The Beckisyn

The Beckisyn

THE BECKISYN – $325-$350,000 – This price does include the basement finish, but does not include the cost of the lot.

THE BECKISYN – is 1,803 sq. ft. ranch with 10’ ceilings in the kitchen and great room. The Kitchen has a corner pantry and a center island. This all is open to the great room with a view of the fireplace.
The Master Bedroom is on one side of the house with a 9’ coffered ceiling, walk in closet and shower. On the other side of the house are the other two bedrooms that share a bathroom.
The basement can have 1,064 sq. ft. of finished space. This is where the fourth bedroom is along with a large rec room.

Floor Plans

Gallery

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9 Kitchen Trends That Can’t Go Wrong

 

Your kitchen is a place that you want to be careful being trendy.  The last thing you want is a kitchen that’s out of sync in just a few years simply because you followed a trend.  Instead look at the trends in terms of the value they bring to your life and your home.

Here are nine trends that are popular now, but have staying power because they address lifestyle needs, convenience, and savings – ensuring you’ll enjoy your kitchen for many years.

  1. Love White?  You Won’t Go Wrong

White kitchens are still going strong and in fact 67% of National Kitchen and Bath Association members said that white is their top choice for cabinets.  White appliances are so much easier to keep clean than stainless, which smudges if you as much as look at it.

  1. Want Color?  Go for Neutral Gray

Grey is the fastest-growing color scheme for kitchens in 2014, and it isn’t slowing down.

But be careful of the gray you choose.  In cold, cloudy climates, gray can appear frozen unless you use it on warm materials like wood cabinets, or pair it with hot colors like red and yellows.  On the other hand, Gray can appear pleasantly cool in sunny, hot climates – a breath of fresh air in heat and humidity.

  1. Embrace Small Appliances

Micro-living is taking off for millennials and retirees.  People are installing tiny, secondary kitchens for returning adult children and elderly parents.

  1. Choose Quartz Counters Over Granit

Quartz is the toughest countertop material, which resists scratches, burns and chips.  Quartz is easy to maintain, and unlike granite, you don’t have to seal it annually to prevent stains.

  1. Invest in LEDs

Ribbons of LEDs are showing up in the weirdest – and most wonderful – kitchen places:  Along toe kicks as nightlights; on the inside of cabinet doors to show off grandma’s china; concealed in crown molding to wash ceilings with light.

  1. Rethink Your Fridge

Homeowners are customizing their cooling needs with “point of use” refrigeration, adding cool where they need it.

That could mean adding a counter-height produce fridge in your prep island, next to a wine cooler for the adults, and a juice/soda fridge for the kids.

  1. Install a Touch-Activated Faucet

The popularity of the touch-activated faucets are bursting to the must have.

  1. Stick with Transitional Design

More than 60% of NKBA designers say contemporary, with its sleek simplicity, is the fastest-growing kitchen style. Fussy doodads and decorative and distressed glazes are out.

  1. Embrace Accessibility Because It’ll Make Your Life Easier.

Aging in place is a big snore — until you get to that age when the right modifications will allow you to stay in your home. And since a large part of the population is reaching retirement age, accessibility finally is catching on — even with homeowners who aren’t intentionally seeking those features. Why? Because the designs make so much sense.

  1. Side-opening ovens at counter height.
  2. Drawers with deep pockets
  3. Microwave drawers

This information was from houselogic

WHAT COLOR SHOULD YOU PAINT YOUR FRONT DOOR?

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Have you ever wondered what color you should paint your front door?  HGTV has a quiz that can help you determine what color is best suited for you.  Take the quiz and see if that is the color you have or the coloring you have been dreaming about.

https://www.hgtv.com/quizzes/what-color-should-you-paint-your-front-door

7 Trends That’ll Be “in” for 2017 – and 3 That’ll be “out”

Have you ever wondered if you are in style or out of style with your home?  Here is an article we found from Country Living written by Brie Dyas titled:  7 Trends That’ll Be “in” for 2017 – and 3 That’ll Be “Out”

 OUT: “Strictly” Antique   —    The pressure is off when it comes to only pairing antiques with pieces from the same period.  “No one will be interested in designing an entire space, let alone an entire home, with a strict period in mind,” says Warren Sheets.  “While it’s great to have a period as your starting off point, you don’t have to adhere to it exclusively.  It’s more aesthetically intriguing to create a look that cohesively mixes of elements from the past and the future.”  Mark Boster/Los Angeles Times

OUT:  Brushed Metal  — “Industrial looking or burnished metals have had their day,” says Sheets.  “Shiny, warm metals like bronze and gold are resurging as important ways to lend elegance to a space.”

