in the Gulf of Mexico."

BP spokesman Robert Wine told The Associated Press that Hayward's boating trip was his first break in two months, and that the CEO was just "spending a few hours with his family at a weekend. I'm sure that everyone would understand that."

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com
scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com

10 Basement Remodeling Tips

TheShelvingStore.com offers a wide selection of shelves, shelving units, wire shelving units, and much more to help you get and stay organized.

When it comes to Designing and Remodeling Your Basement

Scotts Contracting offers the following tips:

• Research the Materials you would like to incorporate into your Project
  
• Take notes and pictures of similar designs you would like your project to look like
  
• Inspect the area you choose to build your project
  
• Sketch or Draw out your design
  
• Determine a Material list-"with your Material list in hand-you can ask the Pro Department at your Local Home improvement Store for their Lowest Bid".
  
• Build your project as outlined by the Manufacturers Guidelines and Local Building Codes.
• Enjoy the outdoor living space you have created!

Scotts Contracting Offers the Following Services- Design-Build Projects for Residential & Commercial Buildings Construction, Remodeling and Rehab's - to include: Carpentry, Weatherization, Roofing, Flooring, Interior and Exterior Finishes, Painting/Staining, Wood Finishing, Custom Wood Working, Solar & Wind Renewable Energy Systems, Doors, Windows, Home Repairs & Upgrades

“Home Energy Auditing will be available soon- If you would like to Pre-Register for an Energy Audit for your Home use the following link” Click Here

Scotts Contracting is a Proud Supporter of the Green Building Industry- Green and Eco Friendly Products !!!Click Here to email Scotts Contracting to Schedule a Free Green Site Inspection or to Register for Energy Audit

Enhance the value of your home and increase your living space by finishing or remodeling your basement.

---

Make a Family Room or Rec Room

Basements are ideal for casual social activities for the whole family, or just for the kids. It's the perfect spot for the big screen TV, pool table, and to stash board games and craft supplies.

Make this space inviting by finishing and decorating it like any upstairs room. Choose comfortable furnishings that can be easily rearranged to accommodate a few people or a crowd. Incorporate sound systems, internet connections, and good lighting to make the space functional.

Include a Bedroom and Bath

A basement bedroom and full or half bath makes an ideal suite for guests or teens.

Think about who will sleep in the basement and the amenities they'll need to help you determine the best dimensions. To comfortably fit a double bed, you'll need a room with a minimum of 125 square feet. If twin beds will serve your needs better, plan on at least 150 square feet.

Building codes also require that basement bedrooms have an emergency exit that leads directly outside, either through a door or a window.

Add a Kitchen or Laundry Room

A wet bar or mini kitchen in the basement makes entertaining much easier. The inclusion of a mini kitchen makes a basement with a bed and bath into an entire guest suite.

A kitchen requires access to hot and cold water, as well as electrical outlets for an undercounter refrigerator, a microwave oven, small countertop appliances, and possibly a small dishwasher or dishwasher drawer.

A laundry room is a good idea in the basement, but it needs a floor drain and access to an outside wall to vent the dryer.

Design an Attractive and Safe Staircase

You already have stairs to the basement, but when you're remodeling, make sure they meet code and look good. If they're not in a convenient location, consider moving them to a better spot.

Codes vary with staircase configurations and baluster shape, so you'll need to talk to the building inspector about your plans. It's also a good idea to consult an architect or other design professional for help in designing a staircase that works well with your other plans for the space.

Plan for Windows and Doors

Adding or enlarging basement windows and adding exterior doors are jobs for a professional, but the resulting natural light and ventilation will significantly increase your enjoyment of this living space.

To add belowground windows you'll need to dig a window well. The retaining wall for the well may be made of masonry, limestone blocks, or treated landscape timbers, as in this window well. The terraced timbers serve as pot garden perches as well as steps for an emergency exit.

Finish the Walls for Inviting Ambience

Foundation walls are usually made of poured concrete or stacked concrete block, materials that reinforce the feeling of the basement as a secondary space. To give the basement main-floor style, cover the concrete with your choice of materials: drywall, plywood, paneling, or paint over the concrete.

The walls in this basement living area are covered with sheets of maple-veneer plywood with stained poplar boards covering the seams to create an Arts and Crafts look.

Finish Basement Ceilings

You have three basic options for finishing basement ceilings. Conceal the joists, pipes, and ductwork with drywall or paneling, hide everything with a suspended or drop ceiling, or leave everything exposed and paint it with a sprayer.

