Posted in Interior Design on April 30th, 2010
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Several factors go into the appliance buying process, of these, the top concerns include energy efficiency, performance, style and price. Working closely with your talented home design firm can help ensure that your new appliances fit perfectly with your new home and meet all of your requirements.
Here are some of the top advantages to look for in today’s kitchen appliance selection:
Efficiency
It’s no surprise that appliances today are the more energy efficient than ever, but did you know that their efficiency is so high that a new refrigerator can use up less energy than a light bulb? This means that not only are greener appliances getting cheaper as the demand for them increases, but they will also save you more money over time than ever.
Performance
Home owners are more excited about high performance cookware than ever. These days cooking like a gourmet is popular idea to strive for, but did you know that newer appliances can aid you in doing so? Professional-grade appliances are more powerful and have built-in smart features to help make cooking like a pro a much easier task. Refrigerator drawers can be set to rapidly cool a new bottle of wine for the evening or Speedcook ovens can actually cook meals in far less time than usual.
Style
Stainless and black kitchen appliances are here to stay, though stylish colors and finishes are also beginning to appear. Shape has also undergone great evolution with items like dishwasher and freezer drawers seamlessly fitting under sleek countertops with little intrusion.
Your home design firm can help you to determine which appliances fit your particular needs, budget and kitchen style. But expect to get more bang for your appliance bucks than ever.
Posted in Custom Homes, Interior Design on April 22nd, 2010
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The Cliffs include some of the Carolinas’ most exclusive and unique communities in three distinct regions. ACM Design is proud to announce their selection as one of the highly qualified architectural and design firms by The Cliffs Signature Services to help mastermind your new dream home.
The Cliffs Signature Services aids property owners in navigating the home building process by researching and qualifying each and every builder, architectural designer and interior design firm as the most elite and accomplished of their region.
Choosing the right firm to meet and exceed your unique expectations and needs can be a grueling process. ACM Design is a renowned and proven architectural and interior design firm with both the experience and expertise to design your Western North Carolina dream home.
For more information about building your dream home in one of The Cliffs exclusive communities, please visit CliffsSignatureServices.com.
Posted in Custom Homes, Green Building on April 15th, 2010
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Green Home Design
While greening your home remodel is highly recommended, having your new home designed from the start with green in mind may prove more affordable and effective. Newer homes can even be easily retrofitted to accommodate popular green design elements like recycled glass tiles and bamboo flooring.
Here are some of the ways in which your custom home architect can incorporate green living into your new home from the ground up:
Orientation
The orientation of a home on its lot can have a huge impact on the home’s energy efficiency. Especially with Western North Carolina’s hilly landscapes, positioning the home offer sun in the winter and shade in the summer can reduce energy costs exponentially.
Foundation
There are many ways to manipulate a home’s temperature via good foundational planning. Some of the options include the incorporation of geothermal wells, insulated concrete and framed basement walls.
Windows and Doors
Proper placement of doors and windows can prevent overheating in the summer and too much heat loss in the winter. Your custom home architect will know just how to expertly locate doors and windows into your new home to avoid winter heat losses of up to 25%.
Layout and Design
Working with a custom home architect who is experienced in building HealthyBuilt Homes in Western North Carolina can ensure your home’s layout and design also contribute to its energy efficiency.
ACM Design Architects have years of experience expertly incorporating green appliances, materials and features into homes in the Asheville area. If you’re thinking about building a greener home, be sure to consult your home architect.
Posted in Custom Homes on April 9th, 2010
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ACM Designed Outdoor Room
One area of your new home you may not have thought to consult your home architect regarding is the outdoor space. But imagine enjoying a beautiful WNC evening with friends or family while the aroma of a fresh baked pizza fills the air from a blazing, brick outdoor pizza oven.
Outdoor rooms are getting more attention than ever and the benefits are many. Here are some popular styles of outdoor rooms that you may want to consider adding on to your new home.
Cooking Areas
There are many exciting ways to incorporate kitchen features into your outdoor space. Popular choices include adding a full bar with a sink, refrigerator/freezer, ice maker and dishwasher. Or you could go the more traditional route and incorporate a spacious built-in grill. You can even have a custom brick pizza oven built in for cooking and producing warmth.
