Estate Homes Remodeler

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Remodeling Magazine 2011 Design Awards

We enjoyed Remodeling Magazine’s 2011 Design Awards issue so much, that we thought we would share some of the winners with you. Hope they inspire you in your own projects!

Kitchen Remodeling $50,000 – $100,000
To satisfy the clients’ ideas for a modern palette, the team used a black and white color theme with custom white oak cabinets and stained graphite and concrete countertops. They replaced the damaged ¾-inch pine flooring with salvaged heart pine flooring finished with a patina to match the other flooring in the house. To gain light, a “full-view” steel door onto the deck was installed. Walls and ceilings were plaster-coated to give the look and feel of the original.
Architect/Designer: Heather Wildman Figley, Moss Architects, Pittsburgh
Contractor: Dave Myers, J. Francis Co., Pittsburgh

Whole-House Remodeling Under $250,000
The layout of this 60’s-era home was comprised of small rooms, which gave the house an unusually cramped and crowded feeling. The new design opens up the kitchen and dining room into the large living room. Windows and skylights bring light deep into the interior, highlighting the richness of the ceiling and giving the main level a more open feel. New mahogany siding allows the home to tastefully celebrate its roots while becoming a contemporary neighborhood jewel.
Designer: Shawn Buehler, Bennett Frank McCarthy Architects, Silver Spring, Md.
Contractor: Matt Novakovitch, Radius Group, Derwood, Md.

Design-Build over $250,000
This 75-year-old house needed an upgrade to fit both the current and future needs of a young family. The remodeled home now opens up to the front yard to give it a more welcoming feel. The addition of the spacious front porch is an ideal and comfortable perch for parents as the children romp through the yard. The entry was moved to the right side of the house, which improves circulation throughout. A new living room occupies the space that once housed a single-car garage. The addition of stucco and plank siding revealed a home that hasn’t just been improved and updated, but has been reborn.
Designer: Van Pond, The Wills Co., Nashville, Tenn.
Contractor: Ridley Wills, The Wills Co.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Trend Watch: Demand for Home Health Technology to Rise With Aging of Baby Boomers

Whether it involves older adults or children with special needs in the home, the possibility of a life threatening physical injury occuring when no one is around is a big motivator for the installation of home health technology integration systems.

Statistics from AARP and others support expectations for this to become a significant trend in the housing industry. 75% of adult children and 69% of parents are specifically concerned about the parents' ability to live independently as they get older. More than half of adult children - 54% - think their parents will need help of home monitoring.

Home health technology - electronic systems that can provide individuals access to health monitoring at home - can allow older Americans to live at home longer and special needs children to maintain more independence. Aging-in-Place technology blogger and analyst Laurie Orlov projects that today's $2 billion aging technology industry will be worth $20 billion by the year 2020.

Among "active adults" for whom health ailments aren't yet a great concern, there is an ability and eagerness to stay fit, which is opening up other opportunities for in home technology, such as fitness rooms with sound systems and programmable TV's.

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Beautiful Composite Kitchen Sinks

With the introduction of composite kitchen sinks into the market, people no longer consider kitchen sinks as something unattractive or boring. Compared to stainless steel sinks, a composite kitchen sink maintains its shiny appearance for a long time. In addition, unlike porcelain sinks, composite kitchen sinks don't easily crack even when being hit with a hard object like a pan or a plate. So you save the headache and money of having to fix a cracked sink. Undeniably, composite kitchen sinks are the most hard-wearing and well planned product.

With a composite kitchen sink your kitchen will definitely get noticed by your guests. You really have the kitchen that everybody dreams about! So, if you are thinking of buying a new kitchen sink, count a composite kitchen sink in! As the name implies, composite kitchen sinks are made of composite materials that are solid and long lasting. They are indeed built for style and durability. The way they are constructed is much more better than their predecessors. They look easy on the eyes and they have become better in almost every aspect over the years. New composite kitchen sinks have all the desirable traits of a present day sink and stand intact even under severe punishments.

Selecting the best composite kitchen sink might be quite confusing as they are so many types of them to choose from. Generally there are 3 types of composite kitchen sinks depending on its construction materials; granite, quartz and polyester/acrylic.

Granite-based composite kitchen sinks are the most durable available on the market today. They have been popular in European countries and making inroads in the US market. Even though these composite kitchen sinks are quite expensive but they offer the best resistance against chemical and abrasion. The high concentration of particles at the surface of sink increases its lastingness. If you favor a shiny look, you should look for other types of composite kitchen sinks as granite-based sinks are only offered in matte finishes.

