The kitchen is an important part of any home – it’s where the magic happens! A good kitchen can be a source of inspiration, leading to wonderful meals and new recipes. That means the kitchen is one room you definitely don’t want to overlook. When dreaming up and planning out your custom home, don’t forget Read More
There is nothing more picturesque than a living room lit by a crackling fire. What can feel cozier than curling up with cocoa in front of a warm fireplace? Fireplaces are not only a way to heat your home, but also a way to bring family and friends together. However, their maintenance can become cumbersome Read More
The nights are getting longer, the days are getting colder, and winter will soon be upon us. That means we will be spending more time inside. Make sure that you have an efficient heating system! In this day and age, we have the luxury of choosing from many different types of heating – like gas, Read More
A kitchen is one of the rooms most prone to becoming very messy and disorganized. It’s where we arguably keep the most disparate and differing items in the house. There are plenty of tips to help increase your storage and make the best of the space you have, but the most obvious solution would be Read More
Although not the most enjoyable part of tending to a garden, pruning is an absolute necessity. When you prune your garden, you are searching for dead or overgrown sections to cut away. Not only are they a blemish to an otherwise colorful garden, but they are literal dead weight that can stifle growth. Dead leaves Read More
The Craftsman Interior style is an architectural design born during the Arts and Crafts Movement. Beginning in 1880, the Arts and Crafts Movement emphasized the genuine artistry of construction. In other words, this movement celebrated well-made things. The most telling sign of these homes is how tightly woven and intimate they are. Instead of a Read More
If you don’t have one yet, consider adding a deck to your home. It’s a simple feature, but one that comes with quite a number of benefits. Never underestimate the value of a deck! Higher Property Value Much like a finished basement, a complete deck will add more value to your home if you ever Read More
As children, many of us dreamed of having treehouses. They were a place of privacy, where we could get away from adults and the rest of the world. A place all to yourself, in the outdoors, up in the air – what more could you ask for? That fantasy doesn’t have to die just because Read More
Fall is a wonderful time to snuggle up with a cup of tea and a good book. With a wrap-around porch, you can have the privacy of reading indoors and the beauty of spending time outside. Whether you’re sipping a pumpkin spiced latte outside, or planting your fall garden, there are plenty of benefits to Read More
When dreaming up your custom home, it’s important to think about lighting. How much natural light will be provided through windows and skylights? What sort of lighting fixtures will help enhance the atmosphere of your rooms? The options for lighting fixtures are endless, ranging from ornate chandeliers to simple recessed lighting. What is Recessed Lighting? Read More
An unfinished basement can be a blight on an otherwise beautiful home. If it’s left without consideration, a basement it can become a dark and uninviting area instead of a place of possibilities. There are many benefits that come with a finished basement – here are just a few: Higher Home Value If you decide Read More
Designing the layout of a room is an incredibly fun prospect. Looking at your space and seeing the endless possibilities, however, can be daunting. Even more so if you know you’ll be spending most of your time in the room or often hosting guests there. That being said, it’s important to turn the room into Read More
No matter how much you like the cold, at the end of the day, everyone likes to return to a warm and cozy home. There are several options for keeping your home properly heated, from traditional fireplaces to smart-home baseboards. One advanced technique, in particular, is underfloor, or radiant, heating. A nice bonus of this Read More
Building your dream home can be an exhilarating experience. You can create a home exactly to your specifications, and you’ll finally have the perfect space for you and your family! Your comfort isn’t the only benefit of building your own custom home. You will also be able to build the home on your dream location, Read More
The kitchen is an extraordinary place where cooks make magic happen! With all there is to be done, and keeping track of all ingredients, utensils, and recipes, it can quickly become a very messy place. Even more so, if you’re a “foodie” who spends a lot of time there. Here are some kitchen hacks for Read More
Typically the word “basement” doesn’t have the most appealing implications. However, it doesn’t have to be that way! A basement can be a place of comfort and convenience. It is what you make it, after all. Below are some pros and cons of owning a basement: Basement Pros Extra Storage Extra storage space is always Read More
Colder months are coming and with them the annual heating system check. On top of that, it’s important to make sure your home properly retains heat and keeps out the cold. Insulation is just as important, if not more so, than heating systems to maintain a comfortable home. Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation Spray Polyurethane Foam Read More
The Fall season is coming upon us, and that means the cold is just around the corner! This is a good time to consider how well your heating system is serving you. There are a number of different systems to choose from, a particularly popular one being radiant heating. Radiant heating, also known as underfloor Read More
September is just around the corner, and with it comes Fall. The new season brings a set of new colors and a different atmosphere. It’s only natural that we change our home decorations to reflect the change. New seasons are perfect for taking the time to clean up and give our surroundings a refreshing new Read More
Colors are compelling. They evoke emotion and can even affect people psychologically to feel or act in certain ways. Colors can go as far as affecting a person’s eating habits. For example, blue is an appetite suppressant. This explains why you don’t see many restaurants decking their locations out in blue. They want to encourage Read More
Energy efficiency is a big concern for homeowners. When energy use spikes in the summer and winter, efficiency is key to keeping your utility bill under control. Inefficiencies can cause that monthly energy bill to skyrocket. When working with a custom home builder on new construction, it’s likely to be built with energy efficiency in Read More
Purchasing a piece of land for a new home can be incredibly exciting. At each lot, you may envision nights in the backyard hosting cookouts, campfires, and pool parties. You may also imagine a beautiful porch or patio for your family to enjoy. Or possibly a state-of-the-art kitchen to explore all of your culinary endeavors. Read More
Custom Home Group was ecstatic to win the Parade of Homes “Best in Show” award for our Single Family Home and Townhouse submissions. What is the “Best in Show” Award? The “Best in Show” award is for single family homes. It focuses on free-standing residential buildings; specifically those featuring beautiful architecture that seamlessly works with Read More
Accent walls refer specifically to a wall which differs from the design of the others in the room. They can be a beautiful addition to the interior of the home that doesn’t require much work and will not take away space in your home. They can add texture, color, and light to any room if Read More
Deep cleaning your home can be a challenge. But, it’s a surefire way to keep your home looking beautiful for years to come. Deep cleaning can have positive effects on your health, as well as save you some money! Here are a few ways to keep your home sparkling: Clean Your Mattress Cleaning your mattress Read More
Buying a home can be an intimidating endeavor involving plenty of research, considerations, and expenses. Home build loan pre-approval bypasses many of these headaches and puts you on the path to your dream home! Here are a few reasons to consider being pre-approved for a home build loan: Shows the Builder You’re Serious Many builders Read More
Owning a home requires plenty of cleaning and maintenance throughout the year. Often, people purchase homes without considering the everyday repair costs home ownership will entail. With a bit of planning, however, you can have a home that is clean and maintained well, without added stress or worry. Here are a few ways you can Read More
If you’re looking to buy a newly-constructed home this year, you’ll be pleased to see how 2017 design trends make your life easier. From a focus on efficiency to save you energy and money to clean designs that improve the flow of the space – these trends emphasize giving you exactly what you want, and Read More
Have you ever wanted to revamp your home? Maybe have a DIY weekend? If you’re worried you will create some sort of home decor monstrosity if you try, never fear! Luckily, there are plenty of examples of others’ DIY attempts and their thoughts once the project is completed. Whether you already have an idea and Read More
Pinterest can be a fantastic place to find new DIY home projects or just a bit of inspiration. If you have seen Pinterest DIYs, however, you probably know they don’t always work out. You may have even attempted your own. Don’t worry! You’re not alone. Here are a few Pinterest fails we found in hopes Read More
When living in the same house for a long time, it’s sometimes hard to let go. It’s easy to grow attached to the space we were raised in, especially after spending so much time and effort towards molding it to our tastes. Yet, sometimes it cannot be helped. Warnings crop up that we can no Read More
It often goes unnoticed just how much space we have beneath the stairs. Stairs occupy a large space within our home, and they can double as storage space as well. Take a closer look at different ways in which you can transform your stairs into extra storage space both for the purposes of utility and Read More
One of life’s simple pleasures is using herbs in your garden. Growing herbs can be beneficial to your other plants, and they can be used in your home for a variety of purposes. Sure, you can always buy them but why do that when you can grow your own! Here are a few ways that Read More
The lumber market is currently unpredictable. If you’re wondering why lumber prices have risen, it is partly because of something called the “lumber wars.” The lumber wars occur between private U.S. lumber businesses and Canadian government-owned lumber mills. Over the past few years, lumber prices have risen steadily. This is a result of the “trade Read More
Picture this – it’s the end of the day and you’re relaxing in a comfy chair with your favorite ice cold beverage in your hand. Your legs are stretched out, feet resting on a stool directly in front of you. You feel completely at peace while enjoying the sunset in your own personal backyard getaway. Read More
To have your own laundry room is a blessing, but sometimes these rooms can be difficult to maintain. It’s no wonder, considering this is where all your dirty clothing sits – and all families produce plenty of that. Storage The most important thing is storage. Keeping a tidy laundry room means making the most of Read More
Porches are a wonderful asset for any home. They are a spot where you and your guests can relax while chatting, snacking, and enjoying a beautiful view. They present everyone with the perfect area to relax and indulge in idle conversation. So, it would seem that the bigger the porch the better, correct? Perhaps so, Read More
Trends come and go. Very often, a decorative piece or style that was popular a couple years ago will have a resurgence. We’d like to review rock walls, also known as exposed walls, and their fashion status. Stone as a building material is dated by nature, but the truth of the matter is that they Read More
With so much to keep track of in life, maintaining your kitchen can be a daunting task. Fortunately, as this is a task everyone must face, there are lots of tips! Here are a couple that we have gathered: Over-the-Sink Cutting Board Keep an over-the-sink cutting board. These are very cheap to obtain, and setting Read More
The modern farmhouse is a style that is slowly becoming more and more popular. There are, however, many people who aren’t familiar with the phenomenon. This style of home decorating usually contains the following: a rural appearance, functional porches, and a mixture of a casual living space along with an elegant decor. In essence, the Read More
If you own a small kitchen, you might find yourself troubled. Small kitchens are considered a novelty because they are quaint and cute. They give your home a picturesque, almost fairytale-like quality. Unfortunately, a small kitchen also means very little storage space. Where are you to hold all your food, spices, and ingredients? There are Read More
Custom Homes Group is fortunate enough that the Susquehanna Style Magazine as well as The Parade of Homes awarded us for our work. We believe this is because we strive to create beautiful homes that are designed with the homeowner in mind. We relish in focusing on every detail to create a home that is Read More
Going green is becoming more and more common. It refers to leading a more environmentally friendly, and ecologically responsible, life. It’s often accomplished by protecting natural resources, spreading awareness, and buying locally. Going green counters the rising carbon emissions and maintains the land so that we can become a more sustainable country. Here are some Read More
When you think hot tubs, you think luxury and relaxation. Many people tout their benefits, but are they are great as advertised? Below are some pros and cons we have found that should be considered before buying a hot tub. Why Hot Tubs are Great Hot water is a way to reduce stress levels. In Read More
Learning about school districts is paramount when considering moving to a new state or town. If you have children, you will want to make sure you find a school district with outstanding educational opportunities as well as extracurricular activities. Luckily, if you’re considering moving to the Susquehanna Valley we have plenty of fantastic school districts Read More
Lake houses are charming and evoke feelings of comfort. You don’t need to own one, however, to indulge in lake house aesthetics. You can bring all the splendor of those houses to your own home! Below are a few ideas to bring lake house decor into your home: Hues of Blue Hues of blue are the Read More
Gardens aren’t always simple to manage. They take plenty of hard work and dedication to maintain. As the seasons shift, you will need to be mindful of changes that might occur in your garden as well, like yellowing leaves, wilting plants, or new blooms. Yet, in the end, gardens always pay off. There comes satisfaction Read More
With each new season and each new year, there are new trends appearing for the first time, or returning from previous years. Finding inspiration for what will make your home fresh and exciting is tough some years, so here are some summer trends of 2017 to get you started: Matte Appliances Matte appliances let an Read More
Landscaping may sound like a daunting task, but it can be simple and fun! If you would like to landscape your home this summer there are plenty of ways to do so. Although you can always hire a landscaping company, it will be more rewarding, and fulfilling, to do the work on your own. You Read More
Flowers are cheerful and lovely additions to any garden in the summer. Adding a border around your vegetable garden can add some charm as well. Here are a couple suggestions for flowers that will give your garden flair, and suggestions on how to plant them: Poppy By the end of June, your poppies may already Read More
For many people in Lancaster, summer is a wonderful time to enjoy the outdoors – and beautify your home. Here are a few ways you can delight in all Lancaster has to offer while finding new and fun ways to create a warm and wonderful home. Pick up flowers and plants at Central Market If Read More
Looking for a place to build a new home can be a daunting experience. Especially if you are a first-time home builder. One of the toughest things to consider when choosing where to build a new home is the neighborhood you want to live in. Hopefully, the aspects we discuss will help you have a Read More
Each new spring brings new ideas, visions, and materials to renovate your garden. Gardening is an art form, and there is no end to the possibilities! Design your garden to be beautiful and suit your needs. Below we have compiled a list of some of the popular garden trends of 2017: Using Natural Materials Natural Read More
A home is meant to be comfortable. It’s somewhere you can go at the end of the day to relax, and feel free to be yourself. A home is also a shelter; a place to protect you from the elements. Homes protect their inhabitants from whatever dangers the world may hold – as long as Read More
Summer is here, which means kids will be free from school and will need activities to keep them occupied. It’s a great time of year, but finding sources of entertainment can be tricky for parents with energetic kids. One avenue that can offer many, many possibilities is crafting. Crafting is a fun, skill-building endeavor both Read More
A fire pit is an excellent option for spending some quiet time with friends and families socializing. On a calm night you can sit around the warm fire, giving off a soothing ambiance as the sounds of crackling fire and chirps fill the darkening sky, everything around you illuminated by a warm glow as you Read More
Patios are a place of comfort, and are a space where family and friends can gather together to enjoy each other’s company. As of late, there has been a rising trend of creating indoor patios — enclosed patios that are still spacious, and provide a beautiful view on all sides to the outdoors. Indoor Patios Read More
The bedroom is the most important room in our house. It is where we go to retire, to relax and be ourselves. It’s where we sleep and can shoo away the stress by indulging in our favorite solo hobbies, whether it be reading, video games, drawing, or anything else. Our room is the room that Read More
Summer is slowly but surely inching its way towards us. Begin preparing your home to best handle the summer heat to enjoy it to its fullest. After so many months of winter, and getting teased with pleasant days only to revert to the dreary cold, it’s very easy to let these important tasks slip your Read More
