New Home Trends in 2012

From new twists on old looks to tying together a few different looks this year’s new home design trends are a less formal and a lot more personal. But most importantly the trends are all about creating comfortable and unique spaces tailored to the homeowner. If you’ve just moved in, or are looking to remodel or build a new home in Winston-Salem, here are a few great trends to consider for 2012.

Color Pops

This year you will see more vivid colors like purple, orange, and even neon. Designers suggest going bold with paint color and contrasting it with white or gray accents to soften the look. If you feel uncertain about putting neon on a wall in your new home in Winston-Salem, start with accent pillows, frames and candles to punch up the color.

Mix and Match

The furniture trends are moving away from large, oversized furniture which can feel massive or consuming. Instead use a variety of smaller, lighter pieces made of mesh and woven materials to add transparency plus volume to a room. Furthermore, homeowners are looking to adapt their rooms based on changing needs; this type of furniture allows for that mobility.

Stainless steel still tops the list for kitchen appliances, but to balance out the metal you’ll see a mixture of other materials used throughout the room, such as stone apron-front sinks, carved wood cabinetry and crystal glass fixtures. The blended materials add depth and interest to the space just as color might in another room.

Room Request

As homes continue to be built with fewer formal rooms, the emphasis for the kitchen to double as a comfortable gathering place also continues. However, you will also see the addition of a hearth room off the kitchen. This can function as a formal sitting room but also allows for overflow from the kitchen, catering to the need for adaptable spaces.

Other rooms trending high for a new home in Winston-Salem are in-law suites with a separate entrance and bathroom, bonus rooms that can meld with an ever changing family, and screened porches or other outdoor living spaces.

Easy Tips for Prepping your Guest Rooms for Holiday Guests

The holidays are here, you’re in your new home in Lewisville, NC and now it’s time to entertain! Here are some easy tips for preparing your guest’s room as though they are staying at a hotel with all the essentials for a fabulous visit.

If you haven’t decided yet between a guest room dresser and custom closet cabinetry in your guest room, set up a luggage stand. It’s a simple way to keep bags off the floor but easily accessible. For hanging clothes, set a variety of empty hangers in the closet.

Include the essentials like an alarm clock, water glasses, towels, extra blankets and toiletries right in the room.

If you have a remote control for your lights on a dimmer switch or a fan, ensure it has working batteries and give your guests a quick tutorial on how to use it.  If you don’t have a dimmer, you should include a lamp on the side table in case your guests would like to read before turning in for the night.

Chances are you haven’t seen the sunrise from the guest room in your new home in Lewisville, NC yet! Check how the light comes into the room through the blinds in the morning. If it seems extra sunny, add a temporary blackout shade behind the blinds that can be raised or lowered by your guest to ensure they have a restful night sleep.

It might also be good to have a nightlight in the room so a sleepy guest can easily maneuver their way through the room for a late night trip to the bathroom—especially if this is their first visit to your new home in Lewisville, NC!

Add a touch of the holidays in the room with scented candles, a poinsettia or even a small Christmas tree. Upon their arrival, pump holiday tunes through the surround sound speakers or set up portable speakers with your iPod.

You’re new luxury home may already feel as grand as a hotel, but to really make them feel like a VIP, set out a pair of slippers and maybe even a chocolate on the pillow. Who knows, maybe you’ll even get a tip at the end of their stay for your great hospitality!

