School is out and many of you have a houseful of children underfoot for the summer. Any budding designers in the bunch? Maybe a summer excercise of decorating a bedroom can be a fun way to fill some of those long hours of summer. Paint is always an easy starting point. When picking paint colors with the younger set, sometimes they are draw to a very saturated level of color that may not strike the right cord with you. A good compromise can be to start with the color of child’s choice and then travel up the paint chart for a more muted color of the same family. Another fun variable with paint can be the ceiling. Maybe a fun accent color on the ceiling will provide the excitement a child is looking? Sometimes redecorating a child’s room can be as simple as rearranging the furniture. Moving the bed around can provide a fun change of view as well as help expose all the “treasures” that sometimes become hidden. Always a good start to a full cleanout from the previous school year. If you are looking for sources for children’s accessories catalog companies are a great starting point. Serena and Lilly, The Land Of Nod, West Elm and CB2 can be great resources. Have fun and remember the best child’s room is one that can grow with them so steer clear of themes and novelty items and try for transitional pieces that can display their changing interests.
Design/Showroom
Children in the Home
Design Decisions: Tub vs. Shower
When starting the journey of renovating a bathroom, there are a multitude of things to consider, from tile and paint, faucets and lighting and everything in between. Frankly there isn’t a space in the home that houses so many necessary products in such a condensed square footage. Now if you are mulling over a reno project, we certainly recommend you work with an experience kitchen and bath designer who can guide you through the process. Doing some initial brainstorming before one sits down with a professional is always a good idea. Getting to the goal line is always easier when a client has organized their thoughts and priorities for their new space.
One of the largest decisions in a bath renovation is whether to use a shower/tub combination, devote large square footage (if available) to both a soaking tub and shower or select just a shower. Often this decision can be driven by the space you have to work with. Sometimes people have watched a large garden tub collect dust for years, never being used, and the first thing on the chopping block is the large soaking tub. This typically space hogging feature can make way for additional storage, an extra vanity, or that spacious two person shower loaded with spray heads and multiple shower heads. Other clients yearn for a deep soaking tub to use after a run or just a long day at work. Of course when one commits to the tub idea, you now have to decide which tub. Is it free- standing or built into a tub deck and then what material to use for the deck facing and top? Will the new tub be cast iron or acrylic? How much do you want to spend? Would you like a standard tub faucet or would you like to add a handheld sprayer as well? Good thing you have a designer to help along the way!
So before you start that bathroom renovation, take some time to evaluate what you really need and want. A few hours spent coming up with a wish list can really help streamline your design time and get you into that new tub, or shower, faster!
Master Suites
In a master suite, the goal is always to create a space that is part of a home, yet separated in some way to provide that sense of oasis and calm. The standard for a true master suite is an attached en suite bathroom and closet, all accessible to the master bedroom. Beyond that, plans can include morning bars or small kitchenettes where one can enjoy a cup of coffee before leaving the bedroom. Sitting or dressing rooms are always an attraction. Custom or detailed cabinetry in a closet can take a space from simply clothes storage to something spectacular. A homeowner can wake each day with a boutique shopping experience by simply strolling into a new closet fitted with custom shelving, superb lighting, and comfortable seating. Often a sitting room, even if it is just designated by a pair of comfortable chairs, is a priority for homeowners. A desk or a small table and chair where one can to send a few emails, check a calendar for the coming day, or charge laptops and phones can be a consideration.
It is always advisable to consider storage carefully in a master suite. It doesn’t matter how lovely the space or attractive the finishes, if there is not enough room for clothing and personal items, you will have a mess on your hands. Nothing detracts from a master suite experience, like piles of clothes or stacks of books teetering near a bed. Design a home for your things and have the bedroom be place for order and calm.
Evaluate carefully what your specific needs are. How does your space work for you now and what would you like for the future. Address closet and storage needs in detail. If you have four legged family members that are underfoot, consider them in the design. Lighting is also an easy thing to miss during design but so valuable to the master suite experience. Consider task lighting like sconces next to the bed for reading but also table lamps or floor lamps throughout the space. A few low voltage spot lights, set on dimmers, can provide soft background lighting or highlight artwork. It is also good to consider how two people use the space. Do you have lighting that accommodate one person getting up and starting their day, while another may sleep longer?
Most people look to the master suite as an opportunity close the doors on a busy professional schedule or active family life and create something peaceful and special. Give Home Rebuilders a call if you are ready to add some calm to your life.
Built-In Bookcases
Traditionally, built-in bookcases are made with solid wood boards, carefully routed to make tight grooves that accept each shelf. But sawn lumber is expensive – enough oak for a 8-foot bookcase, for example, could run into thousands of dollars. Plywood that has a hardwood veneer is not only less expensive but in many cases stronger than solid softwoods like pine. Most lumberyards stock the basics: birch, maple, and oak veneer plywoods. Birch is the best wood to use if you plan to paint your bookcase, and maple lends itself to a variety of stains. But there are also special-order lumberyards that make veneer plywood from any kind of wood, including mahogany, teak, cherry, or walnut. For these, it’s best to use a clear finish and let the beauty of the wood shine through.
