Looking for inspiration for your next remodel?

Here are some of the top trends we’re anticipating this year.

Bold Accent Walls
Move over paint and wallpaper. The new way to pop an accent wall in any room is with tile or stone. Partial horizontal backsplashes will continue to be replaced by full walls of tile in the kitchen and bath. Full wall fireplace surrounds – in stone, masonry or tile – will run floor to ceiling.

Colors of the Year
Pantone announced its two-color winner for 2016: Rose Quartz and Serenity, a pale pink and periwinkle blue combo that are stirring much debate. To get a sense of these colors, think of the pink and blue plastic pegs you add to your car in the classic board game Life.

Open Layouts
Homeowners will continue to embrace open floor plans in 2016, and the kitchen will remain the primary anchor of these spaces. This can mean building an addition or expanding the existing footprint of your house, or this can be done by making use of existing square footage by opening up walls and designing more functional layouts to create a larger common gathering place and living area.

Space for Aging Parents
More and more homeowners want to care for elderly parents at home rather than send them to costly care-giving facilities. The projects range from wheelchair accessibility and safety upgrades, to building private mother-in-law suites.

showering and brushing his teeth. In order to accomplish this, the homeowners had a wish list of items that they wanted the exterior renovation and bathroom remodel to accomplish. This included: providing a way for their son to get outside easily from his bedroom which was on the main level of the ranch style home, creating protection from the elements outside when their son was waiting for a ride and easy access to and from the driveway once he’s outside. They also wanted to ensure that the exterior renovations to the home did not detract from the beauty of it. For the bathroom remodel their goals were: a roll-in shower for ease of access with a wheelchair, sink with room for a wheelchair to fit under and plenty of room in the space for him to easily get around.
Added Functionality
Both of the new spaces, the bathroom and the exterior modifications have greatly enhanced the functionality of the home. When the homeowners purchased this ranch home, they knew that some modifications would be necessary. Having a ramp to the outside provides a tremendous help in allowing access in and out of the house without much help from others. And the new bath with all of the accessible amenities allows the little boy to conveniently and accessibly get ready for his day. A new wall-mounted sink with cabinets helps maximize the space and provides convenient storage at the same time.

BEFORE THE RAMP INSTALLATION

BEFORE BATHROOM RENOVATION

Function and Beauty
The exterior renovation complements the rest of the home beautifully. If fact, it adds to the architectural interest of the home. The new portico and curved ramp with a stone wall were added seamlessly. The neighbors have commented how amazing the transformation looks. The bathroom is done in beautiful tones and offers a relaxing and clean atmosphere that anyone would enjoy using.

FLOOR PLANS

Seamless Integration
With an accessible design project, a major goal is for the modifications to blend seamlessly with the existing structure. The ramp was designed in such a way to not only provide the functional value that the homeowners desired but to add visual interest to the home as well. The curved layout added an interesting design element along with an attractive metal gate placed where the ramp meets the driveway. A stone wall adds to the overall beauty.

AFTER

End Result
Overall the project turned out beautifully and the homeowners couldn’t be more thrilled. This little boy now has the mobility and independence he and his family desired. The design team came up with a variety of solutions to meet the homeowner’s needs of greater accessibility for their son to and from the outside of the home. He has easy access to the driveway allowing him to get to school and other activities without much assistance. He has a beautiful new bathroom that’s all his and his own personal “suite”.

BEFORE

Extensive renovations including adding new space were made to the home. The scope of work on the first floor included: relocating the kitchen, remodeling the bathroom, adding a laundry room which was previously in the basement, adding a side entry mudroom, building a covered entry, and in the new space adding a living room and screened in porch.

FLOOR and ELEVATION PLANS

Second floor renovations included: a new master suite, converting an existing hall bath into a jack and jill bath for the kids, and adding a new HVAC unit.

AFTER

The biggest challenge of the project was figuring out the kitchen space. The homeowners wanted a larger kitchen but doing that in its original space would have created a very narrow room. The idea to move it to the other side of the house allowed for the perfect space for an expanded kitchen with an ideal layout.

The homeowner could not have been more thrilled with the end result. The renovations turned out exactly as they wanted them. They loved working with their designer because he listened to what they wanted, and didn’t just try to pressure them into taking only his ideas. The front cedar porch is warm and inviting and has amazing curb appeal. The family love that they now have seating at the bar in the kitchen for quick meals and couldn’t be happier with all of their new bathrooms. The additional space allowed for all of the changes they wanted to make their home work perfectly for them now and down the road.

