Month: May 2012

Color Your World This Season

Pantone® Unveils the Hottest Color Trends for Spring 2012

Pantone Fashion Colors - Spring 2012Fashion designers the world over have long influenced what’s considered “en vogue” in interior design. To that end, many famed fashion designers like Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, and Donna Karan often cross over between fashion and interiors with bedding, paint colors, furniture collections, and more. For over 18 years, Pantone, the global authority on color, has surveyed the designers of the renowned New York Fashion Week and beyond to bring the season’s most important color trends to light. In their most recent Fashion Color Report, Pantone® reveals the most prominent hues for spring 2012.

Spring and summer are both wonderful seasons to color your world – from a vibrant shower curtain in the guest bathroom or a trendy duvet in the master bedroom, to a brand new piece of multihued artwork in the living room or pops of color via accent walls all over the house. Use the most popular colors from Pantone’s Fashion Color Report as inspiration. To help you get started, here is a list from the experts at Pantone of the most fashionable shades and suggestions for the season:

  • Provocative Tangerine Tango (Pantone 17-1463), an enticing juicy orange, is a vivacious and appealing refresher to enliven anyone’s outlook this spring.
  • Providing a jolt of energy, Solar Power (PANTONE 13 – 0759) radiates warmth and cheer.
  • Fanciful Bellflower (PANTONE 18-3628), a distinct ornamental purple, exudes uniqueness and creativity.
  • Scintillating and sexy, Cabaret (PANTONE 18-2140) is a sensual and intense rosy-red.
  • Sodalite Blue (PANTONE 19-3953), a classic maritime hue, brings order and calmness to mind. Like an anchor to a ship, this dependable shade works with every color in the palette.
  • Cockatoo (PANTONE 14-5420), a tactile blue-green, is sure to make your spirits soar. This unusual hue adds a whimsical touch to the palette and will make a statement this spring.
  • Margarita (PANTONE 14- 0116), a piquant yellow-green, lifts spirits with its refreshing and stimulating glow.
  • Reminiscent of a blossoming garden on an early spring morning, fragrant Sweet Lilac (PANTONE 14 -2808) evokes the fresh scents of summer. This delicate pinkish lilac adds a touch of romance to any room.
  • Natural, versatile neutrals add practicality to this season’s brights. Driftwood (PANTONE 18-1210), an adaptable blend of beige and gray with a slightly weathered feel, and Starfish (PANTONE 16-1120), a perfect warm summer neutral, complement all colors featured in this season’s top 10.Pantone Fashion Colors (men) - Spring 2012
  • For an ultra-bold look this spring, try mixing Bellflower with Tangerine Tango and Cabaret. Combine Margarita with Sweet Lilac and Cockatoo for a subtle alternative, or Margarita with Sweet Lilac and Driftwood for a more practical variation. Solar Power is best juxtaposed with Sodalite Blue, and for a safer bet, add a natural neutral like Starfish to the mix.

To broaden the scope of your home rejuvenation with a full-on, fun home renovation, call the design-build team at Highlight Homes at 678-873-9234 TODAY! To learn more about Highlight Homes, visit us online at www.highlighthomesga.com!

About Pantone®: PANTONE, LLC – an X-rite company (NASDAQ: XRIT) – is THE global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries for almost 50 years, providing design professionals with products and services for the colorful exploration and expression of creativity. Always a source for color inspiration, Pantone also offers designer-inspired products and services for consumers. More information is available at www.pantone.com.

Image and Color Source: Pantone.com http://www.pantone.com/pages/fcr.aspx?pg=20910&ca=4

Top Five Reasons Why Homeowners Opt To Remodel Revealed

National Association of Home Builders Releases Findings from Recent Study Exposing Most Popular Renovations and the Reasons Behind Them

In early May 2012, the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) released their findings from their First Quarter 2012 Remodeling Market Index: Special Questions on Most Common Jobs & Reasons for Remodeling. Pulled from the survey responses of 395 professional remodelers, the study reveals some of the most popular renovations requested by their clients during the previous year, as well as the reasons cited for the need for the renovation.

