Posts Tagged ‘Home & Design’
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, December 12th, 2008
The ABCs of Underage Decor
By Ashley Nichols
Courtesy of Flor
Children’s rooms can be a blast to decorate. But the cute-as-a-button puppy dog motif Junior begged for at age 3 might not be his idea of cool when he brings home his high school crush. Or your little girl may suddenly decide her ballerina theme is more demi plié than grand jeté when she hits puberty. So where’s the balance between of-the-moment trends and blah looks that are too neutral for self-expression? Unless you’re willing to shell out the bucks for a redesign every two or three years, the idea of creating a special space for a rapidly changing child can be as headache-inducing as long division is now (and as algebra will be later!).
We turned to local interior designers to find out not only what the kids are asking for these days, but also which strategies they employ to create child-chic decor. As it turns out, thanks in part to moms watching HGTV design shows and ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” children are much more opinionated about what they want. The tough step, our designer friends say, is to work with them to translate what they want right now into something they’ll also like later.
Your Assignment
Check out these clever tips to achieving harmonious design in your child’s space. They’re alphabetized for your reading convenience. And, yes, there will be a test: It’s called real life. So study up and get to decorating.
Blik makes removable wall decals for room themes without the permanent commitment.
Adhesives
If you’re looking for something thematic or juvenile but not ready to commission a custom mural or paint stencils, wall decals may be just the thing. Several companies, like WallCandy Arts (available at Cradle & Crayon in Reston Town Center, Whimsies in Charlottesville and Zazu in Ashburn) and Blik make removable decals in bright colors and fun borders that you can toss when they outgrow them. “It adds a quick little wow factor,” said Cristina Depina, president at Alexandria’s CDM & Associates. She designs a lot of model rooms and loves using Wallies (www.wallies.com), a brand that makes wallpaper cutouts available in Jo-Ann Fabrics, Lowe’s and Michaels.
Bedding
Susan Jamieson of Bridget Beari Designs frequently designs rooms for children and teens, including nurseries. She’s noticed a trend toward more modern and less fussy bedding for babies in the past few years. “I’m using very clean lines from Matouk or Sferra, usually in white,” she said.
Canopies
When recently designing a little girl’s room in Oakton, Jennifer Parker of Patera Home ran into a challenge. Katerina, the 9-year-old for whom she was decorating, wanted a built-in space for her bed that felt like she was tucked away in her own world. There wasn’t enough room to close off an area for this purpose, so they settled on a canopy instead. “It addressed the feeling, but in a way that could grow with her and later be lovely as a guest room,” Parker said. Plus, Katerina is able to use her bed as a couch so her friends can enjoy the canopy experience as well. Depina agreed that little girls love the canopy look. “It makes them feel like princesses,” she said.
Room designer Cristina Depina creates thematic spaces with flexibility. Courtesy of Cristina Depina
Dad
While designers said they usually work most closely with mother and child when deciding on decor, a dad’s opinion can also add a personal touch. “I had a dad who wanted to be part of the process, and his gift to the room was that he painted the faux stripes in the nursery we were working on,” Jamieson said. “They turned out great.”
Existing Pieces
One of the first things a designer will do is ask what pieces you want to keep in the room. There’s nothing wrong with having more adult-looking furniture in a child’s room. A good designer will be able to advise you on fabrics to rejuvenate a chair or new purchases to complement your current collection.
Flooring
While carpet may be soft, it’s not always the best thing to have underfoot when little ones are involved and spills are twice-a-day events. If you can install hardwood or cork, this might be a good place to invest money. It will also help minimize dust mites and allergens. That said, a child needs a soft spot to play on, so an area rug that can be easily washed will be necessary. Parker loves using carpet tiles by FLOR (www.flor.com) to create unique crawl spaces. “They’re great in kids’ rooms because of spills,” she said. “You can just clean that one piece or replace it.” The tiles can be used to create a wall-to-wall carpet look or area rugs and come in basic and fun patterns. Anyone up for hopscotch?
Green
Although the color green is wildly popular, the environmentally responsible meaning of the word is just as prevalent in children’s room decor as it is the adult design world. Eco-friendly living is a hot topic in schools today, and conversations in the classroom are beginning to result in children implementing what they’ve learned at home. “I think they’re going to start coming home and saying, ‘You know, Mom, if we’re going to redo my room, I want low-VOC paint and bamboo flooring,’” Parker said. Researching sustainable woods and organic fabrics can be a great learning—and bonding—experience for a family as they redecorate.
High-tech
Speaking of research, chances are your children are almost as Internet-savvy as you are these days—if not more so. Creating a space for tech trends, including substantial desk space and plenty of hideaway outlets, is most likely a necessity. In addition, fun speakers and docking stations for an iPod allow for self-expression through music. “In our model homes, we usually set up a desk with a prop computer,” Depina said.
Inspiration
Every room starts with a different inspiration piece. If you’re working alone or with a designer, it’s important to define one before jumping in. Even if you make more decisions than your child, it’s nice to let him or her feel included and to see if he or she has something particular in mind. Sometimes it’s working around existing furniture you love. Sometimes it’s a piece of art. Oftentimes, it may be a swatch of fabric your designer suggests. Whatever it is, teach your children what it means to start with inspiration, and it will follow them through life.
Juxtaposition
We know, we know. This is a pretty big word for a children’s decor tip list, but we’re pretty sure you’re going to want to use it just the same. In essence, make sure not all elements of the room are perfectly matching. Using different textures and style variations, such as an iron bed paired with a soft canopy and a fuzzy rug, gives a room depth and a cozy feel. Even ultra-modern looks should have some items to soften them up. “If I’m working with antique furniture, I usually advise not using everything in the set,” Jamieson explained. “Sometimes I’ll take an antique chest and have it refinished, then use a painted bed.”
Lighting
While task lighting is important, one of Jamieson’s favorite decorative elements to bring into a girl’s room is a fun chandelier. It adds a little glamour and can usually fit well with the princess look they like when they’re young and the more Hollywood look they want in their teen years. Elegant sconces can also add a nice custom touch.
Monograms
When it’s a clean and simple yet personalized look you’re going for, try having a few things custom monogrammed. Jamieson likes to do fabric headboards for little ones that can later be slip-covered with a plain monogram for a more adult look. Parker used her client’s initials recently in the center of custom cornices.
Nostalgia
While you may have the urge to frame every artistic endeavor your little one attempts, it’s better to create spaces where their artwork can be replaced as they age. Using frames that are easy to change or even mounting their work on a custom bulletin board will allow you to save it when it comes down and later decide what to frame permanently.
Paint
In terms of color, bright and bold seems to be the current trend. For girls, pink and green are a classic combo, and the mix of hot pink and chocolate brown is gaining popularity. Bright purples, oranges, greens and yellows are also fair game. On the boys’ end, standard navy, red and white are popular for the all-American look, while fun tones like turquoises and greens are hot for a surfer feel. Along with bright colors, another trend for the younger set is to use chalk-friendly paint that allows children to draw on their own walls. Jamieson recommends Crayola.
Fat Boy in Marimekko patterns. Courtesy of Fat Boy
Quiet
Never underestimate how far ample play space can go. If you’re looking for a little more downtime in your family room, it’s important to create space not only for your children, but also for a couple of friends to come over and play in their room comfortably. This may mean using the closet more efficiently for storage or adding a play table at which they can sit. In addition, plush ottomans and soft, oversize seats from companies such as Fat Boy (www.fatboy.nl), which carries solid colors and Marimekko patterns, make for additions a step up from beanbags.
Research
To ultimately achieve a look you and your child can agree upon, do your homework. Reading this article is step one. Flipping through magazines and catalogues is another. Encourage your child to tear out things he or she likes and create a collage. The more each of you knows about what you like, the more likely you (or a designer) can find a compromise that fits both your tastes.
Self-expression
You may want a streamlined look, but that’s no reason to keep youngsters from expressing themselves. If a “High School Musical” poster is what they really want, figure out a way to make it work. You don’t want your kids looking back on their childhood and thinking they weren’t allowed to be themselves.
Courtesy of Cristina Depina
Themes
While the idea of using a theme can be fun, our trusted designers agree that the risk with using one is that the child will not like it after a few years. Before going overboard, scale back and figure out ways to subtly incorporate a theme in a way that won’t be a burden later. Pillows and cheap artwork are easier to replace than paint treatments and custom furniture. For instance, if your little boy is into NASCAR, try bedding with the same colors as his favorite racer and removable wall decals of cars, instead of a bed shaped like a car and a desk with a steering wheel sticking out of it.
Unify
Sure, a child’s room should have personality, but if you want a cohesive feel throughout the house, be sure to edit your choices to reflect it. New parents often run into this problem if they anticipate a move in the future. A house may sell better without a child’s room painted a bright color, so it’s probably best to save going all out for a house you plan on living in for a relatively long period of time.
Zzzz’s
While transforming a room’s decor is thrilling, the most important thing to remember is that this is the place where your child lays his or her head at night. It should be a relaxing space that envelops your young one and gives off a comfy feel. While you’re trying to balance between a look that is neither too juvenile nor too grown-up, it’s important to remember what it will look and feel like when the lights are out (whether a night light is glowing or not). Check for sharp corners and provide enough storage so that they’re not getting banged up on the way to the bathroom.
(February 2008)
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, December 12th, 2008
Custom installations can put the kibosh on clutter, but which features will best suit your needs? We turned to companies whose designers take clothes storage spaces from humdrum to spectacular.
By Ashley Nichols
Courtesy of Studio Becker
“Don’t agonize, get organized,” said David Mora, manager of Capitol Closet Design in Vienna. His mantra rings true, especially as we face a new year. The fact is, most people spend as little time in their closets as possible, often cringing when they open the door to a disastrous display of dirty and clean laundry heaped in piles and shoes and handbags scattered on the floor. Getting dressed in such a space tends to add to the misery of an early Monday morning.
