10 Technology Updates for the Home
While your home might not look like the Jetsons’ and you can’t get a robot to clean your refrigerator (yet), today’s homes are getting more and more tech-savvy, and there are plenty of simple upgrades you can make to bring your home to the cutting edge of technology. Whether you’ve always wanted a tech-dense home or you’re simply looking to streamline and enhance your lifestyle through simple home improvements, these upgrades are for you.
10 Top Tech Updates for the Home
From self-adjusting thermostats to robots that vacuum your floor, these ten top tech updates can help your home feel modern and functional – both now and in the future.
1. Smart door locks
Have you ever gotten so busy that you left the house without locking the door? Maybe you’ve gotten to work or the airport only to ask yourself, “Did I lock the house?” If you’ve ever experienced either of these things, smart door locks can help.
Produced by a variety of companies, smart door locks sync with a smartphone so that you can lock and unlock the home remotely. Ideal for keeping your home secure while you’re gone or simply making sure the housecleaner or dog walker has easy access to the place, smart door locks offer keyless entry and enhanced convenience for your home and lifestyle.
2. Remote-control blinds
Sick of fighting with standard blinds that fall out every time you touch them? If so, remote control blinds are a great option. Simple, sleek and sophisticated, remote control blinds open, close, and lower or raise with the help of a remote control.
Ideal for people who need to darken or illuminate rooms quickly, or who want to keep their homes safe by making them look inhabited even when you’re not, remote control blinds are fully programmable and come in a variety of colors, finishes, settings and sizes.
3. Smoke alarms that sync with your smartphone
What if a fire starts, but nobody is home? If you have a smart smoke detector or carbon monoxide detector, you won’t have to worry about not knowing until it’s too late. Manufactured by companies like Nest, smart smoke detectors detect the presence of smoke and send an immediate notification to your smartphone, as well as issuing an audible warning within the home.
4. Refrigerators with built-in touchscreens
While stainless steel refrigerators rose to popularity several years ago, the refrigerator of the future takes it one step further.
Instead of just offering stainless steel beauty and appeal, today’s refrigerators often feature built-in touchscreens that can do everything from displaying recipes to giving you a real-time view into your fridge, so you can check how much milk you have or decide whether or not you need to grab apples from the store. They can also help you make grocery lists and eat healthier. Simple, beautiful and functional, these touchscreen-enabled refrigerators are the way of the future.
5. LED light bulbs
While they may not be as exciting as a smart fridge or remote-controlled blinds, LED light bulbs are some of the most eco-friendly and accessible tech upgrades you can make. They don’t cost thousands of dollars, and they apply to all homes – even those that may be lacking in technology to begin with. Simply swap them out with your existing bulbs for a smaller energy bill, longer-lasting light and even full integration with your smartphone (on some models). Ideal for bringing any home into the modern age, LED bulbs are a smart, easy tech upgrade everyone can enjoy.
6. Dual-flush toilets
Like LED light bulbs, dual flush toilets have been around for a while. That notwithstanding, though, they’re still one of the most efficient ways to upgrade the tech in your home and benefit the environment all at once.
Outfitted with separate buttons, dual-flush toilets allow you to adjust the water level of each flush as needed, so you can save resources and decrease your energy bill. Available from many quality manufacturers, dual-flush toilets work beautifully in bathrooms that are also equipped with features like motion-activated sinks.
7. Robotic vacuum cleaners
No, there’s not yet a robot to clean your fridge or walk your dog, but there is a robot to sweep your floors. Popularized by the iRobot Corporation, many companies now produce these simple robots that run according to your pre-programmed preferences. Ideal for daily use in households that feature pet hair and kid messes, or occasional use in a house that just needs a bit of tidying around the edges, these small, sleek disc vacuums do a great job of keeping your floors spic and span.
They can also help improve the overall functionality and cleanliness of your home. They run according to program and return to their charging stations when they’re done. All you have to do is clean the receptacle every once in a while.
8. Voice assistants
Voice assistants are functional, convenient and handy home upgrades that come in small, sleek packages. Products such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home are ideal for playing music, checking the weather, making lists, scheduling an Uber and more – all hands-free. Plus, their streamlined and beautiful designs make them easy to enjoy in any home, anywhere in the world.
