2017 Home Design: Trends that are here to stay!

As custom home builders in the Columbus, Ohio area, it is our job to stay on the forefront of interior design trends. We pay attention to the trends that will come and go, then most importantly, the ones that are here to stay. Let’s take a look at some of the trends we can expect to see into 2018.

Entertainment Aspects

You have probably seen bar carts in either your home or the home of your friends. At first bar carts started out as DYI projects, creating make shift bar carts out of items already around the house. Then, the popular design stores got a hold of the concept and they have turned into elegant, functional furniture pieces for the home. Many homeowners want to bring the cocktail experience to their own homes as a way to entertain their guests and create specialty cocktails at home. Bar carts provide a great place to stage cocktails, complete with glasses, mixers, liquor, bar tools and ultimately allows homeowners to put their own spin on it with decorations. A beautifully appointed bar cart can take stage in a room when a mirror or piece of art is hung about it, or when the wall behind it is painted a dramatic color or covered in a grass cloth wallpaper.

Open Storage

The open-concept storage does not seem to be going anywhere. Stylish kitchen accessories, attractively bound cookbooks, even fresh herbs, can all make for a chic look. This opens up the kitchen and allows for a bright and airy look and also offers amazing capability.

beautiful house, interior, view of the kitchen

Sustainable Design

Trends that include going green with recycled materials, designing with refurbished vintage furniture and maximizing the use of LED light are definitely not going anywhere anytime soon. The importance of helping the environment is a concept that hopefully will be around for many generations to come. Shopping local is a great way to cut back on shipping materials and a way to support local businesses. Vintage pieces promote re-use of objects and inspires others to use what they already have to create beautiful home furnishings. Whenever you can incorporate LED lighting into your home, take the chance to do so. Not only will it save energy, but it can save you money on your monthly utility bills, a win win!

P&D Awarded Best Home Builder

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P&D Builders, LTD. was recently awarded Best Home Builder by the Delaware Gazette newspaper. For years, the Delaware Gazette has been asking their readers to submit their top choice in Delaware County for various categories ranging from Best Insurance Agency to Best Restaurant and many more. We want to thank all of our amazing customers for submitting their votes for Best Home Builder on our behalf. We thank you for taking the time to show your appreciation for us. We are proud members of the Delaware County community and look forward to many great years ahead!

New Home Construction Trends

Indoor shot of a beautiful pregnant woman working at her modern home office.

P&D Builders LTD. has been in the new home construction business for over 50 years! As a company, we have seen many trends come and go. Trends evolve with time and it is our job to keep up to date with what homebuyers want. A few current trends going on now are as follows:

Geometric Tile

This is a simple solution that will make a big impact. You have to choose the flooring in your new kitchen, so if you go with tile. This is something to greatly consider. Geometric patterns with bold and contrasting color schemes are huge right now. Whether you want to go with a simple black and white, or something more complex, it will add character to your space that is sure to catch the eye of your guests.

Nooks and Built-Ins 

Old homes in the area are known for their nooks and built-ins. Thanks to this new trend in home construction, we are seeing them appear more frequently now. New home construction clients are spending more time incorporating built-in storage benches, window seats and bookshelves into their spaces. This will greatly benefit the resale value of your home making it timeless and highly functional.

Oversize Islands

The formal dining room MIGHT start to fade away in the upcoming years. The space is starting to be replaced by in-home offices or more functional rooms. In order to do without the formal dining rooms, the kitchen needs to be the main place for family meals. The oversized islands are accommodating all the family needs such as dining, homework and entertainment. These larger islands can also hold many of the common kitchen items such as an extra sink, more counter space, a microwave and more.

In-home Offices

The modern workforce is quickly transitioning to the remote work environment. Which has resulted in an increased number of home offices being requested. We are shying away from home offices being an old spare bedroom, instead we are seeing offices incorporated in the original design of the home with built-in bookshelves. If you are looking to build an in-home office, make sure you are thinking about how and when you work. If the office is located in a prime position in the home, this would be great for someone who enjoys noise and is good at multitasking. If you need privacy, one of the upstairs corners of the home might be better. Also consider permanent shelving and how big of a desk you are going to need.

Declutter Your Space Today

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The closets are one of the easiest places in a home for excess stuff to build up. The saying, “out of sight, out of mind” works well for the closet. Don’t wait any longer, declutter your space today! Here are some tips on how to get started.

A little goes along way

Getting rid of closes does not have to be an all-day event. Keep a donation bag or container somewhere in your room. If you are looking for something to wear one day and keep passing the same item that you know you would never wear, throw it in the container. As you are passing items that are worn or do not fit anymore, throw those in the container as well. You will start to notice a difference in no time.

New season = new chances  

We are currently heading into the warmer months, if you did not wear an item this past winter, chances are you will not wear it next winter. It might be time to part ways with it. Throw it in the donation container! This is a great time to get rid of the items that no longer fit you as well.

