Green Home Design

Working with your custom home architect to design a lighting system that is catered to your lifestyle and floor plan is vital to the creating the right look and feel of your home’s interior.  Here are some of the ways that lighting design can add life to your new or existing home:

Accentuating Artwork

Different mediums ranging from oil and acrylic canvases to intricate sculptures are typically best suited by various lighting modalities.  For instance, oil paintings can be especially challenging to light due to the spectral highlights created when direct light is aimed at them, making broad-based lighting preferential.

Opening up an Area

While you may love the exterior of a 1920s bungalow, this older style of home is notorious for its hard-to-light interior.  But working with a design firm can help bring modern lighting styles and techniques to create the light and airy environment you crave within your home.

Setting the Mood

Your floor plan and interior design of your home is based around its intended use, so why not accentuate those aspects with well-planned lighting techniques, placements and fixtures.  Layering types of lighting like ambient, fixtures, task and mounted can make a world of difference in your home’s interior.

Greening Your Lighting

Finally, working with a custom home architect and designer can ensure that your home makes the best use of the latest in green lighting technology.  The proper placement of energy saving bulbs, to the most efficient use of the fixtures, dimmers and timers can help save the planet and lower your monthly utility costs.

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.

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.

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.

Eco-Friendly Hardwood Flooring

Bamboo and cork flooring are very on trend, but is hardwood or linoleum a better eco-friendly choice for your new home or remodel?  You will want to consult your home architect for her extensive knowledge of design and experience in working these materials.

It is also important to familiarize yourself with some of the advantages to working with each of these eco-friendly flooring options.  While some will last longer, others may not be as green as you might imagine.

Popular Eco-Friendly Flooring Materials Include:

Bamboo is a very popular choice, but depending on your finished product it may not be as good for the planet as you think.  The speedy growing cycle of bamboo is around just five years, making it highly renewable.  But unless you’re paying for pricier locally grown varieties, your “green” flooring will have to ship from native China.

You’ll also want to consider that bamboo is actually quite soft in its raw form, and treated bamboo flooring can contain harsh chemicals.

Cork is a great low toxicity flooring choice, but its relatively soft and porous nature make it better for some rooms than others.  Putting down cork tiles with low VOC glue has in the past presented some problems, but recent varieties feature tongue and grooves for lasting installation.  On a greener note, cork is highly sustainable and rapidly renewing.

Linoleum is surprisingly, in its finished state, one of the most natural options available.  Despite its man-made appearance, this linseed oil derived material is actually a favorite amongst activists. Linoleum’s high durability factor makes it a great choice for kitchens and bathrooms.

Natural wood floors are design favorite, and a competitive eco-friendly choice as long as they have the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) seal of approval.  This seal means the wood has been harvested sustainably.  Plus in the realm of longevity, hardwoods outlast like no other, giving them serious green appeal.

Master Bath design by ACM Design

Second to the kitchen, the master bath is the room in which homeowners typically spend the most money and aim to marry highly functional design with tranquil, spa-like materials and products. Working with a custom home architect affords endless possibilities to blend unique, custom features with practical and efficient bathroom design.

Before a custom home architect can begin the bath design process, it is important for the homeowner to become familiar with some of the basic trends and practices surrounding bath designs.

1. Layout
What do you hope to achieve from the bathroom’s layout? Do you intend for it to be a daily oasis? Is it a place to get dressed and prepared for the day or night out? Or does your bath simply need to function efficiently? Although, the colors, materials and products that you choose for your bath can make a big design statement, in the end, the functionality of the bath design is the most important consideration.

2. Privacy and Openness
Many homeowners enjoy an open, ensuite bathroom that affords privacy yet feels tranquil, airy and open. This is often achieved through the use of glass doors, glass blocks or smaller partitions. For those less concerned with privacy, large, walk-in showers often don’t need a door at all and offer a truly open feel. Rain showerheads are a soothing addition to a large shower, as they create a downward flow of water as compared to the angled spray of a traditional showerhead.

3. Lighting
Adequate lighting must be considered in any bathroom design. Rarely is one overhead light sufficient for illuminating the entire room. Because the bathroom serves many purposes, multiple light sources are ideal. Task lighting above the vanity provides general lighting at the sink area, but makeup application is made much easier with wall sconces at eye level on either side of the mirror.  Wall sconces or a candlier (candle chandelier) offer a nice soft glow surrounding the tub for a relaxing bath.