Drywall brings the polish of main-level rooms to the basement. Here, decorative ceiling beams add depth and architectural interest to the painted drywall ceiling.

Choose Comfortable, Practical Flooring

Unless you install a plywood subfloor, your basement floor is likely to be a concrete slab. Fortunately, concrete accepts most common flooring choices, from paint to vinyl, laminate, tile, and carpet.

Most solid wood flooring is not recommended for below-grade installations, however, because it shrinks and expands, resulting in gaps or warping. Engineered wood is a good alternative because it shrinks and expands a little less.

Banish Gloom with Good Lighting

A good lighting plan is key to making your basement an inviting gathering spot. Recessed cans like these create overall illumination as well as task and accent lighting for the bookshelves and artwork.

In addition to recessed lights, consider track lights and pendants to eliminate shadows on surfaces where you'll be working, playing, or reading. Use table lamps and floor lamps to banish shadows in corners and provide task lighting beside chairs and sofas.

Build in Storage

The basement is often a catchall storage space for everything from garden equipment to out-of-season clothes, holiday decorations, and memorabilia. As you remodel to make the most of your basement's square footage, plan for attractive, well-designed storage, too.

Here, the area under the stairs goes to work with two little closets scaled to fit the space. Baskets on shelves organize DVDs, gift wrap, and holiday dinnerware. Doors with divided-light windows add architectural style and force the homeowners to keep things organized inside the closets.

Articles reposted: http://www.remodelingcenter.com/basement/solutions/basement-remodeling-tips

Scott's Contracting is available for all your projects large or small. email:scottscontracting@gmail.com

Oil Spill and Judge-Political Ties

Judge Blocks Obama's Ban on Offshore Drilling

Updated: 13 hours 42 minutes ago

Print Text Size

EmailMore

Lauren Frayer Contributor

AOL News

(June 22) -- A federal judge in New Orleans today overturned President Barack Obama's six-month moratorium on any new deepwater drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico.

The White House said the administration would appeal. The ban on new drilling was imposed after an April 20 explosion on Transocean Ltd.'s Deepwater Horizon rig -- which was run by BP -- set off the country's worst oil spill in history.

Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama believes strongly that drilling at such depths does not make sense and puts the safety of workers "at a danger that the president does not believe we can afford," according to The Associated Press.

U.S. District Judge Martin Feldman, who has owned stock in several oil-related companies, the AP reported, disagreed after hearing testimony from both sides Monday.

"The blanket moratorium, with no parameters, seems to assume that because one rig failed and although no one yet fully knows why, all companies and rigs drilling new wells over 500 feet also universally present an imminent danger," Feldman said in his 22-page decision.

The Ronald Reagan appointee characterized the suspension as "generic, indeed punitive."

However, the AP reported Feldman's financial disclosure report for 2008, the most recent available, shows holdings in at least eight petroleum companies or funds that invest in them, including Transocean. The report shows that most of his holdings were valued at less than $15,000; it did not provide specific amounts.

It is not clear whether Feldman still has any of the energy industry stocks, the AP reported. Recent court filings indicate he may no longer have Transocean stock.

Feldman did not comment, the AP said.

Josh Reichert, managing director of the Pew Environment Group, told the AP that the ruling should be revoked if the judge still has investments in companies that could benefit from the decision.

Eyewitness to a Disaster

AFP/Getty Images

500 photos

A satellite image released Tuesday shows oil spreading northeast from the leaking Deepwater Horizon well in the Gulf of Mexico. Click through for more photos.

(Note: Please disable your pop-up blocker)

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=876657&pid=876656&uts=1277207301

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Eyewitness to a Disaster

A satellite image released Tuesday shows oil spreading northeast from the leaking Deepwater Horizon well in the Gulf of Mexico. Click through for more photos.

AFP/Getty Images

NASA

"If Judge Feldman has any investments in oil and gas operators in the gulf, it represents a flagrant conflict of interest," Reichert said.

Since the explosion, the Interior Department has stopped approving any new drilling permits and suspended drilling at 33 wells already exploring for oil in the gulf. The government said it needed time to do a thorough safety evaluation to ensure that disasters like BP's blast don't happen again.

But Hornbeck Offshore Services, an oil services company based in Louisiana, filed a lawsuit challenging the moratorium. It argues that there's no evidence that continued drilling poses any threat of future oil spills, and that halting such operations could cost Louisiana thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in lost wages. The lawsuit was backed by oil companies, Louisiana's governor and other state officials.

CEO Todd Hornbeck said after the ruling that he is looking forward to getting back to work.