Enter the custom closet installation industry. Companies who make it their mission to help you find everything you need with ease. Designers who count—yes, count—your shoes and create a nook for each pair, plus room to grow. While materials and designs run the gamut from double racks that hang twice as much clothing to sliding tie and belt racks, their purpose remains the same. We’re not saying a do-it-yourself job from Home Depot or an Ikea A-fits-into-B prefab system won’t suffice. With today’s variety of choices, customizing your closet is about what you want and how much you’re willing to spend. Sure, it may sound like an added expense now, but think how smart installing a simple, slanted shoe shelf could have been the next time you trip over your new platforms and fall into a stack of clean (or was it dirty?) laundry.
While not every state-of-the-art feature may be on your list of priorities, society’s current obsession with organization has driven designers to create some pretty fantastic thingamabobs. Take a walk through these three hypothetical closets—from low-end basic systems to knock-your-socks-off (and into special compartments!) luxury wardrobes—to find the elements that will work for you.
Simply stated spaces bring a sense of tranquility to a room. Courtesy of California Closets
Door Number 1: You want the basics, and nothing extra
“Northern Virginians require a lot of wardrobe, yet builders aren’t increasing closet space, even when they build McMansions,” said Karen Sylvestre, sales manager at Closets by Design in Manassas. She said that installing a custom system, even a $3,000 nuts-and-bolts look, can yield a 100-percent return during a good housing market and will certainly make a home more attractive to buyers than the house down the street without one.
For simple installations, you’ll find similar choices from most closet specialty companies. For Mora, the first feature to address is the hanging rod. Most closets he sees have a single, long rod. Mora said that isolating longer clothes into one section, then adding a second rod to accommodate twice the amount of shorter hang-ups frees space for shoe shelves, mirrors and laundry baskets.
At the lowest end of the spectrum, white melamine shelving and cabinetry are staples. They create a clean look without much fuss and give order to a once-messy space.
Courtesy of California Closets
Door Number 2: You want organization, but would like It to look pretty
With the popularity of HGTV and Internet research, today’s consumer is increasingly savvy, said Randall Fry, manager of sales and marketing at California Closets in Fairfax. “People ask less about what the product is and does. They’re more design-oriented these days,” said Fry. He’s recognized a trend towards minimalist furniture in the master bedroom, which means less dressers and wardrobes to hold a couple’s clothing and a larger strain on their closet.
In the mid-range spectrum, there are plenty of veneers with a variety of stains (think maple, cognac, cherry) to choose from for cabinetry and shelving. Since closet design trends tend to follow building trends, brushed nickel and oil-rubbed brass hardware are in vogue right now. For a little glam, add clear Lucite doors to cabinetry. They actually reinforce neat stacking since you can see what’s behind them (an added benefit when trying to locate a coordinating piece).
Courtesy of California Closets
One standout accessory is the valet rod (a groovy sliding rod that allows you to hang tomorrow’s outfit for quick dressing or a traveler to keep the suits he or she needs handy). “At a minimum, you’ve got to have a valet rod,” urged Sylvestre. “I wouldn’t let my clients go without one.”
Slide-out pant racks provide bars for pant hanging and minimize the time it takes to neatly hang pants on hangers. They come in 18- to 30-inch sizes and keep trousers from wrinkling.
For sorting out the dirty clothes, try tilt-out hampers so that dirty clothes are discretely hidden from view. If you want to really get organized, have multiples installed: one for lights, one for darks and a final third for dry cleaning.
For men, slide-out belt and tie racks are a preferred alternative to standard back-of-the-door systems or the delicate balance of using hangers. They shave minutes off finding the right accessories for a suit. Slanted shoe racks are another nice mid-range installation feature. They clear the floor and often increase awareness of what you own so that you don’t yourself resorting to the same pair repeatedly.
Wood cabinetry and backed shelves are among the high-end features that will produce luxe looks. Courtesy of Studio Becker
luxury closet makeover
“We may not go into our kitchens every day, but we walk into our closets every day,” Mora said. And a luxe closet upgrade is becoming nearly as popular as installing a desirable granite countertop. High-end features can make a huge aesthetic impact. And more people are spending the $20,000 to $150,000 to turn their closets into a wardrobe oasis than you’d think. Though many firms average a stream of customers with basic to mid-range interests, they’re also seeing a growing number of clients who hardly flinch at the top price tags.
“At this point, it’s no longer just a closet,” Sylvestre explained. “People want to feel like they’ve just walked into their own dressing room.”
For the ultimate look, there’s wood cabinetry and shelving with backing so that the actual wall is hidden. Glass panels and raised trim give depth and add drama. To top it off, clients can opt for crown molding on built-in pieces, as well as in the room itself. “To me, the look of floor-to-ceiling crown molding and back paneling makes the biggest impact of any install feature,” Sylvestre said.
In addition to the normal bells and whistles, luxury closets can incorporate added pieces of furniture for more usage and a boutique-like feel. Many clients are eager for a storage island. A designer can tell if the space allotted will accommodate one. For some, seating is appealing. Large ottomans or upholstered chairs allow homeowners to feel relaxed while preparing for the day. Specialty storage elements can also add to the look. Jewelry drawers are gaining popularity, along with safes.
Some clients ask for task lighting and chandeliers. Others want decorative mirrors placed throughout. The list of specialty custom designs goes on and on.
Designers at Studio Becker, a high-end international firm with American headquarters in California that’s branching out nationally but has not yet opened a showroom or boutique in the D.C. area, can attest to the fact that buyers want more and more customized luxury in their closets. Lasha Sawenyn, design director, said the brand has recently launched a line of Italian leather luggage to match their designs.
Fry said his firm has done luxury upgrades for professional basketball players (the challenges are their very tall clothes and plethora of shoes), yacht owners and even the East Wing of the White House. He said that, lately, closets are spreading to different rooms in the house. For some, it’s a hobby room that needs additional storage, but for others, it’s completely converting a child’s room into a closet space so each spouse has a walk-in (it’s safest to wait until Junior is past the moving-back-home-after-college phase).
Despite the add-ons, even the most luxurious of closets take shape from the same standard dedigns. “The basics haven’t changed: Hang space is maximized,” explained Fry. “That’s what a system does. The best ideas are the simplest ones. Materials change. Install methods have changed. And form follows function.”
How long until you’re organized?
Generally, if you call a closet design firm, a scheduler will assign your designer and book them for a time slot sometime in the following week. The designer will spend anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes assessing your space. If the project is a simple one, they may sketch a design on the spot. Or they may send one electronically or return to talk you through what they’ve come up with at a later date.
After you’ve seen the design, you’ll want to work out any kinks and then decide if you’re ready to sign a contract. For small jobs, you might expect to see laborers within two weeks. For larger or more intricate jobs that require ordering special components, it could be a month.
In most cases, a team of two will take a day to assemble and install your unit. For larger jobs, it could take two days. Be sure to ask if you should remove your clothing first. Different companies have different preferences. Most will remove your existing system and patch holes, but you may want to do that beforehand if you want to paint before they install. As your first step towards an organized 2008, why not make a checklist?
So you still want to do it yourself?
While we certainly admire your commitment, may we suggest you choose a self-install system that comes with a designer’s approval? At EasyClosets.com, you can create a custom design based on the dimensions of your space and the variety of products offered. But you can talk to a designer if you’re having difficulties. Or even have them work something up for you remotely. If you do place an order without requesting design services, you’ll still receive a call before shipping if there are concerns. Becky Newman, vice president of Internet sales and business development, is a stickler for good design. “We don’t ship until we’re sure it will work for you.”
Regardless of which route you take, conquering clutter has satisfying rewards. You’ll be pleased when you have a closet that reflects your style.
What You Should/Could Do Before A Consultation
1. Although your ultimate goal is organization, don’t go overboard trying to cover up clutter for the designer’s visit. “It’s like going to the doctor,” Mora suggested. “Why call if you’ve hidden everything?” Make sure every item you want to be stored in the closet is visible. Consultants will complete a wardrobe analysis in which they count the numbers of each type of item. Be sure to let them know if access to certain items is a priority.
2. Stay open to the idea of downsizing if you haven’t worn something in years. Being realistic about usage can clear up space for high-use items.
3. Ask for references when you schedule an appointment. “Find out how quick a company will fix a mistake,” Sylvestre recommended. “You can’t always tell that out front. You might be better off talking to someone who had a problem.”
4. Be particular. This is your closet. Designers are there to work for you, and you’re paying for that service. Don’t sign a contract until you’re completely satisfied with the design. Take as much time to consider upgrades as you’d like.
Can An Organized Closet Change Your Life?
Springfield Resident Tanya Burton Shares the Skinny on Her Installation Experience
Why Did You Use A Custom Closet Installation Company?
We’ve been restoring our 26-year-old home, and my closet was just the standard, single bar reach-in that the builder put in. I had a lot of folded stuff just piled up in there. We had a company come in a few years ago and do my husband’s closet, but I wanted something different. I had a couple of companies come in and do estimates before I decided on California Closets.
What Features Did You Go With?
We used white melamine that’s rounded. I incorporated some sliding wire baskets that pull out and you can put whatever you want in there. And we created double hanging on the ends. I was able to gain 4 feet of space. I also added some shelves that look like a piece of furniture. I really like the fact that they hang everything on the wall. My husband’s installation goes all the way to the floor, but I have more floor space. When you have limited space, every inch is important.
How Long Did It Take?
After having my designer come out and sketch, then going to the showroom to look at what they have and finalize the order, they were able to come out and do it in a week.
Are You Satisfied with the Result?
