7 Tips for What's Trending in Home Offices

 

"Working from home" is a concept that Americans have gotten used to and even enjoy. Surveys show that more and more people work at home at least a few hours a week, but what you need in a home office depends on whether you run a home-based business, bring work home regularly, telecommute a few days a week or simply need a place to put your laptop to pay household bills. A "trendy" home office is one that works for you while you're working. Here's what we mean...

 

1. Pocket office. The trend toward smaller homes means less space to devote to an office. What's trending now for many families is the "pocket" office, a workspace carved out near the high-traffic areas of the home, often in a closet with the door removed or in an alcove. It's a hub for home management activities: paying bills, coordinating the family's schedules and keeping everyone organized.

2. The writing's on the wall. If you like to "think big" when you brainstorm, you can turn a whole wall into a whiteboard or a chalkboard with special paint, like IdeaPaint Create dry erase coating or Benjamin Moore's Chalkboard Paint. Take a snapshot of your work with your smartphone, then wipe it clean and start over!

 

3. Yipes! Skypes! When you work remotely, chances are you do some video conferencing. Remember that what's behind you is what the other person will be looking at. It doesn't need to be a bare wall, but keep the view as simple and neat as possible. (You might be able to still keep the fuzzy slippers if they stay hidden under the desk!)

 

4. Cut out the bulk. Big desks with giant leather chairs are for big formal offices. A smaller scale writing desk, table, a standing or kneeling desk, or an adjustable-height work surface might be better suited to your work-at-home style. Mesh chairs, like the Herman Miller Aeron, or a desk chair in white or a bright color add a fresh and airy ambiance. Adding built-in cabinets, shelves and bookcases can be a great way to maintain a clean look and provide a place to get papers out of sight when you have a meeting or video conference.

 

5. Enjoy the view. An efficient office doesn't have to mean a bare, sterile office. Surround yourself with things you love to look at, whether it's art prints, photos, sculpture or plants (which also improve the indoor air quality) and you might even increase your productivity.

 

6. Shrinking electronics. Chances are you're not using a big desktop computer. If you're working on an iPad or tablet, extras such as a snap-on keyboard or Bluetooth speakers make work life easier and more comfortable. The more wireless devices you can include, the less you have to worry about containing cord clutter. Just make sure you've allowed for plenty of handy outlets in the room layout for plugging in everything for recharging.

 

7. Working “at” home but not “in” the home. If you don't want a commute, but still need a quiet place to think, away from the comings and goings of family life, consider a detached home office. Similar to a guest house, it's your own private work space just steps from your door. It combines the convenience of a home office with the physical (and psychological) separation between "working" and "relaxing" that is often missing when you work from home.

Whether you want to be in the middle of the action or in a quiet nook with a "Do Not Disturb" sign, we can help you create a home office that suits your style. Just give us a call.

Image of Chalkboard Paint courtesy of Benjamin Moore®

Expanding the Possibilities of Kitchen Remodeling

 

If you’re thinking about a custom kitchen renovation, maybe you should open up your thinking to the possibilities of what more you can do. Consider this:

 

Every home has a "main" kitchen. Large or small, good or bad, there has traditionally been just one. Remodeling contractors, however, are now seeing a trend toward adding secondary kitchens as well.  We're not just talking about the wet bar that you might have seen in a family room or a basement game room. Homeowners are now expanding kitchen amenities - and appliances - throughout the home, sometimes in surprising places.

 

A butler’s pantry. Many times, the need for kitchen remodeling is prompted by a desire to entertain more easily and graciously. That’s why a butler’s pantry can be such a valuable addition to a custom kitchen. With extra kitchen cabinets, counters, sink and perhaps an extra dishwasher or refrigerator, a butler’s pantry provides a perfect area for you (or caterers) to prepare foods for serving. From hors d’oeuvres platters to coffee cups, everything can be set up out of sight and that extra counter space helps with clearing dishes from the main kitchen. It’s often fairly easy to carve out room for a butler’s pantry in your existing space...and even a small one can make a big difference in the feel and functionality of your new custom kitchen.

 

A custom kitchen in the...bedroom? Yes! A small kitchen “bar” in the bedroom is absolutely great for late night snacks and morning coffee. And it doesn’t have to look at all like a kitchen! Cabinets can blend with the look of your bedroom and conceal an efficient – and elegant – mini custom kitchen with a small sink, fridge, counter and shelving.