9. Smart thermostats
Smart thermostats can be programmed to get warmer when you’re home and bump the temperature down when you’re not. What’s more, they “learn” your patterns over time and adjust themselves accordingly, saving you energy and time, and helping your home run more efficiently. They’re also easy to install, without renovation. To install one in your home, look for a model that syncs with your smartphone, like the Nest Learning Thermostat.
10. USB-equipped outlets
USB-equipped outlets allow you to plug your USB cords directly into the outlet and save the traditional outlets for things like televisions and larger electronics. Ideal for anyone who wants to charge their phone, laptop or tablet, but hates struggling to find an open outlet, USB-equipped outlets are the way of the future.
A Tech-Savvy Home Starts Here
If you’re looking to upgrade your home and bring it into the modern age without remodeling from top to bottom, these ten tech-savvy upgrades are exactly what you need.
Need help envisioning how they may fit into your home? No problem. Simply us to talk through your project with one of our experienced designers. We can incorporate these clever gadgets … and recommend so much more!
Coming Soon! Stone Barn Place in Brownstown
Stone Barn Place is a new seven-lot subdivision being planned in the Conestoga Valley School District. The lots range in size from 10,000 to 23,000 square feet and include public water and sewer. Stone Barn Place is conveniently located next to the Brownstown Elementary School with easy access to Rt. 222.
Call us today at (717) 687-6302 for more information on these beautiful new lots!
[NOTE: This subdivision is still pending final approval from the township.]
Green Lighting Tips for Your Home
As the days are darker this time of the year, we turn the lights on earlier and leave them on more each day. Lighting accounts for about a quarter of all electricity consumed in the U.S. Here are some ways to lighten the energy load while keeping your home bright:
- Replacing light bulbs. Regular incandescent light bulbs are inefficient, with 90% of their energy going to generate heat, not light. Replace standard lamps with compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs – they cost more per bulb but are far more efficient and last up to ten times longer. Over the life of one CFL, you can avoid replacing up to 13 incandescent bulbs and use 75% less energy. Visit www.energystar.gov for more information.
- Photocells turn lights on and off in response to natural light levels – for example, on at dusk and off at dawn.
- Occupancy sensors activate lights when you enter a room and turn them off after you leave. They are good for areas of infrequent use, such as storerooms.
- Dimmers reduce the wattage and output of light bulbs. They also significantly increase the life of incandescent bulbs.
- Don’t overuse kitchen and bathroom ventilation fans. Left on for too long, these fans can pull out much of your heated air.
- Clean fixtures and lamps annually by wiping off the dust (make sure the bulb is cool first).
- Clean or repaint walls. Dirt on surfaces reduces the amount of light they reflect and make the room feel darker.
- Turn off incandescent lights when you’re not using them, even if you’re just leaving the room for a few minutes.
(Source: EarthShare, www.earthshare.org)
Creative Kitchen Clutter Hacks
If you are looking for some quick solutions to tidying up common kitchen clutter, we have a few hacks for you. The beauty behind these hacks is 
that you are using fairly inexpensive products—some not typically found in the kitchen—to create the solutions.
- Towel Shelf: While these shelves are often found in the bathroom, they can also be the perfect solution for kitchen clutter; simply mount the shelf on an open wall to give your kitchen additional storage. The top shelf can store those bulky, yet often used pots, pans or colanders, and the rack below is the ideal place to hang hand towels.
- Towel Bar: A bathroom towel bar can also create additional storage options in your kitchen. Instead of hanging your wet hand towels on the oven handle or over the cabinet door, install a long towel bar on the side of your island or a small circular towel bar on the edge of a top cabinet, near the sink. Either addition will keep the towel handy and your kitchen looking less cluttered.
- Robe Hook: Install a robe hook to keep your oven mitts and pot holders handy.
Note: With all of these kitchen hack ideas, be sure to keep the towels, oven mitts and other flammable items away from the stovetop. Source: Moen Home Hacks
Here are a few more:
- Lazy Susan: Lazy Susans make great use of a corner because you can put a lot of items in a confined, often unusable space. Set the Lazy Susan on the counter and place jars of spices and other frequently used cooking items on top, or mount the Lazy Susan underneath a cabinet, add hooks and hang your large utensils.