"It's the right thing for not only the industry but the country," he said, according to Bloomberg News.

A friend-of-the-court brief filed over the weekend by Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal says the moratorium could push oil companies to relocate their drilling operations to Brazil or Africa, with "little chance of their immediate return."

Henry Dart, special counsel for the Louisiana attorney general, also told Feldman that the government rushed to make the decision without consulting with state officials about the impact of the drilling ban, according to Bloomberg.

"Even after the catastrophic events of Sept. 11, the government only shut down the airlines for three days," Louisiana said in court papers that sought to lift the ban.

Don't Miss

Liz Condo, Pool / AP

Watch: Live Video of Spill
Judge Blocks Obama's Drilling Ban
BP Executive Heckled in Speech
Worker Saw Leak Weeks Before Blast
Hayward Slammed for Yachting
Who's in Charge of BP Response?
BP's Biggest Gaffes
Full Coverage: AOL News
Full Coverage: Politics Daily

Lawyers for the Interior Department, backed by environmentalists, argued that time is needed to implement new safety rules for offshore rigs, especially those pertaining to undersea blowout preventers like the one that failed to halt BP's oil leak.

"The safeguards and regulations in place on April 20 did not create a sufficient margin of safety," Justice Department attorney Guillermo Montero said at the hearing Monday.

Asked by Feldman why the U.S. government didn't implement a similar moratorium after the 1989 Exxon Valdez spill, Montero called the Deepwater Horizon blowout a "game changer."

"It really illustrates the risks that are inherent in deepwater drilling," Montero said.

The U.S. government estimates that up to 60,000 barrels of crude may be flowing into the gulf each day, devastating coastal tourism and fishing industries.

Filed under: Nation, Money, Top Stories

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com

clean energy bill in response to the Gulf oil disaster

This is a big week. Tomorrow, President Obama is bringing a bipartisan group of Senate energy leaders to the White House to craft a clean energy bill in response to the Gulf oil disaster. And afterward, on Thursday, the Senate Democratic Caucus will meet again to decide its course of action.

But in the face of pressure from corporate lobbyists, there's a very real chance that the Senate will wind up with a bill of half-measures, slapping a band-aid over the approximately 3 million barrels spilled into the Gulf so far, while ignoring the untold damage we cause by consuming over 2,000 times as much oil every year. We have to address the underlying causes of our addiction to dirty energy, not just the symptoms -- and as President Obama said earlier this month, "The only way the transition to clean energy will ultimately succeed ... is by finally putting a price on carbon pollution."

Join Repower America and 17 other organizations in signing an urgent letter to President Obama and Senate energy leaders demanding they make comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation a reality -- and we will deliver your signatures directly to the White House.

Nearly one full year after the House of Representatives passed comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation, the President is calling on the Senate to find consensus and pass a bill that addresses America's addiction to fossil fuels.

But time is running out to pass this legislation before Capitol Hill grinds to a halt in August so lawmakers can campaign for the November midterm elections -- even as oil may still be still pouring into the Gulf. To adequately address the disaster on our hands, this legislation must accomplish four essential goals:

1. Respond directly to the Gulf oil disaster to begin to remedy the damage and hold BP accountable
2. Reduce U.S. dependence on fossil fuels
3. Set limits on carbon pollution
4. Improve energy efficiency and expand renewable energy production

Our letter to the President and Senate leaders emphasizes these essential points and stresses the need to include them in a comprehensive climate and clean energy bill, and pass this bill as soon as possible. Seventeen partner organizations have already signed on, but that's not enough: We also need as many citizen co-signers as possible to demonstrate to our leaders in Washington that Americans all across the country demand a comprehensive solution.

Read the letter and add your name before the White House clean energy meeting tomorrow.

Thanks for your work to help America get the strong bill we deserve,

Maggie L. Fox
Chief Executive Officer
The Climate Protection Action Fund

Contributions or gifts to the Climate Protection Action Fund are not tax deductible.

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com
http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com
scotty@stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Part 2-Whether you're finishing a basement or remodeling one- be sure to include a bathroom

Basement Bathroom Ideas Part 2

---

Tuck in a Tiny Powder Room

You can fit a powder room into a sliver of space by working with a cabinetmaker to build a narrow vanity outfitted with a bar-size sink. The toilet needs a space 19 to 21 inches wide and 27 to 31 inches deep. Eliminate shadows with wall sconces

Include a Laundry

This handsome basement bathroom includes a marble-top furniture-style vanity, full shower, and stone tile floors. Paneled closet doors at one end open to reveal a stacked washer and dryer.