We know custom homes, but sometimes people come up with the most wild and crazy home ideas on their own. Here is a list of some of our favorite custom homes from around the world, including some that turn the entire concept of a house on its head! Boeing 727-200 house in Hillsboro, Oregon This Read More
Taking pride in your house is a significant part of being a homeowner. Spicing things up from time to time is part of the territory, and this often leads to remodeling. The obvious place to start for most people is with the kitchen, ripe with opportunities for improvements that can both make your life easier Read More
After a long, dreary winter what better way to usher in the spring than hosting something festive outside? Whether vast or compact, your yard can be the centerpiece to any gathering. The only limit is your imagination! Of course, once the snow melted it may have revealed certain undesirable aspects of your outdoor space that Read More
There are infinite possibilities for creative folks to express themselves and enjoy their craft. Space to thrive in these pursuits, however, is much harder to come by. When the kitchen table becomes too limiting for your creations, or your family gets tired of eating around them, it might be time to consider moving into a Read More
It’s spring time, and homeowners everywhere are realizing that junk has stacked up this winter. Teachers have piles of ungraded papers, parents have scattered forgotten children’s’ toys, and working stiffs have mounds of unopened junk mail. Fervently neat homes become littered with these stacks of miscellaneous odds and ends; leaving their homeowners feeling helpless. Daunting Read More
A messy, ugly, or uncomfortable work space can be a huge deterrent to your work. If you do not feel at ease in your environment it is easy to feel restless, become distracted, or not put forth your best effort. Even more so, spending long hours in a place or room that you do not Read More
A term often used by real estate agents is ‘curb appeal’. Curb appeal refers to the attractiveness of your home from a street view—essentially, its front, including the surrounding area whether it’s a simple stoop or a sprawling landscape. First impressions can leave a huge impact on people looking to buy a home, and the Read More
The facade of your home is what you and your guests will see when they first arrive. It is the first impression of your home, and thus, perhaps the most important one. It is what you will see when you return after a long day’s work, or after being gone on vacation for a long Read More
Spring has arrived at last, which means it’s out with the winter decoration, and in with the spring! Spring means it is time to replace the cool hues of the colder season, with the vibrant ones that celebrate the return of flowers and the bright sun. Below are just a couple of ideas that can Read More
Spring has only just begun, but summer isn’t too far away, and it never hurts to begin preparing early for it. Summer can be quite the doozy on gardens if they haven’t been properly tended to. A persistent sun, the growth of weeds, and the return of pests can all be fatal to a beautiful Read More
Fairy gardens have been gaining popularity in the past couple years because of their charm, artistic nature, and that they are generally much easier to maintain than full-fledged gardens. It can be described as a miniature garden with little structures, plants, perhaps some pictures, and whatever your creativity will lead you to add. As its Read More
Spring is a great time to give your green thumb a workout. Between getting a jumpstart on your vegetable garden and tending to your flowers, there’s a lot to keep you busy. Not only is this a great excuse to get outdoors after being cooped up all Winter, but planting flowers is a great way Read More
From time to time, we could all use need a little pick me up. Whether you’re under the weather, you’re expecting, you’ve just accomplished something great in your life and you’ve earned a little recognition. Sometimes your neighbor or friend is going through a rough patch, or perhaps someone new has just moved into the Read More
With Spring already in full swing, Summer isn’t far behind. Warm weather and plenty of shine is the perfect time to start working on your landscaping projects around the house. But before you get too far ahead of yourself, use the time you have during the Spring to start making plans for your landscaping projects. Read More
There are few pieces of home decor that are more central than the aptly named centerpiece. Not only do these wonderful bits of decoration help to bring a room together, but they also create a wonderful conversation piece. What’s wonderful about centerpieces, however, is that they aren’t trapped to kitchen table, but can, instead, find Read More
One of the best parts of Summer is the time you get to spend outdoors. The weather is bright, sunny, and perfect for spending some time out in the yard. Before you go digging out the badminton net, however, it’s always a good idea to spend some time getting your outdoor space ready for the Read More
If we’re being honest, not everyone has quite the knack for growing a wide array of plants. Sometimes the green thumb is more of a wilted brown, with maybe a few spots on the edges, which is what our plants end up looking like. Still, there is both an allure as well as some benefits Read More
Let’s be honest, bathroom design can be one of the most boring things to decide on. While modern aesthetics tend to lean towards whites or neutral colors, there just doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of room for imagination. That’s not to say that a neutral bathroom can’t look good; quite the opposite, in Read More
With Spring in the air and Winter finally behind us, it’s time to shake of the dust, knock out the Spring cleaning list, and get some fresh air in our home. However, what do you do once all the cleaning is done and your attic and garage are finally tidied up and organized? Given the Read More
There are few things worse than being cooped up all Winter staring at the same design and arrangement of your home. When Spring cleaning hits, it can be tempting to break the stir crazy and go on a madcap renovation spree. Don’t worry, we’ve all been there. Sometimes you just get tired of looking at Read More
Colors are a fantastic design element as they can very subtly, or even directly, change the mood of a room. However, when it comes to your interior design, letting your color palette get out of hand can be a disaster. Yes, there is such a thing as “too yellow” and you’ll know it when you Read More
How many times have you been tempted by the cute or clever home decor items that you see lining the shelves of your favorite craft store? There’s always that little debate that we could just as easily make these signs at home, so we end up putting the signs down and walking away. With that Read More
While typically associated with Christmas, wreaths are actually a great home decoration for any time of the year. Whether you’re celebrating a holiday, or just looking for a fun way to add a little decoration to your front door, the wreath is pretty versatile as decorations go. One of the best parts about a Spring Read More
As we look forward to spring, it may be time to add a new splash of color (or several splashes) to your home to make your living space feel fresh and clean. Here are some of the top colors for March 2017. See what you think, experiment within your home, and fall in love with Read More
For many of us, winter can be a bit maddening and we may be chomping at the bit to get outside and do some spring-cleaning. If you live up North, however, it may be a while before the snow melts and you can begin cleaning up the exterior. Until then, here are some tips to Read More
Bathrooms are notoriously difficult to decorate, but doing so can have a bigger impact than in any other room in your house. If you want to impress your guests, make your bathroom stand out, or just want to change things up a bit, check out our tips. You can improve your bathroom without breaking the Read More
Farmhouse decor has been a longstanding tradition in American homes, especially for those living in homes that are already 80 or more years old. The mix of warm tones, gentle simplicity, and nostalgia for a less complicated time make it a favorite of many homeowners. Whether you have a well aged antique home or a Read More
With winter almost behind us, but spring not quite here yet, March can be a tough time for homeowners who are pining for the bright colors of their gardens. The constant back and forth of the weather stops most flowers from coming in, but luckily there are plenty of early bloomers that can give a Read More
Spring is just getting started, and that means many homeowners are gearing up for a major spring cleaning. After being cooped up all winter, things tend to start getting a little messy. To get a jump start on your own cleaning, here are five quick spring cleaning tips to make things a little easier: Less Stuff Read More
Winter time is here, and for all of us in the Northeast, that means cold weather. For those of us with children, winter brings along with it pent up children with plenty of leftover energy now that they are stuck indoors. We have put together some simple winter crafts to help entertain you and your Read More
It is every book lover and curio collector’s dream to have a room dedicated to their passion. Whether you are looking for a cozy nook lined with your favorite titles, a daunting office with bookcases that tower over your visitors, or your very own micro museum filled with things you have gathered on your travels, Read More
Cabin fever can get the best of anyone, and sometimes the easiest way to keep it in check is through clever organization. Clutter and misplaced items add to your everyday stress (especially if you have kids). Here are some of our top winter organization tips to help get your clutter under control: Take Photos of Read More
Tons of people decorate for Valentine’s Day, but not everyone likes to go all out by turning their entire home into a pink heart. Sometimes all you need is a bit of the iconic white, pink, and red to pull a room together. Maybe you just want to have carefully placed hearts across the house. Read More
While country rustic, modern, and nautical are all wonderful themes, for some, decor needs to be a little different and a little more funky. Here are a few ideas to make your home uniquely you: Spooky Additions If you’re a fan of the macabre, there is no reason you can’t have creepy crawlies or ghostly Read More
Snow days can be magical, wonderful, and relaxing for adults and kids alike. But the third day in a row where you’re surrounded with snow, you can become a little bored. Here are a few snow day activities you and your children can do to stay sane during snow days: Window Painting With a little masking Read More
Home maintenance is important to keep your home from feeling cluttered and stale. Here are a few February home maintenance tips you can use to clean up and declutter your home so your spring cleaning will not be as daunting: Test Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors For your safety and security, you should regularly check Read More
Everyone gets antsy during the dead of winter when leaving the home is not an option. So, what do you do when the cookies are baked, the laundry is done, and the Netflix has been watched? Well, here are a few winter crafts that will keep you sane: Felt Hand Warmers Felt hand warmers are Read More
Getting, or staying, in shape is a top New Year’s Resolution for a lot of people. Keeping that resolution can become a lot easier if you have a space for a home gym. When designing a home gym, here are a few things to keep in mind: Clear the Space If you want to build Read More
Along with your “Eat well, workout more, and wake up earlier,” you make want to consider giving your home a list of resolutions as well. This can not only help you get in shape and eat better but you will beautify an organize your space along the way! Here are a few options to revamp Read More
Now that the chaos of the holidays is over you can bundle up, read a good book, and try to stay warm through the winter. If you are like me, however, you have stripped down your home to make room for food, guests, and post-holiday cleaning. Here are a few ways to make your home Read More
Mudrooms have become incredibly popular over the past few years. They are simple, easy-to-install, and versatile. Here are a few ways you can use mudrooms other than just a place to hang your hat. Coat Room You can go traditional and use your mudroom for hanging coats, backpacks, and brief cases. This keeps the actual Read More
Choosing a heating system for your home is vital for your home’s value, upkeep and for you and your family’s well being and comfort. If properly researched and considered finding the right heating source for your home can be a simple and quick. If not researched well, however, you may have more than a few Read More
A child’s room is often their escape, their space, and usually the room where they explore their interests and ideas. Making their room as captivating and inspiring as possible can open creative doors for a child and help them grow into a comfortable and confident human being. Here are a few ideas for children’s rooms Read More
The master bedroom is often your sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the world. Bedrooms are meant to be calming, cozy, and the perfect place to rest and unwind after a long day. Here are a few ways you can make your master bedroom the perfect space for you and your loved one. Before Read More
A custom home is a wonderful opportunity to let your creativity flow into the house of your dreams. Here are a few new and interesting ideas you can incorporate into your new home. If you are interested in any of these amenities you should talk to your contractor and see what will work out best. Read More
Cabin fever is an all too real issues when your family members. Here are a few ideas to find a home within your home so you can have some space, time, and (most importantly) silence to yourself. Spa-like bathroom Having an updated spa-like bathroom can be the perfect stress reliever while the relatives run wild Read More
The Parade of Homes is a fun and beautiful tradition that showcases new homes, new trends, and sets the stage for the upcoming year’s fads and decorations. Here are a few that you may see this year and possibly create in your own home. Shiplap This design is the use of horizontal wood paneling inside Read More
Building a custom home requires a lot of thought, planning, and patience. Hundreds of small details have to work together to make a wonderful, comfortable home that you will love and live in for possibly the rest of your life. To start planning and building your custom home here are a few aspects you should Read More
Pomanders These traditional decorations for the holiday season smell and look wonderful. They can also be hung all winter long! This can be an intricate decoration or something simple and fun to do with the kids. You will need: Firm, healthy lemons, limes, or oranges (or all three!) Toothpicks Cloves Rubber bands Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, Read More
For years kitchens have been designed with rich colors, complex textures, and warm lighting. Now white kitchens have made a come back from the stereotypical French and rustic kitchens for their clean lines, open concepts, and bright and cheery lighting. Here are a few reasons you may want to consider having a white kitchen in Read More
More secure While both crawl spaces and basements are susceptible to mold crawl spaces tend to attract moisture more because of their space, the light, and the exposure to the elements. A well-ventilated and insulated basement will be able to withstand the elements and any possible moisture it comes into contact with. A basement will Read More
Have plenty of light Make sure you have plenty of alternative lighting options in case your home loses power. Be sure to have plenty of candles, lanterns, and flash lights. And for every lighting option, be sure to have plenty of batteries! Stock up on food and water You should always have a week’s worth Read More
Outdoor spaces can be wonderful and relaxing during the spring, summer, and even part of the fall. Pergolas and patios can be formatted to your wants and needs, offer a lot of amenities, and both have their positives and negatives. If you are thinking about building a custom home with an outdoor space or attaching Read More
Having a good neighborhood watch program can make you and your neighbor’s homes safer and more secure. But not all neighborhood watches are effective neighborhood watches. To make sure you and your neighbors are safe here are a few ideas and tips. Be sure you have a varied group While you and your friends will Read More
Caregivers are some of the most extraordinary human beings in the world. They selflessly give up part of their life to care for those that need help. If you are a caregiver be sure to take care of yourself and give yourself plenty of slack and patience. If you know a caregiver do what you Read More
Copper has become popular throughout the years for their beauty, unique feel, and its elegant way of aging. Copper accents can create an ornate ambiance that will add color and light to your home. Here are a few popular accents and how they can be used in your home. Free standing or connected copper tubs Read More
You’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner – Centerpiece Centerpieces can make your home look warm and inviting on Thanksgiving. It can also be functional to hold the food and keep everything clean and tidy. Here is instructions for my favorite centerpiece. You’ll need Three raised plates A few tiny pumpkins (of course!) Mums Dahlias Other flowers of Read More
Using repurposed wood can add charm to your home while helping keep our world green and clean. Here are a few ideas to start your own DIY projects so you can be on your way to a cozy, earth-friendly home. Painting Though you may not consider a repurposed wood painting to have the most environmental Read More
Many families know too well the slippery, muddy floors that happen any time of year. For anyone it can be frustrating and annoying to constantly sweep and mop over time. Well, with a little thought and creativity you can have a foot and hand washing station that will keep your home clean and your sanity Read More
November is a wonderful time of year. There are crisp nights by the fire, hot cocoa, football, and Christmas is right around the corner. But if you have just bought your first home or have yet to decorate for November, the idea can be somewhat intimidating. Here are a few basic tips to get you Read More
