Tired of the same old song and dance when you arrive home every day? A simple but effective way to change the rhythm of your home design is to renovate the front entry. This can be done in a BIG way, with lighting and raised ceilings and high-end finishes, or with just a few simple changes. It all depends on your budget and the style of your home. Here are 4 ways to jazz up your front entry.
How to Choose the Right Flooring for Your Home
It isn’t always easy selecting finishes for your home. For many homeowners, one of the most difficult items to choose is the flooring. There are so many options on the market, how do you know which one is right for you? How do you ensure you make the right choice for your budget, your design, and your own personal comfort? We’ve helped select and install many different types of flooring over the years, and we’ve learned a lot of the pros and cons of each. Here are a few key things you need to know about how to choose the right flooring for your home.
Fireside Chat: What Kind of Fireplace is Best for Your Florida Home?
Are you a fan of the hearth? Do you love the idea of curling up next to a fireplace with your family, telling stories or playing games? Or perhaps a quiet evening warming your toes, watching the sun set? The idea of a fireplace in a sub-tropical climate may seem contradictory, but it’s very common to see both wood-burning and gas fireplaces in Florida homes. But how do you get started? What if you have an existing fireplace that doesn’t fit your style? Read on for some design and construction advice on installing the right fireplace for your home.
Brass is Back – But Not in Overkill
Not since the height of the 70’s have we seen brass so strongly embraced in interior design. Along with its other warm metallic counterparts (copper and bronze), brass is enjoying a huge revival. Beaten, folded or polished – designers are celebrating its luxurious, yet industrial appeal, making everything from chandeliers, pendant lights, tables, dressers, chairs, bath and kitchen fixtures and decorative accessories out of this ancient metal.
3 High-Tech Features for Luxury New Homes
These days, homeowners have a real array of must-haves when it comes to dreaming about their luxury new homes. And why not? With today’s sophisticated technology, having your custom home builders incorporate some well-chosen high-tech features into your home design is easier than ever. There may be some cool space-age controls out there that you haven’t even thought of!
Luxury new homes say that it’s time to treat and pamper yourself in elegant, top-quality surroundings. You want an ultra- attractive environment that practically runs itself, letting you enjoy touch-button, ultra-modern convenience.
Fun and Terrific High-Tech Features to Consider
Yes, fun! Because in addition to the appeal of practically effortless control over your custom-designed private surroundings, these great gadgets will make you feel futuristic and all-powerful.
1. Multi-Room Audio-Visual Control
An impressive item to opt for in any luxury dream home is a multi-room, audio-visual control system. This allows you toContinue reading
Custom Home Builders and Venetian Plaster
Originally called “Italian lime plaster,” Venetian plaster is a stunning and effective finish for various home features, including walls and ceilings. It consists of authentic lime plasters mixed with colorants such as ground marble dust, and is applied to concrete or wood surfaces to create either a smooth or matte finish.
Remember that not all custom home builders are trained and experienced in the art of Venetian plaster, a specialized technique that surpasses the application of many more conventional wall coverings and surfaces. Some of the specific styles of Venetian plaster include the scagliola, sgraffito and the marmorino.
- Scagliola – Originally from Italy’s Tuscany region in the 17th century, this technique comes from an Italian word meaning “chips” (scaglia) and has traditionally been used to produce stucco columns and other architectural features that resemble inlays in marble and other hard stones. The material may be veined with colors and applied to a core, or a pattern might be carved into a prepared matrix. The melding of materials and method provides an appealing complex texture and richness of color.
- Sgraffito (or scraffito) – When used for wall décor, this particular Venetian plaster technique and effect is created by applying layers of plaster tinted in contrasting colors to a moistened surface, and then scratching to produce an outline drawing. Recently there has been Continue reading
A New Home for a New Life
What could be more appealing for newlyweds than the opportunity to design their dream home together? Despite the excitement, the realities of what needs to be done and how to go about it can seem overwhelming. There are many decisions to be made; instead of letting that get you down, imagine the ease and enjoyment of having experienced custom home builders guide you through every step.
Make your project perfect by consulting with knowledgeable custom home builders even before starting with any specific design plans. Explain your vision for the new home, plus your parameters in terms of scale, budget, style and more. Their advice will be invaluable in considering all of the following areas:Continue reading