Ballardites going strong in "Re-Energized by Design" show

Guest — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 23:15:39 +0000

Guest (not verified) Tue, 04/16/2013 - 4:15pm

So, the mini web-series "Re-Energized by Design" by Puget Sound Energy is a few episodes in already and the Ballard family, the Mendes, are kicking butt. To put it bluntly.

Aside from a few freebies, contestants are relying on deals and rebates that any PSE customer can take advantage of to make their homes more efficient, beautiful and comfortable. PSE offers discounts on efficient CFL and LED lighting that can save hundreds of dollars over the life of the bulb, as well as rebates on the latest sleek and efficient ENERGY STAR appliances, water heaters, energy-efficient windows and more.

The Mendes pair made it to the final three and will be competing tomorrow to make it into the final, mono-a-mono competition. You can watch it, and previous episodes, at the web-series website at http://reenergizedbydesign.com/. At around seven-eight minutes long, the episodes aren't too time consuming, and you'll probably learn a bit about energy efficiency while you're at it.

If nothing else, the before-and-after photos might offer you motivation to get off your couch and finally makeover your own home like you've been meaning to all these years.

Cheer our Ballardites on!

Here's a recap of the Mendes' redesigns:

Bathroom Makeover

Updated the wall color from flat silver-grey to light mauve with a semi-gloss finish that compliments the maroon tile and reflects more light to brighten the space.
Repainted chrome knobs, towel rods, sconces, pulls, hooks and tissue holder with oil rubbed bronze spray paint.
Added a wood frame to the mirror.
Created a new roman shade from scratch.
Bought new accents including a shower curtain, toothbrush holder, tumbler, soap dispenser, rug and decorative towels.
Installed a faucet aerator and new WaterSense toilet and showerhead.
Replaced 40w incandescent bulbs in sconces with CFL bulbs.
Vacuumed the ceiling fan to clear out dust and improve efficiency.

Total spent: $496.25

Tips for your own makeover

A fresh coat of paint can really open up a small bathroom and make it feel bigger than it actually is.
Bathrooms require a lot of light. By moving light fixtures to the sides of the vanity you can minimize shadows created by overhead fixtures. Check out more bathroom lighting tips in this Re-Energized by Design Efficient Ideas blog post.
Decorative CFL or LED A-line bulbs can give your vanity a dressing room effect to make shaving, tweezing and makeup application quick and easy. You’ll also get serious savings – you can save up to $50 a year by replacing 15 incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient CFLs or LEDs.

Before

After

Before

After

Garage Makeover

Primed and painted the garage with white paint to increase reflected light, repainted cabinets and tool table and painted a center circle and hockey goals at either end of the garage.
Replaced four incandescent light bulbs with two CFLs and 10 LEDs. The new bulbs improve lighting and cut energy use in half.
Purchased new storage bins to improve organization and recycled cardboard, Styrofoam, and old batteries from the garage.
Installed pegboard, hooks and racks to hang and organize tools.
Installed new plates on outlets to improve safety.
Added polystyrene insulation board over the heat duct to improve heating efficiency.
Sprayed foam insulation on the garage door, windows and cracks.
Weather-stripped doors and tightened bolts on the garage door so that it would sit more flush with the new insulation.

Total spent: $497.95

Tips for your own makeover:

Home offices often do double duty as a guest room or another household function. Consider turning the closet into desk space to make the most of limited space.
Garages tend to be a place where we store more than just our cars. Installing shelving and labeled crates make for fewer headaches when it comes time to store and locate seasonal items.
While working on your garage, check to make sure your emergency kit is up to date and ready to keep your family safe and comfortable during a major power outage or natural disaster. Take a look at this checklist to get started.
In rooms like your home office where you have lots of electronics, install a “smart” power strip. Smart power strips save energy by preventing electronics from drawing power when turned off.
If your office or garage has become a home for your old electronics, reclaim your space by recycling them through the Take it Back Network.

Living Room Makeover

Before

After

Before

After

Living Room

Repainted the walls blue-grey.
Hung new curtains panels and put new knobs on the existing dresser.
Rearranged furniture, bought a used coffee table and made new pillow covers.
Bought a new lamp and installed a 13 watt CFL bulb and replaced six 50w incandescent bulbs with 7w LED bulbs.
Added furniture and décor from around the house including shelving, a mirror, a painting, and driftwood collected on a kayaking trip.
Concealed all of the wires from the TV and updated the TV’s energy-saving settings.
Replaced the solid door with a glass door that was in the kitchen.
Reused baskets from the office to organize DVDs, video game consoles, etc.
Installed a “smart” power strip that prevents electronics from drawing power when turned off.
Installed new glass fireplace doors to prevent drafts and insulated all the outlets in the room.

Total spent: $496.78

Before

After

Before

After

Zachariah Bryan can be reached at zachb@robinsonnews.com

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Ballard duo to be in reality show-styled design contest

Guest — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 22:07:18 +0000

Guest (not verified) Thu, 01/24/2013 - 2:07pm

Mendes family, from left to right: Marie, Mateas, Cristiano, and Mike.

Photo courtesy of PSE

A Ballard husband-and-wife duo have entered Puget Sound Energy (PSE)'s "Re-Energized by Design" challenge, a reality show-styled competition in which contestants will complete a series of fast-paced room-makeover challenges, combining elegant home design with energy efficient products.

And the grand prize? $5,000.

Repping our neighborhood are the Mendes pair: Marie, an Environmental Engineer, and her husband Mike, a geologist. It's a one-two punch of analytic focus and energy efficiency knowledge that no other team can match. (Well, we might be biased.)

Marie and Mike have two children, Mateus (14-months old) and Cristiano (four years old). Marie and Mike were East Coast-bred, but they came to Seattle, falling in love with the outdoors, the wealth of nationalities and districts and, of course, the eco-conscious people.

“We’d like to learn about design, push our limits to accomplish our goals, and to convey to the kids the importance of the environment and energy," Marie told PSE in a press release. "Improving the style of our home while reducing our environmental impact is the perfect project for our family.”

Marie and Mike were selected through a rigorous selection process which featured submitting a video or photo entry, a public vote to select 10 finalists, and a final interview.

Each contestant will be supported by a design coach and will be judged by a panel of judges: Society and events photographer Duell Fisher, 425 and South Sound Magazine editor Lisa Patterson, and radio personality Marty Reimer.

A web-series will be released documenting the contestants efforts, and will be found on reenergizedbydesign.com, which will start in March.

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Zachariah Bryan

PSE

Puget Sound Energy

Re-Energized by Design

Ballard

Ballard News Tribune