Out with the old, in with the new

If you just bought 4 new clothing items for summer, get rid of 4 items that are just taking up space. Using this rule of thumb is a perfect way to stop your items from multiplying.

Donate, Donate, Donate  

Instead of just throwing all of your unwanted items away, donate them to your local charity or Goodwill. What may seem like something that can never be used again can mean a lot to another person. If you are not using it, or do not even remember that you have it make sure to give it to someone in need. Also it will benefit the planet but recycling these materials instead of throwing them away!

What are you waiting for? Start today!

P&D Builders Is the Winner of the AEP 2016 Leadership Award

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The AEP Leadership Award is given to one entity annually based on continual involvement and a sincere partner relationship.

“P&D Builders and Mac Roberts have been a force to be reckoned with in the energy efficiency arena since 2011 when they submitted their first completed new build project. Each year they continue to grow their program. They have received numerous awards through our Efficiency Crafted New Homes program and have been an Energy Efficiency Champion, along with a Sustained Excellence Award winner. They have built some of the most efficient homes in our area as based on the Home Energy Rating System or HERS. In addition, all of P&D Builders homes are ENERGY STAR Certified.”

“P&D Builders continues to be an advocate for our Energy Efficiency programs. Their innovative spirit is evident through the homes they craft for the annual BIA Parade of Homes. “We are consistently evaluating our energy efficient home building techniques and are always looking for ways to get better,” states Mac Roberts, president of P&D Builders.”

Expenses to Budget for after you Build a new Construction Home

Portrait Of Happy Young Couple Sitting On Floor Looking Up While Dreaming Their New Home And Furnishing

You have decided to embark on the exciting journey of building a new construction home! When building a new construction home, it is important to know your budget and what works best for your family at that time. As you take a look at expenses, it is helpful to look beyond your closing date. There are a few post-closing costs that are unique to brand-new homes and some that are familiar to new home owners. If you set aside a little money for the following expenses early, it will help in the long run!

Utilities  

If you are moving into a larger home, then your utilities are likely to increase. If you are moving to a new city, there might be start up service fees to be prepared for. If you are interested in cable, internet or satellite TV, you may have to install some equipment in order to have the services successfully installed.

Furniture

Furniture shopping is very exciting, especially when you have a brand-new home to furnish. Some of the pieces that worked in your last home or apartment might not be as well suited for the new place. Or maybe the new home means more bedrooms to furnish and floors to cover with area rugs. These are things to keep in mind when budgeting for your new home.

Windows

You just moved in and can’t get enough of how much natural lighting your new space has or how large the windows are. You will want to start installing blinds and curtains pretty soon after you move in to allow your family privacy in the new neighborhood. Make sure that is something you are keeping in mind!

Spring Home Maintenance Tips

House in Baddeck, Nova Scotia

Spring Home Maintenance Tips

Spring is back! After a long Ohio winter, it can be exciting to see the sun shining and the leaves growing back. The outdoors can really take a hit after the winter months, that is why it is important to give the exterior some TLC when the warm weather starts back up. Here are a few maintenance tips to help get your home back in shape.

  1. Examine Roof Shingles. Check out the roof to see if any shingles were lost or damaged during the winter months. If your roof is getting up there in age, it might be time to think about putting money aside for a replacement. The summer sun can be harsh on roof shingles. If there are any that are cracked, buckled or loose it is time to replace them.
  2. Probe the wood trim. Use a screwdriver to probe the wood trim around windows, doors, railings and decks. Make repairs now before the spring rains do more damage to the exposed wood.
  3. Check the Gutters. Check for loose or leaky gutters. Improper drainage can lead to water in the basement or crawl space. Make sure downspouts drain away from the foundation and are clear and free of debris.
  4. Inspect the Concrete. Inspect concrete slabs for signs of cracks or movement. All exterior slabs except pool decks should drain away from the home’s foundation. Fill cracks with a concrete crack filler or silicone caulk. When the weather permits, power-wash and then seal the concrete.
  5. Check outdoor faucets. Make sure hose faucets do not have any freeze damage from winter. Turn on the water to make sure everything is running correctly. This would be a great time to check the garden hose as well.

These are just a few things you can do to make sure everything is running properly so that way you do not run into problems in the summer months. From everyone here at P&D Builders, Happy Spring!

Liven up your Kitchen with These Simple Changes

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Your kitchen is used every single day; it is the heart of your home and also a major selling point. Completely remodeling your kitchen is a great way to keep it up to date but also expensive. If you do not have the budget right now, here are a few cheap changes that can transform the look of your kitchen.

