Month: October 2013

Celebrate National Sleep Comfort Month with a Master Bedroom Renovation

Alarm Clock by Graeme Weatherston - FreedigitalphotosdotnetWe all strive to squeeze in a handful of precious hours of undisturbed rest before that alarm clock sounds in the morning. It’s not uncommon for one to believe that “sleep comfort” begins and ends with a really good mattress. While that’s a very important component, the overall environment in which one sleeps plays a crucial role, as well. Elements such as soothing colors, de-cluttered spaces, higher ceilings, proper lighting and more can combine to contribute to a restful night’s sleep.

Winsome Walls:

It’s easier to enter a dream state when one is surrounded by dreamy, soothing shades. From wall paint to linens, one can literally wrap themselves in colors designed to calm and comfort. According to a recent article by Michele Bernhardt in House Beautiful, light purple evokes a sense of spirituality, light blue brings calm and peace, pink is associated with love, aqua is tied to relaxation, and green is related to health.

Cut the Clutter:

Clutter in the bedroom can serve to clutter the mind. It’s not always easy to kick back and relax when the clothes that are piling up in the chair and papers on the writing desk in the corner keep reminding us that there’s much to be done. A closet renovation or built-in storage spaces could serve to cut the clutter – cleaning up the space and freeing the mind for sweet dreams.

Soaring Ceilings:

Thoughts and dreams can drift up and away into the clouds with the help of a cathedral or trey ceiling. A general contractor or renovation company that specializes in structural engineering can assess a bedroom to see if the ceiling can be raised to accommodate such a lofty goal. For rooms that cannot be made larger with the help of a room addition, some added height will help the room feel larger and less cramped. Higher ceilings may also serve to positively impact acoustics for those sleepers who prefer the accompaniment of a sound machine or white noise device.

Draw the Curtains, Dim the Lights:

The appropriate lighting can definitely impact one’s ease toward dreamtime. Bedtime readers may benefit from a wall lamp that can be dimmed and operated from their bedside – so as not to disturb their sleeping companion. Light blocking curtains at the windows can ensure any plans to sleep in are not interrupted by a particularly vibrant sunrise. The bedroom windows are also an important spot on which to stay focused – a tiny crack in the seal could spell a less-than-restful sleep on a rainy and/or windy night.

Keeping Dreams and Digital Separate:

With so many of us spending the bulk of our waking moments stimulated by digital devices that range from smartphones and tablets to laptops and high definition television sets, it’s wise to keep digital out of the bedroom. For those who prefer to wind down in front of the TV before they go to bed, it might be wise to consider a sitting room addition to the master bedroom – so the TV has its own space and the bed has another.  According to an article by Heather Hatfield for WebMD, we need to power down in order to enjoy a power nap. There should be a transition period of 15 to 30 minutes of technology-free time before bedtime to help ensure a good night’s rest.

Highlight Homes welcomes the opportunity to celebrate National Sleep Comfort Month with you! From room additions to trey ceilings, we do it all. To learn more about the services we provide to homeowners throughout Metro Atlanta, we invite you to visit us online at www.highlighthomesga.com.  Throughout the month of November, we will extend a 5% discount on home renovations of $10,000 or more*.  Call us TODAY at 678-873-9234!

*Good for contracts of $10,000 or more. Offer Expires November 30, 2013.  Must mention offer at time of consultation/signing of contract in order to receive savings.

Image Credit:  Graeme Weatherston/freedigitalphotos.net

Structural Engineer + Smaller House = Smarter Use of Space

dollhouse - publicdomainpictures - David WagnerWhile the “norm” used to be that as a family grows, so does its need for more space. A new baby often meant it was time to pack up the moving boxes and move into a larger home. However, a growing trend in both home buying and home building shows an undeniable gravitational pull away from the McMansion and towards a smaller home. Several factors could be at work here:

  1. With so many dual income/activities to the max families out there, fewer folks are spending time actually IN the home.
  2. Smaller homes mean less to clean and maintain.
  3. As the baby boomer segment of our population ages, those homeowners are looking to downsize.

The recent economic downturn that hit the housing market so hard in 2008 was another factor, for certain. While the average home was still a hefty 2300 square feet with 3 bedrooms and 2 ½ bathrooms in 2012 – according to the National Association of Home Builders – it does give one pause to think “What if I just stay put in my current home and find new ways to use the space?”  Chances are, you could not only save a pretty penny and spare the hassle of packing up and moving, but you might also make your home more attractive to a future home buyer.

If you’re considering some changes to your smaller home or wish to purchase a more diminutive domicile, and want to opt for the smartest use of space – you should find a general contractor or renovation company that specializes in structural engineering, like Highlight Homes of Atlanta.  A talented design-build firm that has a deeper understanding of the inner workings of the home can actually reroute your floorplan to one that will serve your family’s needs the best.  If you have a family that loves to cook and entertain, chances are that you’ll want to open up the kitchen area. If guest room space is an issue, you might benefit from an above-the-garage addition or a finished attic. If your family loves the outdoors and feels cramped indoors, an open air living room might serve as the perfect answer. From an interior perspective, built-in bookcases and walk-in closets could help transform the usability of smaller rooms.