I love it. I can see what’s there and know where everything is. It makes it look like it’s three or four times bigger. It was the least stressful of all of the renovations.
What Would You Recommend to Someone Considering A Custom Installation?
I was so glad I went to the showroom because I made some slight changes. Originally we were going with more shoe cubbies and shelving, but then I saw the pull-out baskets. Seeing it really made a difference. And I’m glad I shopped around.
(January 2008)
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, December 12th, 2008
The ultimate guide to adding Oomph & Ahhh to your spaces
By Ashley Nichols
Homeowners often seek to achieve a boutique hotel feel with their decor. And why not? Who doesn’t want a little luxury to come home to? But when it comes to creating opulent spaces, it’s sometimes tough to draw the line between tasteful and tacky.
Courtesy of Thibaut
We convinced a few local designers
to dish on their favorite looks and the brands they use to pull it all together. We’re not saying their suggestions are the only ways to go, just that they know a thing or two about design, so the map we’ve created is a pretty good start on the road to elegant interiors. They tipped us off on the latest trends, as well as traditional looks that will never go out of style. And they emphasized one very important idea: the more customized a space is, the more luxurious it can feel. Read on to find out which oven range will look amazing and fit your cooking needs, which paint treatments will pamper your powder room, and why you should consider upholstering your bedroom walls.
What’s underfoot?
Flooring options that treat your feet (and eyes!)
The first step toward luxurious design includes well-laid flooring. While hardwood floors and wall-to-wall carpeting have been staples for years, there are some new twists and alternative options to consider.
André Sabbagh, designer for The Absolute Splendor Interiors in Falls Church, emphasizes the importance of considering a room’s predicted traffic and usage when selecting flooring. “I wouldn’t want to do stone in a kitchen,” he says. “It will stain fast.” He suggests opting instead for a ceramic tile that mimics natural stone.
Faye Seigert of Faye Seigert Design in Chantilly explains that tile size and wood types can be major considerations when going for a luxurious look in flooring. When she uses actual stone, she says she tends to do larger scales, like 15-by-15-inch or 18-by-18-inch squares. The trick, she says, is to make sure the scale complements, rather than overwhelms, the room.
Wide-plank wood has a similar effect. Seigert recommends ProSource (showrooms in Alexandria and Dulles) as a supplier. Shanon Munn of Ambi Design Studio in Springfield likes to use natural flooring and strives for environmentally friendly designs whenever possible. One of her favorite flooring options is antique wood floor made from reclaimed wood found in old barns or homes. At first glance, they appear to be simply gorgeous wood floors, she says, but a closer look reveals historical appeal.
Choose the drama of wall treatments over a bucket of paint for a real luxurious room feel.
“It’s been used and loved over time, and it takes on more and more character,” Munn explains. She says using wood with an actual history is better than attempting to fake character. Although it may be pricey, it makes a huge impact, she says. In a recent project, she wanted to use the antique wood floor throughout, but her client’s budget prohibited it. She ended up using it on the main floor, where it could make the most impact. Locally, Munn suggests trying the Amicus Green Building Center (www.amicusgreen.com) in
Maryland, a treasure-trove of Earth-friendly products, which carries a line of reclaimed wood.
In addition to using wide planks and reclaimed woods, giving a little thought to the way your floors will be laid can result in a unique custom look. “I like a custom herringbone design using cherry,” Sabbagh says. For your not-so-grand rooms, high-quality carpet is a good option. Both Sabbagh and Seigert recommend custom carpeting by Masland Carpets. “They offer intricate designs that other sources are not able to do,” Sabbagh says. “And they have a huge variety of fiber types.”
Can your walls talk?
Treatments to make them sing
While simply changing a paint color can transform a room, when it’s pure opulence you’re going for, some pretty fabulous wall treatments can add a signature appeal. For those who aren’t afraid of a room with a little individuality, try hand-mixed lime paints to produce a rich, velvety look. Le Décor (see www.transmineral.com) customizes a pigment for your room that creates a highly textured, somewhat porous look. “You have to be open to not exactly know what the color will be like in the end,” advises Munn, who loves the washes that result after layers of paint are applied. In addition to paint, there is also lime plaster for even more dimension on a wall. Another popular approach is Venetian plaster, which has little bits of marble in it. Munn recently completed a dining room ceiling that layered Venetian plaster and was hand-waxed to give it luster and depth. American Clay, carried at Amicus Green, is a go-to brand for earth plasters in standard colors.
While there has been resurgence in wallpaper in recent years, designers warn that you’ve got to really love the design if you’re going to commit to it. Sabbagh and his firm tend to stay away from wallpaper, opting instead for faux paint finishes that can be easily repaired if damaged and also allow for changes over time. “If a client is traveling and they see something they like, they can add a mural,” he says.
In wallpaper, Munn and Seigert prefer brands like Donghia, Thibaut and Osborne & Little. Munn also raves about a product from Innovations, which uses sand-sized pieces of Murano glass on a woven backing for a wall application with a little sparkle. She says she thinks it would look great in a powder room. But her absolute favorite is upholstering walls with batting and fabric. “It really gives you a super luxurious look,” she says. “If you can afford to do the entire room, that’s awesome. Or you could just do one wall and use a complimentary paint color for the others. That would really give tons of presence to that wall.”
Similarly, Sabbagh recently completed a room where he used straw on the walls to create the look and feel of a winery in Southern France. With so many options, it’s good to take the time to find something you really like, since it will be staring back at you for years to come.
When choosing furniture for your luxe living space, consider each room a piece of a puzzle. Courtesy of Q Collection
Missing pieces?
Furniture that lasts
What’s a room with beautiful flooring and gorgeous walls to do without some special furniture to define the spaces? From sofas to china cabinets, choosing furniture that looks like it belongs in your signature space and nowhere else is a little daunting, especially when you’re not sure how things will look together. Don’t make rash decisions. Consider each room a piece of a puzzle that must be carefully placed together to really fit and look good.
For eco-friendly pieces, Munn tends to turn to Q Collection. “It’s absolutely top-notch as far as detailing,” she says. She also likes Holly Hunt, and both Munn and Sabbagh say Baker has been a long-time favorite. Sabbagh also notes a preference for Shirrell, MotionCraft, Leathercraft and Century. He and Seigert agree that custom upholstery can really make a piece. “Look for people who know how to put the fabric together without wrinkles or pleats that are not necessary,” says Sabbagh. Seigert, whose designs are often contemporary, points out that furniture is sometimes an area where you can reign in the budget. “Even at a luxe price point, people don’t want to spend money across the board,” she says. “Don’t rule out putting a distinctive fabric on a chair from Crate and Barrel.”
Courtesy of Kravet
Ready for your curtain call?
Window treatments that do more than keep the sun out
Well-edited draperies can do for a window what a matte and frame do for a lackluster photograph. Finding the right fabric types and patterns to accompany the other features of your room is a must if you want a luxurious, pulled-together look.
“Cotton is becoming super sophisticated,” Munn suggests. “And linen is always great for casually sophisticated interiors.” She promotes using custom drapery in every room and bases length choices on a room’s height and architectural details. “For a short room, floor-to-ceiling can make it seem taller. But don’t hide moldings. And try to keep them lower in really tall rooms,” she offers. She also only recommends puddling (allowing excess material to puddle on the floor) when looking to achieve a romantic feel.
For Seigert, who likes a more contemporary look, simple, sheer draperies are a great way to add subtle softness. Some of her favorite fabric design brands are Robert Allen, Donghia, Pindler and Pindler, and Kravet. Sabbagh shares a preference for these suppliers and also mentions some newer lines to which he is drawn. “Beacon Hill has some beautiful stuff, it’s gorgeous. And there’s a new one I like called Tapestria,” he says.
Barefoot much?
Rugs that feel as good as they look
When you use wood, tile or stone flooring, an area rug can help eliminate that bare feeling. And even the most luxurious of homes should take crawling babies into consideration. “With rugs, it depends on where you’re putting it,” Seigert explains. “When I do a dining area I like wool and silk combinations.”
The hot name on the market right now is Odegard. Munn loves the company because it looks great and is very Earth-friendly. “A lot of the dyes are natural plant-based,” Munn says. The D.C.-based company is headed up by Stephanie Odegard, who has received much press and major accolades for her commitment to using artisans for her hand-knotted rugs. Her philanthropic philosophy and the divine designs she brings to life are highly praised.
Ready to accessorize?
Hardware options like jewelry for your cabinetry
Though it may seem trivial, using nice hardware can add that custom touch that takes a room from simply nice to really special. Unless you want a seriously streamlined look, forget plain old pulls and handles.
Sabbagh recommends Expo Design Center in Fairfax and Le Petit Chateau in Falls Church. One of his favorites is Van Dyke’s, an Italian line. Seigert prefers Union Hardware, also in Falls Church. “They’re almost like an art studio where you can get cabinetry knobs,” she says. Seigert also looks to Reico and the Mockett catalogue.
Munn says the brand Emtek has a high-end feel, as well as Rejuvenation. And she finds good options at Restoration Hardware if the budget is a little tighter. “You still get an upscale look,” she says.
Are you turned on?
High-tech and good-looking electronics and appliances
Anyone who’s ever decked out a kitchen with appliances knows that it can get expensive. “It’s not a small investment,” says Sabbagh. “It can be equally as expensive as your cabinets.” That’s why, unless you’re looking to cook at an almost professional level, he recommends upper-middle of the line brands, like KitchenAide and General Electric. For those who want more, there’s Sub-Zero and specialty brands like Boffi. The only problem, he says, is that the specialty brands aren’t as readily available, so it’s tough to encourage a big purchase when he hasn’t seen much of the product and isn’t able to show it to his clients.
