The Future Of Home Series: Volume 1 - The Healthy Home
We’re starting a new series this month that focuses on “The Future Of Home”. So many of us are spending more time at home, and if you are like me, you have pinpointed a few things you would like to change. And I believe that with the events of 2020, we’re going to see a lot of shifts in how we design our homes, live in our homes and work in our homes.
We’re starting a new series this month that focuses on “The Future Of Home”. So many of us are spending more time at home, and if you are like me, you have pinpointed a few things you would like to change. And I believe that with the events of 2020, we’re going to see a lot of shifts in how we design our homes, live in our homes and work in our homes.
Photo courtesy of restechtoday.com/delos-darwin/
A large part of our business is working with clients who are building custom homes. It’s important for us to act as an integral member of the team from the very beginning of your project. Our work is not done in a bubble where we only focus on the finishes and furnishings. We really do take a whole home approach and work with your architect, your builder, your home AV and Technology specialist to help you build a home that not only looks great, but functions well for you and helps you to live your best life. We travel to conferences and trade shows throughout the world to learn more about the latest technological advances and product innovations that we can introduce you to in the building process. We want to be able to bring those discoveries and trends to you so that you can plan for the future of your own home.
June is national Healthy Home Month, and the perfect time to focus on making our homes our sanctuary. Let me suggest that starting by making your home a HEALTHY haven is the best thing you can do for your physical and mental well-being. Locally, in Richmond, we work closely with Inaray, our techonology integrator who work with us and our clients to design appropriate lighting systems for your home, AV and home entertainment systems, as well as security and sound systems. Inaray owner, Todd Peace, recently introduced me to the DARWIN™ system from Delos. Let’s examine each pillar, and how the DARWIN™ system works to maximize each one in your home. Check out this extremely informative video and beautiful home designed by Jan Vitrofsky, owner of HedSouth, where he incorporated the Delos DARWIN™ system.
Water
Access to clean drinking and bathing water is a privilege that we should never take for granted, and one that everyone should enjoy. We work with builders in the design phase to install the latest filtration technology. DARWIN™ Water Filtration helps improve your home’s water quality by filtering out impurities and improving taste. Cleaner filtered water also reduces scale deposits in your pipes saving you costly repairs in the future.
Air
Breathe deeply, and easily with state of the art air filtration systems. Now, more than ever, we are spending time indoors during the day as many have transitioned to home offices. Installing a whole home air filtration system ensures that the air you and your family are breathing is free from pollution such as toxins, harmful chemicals and pathogens. Clearly the need for this has never been more evident. Check out the system from DARWIN™ and how it shows you the air quality throughout your entire home so that you can identify trouble spots.
Light
Lighting plays an incredible role in our everyday health and wellness. For the past few years, experts have warned us about the effect of blue light from all of our devices. That’s because our bodies have a natural circadian rhythm. Light quality and temperature throughout the day can really impact that rhythm. The DARWIN™ platform integrates with systems that provide this type of Circadian lighting, such as Lutron owned Ketra. I saw an in person display of Ketra last year with the folks from Inaray and it was highly impressive. These types of lighting systems mimic nature’s light patterns which help to improve hormone balance, appetite, sleep, energy and productivity. Check out this demonstration of Ketra at work.
Comfort
The DARWIN™ platform includes a “Dawn Simulation” function which provides a uniquely calibrated lighting sequence that mimics the rising sun. This is definitely a more peaceful way to start your day than a blaring alarm. The platform also helps to minimize light pollution and disturbances at night to promote better sleep. What contributes to more comfort in your day than a peaceful beginning and end to that day?
As the 4th pillar of wellness in your home, “comfort” is where we get to play the biggest role. Anybody can jump online and find a “pretty” sofa or chair to order from some website for a good price. But how do you know whether that sofa is going to be comfortable when it arrives, let along when you’ve had it for a year? Our society has become a bit of a throw-away society, but I hope that recent events will help us return to the days where we valued locally sourced and American made quality, instead of cheap imports. I sure hope that we can become less dependent on roll of the dice importers. We travel to furniture markets throughout the country and we have taken a lot of time to educate ourselves on the quality of the furniture that we source for our clients. We’ve done several in depth factory tours to watch the furniture being made so that we know how each upholstery company makes their frames and how their cushions sit. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all of the products and companies that we take the time to learn about and truly get to know. Don’t even get me started talking about plumbing fixtures or appliances!