Living Space
While many homeowners are choosing eco-friendly natural stone built-in seating, outdoor furniture options are many. Weatherproof couches, chairs and ottomans set warmly around a fire can create the comfort of indoors with the atmosphere of outdoors.
Landscaping
Think of the flowers, trees and shrubs as nature’s décor. Incorporating the right indigenous plants into your space is what will really make or break your outdoor room.
Drought-resistant native plants will cut down on maintenance time and costs, while also avoiding a sprinkler cycle drowning your dinner party.
At ACM Design we are familiar with the many landscapes and factors that go into planning the perfect outdoor space for your WNC home. Please contact us if you would like to see what we can do to maximize the potential of your outdoor room.
Posted in Interior Design on March 25th, 2010
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ACM Designed Entry Way
Experts say that even our color choices have been affected by the state of today’s economy: safe with a splash of hope. Consulting your home design team is the best way to match up the right color to the right space. But we’ve compiled a few highlights to help get you started.
Neutral Colors
Safe neutral tones ranging from cool gray to warm caramel continue to reign supreme. Solid colors, clean lines and many diverse shades of brown create comfortable, relaxing spaces. Though shades of gray ranging from battleship to hematite are quickly becoming the new favorite.
Neutral tones create the perfect backdrop for furniture, artwork and even decorative borders and trims.
Bright Colors
Brights ranging from cherry red to vibrant emerald are making a splash as accent colors. Jewel tones add light and life to a space without sacrificing the calming appeal.
Cause-Inspired Color
Some unexpected forces behind the top color picks in home design are social causes. Special cause ribbons in pink and red may be popping up on lapels and blouses across the country, but they are also making their way into peoples hearts and finally, their homes.
Color Combinations
While blue and brown pair beautifully and have been a favorite for years now, black and white is gaining speed, as are earthy, eco-friendly combinations.
Finding the right colors for your home may seem like an intimidating project, but at ACM Design, we have years of expertise and experience in home décor to maximize the appeal of any space.
Posted in Home Remodeling & Renovation on March 18th, 2010
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ACM Designed Green Home
Perhaps you’ve been considering a home remodel, but are concerned about the cost and what the ROI will be. If this is the case, you may want to consider a “green” remodel. Incorporating green features into your existing home may cost less than you think and save you a lot of money in long run.
As experienced HealthyBuilt Home architects ACM Design can help you to weigh the costs and benefits of “greening” your home renovation. There have been some great advances in green home building over the past few years, so you will want to consult with an expert with experience in green home building and in the Western North Carolina region.
Green is More Affordable Than Ever
While the definition of a green remodel may vary from one source to another, one thing is certain; the rise in popularity of green home products has lowered the cost. A common misconception is that green homes cost more to build, but in many cases you can get green products for the same prices as alternatives, plus with tax credits, long term energy savings, and longer product life-spans, you will have a much better ROI.
Green Can Even Mean Luxury
Apart from being a better overall investment, green products are also more luxurious than ever before. In fact there are green homes popping up all over the Asheville area in all price ranges.
Green Benefits the Community
One final benefit to using green products in your home remodel are the lowered health and safety risks to your family and your contractors. Choosing safer materials can also mean doing your part to prevent ingestion of toxic chemicals by the teams you hire to build or renovate your home. So by doing your part for the environment and your family, you will also be helping out the community.
Posted in Custom Homes, Home Remodeling & Renovation on March 11th, 2010
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Green Plumbing Trends
While you have likely heard of Western North Carolina’s HealthyBuilt Home Program, you may have missed the word on green plumbing, including new residential trends like WaterSense homes.
It’s no secret that many people are incorporating green features in their new home design in every area of the house from the kitchen to the yard to the rooftops. One area of the house you don’t want to take fore granted, however, is the bathroom.
Plumbing fixtures are getting greener by the day and here are some green trends you may want to consider asking your home architect to incorporate into your home plans:
Lead-Free Faucets
Did you know that faucets and brass fittings that serve up your potable water can contain lead? While California has already set legal regulations on lead content in potable pipes, you may want to make sure that lead doesn’t make it into your water.
Solar Hot Water
With traditional solar hot water collectors being replaced with less expensive plastic models, water warmed by naturally by the sun is becoming a real possibility for most homeowners.
WaterSense Homes
Available in some new residential constructions, as a means of reducing the home’s incoming water pressure, regulator valves are installed downstream of the home’s water meter.
