Category: Architectural Trends

Let Us Work On Your Interiors: Kitchen Trends for 2014

If you’re a fan of warm tones or interesting colors in kitchens, then you’ll love this year’s trends. All-white designs are out and natural materials with bold designs are in.

2014 Kitchen Trends
Source: TAB Associates

Here are a few of the hottest kitchen trends for 2014:

  • Blue: This color might seem like an odd choice for a kitchen, but it’s becoming a popular one. Homeowners are choosing all different shades of blue, ranging from soft sky blues to bright turquoise and sophisticated navy tones. Blue is mainly making an appearance in tiles and cupboards, as well as decor items.
  • Eye-catching backsplashes: These areas above the stove or sink are really standing out, thanks to brightly colored splashbacks with bold patterns. These work well with kitchens that are mostly done in white or neutral colors since they create contrast.
  • Natural materials: Wood, stone, brick and other natural materials are giving kitchens some rustic appeal and creating a warm and welcoming environment. This trend also involves exposing older beams and structures, as well as adding new features.

Want to see examples of kitchen trends for 2014? Contact TAB Associates for more information or check out our online portfolio today.

Ideas for Building Your Outdoor Room for Future Summers

An outdoor room gives you a place to enjoy your natural surroundings while sitting in comfort. It can be so much more than a simple set of patio chairs and a table. When designing your outdoor room, don’t be afraid to get creative.

Creating an Outdoor Room
Source: TAB Associates

Use the following outdoor room design ideas to help you come up with the perfect setup for yours:

  • Focus on fun. Give your outdoor room a truly natural feel by using grass as the floor instead of wood or stone. Set out some rocking chairs and consider including a swing or two for a whimsical touch that kids and adults alike can enjoy.
  • Make it multifunctional. Instead of just focusing on seating, get more use out of your outdoor room by including a fireplace, big-screen TV, kitchen area, a dining table and chairs, and a counter with a row of bar stools. This makes the room a great spot for relaxing or entertaining.
  • Create an outdoor sleeping area. Turn your outdoor room into a place where you can enjoy sleeping under the stars in comfort on a suspended bed.

Ready to discuss your outdoor room project? Contact TAB Associates, and follow us on Facebook.

How Can 3D Printing Help You Design Your Home?

Home design could take on an entirely new look, thanks to 3D printing. Although using this technology for designing a home is in the very early stages, a few designers have already come up with some cutting-edge architectural concepts.

How 3D printing affects home building
Source: Shutterstock

3D printing has been in the news a lot in recent years. This type of printing would allow a variety of items and materials to be printed for a wide range of purposes. As far as using it to design and build homes, that’s a long way off. However, some designers have been experimenting with the possibilities that this technology provides.

These designs don’t resemble the types of residences we’re used to, though. Part of adopting this approach would include either modifying them into more typical homes or getting people used to living in these very different home models. For now, the excitement over this technology is due to the freedom it gives architects to come up with new and very different home designs. It could also be used to create models of traditional homes to make it easier for people to decide what they want.

Need professional help designing a home? Contact us at TAB Associates, and follow our Facebook page.

Architecture Inspiration: Elements of Ranch Style

Ranches are often thought of as simple, one-story homes, but they can be much more than that. Ranch style homes are typically longer than other single-story homes, such as Cape Cod houses. Although they’re usually only one level, some can be raised ranches, also known as split-level homes.

These are a couple common characteristics of these homes:

  • Plenty of windows. Rooms in ranches don’t benefit from sunlight the way second-floor rooms do, but you can still maximize the amount of natural light you get by having several windows put in. Also, these windows can include transoms to get light deep into the lower level.  You can choose from a variety of styles and have a portico with clerestory windows installed for even more light.
  • Eye-catching entrance. The entrance for a ranch home can be done in a number of ways to boost curb appeal. It might not have a large porch or the impressive height of a two-story house, so it’s important to make the most of the entrance. Dress yours up with side lites or a walkway with a bench and garden.
  • Ranch homes are great for first-time homebuyers or those looking to for simple living.  Click here for a style guide for ranch homes and a pros and cons to assist home buyers in making the right decision.

Thinking of having a ranch style home built? Contact TAB Associates to set up a consultation, and follow us on Facebook.

 

Make Your Home One With the Landscape

If your home is surrounded by beautiful views, you can incorporate them into your home’s design. This can help you feel more connected to the outdoors, even while relaxing in your living room or preparing a meal in your kitchen.

design that blends seamlessly with outdoors
Source: TAB Associates


Here are some ideas for designing a home that blends seamlessly with its natural surroundings:

  • Turn the views into artwork. A large, wide window on one wall can reveal a stunning panoramic view that serves as natural artwork. Frame the window with curtains, a curtain rod, and bookshelves for an even more picturesque effect.
  • Make rooms appear more spacious. By installing wall-to-wall windows, you can include gorgeous views of the surrounding area. This can make smaller rooms seem much more spacious and inviting. This effect is enhanced even more when the room’s design is minimalistic.
  • Combine formality with a traditional domestic quality. Include characteristics that make homes look domestic, such as a gabled roof, while using carefully aligned features, such as an outdoor pool lining up with a fireplace, to create a formal look.

Need more ideas on designing a home? Contact TAB Associates, and follow us on Facebook.

