Custom Home articles from May 2006

Custom Home archives from May 2006

Modern classic.(Editor's Page)
May 1, 2006... A few weeks ago, I took a look at some of our past Custom Home Design Awards issues to see if trends or tastes had changed over the years, at least based on winning projects. I had to chuckle when I ran across my Editor's Page from the...

Buckling down: what is the state of your employees' work ethic?(On Your Mind)
May 1, 2006... Kids these days, they just don't want to work. The complaint is as old as the hills. But we hear enough grumbling to that effect from custom builders around the country that we decided to ask them directly. What is the state of the work ethic?...

The $3 million phone call: how I got beyond a busy signal.(From the Trenches)
May 1, 2006... Mondays are inherently busy workdays at my custom home building business. On one such Monday, a situation occurred that merits reflection, evaluation, and some managerial lessons for anyone involved in professional service businesses like...

Dig deep: look inside yourself for customer service bliss.(Customer service)
May 1, 2006... Frontline personnel need a variety of talents to work successfully with home buyers. Many of these are well known and frequently discussed: good communication skills, a sense of humor, the ability to be firm yet friendly, organizational and...

Fortune teller: develop the ability to see into the future.(Case Study)
May 1, 2006... Scenario: Peter Olander was flummoxed. A friend in his Builder 20 Club had suggested that his company, Olander Construction, do some strategic planning. St) he called a consultant recommended by another of his friends, and the consultant sent...

Are we there yet? Don't let variances get you off track.(Strictly Business)
May 1, 2006... Have you ever gone on a trip with children when just as you pull out of the driveway you hear that infamous saying: "Are we there yet?" At this mid-point of the year, you should be asking yourself this question--not about a summer road trip but...

Why they buy: get inside the customer's mind.(The Top Line)
May 1, 2006... Due to the convenience of the World Wide Web, your customers know more about your products, your services, your competition, your company, and the housing industry as a whole than ever before. The most notorious influence on home buyers over...

Screen dreams.(Trend Lines/Custom Touches)
May 1, 2006... There's the obvious advantage of a screened porch no bugs allowed. Custom home pros tout screened rooms for other reasons as well. "Screened porches are great transitional spaces between indoors and outdoors, says architect Phil Eagleburger....

Wide angle.(Trend Lines/Custom Touches)
May 1, 2006... Despite its northern location, homeowners and guests enjoy this screened porch nearly year round thanks to the long fireplace. "Being on a lake in Minnesota, the porch is the best place to live and the fireplace really extends the season," says...

Grand Canyon[TM] shingles.
May 1, 2006... GAF's Grand Canyon shingle is a thick laminated shingle that simulates the look of rugged wood shakes for the upscale home. The incredible depth and dimension of Grand Canyon shingles will astound even the most casual observer. With carefully...

Cobra[R] RidgeRunner.
May 1, 2006... New RidgeRunner[TM] exhaust vent for roof ridges combines the performance of a baffled rigid vent with the ease of a roll vent. Faster and easier to install, RidgeRunner[TM] vents are fully nail-gunnable and include 1-3/4" coil nails. They also...

Grand Slate[TM] shingles.
May 1, 2006... Grand Slate shingles combine massive, extra-thick tabs with a specially-blended color palette to create the look of real slate shingles--at a fraction of the cost of expensive slate. Grand Slate shingles also feature GAF's Super-Heavyweight...

Curve appeal.(Trend Lines/Custom Touches)
May 1, 2006... This almost-in-the-round screened porch enjoys a panorama of Rhode Island's Narragansett Bay. Bay views are due west, so a screened porch that would offer respite from the afternoon sun made more sense than an open deck. But the porch provides...

Breeze catcher.(Trend Lines/Custom Touches)
May 1, 2006... For this Cape Cod summer home, a screened porch was designed specifically with fresh air in mind. Architect Phil Eagleburger oriented the porch toward the northeastern side of the house to catch prevailing winds. The second-story porch sits at...

Clean sweep.(K+B Studio)
May 1, 2006... With its strong horizontal lines and clean details, the 18-foot-long kitchen in a renovated Washington, D.C., row house is minimalist without appearing ultramodern. Even a backsplash was deemed gratuitous; the aluminum window sits right on the...

Interlocking pieces.(K+B Studio)
May 1, 2006... This third-floor master bath, part of a new glass-and-copper addition that KUBE Architecture attached to the back of a Washington, D.C., row house, bad no historic details worth preserving in the privacy of the top floor. So architect Janet...

Stainless reputation.(K+B Studio/Products)
May 1, 2006... Sonoma Cast Stone's NuCrete cast concrete surfacing was developed to resist staining and etching by everyday substances like food, oil, acid, and cleaning solutions. The surfacing doesn't need an epoxy topcoat for protection. Instead it depends...