- Curtain Rods: Mount curtain rods on the inside of your under-sink cabinet and use those to hang your trash bag rolls for easy access.
The Best Lighting Choices for Your Home
Many homeowners have a hard time deciding what type of lighting they should have in their home. Pendant, chandelier, lamps or recessed lighting? With so many choices, how can you decide? Furthermore, which light fixtures work better in certain rooms?
Here are a few tips on the best lighting choices for your home
Living Room. Consider lighting at least three corners of this room with lighting that focuses on an object (plant or chair). Select a table or floor lamp that has both a downward glow and some upward shine, too. Consider adding a dimmer for overhead fixtures and choosing lamps on three-way switches for reading areas.
Dining Room. Your dining room or kitchen table should be the brightest spot in the room. Add a chandelier or a pendant above the table and limit the wattage to 100. For a subtle glow, add a pair of small table lamps to a sideboard.
Kitchen. Your kitchen, as you know, becomes the hub for conversation for your family and friends; therefore, your lighting should be either natural or pendant lighting with dimmers. Your kitchen is also the work-horse of your home, too, so there should be plenty of lighting options for tasks. Consider installing under-cabinet lightings for illuminating work surfaces and sturdy table lamps for additional lighting, when needed.
Bedroom. This is your place for peace and quiet and should have a cozy feel. Use reading lamps or sconces by the bed, but make sure the light points away from the bed, not directly on it. Select recessed and track fixtures that angle towards your dressing area. For a more peaceful atmosphere, add a small lamp with a tinted low-wattage bulb almost like the glow of a candle.
Bathroom. Add an overhead light to fully illuminate the room, and if possible, position sconces to flank the mirror (not above) as this allows for a more flattering and natural lighting for grooming and putting makeup on. You should also have a light directly over the shower.
Batteries and Filters and a Marker, Oh My!
Many of us have been conditioned to remember to change our smoke detector batteries when we change our clocks for daylight savings time. But let’s be honest: we don’t always remember to do it. As a reminder, November is the month to do this very important task to keep your family safe.
Here’s a tip: Before replacing your old smoke detector batteries with new 9-volt batteries, use a permanent marker and write the date on the face of each battery. That way, in the future you can easily refer to the date when you last changed the batteries. Writing the date on the batteries will also trigger you to remember to do so the next time – and the time after that.
This same tip is handy when replacing your furnace filter, too. When you change it out, write the date (with a permanent marker) somewhere on the filter, and if in a month you check it and it doesn’t need to be replaced, write the date on it again. That way, you’ll start to see how long each filter lasts during different seasons of the year.
Get in this habit and this will become an easy way to keep track of two home maintenance essentials.
10 Kitchen Cabinet Paint Trends
If you are looking for something different than stained cabinetry for your kitchen, you may want to think about painted cabinets. Painted cabinets are taking over kitchen design – for good reason. They add a pop of color and vibrancy to the space.
Here are a few colorful – and a bit different – kitchen cabinet paint choices.
Deep Ocean. Inspire your nautical and coastal theme of your home in your kitchen.
Teresa’s Green. A complement to everything in your kitchen and with black and white countertops you can’t go wrong.
Midsummer Night. A mix of contemporary and old-world charm.
Mercury. A medium pale gray goes well with contemporary and traditional style homes. With the infusion of stainless steel appliances and marble countertops, this may be the right color for you.
Courtland Blue. With a tinge of blue, this gray colored cabinet is perfect selection for small kitchens – where you can place the Cortland Blue on the lower cabinetry and white on the top. If you have a larger kitchen, you may be able to use this color for cabinetry throughout your space.
Black. If your kitchen is open, black cabinetry will create a drama effect. Black pairs well with stainless steel appliances and a copper tile back splash.
Hazy Skies. This color reminds us of a frothy latte; it’s not too dark nor cold. Instead, it’s perfect to use this on all your cabinetry no matter where it is placed.
Hillside Green. If cooking and gardening are your two favorite hobbies, then this color will be perfect for you and your kitchen. This warm sage green color will make your kitchen feel cozy and fresh.
