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Top 10 Home Trends for 2016

in Design Ideas, Home Ideas, Trends/by Lowell Custom Homes

Fads come and go, but trends in homebuilding can last for generations. These develop over time and respond to changes in lifestyle, innovations in materials and new technology. With this in mind, our goal is to bring you the latest trends that are sure to become timeless classics.

Effortless Luxury for Homes of All Sizes

The well appointed home is in demand for homes of all sizes. Downsizing does not mean giving up the beautiful features empty nesters are accustomed to, even starter home buyers want to feel pampered. Open floorplans, custom woodwork, gourmet kitchens and statement lighting all detail the homes that are sized according to lifestyle needs, not neighborhoods.

Seasonal Living Spaces

Move from the sunroom, to screened-in porch, to the pergola-covered patio with ease. Fluid transitions between indoor and outdoor living space has the ability to extend seasons for the year long appreciation of nature. These spaces often include fireplaces, entertainment technology, conversational seating, dining area and outdoor kitchens.

Multigenerational Space with Flexibility and Inclusive Design

Extended families under one roof are giving rise to homes with multiple bedroom suites for the comfort of everyone from aging parents or boomerang children. These homes are designed with large shared space to enhance family connections. Personalized private areas often features showers with seats and grab rails to insure safety and open space for easy navigation.

State-of-the-Art Kitchens with Integrated Living Space

Today’s kitchens are connected to family life more than ever. The super-sized island is a multitasking essential with cabinetry in furniture-like finishes and smart appliances. Integrated equipment lends a streamline look to open floor plans. Luxury niche appliances satisfy the most serious chefs and include high performance ranges, steam ovens, warming drawers, metal range hoods and wine coolers. Emerging trends include kimchi refrigerators for preserving vegetables in keeping with Korean traditions and cultivators like the Urban Cultivator for fresh herbs.

Kitchen by Geneva Cabinet Company

Healthy Homes – Clean Living

A clean aesthetic is highly desirable and designs are evolving to incorporate low maintenance finishes that advance the cause. Quartz countertops with antibacterial properties are growing in popularity along with stainless steel countertops and large-scale tile with fewer grout lines. Air and water purification systems and natural materials work together to reduce toxins in the home along with streamline design where dust can’t hide.

Relaxed and Farmhouse Entries

The farmhouse tradition of practicality is driving the trend for relaxes entries that focus on convenience. Open cubbies provide visible storage that eliminates the frantic search for keys. Additional storage under built-in benches keep shoes and boots tidy while preventing outside dirt from being tracked inside. Charging stations are often included to keep electronics in sight and ready to go.

Flexible Dining Room

Dining is an art to be shared with friends and family. For this reason many are not willing to give up on the idea of a formal dining room. We have the perfect solution with open floor plans where the dining area can be adjusted to suite an intimate dinner party or grand affair.

Eclectic Mash Up

Mix and match principles apply throughout the home and are most evident in the kitchen. Combinations feature complimentary styles and colors for cabinetry along with various countertop materials assigned by use. Quartz, soapstone and hand scraped woods compete with granite for the most popular position. Metallic finishes for hardware and tile inserts includes gold, copper and platinum along with the traditional chrome and steel.

Authentic Materials and Craftsmanship

Appreciation for handcrafted work from local artisans and locally sourced material is on the rise. It goes beyond the sustainability factor and speaks to a newfound respect for the time-honored skills of our neighbors. Repurposed and locally sourced materials carry a highly trusted reassurance of quality.

Leisure Spaces and Getaway Rooms

When it’s time to relax we want a space that transports us from the daily grind to a relaxing retreat. Home hobby spaces can be as peaceful as a meditation room or as active an arcade. Many are self-sustaining with a refreshment area and private bath. These spaces vary from a basketball court that is just down the hall to a freestanding boathouse or poolside cabana.
Kitchen by Geneva Cabinet Company

Why Fi? Home networks that run as smoothly as your refrigerator.