So if you’re considering building a home, consider addressing these four pillars of wellness so that your home can provide you with a more comfortable and healthier haven! And if you want some help along the way, give us a call. We would love to work with you and introduce you to some other great technologies and products that can help make your home a bastion of wellness. In the meantime, stay safe and stay healthy everyone!
JSI Raves: Metrie Decorative Moldings and Architectural Elements
At the 2018 International Builders Show in Orlando, Florida, I had the opportunity to visit with Metrie, the largest supplier and manufacturer of decorative trim moldings in North America. I am excited to present their newest collections, Option M and the Then & Now Finishing Collections. Find out how to easily create architectural interest in your home.
A good percentage of our clients lately are either building a new home or undertaking a major or whole house renovation. The one thing I hear the most is that they do not want a "cookie-cutter" production build house. They want a truly custom experience with a unique result that is tailored precisely to their aesthetic. We work with architects and builders from the blueprint stage to create a space that is not only functional but also unique. One way to create a unique space is to look for opportunities to introduce decorative moldings that go beyond the expected crown, base or window trim. Here are a few examples of our own projects where we've included some unique trim details.
I recently traveled to the International Builders' Show in Orlando, Florida as a member of the Modenus Blog Tour. We had the good fortune to spend some time in the Metrie showroom getting to know their products and capabilities. Metrie's story has been developing for over 90 years since they began in 1926 as a family owned and operated manufacturer of hemlock trim in Vancouver, B.C. Now, they are North America’s largest manufacturer and distributor of solid wood and MDF moldings, operating eight manufacturing facilities, plus 26 distribution centers in the U.S. and Canada.
Our firm is based in Richmond, Virginia which has some pretty traditional historic roots. But, it is a vibrant growing community with a lot of businesses and people moving in to enjoy our booming economy, wonderful art scene, and mild weather. Therefore, over recent years, our business is starting to work with design clients with a wide range of styles and tastes and we need to be able to create design solutions for every aesthetic. Metrie has introduced the Option M collection of curated molding and interior door combinations that make it easy to select baseboards, casings, crown molding and doors to achieve popular home décor trends.
Option {M} styles are curated molding and interior door combinations that make it easy to select baseboards, casings, crown molding and doors to achieve popular home décor trends. “We’ve researched the pain points of builders, designers and homeowners in our product category,” said Kenton Low, Vice President of Marketing. “Option {M} addresses many of these pain points by streamlining the selection process to attain desirable, stylish combinations that will bring any room to life.”
During the development process of Option {M}, Metrie closely researched current in-demand and projected future trends in the building and remodeling space to provide attainable look solutions in six different styles. Each Option {M} style features product groupings that work well with each other as well as with other home décor items such as furniture, artwork, and other to express the homeowners’ personal style. Click on the images below to explore each design style further.
Each Option {M} style features product groupings that work well with each other as well as with other home décor items such as furniture, artwork, and other to express the homeowners’ personal style. Not sure what your style is? Metrie has developed a Find Your Style quiz to help you determine which style best suits your tastes.
Looking for even more inspiration? Check out Metrie's Then & Now Finishing Collections which feature professionally designed and coordinated trim and interior doors inspired by different architectural styles. Blending modern and classic design, the elements in each of the five Collections are perfectly proportioned to create a custom and professional look—every time.
Metrie's industry position has allowed them the resources, strength and leadership to dramatically change the molding category for the better. They're not just introducing new products to the mix, but creating solutions for consumers, design pros and our builders to make it easier to select, purchase and design with interior moldings and doors.
I've already been talking with my clients, builders and architects about incorporating some of Metrie's inspiring ideas and products into our current projects and I can't wait to see the finished results. Have you incorporated some unique trim designs in your own home? Send us some photos in the comments to share some inspiration. And be sure to check out Metrie's blog, The Finished Space, for more inspiration and fun ideas. It's a great read!
Please note: According to FTC rules, I need to disclose that my trip to KBIS was sponsored. While I did not get paid for my time at KBIS, my hotel, airfare and some meals were covered. As I write about our sponsors I wish for you to know that I do not receive any additional monetary compensation for doing so. And please note, the views expressed in this blog are totally mine!