Charlotte’s Locks. For a dash of personality and warmth this burnt-orange color will surely shock your kitchen. Use this as a backdrop to your cabinets with glass doors to make your dishes stand out.
Soothing Green. This green mimics nature and is a happy color where the color isn’t tinted a dull gray. When natural light hits it, there is almost a yellowness to it and when the sun goes down there is a blueness.
As you can see, there are many shades you can use on your cabinets if you want to personalize your kitchen and have it be the (wow!) talk of your neighborhood.
Elements of Kitchen Island Design
Fads come and go and trends change, but some kitchen additions stand the test of time. Kitchen islands are one such design essential. According to a survey by the National Association of Home Builders, more than 70% of buyers want an island in their kitchen, and of those, 50% consider it a must-have.
A carefully planned kitchen island brings guests, family members, and the cook together. The cook no longer must be secluded in their tasks while guests mingle elsewhere. Parents can balance the duties of meal preparation while children congregate to complete homework or create crafts. The island is the reason why the kitchen has become one of the favorite and most-used rooms in the home.
Using an experienced kitchen designer or architect will ensure that function is maximized and convenience is enhanced. As you explore the many possibilities for your kitchen island, ask these 6 key kitchen design questions:
1) What’s the purpose of my kitchen island? The fundamental reasons for the island will drive most of the design decisions. Kitchen islands can be used for a combination of functions such as: prep work, cooking, storage, entertaining, homework and crafts, and dining.
Consider the opinions and behaviors of the entire family. Understand that as time progresses over the next decade or two, the uses of your kitchen may also change.
2) What layout is best for my kitchen island? After defining the main purposes for your island, layout requirements will emerge. Many kitchen islands will become part of the kitchen triangle, locating the cooktop, refrigerator, and sink in convenient proximity. Likewise, adjacent areas such as living rooms will influence the location of seating areas within your kitchen island.
Islands will drastically range in shapes depending upon their function and will be impacted by the surrounding kitchen. Working sides of the island should have approximately 42”-48” to allow room for opening larger appliances and storage, as well as room for two people to easily pass by. Islands can range from simplistic rectangles to multi-sided and asymmetrical.
3) Which appliances will be included in my island? Appliances and sinks will require a larger island for the most part. An island can include cooktops, ovens, sinks, dishwashers, or even small refrigerators. When considering your overall kitchen design, choose the top items to include in your island, as not all may fit.
Adding a cooktop in an island will require an overhead vent hood to be installed. Incorporating a sink into an island will require some additional plumbing for the water source, drains, and air vents. Your kitchen designer will help guide you through these choices and explain how they may influence your overall cost.
4) How can my kitchen island provide storage solutions? If the space permits in good proportion, kitchen islands can house many items behind doors, in drawers, or on display. A large island could include two standard 24” cabinets back to back, stowing away a multitude of lesser-used small appliances, containers, cookware, trash receptacles, linens, or serving dishes.
Kitchen islands may also conveniently store cooking utensils and serving dishes nearby for easy access. Some home gourmets also love to display cookbooks, wine bottles, or stemware on exterior shelves or overhanging racks.
5) How high should the surface of the island be? Kitchen island surfaces used for traditional counter space or prep work are typically 36” in height, similar to adjacent counters. However, if your kitchen island will also serve the functions of entertaining guests or have part of its surface used for dining or seating, consider a second, higher tier of 42”.
Separating these two surfaces will easily define the different areas of the same island. Taller bar stools can be used with the higher counter allowing guests to have their own space while enhancing the look of your island. The counter overhanging these seating areas should allow for a 15”-18” offset to give legroom and a space to slide stools underneath when not being used.
6) Will my island match or accent the rest of my kitchen? Originally, kitchen islands matched the surrounding countertops and cabinet stains and paints. However, modern trends have used kitchen islands not only as a utilitarian addition, but also as an aesthetic enhancement.
Since islands are central to position and usage in the kitchen, they can be a great opportunity to create a gorgeous focal point. Whether bold or subtle, using a different cabinet color and/or countertop material can draw guests into the kitchen and unite other accents in the surrounding room.
A well-thought-out kitchen island will make your kitchen truly unique as it becomes the heart of your home. The five senses of your family and guests will be excited as they gather to eat, drink, and be merry together for years to come!
