Designers and new homeowners have rediscovered the warmth of natural wood and are once again adding it to their homes in ways no one would have imagined. Wood’s natural beauty adds warmth to interior rooms and can transform a space from cool and contemporary to rustic or homey. Paneled walls and ceilings (also known as Appearance Walls) have been popular for some time with ready-to-install wainscoting and shiplap so available. The material can be purchased in natural or stained varieties and adds character and personality to a room. Walls are often treated in white, or contrasting colors of stain, creating visual depth and personality. Styles range from square edge, v-groove, and tongue and
This time of year, there tends to be a lot of focus on fireplaces. Covered with garland and lights, we dress them up beautifully, but the fireplace serves more than a place to hang our stockings. Fireplaces and mantels have become a focal point in today’s custom homes and can also serve as a major source of heat. With so many styles available, we set out to contrast and compare them so that you can get the most out of these warm and toasty companions. Wood Burning Fireplace. A beautiful and practical addition to any custom home, this type of fireplace can be designed to accentuate your unique style. With fireplace surrounds available in so many colors, textures and materials, your choices
The formal living room — The room in the house we only use once or twice a year and reserve for formal gatherings or special occasions. The room mom made you remove your shoes to walk in or forbid you to play in. The one we’re not quite sure we still need in today’s busy world. Actually, for many years we have been seeing a decrease in homebuyers requesting this formality in their homes and instead utilizing the space for a larger great room where the living and working areas blend together creating a more practical layout for families and their everyday lives. Dating back to 1992, at the International Geographical Congress, an architectural geographer, Artimus Keiffer, estimated that the fo
