Below is guest post discussing how rustic and modern design elements can work beautifully together. S Interior Design sometimes refers to this blending of styles as ORGANIC CONTEMPORARY. This mixture can deliver a warm, inviting design outcome. There are a lot of opportunities to create spaces with unique design elements included when you work in this design spectrum.
Green Remodeling Trends for 2016
Below is a guest post on the subject of how to incorporate environmentally friendly features and materials into your home. One they left out that S Interior Design recommends is to switch all light bulbs to LED type.
Green Remodeling Trends for 2016
By Mary Sauer
Each year, the green building industry makes major advances, increasing the availability of green home products while decreasing the associated cost. And that’s why there’s no better time than now to switch to more environmentally responsible products for your home. This is especially true if you’re already planning to make small updates or do a major home remodel. Here are this year’s most popular green remodeling trends to help you plan for a home that’s as stylish as it is green.
Home Automation
Smart home products have been around for some time, but only recently have they become an accessible and affordable option for homeowners of all budgets and lifestyles. With the help of a smart thermostat, you can easily regulate your heating and cooling system from any internet enabled device, including your smartphone. Not only is it incredibly convenient to be able to control the temperature of your house from anywhere, it allows you to make changes that will reduce your use of your HVAC unit. Even the smallest changes, like bumping your temperature by a few degrees while you are away, can greatly reduce your overall consumption of electricity and cut your monthly utility costs.
Additionally, through the use of automated lighting you can control when your lights are on or off with the click of the button. Simply by scheduling the lights in your home, you can avoid the energy waste that so often occurs when we leave home in a rush and forget to power off the lighting throughout our homes.
Solar Appliances
For many, making the switch to solar power feels unattainable due to the overall cost of making the switch. Because of this, more homeowner are making smaller switches to solar, choosing solar appliances as a more realistic option for their budgets. One of the most popular solar appliances is the solar water heater, which has an average cost between $1,500 and $4,500. Some heaters can be purchased for as little as $500, especially if you plan to install one yourself. Homeowners who make this investment not only reduce the carbon footprint of their home, but also see an estimated 50 percent drop in their water heating costs. Other popular solar appliances include solar powered refrigerators and solar powered chargers for electronics like smartphones and laptop computers.
Environmentally Friendly Flooring
Reducing the energy consumption in your home is great first step, but it isn’t the only factor to consider when remodeling. Another element to consider is how the manufacturing of your home and building products impacts the wellbeing of the earth—something that we at Modernize are passionate about. Conventional carpet has been found to release volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, into the air, which reduces overall air quality and negatively impacts our health. And traditionally harvested hardwood flooring can have a devastating effect on our world’s forests. That’s why we encourage you to look into more environmentally friendly flooring options such as reclaimed wood, bamboo, or cork flooring, and low VOC carpeting as a healthier and greener option for your home.
If you are new to the world of environmentally responsible living, it’s easy to become overwhelmed with the amount of change that’s needed to improve the future of our planet. But every improvement you make matters, and you can begin reducing your carbon footprint by making even the smallest of environmentally-friendly home improvements for a greener future.
Let The Outside IN!
Below is a guest post on the subject of sliding glass doors for homes. As an interior designer in Arizona, I place and re-place quite a few doors like this since one of the goals for those of us who live here is almost always to enable indoor / outdoor living environments both visually and physically.
That said, we live in a world where security is of concern so the glass doors need to have reliable locking mechanisms. No reason to compromise between beauty and security. So if you are in the market for new glass sliding doors, don’t forget the security component.
The author of this guest post from Australia is promoting secure sliding glass doors.
Top 6 Reasons for Getting Sliding Security Glass Doors for Homes
The popularity of sliding security doors is being realized by both homeowners and businesses. Sliding glass doors are mostly used by people as entrance to the garden or patio. Security doors prevent burglaries and protect homes from intruders. Besides security reasons and aesthetics, they are installed for greater visibility and air flow. When it comes to locking system, there are various options available. You can choose central lock system or side lock system. You can buy different varieties of sliding security doors from different online shops, but you must also buy a material that can be cleaned and maintained very easily.
6 main reasons for installing glass sliding security doors!
- When compared to the traditional doors, sliding security glass doors offer an added security since they are swung open with the hinge. Sliding security doors are secured with the latch, making it difficult for intruders to meddle.
- If you install sliding doors, you will enjoy more space inside the building premises and house. It increases the space available as it narrows down the obstruction both indoors and outdoors.
- When it comes to sliding doors, there are various options available in the market. More and more manufacturers have embarked on the production of glass sliding doors in different styles and patterns. These doors are the ideal options to choose when you consider doing your office renovation, or of you want the perfect office fit-out at a reasonable price.
- Sliding doors are much easier to clean and maintain. Do-it-yourself cleaning solutions are available to remedy the glass if anything happens to it. Glass cleaning solutions can be availed at budget friendly rates.
- The sliding security doors comprise glass material can give the room an instant facelift. The door offers a chic and modern look to the interior. The once drab room can become elegant and beautiful in no time.
- With glass doors, you can have a better look of your landscape area or patio. The home will also enjoy natural lighting. One can also use curtains and drapes to dim the light.
Get rid of the traditional doors!
Those who crave to get rid of old-fashioned and traditional look of their home; they can install glass sliding doors. Find the best sliding security doors to match up your needs. Check the internet or pay visit to a hardware store to see the variety of gates sold. It can add it to the curb appeal of the home while making it modern.
Traditional glass security doors and modern security doors!
Modern glass security doors have a huge advantage over the traditional ones. The major change in the glass panels is the reason for installing modern doors. When traditional doors used only a single panel, the modern security door has multiple panels of glazed glass. These doors are also the best for your garden area, as you can regulate the entry and exit into your garden, with these security sliding doors.
Enjoying the outdoor view!
You may be having a beautiful landscape area and willing to enjoy the outdoors from inside your home. If you want to see the outdoors from the interior, while not compromising on the safety of the family, then you should choose sliding security doors made up of glass to enjoy a clear view. Make sure nothing is visible from the outside.
At the big box hardware store, you can find hundreds of choices with respect to sliding security doors. Have a look at the frame of the door since that needs to be factory constructed in different styles. Choose an appropriate one for your needs.
5 Ideas for “Modern Kitchens”
Below is a guest post on the subject of design ideas for a modern kitchen. In this case the word modern is perhaps a misnomer. I would characterize the ideas as creative. In today’s world we are spending more time in the kitchen area of our homes with family and friends so it is definitely a room in which you want to maximize function, and optimize the look and feel.
S Interior Design has added comments to the post below (shown in italic font).
5 Elements of a Perfect Man Cave
Below is a guest post on the space referred to as the ‘Man Cave’. S Interior Design has also referred to this space as the ‘Men’s Den’. In fact we just completed such a space for a client. An under used guest bedroom was transformed. It included a reclaimed wood tile wall, a custom coffee table that displayed his rifles, custom designed seating and of course—a large television.