Munn agrees, although she has found a brand that makes what she claims to be a sensational range. Lacanche is a French line with a vendor in Seattle. Luckily, Munn was able to have the vendor connect her with someone in the area who already had the range and who was willing to let her client take a look. You can give them a look at www.frenchranges.com. For most high-end projects, Munn is fond of using Bosch, Wolf and Viking. And she highly encourages Energy Star appliances for their energy efficiency.
Pay careful attention to lighting, which can be an integral part of pulling together a high-end look. Courtesy of Lutron Electronics
Are you finished?
One detail that adds drama
It’s always a little tough to decide when a room is complete. You might want to step back and, instead of analyzing whether or not you need more accessories or throw pillows, ask yourself if the lighting is optimal for different occasions. One sign of a luxurious, custom-decorated room is well-placed lighting.
“Lighting is the most important element in an interior space,” Seigert says. One of the sources she likes to use is Illuminations, which has showrooms in downtown D.C. and Georgetown. “You have to find the correct sources of light,” she recommends. “A really distinctive chandelier in a dining room can define the space.” She turns to Dominion power company, which works in conjunction with Lutron Electronics to create lighting systems.
Munn also talks about programmed lighting, saying that the best programs give you options for daytime, nighttime, parties and any other mood you’d like to create.
Pulling together a high-end look is a tremendous task. For minor changes, you may feel comfortable going it alone, but for larger projects, turn to the American Society of Interior Designers to find someone who’ll put your wants and needs on a pedestal while also ensuring your roof doesn’t cave in.
(December 2007)
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, December 12th, 2008
Just the Beginning for Whole-House Electronics
By Julie Warren
Courtesy of Sight & Sound Systems
Maybe you’re a vintage movie buff or a sports fan awaiting the next playoff game. Perhaps you relish watching music videos rather than enduring the crowd crush and expense of going to live concerts. Enjoy spending time with your kids viewing all of those popular animated films on DVD?
Whatever your video desires may be, a home theater may seem like a decadent extravagance, but it should not be beyond your reach. And it may be just the ticket to enjoying your video passions the way they should be experienced.
The trick with a home theater, however, is that it doesn’t just come out of a box. Sure you can buy a flat-screen plasma TV of enormous proportions and invest in cushy recliners replete with cup holders, hang speakers discreetly in every corner of your family room, hide all the serious components in the hall closet, drill holes and pull wires and cabling from floor to floor, and connect everything to your home computer.
Good luck.
You’ll spend a lot of money, create a lot of dust and use a lot of expletives to get there, but you still won’t have a home theater. For that you need an expert systems integrator, a seasoned carpenter and a talented interior designer. And you need them long before you buy that flat-screen TV and those speakers.
Boundless possibilities are available to the home-theater enthusiast.
A visit to one of the appointment-only showrooms in the area, like that of Integrated Media Systems in Sterling, will give you an idea. Industry awards cover one wall, and adjacent to the receptionist’s desk is a sitting area for client meetings that includes a couple of comfortable sofas, a flat-screen television and several sample wireless touchpads, each with a screen that looks like those of the ubiquitous area ATMs.
After a relaxed conversation about what you’d like to include in your project, Tom Wells, the company’s president, will show you to a compact sample theater—about 250 square feet, the average size of a suburban living room—with two short rows, one elevated slightly higher and behind the other, of leather lounge chairs.
The interior of the room, though much smaller in scale, replicates that of a commercial movie theater: aisles on either side of the seating, soft indirect lighting, safety lighting along edges of the steps and floors, and a curtained screen facing the seats.
If you’re already impressed, just wait until you see what’s next: Wells picks up the wireless touchpad on the seat next to him and touches a button here and there. And as the lights dim to almost total darkness, the curtain opens to reveal the screen displaying a selection of movies available to view.
No worries about sticky floors and sqeaky seats here. Lush and plush seating offer ultimate comfort. Courtesy of David Powell /Integrated Media Systems
Wells again touches a button here and there, and the selections, pictured on the screen as covers of the available DVDs, rearrange themselves by the name of an actor. Touching another couple of buttons rearranges the images according to the name of the director, or the movies’ rating, or genre, or subject matter. The collection of DVDs, as many as 300 or more, is managed by Kaleidescape, an Internet system that stores, organizes and manages your DVD and CD collections so that you can access any video or audio selection anywhere in your house—the kids’ room, the over-the-counter kitchen TV, the patio and, of course, your home theater.
After demonstrating the selection method, Wells chooses a movie, and it starts to play.
The video is on the screen, but the audio throughout the entire room—not just in front of you, where the action can be seen, but beside you and behind you, too. And it’s loud, but not too loud, even though you can almost feel the avalanche you’re viewing in the opening scenes of “Ice Age” rumble down the mountainside and sense a gentle wind behind you when the rumbling stops.
There are no distractions as you watch—or rather, experience—the movie. This is a significant point: Because of the room’s construction and the builder’s attention to which walls need to absorb sound and which need to reflect it, no one else in the building hears the volume or feels the sound vibration. When the movie is over, the lights come up gently.
Time to select another movie or, reluctantly, get back to business.
Family room function does not have to take a backseat when designing your home theater. Courtesy of David Powell /Integrated Media Systems
Although Wells, who has been designing electronic systems in the region for nearly 30 years, recommends that customers make the decision to install a home theater—or any integrated video or audio entertainment system—long before they begin construction on their home, it is possible to retrofit an existing house with an entertainment area, as well as whole-house systems that include audio, video, security, lighting and view management, also known as remote-controlled window coverings.
“It can take as much as 30 to 35 percent longer to put a system in an existing house,” Wells says, “but we make a third the mess clients think we’re going to make.”
The Look of a Real Theater
Wells’ expertise is systems integration—selecting the best components for a project, planning and installing the invisible electronics, as well as surface equipment, such as screens, speakers, lighting, touchpads and other controls, and specifying the appropriate soundproofing in home theaters.
So to create the look of the rooms, he directs his clients to Kathy Alexander, a Fairfax-based interior designer who specializes in designing home theaters and who describes her work with Wells and Integrated Media Systems as “very much a partnership.” Alexander, who also designs other rooms of a home, claims she knows more than the average designer about designing home theaters.
“I’ve done this for awhile,” Alexander says. “Tom tutored me about the necessary things that go into these spaces.”
When working on below-ground-level projects in particular, Alexander “almost always includes a concession stand in the remainder of the basement.” And in spite of having to design around support beams and pilasters and consider other structural constraints, such as the concrete floors and low ceilings found in basement projects, Alexander says home theaters are “a lot of fun to do. I can be creative.”
Integrated Media Systems can help wire your cinematic lineup for any screen in the house, and enable access with a button clicked from one central location. Program your DVD library through Kaleidescape. Courtesy of David Powell /Integrated Media Systems
Working Through the Builder
In most cases, Integrated Media Systems’ clients approach the company directly with custom home projects that are already in the concept phase. However, clients of Sight & Sound Systems, Inc., another Northern Virginia residential systems integration company, arrive at the Chantilly showroom by introduction from the builder of their homes.
Sight & Sound works directly through local developers, such as Stanley Martin, Van Metre, Equity, Camberley Homes and others, who offer home theater construction as an option to their models.
“We are a vendor to the builder,” says president of Sight & Sound, Kris Kaymanesh, who points out the big advantage to this for clients is that the expense of their theater is incorporated into their mortgage.
Kaymanesh, who has developed a software program through which clients can select the level and intricacy of their audio and video systems that safeguards against their buying incompatible components, stresses that “this is what we call a customer service business.”
Both Sight & Sound Systems and Integrated Media Systems have installation and customer service teams who are highly trained and certified in an array of specialties.
Both companies offer more expanded services than merely home theaters and entertainment—from security systems and lighting control to whole-house systems like electronic vacuum cleaners with retractable hoses and sensors that can detect leaks at water heaters, sump pumps and other vulnerable areas and signal the homeowner through his or her cell phone of an impending emergency.
Kaymanesh’s company will soon test a refrigerator with door scanners that can detect each time a homeowner removes a given product, such as soft drinks, and thus predict when supplies are running low and signal the grocery store to reorder and deliver more.
“With home automation we have really just scratched the surface,” Kaymanesh says. “It’s constantly changing.” For now, though, just pass the popcorn.
(November 2007)
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, December 12th, 2008
By Julie Warren
Like they say, first impressions aren’t always a true indicator. For most visitors or newcomers to our region, a first glance at Northern Virginia communities could give folks the idea that our architecture is pretty traditional—maybe even conventional. Some might go so far as to say our houses are conservative or describe the area’s architecture as “buttoned up.” It’s true that Northern Virginia neighborhoods include lots of tried-and-true center-hall colonials—or variations thereof—with a smattering of split-levels, a ranch home or two, the ubiquitous townhouse complex, condominiums sprouting up near Metro stations and, occasionally, a new but very “faux” craftsman-style residence scattered here and there.
Architect Mark McInturff let geometry be his guide when designing this Rappahannock home.
The Unique Revealed
A closer look at Northern Virginia neighborhoods—and that means everything north of Richmond—will reveal a number of award-winning custom residential designs that range from a grand, light-filled expansion of a 1930s riverside villa in King George County to a modest but warm-and-woodsy screened porch in north Arlington to a breathtaking whole-house transformation overlooking Spout Run.
“The point of my practice is that every building is unique,” said Mark McInturff, FAIA, the architect for several of these and other striking Northern Virginia residential structures. Technically McInturff is a Maryland architect. But his practice—located on a bluff above the Potomac River across from McLean, which on a winter day might offer a clear view of the Virginia Palisades and the GW Parkway—boasts a number of distinctive projects for Virginia homeowners. And his solutions to the limitations afforded by unusual home sites and to his clients’ individual needs and personalities can result in a range of solutions from a geometric, Mondrian-inspired home on a long, narrow lot to a relaxed structure that blends with the surrounding scenery and embraces the use of natural materials like wood, slate and copper.