For the strongest frame, we like to suggest oak plywood and doubled its thickness for the bookcase sides, or legs, by gluing and nailing plywood shelf supports onto longer boards. (Cutting grooves in a single board would compromise its strength.) The rough ply edges are hidden by solid-wood finish trim.
The tricky part of working with plywood is ripping down the 4-foot-wide boards to the widths needed for the frame and shelves. Making a straight cut along an entire 8-foot sheet with a circular saw is difficult, and running plywood through a portable table saw is dangerous. Your best bet is to find out if your lumberyard has a commercial table saw to make clean, straight rips. Most yards will make the cuts for a dollar or so each. Calculate how deep you want the bookcase frame and the shelves to be, subtract 11/16 inches to account for the added depth of the 5/4 solid-wood trim, then have the lumberyard rip all your sheets into boards of that width. Once you get home, you can use a circular saw to cut these narrower pieces to length.
Have the lumberyard rip your plywood into boards to the width that matches your bookcase depth. Before you cut and assemble any parts, sand all the wood. Stain or prime it and allow it to dry.
Measure the height of the space where the bookcase will go. Cut two bookcase legs to this measurement from the ripped-down plywood
Measure the width of your space in three places. Subtract 1½ inches from the smallest measurement. Cut the shelves to this length from the plywood. (Make sure you also cut a piece for the top.)
If you want your shelves to be different heights to accommodate different sizes of books, you must mark the legs where the supports will be. Hold one leg against the wall and mark where you’d like the bottom of each shelf to fall. Try to line up the shelves with nearby architectural details, such as baseboards, windowsills, and mantels.
Lay both legs on a table, butted evenly next to each other. Use a framing square to transfer the shelf marks from one board to the other. Then place a plywood scrap on edge at each line and mark the width of each shelf.
Other considerations are joining the new bookcase to your existing space. Do you want to match the existing baseboard? Ideally this runs across any built ins. The finish and profile can sometimes pose a problem, stain or paint, but a good craftsman can help you along.
Bath Time
Home ReBuiders has been asked to design and construct a bath display for the fourth annual Luxury Living Show at Phipps Plaza. We have been working furiously with Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles magazine to secure some amazing products and our design staff has created a dynamic space to showcase them. Our display will be highlighting the “luxury living” concept. We have taken a portion of the bath and created a relaxing retreat for dressing in front of a fireplace with a cup of coffee (or glass of wine) from the morning bar. This has been a fun project to stretch the concept of a tradional bath and although many of us may not have the space allowance or budget for some of these ideas, it helps create a dialog about what it means to have luxury in a home.
Sometimes a designated counter for makeup or a built-in outlet in a drawer for hair dryers and curling irons creates luxury. Some of us have strong and committed relationships with our single serving coffee makers. A spot designed specifically for this, even if only 12″ of counterspace with a plug and a beautiful basket housing coffee pods, can make the differance between a morning ritual and a morning retreat. A piece of upholstery in a hard surface bath can bring an element of luxury to a space. A simple chair or bench can provide a spot to get dressed or chat with a partner in the morning.
When embarking on a renovation it is important to think of your household rituals and design a space to celebrate them. Now that is luxury.
Spreading love with FREE design time!
Our first attempt at this giveaway appearently didn’t make the facebook requirements, so we’re modifying the venue but the prize is the same-FREE DESIGN TIME!
At Home ReBuilders, we have worked with people for over thirty years to help them create homes they love. As February is the month of love, we’d like to share the good feelings by giving away four free hours of design time, valued at almost $400.
Please leave a comment below about what you love about your home or what you’d love to change. Once you comment, you are in for the drawing which will be held March 6th. It’s hard not to love something that easy!
Down the Drain
A bathroom renovation can involve an incredible number of design and material choices, tile, plumbing, shower door styles, lighting, countertops and cabinetry. Shower drains are one element that used to be an after thought but thanks to some new products and design, are becoming a strong feature in the design and function of a bath renovation. Today, shower drains can work into the tile layout of the shower floor and can come in longer rectangular versions for a sleek look or blend in seamlessly with the flooring and tile. Inspired by the trench drain, linear drain systems are available in multiple lengths and styles. These linear systems eliminate the traditional center drain that requires pitching the floor in four directions, allowing you to pitch your surface in one direction resulting in no limitation on tile size or slab material. One more thing to add to the fabulous list!
