The Seven Habits of Highly Productive Home Renovation: Habit 1 - Be Proactive

In a nod to Stephen R Covey and his iconic book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People I would like to use his framework to correlate how these habits can be effectively applied to architectural renovation and home remodeling.

HABIT 1: BE PROACTIVE

The task of deciding to renovate or add to your house is often arrived at as a “reactive” process, and that is both understandable and quite typical. You come to a point where you are growing out of your house, or some old component is driving you crazy.

The trick is to use this trigger as a way to be “proactive” with your design. Think of how long you will be in the house, and what the renovation needs to accommodate.

Here are some things commonly considered.

1.  Energy Efficiency: How long will we be in the house and what are the payback times on such things as better insulation, LED lights, high efficiency heating and cooling systems, or even innovative construction systems such as SIPS panels or Photo voltaic Cells (PV’s)

2.  Lifestyle Planning: Will you potentially have an aging parent come to live with you, do you see your lifestyle being better accommodated with your master bedroom on the main level, etc. Are you planning on having kids, or are the kids getting bigger. Do you want the kids close, or do you need some distance and privacy.

3. Budget: Do the basic research of not only what you can afford but what is practical based on the neighborhood. Don’t be penny wise and pound foolish, but also don’t over improve.

4.  Schedule: Establish a schedule and create deadlines, even if those are self-imposed. You can consult with an architect as to how realistic this is early in the process, but it is a critical aspect of the project.

5.  Figure out what type of architecture you like: Do your web research on sites like Houzz to get an idea of what styles and architectural elements appeal to you and save those images so you can discuss them with your architect when the time comes.

Being “Proactive” at the beginning of the project is critical, but it is important to stay proactive throughout the project so that as issues arise you are controlling them so that they are not controlling the project.

We’ll get to Habit 2 “Begin with the End in Mind” in the next blog.

Home Renovation Ideas: Curved Framing and Mansard Roofs

Over the last 10 years Shingle Style has experienced a revival, as it has become a popular choice not only in new construction, but home renovations and remodels. One of the primary characteristics of this style is the celebration of the ability of wood to create curved forms and single roofs with multiple slopes.

The garage below received a lot of compliments for feeling warm and cozy. Part of that has to do with the materials, part to do with architectural elements such as authentic shutters (these create rich shadows and a sense of depth) and part of it has to do with the sensual curved roof line.

You can see here how adding little curved and framing elements and extending pieces of the roof can really break up the scale of a house and make it feel more human and inviting.

If you are walking near a construction site you can often times see some pretty cool details. A Mansard Roof can be a very attractive design feature. It has a certain Parisian elegance, and though its history is one of economy (it was basically a way to get an extra story in your house without being taxed because it was a roof) it has become an element that is typically used on some higher end homes.

If you look at the finished product (on the right) you might wonder how they built it. The framing stage on the left gives this away. It is basically a fairly steep pitched roof truss with a second piece of wood tacked on at a very shallow slope at the base.

Framing is analogous to the skeleton of the building. If a building has good bones, nice posture and a few interesting lines thrown in, it can be a pleasure to look at as well as to live in.

Kitchen Renovations with LED lighting

We have been using LED lights more and more frequently in kitchens and kitchen renovations, though they are also a great asset for bathrooms or other areas to which you might want to add a little character.

As with everything there are benefits to using LEDs and some things people don't expect.

Let's start with the obstacles.

Dimming: The only real issue we have had to date is that if you want to use a dimmer switch, it is important that it is the proper dimmer to work with the lights you are using. Flicker, Noise and Drop Off (when the light dims completely before you expect) are all potential problems that can occur.

Industry Standards: A lot of electricians are still getting to know the technology so they can be on unfamiliar ground, though this is quickly changing.

Now lets go over a few of the good things.

Flexibility: LEDs are small, so they can be detailed into almost any area you want. One common detail we have been asked to do is to create a cool back lighting effects, such as making a counter top "float", like the one on this kitchen island.

Color: They can change color to enhance the warmth or coolness of a design or they can actively change colors for a dynamic sense of movement. That was done in this storage space with these frosted glass doors highlighting the changing colors behind them

Environmentally Friendly: They are incredibly efficient in that they can provide the same amount of light as a similar incandescent bulb for a fraction of the wattage. Though they are more expensive out of the box, the cost savings on energy use adds up quickly.

Accent Features: They can also be used to enhance a piece of furniture or other focal point in a room. We love them so much that we used them in a light table that is both the central functional and aesthetic element of our studio space. Check out our Timelapse Video or contact us if you want more info on how we built it.

Bottom line we expect to use a lot more LED's in our designs moving forward.