Designing your new home is a wonderful way to express your creativity and make your home perfect for you. One way to bring color and texture your home quickly and easily is by adding an accent wall to a room. Depending on the color, the light, and the placement you can create the illusion of Read More
When improving or even cleaning our home we often wear protective clothing from chemicals, the elements, and tools. Rarely, however, do we as homeowners consider eye protection. This month we encourage you to take precautions to protect your eyes while you work, clean, and improve your home. Here are a few tips you can use Read More
Pet baths are great for their convenience, hygiene, and can integrate well in many homes. They are becoming more and more popular because they are such a simple solution to a common problem. Convenient Dog washing stations can be incredibly convenient for those with active lifestyles or adventurous pups. After a long day kayaking Read More
Winter preparedness is very important to keep you and your family happy, cozy, and safe. Here are a few tips to keep your home safe and warm. If you have any other tips let us know! Furnace filter check You will want to check your furnace’s filter on a monthly basis throughout the winter. You Read More
Even though the leaves are falling and the weather is getting chilly, there is plenty of ways to spend time outside and still feel comfortable and at home. Making an intimate outdoor patio space can create a whole other living area that can be used well into fall. Here are a few suggestions to Read More
Though you may not immediately think of bathrooms when designing a home they are often the first impression your home makes with friends and guests. Designing your bathroom or bathrooms is an important project where your creativity can roam free. Here are a few questions you must answer before you begin designing so you Read More
Being able to remodel or create your own custom kitchen can be an amazing opportunity that will make your home more inviting and comfortable. Before you begin setting up blue prints and buying two by fours there are a few things you want to consider. Here are some questions you may want to ask Read More
This month is a perfect time to plan and decide how to design your kitchen and bathroom. Just as the air becomes crisp and the leaves begin to fall you can design these rooms and have them finished by Christmas. Here are a few ideas and inspirations to keep in mind while you plan. Read More
Soundproofing can be perfect for any home that has a budding musician, a small child, or an experienced instrumentalist. Soundproofing is a great way to make your home peaceful and relaxing. While music can always be a wonderful addition to your home it isn’t always nice for a four-hour jam sesh to fill your Read More
Custom homes offer endless possibilities for new plans, ideas, and décor. Here are a few of the most popular custom home amenities in the U.S. This may give you some inspiration for your new home or help you find new ways to make your existing home perfect for you. Laundry Chutes Laundry chutes have Read More
Back Pack Safety I remember my backpack from high school somehow weighing a ton always on the verge of breaking. It was always a blast walking to my home in Hempfield with such a weight and still has affected my posture and how I carry pretty much everything. As the school year begins you, Read More
Everyone wanted to find the secret way to Narnia as a child. I personally always hoped that I would find a brand new room in our home when I was a kid. Now you can create that room filled with surprise and wonder for you and or your children by creating a secret room Read More
Everyone remembers camp and bon fires fondly. They remind us of cool nights in autumn, warmer nights at the beach, or your favorite camping trip with your Girl Scout troop. Campfires are wonderful for bringing everyone together. Now you can have those same fantastic experiences right in your backyard. Fire pits are safe, beautiful, Read More
Finding a door can be daunting when you are not sure what you want. There is a lot of aspects you will want to consider. Many aspects such as look, durability, and price are very important features but energy efficiency should be another thing to consider. Glass While glass can be beautiful it is not Read More
Fresh cut flowers can be a beautiful addition to your home any time of year. During August there are many flowers that are in season, inexpensive, and utterly stunning. Here are a few of the flowers and a little information on each one. With just one or two or all of the flora on Read More
This month is Children’s Eye Health and Safety Month and Children’s Vision and Learning Month. That means you may want to consider going to the optometrist for you and your children. While you may not realize it, you and your child’s vision can be changing with age. Be sure to schedule regular visits with Read More
Finding the right counter top for your kitchen takes time, patience, and a lot of consideration. Unlike furniture, painting a room, or changing the curtains a counter top is a huge investment that you must love for possibly the rest of your life. To make sure you adore what you choose here are three Read More
Finding the right counter top for your kitchen takes time, patience, and a lot of consideration. Unlike furniture, painting a room, or changing the curtains a counter top is a huge investment that you must love for possibly the rest of your life. To make sure you adore what you choose here are three Read More
Whether you’re working or playing outside in the summer, anybody not accustomed to the heat is at risk for a heat-related illness. To avoid heat sickness, heat stroke, or heat exhaustion here are a few tips to help you beat the heat and enjoy your summer. Take steps to protect yourself: ✓ Wear appropriate clothing, Read More
As summer draws to a close, back-to-school season is in full effect. Remember to safely share the roads with school buses, pedestrians and bicyclists, and provide children with the necessary knowledge to stay safe at school. Whether children walk, ride their bicycle, or take the bus to school, it is extremely important that they Read More
If your kitchen is large or small it can be difficult to organize if you don’t have any idea where to start. Here are a few tips to put your kitchen together so you will know where everything is. Under The Sink To keep all of your cleaning products under the sink organized used Read More
Garlands are often used nowadays in holiday festivities to cover banisters or mantles with evergreens, holly, and beautiful poinsettias. But the wonderful thing about garlands is that they can be used all year round to create a delicate and inviting touch to your home. Summer blooms, fruit, greenery, and other materials can become a Read More
Laminate flooring is a synthetic flooring product fused with a lamination process. Wood laminate is made to appear like hardwood floors without all the hassle and maintenance. There are positives and negatives to hardwood laminate. Depending on the climate, construction, and traffic in your home hardwood laminate may be the right choice for you. In Read More
Making your summer memorable takes more than flip-flops and a few tiny umbrellas. You need to keep your garden, home, and car in good shape so you can enjoy the summer in comfort. Here are a few helpful tips about summer maintenance. Update Outdoor Furniture For many pieces of outdoor furniture the winter is Read More
Now that fireflies are floating in the summer breeze and the heat has settled into backyards everywhere it can be difficult to remember that you have to maintain your home during the summer. Here are a few ways you can keep your home looking Better Homes and Gardens ready without working during the dog days Read More
Multigenerational homes have been in many different cultures for hundreds of years. In parts of Europe many people still live with multiple generations under one roof. Many Native Americans actually designed entire villages to cater to multigenerational homes. It is a simple and intelligent way to care for aging parents as well as newborns. Read More
Christmas in July parties are fun, kitschy, and can be a party where your creativity soars. There are plenty of crafts, recipes, and games you can create to make this half-way-to-Christmas-day the second most festive day of the year! Here are a few of our favorite crafts and ideas to celebrate the season. Read More
Parks and Recreation centers are important parts of the community that work as centers of the town. They create events for families and children, they offer a place to appreciate nature and the outdoors, and they often offer educational and career resources for the general public. Head over to the park The easiest thing Read More
Rain Barrels can be a wonderful way to conserve water and avoid flooding in your yard or in your home. These barrels are often recycled from construction sites or landscaping companies. They can be custom painted to with vibrant colors and unique patterns or to match the décor of your home. They are often 50 Read More
The fourth of July is one of the biggest events of the summer — but it can bring an increase in in juries. In 2010, fireworks caused estimated 15,500-reported fires, including 1,100 structure fires. While you may be excited for pyrotechnics and sparklers there are a few things you should consider to stay safe. Read More
Cute and Stylish Calcutta marble penny tile is versatile and can add color and light to any room. This form of tile became trendy recently for its rarity and its beauty. Calcutta marble is exceptionally rare and can only be produced from one quarry in Carrara Italy. Originally Michelangelo introduced Western Europe to this Read More
Grab a rocking chair and a good book! June is national iced tea month and we have plenty of recipes that will have you listening to crickets and catching fireflies in no time. Homemade garden mint tea (Meadow tea) This one is fairly simple and can be done in two ways. You can use any Read More
Decorating your home during the spring and early summer can be a blast. With light touches and some spring-cleaning you can make your home feel fresh and new. Patio facelift Instead of spending your weekends at restaurants or at the movies enjoy the company of your friends in the comfort of your own home. Sprucing Read More
Creating an inviting and relaxing outdoor space during the summer months can be fun and easy. Here are a few ways you can revamp your backyard space to make it perfect for entertaining guests or for reading a book in the late afternoon. Revamp furniture It may not be the most fun but fixing, Read More
With summer comes storms. While some can be beautiful and perfect for singing in the rain, others can be dangerous and must be taken seriously. Here are a few tips so you can stay safe during thunderstorms. Stay away from windows and doors This may seem like common sense but many people are attracted Read More
This past weekend our parade home entry on 6 Alans Green in Mill Creek in Lancaster became our second straight first place winner in the Lancaster Parade of Homes competition! Thanks to all of you who came out to support us and for the wonderful custom home owners we have served and continue to serve. We Read More
If you are building a home one of the most important things to learn is how your property will handle rainwater. Finding out if your home will use a well and septic tank or the town’s drainage system will be the first step to deciding how to build your home. Once you know what Read More
Hardwood flooring can be a large investment for your home or office but it may be worth it depending on the environment, space, and purpose. Here are a few possible positives and negatives to hardwood floors so you can make a decision that is right for your home. Pros Easy Cleaning Cleaning hardwood floors Read More
During the month of June bees are buzzing, gardens are growing, lawn mowers are rumbling along, and home improvement projects usually begin. While it is a wonderful time of year to clean gutters, power wash decks, and refinish your porch you should always be aware of the hazards that come with home improvement. With a Read More
Buying a new home can be incredibly stressful and building a new home can be even worse if you do not hire a reputable and reliable contractor and plan the layout of your house. The best thing to do is go room-by-room in your home and work through each aspect you want in your new Read More
Organization can mean the difference between a clean home and a spotless home. Creating an organization system for each room in your house can help you know exactly where everything is which can cause you less stress in the long run. Here are a few organizational tips for some of the rooms in your home. Read More
More hurricanes are finding their way up the east coast. Though there is some debate about the cause of this migration, there are definite and effective ways to prepare for a hurricane. Here are a few tips on how to make a hurricane preparedness kit and how to maintain your kit once you have Read More
Preparing your garden for summer is a very exciting and busy time. There are new plants to buy, compost to use, and millions of other things to think about. If you’re feeling a little stressed here are a few ideas about how to manage your garden. Bug Spray Creating a homemade, all-natural bug Read More
With summer right around the corner, cookouts, grilling, and picnics will be everywhere. You may want to stock up on a few good recipes so you are never left empty handed at a potluck or picnic. Here are a few recipes for simple salsa, lemonade, and mashed potatoes. Simple Salsa 6 tomatoes of varying Read More
Now that the flowers are blooming and the birds are singing many of us are pulling out our tool belts and preparing our latest home improvement projects. While that is a wonderful way to add value and comfort to your home, home improvement projects can be dangerous if not properly executed. Here are a few Read More
Creating a home that is perfect for you and your family can be fun and challenging or it can be an utter nightmare. Here are a few suggestions and crafts to make your home feel like home sweet home. Splish Splash Foam noodles in your garage can save your car door and the garage wall Read More
Sweet Vidalia Onion Vidalia onions are wonderful onions for everything from light and lovely salads to hearty stews. Onions, however, can be great for ailments as well. If you have a congested chest sauté onions with a little olive oil and keep half in the pain for dinner and put the other half on Read More
Mostly, we think of insulation with regard to winter but installing new insulation in your home during the spring and summer months can save you time installing, headache, and money. Keep cool air in Though we think of insulation as keeping warm air in and cold air out, it works for cool air as well. Read More
Sunrooms can be wonderful additions to your home that have endless possibilities in function, decoration, and purpose. Sunrooms have been used throughout the years as a place for entertaining, for crafting, cooking, and even growing. There are plenty of reasons why if you are able to you should invest in a sunroom. Your family will Read More
Using landscape architecture in your home can help create a beautiful home inside and out. Here are a few ideas for you to use in your home whether it is little or small. The beauty of landscape architecture is that it can be custom made for any space and need. Be sure to mark out Read More
Taking care of your face while working on home improvement is vital to avoid injury and to finish the job with it looking well done and detailed. Depending on the job you are doing in or around the home you will need different facial protection. You should also be aware of the rest of Read More
Window safety is extremely important. So much so it deserves two posts. There are plenty of ways you can have a beautiful and safe home and hopefully going through these remaining tips you will be able to find the perfect solution for your windows. Window Bars Window bars are simple pieces that can be Read More
Participate in Window Safety Week, which is the second full week in April. With warmer temperatures arriving, it’s important to practice window safety – especially in homes with young children. Finding ways to make your windows safer and more secure will help you sleep easy at night and may make your windows last longer through Read More
From Flood Watch to Evacuation Notice Knowing the difference between hunkering down and getting out of your home and to a safer place can save you a lot of precious time during a disaster. If your news channel has issued a flood watch that means flooding is possible in your area but has not occurred. Read More
Spring Cleaning I know, I hate it too but it can be simple, quick, and fun if you do it right. First, give yourself allotted time to work on cleaning. Want to tackle the shower (my least favorite chore) put the timer on for ten minutes. You’ll be done before then and now you have Read More
A garage can have a plethora of uses. They can be a workshop, a play area, a storage unit, where the band meets, or a great place to park your car. When you are building your garage there are a few things you need to consider. First, why do you need a garage? Do you Read More
When designing your home there are many details you will want to focus on. One of the most important decorative details you will want to focus on is the floor. Many people do not always look down at their feet right away when looking at a home but as they move in, live with, and Read More
In honor of severe weather preparedness week we thought we would give you a few tips and ideas so you can stay safe and sane during the harsher days of spring. It may seem unbelievable but spring often has surprise snowstorms, intense thunderstorms, and all around whacky weather. To stay safe and prepared there are Read More
There are many reasons why people are considering central vacuum systems for their home. It adds value to your home, is often more economical than a portable vacuum, and is more convenient. If you are thinking about making the investment in your own home be sure to do plenty of research on all the products Read More
Designing and decorating your home can the most fun and daunting task you experience when own a home. Small touches can make a home but doing so to fit your lifestyle is paramount. Though it may seem small, the walls throughout your home will set the tone of your house. Creating different qualities in rooms Read More
Throughout history grand, luxurious, and baroque entrances have inspired and bewildered us. A large entrance can evoke a sense of power, grandiosity, lavishness, and plenty of similar thoughts. Large entrances are often seen in places of great importance such as castles, temples, and even government establishments. The trend is, however, mimic in single-family homes as Read More
