In this month’s nod to the people, places and things that inspire the team at Highlight Homes, we take a look back over the past year and bring back a handful of oldies, but goodies…
enLIGHTenment magazine: Writer Linda Longo “shines a light” on the latest trends in her interview with award-winning Northwest design firm Neil Kelly for her article “Top 10 Home Design & Remodeling Trends For 2013.” Again, we’re not about to steal Longo’s thunder – but we ARE particularly fond of Top Trend #2: Living in Your House Longer. As an Atlanta-based design-build renovation firm, that’s music to our ears. (Shades & Highlights January 2013) It will be interesting to see how many of these trends flow into 2014!
Outdoor Oasis: When you dream of spending time in the Great Outdoors, what do you envision? If it’s a sprawling deck for countless dinner parties under the stars, a tranquil koi pond surrounded by lush landscaping, or an open-air kitchen where you can awaken your inner chef to the delight of your guests – Highlight Homes can help you make those dreams come true! (Shades & Highlights February 2013) NOW is a great time to start planning and preparing for your outdoor living space remodel!
Hidden Spaces: As though inspired by Frances Hodgson Burnett’s Secret Garden, we love to find tucked away spaces and turn them into something beautiful. A hall closet door can become a sunken doorway bookcase, the space under the stairs can be opened up and transformed into a highly functional storage space or an indoor dog house, a little used corner can become a book nook, a guestroom closet can become a home office… the possibilities are endless! With Highlight Homes’ extensive knowledge of structural engineering, we may be able to see the possibilities in your home that you may have overlooked. (Shades & Highlights March 2013)
Sunrooms: With the wonderful arrival of Spring each April, so follows the onset of pollen season. That yellow stuff that dusts the windshields of our cars and leaves its mark on the patio furniture in the backyard makes it nearly impossible for many Georgians to breathe deeply without sneezing and wheezing. Still, the grass is greening up, leaves are reappearing on the trees, and flowers are filling the gardens. It seems a shame not to be able to enjoy Mother Nature’s splendor this beautiful time of year just because of a fine yellow powder. Pollen poses an excellent argument for the incorporation of a sunroom filled with windows for the four-season enjoyment of the Great Outdoors. It just so happens that sunrooms are one (among MANY) of our specialties here at Highlight Homes. To schedule a no-obligation consultation to discuss the incorporation of a sunroom addition at your home, call our talented design-build team at 678-873-8234 TODAY! (Shades & Highlights April 2013)
Never the Rock Photography: Sarina Roth, owner of Never the Rock Photography, is someone Highlight Homes looks to regularly to capture our home renovations. Her work is sublime and has graced the pages of a number of magazines. For motivated sellers who wish to place incredible photos of their home in the blog-o-sphere or families who love their home so much, they wish for it to play a starring role in their family portraits – we highly recommend you reach out to Sarina at Never the Rock. (Shades & Highlights May 2013)
True Source Cabinets: This Atlanta-based wholesaler provides a wide variety of cabinets from budget and upscale manufacturers, such as Omega – the #1 rated custom manufacturer by Consumer Reports, Kemper – which was recently featured in the Street of Dreams Luxury Home Show, KraftMaid – the country’s largest manufacturer which has often been featured on Extreme Home Makeover, and more. The proper selection of cabinets is an integral part of any Highlight Homes’ kitchen or bath renovation. (Shades & Highlights June 2013)
Sunshine: The 30-year average for rain fall in Atlanta during the month of June is less than 4 inches. This year, Atlantans saw more than 9.5 inches fall during June alone – spoiling countless pool days, parades, and picnics. Highlight Homes would like to say “Thank You” to our clients for understanding that we have no control over the weather. One of the benefits of working closely with a company like ours is that when Mother Nature has other plans on the days when we are scheduled to be working outdoors, we can adjust our construction schedule to tackle indoor renovation projects until the sun shines once more. (Shades & Highlights July 2013) Rain has continued to plague us in November and December. We recently had an unplanned “mudbogging” adventure at the construction site of our custom home in Brookhaven!
The Nest: Brought to you by the same folks who publish The Knot and The Bump, The Nest is a website devoted to all things “home” – from helpful tips like “How to Prepare for a Renovation” and “How to Finance Your Renovation” to a treasure trove of décor photos intended to enlighten you to the latest trends and inspire your own unique interior design. Be sure to flip through the pages of the digital magazine and check out their articles devoted to green living, organization, and (of course) renovating. (Shades & Highlights August 2013)
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. (Shades & Highlights September/October 2013)
GE’s New Slate Appliances: Stainless Steel has ruled the kitchen appliance market for years and it’s a popular choice among many of our kitchen renovation clients. However, appliance powerhouse – General Electric – debuted a new line of appliances in a low gloss finish they call “Slate” in September 2012 and it’s just now starting to generate a buzz as a possible successor. It’s a soft and sophisticated charcoal grey – making it a nice marriage between black and stainless steel. We predict these products will continue to do well, particularly with the rising popularity of the use of varying degrees of grey paint on the walls as one of the new neutrals both designers and consumers are loving. (Shades & Highlights November 2013)
A very special thank you to all of the vendors and clients who have made 2013 such a great year! May 2014 hold great promise and happiness for us all!