Hot Holiday Tech Gifts

While it might seem hard to get the perfect gift for the guy who has everything—in including a new home in the Triad—there are some great gifts boasting the coolest advances in technology that will amaze and excite even the guy who has everything.
• Help to organize phones and iPods and get rid of all the cords with a all-in-one charging station. Better yet, save the power and give them a solar-powered charging station.
• A set of wireless, Bluetooth-enabled speakers are perfect for taking music with you around the house when guests or a project take you from one room to the next. The speakers connect directly with an iPod.
• Working with a custom builder like Homes by Jonathan Lee, homeowners may have built a theater in their new home in the Triad. Enhance the movie-going experience with a 3D projector.
• Install the Simply Automated Pre-Configured SimplySmart™ Lighting Control Series Ready to Use Lighting Control. This device, which can be installed post-construction, allows a homeowner to control all the lights in their home from one central location. Not only is this efficient and convenient, it’s also just really cool!
• Learning how to most accurately adjust the air temperature in any home can be tricky. But add in the unpredictable North Carolina weather and a new home in the Triad, and unnecessary charges can quickly rack up. Get The Nest Learning Thermostat to increase efficiency and decrease cost over time.
• Kitchen magic is more than a great recipe these days. Check out the smart appliances, like a list-generating refrigerator that notifies you when you’re out of milk; a bar-code scanning microwave that takes the guessing out of how long to defrost the chicken; or an Internet-controlled refrigerator/oven that safely stores your refrigerated uncooked meat, then starts cooking it on your command… from the office.
• Stand up the e-recipe on a “recipe book” iPad holder. Preparing the next big meal in the new gourmet kitchen designed by Homes by Jonathan Lee should mean a cleaner iPad less in jeopardy of becoming a tablet covered in dough!

Holiday Party Tips

Celebrating the first holiday season in your new home in Winston-Salem is a perfect reason to host a holiday party. But as with anything during this time of year, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the stress of the hustle and bustle if you don’t plan appropriately. Make the event more memorable for your guests and less stressful for yourself by following some simple party planning tips.

If you’ve recently moved into your new home in Winston-Salem, this year’s holiday party may be doubling as a housewarming event. Slip an address card in with your invitation to ensure your guests have your correct location address.

Once your guests have safely arrived, they’ll want to see more of your new home. Prepare what you can the day before so you’ve got more time to give tours and show off your favorite features of your new home.

For example, set your table the day before the party and label each serving tray to indicate which menu item goes where. This planning will save you the last minute scramble of finding a platter you haven’t touched since last holiday season, or that is perhaps still packed away. Plus, you’ll also have a better idea of just how much food you’ll need. It would be hard to mingle with your guests if you are stuck in the kitchen frantically preparing more food during the party.

And, instead of offering a full bar, which could also mean doubling as host and bartender, have one signature holiday drink for your guests so they can serve themselves from a punch bowl or a decorative pitcher.

After a great evening spreading holiday cheer throughout your new home in Winston-Salem, give your guests the opportunity to carry that cheer into the community. Decorate a “donation tree” with ornaments for your guests to take as they leave the party. On each ornament, attach a note asking them to share the holiday spirit with others less fortunate. Include a website of a favorite charity or the address of a nearby toy drop-off.

Tips for Organizing Your Laundry Room

Today’s laundry rooms can range anywhere from a stacked washer dryer unit in a closet to a multi-purpose room that functions as a laundry room, a mudroom, a storage room and maybe even a pet’s room at all the same time. But regardless of size or shape, an organized laundry room can help this daily chore feel a little easier to manage.

If you just moved into your new home in Winston-Salem, NC, start your organization by designating specific areas or bins for the numerous items stored in your laundry room. Label the containers so supplies are easy to locate and to put away.

- Contain your cleaning supplies into buckets or bins separated into categories like “household,” “pet care” and “laundry.”

- Design a pet area for the dog bed, food bowls and toys.

- Use portable storage for sewing and garment-mending supplies, as well as for orphaned socks.

-  Have laundry bins marked for “darks,” “lights” and “dry cleaning.”

Whether you’re building a new home in Winston-Salem, NC or looking to remodel, work directly with a builder to design the space that works best for your needs. Add cabinetry above your appliances or even just install a built-in ironing board for easy accessible and easier clean-up. In addition to creating space-efficient laundry rooms, custom builders like Homes by Jonathan Lee can also create energy-efficient laundry rooms by using energy-efficient materials and appliances.

