Category: Renovations
The Evolution of Laundry Rooms: Function, Design and Future
The laundry room has seen significant changes over the years. What used to be a spot that was shut away and ignored until it was time for chores is now a multifunctional space designed to be both beautiful and efficient.
According to the National Association of Home Builder’s 2019 edition of the What Home Buyers Really Want report, an overwhelming 91 percent of all buyers want a laundry room included in their home – more than any other home or community feature. Of those, 54 percent consider it to be essential. It is the highest-ranking feature in the category, and 37 percent rank them desirable.
Exploring the Spacious Kitchen Pantry
The kitchen pantry: This once hidden, forgotten space now plays a significant role in today’s kitchen design and functionality. Pantries come in all shapes and sizes — from small closets with just a few shelves to large, complimentary rooms that house floor-to-ceiling shelves, countertops and cupboards.
Project Spotlight: Bringing New Life to an Older Home
Mark and Diana loved their home – the location, the quiet street, the school district – but were feeling the need for more space for their family and for entertaining. They wanted to bring new life into an older home. A larger, more efficient kitchen and a spacious family room were the main features they desired since most of their family time was spent in those two rooms. Updating the exterior and giving the home a fresh, modern look was also important to them.
The home featured a kitchen and family room in the rear of the house. A 23’ x 23’ family room addition was built behind the existing family room. The new family room features a 14’ high coffered ceiling, an abundance of windows, and a floor to ceiling fireplace, giving it an open expansive feel. The existing family room is now an eating area off the kitchen. Mark and Diana decided to keep the fireplace in that area, giving it a warm, cozy feel. They had seen pictures of bookshelves they liked, and Skip duplicated that look by building custom cabinetry on either side of the fireplace. By reworking a wall connected to an adjacent mudroom, they were able to enlarge the size of the kitchen. The stunning new kitchen features two islands, a double wall oven and a built-in-refrigerator cabinet. Displaying white, gray and stained cabinets, and light champagne fixtures and hardware, this kitchen speaks genuine elegance.
Last, but not least, Mark and Diana wanted the exterior of their home to feel as elegant and updated as the interior of their home. The brick was painted gray, and a new front door, columns and light fixtures were added. The existing roof over the porch was replaced with a standing seam roof, and new shrubbery replaced the large, overgrown plants.
The homeowners are thrilled with the results of their renovation project. They love how the first-floor flows with the kitchen and new family room. The new cabinetry, trim work, flooring, stair railing and coffered ceiling turned out exactly as they had envisioned.
“We appreciated all the time and effort that the Metzler team put into helping us renovate our home, including the design, feel, layout, and the small details,” said Mark and Diana. “Tim and Janet were very helpful with design ideas, and Mike did a great job managing the project. We appreciated all the communication from Metzler’s to make everything go as smoothly as possible!”
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.
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.
What are the Advantages of Hiring Home Builders in Lancaster PA?
Building your own home is an exciting, exhilarating adventure. You get to create a house that suits you, your family, your needs, and your lifestyle.
You won’t have to compromise on what you want, nor will you have to endure a lengthy house search that results in a lot of “maybes” and “almosts” but doesn’t result in finding a home that hits every point on your checklist.
Building your own house and trusting home builders in Lancaster, PA is truly the only way to get exactly what you want. There are plenty of other great reasons to choose this option, though. Find out what they are and discover why hiring a home builder in Lancaster might be the right choice for you.
How Home Builders Can Make Your Custom Build a Dream
Hiring a custom home builder takes quite a load off your shoulders when it comes to getting your house built. There are lots of ways these professionals make the process easier on you, not to mention provide a better end product, which is a huge deal.
Your House Will Be Truly, Genuinely Custom
Sometimes, “custom” can mean different things, or the term is used loosely in the industry. Some businesses and contractors only offer one design that comes with options for you to choose from.
With the right Lancaster home builder (like us), however, “custom” means “custom.” They will work with you to build the house of your dreams according to your desires, needs, and specifications. Your house won’t be cookie-cutter; it will be uniquely yours.
Thankfully, the Headache of Renovating Won’t Be in the Cards
When you choose custom home builders in Lancaster, PA, you won’t have to renovate anything for a long, long time after you move in. The house will be built just the way you want it, so it will be move-in ready and according to your standards. You won’t have to change a thing once it’s built, because the builder will make sure your lifestyle and needs are taken into account with your home design. You will get to enjoy living in a home that was built just for you.
Pennsylvania Home Builders Have Connections and Buying Power
Were you to tackle home building on your own, you would probably get charged full price for sourcing all of the necessary materials and fixtures. Home builders in Lancaster, PA, on the other hand, will have existing relationships with suppliers from years in the industry – this means they can source everything for your home and probably cut a deal, too.
To put it simply, Lancaster home builders are who you should turn to if you want a custom home. They can make the process easier with less stress, not to mention save you money.
Learn more about our custom home building process.
A Kitchen Design Recipe for Foodies
While most consider eating a necessity, you consider cooking an art and your kitchen a studio. Most homeowners rate building a kitchen as one of the more important decisions in their interior design process, but for the foodie, the kitchen is the heart and soul of your home.