The owners of McInturff’s “Bend” house continued the geometric theme on the interior.
Custom-Designed Means Variety
To achieve the architectural variety that is a signature of his firm, McInturff conceives a good bit of a design on where a house will be built and who it’s for. “I may base a design on a client’s love of color, or [a client] might say, ‘I have a library with 20,000 volumes,’” said McInturff, who makes a point to get to know each client, most of whom come to him by word of mouth. “It’s very much a dialog,” he said. “There has to be some kind of chemistry.” And because some potential clients may nervously approach the design process with the belief that the architect will “take the design and run with it,” McInturff and the others in his seven-person firm “try to understand people in a way that’s not necessarily verbal. I can read a client—their body language, what their reaction is—and know what their concerns are.”
While the firm has designed some small but distinctive commercial projects, such as the Majestic Cafe in Old Town Alexandria and the Woolly Mammoth Theatre on D Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. McInturff said he and the firm’s other architects enjoy residential work in particular “because we like the feedback from our clients.”
David Jameson’s Spout Run House earned him several awards from the Northern Virginia chapter of AIA.
Custom-Designed Means Personal Relationships
Old Town Alexandria-based David Jameson, FAIA, another award-winning area architect, also prefers custom residential projects. “Our clients are unique because they want a unique house,” he said. “I love the personal relationships, the care the client brings to the process.” At 39, the Virginia Tech graduate is one of the youngest American Institute of Architects fellows, a distinction that recognizes a “significant contribution to the field of architecture and to society.” Jameson’s project in the Spout Run neighborhood of Arlington, which received several accolades at the AIA Northern Virginia Chapter’s awards presentation earlier this year, is actually a renovation, though it appears to be a new structure.
David Jameson’s Spout Run House
Who Can Build It?
Without the formulas and familiarity that come with standardized floor plans, each custom home, whether completely new construction, restoration or renovation, is a start-from-scratch project for the builder who is awarded the contract. So which builders can regional architects rely on when they have a vision for a unique design on a challenging site?
According to Jameson “contemporary buildings are harder to build.” He has worked with Flint Hill-based M.T. Puskar Construction Company, Inc., as well as Added Dimensions, Accent Consruction, LifeCraft and Madden Corporation.
McInturff, who works with a number of area builders and contractors who are willing to take on unique projects, including M.T. Puskar, as well as BOWA bulders, appreciates the region’s selection of “sophisticated providers of trades.” BOWA, based in McLean, was named 2006 Remodeler of the Year by Remodeling magazine.
Mike Puskar, one of the two principals of M.T. Puskar Construction and the contractor on McInturff’s Vienna Kaleidoscope House, admits there are significant challenges to building custom homes. “Every project is a prototype,” Puskar said. And with ceilings that may rise two to three stories and higher, as well as more expansive, open interior spaces in custom and contemporary homes, he said “traditional framing methods have to be thrown out.” According to Puskar, such construction requires more steel framing and “attention to small details.” And he admitted that “everything has to be more precise.”
The Kaleidoscope House allows for open views of the wooded property while the other side of the home maintains privacy with enclosed sides.
Puskar, who started in the construction business as a carpenter, said he got interested in construction as a kid with Tonka trucks and has been in some kind of business or another with his partner, Chris Stanton, since seventh grade. Puskar, who feels “carpentry is becoming a lost art … the geometry isn’t there,” emphasized that, unlike many companies that subcontract specific tasks, M.T. Puskar Construction does all its own foundation, framing and steel fabrication.
The Bottom Line
Jameson believes that for many reasons custom-designed homes can be as cost effective to build—if not ultimately more economical—than builders’ spec houses. According to Jameson, in custom projects, architects are able to give clients their best value by positioning the structure on the site to maximize light and air currents—certainly a sustainable or “green” consideration—and by using more durable materials. “Over the long term, 10 years into a house, is actually less expensive than builder-built houses,” he said.
As to how he and other designers and builders can find clients for custom projects, Jameson said, “Traditional firms may have more work, but there are more than enough clients out there that can keep us busy.”
So much for first impressions.
Arlington Porch:
McInturff describes this inviting porch, built to the side of a traditional home in a north Arlington neighborhood and visible from the street, as “a little jewel.”
Rappahannock Bend House:
The louvers of the two-story porch addition to this 1930s art moderne house in King George County bring in “dappled light that is appropriate for the area,” McInturff says.
Kaleidoscope House in Vienna:
McInturff describes this house, built by M.T. Puskar Construction Company, Inc. on a long narrow lot near Wolf Trap, as a” kaleidoscope” because the long sides of the house are enclosed for privacy for and from near neighbors, while either end of the house opens with expansive—and colorful—window walls to take advantage of the wooded views.
Spout Run House:
Situated near the GW Parkway and Spout Run, this project appears to be new construction, although it is actually a “reconstituted 1970s house.” David Jameson removed “a conflagration of roofs and spatially reordered the house,” achieving a light-filled contemporary residence.
(October 2007)
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Friday, December 12th, 2008
By Lucinda Michell
Courtesy of MTI Whirlpools
What’s all the buzz about bathrooms these days? Without a doubt, they’ve come a long way from ancient privies and water-closets. Thankfully, bathrooms of the 21st century have evolved into luxurious spa-like retreats.
“It’s a place where you start and end each day,” says Rita Tersio Dobrauchi from Terranova Kitchen and Bath Design. “At times, you need it to help you wake up and get energized. Other times, it’s the perfect place to escape and relax.”
Sharing a bathroom with a number of people while trying to get ready and out the door can be a frustrating experience. For years, architects have been increasing the number of bathrooms per house. Many new homes even have a bath to go with each bedroom. “But size doesn’t matter,” says Dobrauchi. “It’s what’s inside that counts.” Hmmm … that sounds familiar. “For instance, we’re seeing a trend toward specialty showers with less interest on tubs. As a busy and hardworking society, we usually opt for a quick shower. But that’s not to say we forgo pampering. We still want our shower ritual to be a unique and invigorating experience.”
Courtesy of Swarovski
The idea behind hydrotherapy showers has been around for centuries. The combination of heat and jets of water provides a therapeutic massage by relaxing tired, achy muscles, improving circulation and stimulating cell activity.
Steamshowers come in all shapes and sizes, from a tiny corner unit to an impressive two-person shower with whirlpool combination. Oxygenics Spa Showerhead injects oxygen into the water for a refreshing aerated mist. It also increases pressure while using only half the water of a standard showerhead. The Ondine ELS (Electronic Light Showerhead) provides a stunning rainbow of color. Add the 24-karat showerhead featuring Swarovski crystals and a $20,000 price tag for a sparkling shower experience.
More and more luxurious baths are including European elements like bidets and saunas. When it’s time for a little detox, try an infrared sauna made from spruce or Canadian cedar. Wasauna’s saunas come with a radio, CD player and reading light, all controlled by a digital box accessed inside or outside the sauna.
Sinks are another surprise in the bathroom. Say goodbye to that boring old, white porcelain bowl and spice things up with hand-blown glass, teak, stone, mosaic or hand-painted basins. Nontraditional sinks are popping up all over. Above-counter sinks give the impression of a basin sitting on a counter. For a modern twist, add an overflow dish or place the sink on an antique dresser for a cozy, cottage look. Think outside the counter by mounting a vessel to the wall for a clean, streamlined appearance.
Relax in your own sauna courtesy of Wasauna Sauna
“Dreams Fulfilled Upon Request” is the motto at Jaeger & Ernst Cabinetmakers. And nothing says elegance better than a custom-designed, hand-crafted bathroom cabinet.
“It’s the subtle little details that make a big difference,” R. Craig Ernst says modestly.
But there is nothing subtle about the distinguished Gentleman’s Vanity and Bath. The sink is built into a full wall of custom drawers and cabinets and a soaking tub trimmed in black marble is surrounded by maple paneling. Brass towel racks and a small reading library (naturally) complete the room.
Further proof of the ingenuity of these talented cabinetmakers is seen in their Cherry Master Bath Suite. Columned arches separate the vanities with built-in medicine cabinets, while matching arches on opposite walls surround the bathtub and massive dressing mirror. The four open corners of the room lead to a shower, water closet, dressing room and master bedroom.
Novel and New
Bold Ideas for the Bathroom
Forget the formica. Add sparkle to your countertops with semiprecious stones. Courtesy of Majestic Gemstone
Galaxy Fire Red Combo
Waterfall faucet and sink basin change color ranging from lighter to darker tones depending on the angle of the light.
Countertops and Mirrors, by Majestic Gemstone
Wow! Surfaces are inlaid with Semiprecious stones and fossils for a translucent and magical finish (and maintenance-free: scratch-, stain- and heat-resistant).
Hands-free Touchless Faucet, by Fontaine Faucet
“Look Ma, no hands!” Automatic infrared motion sensor tells the faucet when to turn on and off.
Finestra, by Jacuzzi
This workhorse of a tub is a walk-in soaking tub, whirlpool, air bath and ultimate salon, all in one.
Stereo H2O Tub
Invisible audio system transforms the tub into a surround sound environment, where music reverberates through the shell surface and water.
Light and Music Shower Ceiling, By Zucchetti Design
Built-in shower head with 400 nozzles, circular jet and anti-limestone system, combined with audio speaker and multi-color LED light.
Multi-purpose tubs with storage space and fine hardwoods add elegance and function to any bathroom. Courtesy of OF MTI Whirlpools
Jeeves Amba Towel Warmers
Warms and dries towels safely and economically—at the cost of running a light bulb (also reduces chill and damp odors in the bathroom.)
UltraTouch Heated Toilet Seats
Features an exclusive comfort touch surface, a built-in antimicrobial and quick release hinges.