5 Often Overlooked Details in Custom Home Design
You are excited because you’ve decided to build a new home! You’ve spent countless hours online looking at plans, you’ve attended Home Shows, visited showrooms and watched a lot of HGTV to get an idea of what you want for flooring, plumbing fixtures and appliances. And now the time has come to meet with a few builders to decide who will build your home.
Before you make a selection, keep these often overlooked details in custom home design in mind.
Planning Right. A home building experience that you will be happy with starts with a great plan. Building a home is much more than the interior design selections. As you are planning your home, your builder will help you look at all of your life’s angles. What are your current and future lifestyle needs? Are you ready to add a child to your family or will you be looking forward to your “empty nest years” soon? What kind of entertaining do you do?
As builders, we take all of these questions (and so more) into account as we work with our customers. This allows us to make sure every new home we build is going to serve your lifestyle for years to come.
The HVAC System. You may not realize it, but the size of your HVAC system does matter, and your builder will make recommendations based on the square footage of your home and layout. While homes can be built with the minimum HVAC requirement, asking the right questions about how you enjoy living inside your home will ensure that you are comfortable through those humid summer nights and blustery winter days.
Lighting & Electrical Needs. With today’s technology needs, outlets should be plentiful in your home, but they need to be placed in the right spot. Depending on how you use rooms could also make a difference as to how a builder suggests it is lit. Additionally, the placement of the house on the lot and the windows will also make a difference as to how much light streams inside, and it will change with the season. Your builder should work with you on developing the right lighting plan to match your needs.
Universal Design Considerations. Universal design (UD) is becoming more commonplace in home design. UD ensures that the design works for everyone, regardless of age or ability. For example, a kitchen counter may be built at a lower height so that young children can help with meal preparation. Also in the kitchen, a corner of the island may be designed as a “breakfast bar” so young children can get a bowl of cereal themselves without relying on the parents. A walk-in shower may be designed to have a low or no-threshold, a hand-held shower nozzle and a bench for those times when grandma comes to visit. Those are just a few of the hundreds of small design shifts that an experienced builder can help you make as you plan your home.
Location of Rooms. You may decide to place your kitchen near a garage or back entrance to make it easier to bring in groceries or keep the traffic out of the main living areas. Bedrooms are used for quiet and a private sanctuary and away from chaos, so the location of your bedroom should be as far away from noise from the house (and street).
A final thought: As you interview builders to design and build your home, keep these often overlooked details in mind. While staying within budget is always a concern, equally important is making sure that your home is designed and built with these, and other, items in mind so that you remain happy with your home for years
Drowning in Clutter? 3 Tips for Creating a Clutter-Free Home
If you feel like you are drowning in clutter around your home, the truth is you aren’t alone. Many of us actually feel this way.
Clutter is can look and feel different to each person. But if you are frequently spending time searching for items, such as your keys/fob, bills and credit card statements and the like, it is probably time to declutter.
Where do you start? Here are a few places to begin to creating your clutter-free home.
Single out a large clutter problem. When looking at a big cluttered area, focus smaller. Look at one small area of the clutter and work that area first, such as a closet or bookshelf. Once you clear that area, move to another small area. Remember keep it slow and steady so you don’t get frustrated.
Use the “Four Box Method.” This method forces a decision, item by item. How does it work? To start, gather three boxes and a large trash bag. Label each box: Put Away, Give Away/Sell and Storage. The trash bag is, naturally, for items that need to be trashed. Now that you are all set up. Take each item and think, “Do I want to put this away in another place, donate it, store it or throw away?” Once it is sorted, make sure you do what’s labeled.
Continue to stay clutter free. Once you’ve decluttered an area, now the goal is to remain clutter-free (which isn’t always easy). Here is a method you can try. Create “clutter preserves” where clutter lives freely as long as it stays in that boundary. A good example is a designated kitchen drawer that is called the “junk drawer.” Another idea is to use a laundry basket to hold the kid’s toys. Finally, make an effort to work on creating good habits, such as putting your keys in a bowl by the door when you come home, hanging up your coat, and placing your bills and credit card statements in a basket as soon as you receive them.