A basement laundry room needs a floor drain to handle overflows or leaks and an exterior wall location so you can vent the dryer to the outdoors.

Design a Multipurpose Basement Bathroom

This basement bathroom does double duty as the bath for a guest bedroom and an exercise space. A treadmill tucks into the corner just beyond the partial wall, where it can take advantage of an above-grade exterior window. If your basement doesn't have a window, a partial wall could accommodate a wallmount television to keep you entertained while you work out.

Expand Space with a Light Palette

Limestone floor and wall tiles combine with white paint and limestone fixtures to make the most of natural light entering through the glass-block window. The light palette makes the space feel larger than it is.

The table-style vanity with an undermount sink and limestone countertop offers clean lines for an uncluttered look. Fluorescent tubes on each side of the medicine-chest mirrors provide shadow-free illumination for shaving or putting on makeup.

Craftsman Style for the Basement Bath

Any natural light helps keep a basement from feeling cavelike. These high windows admit light and a glimpse of the outdoors.

The wide woodwork and built-in vanity reflect the architectural style of the home, giving the basement bathroom a look as finished as the upstairs rooms. The moss green color of the walls picks up the hue of the slate tile floor. Balanced by plenty of white, this strong color gives the bath cozy character.

Include a Shower and a Tub

An integrated tub and shower clad in travertine tile work in tandem in this basement bath. The window in the shower is high enough to provide privacy while still allowing for ventilation and light.

Neutral Tones for a Guest Suite

Similar neutral tones throughout the bath and adjacent bedroom make this small suite seem larger. This neutral decorating scheme also helps the guest suite feel welcoming because the style of the space is comfortable for everyone.

Create Coziness with Pattern

A sliver of space wedged under the stair provided just enough space for this 5x6-foot powder room. Instead of trying to make the room feel larger, the owners emphasized intimacy with a large-scale wallpaper that mimics a print room.

The faux-crown molding at the ceiling line is a wallpaper border. A pedestal sink, antique dresser, and toilet fit comfortably within the space, and there's even room for bookshelves set between the wall studs.

Beautify the Basement Bath

The same materials that are appropriate for upstairs master baths can make a basement bath feel light and luxurious, too. Here, marble flooring puts elegance underfoot while soft blue-gray ceramic tiles make a practical, water-resistant wallcovering up to the molded-tile chair rail.

Design for Style and Comfort

In this newly finished basement bathroom, a glass-block wall admits light from the adjacent living space but provides complete privacy. The generous "belly" sink extends out from the cabinetry, offering more basin area without consuming additional floor space.

Built-in open storage accommodates towels and bath necessities. Opposite the towel storage is a walk-in steam shower.

Scotts Contracting is available for all your Remodeling Needs email scottscontracting@gmail.com to scedule a free green site evaluation

Whether you're finishing a basement or remodeling one- be sure to include a bathroom

Basement Bathroom Ideas Part 1 of 2

---

Add a Stylish Powder Room

If your basement will serve primarily as a space for entertaining, you may need only a powder room instead of a full bathroom. Because a powder room is a small space with only a toilet and sink, your remodeling budget may stretch to include striking materials, such as stone tiles for the walls and a stylish sink with gooseneck faucet.

Indulge in Luxury Features

If your basement will include a guest suite or a bedroom for a parent or a teen, a full bath is a must. Just because it's in the basement doesn't mean the bath can't be as luxurious as one upstairs. A curved-front sink and walk-in shower are two luxury features in this lower-level guest bathroom. Rough-hewn stone tiles in a variety of shapes and sizes add visual interest to the space.

Plan for Good Lighting

Lighting is important anywhere in the basement but especially so in the bathroom. When planning a basement bathroom, remember lighting fixtures in the shower area must have waterproof lenses. Ceiling lights in front of this wall-size mirror illuminate the vanity and provide ambient lighting.

Choose Water-Resistant Materials

Just as in an upstairs bathroom, you'll want to choose materials with functionality and style in mind. Stone tiles are a popular choice for floors and walls because they are durable, water-resistant, and easy to clean.

In this tiny, practical corner, there are six different surfaces. Because they're complementary in texture and tone, visual harmony prevails.

Expand Space with Mirrors

Mirrors stretch wall to wall and countertop to ceiling to make this modest 5x7-foot basement bathroom seem bigger than it is. The mirror also increases light by creating the illusion of double the windows and bouncing back illumination from light fixtures.

