CREATING A SOFT AND ORGANIC LOOK WITH WOOD GRAIN

Wood grain is everywhere these days. From butcher block countertops and iPhone cases to wallpaper and tea towels stenciled with faux bois patterns. Wood grain is popular because it’s a sure and simple way to create a softer, more organic look. It also echoes the overarching permanent shift toward sustainability. A great illustration of how wood grain sets a clean and chic modern tone is the elegant warmth of the wood grained fireplace pictured here by Smith Homes.

Faux wood tile is trending too. Since it’s water resistant it can be used in parts of the home (bathrooms, kitchens, mudrooms) where wood would be unwise. Faux wood tile is actually a ceramic that combines rich finishes of real wood with the design flexibility of tile. So the possibilities are endless. It looks amazing and is less expensive than real wood.

Over the last several years there’s also been a sharp spike in demand for custom kitchen cabinetry. More than ever home owners are craving natural-looking wood grains in their cooking and dining spaces. They’re looking for simple lines and a sense of true artisanship. Though such cabinetry can be a bit on the pricy side—fine grained woods like walnut and white oak have slowly become the cabinetry standard.

A less expensive alternative to walnut and oak is knotty wood. An excellent example of knotty cypress cabinetry is featured in the Peters House by Craig Steely Architecture (check out http://craigsteely.com/projects/peters_house). These to-die-for cabinets are crafted from reclaimed personality-rich knotty pine and are a truly gorgeous way to bring modern warmth into your home.

ADORABLE DOORS

The DIY Network calls entry doors the “portal to the soul of your house.” We couldn’t agree more. Steel entry doors are hot right now offering a sturdy heft that’s very appealing to homeowners. Copper and bronze are popular right now too. Like steel doors copper and bronze doors are super sturdy. An added feature of interest is their dynamic finish. Due to oxidation, copper and bronze doors are constantly changing in color. Fiberglass doors are becoming increasingly sought-after. Though fiberglass doors mimic the look and feel of real wood—they won’t warp in extreme conditions.

We still prefer good old wooden doors simply because they evoke woodsy warmth and character. We’ve been toying with door colors—most recently marigold, turquoise, and Kelly green. Like the orange door featured above by Cambridge-based Pinney Designs—a pithy and adorable door color can add an interesting twist to the home’s personality.   Since wooden doors can crack and fracture in extreme conditions we do advise touching up the finish every couple of years.

Wooden doors are available in wood sustainably grown and harvested by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). So the more ecologically-conscious can breathe easy.

Make an entrance!

WOMEN LIKE US

Since March is Women’s History Month we wanted to highlight some facts related to women at work including some statistics regarding women who, like us, work in “nontraditional jobs.”

Women at Work Prior to the 19th century, most women who earned a living worked as seamstresses, took in laundry, or kept boardinghouses.  By the turn of the century women were primarily limited to factory labor or domestic work.   Some women; however, worked in professional jobs such as writing and teaching.  According to Compton’s Interactive Encyclopedia: During wartime women have served in the armed forces. In the United States during World War II almost 300,000 women served in the Army and Navy, performing such noncombatant jobs as secretaries, typists, and nurses.

Today, women constituted nearly half of all employed persons in the United States.  Only 6.2 percent of employed women worked in nontraditional occupations in 2008.

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics more than one-half of all working women are clustered in 25 of 504 job categories.  Excluding teachers and nurses, most of these categories are among the lowest-paid “traditionally female” occupations.

What is a nontraditional job? According to the United States Department of Labor a nontraditional occupation for women is one in which women comprise 25 percent or less of total employment.

Examples of nontraditional jobs for women: Paramedics, police officers, detectives, architects, chefs, barbers, automotive, clergy, computer and office machine repairers, engineers, park rangers, welding, railroad conductors, machinists, truck drivers, fire fighters, building trades, aircraft pilots, construction occupations (like ours), and small engine mechanics. Why do women want nontraditional jobs?