IN:  Matte Appliances  — The new look for the kitchen is bold without being in-your-face.  “An object with a matte finish seems to strip away all other distractions such as surface sheen, forcing the form of the object to speak for itself,” says designer Bobby Berk.  “Matte can also be a really unexpected finish for objects that are traditionally lustrous or glossy.  This surprise can serve as a wonderful layer in design, adding depth to the overall composition and a counterpoint to other finishes.”

IN:  Marble – You’re not just noticing it on Pinterest – marble is becoming a huge trend.  “Naturally it is showing up in the all areas of our industry,” says Laura Michaels of ‘Get a Room Design’, who recalled how the tile market was dominated by the material at the industry show Covering 2016, especially when paired with wood and metal.  “Marble wall covering carpet and fabric have not missed this trend either.  There is no market untouched by this dominant material!”

IN:  Cerused Wood – A “cerused” finish refers to the technique that brings out the unique grain of wood.  “This trend which has been around in the high end market for some time has finally trickled down and seems universally accepted,” says Laura Michaels.  You’ll see it on cabinets, but also in bigger pieces like tables, chairs, and storage furniture.

IN:  Jewel Tones —  Say good-bye to beige.  The new look for walls will be pure drama.  “Deep jewel tones, like emerald green or amethyst, and pastel colors, which are found in nature are popular,” says designer Heather Higgins, who also cites the saturated neutral of Benjamin Moore’s 2017 Color of the year, Shadow.

IN: Nailhead Details – This accent is a classic for upholstered pieces, but it’s being used in whole new ways.  “We are seeing this trend go beyond the usual upholstery and into storage chests, credenzas, and even base plates of lighting fixtures!  Some designers even use nail heads to create a pattern on the piece of furniture,” says Jennifer Koen, senior vice president for business development at the luxury consignment site Viyet.  The Greek Key ottoman by the Madeline Stuart Collection offers a modern take on the familiar pattern via nail heads.

IN: Subway Tiles – “Another trend that is certainly nothing new, but seems to be cementing itself as a style element of our generation, is subway tile.  It’s such a classic and versatile tile choice, and it really works with all sorts of styles and is affordable at any price point,” says Bobby Berk.  The new look is all about the unexpected element.  “In my own designs we’ve used subway tile to great effect in a farmhouse kitchen, where we added a dark grout to make the backsplash graphic and allow the tile to be even more durable and less likely to show dirt.  It’s a fantastic choice for any aesthetic, lifestyle, and budget and comes in a variety of materials, colors and finishes.  A great way to combine trends would be to consider a matte glass subway tile, for instances.”

IN: Smart Home Features – As our lives revolve more around our devices, so will our homes.  “We will be seeing more and more creative ways of incorporating charging docks and areas specifically dedicated to these devices into the design of a space,” says designer Warren Sheets. IKEA’s SELJE nightstand is just one example of the new generation of smart furniture.

If you have a style you love, we say go for it, it is your home and if it makes you happy you should absolutely do it.  Now, we may say you might want to rethink that thick green shag carpet.