10 things for a great kitchen
Chicago designer Mick De Giulio, who has long been considered one of the nation’s leading kitchen designers, recently wrote an article on some of the things he feels are important when designing a new kitchen. Here are some highlights. We at Home Rebuilders wholeheartedly agree with the last two!
1. Natural Light
Look for ways to maximize light, from eliminating cabinets next to windows to using transparent or reflective materials like glass and stainless steel.
2. Comfort
I like to incorporate soft seating, a TV, and — when I can — a fireplace, to make the kitchen the coziest place in the house.
3. Visual Texture
It’s the mix of woods, countertop materials, and finishes that creates warmth, personality, and mood.
4. Stainless Steel
The consummate neutral, it looks great with everything and will never go out of style. I love its organic quality — it develops a well-worn patina over time.
5. An Island
If space allows, an island is essential. It’s the social center of the kitchen.
6. A Great Sink
Accessories such as an integrated colander and a sliding cutting board make working there more efficient.
7. Integrated Refrigeration
Creating cabinet facades to hide refrigeration units gives me a tremendous amount of design freedom. By eliminating a large, boxy element, I can make a kitchen feel more room-like.
8. High-Performance Appliances
Today, high-efficiency burners and ovens with convection and self-cleaning are really indispensable.
9. A Hook
Every great kitchen has a hook, that one unique element that just pulls you in. It could be a hood, a sink, a pot rack.
10. A Kitchen Designer
Kitchen design is complicated, and the landscape is constantly changing. Hiring a professional is perhaps the most valuable investment you will make.
11. Ice Cream
In my opinion, no kitchen is complete without it.
Custom Homes are Back
The real estate market has been a wild ride for the last few years. Thankfully, things are smoothing out and the rollercoaster is heading uphill. That leaves many people revisiting the dream of building a new home and reopening their file of ideas or plans.
At Home Rebuilders, we’ve helped many people realize their dream of a new home, designed especially with their family and goals in mind. Unlike renovations where we are often constrained by existing floor plans, layouts and structure, new home construction can be like starting on a blank canvas with a full palette of paint! That’s not to say that parameters are boundless. We are constantly focused on client needs, neighborhood requirements, and we always have a mind on the budget.
If you’ve thought of a new home, this could be the time to start the process. We have a real estate professional on staff experienced in negotiation purchases of land and familiar with the market. Our architectural staff can take your vision and needs and produce concrete plans. Our construction staff produces quality work, on time and on budget. Visit our portfolio to view a few of our more recent custom homes. Our process also eliminates the developer and realty fees on purchasing a finished product.
Cabinetry: Exclusive Value
One of the universal truths in quality residential home building and remodeling is that inferior cabinetry construction inevitably leads to disappointment and frustration. Unfortunately, often in the spirit of economy and smart investing, many homeowners find themselves making compromises and concessions during home improvement project that ultimately results in craftsmanship that will not stand the test of time. At Home ReBuilders we simply refuse to put our clients and ourselves in that situation. This commitment fosters an environment that allows clients to make design and product decisions with an unparalleled degree of confidence. Home ReBuilders’ clients know, from design concept to final punch, that an entire design/build team is there to maximize the project’s value and protect their investment.
In the interest of continuing to provide the most diverse range of quality products that our clients can trust, Home ReBuilders has partnered with several of our most distinguished and skillful cabinetry manufacturers to develop an expanded product offering that blows all of the standard budgetary constraints out of the water. This exciting partnership now allows Home ReBuilders to offer clients the same superior construction quality that we have been committed to for over 30 years while REDUCING cabinetry budgets as much as 25% below Atlanta’s average semi-custom cabinet price point.
Here is just a “tip of the iceberg” list of some of the great options that future Home ReBuilders’ clients can now take off the “possible compromise” list while staying within budget:
– Beautiful upgraded stained or stained and glazed solid Cherry cabinet doors
– Ultra-durable factory paint finishes, including beautiful accent glazes
– French dovetail maple drawer boxes with soft-close, full extension, concealed undermount drawer glides
– Durable all plywood and solid hardwood cabinet box construction
– Internal roll out shelves, deep pot & pan drawers, durable wood shelf lazy susan cabinets for tough corners, trash and recycling pull out storage, chef’s pantry organization systems, cutlery dividers, knife drawers, spice drawers and pull-outs, pull out column storage, tray and cookie sheet dividers…the storage solution options are literally limitless
– Focal point wood vent hoods
– Virtually any millwork configuration imaginable – crown build-ups, turned posts, hand-carved corbels
– Mullion glass display cabinets with any style glass available
– Custom door panels for fully integrated and built in appliances
– Factory backed protection – minimum 100 year warranty, maximum lifetime warranty
Home ReBuilders is thrilled to be the first design/build firm in the Atlanta Metro area to facilitate a solid home investment opportunity that once again allows homeowners to take pride in their accomplishments and add value to their property while dramatically increasing quality of home life for their entire family.