Toilet Bowl Exhaust System (TBES)
Efficiently exhausts toilet odors directly from the bowl to the outdoors (a little more information than you needed?).
Swash 500 Bidet Seatby Bronell
Combines an instant heater and full seating area with a side control panel for the ultimate in comfort.
Warm Tiles Electric Floor Warmer, By Easyheat
Floor-warming mat installs in less than two hours to take the chill out of ice-cold tiles.
Sea Glass Tiles by Walker Zanger
Porcelain and ceramic tiles in vibrant colors and shapes for floors, counter tops and walls.
MTI Bath Furnitureby Whirlpool
Eastern-influenced cabinetry finished in fine hardwoods. Both the Madelyn tub surround and vanity feature beautifully paneled front pieces for storage.
Green and Gorgeous Eco Tricks for the Bathroom
Replace water units constructed prior to 1994 (toilets, faucets, shower heads) with new water-conserving models.
Install a dual-flush toilet, then you decide how much or how little water is needed.
Opt for a decorative bamboo (renewable) toilet seat when it’s time to replace the plastic seat.
Use cabinets made from low or no volatile organic compounds like wheatboard and use formaldehyde-free adhesive.
Install a copper sink. Some studies suggest that the metal can kill dangerous bacteria like E. coli.
Switch to Ryohan’s Hands-free Faucet—The EcoPower Sensor uses flowing water for power.
Use colorful recycled glass tiles for backsplash, counter and floor.
Switch to fluorescent lighting. Or, if that’s too darn ugly, try halogen (better yet, add a skylight or window for natural light).
Proper ventilation is the key to removing moisture and other irritants that lead to mold. Use a fan for 20 minutes or a window for natural ventilation.
Install a tankless water heater (saves money and resources).
The number one tip comes from that old 1960s phrase—“Shower with a friend … it saves water!”
Area Resources
Globe Bath & Kitchen Remodeling | 800-514-0853
Jaeger & Ernst Cabinetmakers | 434-973-7018
NVS Kitchen and Bath | 703-378-2600
R&S Kitchen and Bath Design Center | 703-433-9220
Sterling Design & Construction, Inc. | 703-620-1555
Terranova Kitchen & Bath Design & Remodeling | 703-761-0604
(September 2007)
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, December 11th, 2008
By Lucinda Michell
Courtesy of Gladiator Garage Works by Whirlpool
Nothing says “black hole” better than a disorganized garage packed with stuff. And let’s face it: Northern Virginians have a lot of stuff. But a new trend shows that homeowners are trying to get a grip on organization. Now a multimillion dollar industry, garage design and organizational companies are the fastest growing segment of the home improvement industry. With “how-to” videos and do-it-yourself kits many homeowners go it alone while others need to call in the experts.
Just like kitchen and closet designers, there are local companies that specialize in garage design, from tinkering work spaces to glamorous car showrooms.
Flooring
The myriad of floor choices will leave your wheels spinning, but according to Justin Krauss, from JNK Products, there are lots of good reasons to add special flooring. “It helps contain water and debris, plus it minimizes the amount of dirt tracked into the house,” Krauss says. “By spending just $1.50 to $3.50 a square foot, it’s an affordable way to convert an unattractive space into a nice work area.”
Easiest to install is a garage floor mat. It keeps stains off the floor, it has a fresh scent and it’s easy to cut and overlap without messy adhesives. Textured mats come in ribbed, coin, diamond or levant patterns.
Snap-in-place floor tiles are also easy to install, provide added cushion and come in a variety of colors. New on the market is Swisstrax Ribtrax, which works well on cracked concrete, and Sportrax which transitions outside for a great play surface. Xfloor boasts, “Xtreme modular flooring with monster performance” because it’s the only tile flooring with a real metal tread surface. RaceDeck is a patented Free-Flow floor that allows dirt and liquids to fall through the surface and keeps the area clean.
A more permanent surface calls for epoxy coatings, like Musclegloss—a solid coating that bonds to concrete and cement floors. Hot tires, oil, grease and other automobile wear-and-tear have little effect on the glossy finish. EpoArmor Flake is a strong three-part system that also holds up to harsh garage conditions. First is a thick layer of flexible epoxy, then a top layer of aliphatic urethane and finally, color flakes. Hey, even tough guys need a little beauty.
Wall-snapped hooks, racks and cabinets provide easy solutions to storage woes.
Storage
The sky’s the limit with storage options. Actually, the ceiling is the limit. A typical garage is 11 feet tall and 18 feet wide, which translates into loads of potential storage space. SafeRack provides overhead shelving suspended from the ceiling. Racks come in seven different sizes for a custom fit and can hold up to 600 pounds. Rubbermaid’s FastTrack Supreme Garage Organization Kit starts with horizontal steel rails that provide 1,750 lbs of support. Accessory hooks, baskets and shelves snap onto the wall mounting rail, creating storage for bikes, tools and more.
Cabinetry comes in many forms from rubber, snap together pieces to contemporary wood finishes. Talk about curb appeal, Potomac Garage Solutions’ unique Gladiator Steel Cabinets will have brakes squealing to a halt for a look. “We don’t believe in plastic or pressed wood cabinets,” explains owner Zeb Pomerance. “We use CPVC material that is fire and slip resistant because safety is a priority. Another bonus —our cabinets are modular units. This flexibility helps families stay organized. As their needs change, the garage can be easily rearranged to fit their life style.”
Sleek and functional accessories include matching steel-front refrigerators, garbage compactors and maple-topped work benches. And if that isn’t enough storage, add a parking lift—a two-car garage can now hold three vehicles.
Steel-front appliances and maple work spaces add flair to any finished garage. Courtesy OF Garage Design Source
“We’ve got lots of innovative products that help keep your garage together and make it look great, too,” says Baron Lyhne of Garage Storage Systems. New on the market are the Freedom Rail Cabinets that attach to a special wall panel. This flexible system makes it easy to add more cabinets or accessory trays. The Activity-Lok takes the worry out of heavy items falling off the wall. Made from heavy-duty and weather-proof resin coating, the Duratop Workbench is a favorite because it comes in many sizes and can be moved to where it’s needed most.Grand Entrance
First impressions are important, and a broken asphalt driveway is not very welcoming. One of the most cost- effective makeovers for a driveway is stamped concrete.
“At Driveway Impressions we use an asphalt stamping technology called StreetPrint,” explains owner Todd Albin. “This gives the appearance of hand-laid brick, elegant slate or cobblestone. The continuous, flexible pavement surface is resistant to cracking or lifting. And there is no need to remove the original asphalt. We work right on top of the existing surface.”
Carriage House garage doors are another way to add character and charm to a lack-luster entrance. Top window panels add a distinctive look and come in different architectural styles like Victorian cut glass, prairie pane inserts or sunray patterns. Get creative with decorative hardware, barn strap hinges, stable handles or lion head knockers for the finishing touch.
(August 2007)
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, December 11th, 2008
By Lucinda Michell
Heat & Glo’s Montana Outdoor Woodburning Fireplace
The sweet warm days of spring have arrived, with enchanting summer evenings soon to follow. The best way to enjoy this delightful season is to fling open the back door and step into a backyard wonderland. Hmmm … not really a heavenly sight back there? Well then, how can you turn a boring back lot into an inspired retreat?
Simple—add a few astrological elements like fire and water, then surround it by lush, earthly plantings.
A wizard at creating magical backyard spaces, Howard Cohen, landscape architect of Surrounds Landscape Architecture and Construction, does a phenomenal job of combining all these elements. To determine which features will work best, the first step is to look at the client’s needs and lifestyle. Families that do a lot of entertaining often want pools, hot tubs and built-in grills.
Gathering around an outdoor fireplace is another highlight. Clients that prefer a natural, serene space enjoy layered waterfalls that spill into ponds and a cozy stone fire pit. Once all the unique features are in place, the final step is adding trees, shrubs and flowers. This award-winning landscape firm uses its artistic talent, combined with skilled construction to create breathtaking garden rooms that flow from one area to the next.
Fire … Adds Enthusiasm, Energy and High Spirits
The scent of a wood-burning fireplace may conjure up youthful memories of bonfires in the country. For today’s tightly grouped homes and smaller backyards, a fun atmosphere is still possible with stand-alone fire pits and built-in fireplaces.
All Backyard Fun’s Oriflamme Martini Fire Table
Start with one of Heat & Glo’s Outdoor Elements—a modular, prefabricated fireplace surround that is finished off (on site) in brick, stucco or natural stone. Add the Montana model to the fireplace surround, then toss in a few hardy logs. For the talkative crowd, the Bellary Fire Pit Chat Table is ideal for world peace discussions. Surrounding the 37-inch round fire pit bowl is a fiberglass stone-like table with just enough room for a beverage (which often fuels the lively conversation).
If chopping and hauling wood doesn’t sound like fun, innovations with natural gas will give your back a break. The Patio Campfire by Heat & Glo is high on ambiance and low on manual labor. Attach it to a standard L.P. tank (think gas grill) or run a natural gas line directly to the unit. Grab the sticks and marshmallows.
Oriflamme Martini Fire Table will be the talk of the neighborhood. What makes this fire table so different is the colorful Urban Fire Glass that replaces gas logs. The 38-inch round table is surrounded by black tile and burns in the shape of a martini with the vibrant colors of cranberry and solex.
Water … Adds Romance, Imagination and Serenity
Water features come in all forms from an eco-friendly pond and soothing waterfall to a romping, playful pool. The secret to incorporating water into your landscape is to make it look like nature put it there. The topography of the land plays a small role in choosing the best water feature, but individual taste and preference is the deciding factor.