21 Cheap and Effective Tricks to Keep Your Home Safe

With the Holidays approaching and gift giving at its best, we need to find ways to help safeguard our homes. BuzzFeed posted this 21 Cheap and Effective Tricks to Keep Your Home Safe.
1. Install some dummy surveillance cameras.
2. Always remember to remove flyers from your doorstep, or if you are gone make sure a neighbor does it for you.
3. Put bumper stickers on your car. This will make your car more identifiable and is a good deterrent and to keep it messy. I personally couldn’t do either of those. But if you have to park on a street, this may be a good idea.
4. Keep your landscaping neat and trimmed. Keep large bushes and shrubs away from windows where intruders could be lurking.
5. Buy light timers for your indoor and outdoor lights.
6. Pretend like you’re saying good-bye to someone inside when you leave your home.
7. Don’t leave your electronics boxes out on the curb. Drive them to the recycling plant yourself or cut them up into smaller pieces and conceal them in trash bins.
8. Don’t leave a ladder just hanging out in your backyard. This makes it much easier for burglars to get into through bedroom windows.
9. Make sure that your mirrors don’t reflect your home alarm. Burglars may be able to see if your alarm is unarmed. So make sure you examine your mirrors from all outside angles.
10. Mow your lawn, or have someone mow when you are on vacation.
11. Don’t leave status updates broadcasting that you’re away.
12. Fake a TV glow. There is a gizmo called FakeTV which makes your home look occupied with a device that looks like your TV is on.
13. If you go out of town, have a neighbor leave tracks in the snow or have someone shovel your driveway and sidewalks too.
14. Buy some fake alarm system decals if you can’t afford a real one.
15. When loading a car with suitcases, keep it quick and hidden if possible.
16. Reinforce your door jambs if you have a weak door frame.
17. Cancel your newspaper subscriptions and ask the post office to hold your mail while out of town.
18. Use a wooden dowel or metal bar for sliding doors and windows so they can’t be pried open.
19. Invest in double glazed or toughened glass windows.
20. Get a motion-sensor home security system that lets you monitor your home with your smartphone.
21. Build a secret hiding place for your valuables.
a. Hidden bathroom tile storage
b. Secret wall outlet hiding place
c. Photo frame secret box
d. Door top Stash
e. DIY Air Vent Vault Kit
These are just some ideas; there are so many helpful ways by just googling what you are looking for. I feel the best deterrent against burglars is always a barking dog.

Enjoy your Holiday

Stress-Less Holiday Entertaining

Set up a Thanksgiving Buffet

  • This is simple to do and leaves more room at your dinner table for family and friends
  • Use levels to display the food, such as wooden or decorative boxes or dishes turned upside down
  • Choosing a color palette is the first step
  • If you have a theme, make sure it is carried from the buffet to the table
  • Have a separate beverage buffet, it will keep things less congested
  • Add organic material such as gourds and pumpkins and greenery
  • If using greenery such as herbs, make sure they complement the food with their aroma
  • Use place cards to describe each dish you are serving
  • Use candles with mismatched candle holders this adds a sense of warmth and comfort
  • Plan ahead and have little to go boxes, so if you have a lot of leftovers, you can send home a plate with those that would like one

 

Fall Maintenance for your Home

Just like your car needs maintenance to keep it running, your HVAC system also needs it. Regular HVAC maintenance will reduce energy usage, improve equipment performance, prevent breakdowns and extend equipment life.

I cannot tell you how important it is to get your furnace inspected every year. Here are check points to look for when selecting a company:
• Are they listed with the Better Business Bureau
• Do they replace your filter (Most companies will include this, but there could be an extra charge if you have a large filter. Make sure you let them know the size of your filter.)
• Do they clean your heat exchanger
• Do they check the thermostat reading against what is blowing out of your vents
• Will they make repairs or improvements without your authority
• Is there an extra charge if you have a humidifier
• How important is it that I have a Carbon Monoxide Detector

These are just some of the questions you can ask. When you call a reputable company, they will have no problem explaining what they do, and they will and should stand behind their service.

Just as important is your chimney. Rule of thumb is to always have your chimney checked and cleaned after burning a cord of wood. How do I know what a cord of wood is? A cord measures 4x4x8 feet.

When do I drain my sprinklers? You should always try and get those drained before the first hard frost hits. You can also check to make sure you know which sprinklers need maintenance so those can be repaired before the next season.

What about all my garden hoses? Make sure you drain all of them and coil them up and most importantly, unscrew them from the faucets they are attached too.

While you are in the garage, look at your mower and see if it needs any maintenance done. This would be the time to take it in and have those blades sharpened or oil changed. No rush to get it back, but hopefully you will have it by the time for the first spring mow.

And before the snow blows, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to make sure you have all of your snow shovels ready, along with ice melt and ice scrapers in all the vehicles. What about that snow blower, make sure that is running smoothly before that first snow hits.

