Archive for June, 2012

Love to Entertain? Plan a Kitchen Remodel Worthy of Festive Fireworks!

June 28th, 2012
Posted in Design, Design and Build, Kitchens | Comments Off

Kitchen1The July 4th holiday is on the horizon and many of us will be entertaining friends and family at home. If you are thinking about a kitchen remodeling project, take some time during this holiday to pay attention to how you use your kitchen today and how you dream about using it in the future. We recently completed a kitchen remodel for a couple who belong to a wine club and love to entertain at home. Here are some of the ways our professional design team brought the clients’ personal vision for their kitchen to life:

Gathering space: Space planning is essential for a kitchen where large groups will gather. Subtle positioning of cabinetry and appliances establishes a sense of the kitchen not just as a place to cook and serve, but as a place to relax and enjoy the company of guests.

Centerpiece seating: An island bar in a distinctive shape or a dramatic material selection sets the stage for gathering people together in comfort and style. The island and bar area pictured above were designed with a purposefully large scale in an extra thick mother of pearl granite.

FourthJulySinkCustom details: The sink pictured here, with its unusual shape and sleek faucet, was specially designed to accommodate bar serving. The kitchen also includes a strategically placed wine refrigerator and an area for coffee and beverage service. Both are designed to blend seamlessly with the surrounding cabinetry, allowing for convenient access and a clutter-free appearance

When you have a passion for entertaining at home, a kitchen remodeling project brings a renewed sense of inspiration and fulfillment to your lifestyle. Whether your forte is elegant dinner parties or family feasts, a professional designer can work with you to explore the details that will make your space a functional and beautiful expression of your personal style.

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Walk This Way: Bring Curb Appeal to Your Whole Home Remodel

June 21st, 2012
Posted in Design and Build, Landscaping, Whole Home Remodel | Comments Off

Curb_AppealDesigning your home for maximum curb appeal is an essential element of a successful whole home remodel. Working with a unified team of architects, designers and construction professionals, along with the help of an experienced landscape designer, you can arrive at a design that will significantly increase your home’s visual appeal and value.

Here are some ideas to bring curb appeal to your whole home remodel:

Plan your entrance: Your front door should balance visually by working well with the overall design of your home while making a statement of its own. An inviting front door can be achieved with unusual scale or color, atypical wood grain, or thoughtfully placed windows. Attention to detail in the selection of hardware will also make a memorable presentation.

Fence it in: The exterior pictured here features a 2-tone semi solid fence which enhances the wood color and leaves the grain visible for interesting texture. This fence perfectly inhabits its coastal environment, with a somewhat open sensibility that still offers privacy and security. The custom designed front gate is finished with a strip of copper that will weather with time while protecting the wood gates for many years.

Surface matters: The siding of the home pictured is a pre-finished solid color hard plank, selected in a color palate that effortlessly integrates with its coastal environment. When selecting exterior surfaces and colors, a professional designer finds the ideal balance between stand out style and a design that makes sense in its surroundings.

Sustainable greenery: For San Diego homes, like the Coronado home pictured here, drought tolerant landscaping with native plants is a natural and practical choice. Working with a registered landscape architect, you can enjoy landscaping that is functional, beautiful and at the level of maintenance you desire.

Well designed curb appeal brings added value and lasting enjoyment to your home. When planning your whole home remodel, working with an experienced design build remodeling team ensures your home will be beautiful inside and out!

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If It’s Father’s Day, It Must be Time for a BBQ!

June 15th, 2012
Posted in Design, Design and Build, Outdoor Living, Whole Home Remodel | Comments Off

FathersDayAll Dads seem to share a common passion for firing up the grill when it’s their turn to cook. When planning your whole home remodel, this is exactly the type of lifestyle choice you want to incorporate in the design of your home. In honor of Father’s Day this weekend, we are reviewing some of the options to consider when designing space for an outdoor barbecue:

Choose the grill. There are hundreds of grills to choose from, including wood, gas, charcoal or hybrid versions. Each type of grilling method has its own dedicated fan base – chances are, the Dad in your home has a favorite type of grill.

Select the accessories. Depending on the space you have available and the prominence you want to give your outdoor barbecue space, you may decide to keep the area simple with just a few grilling accessories, or build an entire outdoor kitchen complete with refrigeration and sink.

Pick a place. Safety is essential when it comes to deciding where your grill will fit into the scheme of your outdoor area. You will also want to consider protection from the weather – both strong sun and long periods of rain here in the San Diego region. Also reflect upon how you will use the space and how the grilling area should relate to seating and sunbathing areas or a pool, if you have one.

Design for living. Your outdoor area should work well both visually and functionally with your indoor space. The space should have its own visual appeal while being recognizably in harmony with the look of the rest of your home. Practical aspects of the design make a real difference in outdoor design, such as selecting countertops and ground covering that will stand up to repeated use and exposure to the elements.

Working with a professional design team, you can imagine and create a design that encompasses Dad’s enthusiasm for grilling along with other amenities for relaxing and entertaining in your outdoor space!

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Feast on Natural Surroundings: Tips for Outdoor Dining Spaces

June 8th, 2012
Posted in Design, Design and Build, Outdoor Living, Whole Home Remodel | Comments Off

OutdoordiningInterior design doesn’t have to stop inside. When planning your whole home remodel, bringing style and comfort to your outdoor space opens the door to a lifestyle that embraces your surroundings. Whether your environment is urban, rural or beachside, planning for outdoor living expands the possibilities for enjoying your space. Sharing a meal with friends and family outdoors is an experience that can bring lasting memories.

Here are some tips for making the most of your outdoor dining adventures:

  • Decide on a focal point for your outdoor dining space. It could be the view of a valley or a coast, a backyard garden, a pool, or a glittering city scape. Your outdoor dining space should be designed to emphasize this focal point.
  • Consider how you will most often use the space. Will you usually dine with close friends and family or do you plan to use the space for business entertaining? Do you plan to dine outdoors for more casual or more formal occasions? Are you a barbecue aficionado who can’t imagine outdoor dining without a grill? Choices like these will affect how often you use the space and how comfortable you feel with the design.
  • The design outdoors should have some companionship with the design indoors. Good design finds the balance between interesting contrasts and visual unity.
  • Will you be dining outdoors at night? If so, practical elements such as lighting and heating are essential. For daytime meals in hotter climates, providing for shade is also important.
  • What’s underfoot? The flooring in your outdoor dining space should be planned based on your climate, the design of the rest of your home and the maintenance you want to commit to.
  • Plan for entertaining in your outdoor space by incorporating music into the environment for added ambience.
  • Create memorable experiences in your space with the finishing touches that make your space an individual expression of your personal style. Custom glass light fixtures, one-of-a-kind sculptures, carefully selected fabrics and textures bring the level of detail to a space that separates it from the ordinary.

Working with your own professional designer makes the task of planning your outdoor space more efficient and exciting! As the season beckons us to enjoy the great outdoors, why not start in your own backyard?

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