Tag: Architecture advice for Homeowners

Trends In Architecture to Watch for In the Future

The world of architecture is constantly evolving, and keeping track of new developments helps you take the best out of the trends that come and go. What’s new for 2014? TAB Associates offers the following information on four architecture trends that are expected to become prominent as the year progresses.

TAB Associates Green Projects
Source: TAB Associates
  • Greater attention from the public regarding large-scale construction projects- Members of the public are increasingly likely to take an active role in managing and deciding on large scale building projects that have a strong impact on the urban landscape and local economy.
  • Off-the-grid on the urban scene– Although going “off-the-grid” used to be associated with living out of town, even urban dwellers are attempting to avoid a dependence on the grid for power.
  • De-emphasizing vehicle traffic– Across the country, more and more commuters try to get where they need to be via public transport.
  • Affordable low-rise and mid-rise housing– Instead of towering high-rise residential structures, urban dwellers increasingly prefer approachable, low/mid-rise housing.

For more industry news, check out our Facebook page. Contact us to learn about TAB Associates services.

Aligning a Custom Home With the View Outside

If your home is on a beautiful piece of property, or if you can see lovely scenery of the mountains from your plot, it’s essential that this view can be enjoyed from the inside of the home. Our architects are experts are designing homes to capitalize on the view of the outdoors. There are many different ways to do this, and a good way to decide which styles you prefer is to look at examples:

A home that we designed in Avon, Colorado offers a beautiful view of Beaver Creek and Game Creek. Set in the mountains, its master bedroom faces the Gorge Range for a spectacular view.

This duplex in Wildridge offers a design that showcases the elevation. The duplex is built in contour with the slope of the land, and large windows make it easy to look out into the mountains.

This home in Red Sky Ranch is another one of our masterpieces, offering beautiful views of the Gore Mountain Range from the dining room and living room. The design of the living space perfectly frames the mountain views as the deck reaches out into the landscape seamlessly bringing the outside in.

Contact TAB Associates to discuss your custom home design, including a the importance of a view, with our qualified architects.  We study your site with the views in the forefront of importance.  We use a topographical program to verify views surveyed on site and study them in both plan and section.  In this way, the windows of the home frame the views and do not cut off the tops of the mountains from anywhere in the home.

For more information on the art and science of capturing dynamite views, click here.

Take Care of the Environments by Building These Green Features Into Your Home

Building an environmentally-friendly home preserves nature, lowers your energy bills, and results in a happier, healthier home environment for you and your family. If you’re building a new home, it’s important to do your research about green building before you settle on plans. Follow these tips for a greener, more eco-friendly home.

Green Building in Colorado
Source: TAB Associates

 

  • Choose the right doors and windows. Those that allow warmth to escape are not very energy-efficient. Front doors without windows, especially when made with eco-friendly materials, are the most energy efficient choice. Also, make sure you choose Energy Star certified windows.
  • Pay close attention to your siding choices. Some siding materials like PVC vinyl release toxins and are not biodegradable. Stucco and wood are greener choices, and aluminum siding is also quite green.
  • Consider using renewable energy sources to heat and cool your home. This can include installing solar panels, which capture the sun’s energy and convert it to heat. If solar panels are not an option, heat with natural gas. It’s not renewable, but there are very efficient natural gas heaters available.

If you’re thinking of building a new home, contact TAB Associates to discuss your plans and find out how we make green home design easier.

How to Design Around the Natural Landscape

The ideal home appears to be integrated into the surrounding landscape, rather than disrupting it. To achieve this look, the architect and home owner must work together to choose the proper site for the home and to work the home around the landscape. There are a couple of different ways to achieve this:

Anchored Look

This look can be achieved by building the home on a slightly sloped surface rather than leveling out the ground before building. A stone foundation reinforces the appearance.

The Gliding Home

Some homes appear to sit lightly on the ground rather than delving into it. To achieve this look, plan on bringing the lawn right up to the edge of the building and avoiding the classic foundation plantings.

Platform Homes

This is probably the most creative way to integrate your home with nature. A dramatic platform allows you to live higher up in the trees and really feel connected with the landscape. A lower one may put you closer to a water source or other interesting natural feature.

For more custom home design tips, contact TAB Associates and discuss your building plans with one of our qualified staff members.

Tips for Working With Your Architect to Achieve Your Dream Home

Your home reflects your lifestyle, interests, and personal taste. Building your residence with an architect ensures that your home will meet all of your needs. Working with an architect requires thought and planning. Here are a few tips for working with an architect.

Working with an Architect
Source: TAB Associates Inc.
  • Conduct an interview. A good architect will take time to discuss their process with you prior to working with you. Look for an architect that matches your philosophy and style of design with experience designing homes in the size and scope of your ideal residence.
  • Decide on a budget. Prior to meeting with an architect and beginning work, do research on your own and develop a budget. Develop a budget ahead of time so that the architect’s design and scope are within budget.
  • Develop a lookbook. Have a good idea of the features you’d like in your home prior to meeting with an architect. Collect pictures of homes, rooms, and structures in your target style to show your architect.