Small spaces smart storage.(K+B Studio/Products)
May 1, 2006... Designed for intelligent use of small spaces, Ariston's 36-inch, double-drawer, undercounter refrigerator features a variety of movable compartments that can be switched around and configured as the user finds convenient. The covered...

Catch the A-BUS: whole-house audio integration takes off.(The Digital Home)
May 1, 2006... Electronics integrators like Tim Wilcox would rather their customers didn't know just how easy an A-BUS distributed audio system is to install. The multi-source, multi-zone music system does much of what only expensive, hard-to-wire audio...

Clear as day.(Trend Lines/What's New)
May 1, 2006... The Centerpoint Translucent Roofing System combines Lexan Thermoclear multiwall polycarbonate sheet from GE Plastics and Cabot Corp.'s insulating Nanogel translucent aerogel in a sloped glazing configuration. The Nanogel-coated polycarbonate...

Safe & sound.(Trend Lines/What's New)
May 1, 2006... The new StormBlocker shelter system is engineered to provide built-in protection against airborne debris and to deflect wind loads during severe weather while serving everyday use as an interior room. StormBlocker shelters can withstand 250-mph...

Mark your calendar: important upcoming events.(Trend Lines/Events)(Calendar)
May 1, 2006... May 22-26, ACI Home Performance Conference, Austin, Texas. For information call 724.627.5200 or visit www.affordablecomfort.org. * May 26, Risk Management for Design Professionals Web event. 11 a.m. EST. For information visit...

2006 Custom Home Design Awards.
May 1, 2006... Over the next 31 pages, CUSTOM HOME proudly presents the winners of the 2006 Custom Home Design Awards. Twenty-four inspiring projects rose to the top of a record-breaking field of 487 entries to capture this year's honors. The winners hail...

Solar aesthetic: integrated panels give solar power style.(Green Products)
May 1, 2006... Solar power generation--or photovoltaics (PV)--has been around for decades, but only in the past few years have homeowners and builders begun to seriously consider it on a wide scale as a way to reduce energy costs. Soaring gas and electricity...

BP solar.(Green Products)
May 1, 2006... Emulating the shape and color of flat concrete roof tiles, Energy Tile integrated solar electric roof modules feature quick-connect electrical wiring for easy installation. Powder-coated frames coordinate with the tiles. The modules and...

PowerLight Corp.(Green Products)
May 1, 2006... PowerLight Corp. The Sun Tile system is designed for compatibility with all concrete flat and low-profile shingles, as well as high-profile "S" tile and composition shingles. The anti-reflective glass and black anodized aluminum frame helps the...

Jeff Glassman: custom builders share their latest product finds.(Products/Great Finds)
May 1, 2006... Jeff Glassman, Pinnacle Custom, Mi.burn, N. J. Building homes in a cold-weather climate, custom builder Jeff" Glassman has learned that using radiant heat systems under floors creates a more comfortable room. He mostly incorporates the...

John Rufty: custom builders share their latest product finds.(Products/Great Finds)
May 1, 2006... Rufty Custom Built Homes, Cary, N.C. In the Southeast, humidity can cause many indoor comfort issues. Custom builder Jon Rufty wanted to find a way to bring fresh outdoor air into his homes without introducing high levels of moisture and...

Architectural reclamation.(Products/Fine Finishes)
May 1, 2006... Sourced from regions all over France, antique white oak beams, limestone flooring and wall tiles, terra-cotta flooring, wood plank flooring, wood wall: paneling, and a variety of antiquities are reclaimed by French Antique Architectural...

Mineral fragments.(Products/Fine Finishes)
May 1, 2006... Combining fragments of marble, limestone, or travertine with pigments to form a paste, Stone Age Designs creates modern scagliola stone in a process similar to that developed by 17th-century Italian monks. The resulting stone has a surface and...

Eclectic fashion.(Products/Entry Doors)
May 1, 2006... Part of the Collections line. the heavy-frame all-wood entry door comes in flat-and vertical-grain American fir. Spanish cedar, and mahogany in a variety of finishes. I Stone River bronze Shield. 800.477.6808. www.weathershield.com. Circle 159...

Gothic inspiration.(Products/Entry Doors)
May 1, 2006... Featuring Gothic windows of beveled and seeded glass encased in insulated glass, the Vanderbilt door is modeled after the main door of the Biltmore Estate, The door is constructed of Malaga cherry and features raised moldings, Two sizes are...

Blossom time.(Products/Entry Doors)
May 1, 2006... The IWP Cherry Blossom door is made of black walnut and features a decorative glass light protected by a pane of clear low-E glass. A matching transom and sidelights are available. Jeld-Wen. 800.877.9482. www.jeld-wen.com. Circle 161 ...