Sometimes you think, I don’t have time for all of this, but in the long run, the little bit of time you spend preparing saves you stress when you actually are in the moment of all of it.

Kinning Design Build

The Hillsdale

The Hillsdale

THE HILLSDALE – $325-$350,000 – This price does include the basement finish, but does not include the cost of the lot.

The Hillsdale is a 1,697 sq. ft. ranch, two bedroom home with an option for two more bedrooms in the basement. This ranch has an open kitchen and great room with 10’ ceilings. The kitchen has a center island that looks into the great room with fireplace, and also a 6’ x 10’ entry way. Another highlight of the kitchen is the large walk in pantry. The master bedroom has a 9’ coffered ceiling with a walk-in closet and shower, also the master closet is directly connected to the laundry room.

The other bedroom is at the opposite side of the house and could easily be an office or craft room depending on the season in your life.
The basement offers 1,105 sq. ft. of finish, this is where two more bedrooms are located along with a large rec room and wet bar area.

Floor Plans

Your Kitchen: The Ultimate Dance Floor

As the weather is getting warmer and activities have moved outdoors you may think your kitchen is going to get a rest from constant company. However, we all know that your kitchen is where everyone ultimately ends up.

Your kitchen floor sees it all. Dirty shoes, dirty feet, dirty paws…a lot of dirt and hopefully a little dancing.

When choosing your kitchen floor many factors need to be taken into consideration. Three of those factors are:

-Style/Color

-Material

-Price

Your floors need to match your overall style. Light flooring can draw your eye upward to those beautiful kitchen cabinets you had custom made but light flooring gets dirty a lot quicker than a dark floor. When thinking about choosing a lighter flooring look into a natural stone or tile which is easy to clean. A dark wood floor will draw a lot of attention downward which may be intentional. Your cherry oak floors deserve attention but they may draw your eyes away from your lovely granite countertops. Whatever you choose, match your style but durability and clean-ability are just as important.

The material you choose will be influenced greatly by your style but also keep in mind that your kitchen floor will experience a lot of wear and tear. For those of you who don’t want concrete kitchen floors here are some other durable alternatives:

  • Natural Stone (such as travertine)
  • Tile
  • Hardwood or Engineered Hardwood

The third, and for some of you, most important factor when making these decisions is price. The most important thing is to do your research. Sometimes you get what you pay for so paying extra, especially when it comes to flooring may mean you are getting more value. Try finding your ideal flooring, if it’s out of your price range talk to the flooring company about a similar, less expensive alternative.

Overall, your kitchen is a gathering place whether you want it to be or not so you might as well create a kitchen space that can sustain a little more wear and tear than you plan for.

 

 

 

What to Know About the Air Filter in Your Home

When it comes to air filters, homeowners have many choices. But, regardless of the type or quality of air filter you install, there are a few things you should know about your air filter.

Indoor pollution, both chemical and environmental, is a large concern for homeowners. Not only for those who deal with various allergies and respiratory problems but for those who don’t as well. The air filter uses synthetic materials to catch dust, small particles, and debris. Changing your air filter more frequently could lead to a healthier life and possibly a more inexpensive one as well.

Having a clean air filter will lead to the proper performance of your HVAC and in turn reduce costs. According to the serviceexperts.com, choosing how often you change your air filters depends on many different factors. These factors include:

  • Type of filter your HVAC requires
  • The overall air quality of your city or hometown
  • If you have pets
  • Number of occupants in your house

Obviously the worse the air quality is around you, the more pets you own, and the more people you have living under one roof, the more often you should change your air filter. Some say, change your air filter when it’s dirty but for those who do not find themselves checking the air filter every now and then a good rule of thumb is to check it and most likely change it every other month.

The problem with the $0.99 air filter is that originally is was created to simply protect your HVAC, not create a better air quality in your home. In the case of air filters, the more expensive the air filter, the higher quality you will receive. You get what you pay for so saving a few extra dollars in this category might not be to your benefit or those who dwell in your home.

In conclusion, you should be changing your air filter more than you think especially if you have pets or deal with allergies. Hopefully changing your air filter is a common occurrence for most of you but if it’s not, check your air filter and make sure you are doing your part to  create a healthy environment in your home.