Future Design
For the homeowner hoping to live in the home for may years to come, adding universal bathroom fixtures and products can make the transition much easier as one ages. Benches in the shower are convenient at any age, but later in life, a bench can become essential. Walk-in showers with doors or openings wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair or walker is an example of universal design that does not detract from the opulence of the master bath.

With a functional layout in place, next think about the bathroom fixtures and hardware that are most desirable, such as the tub. In new home designs, some homeowners opt to delete the bathtub altogether to allow for an extra large shower.  Others prefer to install a large soaking or jetted tub for relaxation, and properly placed, a tub can add to the beauty of the room. Body sprays and multiple showerheads in a shower offer similar effects of whirlpools and jetted tubs.

Heated floors and towel racks add luxurious creature comforts to any bath.  Steam showers, vessel sinks, curved shower rods, and antique vanities add spa-like features and creative functionality to any bathroom design.

Think of the master bath as the ideal room to express your individuality. Once the basics have been considered, the overall aesthetic of the bath design starts to take shape and the fun begins.

Lighting design makes the room in this kitchen remodel.

Never before has lighting design been as versatile and decorative as today. With so many options available for the home, decorating with light can make the difference between an overly bright room and a work of art.

 Before beginning any design project, consult with an architect or interior designer if you plan to add more than floor lamps or a chandelier. As with any home decorating project, the first step in lighting design is to determine your goals. What do you hope to achieve through your lighting design? Are you familiar with the types of light and fixtures available? How you use each room will determine what type of light is best for your living needs.

Understanding the types of light before beginning any lighting project is also important. The most popular types of light include:

• Natural Light–Not just energy efficient, sunlight brightens a room with soft and warm tones unlike any other source
• Architectural Light--Architects incorporate fixtures into the physical aspect of the home and are often built directly into the ceiling, such as rope or recessed lights
• Artificial Light–Offering a myriad of options, artificial light is the third and most popular type of light that decoratively blends the lines between art and light source

Several varieties exist under the umbrella of artificial light, including accent, task and ambient lighting. Accent lighting is directional and highlights a specific object like a work of art. Ambient lighting is equivalent to mood lighting and can be achieved through dimmers or hidden sources of light, like a wall sconce. Task lighting is usually free of glare and can brighten a large work surface, such as a kitchen counter, with visual clarity.

Fixtures

After deciding what types of light are most important for your lifestyle, begin thinking about fixtures. Wall sconces, floor lamps, pendant lights, spotlights and track lighting are all options to brighten your home. Consider using several types of light and fixtures in one large room, as multi-dimensional lighting is a hot interior design trend. One example might be natural light in the living room through French doors and transoms, an accent light over a piece of art, soft wall sconces flanking a television, and track or recessed lighting overhead.

Lighting design and personality do go hand in hand, however. Don’t necessarily follow what is hot today and not tomorrow. Chandeliers are no longer just for the foyer or dining room and can be found in kid’s playrooms, kitchens or even outdoors. Replacing large, overhead fluorescent lights in the kitchen with recessed or decorative glass pendant lights will brighten a counter or table in high fashion. When space is an issue, proper lighting design can lower high ceilings or open a wall by flooding it with light, while dark floors and walls need less light to create an intimate atmosphere.

Just as artistic fixtures are important to any home interior, environmentally friendly lighting is also a welcome trend in modern home design. The advantages to automated lighting systems and energy-efficient fixtures and bulbs are favorable to both the environment and your wallet. With automated systems, one touch can brighten the exterior, light the fireplace, and dim the dining room to create the perfect dinner party setting. Dimmers in ambient lighting allow only the necessary amount of light to be used, and energy-efficient light bulbs such as low-wattage fluorescent bulbs also lower the amount of energy used.

Decorating with light can be as complicated or easy as you need it to be. Switching out a white bulb for a colored one changes the entire ambience in a room, just as replacing an overhead eyesore with a chandelier dazzles any living space. With a few easy switches and conversations with an architect or interior designer, you can transform your home into a work of art.