Stately Styles.(Products/Entry Doors)
May 1, 2006... Handcrafted in Honduras from a variety of grain-matched woods such as Honduran mahogany and cedar, white oak, walnut, and cherty, each entry door is made to order. Seven door styles are available (Luminary is shown), and all come factory...

Panel drama.(Products/Entry Doors)
May 1, 2006... Constructed of energy-efficient fiberglass, the Classic-Craft mahogany eight-panel door offers the option for a center arched panel of decorative glass in three styles. Matching sidelights are also available. Therma-Tru Doors. 800.537.8827....

Fire wall.(Products/Fireplaces)
May 1, 2006... The direct-vent Fire Ribbon fireplace features a single strip of gas-fueled flame behind a fixed glass panel. Constructed of steel, the Fire Ribbon comes with a satin black or stainless steel interior. The fireplace has a 45-inch-wide,...

Masonry lite.(Products/Fireplaces)
May 1, 2006... The modular Isokern B-Vent gas fireplace is constructed from lightweight, insulating pumice stone. The vented fireplace features interlocking blocks. Earthcore Industries. 800.642.2920. www.isokem.net. Circle 153 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Louver free.(Products/Fireplaces)
May 1, 2006... The Elite series direct-vent gas fireplace features a louver-less design and a new flame technology the maker says is more natural looking. The Secure Vent system eases installation. Lennox Hearth Products. 800.953.6669. www.lennoxhearth...

Radiant design.(Products/Fireplaces)
May 1, 2006... The Kuru fireplace, constructed from soapstone blocks, features horizontal "Rigata" grooves around the firebox. It can be used as a room divider, with built-in shelves placed to the left or right of the firebox. Tulikivi. 800.843.3473....

Vertical view.(Products/Fireplaces)
May 1, 2006... The Everest direct-vent gas fireplace is taller than it is wide, offering a different perspective on its refractory, campfire-stacked log set, and flames. The fireplace is available with the Atlas cast stone surround. Heat & Glo. 888.427.3973....

Town and country.(Last Detail)
May 1, 2006... The young owners of this Dallas house often talked of moving to a downtown loft, but their lakefront property was too good to give up, especially with their first child on the way. Architect Mark Domiteaux helped them to love their lake house...

Elbow room.(Editor's Notes)
May 1, 2006... It's always been part of the American Dream--having space, a bit of elbow room between you and the neighbors. A lucky few get to have a lot of space, acres of it, all to themselves. But figuring out how to make a big spread feel like home takes...

Time out.
May 1, 2006... A place to meditate, pray, or sit and enjoy nature--that's the agenda for quiet structures that stand alone in the midst of trees, sun, and sky. From urban lots to wooded acreages, it's the settings that drove the details for these places of...

Texas teahouse.(Time Out)
May 1, 2006... A mostly retired couple with a spectacular but untamed backyard wanted to enjoy their exterior assets. Taking the advice of their landscape contractor, the homeowners worked with architect Gregory Thomas to design a teahouse like those they saw...

Sticks and stones.(Time Out)
May 1, 2006... Marry Leonard loves her 3.5 acres of woodland so much that she had them designated as a wildlife preserve. She also wanted to make it clear how special the site is to her by building "a spiritual place to go to--something small and open."...

Something old, something new.(Time Out)
May 1, 2006... How many tire rims does it take to make seven columns exactly 8 feet tall? Architect Susan May Allen went through 112 rims in order to get the right combination. Allen wanted to create a gazebo from unwanted scraps and also to make a statement....

No fly zone.(Time Out)
May 1, 2006... Once their new house was completed, these Dallas homeowners needed a place outside to enjoy the mild climate, preferably a haven free of flying insects. "The owners and I talked a lot about what that space should be," says architect Dan...

Building a stone retaining wall: stick to the essentials for long-lasting results.(In Depth)
May 1, 2006... Dry-Stacked Stone Retaining Wall A stogie retaining wall should be built on a stable foundation and have adequate drainage, including a 4-inch perforated drainpipe, A base of crushed stone will prevent settling and minimize damage from...

Horse sense: housing the horses in style.(Petscapes)
May 1, 2006... Zoltan Pall is not a little-red-barn kind of guy. "I'm a city slicker," says the Los Angeles architect, who has the contemporary portfolio to prove it. Before undertaking this project he had to ask himself, what would a Modernist barn look...

Cool spot.(Petscapes)
May 1, 2006... Located in northwest Florida, this private equestrian facility follows the classic Bluegrass Country model. With a four-stall barn, a connected series of 2- to 3-acre paddocks, and 5 acres of pasture, says architect Les McCormick, "It's really...

That sinking feeling: without a soils report, your backyard pool may be at risk.(Problem Solved)
May 1, 2006... If you've ever sat through a class on soils or engineering, you know that the teachers--engineers themselves--will first grab your attention with spectacular photos of pools that have cracked in half, popped out of the ground, or worse yet slid...