According to AFSCME here are some of the reasons women aspire to hold nontraditional jobs. 

• Better pay — 20%-30% more than women in traditionally female jobs.

RAMMED EARTH REVIVAL

Rammed earth is another natural material making a giant comeback. From tiny hut-like dwellings in the dry regions of Africa to the wet northern European region—this ancient technique has been used around the globe since 5,000 B.C. Using natural materials such as earth, chalk, lime and gravel—the rammed earth technique can be labor-intensive to construct. Wall construction begins with a temporary wooden frame that acts as a mould for the desired shape and dimensions of each section. The earthen materials are then dampened, poured into the sturdy mould, and compressed into batches that are gradually built to desired size. The result is a solid, durable, sustainable wall of earth.

One wonderful characteristic of a rammed earth structure is its ability to regulate temperature—absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night. Another huge bonus is that rammed earth structures last indefinitely. That’s right—forever. Finally, it’s estimated that rammed-earth structures can be built for around two-thirds the cost of a standard frame home (after all, dirt is dirt cheap).

Today, it estimated that around one third of the world’s population live in mostly low-rise earthen dwellings in less developed countries. However, in more urbanized areas with sustainably-oriented architects at the helm, rammed earth is experiencing quite a revival. Regardless of vicinity—rammed earth is a wonderful earth-centric way to leave a lighter footprint.

Pictured here is a wonderfully modern interpretation of this very ancient technique by Kendle Design. This glorious Quartz Mountain home captures the stark beauty of the Arizona Dessert.   For more visit kendledesign.com.

AU NATUREL MAKES A COME BACK

Using natural materials in the construction of buildings and homes is nothing new. Elements like bamboo, straw, rammed earth, adobe (sun-baked mud brick) and thatch were all vital in the making of almost every kind of pre-historic building structure. Sustainable materials were in abundance just waiting to be harvested and used—nature at your fingertips. Everything was DYI. If you wanted a home you’d gather what was nearby, get ingenious, and build something solid.

Of course that was prior to the breakthrough of iron and steel and factories and full-time jobs and the transportation boom and the information age. Well folks, the pendulum always swings. There is renewed interest in incorporating those same natural materials into building construction. Not only do they lessen environmental impact but they also offer uniquely random characteristics not found in common material; for example—the stunningly beautiful, inherent surface details of a rammed-earth wall or the sculpted pattern of a troweled adobe floor.

Sustainable Award-Winning Home: Elamang Avenue by Luigi Rosselli

The irony of this swinging pendulum is this: using natural elements like dry vegetation and heather for thatching and straw bales for insulation were employed because they were accessible and low-cost to everyone. Back then the weaving and building and harvesting and dry stacking was up to the common man. Now, a thatched ecologically friendly roof (for example) is actually cost prohibitive because of its labor intensity (assuming that you wouldn’t be thatching yourself) and is thus the choice of more affluent folks. As with all new products and services, eventually the costs will come down and utilizing natural materials will likely become the expectation rather than the exception.

Stay tuned for more on rammed walls.

HERE COMES THE MODERN AMERICAN FARMHOUSE

Image Published by Dwell and originally appeared in Ozark Original

When my partner and I received the blueprints for our Winona Park modern farmhouse our hearts literally pounded. Turns out we both had secret desires to work on a layout of this nature. There’s something curiously optimistic about the generous open space that readily draws you in. It turns out we’re not the only ones who are jazzed about the Modern American Farmhouse. These spacious and gabled architectural archetypes are springing up among cornfields, neighborhoods and suburbia across America.

Historically American Farmhouses were designed to work on large acreage. Families stayed in one room at a time while the additional rooms were being built. The style offered a woodsy functionality worth waiting for. Plans were as varied as the Regions upon which they were built. Earthy and chic, from shot-gun style to a more industrial flair, one thing is certain—the Modern American Farmhouse is here to stay.

