 Housing
trends are dictated by our lifestyle. Many years ago, having company
over meant that guests would retreat to the parlor, and when your
parents bought their home, their lives centered in the living room.
Today, because of your ever-changing lifestyle, the home of your dreams
can have everything from an exercise room to a state of the art media
room. Choosing which trend is simple: it should feel good. Your home,
your way. It should excite you every time you enter the front door. What
follows is a listing of some of the new features now available in
Southern Maryland - for those who are buying a new home or updating an
existing one.
Universal Design's intent is to simplify life for everyone by making
products, communications, and the environment more usable by as many
people as possible. Universal design can accommodate right or
left-handed access and use. Universal Design provides compatibility with
a variety of techniques or devices used by people with sensory
limitations and has fail safe features. It also minimizes sustained
physical effort and makes the reach to all components comfortable for
anyone seated or standing.
Smart House or "Home Automation" is a booming whole-house electronics
revolution. From controlling the entire home by computer or simply
installing keypads with remote controls you can adjust your lights,
stereo/TV or air conditioner without leaving your chair. You can even be
at work and call home, enter your password, select a zone in the house,
disarm the security system and let the plumber in to fix the sink. Or
pre-heat the oven for your dinner entrée as you leave work! One
important thing to consider, a system with at least a 24-hour battery
backup.
Home Theater and Whole House Distributed Audio/Video go hand in hand.
Your first consideration might be a multi-layer engineered drywall panel
composed of gypsum and viscoelastic polymers that provide sound
isolation. Your second, a 7.1 THX surround sound system (of George Lucas
Studio) that can be certified for a mere $10,000! Or a motorized
projection screen that drops down including motorized curtains.
Professional Kitchen is no longer a term for the commercial industry.
Appliances such as Thermador ranges, refrigerated wine coolers, warming
drawers, free standing icemakers and dish drawer dishwashers are some of
the many available options for your home.
Endless Pool measures eight by fifteen feet and has been called the
swimmer's treadmill. It works by a hydraulic fan system, like a jet
boat, except the current is under the water, no face splash. The current
can be adjusted for swimmers of all levels. It can be used inside or
out.
Polar Wall Plus Siding System by Norandex/Reynolds is made to give your
home an extra layer of insulation. Its new design is reverse rolled-over
the nail hem for superior wind resistance. Foam backer is permanently
laminated to each panel, which provides rigidity and protects from hail
damage and helps to deaden sound.
Radiant Barrier Paint applied to your attic will deflect the sun's
radiant energy, because radiant heat, which will drive in a straight
line until it is either deflected or absorbed, needs something to stop
it. Since insulation absorbs and allows the heat to pass onto your
home's ceiling, why not use the same material in a space station?
Board and Batten Vertical Vinyl Siding by Alside gives your home that
charming cottage look with vinyl. The panels have the look of tongue and
grove bead board but wider. Decorative trim pieces like fish scales or
shakes are available.
Insulated Concrete is energy efficient because the polystyrene forms
stay in place after the concrete is poured which makes the walls
stronger, safer and quieter. Cellulose Insulation contains more than
seventy five percent of reclaimed material, primarily that Sunday paper
you recycled! As it is blown in it fills every crack and seam creating a
solid cell which provides better wind protection. And it is the only
wood-based building material that is treated for fire retardancy.
Design Drywall looks like real wood and resembles wainscoting. It can be
painted or stained and looks great on ceilings.
Professional Organizers will come into your home or business and
organize from your paperwork to your bedroom closet. They even remove
the "old stuff" before you can put it back in its place! Whatever your
budget will allow, they can help you by hands-on organizing, where
they'll come into your home or business and work with you. Or by
phone/e-mail as a consultant passing on gems such as "sort first, then
space plan and lastly, look for containers or closet systems to fit that
space."
Earth-Friendly Handmade Glass Tile is eighty five-percent recycled glass
that brings an opulent attitude to your kitchen, bath or floor. Due to
the handmade nature of glass tile they will have textural qualities like
ripples or bubbles. Some choices fuse tin or other metals into the
molten glass to produce an iridescent luster that won't rub off.
Humidifall is an indoor waterfall that works as a de-humidifier. It
improves the quality of air for the entire family but especially allergy
suffers. The water is constantly cleaned and purged. Built-in recessed
lighting highlights your choice of granite or custom stone. Cabinet
choices are diverse.
Turn Key Decorating is perfect for the homeowner or commercial client
that is short on time. After the needs and desires are decided upon the
decorator is given a key to the property to deliver a finished product
in an agreed upon timely manner. From removing the old carpet and
furnishings to picking up drapery and paint they offer complete and
competent home decorating.
Warming drawers for your bathroom towels madam? But of course! The same
warming drawers used in the kitchen are now finding a place in
bathrooms. The drawers are large enough to keep towels, slippers and
robes toasty.
Floors are embracing exotic woods like Brazilian cherry, santos
mahogany, lyptus and maple instead of carpet these days. The woods used
in stair building have followed the flooring trends with a new twist,
iron balustrades and wood handrails for a European "Old World" touch.
Imported Hand Crafted Italian Marble Mosaic patterns are fused onto a
fiberglass backing for easy installation. They are made in the same way
as the old Roman and Greek artwork that has endured for centuries.
However, the patterns are modern. |