Since today is Friday, I thought it would be a fitting time for another Friday Roundup. Today’s lineup includes unique home design and some interesting new appliances. Let’s dig in. When we design homes for our clients, the home style that is requested by our clients the most (by far) is the Farmhouse Style. Also, Read More
It’s that time of year again. When we turn our clocks forward we may grumble through the seemingly early morning but before you know it we will be able to enjoy the sun well into the evening. Daylight Savings is always the Second Sunday in March and all clocks, watches, and devices that are not Read More
Keep A Work Journal When you’re working on a project in home time management is key. Using a work journal can help you keep everything on track without a lot of clutter of receipts or records. I use a basic eight by eleven notebook where I keep written records and tape receipts and pictures Read More
Early Spring Cleaning I know, I know I hate it too but it can be the difference between a productive day or a day of watching old X-Files on Netflix. When I decide to clean up to avoid feeling too cooped up I start by straightening and organizing small projects such as books or clothing. Read More
Spring is a perfect time to clean out your home. You can hear the birds chirping, see the flowers budding, and feel the air warm up around you. Getting unnecessary clutter and debris out of your house during spring will help you embrace summer and even have an easier time preparing for fall and winter. Read More
Welp, today is Friday – making it a fitting day for a new Friday Roundup. We’re going to focus on some great home products that you can incorporate into your new or current home. Here goes. First, let’s talk lighting. When we’re designing kitchen layouts, 9 out of 10 of our clients choose to hang Read More
Winter house fires are more likely to happen because there are more risks factors occurring in the house such as stovetop or oven cooking, fireplaces, and candles to make the home feel cozy and warm. While these can help everyone get through the cabin fever of winter, it can be dangerous if the fires are Read More
Symptoms Common symptoms of CO poisoning are dizziness, headache, weakness, chest pain, and other “flu-like” symptoms. If you breathe in a lot of carbon monoxide you may faint and if not moved you may die from further inhalation. Those who are sleeping or drunk may die from CO poisoning before they have symptoms. If you Read More
Big and Small Organizing your closet, pantry, or linen closet can become easier when using freedom rail. Freedom rails are customizable and movable so you can create the perfect spot for all your belongings. This is fantastic for homes big or small because it can create more space in your house without creating bulk or Read More
Well, well, well. Here we are with our first Friday Roundup of the year. Today we’re going to discuss some plumbing fixture buying advice as well as some new products that you might be interested in. Let’s get to it. First, there’s an industry (not very well-kept) secret about plumbing fixtures – specifically faucets. Most Read More
As home design evolves and changes wider doors, windows, and more space in the home makes the home look more inviting and can make those in the home much more comfortable. By creating space in entryways and windows you can also give more space to the home and make it easier to decorate maneuver in Read More
For new homeowners, new parents, or anyone who wants a clean, healthy home finding the right cleaning products is an important step. Unfortunately, you cannot simply roll down the grocery aisle grabbing with sheer abandon. Some cleaning products contain chemicals that can be harmful to you and your family over time. By defining the issue Read More
Many want their home to be as chemical free as possible. If you have the opportunity to build your own home you can ensure that your home will be healthy and devoid of chemicals that could harm you or make you and your family sick. By choosing an Ecological contractor, making your own updates, and Read More
So you’re building a new house. Congratulations! There are a million things you will need to consider when designing your new house and working with those building. One decision you will need to make is if you will have a garage and if so, where are you going to put it? It will take up Read More
Yes having LED lighting in your home is possible and may help you lower your electric bill and create a more relaxing space. Be sure to learn about your appliances, space, and what you may need before purchasing bulbs. This will help make the transition easier and you won’t have to return to the hardware Read More
Deciding whether to create a walkway can be a bit of work if you do not put some thought into it. By considering the benefits and limit within your options you will find what is best for you and your home. Brick Walkway Having a brick walkway can perk up your exterior and create a Read More
Many homeowners make the decision between a deck or patio based on their own needs, preferences, and space. Depending on these aspects you will know which option is best for you. Both landscaping possibilities are beneficial but they do differ. By reading over the benefits and limits you can see what is best for your Read More
Everyone has a story about trying to take wallpaper down in a new home. First there is hope and determination, and then there is frustration, which is usually followed by tears, which you put on the wallpaper to try and loosen the glue. And you almost always end up with a horribly marked wall that Read More
Unfortunately, we all don’t necessarily have a custom home built with our dream closet. Closet space seems to be the least satisfying space in the home, especially when sharing a closet. All is not lost when you need to create a perfect his and her closet. Here are 5 tips to maximize your closet space. Read More
Crime can happen even in the safest neighborhoods. If your neighborhood already does not have one, you should think about starting a neighborhood watch program. A neighborhood watch program is an organized group of neighbors who are dedicated to preventing crime in the neighborhood. Here are some of the benefits of a neighborhood watch program. Read More
The Shingle-Style Home Art is often a matter of revisiting and going back to previous movements and innovations and renewing them – to “make it new,” so to speak. This is true whether we’re talking about the postmodernists of today going back to the modernists of the turn of the century and the pre-war years, Read More
Positioning Your New Home When building a new house, there is quite a bit to consider regarding materials, design, and everything in between. In fact, it’s quite overwhelming, and making all of those decisions can be difficult – which is why we so often hire professionals to do the job, is it not? Yet there Read More
What would you say to a HVAC system that doesn’t take up space in your home, will keep your home comfortable all year round, uses very little electricity and has been around for over sixty years? Most people wouldn’t be able to name such a system. Even fewer would think something like this exists. Yet Read More
Consistency and Efficiency It can be difficult to consistently provide a good level of temperature control in a house that is truly large and spacious, whether it is a matter of keeping that house cool or warm. This can be especially true when that house is in a climate that is either very cold or Read More
From the ground up Originally the technology used to heat and cool water was used in flooring. For many new homes the technology was a wonderful way to reduce carbon output, made the home more energy efficient, cut down construction costs and labor, and create a more fluid and ascetically pleasing home. While it Read More
For both new and old homes, roofing is always a necessary and sometimes expensive investment. Many do not want to put thought or money into such an endeavor but by doing so they increase the value of their home and with some techniques can decrease their spending on utilities, food, roofing materials, or other Read More
Coloring in Your Home Color is important – but how important? We are a visual species, and certainly a certain level of color creates a vivid and memorable impression upon us. Whether it is a painting, a natural vista, or some nice new clothes, we are always interested in the colors – but not only Read More
The Greatest Solar Homes… More and more, homeowners are becoming aware of the impact they have on the environment. Just by building a house, you are changing your home’s immediate environment, increasing your carbon footprint, and generally having an effect that is not necessarily positive. At the same time, your house is your house, and Read More
Go Tankless! We enjoy countless amenities in today’s modern homes, from climate control to durable, long-lasting exteriors and foundations, to security systems, energy-efficient lighting, high-quality materials for flooring, walls, and furnishings, plenty of space, and of course, running water, one of the earliest advances of civilization as we know it today (such as in the Read More
Buying New Will Actually Save You Money! One factor that many prospective homebuyers should be taking into consideration is the actual cost of living in that home. Yes, when you’re planning to live somewhere for the next ten, twenty, or thirty years, that can seem small compared to the costs of living, furnishing, etc. – Read More
Water, Water Everywhere – And You Need It In Your Pot! A kitchen is often the busiest part of a home. You have the cooking happening in it at least three times a day, but you also have dishes being cleaned, groceries being stored, and often, people hanging out and enjoying a snack or a Read More
The Butler’s Pantry: What Every House Wants Today When you come home, you want a clean, organized space that you can feel some sense of order, control, and relaxation in. Unfortunately, your home is where you keep all of your stuff! That means that there are plenty of opportunities for your life to become frustrating Read More
The Phantom Screen Having a porch can be a wonderful thing, but it presents a problem: how are you to enjoy that porch when the weather is being uncooperative? After all, a porch isn’t just the decking under you; it is the many ways you can get enjoyment out of the space, from watching television Read More
Hey Friends, we’ve got a new community in Warwick Township that is in the full swing of development! The community is called Water’s Edge and if you travel on Woodcrest Avenue in Lititz you have probably seen our first home in progress. We are aiming to have this one completed in the next 5 to Read More
What Is a ManaBloc Plumbing System? When building a new house or even just working on the plumbing of that house, it would behoove you to take a look at ManaBloc plumbing and the benefits offered by it. This method of plumbing water lines is a fairly new and incredibly inventive method that is also Read More
30-Year Architectural Roofing Shingles Just like with a good haircut, a good roof complements your house and helps its look really come out and shine while still serving its purpose and being efficient in doing so. There is certainly plenty of debate about the right kind of roof for each home, but in general, there Read More
Faux Slate on Your Home You have a wide variety of options for your roofing, but it is vital that you make the right choice when the time comes, lest you be stuck with roofing that is not attractive or not sufficiently durable. Doing the research and learning about what you can use to protect Read More
Your Chandelier Lift There are several flourishes that we typically associate with the truly luxurious home. Carpeting and tiles tends to contribute to this, as does the molding, the choice in paints and the metal and marble used for countertops, sinks, and so on. Yet some things can truly add to your home in an Read More
This quaint little neighborhood is located in Lampeter-Strasburg. This town is a growing area with plenty of room to grow for you and your family. It is also more affordable than the surrounding areas like Hempfield or Lititz. In Pioneer Crossing there are four other homes in the area and soccer fields directly behind the Read More
What Every House Wants Today When you come home, you want a clean, organized space that you can feel some sense of order, control, and relaxation in. Unfortunately, your home is where you keep all of your stuff! That means that there are plenty of opportunities for your life to become frustrating cluttered. To avoid Read More
Water, Water Everywhere A kitchen is often the busiest part of a home. You have the cooking happening in it at least three times a day, but you also have dishes being cleaned, groceries being stored, and often, people hanging out and enjoying a snack or a small meal or even just a quick drink. Read More
The Phantom Screen Having a porch can be a wonderful thing, but it presents a problem: how are you to enjoy that porch when the weather is being uncooperative? After all, a porch isn’t just the decking under you; it is the many ways you can get enjoyment out of the space, from watching television Read More
What Is a ManaBloc Plumbing System? When building a new house or even just working on the plumbing of that house, it would behoove you to take a look at ManaBloc plumbing and the benefits offered by it. This method of plumbing water lines is a fairly new and incredibly inventive method that is also Read More
The Appeal of Steele Ridge Where you choose to settle – truly settle – is a decision that has to be made with as much information at your disposal as possible. Yes, you can rent homes and apartments and stay in one spot for one a few months or years at a time when you’re Read More
The Perfect New Neighborhood Owning and living in a home is far more than a mere matter of liking the architecture and landscaping of the house itself. Those are the technical things, the physical properties of your home that lend themselves to your continued enjoyment and comfort in that space, but a home is far Read More
Chandelier Lift There are several flourishes that we typically associate with the truly luxurious home. Carpeting and tiles tends to contribute to this, as does the molding, the choice in paints and the metal and marble used for countertops, sinks, and so on. Yet some things can truly add to your home in an impressive Read More
Wood and Fiberglass Window Frames Sometimes, the strength and longevity of your home is not in the big things – at least not entirely – such as your siding, your roof, and your framing. Sure, those are important – vital, even! But they are not all there is to your home. A house is a Read More
Stronger, Brighter, Better When you drive through the neighborhood that you want to build your home in, what do you notice? What most people see, first and foremost, is the selection of siding used on the houses in the neighborhood. Yes, we see the lawn, the people, the spectacular details that some houses sport, but Read More
The Closet Solution The modern home is completely wired, to the point of, well, having very few wires indeed! What does that mean? It means that in addition to climate control and security systems, access to the Internet in every room – thanks to mobile devices and their need for connectivity on-the-go and in the Read More
Walk-In Closet The advantage of a custom home is, of course, that you can design the home to have all of the features and qualities that you have always dreamt of your house having. For some this means having an in-ground pool just outside; for others, it means having a spacious house to entertain in, Read More
In-Home Sauna You have many options as far as customizing your home for your own comfort and leisure is concerned. There is the potential for putting a pool in, for sports like a basketball or tennis court, for a jungle gym for your children (should you have any), as well as various entertainment options, such Read More
How to Efficiently Cool Your Home Coming out of a harsh winter, you may be thankful that you can finally enjoy the warm weather, bright sun, and clear skies of spring and summer, but there is always a cost to any change, and that goes for the seasons as well. Oh, how quickly we can forget Read More
Country Meadows Estates There is quite a bit of space in Central Pennsylvania, and consequently, quite a few neighborhoods have been built over the past few years to take advantage of that space as well as the influx of families moving into the region. Every other day, it seems, there is a new option for Read More
Black Rock Estates When you’re young and just establishing yourself, where you live is not so much a matter of choice as it is a matter of happenstance and need. However, when you have a family, a career, and the resources to make a deliberate choice about your life and where you will live it, Read More
What About Phantom Screens? Spring is here, and the weather is finally warming up after a long, cold, snowy winter that just seemed to never want to give up. With the change in weather, though, you have to ask yourself: why in the world were you so excited for spring in the first place? This Read More
Hello Friends! We’re getting close to the home stretch here and the excitement is really building as we see this home coming to life. With that in mind, here is the April Parade-Home-In-Progress For the 2015 Lancaster Parade of Homes. We’re about 2 months from the Parade of Homes and the weather is really cooperating with us:) A Read More
Positioning Your Custom Home for Aesthetic and Commercial Appeal Your home is not just where you live, but it is also an investment; after all, haven’t we been told for years now that that best, safest, and most lucrative investment that an American can make is in American real estate? If you believe that, then Read More
An Insulated Garage Door Is An Energy Saver Insulation is an important part of any home, as it is impossible to be entirely comfortable in a space that lacks sufficient climate control. Of course, heating and cooling systems go a long way towards ensuring that the temperature in a room is comfortable, or at least Read More
Your Central Vacuum System A central vacuum system is an amazing way to get your house clean; it is fast, it is efficient, and it is powerful! That explains why they’re being used more and more across homes in America, and why they are being installed in existing homes from coast to coast. Yet this Read More