A foodie will spend more time using a kitchen than the typical homeowner, so it’s essential that design is equally focused on the weight of functional use over mere aesthetic qualities. This factor will drive creating a space that incorporates the usability of a commercial kitchen into the intricate beauty of residential design.
7 Ingredients for Kitchen Design: A Recipe for Foodies
1) Ingredient Storage: Accessibility is everything to the home gourmet chef. Purposefully locating convenient storage areas will help cooks find even the most obscure ingredients in a short amount of time. Open shelves in a walk-in pantry, interior-lit cabinets with open or glass fronts, built-in herb gardens, and quick-access ingredient drawers or racks allow the chef to find and transfer the essential ingredients to their respective workstations.
2) Tools & Gadgets: Creating uniquely organized storage solutions for utensils, cookware and kitchen gadgets is key. Preferences will vary on whether these items should be visible or stowed away nearby within their own compartments or drawers. Locating these areas conveniently near workstations will save the cook time and aggravation when searching for the right tool.
3) Surfaces: Choose countertop, cabinet, appliance and backsplash materials that can be easily cleaned and will withstand increased usage versus a typical kitchen. Design countertop edges to reduce spills from dripping down to cabinets below. Don’t neglect the impact that lighting will play on illuminating surfaces. Incorporate overhead and under-cabinet fixtures to improve work area visibility.
4) Sinks & Faucets: Depending upon the use, it may be a great idea to install an additional sink and water source at more than one location in the kitchen. Separate prep areas may have increased functionality if fitted with areas for soaking or washing, versus transporting items back and forth across the kitchen. Install detachable faucets to create more versatility in cooking and cleanup.
5) Waste Solutions: Be sure that your disposal preferences are considered in kitchen design. Strong beliefs about what to do with waste should lead to the inclusion of compartments for composting, recycling, disposals, compactors and traditional refuse containers.
6) Appliances: Whether traditional appliances or an added supplement, carefully consider these options in the kitchen. Appliance prices are often driven by durability and features. Determine which features are worth spending the money for.
a) Ranges & Hoods: Gas heat will provide the most control. A varying range of BTUs will provide flexibility for different cooking tasks. Always take into consideration the limits and requirements for exhaust hoods and design with the appropriately sized hood for the space and home, installing them at the ideal height over the surface.
b) Ovens & Warmers: Not only do features drive cost, but insulating capabilities of doors and exteriors are essential factors when choosing the right oven, so not to lose heating power. Explore if the popular double oven is the best choice for your needs. If space is limited, substituting the second traditional oven with a convection or microwave oven, or a warming drawer, may serve a greater purpose.
c) Dishwashers: If you use a lot of utensils and larger cookware and prep items, you will want them to be clean for your next cooking task. Choose a dishwasher with creative options for utensil drawers or holders and that also allows for adjustable spaces for large bowls and pots.
d) Refrigerators & Freezers: If there isn’t room for a larger side-by-side unit, or if supplemental cooling options are needed, utilize a portion of cabinet space for optional built-in cooling drawers or small freezers.
e) Miscellaneous Appliances: Your specific cuisine interests may also drive the additions of features such as rotisseries, woks and other enhancements. Discuss the usage frequency of these items and determine where they rate in design priority over other, more crucial elements.
7) Inspiration: Even though function can win over aesthetics in designing a foodie kitchen, discover what fuels your culinary passion. Strategically add windows, art, décor and music devices to be your muse for your next greatest creation.
Passionate thought and attention to preparing the perfect meal is what separates a foodie from a recreational cook. Your heart should beat with the same enthusiasm about designing the space where you create your masterpieces. Let us help you design a space that inspires your gifts and fuels your passion for food! Bon appetit!
Outdoor Living Spaces
Outdoor living spaces continue to be one of the fastest growing segments of residential construction. More than ever before, homeowners are seeing their backyard as an extension of their home and are converting their outdoor space into comfortable living areas. Covered decks and patios, outdoor appliances and fire pits continue to increase in popularity.
We all look forward to heading outdoors and enjoying the warmer temperatures now that spring has arrived. What better way to enjoy those warm summer evenings than in your own beautiful outdoor living space. Metzler Home Builders can help you create an outdoor oasis to meet your needs and to complement your existing home. Here are a few ideas to get you thinking about your own new beautiful backyard!
Choosing the Right Home Builder
- Create a list of potential home builders by reaching out the your local Home Builders Association.
- Looking thru the ad section of your local newspaper you can find and learn more about which builders are currently building in your area along with the types of homes being built and prices.
- Reach out to local real estate agents who can assist you in your search.
- Friends and relatives are great for asking for recommendations.
- Conduct an interview with a list of questions you have
- Visit some of the builder’s recently built homes. When visiting homes that are recently occupied by the new homeowner and they are outside approach them letting them know you are considering buying a home from the builder and ask for their experience with the builder. Consider visiting several to get a few opinions. Ask questions like: Are they pleased with their new home? Have you had any problems with the builder coming back to fixing any issues and were they promptly taken care of? Would you buy another home from this builder?
- Look at the quality of the construction; carpentry, carpeting, flooring, trimwork and paint.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions, get specific, and take notes. Never hesitate to ask questions.
Universal Design in the Kitchen