Our experienced architectural team at TAB Associates can answer all of your questions about building a residence in the Vail, CO area and working with an architect. Contact us at TAB Associates to discuss building your dream home.

Want to Build a Contemporary Home? Check Out These Features

One of the advantages of working with an architect is the ability to build a home perfectly suited to your needs. If you want contemporary home features in your new residence, consider the essential characteristics of the contemporary home below:

Want to Build a Contemporary_photo

  • Choose natural materials. Natural materials aren’t limited to interior features such as wood flooring or paneling in the living room. Adding natural materials to the exterior of your home serves to blend your home into its natural surroundings and also creates continuity between the indoors and outdoors.
  • Natural light. When designing your home, emphasize a floor plan and design that allows natural light to come in. Natural light can always be controlled with a variety of shades and window covers, however it’s primary benefit is providing healthy natural light during the day. Using natural light will require less resources in using artificial light and may reduce your electric bill.
  • Contemporary exterior finishes. Emphasize contemporary features on your home’s exterior such as a linear roof with an overhang or cantilever. Natural materials are also a nice contemporary touch for the home.

Are you building a contemporary home in Vail? To discuss contemporary home features for your residence, contact us at TAB Associates.

Check Out These Architecture Trends for 2014 to Inspire Your Home

Looking for ideas on what architectural features to include in your new home? You might find inspiration from this year’s hottest trends.

2014 Interior Trends
Source: TAB Associates

These are a few of the top architectural design trends for 2014:

  • Home spa. Having a home spa or whirlpool bath installed gives you a place to relax after a hectic day. It makes your home feel more like a private retreat where you can shut out the rest of the world. More than half of new homes being built in the US include a whirlpool bath, and the home spa industry is on the rise.
  • Multifunctional kitchen. Kitchens are turning into central hubs in homes these days. They’re being used as a place to perform several other tasks besides cooking, such as studying or paying bills. Consider having your new kitchen set up in a way that accommodates this multipurpose trend.
  • Outdoor room. Using outdoor space as an extension of the home is a growing trend. Instead of a simple patio or deck, an entire room can be constructed with eco-friendly materials that can handle the elements.

Want to see examples of homes that use current design trends?  Contact us at TAB Associates to talk about incorporating these trends in your new home!

Building a Home? Why You Should Consider a Timber Structure

When having a home built, you have plenty of materials to choose from. If you’re looking for something that has a lot of aesthetic appeal and provides numerous benefits, timber is a great choice.

Building a home with Timber
Source: TAB Associates

Timber offers the following advantages when it comes to building design:

  • It saves energy. Unlike other building materials, such as glass or steel, wood provides a lot of insulation that helps keep in warm and cool air, which means you’ll have lower energy bills.
  • It’s eco-friendly. Wood might not seem like an environmentally-friendly choice if you’re picturing part of a forest being cut down to provide the timber for your home. However, there are several sustainable sources of timber available that don’t contribute to deforestation. Also, a wooden home lowers your carbon footprint because the timber absorbs carbon dioxide.
  • It’s more cost-effective and quicker to build with. Wooden homes can be constructed in a much shorter amount of time than homes made from concrete or other materials. This saves you a considerable amount of money on the cost of labor and the cost of materials.

Check out our portfolio if you are interested in seeing examples of homes made from timber. Contact us at TAB Associates to start your new home build today!

How Much Time Should You Plan for To Build Your Home?

Planning on having a home designed and built? Make sure you plan accordingly, especially when it comes to how long this process takes. The amount of time it takes depends on how your home is being built and where you live.

Home Building in Colorado
Source: TAB Associates

Building a home can take as little as five or six months from permit to completion if you live in certain parts of the country like the southern states that border the Atlantic Ocean, the Midwest, and the western states that do not border the Pacific, such as Idaho, Nevada and Montana.

Having a home built in Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky and Tennessee generally takes around seven months, while building a home along the west coast or in Alaska, Hawaii, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio usually takes an average of eight months. The northeastern region takes the longest time. Home building from Pennsylvania to Maine takes between nine and ten months.

If you hire a contractor to build your home, it typically takes about eight months to complete. When you handle the contracting duties yourself, it can take up to 11 months.

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

Build a Cohesive Home by Coming Up With a Master Plan

If you want to build your dream home, having a master plan is crucial. With a master plan, you can create a cohesive home that has the right flow and style. When you’re working on planning a home, keep these tips in mind to ensure that every part fits in with your master plan:

Creating and Sticking to a Home Plan
Source: TAB Associates
  • Focus on what’s important. Start out by focusing on what you consider to be the most important parts of the project. You can base these on which projects are currently within your budget or which projects are the most urgent.
  • Keep the flow in mind. The overall flow or style of your home should remain consistent, which can be hard to do when you’re working on individual projects. Keep referring back to your master plan to ensure that any changes you make preserve that flow.
  • Consider your entire property. When deciding what to build, look at your entire property to determine what’s going to work. Don’t forget to consider factors like landscaping features, surrounding views, and drainage. Also consider water features, as they can add a dramatic effect to your home.

Need more input on planning your home? Contact us at TAB Associates to learn more, and follow us on Facebook.