in Building a New Home, Home Entertainment, Technology/by Lowell Custom Homes

You settle down with a few friends to watch “House of Cards” on Netflix and so it begins, start…stop… buffering…play…buffering. Arghhh! Isn’t technology WONDERFUL?!
The rest of your household runs so smoothly. Your refrigerator keeps things cold – it doesn’t require any attention and rarely lets you down. Your oven cooks things – set the temperature and walk away. Why can’t your network behave the same way? Is your home network conspiring against you?! You’re not alone. It can be a challenge to keep your house connected to the internet in addition to all of your devices.
Unfortunately, these problems can be traced to any number of sources. The data that arrives on your TV screen from Netflix has to go through more stops than a Southwest flight from Rockford to Topeka. While the largest part of that journey is made outside of your home, it backs up like rush hour once it arrives to your house. The outside journey is made through very high-end and professionally maintained equipment. But once in your home…not so much.
In your home, the equipment is designed to be simple to set up, maintenance free and of course, has to be so inexpensive that your internet service provider can basically give it to you for nothing. The problem here is when any sort of a failure occurs, the equipment simply stops working. You can’t diagnose the error, you can’t troubleshoot it, all you can do is re-boot it. Then things start working…until the error occurs again…so you re-boot again. Sound familiar? Moreover, homes come in many shapes and sizes with differing construction materials and different wiring infra-structures. But who needs wire anyway? Just connect a bunch of wireless devices right? No. Not right. Wrong. Very wrong.
Off the shelf Wi-Fi devices are basically set up to operate in a vacuum by themselves. Installing more than one device without professional configuration can cause network conflicts, the devices can interfere with each other and they can confuse the wireless devices that we love so much. Not only that, the connection information can be a pain. When a friend tries to connect to your network do you have to give them codes suited for strategic air defense encryption?
“Hey Dave, can I get on your wireless network?”
“Sure Bill, just look for “2wIRe276399” and enter the password “94be3465lL43T” but if you’re using it in the guest bedroom go to “Lynksis01” and type in “0brwLLJerK”.
“Thanks Dave, is that jerk with a capital J?”
So…the solution to these problems? The best solution starts with setting up access points across your home to eliminate dead spots. This equipment needs to be configured correctly so that your devices can seamlessly move from access point to access point without your interaction and so they don’t interfere with each other. You can also add more sophisticated equipment to create a more robust wireless network environment with simplified connection information. Equipment can be installed by professionals to monitor your internet connectivity and re-boot the basic gear the moment it shows an issue.
And for those of you who want a mission critical killer network with all of the diagnostic capability and robust features of the commercial equipment that is maintained by professionals, there are solutions for you too. You can make your network run like a finely tuned Ferrari (on the autobahn).

Many thanks to our Guest Blogger! Paul Faber is the co-founder of MediaTech and a charismatic tech geek. His company designs & installs high-end home automation systems that encompass network infrastructure, home audio/visual, lighting controls, climate, and more fun stuff (think The Jetsons).”

Top 10 New Home Trends

in Architecture, Custom Builder, Design Ideas, Remodeling, Trends/by Lowell Custom Homes

The freshest ideas for your new home or remodeling project are inspired by classics and designed with ease. Enjoy and be inspired as you create your personal vision of home.

Inviting Open Spaces

Architectural features rather than walls define spaces today. An open feel prevails with rooms radiating from an internal landmark feature like this dramatic stone fireplace.

Indulge in Architecture & Authentic Materials

Classic style with graceful lines emerges as the favorite when enhanced by a selection of authentic materials with integrity. The time to splurge is during construction so your home has permanence with quality that will last for generations.

Energy Efficient Design & Materials

New homes have the advantage of building in the very latest technology with innovations that will maximize energy efficiency. High performance windows and household systems all contribute to the effective operation of a home. The proper orientation of a home to its site will contribute by taking advantage of natural light and protection from the elements.

Artfully Mixed Elements

Style statements are not born from overly matched materials and finishes in the home. The most stunning results emerge from a combination of contrasting colors and textures. Salvaged, reclaimed and recycled materials compliment the newly manufactured to expand your opportunity for a unique look.

Command Center Kitchens

Not just the heart of the home, the kitchen has become the core of all activity. The size is not as significant as the layout. The commonplace island has evolved and now acts as a pivot point for operations as well as a style directive.

Space for Connecting

In order to add balance to everyday demands, a cozy gathering place ranks high on the list of “must haves”. Comfortable furniture, technology and entertainment systems complete this haven for families to reconnect.

Spa Luxury at Home

The Master Bedroom Suite is becoming even more luxurious as the demand for in home retreats intensifies. Multiple shower heads, free standing tubs, and dedicated grooming areas all contribute to the spa-like character of these personal sanctuaries.

Stop and Drop Organization

Your homes entry points accumulate daily necessities that can evolve into chaos. Point of use storage will assist in the organization and recovery of on-the-go essentials

Prized Possessions

You can take it with you. Homeowners are holding on to significant pieces they love from previous homes. The beautiful antique doors in this entry were incorporated into their new home along with cherished memories.

Outdoor Living

The desire for outdoor living is stronger than ever. Moving beyond relaxation and entertainment, outdoor kitchens, showers and sleeping spaces are inviting us to spend more time in the fresh air. Visit last month’s blog post for important considerations when planning your outdoor space.