View Project

Unusual Challenges
The biggest challenge on this job was the fact that we had one month to complete the project and being on the 18th floor of the condominium building presented challenges in terms of ease of getting in and out of the building. Working in condos regularly; our team knew the ins and outs of being as efficient as possible when dealing with parking, elevator and other building issues. Working with limited design options, we had to choose materials that we knew would look great and be available to fit our timeframe for completion. Knowing which products are easier to get than others, we were able to select materials that would meet our time constraints while at the same time look great. And knowing that we had limited design options being a condo bathroom, we were able to come up with a plan that suited the space perfectly while accommodating the clients’ needs.

Before

Before and After Floor Plans

The Result

The result of this project was a re-designed condominium bathroom that looked beautiful and provided the functionality that the homeowner desired. An accessible shower, a toilet and sink along with grab bars transformed the room perfectly. The homeowner’s didn’t see the project until it was complete and were truly shocked by the transformation. They didn’t realize an accessible bathroom could look so beautiful at the same time. They couldn’t wait to show off the new space to their friends. View Project

“We could not have been more pleased! I can’t even describe the look on Curtis’ (my husband’s) face–the smile was enormous and so wonderfully genuine. You guys did an amazing job.” – C. B.

The new kitchen features a brand new flat ceiling to replace the dated tray ceiling that once existed. The maple cabinets, in a saddle brown stain add warmth to the space and complement the décor of the surrounding rooms. New countertops and a ceramic tile backsplash add a touch of elegance to the room. And a new island complete with bar stools allows for the additional eating area the homeowners sought to add.

Lighting was very important in the newly remodeled room. Recessed lighting was added throughout in addition to under cabinet and task lighting perfect for the family to cook up some of the family’s favorite recipes.

This kitchen remodel includes all of the homeowner’s wish list items. A warmly lit, updated beautiful kitchen with gorgeous cabinets and countertops and an island perfect for enjoying a quick meal, make this the ideal kitchen for this busy family on the go.

Size: Size is pretty important when designing a screened-in porch. Homeowners don’t generally wish that their porch was smaller, but will regret if they go too small in their design. Your designer can help you determine the best size for your space and needs.

Dining Area: When planning a porch, make sure to include room for a dining area. Meals just taste better out on the porch. Think about the table size you will be using. Maybe you want seating for six or eight. Just imagine all the breakfasts, cookouts and dinner parties you can have with friends and family out on the porch.

Ceiling Fans: Ceiling fans are a must when it comes to a screened-in porch. Not only do they provide you with cool breezes, they add much ambiance to the porch. They are even great on cooler days as their slow movement gently circles overhead. One fan is good, two are even better if it’s a good size porch. Be sure to buy exterior grade fans as they will withstand the elements much better than an interior grade fan.

Lighting: Lighting is so important in any space, be it indoors or out. Think about how you will use the space to determine the best lighting options for you. Including lots of outlets allows for flexibility down the road.

Music: When relaxing in your screened-in porch, there’s nothing better than listening to your favorite tunes. Pre-wiring for outdoor speakers is a great addition to any outdoor area.

Ceiling Height: Think about raising the ceiling if possible. Raising the ceiling will make a smaller porch feel much bigger, and can really help the porch feel even cooler letting the cool night breezes in.

Jacuzzis and TV’s: If entertainment is what you are looking for in your screened-in space, think about fun additions like a TV or Jacuzzi tub for more summertime fun.

Whatever options you choose for your screened-in porch, you can’t go wrong in adding a relaxing outdoor retreat to your backyard that you and your family can enjoy all summer long.

SVA Construction Corp Design Build ~ June 2014 Homes for Life Newsletter

The homeowners, perennial city dwellers, decided that they were in a place in their lives that they wanted more space in their home and thus opted to move out to the suburbs. They found a great house on a quiet street with lots of great trees and nice yards. But the interior of the home needed some remodeling in order to meet their needs. The homeowners love to entertain and enjoy cooking new and interesting things. Because of this they had some very specific requirements of the new space. In order to accomplish these goals a complete demolition and redesign of the space was needed.