“My favorite 15 minutes of each day is feeding the fish in our pond with my little girl,” says Charlie Ross of Virginia Water Gardens. “After a long day at work, it’s the best way to unwind and relax.”
Ross points out additional benefits to installing a pond. “With all the development going on in the Northern Virginia area, we’re stripping the land of nature. But a pond recreates that wonderful ecosystem. There’s the calming sound of running water, the beautiful visual effect of the water garden and the big surprise is the unbelievable wildlife it attracts … even with a fenced-in yard.” Ross also noted, “Your backyard becomes a fascinating classroom for both children and adults.”
But how about that maintenance?
Courtesy OF Jacuzzi
“During the spring and summer, it averages about 10-20 minutes a week,” says Ross. “The fall it’s slightly more because of the leaves and other debris. And the winter, there’s none. Icicles form on the rocks and waterfall and you just sit back and watch the spectacular Ice Capades show through your window.”
Another exotic water feature is the Pondless Waterfall by Aquascape. Although Disney’s Epcot Center has one, don’t be intimidated. It’s versatile enough for any neighborhood. The system never lets the water pool at the bottom of the falls or rise above the level of the gravel and small stones. Instead, it seeps into a reservoir and is pumped back to the top of the waterfall. It’s safe for little ones, virtually maintenance free, less expensive than a full-blown pond and truly gorgeous.
Space often dictates what amenities are included in a yard. If there’s not room for a pool, hot tubs can be just as much fun, especially if it’s the Master Spa. This bubbling baby has a Master Blaster Foot Therapy System, patented Bio-magnetic Therapy System, molded neck jet seat, pop-up wide screen TV, high-end stereo system and floating remote control. The White House was so impressed that they plan to install the “ultimate relaxation machine” at Camp David.
Heat & Glo’s Patio Glo Light adds outdoor ambience
The Finishing Touch
LiteScapes’ lighting professionals know that when the sun goes down the lights come up; not a harsh overhead spotlight, but strategically placed up-lights on trees, statues, even pillars. Walkway lights graciously guide your guests and soft spotlights on water features create a romantic glow.
Never say never. Palm trees and Yucca plants are the latest additions to the northern landscape scene.
John Johnston, owner of Holly Woods and Vines explains the simple upkeep process. “All you have to do is wrap them in a special plastic tube for the winter,” says John Johnston, owner of Holly, Woods and Vines, “and they’ll be back and ready to go the following spring.”
Add a little whimsy with an alligator or turtle topiary crawling out of the pond. Better yet, hang a monkey topiary from the palm tree next to the pool. Wire animal frames are filled with Sphagnum moss growing medium. For a different look, grow ivy or any type of vine around the wire shape or place over an existing bush and then trim around the form.
Walpole Woodworkers offer charming bridges to fit the decor of any backyard. Even without a running stream, a Chippendale, picket or log rail bridge placed over a gully or damp area brings character to a dull spot.
Area Resources
ACME Stove
Springfield; www.acmestove.com; 703-644-2288
American Chimney
Purcellville; www.americanchimneyva.com; 540-338-2723
Fireside Hearth & Home
Chantilly; 703-968-7925
Holly, Woods & Vines
Alexandria; 703-799-1607
Litescapes
Richmond; www.litescapes.biz; 1-888-501-6500
Playtime Pools & Spas
Woodbridge; 703-494-1960
Surrounds Landscape Architecture and Construction
Sterling; www.suroundslandscaping.com; 703-430-6001
Virginia Water Gardens
Fredericksburg; www.vawatergardens.com; 540-372-4499
Walpole Woodworkers
Great Falls; 703-759-6901
(June/July 2007)
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Thursday, December 11th, 2008
By Lucinda Michell
Why is it that the bedroom is usually the last poor, neglected room to get any decorating attention? Is it because no one but the occupants will see it? Or perhaps the creative juices have run dry. What a travesty. But there is hope. In honor of Better Sleep Month, let us inspire you with some dreamy retreats… a place where you’ll feel calm and peaceful at night yet bouncy and energized in the morning. Perfect bedfellows!
Courtesy of James Pittman
Master Bedrooms
Can peace, love and harmony be found in a bedroom where a loving couple has dramatically different tastes? “Absolutely,” says designer Raji Radakrishnan, from Raji RM & Associates. And she proved it with her worldly master bedroom created for a traditionalist husband and a contemporary wife. At the Washington Design Center, Radakrishnan’s room was designed in two parts. “First, the shell of the room echoes classical XVIII century design, with grand murals, aged stone walls, a stone mantel and antique floor boards. This adds history and depth to the room,” explains Radakrishnan. “The second part incorporates modern furnishings ranging from Art Deco to contemporary designs by Jean Michel Frank.” The final touch includes elements that are a mix of both time periods from exotic woods and Shagreen leather of the 1940’s to rich velvets and intricately woven rugs from centuries past.
Refined, cool and soothing…a master bedroom should be a place to relax and reflect. That is exactly what Annette Hannon had in mind when she designed the NSO Show House master bedroom and sitting room. This room is a breath of fresh air, with glazed aqua walls, mother-of-pearl panels and a hand painted ceiling medallion styled from an antique diamond brooch. A soft breeze blows the damask print curtains through the open French door balcony and luxury is layered in a matching bed canopy and table skirt. The sitting room is painted to echo the damask print fabric of the bed linens and the mother-of-pearl vanity matches the walls in the next room.
Courtesy of Ethan Allen
What are some of the latest trends in bedroom design?
A look of opulence, called “modern glamour,” is in. We’re not talking about a frou-frou frilly style from years ago. This look is eclectic and comfortable yet sophisticated and made from high quality materials.
We are now a global society and our decorating style reflects that. You’ll notice Asian and Latino influences in bright orange and chocolate brown fabrics or a Scandinavian touch with ocean blue, aqua and soft green paint colors.
Window treatments have layers of rich, textured fabrics, elegant silks, bullion and brushed fringe, tassels and colorful trims. Bedding continues the theme of layering beginning with luxurious sheets made from Egyptian cotton and ending with decorative pillows (not really the guys’ favorite part, but who just made the bed?).
This modern glamour mixes formal with casual. For instance, you may have inherited an old Chippendale loveseat. Recover it in a fresh, relaxed fabric and it’s perfect for an intimate seating area in the bedroom.
Old rules are being broken. You can now mix woods and even styles. An antique armoire may look perfect in a contemporary bedroom. The trick is to pull it all together with complimentary fabrics and paint.
How can a decorator help with the design of a bedroom?
We understand scale and proportion. Overstuffed furniture looks cramped in a small room. On the other hand, many master bedrooms now have open cathedral ceilings. So you balance that with an elegant four-poster bed and larger furniture placed on an angle. Many of our clients can’t visualize a room, so we provide a floor plan that addresses traffic flow and the size and placement of furniture.
Lighting is also important. We factor in natural daylight from windows, then soft relaxing lamps for evening. Good bedside reading lamps are a necessity.
Pulling fabrics together can be tricky. Designers know how to mix textured with solid, floral with stripe… even different size plaids can look great together.
How do you go about designing a bedroom for a client?
Most importantly, the personality of the client drives the style of design. You look at their lifestyle and determine what they are comfortable with. Looking at their memorabilia tells you what’s important to them. Then you show them different fabrics and colors and ask, “Does this appeal to you?” You take lots of baby steps until you get it just right for the client.
Gracious Guestrooms
You never know how many friends you truly have until you own a house on the water. Phyllis Kennedy and Bob Adams put that to the test when they moved to the Eastern Shore. They love to be surrounded by family and friends, so they turned three of their rooms into welcoming guestrooms. “I feel like I’m in a five-star hotel when I visit,” gushed Belynda Meehan, longtime friend and regular weekend visitor.
What’s the secret to a lovely guestroom? “Fresh flowers, of course!” Says Kennedy, who also happens to own Alexandria’s Enchanted Florist. More pampering details include a luggage rack and closet space for hang-ups (not the mother-kind…the clothes-kind!), Scented candle, unisex bathrobe, Wall-mounted or hidden TV, box of tissue, bottled water, alarm clock, two pillows (one hard, one soft), extra blanket, nightlight in bathroom, and most importantly, a few issues of Northern Virginia Magazine so that your guests can learn about the great area that they’re visiting.
Shanon Munn, from Ambi Design Studio LLC, created an enticing space called the “Granny Nanny Bedroom” for the NSO Show House. This European inspired room is also environmentally friendly. “I was really taken with the organic bamboo sheets that came from Viva Terra,” says Munn. “They’re wonderfully luxurious and feel like satin, with the added benefit of being eco-friendly.” Special details include a striped ceiling medallion that was inspired by the detailing on the 200-year-old Hungarian trunk at the foot of the bed. Other luxurious touches include silks and other natural fibers, fine antiques, original oil paintings and a beautiful clay-plaster wall treatment.
Courtesy of Bob Narod Precious Places, LTD
Charming Children’s Rooms
Ahhh, to be young again! Fantasy, function and fun are all harmonious elements of Debbie Hobar’s storybook bedrooms. “We design imaginative spaces that children want to own. The kids are actually part of the design process. We ask them what they love and how they want to use their room.” But you won’t see any licensed or themed comic strip characters on the walls. “Kids outgrow that quickly. If they love Scooby-Doo, use bed sheets or stuffed animals for that temporary affection. Instead, we help families build a room that will grow with their children…from infancy to the teen years. I’ve even designed rooms in a grandparents home for visiting grandchildren.”
After 18 years of experience, Hobar has built a long list of contractors and artisans that she can call on to craft whatever her imagination dreams up. Part of her team is comprised of a mother-daughter duo with a theater and set design background. That explains some of the whimsical 3-D elements, like tree roots and vines growing out of a mural or Tinkerbell’s delicate wings fluttering on the wall. “You don’t need to spend over the top,” she adds. “We stay within budget by using creativity and imagination.” The same tools kids are so adept using.