CHARACTERISTICS OF A MODERN AMERICAN FARMHOUSE:

• Wood siding on the exterior
• Wide or Wrap-around porches
• Simple roof structure, metal roofs are increasingly popular
• Mostly two-story
• Composed of basic shapes (usually rectangular) to allow for expansion
• Double hung windows and shutters
• Usually built on larger pieces of property
• Often accompanied by out buildings, barns and garages

Wouldn't you agree the Modern American Farmhouse is here to stay?

FIVE THINGS WE DO REALLY WELL

The topsy-turvy economy of recent years has forced many businesses to reconcile with their true nature. We feel that capitalizing on the inherent strengths and talents that naturally exist in your business is the best way to set your services apart. Whether you own a quaint café or a king-sized franchise—knowing your strengths (and weaknesses) is the lifeblood to any business success. Below are five things we KNOW we we're good at:

BEING RELIABLE

If we say we’ll meet you somewhere at a certain time you can count on it. We always live up to our promises and obligations. A home renovation can be a costly endeavor and we don’t take it lightly. We earn our clients trust by never making promises we can’t keep.

STAYING NIMBLE

The advantages of running a small company are many. We think one of the most important advantages is our ability to execute swift changes. It costs big companies big time and big money to make changes that we can do with a phone call. We’d rather spend time being productive on our job sites than burn time at endless strategy meetings where consensus is rarely reached.

DEVELOPING AND MAINTAINING RELATIONSHIPS

Fortunately we have solid relationships with everyone we work with. Over time, we’ve cultivated our “go to” real estate agents, bankers, sub-contractors, and architects and have them all on speed dial. Building strong business relationships takes time and follow-through. But strong business relationships in any business are pure gold.

HAVING A DISTINCTIVE BRAND

From face-to-face contact to social media—we work hard to ensure that our unique brand message is delivered consistently. We recently added this blog in order to let everyone know a little bit more about Level Craft. Who we are—Debbie and Virginia. What our aesthetic is—simple, clean, functional, warm, modern, and natural. And what we represent—quality, detail, and craftsmanship.

MAKING NECESSARY ADJUSTMENTS

At Level Craft we know the importance of adjusting our strategies and pricing when a course correction is required. We keep a finger on the pulse of our finicky and temperamental market so we can adjust our pricing accordingly. Being willing to change helps us remain competitive within our sometimes temperamental marketplace.

COMING SOON WINNONA PARK MODERN FARMHOUSE

We have a beautiful 4 bedroom 3 ½ bath modern farmhouse underway in the Winnona Park area of Decatur. This house is turning into a real showpiece. A stone’s throw away from Agnes Scott, it epitomizes the phrase “modern farmhouse.” With red weathered brick porch piers and highly sustainable standing seam metal roof—the exterior of the home is a sleeker interpretation of the classic farmhouse. Metal roofs like this are preferred by the US Environmental Protection Agency because they help to prevent solar heat gain thus making them “cooler.” They also provide a very unique aesthetic effect to the home’s exterior.

Inside are hardwood floors throughout, a spacious and open living space and 9’ ceilings. Shaker-style cabinets built from reclaimed wood rescued from another local historical home are a unique kitchen feature. Stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops and an eat-in peninsula make the kitchen both functional and fashionable. The masterbath boasts an über-cool reclaimed clawfoot tub. Other desirable elements are a functional fireplace, oversized laundry room, generous closet spaces, mudroom, and a full basement for storage.

The home sits on a very large lot with a screened in back porch and fully fenced landscaped back yard. It’s truly an urban oasis—accessible to shopping and commercial areas yet set back generously from S. Candler Street thus preventing extraneous street noise. We are in the process of deciding between grey owl, harbor grey, campfire smoke or very light chromium for the exterior color. The choice could be yours if you’re interested in this very special property and want to arrange a pre-market preview by contacting Lewis & Redwine Realty at 404-897-1595.