Preparing a Flower Garden You have many options when it comes to your garden – you could, for example, forego flowers and choose to play a vegetable garden instead, or even an herb garden. After all, both have their merits, both contribute to your household well after the plants have ripened and bloomed, and both Read More
Your Spring Vegetable Garden You’re faced with several options when trying to decide what to plant for this coming spring season. First, you need to decide if you’re going to be focusing on flowers, herbs, or vegetables; having done so, you can then get down to the specifics of the task. If you chose to Read More
Aaaand we’re baaaaaaaacckkk!!! Hopefully you imagined me saying this in a radio host’s voice. On today’s roundup, we’re going to tackle some new products as well as some important insurance advice. Let’s start with an interesting new product. A new startup company called Candy House is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to bring their product, Read More
Slate: Real or Synthetic, and Why? Commitment to authenticity is admirable, but oftentimes, it is rather misinformed and mistaken. In a world where we must be aware of our carbon footprint and how it impacts the world around us as well as the future and wellbeing of our entire planet, authenticity is sometimes just an Read More
Recessed Lighting There are many ways to attract attention to your home, from improving the landscaping to working on the color scheme to keeping your home’s appearance up with the latest and hottest trends in housing today. Yet sometimes, you can’t beat the basics, and in this case, the “basics” is a simple case of Read More
Hey Friends, it’s that time again! Time for the latest update on our Parade-Home-In-Progress For The 2015 Lancaster Parade Of Homes. We’re only 3 months away from the Parade of Homes and even though we’ve made great progress during these cold winter months, we’re looking forward to the milder temperatures as we come down the home Read More
Under Floor Heating The greatest wonder of the current age may simply be the high degree of comfort that we live in. Compared to the generations before us, we live in the lap of luxury, with water, food, climate control, safety, high-quality materials and goods, and more all available to us at incredibly affordable prices, Read More
Your Herb Garden So you want to grow an herb garden, and why shouldn’t you? The greens that herb plants create are great decoration for any home’s lawn or garden, while the herbs themselves are incredibly useful. Any number of dishes are vastly improved by the addition of the right herbs – and infinitely Read More
This Season’s Garden What kind of garden should you be planting for the coming seasons? Sure, it’s cold out now, but soon it will be planting season, and that means the moment of truth is here: will you plant an herb, vegetable, or flower garden? Each one requires different kinds of effort and activities Read More
Popularity of Tech Closets More and more, technology is becoming a regular part of our lives. Of course, we’ve always had some level of technology integrated into our loves to some degree, from the automobile to the electric lightbulb. But technology has become a part of not just how we move and see, but how Read More
Outdoor Recessed Lighting There are many ways to make your home more appealing to those shopping for a new home. The lawn and garden are a big way that homeowners increase their so-called “curb appeal,” as the greenery of your home jumps out immediately, and its beauty – along with the obvious care put into Read More
Driveway & Sidewalk Damage From Rock Salt? The winter is a dangerous time for drivers, as it provides the greatest opportunity for road hazards to cause serious harm. Icy roads, snow banks, and more can all prove quite difficult to manage during the winter season, with a large number of accidents – some of which Read More
Recessed vs Track Lighting In Your Master Bedroom Throughout your home, the lighting that you choose for each room will set the mood of the room while also determining just what use the room can be put to. If a room is too dark, you can do little but sit in it and enjoy your television or Read More
Name: Jared Erb Birthday: April 10th, 1982 Hometown: Lancaster PA Title/Position: Designer Number of years with current company: 11 years What do you do in your position? That is a complicated question. I primarily focus on designing homes for our clients. The involves creative concept plans, working through plan edits and then fine tuning those Read More
Hey Friends, it’s time for an update on our Parade-Home-In-Progress For The 2015 Lancaster Parade Of Homes. As we stated last month, we will be doing monthly updates up until June on our 2015 Lancaster Parade of Homes entry in Manheim to allow you to witness and experience the progressive journey of a custom-designed-and-built home. This Read More
Track Lighting vs Recessed Lighting Every room in your home has a variety of different factors that impact your comfort and happiness in your home. From your choice of colors to your choices of flooring, furniture, and interior decorating, you will find that every single detail changes how you and others perceive that space. To Read More
Two Ways to Make Your Home Seem Bigger Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, as is pretty much every other impression that we get of a person, place, or thing – it’s all relatively, and it is the skill and artifice of the true artist to manipulate those perceptions to create the impression that Read More
Modern Trim for a Modern Home Your home’s rooms contain a wide variety of opportunities for customization and detail-work. Everything form the walls to the ceiling to the floors is up for debate, and in a home with the right interior designer and home construction teams, you can have a truly original, beautiful, and comfortable Read More
Bathroom Fixtures Your bathroom is full of all kinds of details that can seem, on the surface, rather pointless to quibble over. Where will your bathtub be and how will it be positioned vis-à-vis your toilet and sink? Will it be a walk-in shower or an actual bath-tub? Will it be built into the wall or Read More
Track Lighting vs. Recessed Lighting One of the most important but largely overlooked features of your home is, of course, the lighting that you choose for each room. Yes, people don’t often admire your choice of lighting fixtures when they enter the room, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important; in fact, that makes it Read More
Yes, I know this “re-ocurring” blog post is called Weekly Roundup. And, yes, I know it’s been a really long time since our last Roundup post. But since Bi-Annual Roundup just doesn’t have the same ring to it, I’m going to throw down some new product info like we haven’t skipped a beat. So here Read More
Butler’s Pantries Entertaining guests at a formal dinner party may seem like a custom stuck in the past, but it has enjoyed a resurgence recently. With the rise in popularity of shows such as BBC’s Downton Abbey and a renewed interest in Victorian Era history and customs, Butler’s Pantries are coming back into style. Imagine Read More
With winter here and the weather turning more bitter by the day, it’s only a matter of time until the roads are covered in snow and ice and you’re forced to break out the big guns: rock salt. You, your neighbors, and your local government will all have the same idea – that you need Read More
Fluorescent lights are practically a symbol of modern urban life. They’re cheap, they last a long time, and they effectively illuminate whatever space they’re put in to an extreme degree, while not producing a harsh light that is hard on the eyes. From that description alone, you’d think that fluorescent lights are the greatest development Read More
Check Out Our Parade-Home-In-Progress For The 2015 Lancaster Parade Of Homes. Happy New Year, Friends! We hope you and your families had a wonderful 2014 and enjoyed some welcome time together over the Christmas and New Year holidays:) To kick off 2015, we’re doing something we’re really excited about that we think you’re going to Read More
Protecting Plants From Harsh Winter Weather The winter is hard on plants; specifically, it kills plants. Look outside and you’ll see most of your lawn and yard is dead, covered in ice and snow and generally just not doing too hot. That’s why tropical areas are so lush: they never have to deal with water Read More
The idea of an insulated curtain can seem just too good to be true. We know that most insulation comes in the form of the fiberglass and foam insulation that is put inside our walls, but which costs a considerable amount of money; when it comes to windows, many windows are insulated by having expensive Read More
As high as you turn your heat up this winter, you could very easily still be dealing with cold drafts running through your home and causing you to have to bundle up, big time, in your own house. Your energy bill will subsequently be quite high, but why should you have to put up Read More
Rustic Beauty of Masonry Fire Pits These days, we’re distracted by television, internet, telephones, video games, film, and more – anything to keep us from spending time with each other, when we would be talking with each other, learning from each other, and connecting in a meaningful and lasting way. It’s a sad state of Read More
Preparing Your Home For Severe Winter Weather Winter brings with it a number of wonderful things, like snow, the holidays, family get-togethers, shopping, and more. Yet ultimately, the first thing on that list – snow – along with the bitter cold that accompanies it can do a lot of damage and possibly even threaten your Read More
When designing your home, you probably spend most of your time focusing on the exterior look of your home as well as the interior, specifically the rooms that the most time is spent in, as well as those rooms that serve the most functions. For example, the kitchen of a home is critical to the Read More
The mud room is the messy-if-practical alternative to the standard foyer, and sees quite a bit of use in suburban and rural homes. After all, it’s messy out there; in non-urban settings, foot traffic involves mud, plant matter, and more all being tracked into your home, and if your home is not prepared to receive Read More
Your choice of aesthetic in each room isn’t just a matter of color; it’s a matter of taste, of theme, of the sense you want to give everyone who spends time in that room. It’s also a matter of cost, materials, and time, of course, all of which depend on what you are willing to Read More
Choosing the colors of your home can be rather nerve-wracking. After all, once it’s chosen, it’s going to be that way for some time to come. Sure, you can go ahead and repaint your entire home, but that sounds rather exhausting doesn’t it, especially after you’ve already moved in. Plus, it’s expensive! Not, it’s far Read More
What we see in film are not just homes that are spacious, impressive, and beautiful, but also master bedrooms that match; after all, where you lay your head is the last thing you see before you fall asleep and the first thing you see when you wake up, so it’s something that you want to Read More
The changing seasons provide us with a wonderful change of pace – new wardrobe, new things to do outside and in, new holidays, new weather, and so on. However, they also require us to adapt, as we have been doing for years, centuries, and millennia. In your particular case, this means looking towards how your Read More
Energy is on everyone’s lips these days, from talk about the Middle East to fracking to our outdated power grid. We are definitely facing some serious issues that will affect the economy, the environment, politics, and how we live our lives in the years to come. You can help separate yourself from some of those Read More
Your home can include a number of features that you may not have seen in the past few years; indeed, we seemed to forget that a home can be more than just a kitchen, some bathrooms, a living room, and a bunch of bedrooms. That is the layout we most often see in the McMansions Read More
Best Hardwood Flooring Choices For You So many parts of your home can be said to be the most important part. Some would say that your roof is the most critical element of your home; after all, the quintessential importance of your home is in its ability to provide shelter from the elements, be they Read More
Work With The Land For A Healthier Property and Better Landscaping As other environmental concerns have become big parts of our lives, we’ve come to recognize a whole slew of other environmental concerns that we should also be paying attention to in our everyday lives. Once upon a time, we might never have thought that Read More
The Beauty of Wrought Iron You have a nearly endless number of possibilities as far as building materials are concerned for your home. Yet those options go beyond mere building materials; the materials used for the details within your home are also practically limitless. From the wood used for your flooring and trim to the Read More
Home Offices in Custom Homes The web has changed quite a bit about how we live our lives, from putting us into contact with the people in our lives on a more constant basis to providing basically the entirety of the world’s knowledge right at our fingertips. Indeed, it has revolutionized our way of life Read More
As you probably know by now, your kitchen is the heart of your home, and prospective buyer are going to be looking at your kitchen in order to determine if your home is the right fit for them. So much happens in the kitchen – so much life, so many practical and necessary things – Read More
Once upon a time, kitchens were strictly for cooking in. Space was limited for lower classes, and for higher classes, a dining room existed for eating in, whereas the kitchen was where the help cooked each meal; there was never a need to enter there. Today we have the middle class, however, and this has Read More
When considering how you want to have your master bedroom laid out, some things are simply a given. Of course, you want plenty of space; a master bedroom is more than just a place to sleep, it can be a place that you practically live in, part office and part lounge! Of course, storage and Read More
When you hear the word “luxury” in “luxury vinyl tile,” you think that this is something that you simply can’t afford. It’s not an unreasonable assumption; luxury is intended to mean elite, the best of the best, and something that isn’t necessary but simply very… nice. For a long time, when it came to luxury Read More
The texture and look of your walls shouldn’t be bare; bare walls aren’t just unattractive, they are remarkably and notably unattractive. What this means is that when you leave your walls unattended, everyone will notice. Guests, family, friends, and the inevitable homebuyers when you decide to sell will take note of the fact that your Read More
Should you get a fire pit on your patio? It’s hard to say; they aren’t appropriate for every home or even every home owner; the aesthetic and look of some homes simply can’t support a fire pit on their back yard or patio, while others aren’t really designed to safely support a fire pit. Yet Read More
Not every drop of water that falls from the sky ends up seeping into the ground and re-hydrating plants and the soil. Sometimes it runs off the ground, creating a threat to water quality and the environment. You see, rain doesn’t always do well with manmade ecosystems like the suburbs and urban spaces covered in Read More
Flooring is one of the primary things you notice when you enter a new room or space. Whether it is vinyl, tile, or wood, you take note of the flooring, its consistency, its health, its look, its color, and how all of that matches with the design and look of the rest of the room. Read More
Many homeowners understand that while the interior of the home is important, the exterior is just as important. Unless you’re living in the arctic, after all, you’re going to be spending a considerable amount of time outdoors, in your lawn and meandering across your property. That’s why so many people put so much into landscaping, Read More
These days, more and more people are demanding they have the space and luxury that they see in film and television in their homes. In some cases, this is an impossibility given the budget and constraints placed on the home’s construction or renovation. Not every bedroom in the house can be the equivalent of a Read More
People are always looking for the “next big thing” as far as their heating and energy costs are concerned, but the next big thing may in fact be the real deal! We’re talking, of course, about geothermal heating. Geothermal heating is, in fact, one of the most efficient residential heating and cooling systems that you Read More
Fall is just around the corner, and that means that the things you have to do to increase the curb appeal of your home are changing. During the summer, you wanted to focus on your lawn and its summer presentation; with everything in bloom and the rains causing quite a bit of growth, it’s important Read More
The latest laundry rooms are really attempting to rethink how we approach the design and location of laundry rooms in the modern home. Once upon a time, such rooms were relegated to a basement, a garage, or a small hole in the wall on the first floor of your home; this kept laundry out of Read More
The master bedroom of your home is where you will spend quite a bit of time, more than you would ever imagine. After all, you sleep there; that’s at least a third of your life, if not more. (Some of us like to sleep in or take naps!) You also end up reading, browsing the Read More
The kitchen is the heart of your home, this is a well-known and time-worn fact. When it comes to selling a home, for example, your ability to put that home on the market and sell it at the price that you want to sell it at is strongly affected by that home’s kitchen. The kitchen’s Read More
Today we largely use electricity and gas to heat or cool our homes, but it wasn’t always so; once upon a time we relied on the architecture of our homes to provide the cooling and heating we needed in times of extreme climate. Of course, today, we’re not as worried about extreme climate as we Read More
Most bathrooms are purely utilitarian in nature and design. They have a few simple but essential functions to perform in your home, and beyond that, your bathroom probably sees little in the way of love or attention. Clean it, keep it tidy, and keep it aerated, and you should be fine, right? Except that your Read More
Interior design is, in fact, much harder than it looks. Sure, you can select furniture, lighting, flooring and wallpaper and paint and all sorts of other accessories and easy-to-choose-and-buy-and-place objects, but the actual meat of interior design has far more to do with the remodeling approach that you take to a room – or even Read More