How to Build Your Home to Display Art

When you have an impressive art collection, it’s important to make sure that your home gives you a good way to display it. Instead of having all the pieces in one room, you can spread them around if you have the right home design.

 

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Use the following tips to create a home that serves as the ideal setting for your art collection:

  • Let in light. Natural sunlight can highlight your artwork and help draw the eye toward it. Having several clerestory windows installed on the upper part of your home helps let in as much sun as possible. Using as much glass as possible on the walls also helps let in more natural light.
  • Connect the pieces. Your home can be set up similar to a museum, with certain pieces displayed in each room, based on a theme. To make things more coherent, include a way to connect these pieces, such as a central courtyard, surrounded by a gallery area for more art walls.
  • Create good display areas. Add shelving in strategically placed areas to display your artwork. This can work in any room in your home.

Ready to discuss your home’s design with the experts? Contact us at TAB Associates, and stop by our Facebook page.

How Your Home’s Wood Can Tell Its Story

Wood can add a warm and natural touch to any home. When designing a home with wood, it’s important to think about how this material can reflect on a home and share its story.

Use wood to soften a living space
Source: TAB Associates


Keep these tips in mind when using wood in a home’s design:

  • Create contrast. Combining wood with a starker material, like concrete or stone, can highlight a home’s past. For example, a home built from a former industrial building can use wood to add some warmth, while leaving structural elements, like concrete columns, beams, and floors intact.
  • Keep an original element or two. Leaving a structural wood element in place, while adding new ones, can help you blend the old with the new. Elements such as a wooden ladder in a renovated barn serve as a reminder of the building’s former use. The newer wood can create a more inviting appearance.
  • Blend old and new woods. Using more than one type of wood can create some interesting visual appeal in almost any home. The original wood can remain faded as a reminder of the past, while the newer one can add a sharp modern contrast.

Need professional help designing a home with wood? Call TAB Associates, and follow us on Facebook.

Why You Can Have a Flat Roof in a Snowy Climate

For homeowners interested in contemporary and modern architecture, a flat roof is a highly desirable option. You may believe that living in harsh winters with heavy snow fall means you can’t enjoy a flat roof, but you can enjoy both a flat roof and a snowy climate.

unique architectural trendsunique architectural trends
Source: TAB Associates
  • Materials: The materials that you choose for your home play an important part in determining if your home is suitable for snow. A wooden roof with steel supports and reinforcement is one way to make a flat roof possible.  The key is to provide an acceptable membrane for waterproofing.
  • Insulation: The engineer and architect can work together to design a roof that has adequate insulation to support snow. In fact, the required insulation for your home may well be just what’s needed to support the snow, depending on the design.
  • Preventing leaks: It’s a common misconception that flat roofs leak more than other roof types. The truth is that any improperly designed or damaged roof can leak from time to time.
  • Easy to maintain: Like any roof design, flat roofs do require maintenance. A suitably designed flat roof will also have drainage features.  Proper drainage is one of the keys to an appropriate flat roof.

Are you designing a home? Contact us at TAB Associates to discuss the roof and other design elements to enhance your property.

Ideas for Opening Up Your Home to Nature

Most homeowners settle on using more plants and fresh flowers to incorporate nature in their home. But what if you could open up your home to nature through your building design? Work with your architectural designer to incorporate the following nature-friendly components into your home.

incorporate nature into home design
  • Winter-friendly Porch. Even in snowy climates, you can extend the porch’s lifetime well beyond the chilly fall and spring months. Employ the use of a wood burning stove or fireplace, plush seating and warm throws to entice your guests with an enclosed porch. Floor to ceiling windows give the illusion you are outdoors, and do so without the chill.
  • Entry-way. Recreate the entry way to your home and emphasize the natural beauty of your surroundings. Emphasize architectural elements of the home that resemble a natural setting, such as wood, stone, water and other elements.
  • Ample windows. Using ample windows in your home opens up the interior to different natural views on the property. Work with your building design professionals to create window space around the scenic views on your property. Enjoy year-round natural views from the comfort of your home.
  • Sliding Glass Doors. Using large sliding glass doors that pocket into a wall provide a large opening in a wall to bring the outside inside.  This can open to a deck or a patio, covered or not.

Are you interested in a building design that emphasizes nature and sustainability? Contact us at TAB Associates.

 

 

How to Build Your Home to Control the Sun

Balancing your need for protection from the sun with its appeal is important in sunny climates. Instead of blasting your air conditioner over the summer, explore the suggestions below for incorporating sun control into your building design.

Build your home to control the sun
Source: TAB Associates


  • Stone walls. Stone walls are a fascinating building material because they store and release the warmth of the day in the evenings when homes are cooler. Stone walls on the patio with slotted openings block out the sun while allowing light and wind to illuminate and provide a much needed breeze on the patio.
  • Solar Paneling. For a unique and sustainable option, employ the use of solar panels that will re-purpose heat as useful energy in the home. Make use of the natural shade this “solar panel canopy” provides by designing a rooftop seating area under the panels.
  • Extended walls. Extend the roofs for proper overhangs and walls of your home beyond the windows to elongate your indoor space while simultaneously enjoying shade from the sun’s heat. You may want to build these extensions into your home’s structure or incorporate a retractable awning into your building design.

 

If you would like to discuss controlling the sun in your home’s building design, contact us at TAB Associates.