Checkerboard wallpaper is visually busy, but the perspective is enhanced by the mirror reflection, making the room seem deeper. A sink that measures 18 inches front to back saves on valuable counter space.

Find Room for a Full Bath

Because it's generally not the main bathroom for the house, a basement bathroom doesn't have to be large. An area about 35 square feet can accommodate a toilet, vanity, and shower or bathtub. Building codes allow ceiling heights of 84 inches--6 inches lower than other living areas.

Compact but not tiny, this basement guest bathroom includes a generous vanity, toilet, and shower stall. Close the pocket door, and the bathroom teams up with an adjacent office to serve as a welcoming, private guest suite.

Use Color to Enlarge the Space

A checkerboard of ceramic tiles in two closely related tones covers the walls and floor in this bathroom and makes the space look bigger. Solid color and lack of pattern are the secrets.

An angled shower to the right uses the space more efficiently than a typical square shower.

Glass Blocks for Light and Privacy

If you can locate your basement bathroom on an above-ground exterior wall, consider glass-block windows to usher in light and provide privacy. A large mirror over the sink reflects both the window on the opposite wall and the pendant lights, bouncing more light through the room.

Adding a bathroom to the basement requires connecting the fixtures to the main drain, which may mean cutting through a concrete floor. If you have the headroom available, an alternative solution is to elevate the bathroom so the new plumbing lines and drain can be hidden under the new floor.

Make the Bath Accessible

In a basement that is wheelchair-accessible, it's a good idea to design the bath with universal-design principles in mind. Proving that universal design can be as beautiful as it is practical, this stunning marble-lined basement bath features a shower free of doors and raised thresholds, making it easily accessible.

The adjacent vanity compartment features a dramatic pedestal sink and mirrors lit by long warm-light fluorescent tubes.

Soften the Bath with Fabric

Fabric outlined in decorative cording gives these bathroom walls a soft, finished touch. Reserve this treatment for basements where condensation and moisture are not a threat.

A powder room is an ideal candidate for upholstered walls because it's small enough to keep the job manageable. Staple batting to the walls, then stretch and staple lengths of fabric over the batting. Use hot glue to secure decorative welting over the staples.

The lower walls are painted to resemble stained wood wainscoting with bamboo molding.

Scotts Contracting is available for all your design and design build bathroom remodels and also supplies free Green Site Evaluations. email scottscontracting@gmail.com for additional info

--
Scott's Contracting
scottscontracting@gmail.com

Basement Stairway Ideas Part 2

Scotts Contracting Offers Basement Remodels for every budget

Scotts Contracting supplies free Green Estimates for every Project

Click Here to email Scotty for a Project Proposal

Create Understair Display Space

Turn the space under the stairs into a display cabinet for collections. Wire the cabinet for lighting so you can spotlight special objects.

Add Style with the Balustrade

Golden oak balusters, stair rail, and a support column match the trimwork and cabinetry in the basement, creating continuity with the upstairs spaces. Adding style to the staircase can be as simple as affixing solid rectangles of stained wood to every other pair of balusters, creating pattern and interest.

Choose a Distinctive Railing Design

White beaded-board wainscoting, wood-tone trim and stair treads, and colorful walls lead the way down these winder stairs. The railing features a gridlike design for safety and style. (The spaces between balusters, whether posts or a grid design, should be smaller than a toddler's head.)

Break Up the Descent with a U Shape

U-shape stairs lined with a Craftsman-style wooden balustrade lead to this basement. This stair design requires more floor space than a straight run of stairs, but it's a good choice when a straight run would be too steep.

Emphasize the Diagonal

Instead of a stair rail and balusters, this straight-run staircase features the design equivalent of three parallel handrails. The design emphasizes the strong diagonal of the staircase and maintains an open feeling for the descent into the basement. It also requires fewer materials than traditional posts or balusters would.

Suit the Staircase Style to Your Decor

A dramatic open-tread staircase built of industrial materials ushers visitors into a clean-lined, contemporary space designed for entertaining.

Stretch the Spiral for a Relaxed Descent

This sleek, open-tread staircase spirals down gracefully from the first floor, delivering visitors to the lower-level quarters with a flourish. More relaxed than the typical space-saving spiral, the staircase feels open and easy to climb as a result.

Scotts Contracting Offers Basement Remodels for every budget

Scotts Contracting supplies free Green Estimates for every Project

Click Here to email Scotty for a Project Proposal

--

Scott's Contracting scottscontracting@gmail.com http://stlouisrenewableenergy.blogspot.com