The scope of work included: demolition of an existing kitchen and dining room to create one large kitchen space which would provide both food prep, cooking, baking and entertaining space, removing a load bearing wall between the two spaces, and updating the dated kitchen that had last been remodeled in the 70’s into a unique, contemporary look. The components of the kitchen were very important to the homeowners. Because their wish list was so immense, the kitchen was designed into two key areas. The main area of the kitchen included a high end gas range and gas fire wok perfect for cooking and grilling and a large sink and dishwasher. Open shelves were also incorporated to house cooking supplies and serving dishes and to create an open, airy look. The other side of the kitchen contains the bar area with room for gathering and entertaining. The bar also includes a small prep sink, ovens for baking and microwave. Granite countertops and porcelain tile floors throughout tied the whole room together.

Overall, the homeowner’s goals were met with a beautifully updated contemporary kitchen with all of the bells and whistles the homeowners desired. Not only do they have the ideal layout to cook and bake a wide variety of items, they now have the gathering space they desired to host parties for family and friends. And the clean, sleek lines of the space, contemporary appliances and cabinetry, and open shelving create the contemporary look the homeowners were seeking.

~ SVA Construction Corp Design Build, Kitchen Remodel 2014

For the exterior, our clients desires consisted of having a ramp installed that leads to the driveway from the exterior door in LJ’s bedroom. They wanted this door to be electronic and to have a touchpad for him to independently press it open and closed.  An important factor was to have an awning over this doorway to protect LJ from the elements while waiting for his ride.

Our solution for these exterior needs were extensive but turned out great. We widened the exterior door and built a portico roof over the door entrance to mimic the overhang of the house for shelter. Having as much independence as possible was very important so a special wireless key was installed on LJ’s door both inside and outside. This way LJ can carry an automatic door opener and open the door. All of the modifications were made so that he could use his left hand to operate things.

For the interior the main focus was on LJ’s bathroom, which was already a full size bathroom. The client wanted the bathroom to be widened more to hold a wheelchair. Not to mention making the whole bathroom easily accessible for LJ to utilize.

We made these modifications plus added some more touches that would allow for updating, if the client desires at a later time. We used the closet in LJ’s bedroom to enlarge the bathroom taking special care to reinforce all walls, especially around the toilet, to be able to handle grab bars. The toilet is wheelchair height and we installed an electric outlet for hot water to use a Toto Washlet at a later date. The sink is also wheelchair height and is bowed out for easy use. A great feature for LJ is the motion sensored faucet we installed. There are two grab bars in the shower, a hand held shower head and a permanent shower head. The shower is curbless for wheelchair access and easy turning.

This was a fantastic project and we are so glad that we were able to help!

~ SVA Construction Corp Design Build – Seiff Project 2014

~ Janice Shack-Marquez via LinkedIn regarding Blog on SVA Construction Corp Design Build becoming a valuable member of The National Aging in Place Council – May 2014.

Make it Soothing with Water. There’s something about water that’s serene and peaceful. Be sure to add it to your patio. Enhance those relaxing moments with a patio-size water garden.

Leverage Shade. Have a large shade tree? Why not consider building your patio under its canopy? You’ll enjoy the cool, shady retreat in the heat of summer when you need a quick break from your afternoon gardening chores. You can also plant your favorite shade plants around your patio for summer-long color and interest.

Add Cover with a Pergola. More substantial than an arbor but less confining than a gazebo, a pergola may be as simple as an overhead structure attached to the back of your house to cover a deck. Or it might be a grand, freestanding structure that’s the main focal point of a yard. Pergolas are especially effective over paved areas, such as paths, courtyards, and patios.

Throw down a Rug. There are more and more high-quality, weather-resistant rugs for use outdoors. They come in a variety of colors and styles, so you can find one to suit your tastes.

Using Light on the Patio. Give your patio personality at night. Whether to illuminate a dark space or add ambiance to your favorite seating area, outdoor lighting can be just the touch of nighttime pizzazz your patio needs.

Build a Fire Pit. Gather around the fire with the kids late at night. Perfect for toasting marshmallows in summer or warming your outdoor space in spring or fall, fire pits are a gathering place on the patio. Fire pits can be made from anything from flagstone slabs to small boulders.

Create a Patio with Curving Edges
Don’t be square! Create a patio with curving edges to add character and a sense of informality to your outdoor living area. Curves can be more relaxing and visually appealing than straight lines.

Homes for Life – May 2014 SVA Construction Corp Design Build Newsletter