Polyester/acrylic composite kitchen sinks are made from less solid materials compared to their counterparts. As such they are less durable and have higher chances of getting chipped when hit by a hard object. However in terms of appearance, they score higher than the other types. This is the reason why they are the preferred choice among woman home owners. Not only that, the choice of colors is also numerous. These types of composite kitchen sinks are not only easy on the eyes but also easy on the pocket as they usually cost lesser than the other two types.

Compared to polyester/acrylic based, quartz composite kitchen sinks offer a more solid and long lasting surface. This is because 70% of their material is quartz and the other 30% is the binding resins. These sinks will withstand the wear and tear of daily use and can easily stand up to abrasive dish cleaning chemical that can tarnish other sinks. Like polyester/acrylic, quartz composite kitchen sinks come in a mixture of colors. As the color is consistent throughout,

the original color of the material won't fade. Quartz composite kitchen sinks are available in many shapes such as big and medium bowls. Some of them even come with preparatory sinks and bar. A Quartz composite sink can conveniently be positioned from either above or beneath the counter. However, with some styles this kind of sink does not offer the shiny finish that is usually available in a cast iron sink.

This is the only downside of this kind of composite kitchen sink. There are lots of configurations and designs to choose from and with so many options you'll be sure to find one that fits your style to create a look for you. To make your kitchen look even more amazing, couple this with an exquisite pewter faucet. These types of kitchen sinks are a must buy for every home. You will enjoy the peace of mind realizing how good this product is. When everything is considered, composite kitchen sinks are the best choice of kitchen sinks you can ever have, hands down.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Cabinet Compaines Go Green

Everyone is more conscious of the environment these days and our cabinet companies are no exception. To be certified green, a company must meet requirements in many areas. Their practices are scrutinized in several areas including materials used, how waste is treated and how some of it is used to heat manufacturing areas. Also considered is their relationship in the community, the way they treat their employees and their attention to global environmental challenges. The materials used in cabinet construction have been a primary concern since the 1980s. The biggest fear was the off-gassing caused by the formaldehyde in the resins. I’m happy to report that our cabinet companies have set, and achieved, goals in that area that have exceeded all EPA acceptable standards. To go one step farther, they now offer green components used in fabricating their cabinets. These components are manufactured with no added formaldehyde. As is the case with many eco-friendly options, this material is offered at additional cost. You can now have your kitchen, bath, home office, home theater or library installed with complete confidence.

I just want my kitchen to work better

I hear that comment often from our clients. Basically what they’re saying is that they want to maximize their storage and minimize the effort required to access it. Use of base corner cabinets is always an important consideration. The lazy susans offered by our cabinet companies are bigger and stronger than ever.

Each wood carousel is 32” in diameter, rotates on a ball bearing base and is attached to a shelf for added support. In the past, the tiers were mounted on a metal shaft and were adjustable vertically by a set screw fitting. This system caused the shelf to wobble when rotated and didn’t have the strength for heavier storage. Occasionally, the cabinet design doesn’t allow room for a corner lazy susan. In those rare cases, a blind corner cabinet is used. We’ve all used them at one time or another. Those are the cabinets that require a hands-and knees method to reach the items at the back the storage area. The fixtures used today have roll-out shelves that move forward automatically, for easy access, when the cabinet door is opened..

The list of other convenience options is longer than ever. Some of the most popular features are full-extension roll-outs, pull-out spice cabinets, tray dividers, swing-up mixer stands and even recycling units holding two to four bins to organize the materials. In the kitchen design process, each cabinet is given individual attention with regard to its location and intended use. Planning for a custom kitchen has never been easier.

Color My World

Painted finishes on cabinetry are a timeless, classic look. Homeowners have shied away from them, however because of their higher cost and their tendency to crack noticeably at the joints of the cabinet doors. Columbia Cabinets now offers a beautiful alternative. Their new tinted sealer collection boasts five standard colors and dozens of custom shades at a modest additional cost. By using tinted primers and sealers, a painted look is achieved without the usual drawbacks. The result of this process is cabinetry with the desired appearance at the same cost as standard stained colorings. Another benefit is that, because of the finishing materials used, joint fracture is reduced. Once the finished coats are applied, the doors are oven-baked for hardness and durability. For a unique decorator touch, four optional glazes can be applied. All door styles are also offered with distressing for a rustic look.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Welcome to our New Blog

This is the first post of our new blog. We hope you enjoy it. For now, here's a photo to tide you over.

See you again soon!

Your friends at Estate Homes.