Greywater Systems
These systems can range from the use of dual-pipe technologies to water catchment systems. Simply put, a greywater system takes water that has been uses within the home (excepting the toilets) and uses them for other purposes such as landscape irrigation.
Posted in Custom Homes, Home Remodeling & Renovation on March 4th, 2010
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Stainless Steel is Here to Stay
Incorporating the right appliances is a great way to add value to your home, but with so many options, it can be hard to know what to look for. By working closely with your home architect, and familiarizing yourself with some of the basics, you can be assured a strong ROI on your new appliances.
The Right Finish Wins
One top trend that’s here to stay is stainless steel. While as a whole, design trends are constantly changing, but stainless has been a top pick for years, and there’s no end in sight for its stylish, industrial-chic reign.
One great design benefit of using stainless appliances is that they typically work in a space regardless of color changes in walls or countertops.
Make Sure They Match
The use of stainless steel appliances can give the impression that you spent top dollar on appliances, regardless of brand. But trying to incorporate random white or black pieces will quickly cheapen the look.
Size Matters
While stainless creates a feel of top-grade industrial appliances, bigger-is-better is no longer the right frame of mind. Home owners are choosing smaller, but smarter appliances that better fit their needs, instead of over-sized pieces that are more costly to run.
Energy Efficiency is Key
Now that you’re looking for smart, matching stainless steel appliances, you will want to consider how “green” the models you are considering seem to be. Energy-efficiency is a top focus among home owners, and with green technology becoming more affordable and available, opting for top-rated ENERGY STAR appliances will help recoup costs over time through lowered utility costs and energy tax credits.
Working with your home architect you can easily incorporate stylish, efficient and affordable appliances into your new home build or remodel that will provide your best ROI.
Posted in Custom Homes, Home Remodeling & Renovation on February 25th, 2010
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Long-term savings make green home includes well worth the investment, but the initial costs can be as much as 10-30% higher than not-so eco-friendly alternatives. Which makes working closely with your home architect in the planning and incorporation of these features essential to saving energy and money over time.
Start at the Beginning
At ACM Design, we sit down with our clients to carefully weigh costs and benefits. This process will help to determine which investments are in your best interest today, in order to save money year after year. Working together to incorporate green home features from the beginning of your home design process is also more cost effective. Adding these same includes after-the-fact can incur much greater costs.
Avoid Replacement Costs
ACM Design can also help advise you on which green home features will not only save money on your monthly utility bills, but also save you money down the line. For instance, air handlers and duct work in conditioned spaces can double the life of your heating and cooling system, thus helping to avoid pricey replacement costs.
Take Advantage of Tax Credits
One more way to save money on green includes is by taking advantage of energy tax credits. By maximizing tax credit eligibility, you may get thousands of dollars back on your initial investment.
No matter the level of eco-friendliness you are considering for your home, by working through the process with your home architect, you are guaranteed a better return on your investment.
Posted in Custom Homes, Home Remodeling & Renovation on February 18th, 2010
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Kitchen Islands Offer Extra Storage
If you’re building a new home or remodeling your existing one this year, here are five of the top trends you can really get behind. And if there’s one thing that these top home design features have in common, it’s energy efficiency.
- Smaller Spaces: As the home market begins to show signs of improvement, home owners are taking hard-earned lessons with them and seeking out smaller, but smarter spaces. Ample and well thought out storage space, open floor plans and family-friendly features are just a few of the ways in which smaller homes are taking the lead in home design.
- ENERGY STAR Appliances: Kitchen appliances alone can burn up almost 10% of your home budget, and investing in the latest energy efficient models is a smart investment. Most ENERGY STAR appliances quickly recoup their value in energy savings, and prove good long-term investments.
- Better Insulation: Tightly-sealed insulation is one of the best money-saving investments you can make in your new home. Foam sealants and better insulation help keep homes warm in the winter and cool in the summer, greatly reducing annual energy expenditures.
- Net Zero Energy: Net zero or “off the grid” homes actually generate more energy than they use up. With net zero technologies rapidly increasing, converting your home to an energy maker may be easier and less costly than you think.
- Outdoor Rooms: With indoor square footage decreasing, an outdoor room is an excellent way to gain useful square footage in an area you may be taking fore granted—your backyard. Outdoor living rooms and kitchens add great entertaining space to any home.