  1. Remove, recycle and refresh. If the doors on your cabinets are old and ugly, take them off and create an open shelving option for your kitchen. This is a great opportunity to update the hardware on your drawers and cabinets. What is worn down in the kitchen can usually be painted or refinished to give it a modern look.
  2. Add more storage. Either declutter your space or add more storage. These options include adding hanging racks, open shelves and cabinet organizers to store the essentials.
  3. Change out lighting. Depending on the age of your kitchen, you will most likely have pendant lighting or fluorescent overhead fixtures. To bring your kitchen into the modern age, consider replacing some of those fixtures with recessed alternatives or LED lighting. Even just replacing the bulbs is cheaper, easy to install and saves energy.
  4. Upgrade your faucet. Do you have an old-fashioned faucet? Is it time for a change? Instead of replacing the entire sink, just changing the faucet can give the kitchen a whole new look. Think about energy-efficient alternatives like low-flow faucets to save you money on your water bill, or adjustable, restaurant-style varieties for the chef in the family.
  5. Hide your counters. Old countertops can suffer through the years. If you have worn countertops but don’t have the budget to replace them. Find creature ways to hide their blemishes. Add decorative cutting boards, hide them under appliances or apply a fresh coat of paint.
  6. Paint your cabinets. Painting or refinishing your cabinets is another inexpensive way to change the look of your space. It is less expensive than buying new ones and at the same time it refreshes the appearance of your entire kitchen. Don’t paint them any weird colors though, and avoid bright hues.
  7. Add a backsplash. Backsplashes can be customized based on the color scheme of your kitchen. It is as easy as buying tiles at a local home improvement store and using caulk and grout to install them in the design or style you want.

All of these are simple, inexpensive changes you can make to your space to give it a much needed makeover.

Landscaping a new Construction Home

Photo of elegant new design villa with backyard

When you and your family decide to build a new home, it is a blank canvas! There are so many decisions that lie ahead. When all of the decision are made about the exterior and interior of the home, it is time to turn to the outdoors. The great news about starting from scratch when it comes to landscape is it is easy to dig up new beds, weeds aren’t yet established and your landscape can only get better from here! Here are some guidelines to help you get the landscape off to a great start.

Figure out the land

Learn about the land before you waste time and money planting items that might not grow well in some areas. You need to study what areas of land get the most sunlight, what parts of the land have the most fertile, rich, loamy soil. Draw a diagram of your backyard to help you visualize areas with problems and promise! Take this opportunity to find out where any wires and pipes are so that way you don’t accidentally run into them when it is too late.

Remove unwanted existing items

If you don’t want existing trees or plants that are there now anymore, simply get rid of them. If a tree looks weak, you do not want it falling into your living room or onto your car in the years to come. If there are previously plants and bushes that won’t look good with your soon to be garden, take them out. This is your chance to start fresh, you will be able to plant trees and bushes of your own.

Think ahead

What is your ultimate goal for this space? Room for the children to play, ample of good produced in the garden or entertaining your friends? Consider what you want to do with that space now and twenty years down the road. Make sure there is some common ground so all of your hard work does not go to waste. Have the space of your dreams but make sure it will fit into the space of your dreams ten years down the road.

If you have any questions about landscape or want advice from our builders, do not be afraid to ask! We are happy to help every step of the way.

Interior Design Trends in 2017

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A new year tends to bring new trends. Interior design trends change often therefore many people find it fun and exciting to hear what is on the forecast for the upcoming year.

Color of the year

Each year Pantone Color Institute  chooses a color that they believe to be the hot color of that year. This year Pantone has identified “greenery” as 2017’s color of the year. The “life-affirming shade” is a slightly muted bright nature tone. Various shades of green are expected to be seen but not limited to furniture, fabric, paint, wallpaper and accent items.

Technology

It is no question that technology is heavily shaping and changing the world around us. You can expect the same thing for interior design this year. In some cases, technology, can be viewed as over the top, like checking the temperature of your refrigerator using an app. Regardless, the new technology is typically viewed as extremely helpful so designers are taking that into consideration. Homeowners should expect to see more easy-to-use technology such as smart door locks and more touch screens.

Marble

Marble has been replaced in the previous years by granite and quartz because it is vulnerable to chipping, staining and fading. Marble is returning to the kitchen in the form of backdrops and counters that are not used frequently. For those that are worried about the durability, quartz companies are making a convincing faux marble.

Velvet

Velvet is making its way back in more ways than one. Not only is fashion bringing it back, interior design is as well. Comfort is looking to push leather to the side on upholstered furniture. The soft weave of velvet in particular is expected to continue gaining ground this year, often in patterns.

Bold Floors

Wood is expected to continue dominating under foot, but designers expect bolder foot treatments, especially in kitchens to make a comeback this year. Bold floors are a way to make more of a statement in different rooms in the upcoming year. Even if it as simple as a darker wood instead of a lighter wood, it will definitely catch the eye of your guests.

As previously mentioned, interior design is always changing and evolving. Here at P&D we like to stay on top of both home building trends and interior design trends to best help our customers.