“No two rooms are alike. Maybe that’s why I have so much fun designing children’s space,” smiles Hobar. “Every project is brand new. It’s exciting to take an empty room, and then see your vision come to life. A number of times I’ve been told, ‘This exceeded my expectations.’ What a wonderful compliment!”
Area Resources:
Annette Hannon | Interior Design, Ltd
Burke; 703-978-1486; www.annettehannon.com
Debbie Hobar | Precious Places, Ltd
Haymarket; 703-753-0474; www.preciousplaces.com
Shanon Munn | Ambi Design Studio
Springfield; 703-597-8401; www.ambidesignstudio.com
Petite Dekor
Leesburg; 703-777-7030; www.petitedekor.com
Raji Radakrishnan | Raji Rm & Associates
Brambleton; 703-542-7889; www.rajirm.com
Denise Towcimak | Ethan Allen
Vienna; 703-356-6405; www.ethanallen.com
(May 2007)
Posted by The Editorial Desk / Wednesday, December 10th, 2008
Are unconventionally small homes the answer to sprawl, spiraling fuel prices and the soaring cost of real estate? Don’t you just wish they were?
By David Holzel
Courtesy of Steffen Jänicke
You just have to poke your head inside Greg Johnson’s house. With its honey-hued cedar siding and set-a-spell front porch, carved wooden posts supporting the overhanging second-floor loft, the house could be on the set of a fairy tale.
Inside, sunlight comes through windows from every direction, and the view of the surrounding woods is a balm after one of Johnson’s stressful 16-hour days in the computer industry. Johnson boasts that everything in his house is within arm’s reach, and the airflow is so perfect that he sleeps in cool comfort under the pitched sheet-metal roof, even on hot summer nights.
The house is practically maintenance free. His utility bills add up to zero.
If it sounds like Johnson has died and gone to heaven, he hasn’t. For one thing, he lives in Iowa. For another, his house is seven feet wide and ten feet long.
“It’s actually quite a bit larger than the apartment I was renting,” says Johnson, who grew up in Bethesda. “So it was a step up for me.”
Courtesy of Steffen Jänicke
Still, it’s a tiny house. But so is a 1,000-square-foot house next to the McMonstrosities going up in Northern Virginia. But once upon a time—the 1950s, say—the median single-family house was 1,000 square feet. That means there were as many houses smaller as were larger. In Fairfax County today, the median size of a new single-family home is 3,700 square feet.
And while the politicians and developers continue to dicker over the problem of providing housing that most people can afford, the price of real estate in the region—the average sale price in June for a single-family dwelling in Northern Virginia was $578,689, according to the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors—is expected to rise even higher. The irony is that we’ve lived with this situation for so long that no one’s quite sure if anyone—despite the howls over the high cost of a home today—wants a small house.
Or a tiny house. One hundred square feet, let’s say. Or 500. Or 1,000. For people like Johnson, who heads the Small House Society, the smaller the house, the more environmentally friendly it is. A smaller space, carefully designed and well-constructed, leads to less waste of resources, and less stuff cluttering up our lives. And, they say, what you surrender in square footage, you gain in time.
Interior / Courtesy of Steffen Jänicke
Could such an unconventional house, constructed largely in a factory and trucked or assembled on site, be the solution to what ails today’s homeowner—sprawl, rising utility costs and the soaring cost of real estate? It’s telling that the zoning codes of Northern Virginia counties prescribe the maximum size a house can be, but not the minimum. There’s no need to. So far no one has tried to put up a house so small that neighbors fear it will underwhelm the other houses on their street.
“People make a tradeoff in their minds, but they don’t do it rigorously enough,” says John McClain, deputy director of the Center for Regional Analysis, at George Mason University. “They look at the cost of a house in Fauquier County, versus a house in Fairfax County. But they don’t look at the costs of transportation and quality of life.”
Quality of life is what tiny house enthusiasts say is the big benefit that comes from dwelling small. Johnson’s house was designed by the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company, originally based in Iowa City but now headquartered in Sebastopol, California. When Tumbleweed’s owner, Jay Shafer, tired of the 100-square-foot house he had built for himself, he downsized to one 70-foot-square. He says customers have one of three ideas in mind when they come to buy his tiny houses, which range from a hutch-sized 50 square feet to a palatial 750 square feet.
“One-third are putting them in their yards as freestanding additions to their original home. Another third want them as vacation cottages. And one-third are people who want to live in them full-time.”
Shafer grants that the market for tiny houses is tiny, even in Northern California, where acceptance for the unconventional is easier to come by. “In the past year I sold about five houses,” he says. But he doesn’t need to sell them by the fistful. Living in his own tiny house, he’s able to trade the expense that comes from owning space for time—“something that seems to be a deficit in many people’s lives.”
Courtesy of Tumbleweed Tiny House Company
Andy Lee and Patricia Foreman share that philosophy. The two run the Tiny Homes Company in the Blue Ridge Mountains town of Buena Vista, Virginia. Their clients include a couple who built a 192-square-foot-house to live in while their 4,000-square-foot house was under construction–and ended up preferring to spend most of their time in the tiny house. There’s also the working dad who put a 160-square-foot tiny-cottage-on-wheels in his yard to use as an office, and the single man who lives in a 120-square-foot tiny house in his sister’s back yard.
Foreman and Lee see tiny houses functioning as starter homes, student housing, vacation cabins on wheels, as a “pout house” where a body can get some alone time, and as a “man’s cave” where a guy can putter, or beat drums, or catch up on his poetry.
Lee and Foreman’s signature product is the Copper Top Cabin, a sweet, snug dwelling with copper roof, bay window and white cedar shingles. At 10 feet by 22 feet, it can be rolled right up to your property on a trailer. It’s fully plumbed and wired. There’s a shower in the bathroom and a hot-water heater. The kitchen includes built-in cabinets and a microwave.
Smartly designed and built from quality materials, people like the Copper Top, says Foreman who, with Lee, wrote “A Tiny Home To Call Your Own,” a how-to book on the less-is-more lifestyle. “People say, ‘it’s perfect for an office.’ Or, ‘my mom could use it.’”
They start to back off when they learn what it will take to get local zoning and building authorities to like it too. “The code doesn’t always allow it and each locality has a different code,” she says.
It’s easiest to make a tiny house a secondary—or accessory—dwelling on a property with an already standing conventional house. But even these so-called granny flats are getting supersized.
Fauquier County has just increased the allowable size from 1,200 to 1,400 square feet, says Harry Atherton, vice chairman of the Fauquier board of supervisors. “And there’s a movement afoot to make it bigger,” he says.
“I would be enthusiastic if everyone wanted to build a house 2,000 square feet or less,” says Atherton, who lives in an old 2,100-square-foot farmhouse. “It isn’t going to happen. It isn’t where the market is.”
Fauquier’s codes seem scandalously permissive compared to Fairfax County’s schoolmarmish regulations. An accessory dwelling can be detached from the main dwelling only if the lot is two acres or larger, according to Michael Simms, assistant to Fairfax’s zoning administrator.
Otherwise, it has to be attached. It cannot exceed 35 percent of the size of the principle dwelling. It cannot contain more than two bedrooms. One of the dwellings must be owner occupied. One of the dwellings must be occupied by an elderly person—that is, someone 55 or older (take that, Baby Boomers)—or someone with disabilities.
And if you don’t put your tiny house on a permanent foundation, it’s off to the mobile home park with your elderly 55-year-old relative.
A subdivision with strict covenants would likely look askance at your using a tiny house as an accessory dwelling and certainly not as the primary residence. So let’s say you decide to set out on your own. Stake your claim and set up your own tiny house on your own piece of land.
“The biggest single reason buyers drop out is because they can’t find land they can afford, that has all the improvements required by zoning and building inspectors,” says Andy Lee of the Tiny Homes Company. Adds Melody Friberg, senior zoning technician for Stafford County, “Land is hard to come by here in Stafford if you’re not a developer or a builder.” In Arlington County, you’d have to pay $500,000–$600,000 just for the lot, according to Terry Russell, zoning coordinator.
And even if a buyer has the land and isn’t put off by “wading through the permitting process,” Lee says, they then “have to find a contractor to put in the septic, another contractor for the well and electric and plumbing connections. They also have to find a contractor to put in the foundation. Then they worry about whether the trucking company can actually deliver the tiny house to the exact spot they want it. In some cases it is necessary to hire a crane to lift the tiny house off the trailer and onto a foundation…”
Details, details. Let’s just recall how at peace Greg Johnson is at the end of the day. How there’s no place to lose the remote. How there’s no perpetual shouting match between people on opposite sides of the house.
Actually, Johnson has a larger vision: a herd of tiny houses. Roll ‘em in, circle the wagons, and you have a community where each house needs less because common facilities are shared. And if your neighbor irks you, you can always head off and look for something better over the next hill. That’s how it’s always been in America.
In Northern Virginia, the idea of a clustered community, but with tiny houses on permanent foundations, called “cottage zoning,” has met a lack of interest by officials.
But change is on the way, McClain says. Whether led by the shifting needs of Baby Boomers or by the price of gasoline hitting $5 or $6 a gallon, the demand for housing is going to look different 15 years from now.
“People will think again about buying that slightly cheaper house in Prince William County instead of that slightly more expensive house in Fairfax,” he says.
Cue the tiny house. Foreman, who can vacuum her entire tiny house without having unplug her machine and plug it in somewhere else, believes it will take that kind of major shift before tiny houses become more than a novelty. A house, no matter the size, has lasting value if it’s smartly constructed, she says.
“There has to be a change in perception—that just because it’s small, it doesn’t mean it’s tacky.”
(April 2007)