According to the study (measured in percentage of respondents) , the ten most common renovations throughout 2011 included:

Image Credit - © Cruceru Cristian | Dreamstime.com
Image Credit - © Cruceru Cristian | Dreamstime.com

1)      Bathroom Remodels – 78%

2)      Kitchen Remodels – 69 %

3)      Window and Door Replacements – 44%

4)      Repairing Property Damage – 36%

5)      Whole House Remodeling – 35%

6)      Room Additions – 33%

7)      Handyman Services – 31%

8)      Basement Finishing – 27%

9)      Roofing – 24%

10)    Siding – 23%

What was perhaps most revealing about this study – besides the fact that Bathroom Remodels eclipsed Kitchen Remodels for the third year in a row, at an all-time high nearing 80% – were the reasons homeowners gave to the remodelers for the reasons behind the renovations.

The Top Five Reasons Homeowners Opted to Remodel during 2011:

1)      Need to Repair or Replace Old Components

2)      Desire for Newer/Better Amenities

3)      Desire/Need for More Space

4)      Wish to Avoid Moving/Buying a New Home

5)      Repairing a Damaged Property

Other reasons of note included Desire to Grow Old in Current Home, Energy Efficiency/Environmental Concerns, Wish to Increase Value of Home as an Investment, Change of # of People Living in the Home, and Prepare for Resale (non-distressed property).

Fortunately for our clients – both current and future – Highlight Homes specializes in each of the top ten renovation projects listed above, and we have a clear understanding of the reasons behind them.  If you’ve been considering a home renovation and your motivations fall into any of the top five reasons outlined in this article, we invite you to contact the experienced design/build team at Highlight Homes for a no-obligation consultation. You can reach us – day or night – by calling 678-873-9234, e-mailing info@highlighthomesga.com, or filling out our convenient online contact form TODAY!  To learn more about Highlight Homes and all of our custom construction and home renovation offerings, please visit us online at www.highlighthomesga.com.

Image Credit: BLUEPRINTS SERIES © Cruceru Cristian | Dreamstime.com

Highlight Homes Can Help You Celebrate National Remodeling Month

It's National Remodeling Month - The Party COULD Be at Your Home!
It's National Remodeling Month - The Party COULD Be at Your Home!

Just in case you didn’t already know, May is National Remodeling Month!  Highlight Homes is happy to help you celebrate! Forget the chips and dip, we bring something far more valuable to this party table. Here is just a small sampling of what Highlight Homes can do for you and your family:

  • Kitchen and Bath Remodels
  • Room Additions
  • Basement Finishing
  • Decks and Patios
  • Fencing, Arbors, and Pergolas
  • Outdoor Firepits, Hearths, and Kitchens
  • Landscaping and Water Features
  • Window and Door Replacement
  • And Much, Much More!

While we may not be able to complete your renovation before month’s end, it’s a great time to get the ball rolling with a no-obligation consultation. And since we’re a design-build firm, your architect, structural engineer, and master renovator are all rolled into one. The best part is, once National Remodeling Month is over, you get to reap its rewards for years to come.

Here’s Highlight Homes’ Renovation Checklist to help you get started on YOUR National Remodeling Month Celebration:

Determine your budget – how much would you like to spend/finance? If financing, have you examined all of your options? Highlight Home Restorations offers several financing options for home renovations of different sizes and scopes.

Determine your time frame – Renovations and restorations can be timely and sometimes a tad invasive – especially when remodeling an interior room such as your kitchen. How much time are you willing to invest in this project – OR do you have a specific event or occasion for which you wish to have this project completed?

What are you hoping to accomplish with this home remodel/renovation? Add additional living space? Update the exterior of your home? Refresh your bathroom or kitchen space? Finally finish that basement for more room to entertain or accommodate guests? Add a deck or patio to extend your home’s outdoor living space? Highlight Homes can do all of the above and more!

