5 Elements to Consider for Your New In-Law Suite
It’s becoming more common for seniors to move in with their adult children rather than head to retirement communities or assisted living. It makes sense for a lot of reasons: saving money, being close to family, and generally worrying less about elderly parents.
If you’re one of the many American families making the leap and preparing an in-law suite for you or your spouse’s senior parents, there are lots of key elements to include for organization, interior design, and convenience. Here’s a handy checklist to help you figure out what’s most important.
Project Spotlight: Family Room Makeover
Andrew and Kate purchased and moved into a beautiful old stone home. The previous owners had added a family room to the end of the home. Andrew and Kate desired to update the interior of the 1980’s family room addition to blend with their circa 1779 home and become a space the whole family could enjoy.
The home needed a renovation to bring the family room closer to matching the architectural style of the stone home. The stone fireplace, which is the anchor in the room, was enhanced with a wall of cabinetry. The carpeting was removed, and wide plank distressed flooring was installed to coordinate with the original home. Reclaimed wood was hand-selected to encase the ridge beam, and beams with wooden pegs were added. Also, crafted from the reclaimed wood, the sliding barn door accentuates the entry from the kitchen into the family room.
Lancaster Parade of Homes 2017 Sneak Peak
The Building Industry Association of Lancaster County will be holding their annual Parade of Homes from June 17-25, 2017. Metzler Home Builders will have two entries in the Parade again this year. One entry is a semi-detached home in our Villas at Featherton Community in Elizabethtown. The other entry is a single-family home in our Willow Bend Farm Community in West Lampeter. Hours and Parade of Homes details can be found at www.lancasterparadeofhomes.com. We hope to see you there!
New Home Available Near Ephrata
75 Clay School Road, Ephrata
This new two-story home is complete and ready for immediate occupancy. It features an open floor plan with 2,040 square feet and has 4 bedrooms and 2 ½ baths. Public water, sewer and natural gas. Located in the Ephrata Area School District.
We have one additional lot along Clay School Road as well.
Home Safety Reminders for the Summer
Summer is just around the corner, and unfortunately, this is the time of year when accidents around the home increase. Here are a few friendly safety reminders so you can have fun all summer long.
Water Safety – It only takes an inch of water for a child to drown. While the common areas to focus on water safety are pools and spas, other places in your yard need to also be considered: water features, wading pools and utility buckets can accumulate many inches of rainwater after storms. Keep a close eye on young children playing around these areas.
6 Most Important Qualifications for Choosing a Home Builder in Lancaster
When you’re ready to get started on building the house of your dreams, the first step is to choose a builder in Lancaster. However, how do you find the right person for the job?
Before you shake hands with a home builder, check that they meet or exceed all of the following qualifications. Careful vetting of the company you hire will make all the difference when it comes to your satisfaction with the entire experience — from start to finish.
How to Choose the Right Exterior for Your New Custom Home
5 Home Design Trends That We Don’t Miss
When it comes to home décor trends, there are some that just need to lay down and die. These instantly make a room look dull, dated, and tacky. For your new home design, avoid these tasteless trends like the plague. Your new house will thank you.
Just Skip These Passé Trends for Your Home Design
There are better choices for finishing off your home than these five options. Instead of fads, choose home design trends that are timeless and have staying power.
Fake Wood Paneling
A relic of the ‘60s and ‘70s, fake wood paneling always looks dark, dreary, and dated. What’s more, it never looks like real wood. Most people who encounter this faded trend in their homes are quick to rip it out or paint over it. Both are good ideas, although painting fake wood paneling might be the better choice if you are budget-conscious.
Home Tips for Spring
The Guide to Trending Kitchen Countertops: Is Granite Still King?
The votes are in. For 2017, designers, tastemakers, and experts will advise you to look beyond granite and instead opt for its newer, cooler cousin: quartz.
For years, granite has reigned supreme as the be-all, end-all for kitchen countertops. It is beautiful, scratch and heat-resistant, and easy to clean and maintain, after all.
However, this tried-and-true stone is seeing competition. Learn about why quartz is the hot, new option place, plus some other kitchen design trends you might want to consider besides granite or quartz for your countertops.
Goodbye Granite, Hello Quartz: The Newest Kitchen Design Trend
So, why is quartz usurping granite for most-loved countertop material? The main reason is durability.
Quartz beats both granite and marble in this area (although the latter two have been the most popular high-end manufactured stones used in the kitchen for years).
Not only is quartz naturally stain-resistant, scratch-resistant, and heat-resistant, it also doesn’t need to be sealed, unlike granite and marble, which require periodic re-sealing to maintain their integrity. On top of these pluses, quartz is also unaffected by acidic foods, which can wear down the finish on other surfaces.
As far as affordability, quartz falls squarely between granite and marble on the price scale (marble is more expensive, granite is slightly less expensive).
Finally, quartz has become more appealing to the eye in recent years due to new manufacturing techniques. All of the above facets make quartz a shoe-in for the kitchen.
More Trends to Watch: Alternatives to Granite or Quartz for Kitchen Countertops
Love the look of natural stone for your kitchen remodel, but don’t have the budget for them? Try any of these alternative kitchen countertop trends.
Butcher Block
No matter the type of kitchen design you have, butcher block will look classic and timeless. If you are wary because you think this type of counter would be high-maintenance, worry not— scratches can be sanded out easily and sealed with mineral oil.
Concrete
Although countertops made of concrete will need regular sealing, they are a modern option that will be durable in your kitchen. Plus, they can be customized for special configurations, and even have special materials, like seashells or stones, embedded in the surface.
Solid Surface
Solid surface countertops can emulate natural stone surfaces and don’t require sealing. While they are not impervious to scratches or heat, they are a low-cost way to get a high-end look.
Modern Laminate
Modern laminate countertops outdo the laminate of the past by leaps and bounds. New versions are far more durable, successfully mimic the look of natural stone, and require little maintenance and no sealing.
For your home, the right kitchen countertops will provide the look you want and the amount of durability you need. Look to kitchen trends for fresh ideas, whether you want something timeless or totally unique.
Want to get started on a kitchen renovation? Contact us to discuss all of the possibilities.