The lighting your home uses is arguably going to be the most important mood- and style-setting element of your home. Given that fact, selecting the right lighting both in terms of the design of your home as well as the appliances, wiring, and accessories that you choose to have accompany your lighting scheme is vital Read More
You have the luxury of using a variety of different materials for the exterior of your home. Of course, while there are certainly many materials you could use, you would only want to use one, perhaps two, in particular; otherwise you run the risk of creating an unattractive hodgepodge of exterior materials and patterns, which Read More
You have options – isn’t that what being a modern homeowner in the industrialized world is all about? You can choose to use any kinds of materials you want when designing, building, and expanding your home. That’s good news, too, because when you compare traditional building materials to modern building materials, you will often find Read More
Things fall apart, the center cannot hold – that is how a poem goes that you’ll probably only read in literature class, but sometimes the poets get it right, and in this case, it’s certainly true that entropy must inevitably take hold. This goes true for social systems, for your body, and yes, for your Read More
Your home’s layout and design can take a number of different shapes, forms, and sizes, some of them entirely unique and others more or less common throughout that particular home’s type and design across the region and nation. However, while most choices about bedroom placement, kitchen layout, and living space are generally quite standard, sometimes Read More
The kitchen is the heart of the home; it always has been and likely always will be, and with good reason. It’s where your meals are made, after all, and when does a family and its guests connect more than when it is sitting around the dinner table, eating and enjoying the time they are Read More
Sure, you have a lot of choices to make when it comes to your roof, your siding, your windows, your doors, your lawn and garden, and then of course, there’s the interior of your home and all that goes with that. Indeed, building and owning a home can be just one big decision after another, Read More
Grass is grass, right? So long as it is green, lush, and healthy – i.e., making your home and lawn, and by extension you, look good – then it is doing its job and you have nothing left to worry about! The problem is, your lawn is often a little more demanding than some homeowners Read More
When the season changes, there are several common sense things we can do to prepare for the coming season, with all of its changes in weather, climate, and wildlife, along with our own changes in lifestyle (as per changes in daylight, temperature, and more). Yet often, we neglect to do these things – these simple Read More
Let’s face it: we’ve become a bit too overprotective of our children in recent years. Children today spend much of their time being monitored by their parents, with every single moment of their “free time” structured, and planned out well ahead of time, all with a goal in mind, whether it is the child’s education Read More
This past winter was definitely a rough one. More than a few blizzards paired with blistering cold and incredibly high winds did a number on many homes, but with the weather what it was, the time to do repairs and deal with issues of maintenance on one’s home and lawn hasn’t yet come… until now. Read More
Spring is here, bringing with it rain, sun, warmth, and renewed growth after a long and oftentimes brutal winter. Soon, summer will arrive, and gardens will be in full bloom, flowers will be opening everywhere, and your home will be asking for some serious upkeep attention. In fact, while fall, winter, and sometimes spring can Read More
For most people, having a dream home means having a yard, perhaps a good stretch of property, and that often means coexisting with nature in a very real way. Forests, creeks, hills, and so on can make up the countryside along which your home is built. While this can afford you the opportunity to enjoy Read More
When you buy a home, you make a huge change in how you live with and interact with your place of residence. Back when you were younger and you merely rented a home or apartment, the design and shape of your domicile wasn’t all that important to you; you were going to move out soon Read More
Your home – its structure and construction – serves several basic functions that are vital for your comfort and, in many cases, your survival. Sure, your home is where you keep your stuff, entertain guests, and watch television, but there are more basic, traditional, elemental purposes for your home: specifically, to stay warm or cool Read More
Your garage is a vital part of your home, though sometimes we have a tendency to forget that it even exists. After all, over the course of a year, you can really fill it with quite a few useless items – useless as in you yourself no longer have a use for them, though others Read More
While there are many investments you can make into your home, few are as expensive or as important as your roof. After all, it is the roof that protects you and your family against the elements, and it is the roof that provides a large part of the aesthetic of your house. Together, this makes Read More
The arrival of spring – and, soon, summer! – means a number of things. It means you can finally start living your life outside again, it means that you will have some daylight long after you’ve gotten off work, and it means that mother nature is back in full force. The grass is greener, the Read More
There are a variety of different ways you can design and outfit your home, not the least of which is the mudroom. Obviously every room in your home is important, serving different functions and roles, but the initial impression that all of your guests receive when entering you home is in the mud room, an Read More
When you hear that a neighborhood has a Neighborhood Watch program, you may wonder: why? In especially nicer neighborhoods, it can seem as though the ostensible purpose of the Neighborhood Watch – specifically, to prevent crime – is rather pointless, as nicer neighborhoods often seem to have very little crime at all. In a neighborhood Read More
The end of winter and the start of spring means that summer is just around the counter, but unfortunately, that also means that sooner or later, it is going to be much, much, much warmer than you’ve grown accustomed to over the past few months. Consequently, you’re going to have to start cooling your home Read More
How’s Errrbody doing? We’re back with another Roundup. Today I’m going to discuss some cool new products and a slide show that I’ve come across in the last few weeks. So read on because I think we’ve got a good one today. First on my list is for those of you that have painted areas Read More
When considering an addition onto your home, you have a variety of options available to you. You could have a shed or secondary garage built, a patio, a gazebo, or even a whole wing added onto your home. You are, in part, limited by the geography and space available to you, while your budget presents Read More
(Note: The 2014 Parade of homes is June 14 – 22, with more info coming in late May. Check out our Parade homes here.) As cities grow and expand and increasingly become more important to how we do business, more and more of our jobs and businesses will be located in major metropolises like Philadelphia, Read More
Welp, it’s definitely been a while since our last Roundup (Definitely more than a week), but who’s counting? Today we’re back with some great product recommendations and industry news. Here goes. For starters, let’s get practical. It’s no secret that duct tape covers a multitude of sins. Now we can cover those sins with fewer Read More
Textured ceilings have gained rising popularity in the housing industry. Home improvement specialists, home designers and property builders have used the techniques of textured painting to create masterpieces. The choice of various types of textured ceilings often reflects personal or professional preferences. Custom home settings are personalized, and allow decorators to add their own personal Read More
It’s that time of year again, time to clean out the cobwebs, sweep the floors, and get your garage organized for spring! For those of us who know that their garage could use a little TLC, here are our top three tips for making it spring clean: 1. Know What You Have Many of us Read More
Warm weather is just around the corner, and soon everyone will be outdoors, enjoying the patio and lawn. Of course, to encourage the family to take advantage of your home’s outdoor living areas, you should make your porches, decks, and patios as comfortable and attractive as possible. You can use these three tips to jazz Read More
Now that leaves have turned green, days are longer, and the skies are blue and balmy, the thoughts and daydreams of many homeowners are focusing on the upcoming gardening season. Whether you’ve got basketfuls of freshly picked vegetables and berries on your mind or you’re more the type who wants to cultivate a thriving perennial Read More
Those freezing winter evenings are gone — blown away by the first, soft whispers of spring. Celebrate by jazzing up your backyard deck in lieu of the coming summer festivities. 1. Add Built-In Seating Nothing makes a deck more comfortable or brings simplicity to your backyard get-together like built-in deck seating. Whether your deck is Read More
When you want to beautify the outside of your home with a classic garden, understanding the elements required to create this traditional look is important. Whether you have a large backyard you want to transform or you are creating styling a small space, these tips will help you get started on a classic garden design. Read More
Closet space has become an important selling tool for custom homes. Many houses today have elaborate closet systems that make the most of almost every square inch. If you don’t happen to own one of those custom homes, you can still make better use of your closet space. The Do-It-Yourself Approach If you are a Read More
Radon is a very real issue for homeowners to keep in mind both when first purchasing a home and maintaining one over the years. There are a few different issues that can affect the overall radon levels in your home and weather and weathering is one. There are two distinct types of weather that can Read More
We have seen homes constructed as tree houses, built on stilts in water, and even as a giant duck. One design we see a bit more frequently is that of a spaceship. While certainly not common, there may be more spaceship homes peppered throughout the country than you realize. These saucer shaped houses Read More
When it comes to siding your home there are a few different things to keep in mind, the first is of course insulation. Insulated siding is a fairly new concept and can be helpful in a few different ways while also being a hindrance. It is important to keep a few different issues in mind Read More
The winter of 2014 has been particularly harsh for a considerable part of the country. Between ‘polar vortexes‘ that have brought with them freezing temperatures, snow storms, and freezing rain, people and their homes have taken a significant beating. One of the easiest places to see the wear and tear that the weather has Read More
Spring is just around the corner, which means there is now work to be done for all the gardeners out there. While the vast majority of the work will be done when the weather warms and the rains return with regularity, some useful prep can be done in your garden in the final throes of Read More
Today’s custom homes are being constructed with increasing levels of energy efficiency in mind. If you are still looking for ways to improve efficiency and reduce fuel costs in your home, you may want to look toward your water heater. Here is a quick look at the pros and cons of solar, gas and electric Read More
Today, we’ve got ourselves another Roundup. I have some great new products and seasonal tips to throw your way. So sit back, relax and we’ll get into it. First off, I came across one of those products that is such a simple and innovative idea that I am somewhat surprised that it hadn’t been invented Read More
Building your custom home and contemplating creating a panic room? Here are three tips for creating the perfect one for you: 1) First, make sure you have proper construction, from the right latches to the correct hinges to the perfect framing, your panic room must be safe, in order to keep you and your family Read More
Small spaces can seem complicated when it comes to decorating, even if the building is a custom home. Depending on the room, the type of furniture and the details may vary, but the solutions that help open up the space are similar. A few simple tricks can make a small space look open and comfortable. Read More
A custom home is the best way to get every feature your heart desires in a new house; however, design flaws create some huge headaches after the home is complete. Fortunately, it doesn’t take a degree in architecture or interior design to avoid the following three disastrous design mistakes. 1. Inconvenient room placement A master Read More
Custom built homes offer the greatest opportunities for you to have an environmentally-friendly abode as you control every step of the construction process. Whether you’re considering an eco-friendly home remodeling project or are thinking about a custom home, consider these 3 tips for making your home more green. Green Interior and Exterior Painting The dangers Read More
Spring is only a short time away. Soon you will be finishing up all the indoor projects in your custom home and moving your attention to your yard as you’ll be planting beautiful flowers and vegetables. Before you start putting one flower or vegetable seed in the ground, you will want to prepare the yard Read More
Small rooms do not need to restrict your ability to use and enjoy the areas. With the right techniques, you can make small spaces fully functional while still have an open feeling. The trend towards mini or micro homes is providing many new solutions for comfortable living in smaller spaces. Multi-purpose Furniture To get the Read More
Sit on the edge of your seat no longer. This week’s Roundup is here and packed with some great product info, home advice and industry news. Here we go. First up, let’s pretend that this ice age will end at some point and Spring will come. I know it’s hard to imagine, but let’s try Read More
There are many things homeowners can do by themselves to improve the efficiency of a home. Many of these ideas are also budget-friendly and the cost will be paid back quickly with the energy savings. Windows Window treatments offer an exceptional efficiency option while improving the look of your home. For south-facing windows, choose drapery Read More
If you have finally moved into your new custom home and want to find ways to have a more greener lifestyle, fortunately there are several easy things you can do to get started. It is important to keep in mind that you don’t need to take large steps to help reduce your carbon footprint; a Read More
Every step in a custom home construction comes with decisions about providing comfort, even when it comes to bathroom flooring. Ceramic tiles can be beautiful but how about those during-the-night bathroom visit and those winter early morning showers? Extra thick bath mats and fuzzy furry slippers can only do so much. A cold bathroom floor Read More
It’s that time again. That time when you become completely distracted from that productive task you had been performing and completely focus all of your attention on this week’s Roundup. What I’ve got for you today is a mixed bag of new products, industry news and home advice. Let’s get to it. For anyone that Read More
There’s something about the cold weather that zaps your energy and makes you want to sit around the house like a hairball. Instead of slouching on the couch wishing Old Man Winter would croak, use the time to make some improvements around the house. Simple home improvements such as freshening up your wall color, organizing Read More
“These windows will pay for themselves in a year.” You’ve heard the sales gimmicks, but will the expense of energy efficient windows be worth the expense in the next year, or two, or five? Reviewing a few stats about newer windows can help you make a financially-sound decision when replacing windows or making selections for Read More
Whether updating your current kitchen or choosing the elements for a new custom home, incorporating 2014 kitchen trends into the design can give the most used room in the house new life. Open concept Not the newest trend, but definitely a continuing trend in kitchen design for 2014, an open concept kitchen provides a better Read More
While most people look forward to the weekend, I know that you actually look forward to Friday for one reason, and one reason only – Weekly. Roundup. So let’s dig right into our list of new and interesting products. Let’s start off by talking Green. Through the years, we’ve installed countless recessed lights in our Read More
When it gets cold outside, the heat goes on inside. However, this regularly leads to incredibly high energy bills over the course of the winter months. As this winter has been colder than most on record, and there will probably be other incredibly cold winters in the future, it’s important for your pocketbook to know Read More
Aaaaaaaannnddd we’re back with the first Roundup of 2014. I realize how much you missed these incredibly informative weekly (or monthly) updates and how you could barely concentrate on anything else since you finished reading the last Roundup. Well, brighten up because we’re going to get right back into it… This first new product seems Read More
Between rushing to get ready for work, soaking in a hot bath and taking a long, steamy shower, you spend a great deal of time in your bathroom. There’s no reason to spend all that time in a bland, dull room. Whether you are sprucing up an outdated bathroom or designing your custom home, adding Read More
It’s snowing outside and you’re getting a mild case of cabin fever. You need something to do on long winter weekends stuck at home. Since you’re indoors anyway, now is a good time to get a head start on your spring cleaning. Where to begin? Spring cleaning is about transforming your living space and reducing Read More
If you are considering building a custom home, there are many things you should consider. You want your home to be perfect for your budget and lifestyle, but you also need to make sure that it will be a competitive player in the housing market should you ever decide to sell. Here are three tips Read More