If you’re exploring new home in Winston-Salem, NC keep in mind how North Carolina’s unpredictable weather can have you grabbing for an umbrella one day and a scarf the next. If your laundry room is located right off the garage, build a bench seat and shelving to store all-weather gear and shoes in one spot.

Organizing a laundry room won’t make the clothes fold themselves, but it can surely make the task a bit less daunting!

---

Fall Maintenance Tips

As the temperatures start to drop and the days get shorter, the fall is a great time to perform basic but necessary maintenance checks on your home. While older homes require more time and care, even new homes in Lewisville, NC will benefit from a little TLC as the weather changes.

Interior

In order to pull the rising heat back down into a cooler room, reverse the direction of your ceiling fans so they rotate clockwise. Changing the flow of the air can reduce energy costs during the winter.

You can also keep your energy bills lower by sealing drafty doors and windows. To check for drafts, hold a lit candle near window sills and door jambs. Re-caulk  or replace worn weather stripping at areas where you see the flame flicker.

Prepare your fireplaces for the first fire of the year. For a wood-burning fireplace, call a chimney sweep to properly clean the chimney and avoid chimney fires. For a gas fireplace, consult your manufacturer’s guidelines before lighting the pilot.

Exterior

With leaves continuing to fall, it’s best to clean out clogs from gutters and downspouts. If looking for new homes in Lewisville, NC you can ask about built-in leaf guards for your gutters.

Check the roof for loose shingles. Water from rain, ice and snow can cause damage to many facets of your home including insulation and wood.

After a typical, hot North Carolina summer, you may have worked your HVAC unit hard to keep your home cool. Call a service rep to check and clean that your HVAC unit is running properly before you switch the system from cooling to heating.

Yard and garden

Instead of raking and bagging the leaves, mow the leaves. Use the leaves as mulch to nourish your lawn over the winter.

Turn off outside faucets and put hoses away.

Especially for those with new homes in Lewisville, NC, be aware of areas on your patio and porches you think could be hazardous when icy. Purchasing shovels and salt early in the season will prevent the need for you to leave the warmth and comfort of your new home when the first ice or snowstorm of the season hits NC!

Outdoor Gathering Space Trends

Ask just about any North Carolinian why they love living in this great state and undoubtedly they will mention the fantastic weather and beautiful scenic views. Now, with crisp fall temperatures and the brilliant, colorful leaves upon us, the proof of that is in the air. So when you research options for new homes in Winston-Salem, NC, think about how you can take advantage of this North Carolina climate by creating magnificent living spaces in your backyard.

If you work with a skilled, custom builder like Homes by Jonathan Lee, together you can design an outdoor gathering space with unique hardscapes, outdoor dining areas or intricately detailed lighting schemes to extend your living space – and your personality – outdoors.

Consider if you prefer your outdoor living space to flow seamlessly from the inside of your home or to be in a more remote location of your backyard. Complete your space with an outdoor dining table and chandelier closer to the house for ease when entertaining, or situate a sitting area further from the house against a natural backdrop for more serene or solitude experiences. If selecting a lot when considering your new home in Winston-Salem, NC knowing how you want to use your yard will help with your selection.

In order to stay outside longer as temperatures dip, install a fire pit or fireplace.  Think about the size of the groups you envision gathering around the pit to ensure you build a structure ideal for you. You can design a stone bench around the pit for integrated seating but add patio furniture for more seating.

Incorporate softscapes with hardscapes to fully appreciate the abundant variety of plants, bushes and trees that thrive in NC year round. You can also include outdoor lighting fixtures to highlight the plants, illuminate a walkway or just create a mood for your backyard.

Finally, keep in mind that designing an outdoor living space can also be done if you’re not shopping for a new home in Winston-Salem, NC. But remodeling a deck in to a screened porch, constructing a pergola or adding a grilling station can make an old room feel like a new room in your home.