Highlight Homes welcomes the opportunity to help you look at your smaller home through entirely new eyes. To schedule a no-obligation consultation with our talented team of experts, please call 678-873-9234 or send an e-mail to info@highlighthomesga.com. If you’d like to learn more about Highlight Homes and the services we provide to homeowners throughout Metro Atlanta, we invite you to visit us online at www.highlighthomesga.com.

Image Credit: David Wagner/PublicDomainPictures.net

Life After… Home Renovation

Allow us to "enlighten" you - opulence is making a major comeback! Photo credits: Deepu Das/Stockvault
Allow us to "enlighten" you - opulence is making a major comeback! Photo credits: Deepu Das/Stockvault

While there is always a great deal of anticipation and excitement leading UP to a home renovation, there is plenty left over for AFTER the renovation company has packed up their equipment and gone. A well-planned home renovation is not only a functional addition to your house, it should also serve as the ideal blank canvas to showcase your unique sense of style and personality. With the help of some of our interior design friends, the Highlight Homes’ team welcomes the chance to see your renovation from start to glorious finish.

Paint

What does one do with a blank canvas?  Paint it, of course! Pantone  – THE global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries – recently revealed its Pantone®View home+interiors 2014, which highlights some of the coming year’s hottest colors and combinations. Will you identify with the bright shades of Techno Color and Eccentricities, the muted hues of Physicality and Sculpted Simplicity, or one of the other five shade-inspired palettes created by the color experts at Pantone?

Décor

Word on the street is that some of the hottest trends in home décor include a major emphasis on eye-catching art, chevron stripes and honeycomb patterns in fabrics, bright and bold florals, vintage looks, glossy finishes and LOTS of luxury touches.

Furniture

According to Elle Décor, some of the hottest trends in furniture – as evidenced by the inventory at the Furniture Market at High Point, North Carolina – include metallic leather, showy glamorous pieces, tailored looks in upholstery, small space solutions, dining room tables that make a statement, and items that incorporate green design and manufacturing techniques. Some things we like out there on the market include cozy over-stuffed sectionals, painted accent furniture, natural materials and eclectic blends of modern and antique furniture.

Fixtures

From lighting to drawer pulls, we are seeing a couple of exciting trends. With the return of vintage looks, brass and gold are making a bold comeback. Lighting has become just as fanciful as it is functional – from sleek industrial pendant lamps to sophisticated chandeliers.

Special Touches

The most important thing to do when finishing a room is to fill it with things that you love. A country look can become more stylish when a repurposed barn door becomes a sliding door – serving as both a focal piece and a functional room separator. A beachy look can feel trendier with the use of sandy neutrals and subtle enhancements like bleached floors and less is more approach to placing “beachy” items around the room.

Of course, in order to get to the interior design phase of your home renovation – you need to RENOVATE first.  To schedule a no-obligation consultation with the talented design-build team at Highlight Homes, call us at 678-873-9234, e-mail us at info@highlighthomesga.com, or fill out our convenient online contact form.  To learn more about Highlight Homes and the services we provide, visit us online at www.highlighthomesga.com.

Shades & Highlights: September/October 2013

stockvault-falling-leafs143243 - Tim FitchEver since we bid a fond farewell to summer and a hearty “HELLO!” to Fall on September 22, the folks at Highlight Homes have found much to inspire us with what promises to be a beautiful change of seasons. The rainy days of June and July have paved the way for a vibrant palette of colors as the leaves begin to change – and as renovation specialists, change is a subject near and dear to our hearts. In this edition of Shades & Highlights, we’ll share just a handful of the people, places and things that make what we do so exciting!

Biltmore Estate: Nestled in the stunning landscape of Asheville, North Carolina – Biltmore Estate is not only a terrific destination for leaf season, it’s also a wonderful place to look for ideas. From timeless architectural and interior design inspiration, to landscaping and gardening ideas – no one does it quite like the masterminds behind one of the Southeast’s greatest treasures. We encourage you to take notes and photos while you’re there of the elements that really speak to you so that Highlight Homes can help you incorporate them into your own original renovation. And we highly recommend the wine tasting, too!

Natural Elements: Not only do we love the use of natural elements in our custom homes and renovations – such as heavy timber beams and native stone accents, we also love the infusion of Mother Nature in home décor. Check out this “oldie but goody” that outlines some suggestions for natural elements in your Halloween décor: Going Green for Halloween.

West Elm Fall/Winter 2013 by Sherwin-Williams: The color geniuses at Sherwin-Williams have pulled together a beautiful collection of shades for their West Elm Fall/Winter 2013 paint palette. We really love the warmth of Rugged Brown paired with the richness of Indigo Batik – it’s like wearing blue jeans with a well-worn pair of cowboy boots. Color is still king when it comes to bright shades like Blue Nile, Forward Fuschia, and Heartthrob Red.

Architizer.com: A social network designed for architects, Architizer is also a great resource for anyone with a particular fondness for architecture in its many varied forms. Consumers considering a major overhaul renovation or building a new home from the ground up can find all kinds of inspiration from the ultra-modern and uber-cool designs displayed under the “Explore Projects” tab.

Feeling inspired?  Give the talented design-build team at Highlight Homes a call in order to bring your visions to light!  We look forward to hearing from you and are even MORE excited about working with you. We can be reached by calling 678-873-9234 or via e-mail at info@highlighthomesga.com.  To learn more about our services and sneak a peek at our online portfolio, please visit us online at www.highlighthomesga.com.

Image Credit: Stockvault.net/Tim Fitch