Rock salt works well to allow ice and snow to melt at higher temperatures in a pinch, but it stains your shoes, rusts your vehicles, kills plants and may damage cement over time. If you track salt inside, you can damage floors, too. This affordable product isn’t always as good of a deal as it Read More
Canopy beds bring to mind days of old, when kinds and queen had elaborate chambers. Layers of fabric, whether thin or thick, created an impressive ambiance when falling from the ceiling. In modern times, canopies are less common. However, a bedroom with a well-designed canopy is the ultimate sign of decadence. If you bedroom is Read More
Building a custom home can be at once the greatest and most stressful event in anyone’s life. Understanding what it takes to create a custom home can be next to impossible for lay people that may not be experienced builders and that may have difficulty understanding the principles that make a design viable. Keeping that Read More
Whether you’re building a brand-new home or finally getting around to renovating that old bathroom, now’s the time to add value and personal style to your house. Of course, so many options exist that it might be difficult to figure out where to start. Here are some ideas you’re sure to love in your new Read More
Whether you have a large or small home, you can have wasted space. You may have been visiting someone and noticed that they have a lot of space to spare. You may look around and say, “this would like nice here” or “that would look nice there.” When you have areas or “blank” spaces within Read More
Natural stone has been used in home décor for decades with beautiful results. Stone veneer – the latest in home décor trends – captures the quality and beauty of natural stone at a less expensive price. Composed of natural stone elements combined with Portland cement and other components, stone veneer offers you the look, shape, Read More
Whether the bathroom in your home is large or small, with a few simple tips, it can look like a bathroom from a custom home, without costing you a fortune for remodeling. In most situations, you can give the bathroom a completely new, fresh look in a weekend or less and for an average sized Read More
So here we are at our last Weekly Roundup of 2013. I know, I know…. Keep it together. Let’s carry on today like we always do and discuss a new product, some seasonal decorating tips and also some housing market news. Be strong… First things first, let’s keep it light and talk about a new Read More
Hardwood floors are definitely very beautiful and come with a lot of advantages, but they do have their drawbacks as well. It is very important to consider both the advantages and drawbacks of hardwood floors before you install them. Here are some of the pros and cons of installing hardwood floors in your custom home. Read More
Everyone will be looking to save a bit of money on their heating bills this winter. There are a number of ways to do it, and here are three very simple ones. Turn down the heat, and add a layer of clothing One simple, and basic, way to save money on your heating bills is Read More
Comfort Foods — just speaking the words can bring a smile to your face, and conjure up a vision of happy childhood times. It’s an iconic human experience, the way that mention of certain foods prompts an almost physical reaction, and forms a compelling reason to recreate certain experiences. Everyone, it seems, has a favorite Read More
You can search far and wide for interior decorating options without finding any that provide a more pleasing aesthetic along with better strength than granite . This rich, multifaceted stone can be utilized in both kitchens and bathrooms to great effect, but like many things in life, the benefits of granite do not come without Read More
If you are considering Quartz Countertops in your custom home there are a few things you should know about your options. The pros heavily outweigh the cons, when it comes to quartz countertops. Yet one or two of the cons may be a deciding factor when it comes choosing your counter top material. Pros of Read More
Should you use thermal curtains in your custom home? Using these curtains can help lower your energy bills by providing insulation on the most common place where you can lose energy: your windows. R-Values No matter how good your windows are, you’re likely to experience the most heat loss there even through they have a Read More
With so much consideration being given to the environmental conservation, rain barrels are growing in popularity around the world. Rain barrels are being used by homeowners to catch the rainwater that rolls off of their roofs, and in other creative ways. If you are considering integrating rain barrels into your new custom home, you may Read More
There are 5 top rated school districts in Lancaster County, PA that are on my list, Agora Cyber Cs School District, Conestoga Valley School District, Manheim Township School District, La Academia-The Partnership Charter School District and Lancaster School District. Such ranking is based on school district’s Academic programs and positive influences on student’s for future Read More
You have spent the spring and summer fine tuning the landscaping of your custom home, by planting flowers, trimming hedges and perfecting the lawn, so it is important to protect the landscaping through the winter. With the winter season comes snow, ice, wind, salt and deer, all of which can be challenging when you are Read More
We’re back with another Roundup. Today, I’m going to discuss some new products and advice on how to winterize your home for the cold weather coming our way. For starters, this first product goes out to all the DIYers. Many of us want an affordable way to update our Kitchens. One great way to do Read More
A roof is an essential part of your home and you should make sure that it is properly maintained. Having shelter is a necessity that every human needs in order to survive. For many individuals, a home is not only shelter, it is a primary investment. The best way to protect your investment in your Read More
What is Damask? Damask is a beautifully unique design style that originated in the middle ages in the Byzantine Empire. The term Damask was actually derived from the name of the ancient Syrian city of Damascus. Ancient people would weave gorgeous, original prints from the finest materials available such as silk and linen to make Read More
It’s that time again. That’s right, it’s Roundup time! We’ve got some great products and and design advice to talk about, so let’s get to it. This first product seems almost too good to be true. I’ve seen some cool stuff in my day, but this is particular item is on another level. Danish company, Read More
An asymmetrical design lacks balance and uniformity. It does not have two sides that are mirror images of each other. This type of design is more casual and dynamic than symmetrical balance. The building or home breaks the rules of design by having an imbalance often two sides or a shape that are different. It Read More
It’s that time again. We’ve got another Weekly Roundup coming your way with some great product recommendations and industry news, hot off the interWeb. Here goes! First things first, let’s talk about appliances. Samsung has recently released a new refrigerator that was designed with storage capacity and versatility in mind. This fridge, which packs 32 Read More
Between business dinners, soccer practice, homework, school projects and long work hours, modern families are cramming their schedules full of every activity imaginable. With families living such full lives, meal times have transformed from sit-down events into dine-and-dash moments. When families do make sitting down for a meal together a priority, they typically gather around Read More
Most of us associate rhythm with music. You might be surprised to discover that this term has a lot of significance in giving your home that appealing and natural look. In simple terms, rhythm means repetition. However, in terms of design, the immense results of this word lie much in the consistency and unifying flow Read More
Well, here we are with another Weekly Roundup. I know you’re excited. Try and keep it together. As always we’re going to discuss some great new products and also an interesting design industry study. So let’s get to it. First, for all of you vinyl sheet flooring haters, Armstrong is on a never ending quest Read More
It is interesting how colors affect our emotion. Bright colors at home help people manage stress by keeping them calmer. Decorating with color is an enjoyable activity for many. Color can provoke many emotions, some can bring an aggressive look towards a room, and another can make it seem soothing. Bright colors help to chase away Read More
When it comes to the bathroom, functionality and aesthetics are the two factors that every homeowner strives for. Besides the kitchen and the bedroom, the bathroom is one of the most trafficked rooms in the home. While the main purpose of such a space is to aid in hygienic applications, the room is often also Read More
Since I know for a fact that you’ve been on the edge of your seat anticipating this week’s Weekly Roundup, I won’t keep you waiting any longer. Today we’re going to talk about some interior design advice as well as some interesting new products. First things first, let’s look at a new kitchen appliance that Read More
Rain barrels are a necessity for any garden area. Those homeowners who are into the recycling of materials and water realize how useful these rain barrels are to vegetable and flower gardens. Rain harvesting through rain barrels help to conserve drinking water by recycling rain water-to-water plants and flowers. Rain barrels help to lower the Read More
It has long been known certain colors affect the behaviors of people especially children. Homeowners who have a custom home built need to consider the paint they use in their home. Each color negatively or positively affects the occupants’ mood and behavior. Red is increases blood pressure, anger and irritablilty. Medical professionals should never wear Read More
So it’s been a very long time since our last weekly roundup, but we’re going to jump right back in like we haven’t missed a beat. Today we’ve got some great design advice, industry news and a new product recommendation. Here goes! First, let’s talk about design. I know the Fall is a favorite decorating Read More
It has become common for interior designers and homeowners to use color psychology to assist in determining the color scheme in a home. Color psychology has been used for years as a form of therapy in treating patients with depression and mood instability. It has been proven that colors have a direct impact on the Read More
Color psychology has become an influential force in determining decorative color schemes in your home decor. Research as revealed that different colors affect our moods and emotions in distinctively different ways. When the right colors are used in decorating the home your home can be an extremely therapeutic environment. However, the wrong color scheme can Read More
You may be looking for a way to spice up your interior design or to achieve a more unique quality in your custom home decor. Using pastels can help you reach that goal. To understand how pastels affect our environments and our emotions, we must first look to the brighter colors for a better understanding. Read More
(This is part 2 of a 2 part series) Don’t Underestimate Kitchen Power Here is a news flash. Women Buy Houses! This is an understood rule in the real estate industry. If you sell the wife, she will sell the husband. There is no more of a universal environment for women than the kitchen. This Read More
(This is part 1 of a 2 part series) So, you are preparing to build your dream home. This is an exciting time for you and there are a million things going through your mind. This is the moment where to stop and take a deep breath. You have been moving a million miles an Read More
Having a patio is supposed to be full of excitement, romance, or a haven for you to host your favorite parties. If you had a custom home built, this may have been a part of your backyard schematic. After time, patios can become stale and lifeless. The following ideas will help liven up your patio Read More
What is the best color for a guest room, whether it’s a dedicated suite or a part-time office? Well, the simple answer would be: Choose a tone that complements the rest of your custom home’s decor. Restful neutrals are always appropriate. However, that doesn’t mean white, and neutral need not be boring. Always take into Read More
When the time comes to put the finishing touches on your custom home, choosing the right paint colors for a room can be a daunting task. It can be especailly hard to get the colors right when it’s a room that you will spend the majority of your time in, like your living room. Let’s Read More
Keeping your bathroom clean is something that you must do. There are several ways that you can keep your bathroom clean without spending countless hours on your hands and knees scrubbing and applying elbow grease. Many people choose to clean their bathroom various ways to create a custom home look. Surfaces Bathroom surfaces can cause Read More
Cleaning the Oven and Stove Cleaning the oven and stove is one factor about cleaning the kitchen that many people are not fond of. When you think of cleaning a stove or an oven, you may think about stuck or baked on grease and tough food stains and pieces of food that are stuck to Read More
One thing that many new homeowners rarely give any serious consideration to is the proper maintenance of their driveway. At the time of purchasing a home, a person may even mention that the driveway is nice, but no consideration is given to the steps that must be taken to take care of that driveway. This Read More
Thinking of adding underfloor heating, such as tile floor mats to your new custom home? There are many pros and cons of this type of heated floor; read on and decide if this is the right way to go for your new home. Under floor heating is wonderful for those cold winter mornings, especially in Read More
One of the requested additions to a custom home is often a screened-in porch. Most customers know they want a bug-free place to sit in the summer, but they may not realize you can give them more than a box with screens on the sides. Here are five improvements you can make for a better Read More
Stone veneer is becoming increasingly popular as an interior accent or as the framing for existing fireplaces. There is no shortage of way that you can use this product to create a totally unique setting in almost any room in your house. When you are building your custom home, you have the opportunity to expand Read More
Whether you have a custom home or have moved into a older home, you may not have thought about how to use your garage space on a more practical basis. If looking for additional storage or a way to organize the mess, consider the following to help you on the way to creating a more Read More
When it comes to designing the perfect “man cave” it really doesn’t take much. Having a room with a pool table and a big screen TV (52″ or larger) will work. A wet bar won’t hurt. And a wife who doesn’t mind serving more than drinks isn’t bad either. So what does it take to Read More
In the height of the summer, having a home swimming pool sounds like the ideal situation. However, in the winter when you are out in the cold, cleaning the pool or continuing to pay for its’ upkeep, you might change your mind. With cost, safety, recreation and the resale value of the home to consider, Read More
A deck is a wonderful place to entertain your guests in your home. Take your meals outside for a change of pace. Here are five creative ideas to add some pizzazz to your deck and make a lasting impression no matter what guests or family members you are entertaining. Furniture Add furniture that suits your Read More
When building a custom home one of the most important decisions you will make is choosing the right flooring for your new home. What may seem like a simple and easy task will take a bit more thought that you may initially realize. One of the things that you need to realize is that your Read More
As a do-it-yourself builder I understand the need for individuality and creativity when choosing to build a home of your own. With so many architectural companies to select and personal architects to plan with getting right down to it may seem daunting. The first thing to do is decide on a positive plan with written details to Read More
Money is tight. Most of us don’t have enough to waste on a house that is not efficient in how it uses energy. There are a number of ways that you can make your home more energy efficient, whether it’s a custom home or part of a tract of cookie-cutter houses. Sure, you can go Read More
Having a basement in your home can be a very good thing. It gives you a place to store stuff that you rarely use such as Christmas decorations or that trunk full of high school memorabilia, but it also gives you a space you can have a work bench for craft projects. However, most basements Read More
Your lawn is generally the first impression when you have people over at your home, yet at the same time, this is one of the most neglected areas of the home. With the summer heat rising, it gets harder to keep the grass green, healthy and visually appealing. In order to ensure that when your Read More
If you’re thinking of building a custom house, one thing you’re probably considering is whether to add in a swimming pool. You dream of hot summer days spent lounging by the pool, swimming with friends and family and all the fun you can have with a swimming pool. But, is a swimming pool really a Read More
Gardening can be a great summer hobby, but it can also be a lot of hard work. If you are planning on keeping a garden this summer, here are a few tips that should prove useful even if you are a gardening novice. Weed your garden once a week. Weeds grow very quickly from tiny Read More
This can be a really tricky question to answer, especially depending on where you live. In some areas, even having a basement can be a tricky prospect. However, if you’re looking for a home, whether you’re looking to buy or to build, the time will come up whether having a basement is something you need, Read More
When it comes to your home, especially if you’re a homeowner or are building a home, you want every aspect of it to be exactly the way you want it. You’re chasing that ultimate dream home and, as a part of that process, the paint job you put on it and in it can have Read More
When building a custom home you want to get everything right. Doors should fit snug and so should windows. This home has got to be great and you want to use every tip possible for choosing energy efficient windows. Moisture No matter where you live moisture is a problem and if windows are not sealed Read More