Clean fun: a creative take on the outdoor shower.(Expert Opinion)
May 1, 2006... An outdoor shower is a sanctuary, a place where one can experience the effects of sunshine, rain, moonshine, darkness, cold--all of Mother Nature's wondrous gifts. Here homeowners, especially vacation-home owners, can find bracing pleasure in...

Natural attraction: a wild and windswept preserve.
May 1, 2006... Landscape architect Kris Horiuchi is most proud of what she didn't do to the 15 acres surrounding this Martha's Vineyard, Mass., compound. The site was "pretty spectacular on its own," Horiuchi says. To keep it that way, she limited the scope...

Living on the land: a home for roaming.
May 1, 2006... Most people who own a big piece of property build a big house on it. That was the original intent of the owner of this 65-acre estate overlooking California's Napa Valley. But he inhabited his land bit by bit and along the way discovered that...

Brighten up.(What's New: Outdoor Products)
May 1, 2006... Titan and Sirius cast-aluminum deck lights are available in powder-coated copper (shown) and titanium metallic finishes. Both are available in line and low-volt age options with a variety of shades and fit square posts from 2 to 6 1/2 inches....

Exotic appeal.(What's New: Outdoor Products)
May 1, 2006... Designed to resemble tropical hardwoods. Tropics composite decking features multichromatic surfaces that keep their color without graying, the maker claims. Tropics is made from plastics and recycled wood fibers and comes in 12-. 16-. and...

Colored glass.(What's New: Outdoor Products)
May 1, 2006... Tumbled Recycled Glass Mulch now includes amber and snow colors in addition to pond, azure, and grass. Designed to add color without using water, the mulch line resembles sea glass but is processed for uniformly smooth and safe edges. Tiny...

Clean components.(What's New: Outdoor Products)
May 1, 2006... For use with cable railing systems, stainless QuickConnect-SS cable fittings have a small, sleek profile that is easily concealed in wood or metal posts. One-way, automatic-locking jaws allow for easy installation. The fittings come in three...

Concrete stone.(What's New: Outdoor Products)
May 1, 2006... Designed for raised deck applications, Dekstone pre-cast concrete pavers feature a clefted, natural slate-like surface with slight color variations. Dekstone is made from 4,000-psi concrete and coloring and is reinforced with welded wire mesh....

Ancient roads.(What's New: Outdoor Products)
May 1, 2006... The Perfido series of outdoor. full-body porcelain floor tiles recreates the look and texture of Roman cobblestone pavers. The mesh-mounted tiles come 18 inches square in light and dark natural colors. Gruppo Ceramiche Saicis S.P.A....

Old cobbles.(What's New: Outdoor Products)
May 1, 2006... The scaled-down Bergerac Modular paver features a dimpled surface that resembles tumbled cobblestone and is designed to combine with matching circle and combo kits to create a variety of patterns. Belgard Hardscapes. 800.899.8455....

Fenced in.(What's New: Outdoor Products)
May 1, 2006... Made from 100 percent plastic with a woodgrain finish and realistic texture, Eon Fencing comes in fade-resistant cedar and redwood hues. Fence panels are available in 6-foot-by-6-foot and 6-foot-by-8-foot sizes in two privacy-fence styles:...

Solar bath.(What's New: Outdoor Products)
May 1, 2006... Measuring 73 inches long, the Sundeck acrylic tub is 18 inches deep with a channel that flows water over the edge. It comes with a cushioned platform and in a cherry or wenge weatherproof finish. Duravit. 888.387.2848. www.duravit.us. Circle...

Screen acres.(What's New: Outdoor Products)
May 1, 2006... Remote-controlled Mirage Motorized Screens have aluminum frames and tracks in a variety of finishes. Sun and wind sensors and timer systems can be integrated into the motorized screen system. Alco Ventures. 800.667.2526....

Stealth sound.(What's New: Outdoor Products)
May 1, 2006... Designed for in-ground installation, the SPF-55 and SPF-85 5- and 8-inch outdoor speakers distribute sound evenly in any direction, the company says. The speakers are protected against theft by an inground security bracket. Phase Technology....

Cresting wave.(What's New: Outdoor Products)
May 1, 2006... J-400 outdoor hot tubs feature an asymmetrical back lip and an elevated waterfall with LED lighting. Three models offer ergonomic seating, cup holders, adjustable neck pillows, and an audio system. Jacuzzi Hot Tubs. 866.234.7727....

Sitting pretty.(Outdoor Indulgences)
May 1, 2006... Designed for year-round outdoor use, the Louis Soleil collection of fully upholstered seating draws on the Louis XIV architectural period for its inspiration, yielding a modern interpretation of classic French designs. The hand-carved teak...