Contact Highlight Homes! Feel free to contact other renovation contractors for additional bids, but keep in mind – you get what you pay for. Many companies do not offer design/build contract services, so you may have to also hire an architect for larger projects. At Highlight Homes, we can do it all, from start to finish – design a project around your specifications and build it to last. We can even aid with the interior design of your final product. We are fully certified, licensed and insured, and we can help you acquire the necessary permits before building begins. In the event you do decide to accept bids from other contractors, ask them if they can provide all of the services listed above. After more than a quarter of a century in the home design, building and restoration industry – we firmly believe we are the best choice for any job. Choose Highlight Homes for your next remodel or restoration project, and we think you’ll agree!

Getting the Party Started is as Easy as Picking up the Phone and Calling the Talented Design-Build Team at Highlight Homes!
Getting the Party Started is as Easy as Picking up the Phone and Calling the Talented Design-Build Team at Highlight Homes!

What are you waiting for? To kick your National Remodeling Month Celebration into high gear, click HERE to fill out an online contact form, e-mail us at info@highlighthomesga.com, or call us at 678.873.9234. To learn more about Highlight Homes and sneak a peek at our online portfolio, we invite you to visit us online!

MAY RENOVATION SPECIAL FROM HIGHLIGHT HOMES

Sign a Contract with Highlight Homes by the end of May 2012 to receive10% OFF

Your Next Highlight Homes’ Renovation Project*

*Percentage off valued at $2,000 or less. Offer Expires May 31, 2012. Must mention ad at time of consultation to receive this special offer.

Image credits: PARTY WHISTLE © Hpphoto | Dreamstime.com and BALLOONS © Valeriy Khromov | Dreamstime.com

Abracadabra – Conjuring up the Best Magic Show Ever

A well-executed renovation can magically transform your home into a thing of beauty

At Highlight Homes, the Magic Starts with Your Idea! Image credit: © Boris Ryaposov - Dreamstime
At Highlight Homes, the Magic Starts with Your Idea! Image credit: © Boris Ryaposov - Dreamstime

As the Highlight Homes team delves into another exciting home renovation, I am reminded of the incredible privilege I am afforded in this line of work. Not only do I get front row tickets to one of the best magic shows EVER – I also get to hold the bag of tricks and wave the magic wand.

My team and I are always so humbled and honored to be entrusted with one of our client’s most valued assets – their home. Through a series of meetings, we can take the homeowners vision and use it to inspire our design – then take that design and make it a beautiful reality. As custom home builders, we offer a special advantage over many other general contractors and renovation companies – there’s really not much we can’t make happen as we magically transform your home into a thing of beauty.

Watch as we magically transform this mild-mannered deck...
Watch as we magically transform this mild-mannered deck...

We can transform an unfinished basement into an in-law suite or man cave that would make the neighbors green with envy. Our background in structural engineering affords us the skills necessary to reconfigure the flow of a cramped home by opening it up, giving it the appearance of an entirely new space. We can take a neglected backyard and reinvent it with a glass enclosure or expansive deck – making it one of your favorite new “rooms” of the home. Highlight Homes’ specialties also include kitchen and bath remodels, window and door replacements, room additions, landscaping and water features, exterior renovations, and so much more

...into a stunning outdoor living space!!!
...into a stunning outdoor living space!!!

Of course, for us the real magic happens when our clients walk through the door once the project is complete and we get to see the look of joy and excitement on their faces. That trick never gets old, and it’s no illusion!  We welcome the chance to bring a little magic into your life with a custom designed, quality crafted home renovation. For a remodel project that defies belief, we invite you to contact us by calling 678.873.9234, e-mailing us at info@highlighthomesga.com, or filling out our convenient online contact form. To learn more about Highlight Homes, view our online portfolio, or peruse our full list of services, we encourage you to visit us online.

Image credits: FLYING ELECTRICAL BULB BETWEEN PALMS © Boris Ryaposov | Dreamstime.com; Renovation Images Courtesy of Highlight Homes