Benefits of Stainless Steel Appliances When you want appliances that are made of material that is durable, consider stainless steel. They are used in restaurant and commercial kitchens because they are easy to maintain and keep clean. Stainless steel does not absorb dirt easily and can be kept clean by wiping with a damp cloth. Read More
When people decide to become homeowners many choose to go the route of having a custom home built. Deciding on a customized home is a great decision for those who want a home built their way. An architectural design as well as interior design can be chosen in addition to numerous other things. Although building Read More
Before applying grass seed in your new yard, evaluate the climate where you live. Depending on the hardiness zone where you build your custom home, certain types of grass will work better than others. For example, in zones 8 through 11, warm- season grasses are usually the most successful. In zones 2 through 8, cool-season Read More
Custom homes often get built with screened-in porches. As an extension of the home, many people enjoy having a screened-in porch because it allows them to experience the positive aspects of sitting outside and relaxing without having to experience the negative aspects of it, such as high winds and scorching sun. If one lives in Read More
Part of fulfilling that American Dream is to have your very own home. Granted, you may be making a mortgage payment to the bank but you have a piece of paper that states that yes, this is your house and you own it. For many, owning a home is one thing but having the ultimate Read More
Having a brand new kitchen is a great feeling. However, if you want to get a kitchen island, you need to have some advice to avoid selecting the wrong one. Without this information, your dreams may be dashed when you realize your kitchen island in your custom home is taking up to much space for Read More
Light Fixtures are only in some homes to serve the job of lighting a room but custom homes make lighting a special event. Chandeliers, wall lighting, Ceiling fans and small lamps are placed around a home to give it lighted access. Lighting makes a custom home look as inviting in the dark as it does Read More
When designing your custom home or contemplating an addition, take a few minutes to consider a mud room. Mud rooms are the perfect places to keep the outdoors out and the indoors clean. Usually combined with a laundry room it is used in regions with inclement weather but don’t let that stop you from having Read More
Customizing your living space to work well takes a keen awareness of how you like to live. It also takes an eye for space, color, size, and most of all function. The time you spend defining your needs and experimenting with different layouts can be a lot of fun and very worthwhile. In the case Read More
Building your custom home is always a great feeling. However, if you want to make sure your home looks perfect, you may want to have some type of a deck added onto your home. When you have the deck, you will want to have the proper design to know it suits your home properly. Without knowing Read More
Kitchens have always been more than a place to cook your meals. It’s the gathering hub for your family to spend time together as they finish up work documents and classroom assignments. It’s the socializing place as you host dinner parties for friends. Kitchens have become a favorite meeting spot for many reasons. Yet sometimes Read More
It’s Roundup time! Today we’re going to wrastle some great new products and also one of the most creative DIY project ideas that I’ve come across in quite a while. One of most noticeable trends that we’ve observed during our home design process is that many of our clients are gravitating away from installing both Read More
If you are building a custom home or remodeling your current kitchen, you will want to consider popular kitchen trends when deciding what you want your kitchen to look like. Following is an overview of some popular trends that will help to make this room of the house both aesthetically pleasing and practical. The Simple, Read More
When designing your custom home, you’ll probably spend a great deal of time envisioning the family room and planning the kitchen. However, one of the most overlooked rooms is also one of the most important. Every guest that stops by your home will visit the powder room. Don’t let your powder room pale in comparison Read More
Where does everybody shed their coats, leave their book bag, and stash their stuff when they come into the house? That’s your ‘drop zone’ and it usually is a source of irritation and complaint. Every home has one, but some people have figured out how to set up their drop zone so that it is Read More
Another week brings another Weekly Roundup (Usually). Today’s Roundup will be taking a look at some interesting products, housing news and design trends. Let’s get to it. First, let’s talk products. For the DIYer that likes a little harder challenge than most, a product that has become really popular with many of our clients is Read More
Buying a home is one of the most exciting steps in your life. However, the excitement mounts even more when you buy a custom home. The next major hurdle you have to overcome is how to landscape your yard, but with some advice this challenge can easily be overcome. Then you can move into your Read More
A home is the place a person goes to relax and escape the stress of the world. Within that home is the bathroom. This room is used day and night and so are its bathroom fixtures. In this room fixtures are important, lighting, faucets, shower heads and hand fixtures. Every detail of the bathroom brings Read More
Having your own pool sounds like a dream come true for many people. No more driving to the community pool that must be shared with hundreds of other people. However, not everything about owning a pool is fun or easy. It is important that homeowners consider all of the pros and cons before deciding whether Read More
Tray ceilings are good looking and help to make a room appear more spacious than it actually is. By painting the “tray” part of the ceiling a lighter color than the rest of the ceiling, a person can also brighten up a room that may not get a lot of natural lighting. These ceilings are Read More
It’s Roundup time. Today we’re going take a look at some expert advice as well as an interesting new product. To start off, Spring is a great time to take care of patchy, dead or weed ridden grass. A recent article featured on ThisOldHouse.com called Blades of Glory – 9 Steps to a Lush Lawn, Read More
If you are building a custom home or remodeling your existing home, it is important to pay close attention to the kitchen. The kitchen gets more use than almost any other room in the house and it should be not only good looking but also able to hold up to a lot of wear and Read More
Pennsylvania is a beautiful state with many scenic areas, urban development, and small towns. The central and northern areas of the state are great for nature and small town lovers, the western and eastern areas are home to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, the south central area has Harrisburg and Lancaster, and there’s plenty in between these Read More
When you decide to have a custom home built, one of the first things you decide is the architectural style. There are many styles to choose from—cottage, ranch, Tudor, colonial, and log-cabin are just a handful. Whichever style you select, you will probably want to include interior finishes that create an atmosphere that represents your Read More
Building a home is a major undertaking. A person can choose to build one from a set of house plans or they can hire a contractor to help design their dream home. The fact is, many homeowners are choosing to build custom homes instead of opting for already established designs. The reason for this is Read More
Buying a home is a huge decision that requires careful thought and consideration before any purchase is made. There are two options to choose from when it comes to purchasing residential real estate; custom built homes or existing homes. And while there are pros and cons and headaches and smiles with both options, it is Read More
Time for another Roundup. I know it’s been a couple of weeks, but believe me, it was worth the wait. Let’s get to it. A new product that Moen seems to be pretty excited about is their new MotionSense Kitchen Faucet. Basically, this faucet turns on and off based on hand motions around two well Read More
Building a custom home may not be something you have thought about doing before. However, if you know about the benefits of getting a custom home built, it is easier then what you think and worth quite a bit more then what you imagined. Here are some of the benefits you can find from having Read More
When designing a custom kitchen, first decide what type of kitchen you want. Do you want a traditional, country, contemporary, cottage, provincial, or chef kitchen. This is important before you pick cabinets, appliances, countertops and flooring. Give some thought to the shape of your kitchen and the purpose it has. Will you be using it Read More
When it comes to decorating and designing your home, guest bathrooms are of the utmost importance. They make a statement about the kind of treatment you want to provide your guests with. They look at things like how clean the restroom is, the size of it, and the general condition of the facility. These, of Read More
When you see news stories about the housing market, many times you see dozens of homes in a development area sitting there unsold. Development companies and contractors have purchased blocks of land and use a standard set of home templates to build home after home after home in hopes of making their fortunes. Even exclusive Read More
Well, look what we have here – another Weekly Roundup! This week we’re taking a look at some great new products and design advice. Let’s get started. First up, let’s talk about appliances. I was recently in a local appliance store, Martin Appliance, discussing some of their products with the store manager. One product in Read More
Having a great looking home can be a blessing for many different reasons. However, if you want to really stand out you will want to make sure you have a great looking yard to go along with the house. Without the yard, people may look at the home, but then overlook it the next time Read More
For some, all that’s needed for a home office is one end of the kitchen table so you can pay bills. However, for many, a home office serves many uses. It isn’t only a place to work, it’s a place to have some alone time, a place to focus and concentrate and, at times, even Read More
So you have decided to get your own custom home built, but you may miss out on one key aspect of your new home if you are not careful. The one aspect you should be thinking about more then most of the other rooms inside of the house is your master bathroom. This is the Read More
It’s time for another Round-up. Let’s dig right in to some of the latest products, design tips and news that have caught our eye recently. First, let’s talk about a new idea for wall coverings. Indus Parquet, who most people recognize for their flooring products, has also released a new type of exotic wood wall Read More
Let’s face it. There are websites all over the internet where you can look at floor plans and home designs until you’re drowning in concepts. There are home builders out there who build hundreds, if not thousands of homes every year based on a standard block of designs and plans. Having a custom home built Read More
Unfortunately, the master bedroom is often seen as a place to sleep and a place to store your clothes. For some, however, the bedroom, especially the master bedroom is seen as a place to relax, to enjoy spending private time with your spouse and enjoying a quiet segment of life. And yet, it is still Read More
So today is Friday and I know you’ve all been counting down the days from the last Weekly Roundup. We’ve got some pretty interesting products, design tips and housing industry articles to check out, so let’s get started. I recently came across some fairly new Smart TV technology by Samsung. A new feature that they’ve Read More
Designing a custom home can be a lot of work but in reality it can also be a lot of fun. You will be able to make your home just the way you have always wanted it. The home will be sure to suit your needs and can be a joy to live in. Besides Read More
The prospect of finding and buying a new house is very exciting for most families. Maybe you are newly married or engaged and are itching to find that dream home in which to start a family. Maybe you are looking to move out of that “starter home” because Baby Number 2 is on the way. Read More
Building your dream house can easily turn into a nightmare without proper planning and preparation. While you may have visions of elaborately decorated trees during the holidays or walls covered in artwork created by your favorite artist, first you need to address the bare bones of your new home. Here are three tips to get Read More
Custom Home Group is the unique choice for home buyers. Introduce yourself to built in ovens, stove top grilling and large kitchen islands. Custom homes PA is all about building quality homes. A home is a functional place with garbage disposals and refrigerators with ice makers. These things may be in many kitchens but in Read More
Welp, it’s that time again. Another Friday brings another Weekly Roundup. I’m pretty excited. Maybe not as excited as you are, but I’m almost there. I’ve got my eye on some pretty cool home products, design ideas and industry news, so let’s get started. First, let’s discuss some new technology. Often times our clients are Read More
Buying Custom Homes in Lancaster, PA gives a family an opportunity to live in an elegant environment, both inside and outside of the home. These homes offer the best of everything, landscaping and natural environment, home fixtures with classic sinks and spacious closets. The structure of Custom Homes PA is a work of art. Getting Read More
When it comes to buying custom homes Pennsylvania has some of the best. The key, however, to shopping for a custom home in Pennsylvania or any other state is to be prepared. Anyone can purchase a home, but doing so without at least considering a few things can lead to an unhappy homeowner somewhere down Read More
Individuals who choose to have a home built to their specifications can include many “green” features that will save them money on utilities and other expenses, including taxes. When building custom homes PA contractors know the rules and regulations the EPA has set in place to protect the environment. Guidelines can be obtained that provide Read More
For anyone contemplating buying their first home, purchasing that home is their American dream realized. The search for just the right home can sometimes be an exhausting, and annoying exercise when you’re looking at homes that other people have owned. Sometimes it’s almost impossible to imagine yourself in another person’s home. Taking a walk through Read More
Building a home is not simply a place to live. Custom homes are about your lifestyle and making a statement. Your home is usually the largest investment you will have, so you want a home that has been designed with your dreams in mind, yet falls within a manageable budget. A spec home is typically Read More
Welcome to the Weekly Roundup. I know we missed last week, but this week we’re back with some of the best news and highlights from the Housing Industry. I know you’re excited, so I’ll get right to it. Here goes… For starters, the 2013 International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas just finished up at the Read More
Custom Homes are for people particular about their residence and how it measures up in the scheme of comfortable home ownership. Buyers have the opportunity to select lovely cabinetry, lighting, and kitchen design for a special home that is suited especially for them. Windows and hardware all affect the look of a property, creating the Read More
When building group homes in Pennsylvania, contractors understand that a home needs to fit the needs of the people who live within its walls. Unlike purchasing an existing home, an individual who chooses to purchase a custom built home can create their own perfect dwelling. Homes are made to order with the appropriate number of Read More
Ever drive through a community and see every house looking the same? It’s like staring at mirror images in every aspect from the size of the house, the same floor plan, and even the same boring outer siding painted the exact same color on every building. While some people don’t mind seeing and living in Read More
Your home should be everything that you desire. It should be in a location that is most beneficial to you and your family as you can easily commute to work, get the kids to school, and enjoy the fun activities in the area. Lancaster county builders such as Custom Home Builders seek to give you Read More
Custom Homes Pennsylvania is a custom home building group that provides homes throughout the Lancaster community. Whether you are looking for a luxury home or one that fits perfectly into your budget, get the community home you are looking for designed to perfection and to your tastes. Communities Where You May Want To Live Most Read More
Today begins the first of many Weekly Round-Ups. Every Friday (or almost every Friday) we’re going to be highlighting current housing industry news, innovative new products and construction advice that peaks out interest. It really doesn’t matter whether or not you are planning to build a new home or addition in the next year or Read More
Searching for a new custom home can be one of the most exciting and scary adventures you’ll ever have. If this is your first time through the process, you’ll want to work with experienced pros such as Custom Home Group, because you’ll be amazed at the number of details and decisions you have to make. Read More
Custom homes in Lancaster, PA provide a homeowner with the exact dwelling they are looking for that fits perfectly into their particular tastes and decor. Custom homes are built from the foundation up, allowing the homeowner to see the actual building of the structure as it takes on shape and form. Keep in mind that Read More
There are many great reasons to purchase a home in the southern Lancaster area, such as Peach Bottom and Quarryville. You get out of the congestion of the cities without leaving civilization. A big advantage for parents is that they can send their kids to the Solanco public school district. Get a home made by Lancaster Read More