 

An outdoor kitchen. As a kitchen remodeling contractor, we find that many kitchen renovations involve opening the kitchen up more to adjacent outdoor living spaces. This can mean anything from creating a garden courtyard for growing herbs and vegetables to a patio area with more than just a grill. A complete outdoor kitchen can also include an icemaker, mini-fridge, counter space for food prep and serving, storage cabinets, and a fireplace or fire pit. Remodeling can include adding patio windows and doors that practically "disappear" when they're open, integrating the interior with the outdoors. Whether you’re doing outside grilling or indoor baking, the spaces can flow seamlessly so you enjoy the best of both worlds.

 

Even if updating one kitchen is enough for you, we have ideas that can pack your custom kitchen with new design, storage, functionality and fun!  Items such as larger commercial appliances, additional counter space, multiple sinks & dishwashers and additional seating can all help to make your kitchen space better equipped for either entertaining or family meals.  Take a look at some examples of our work in our photo gallery. Then let's talk!

Build It Green 20/20 Presentation

"Pecha Kucha" is a presentation style that was born in 2003 in Japan by design students looking to share their work in a new and fun way. Each presentation consists of 20 slides that are each explained for 20 seconds. The presenter therefore has 6 minutes and 40 seconds to talk about their subject. Strict adherence to the rules makes the presentations challenging and condenses the subject to its essence.

Build It Green, a non-profit based in Berkeley that promotes green building and education, thought this presentation style (renamed "20/20") would be a fun way to share information between members. Build It Green sponsors "guilds" of building industry professionals in each major area of the bay, hosting monthly discussions regarding green building related topics. Chris Donatelli values his membership to Build It Green and has enjoyed attending the South Bay guild. On Tuesday May 3rd, Chris took the opportunity to do his own 20/20 slideshow. He focused on a specific project that our company completed in the Spring of 2009.

The all new home featured a structure made of SIPs (structural insulated panels). These consist of 2 sheets of plywood with 5 inches of foam btween. This creates a very strong and efficient home. The heat is provided by radiant floor heating and a super efficient water heater with solar input. Interior finishes that are low VOC (volatile organic compounds like formaldehyde) and heat recovering fans that exchange interior air with fresh outside air. These are just a few of the features that helped us achieve a Green Rated score of 140. All in all it is a very comfortable and efficient home that the owners are very proud of and happy with.

Chris was glad to share what he learned in the process of building this home and what it was like to have clients that were so excited about green building and driven to make a very green home a reality.

"One Job for America"

Chris Donatelli Builders participated in a national project that was started right here in the bay area. Carla Emil, a advertising executive working with art and education related non-profits, came up with an idea meant to inspire growth and hope for our slumping economy. One Job for America asks companies across America, regardless of size, to pledge that they will add one person to their ranks. One new hire in a company (especially a larger one) may not seem like much, but by multiplying this around the country the plan is to create a significant impact to the economy. Ms. Emil does not claim to be an economist, a politician or a academic. The inspiration was to use a "grassroots" campaign to succeed where big government and various advisers had failed.

Chris Donatelli was interested in this approach and hopeful in signs that the residential building industry in the bay area was starting to pick up again. He decided to pledge one job and take part in support for this idea. Shortly thereafter, a sales/estimating associate was added to the office staff of Chris Donatelli Builders. Chris' participation, along with a other local companies, was picked up on by a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle in the article One Job for America: 1 Marinite's Idea for the Economy

Showerheads and Faucets Go with the Flow

Showers and faucets combined, use about 1/3 of household water. A large portion of this is heated using either electricity of gas. Therefore, new technologies are not only saving you water, but are also helping out with the rest of the utility bill.

Federal Standard for a showerhead flow is set at 2.5 gallons per minute (GPM). The WaterSense program goes better with a 2.o GPM requirement, while also requiring testing protocols for reliable pressure and even spray. In order to keep good spray pattern and coverage, manufacturers are using new technology to provide the same shower experience.

Showerheads come in two types: aerating and non-aerating. Aerated means that air is injected into the water as it goes through the showerhead. This creates larger drops, but can cause water to cool faster (since air cools more quickly than water). Your lower legs and feet might notice the difference. Non-aerated showerheads use a pressure-balancing flow restrictor. The shower can be stronger, but the force of the water may be too sharp. It basically comes down to personal preference.

Federal Standards for faucet flow is 2.2 GPM, while WaterSense is at 1.5 GPM. New low-flow faucets are seen as more a part of a remodel, rather than a stand alone upgrade. They can help qualify for points when appealing for green building certification as well. Flow can be easily adjusted during use on any faucet. Low-flow aerators are an easy modification if you want to keep your existing fixture. "On-demand" controls can help to save water and energy by making it easier to turn the water on and off. Electronic faucets use infrared beams, foot controls can operate while you hands are full and simple aerator bars put control right where the water is.

Water fixture technology now provides performance with efficiency. Styles and finish choices are numerous and options for control layout are available. Click here to search for products with the WaterSense label. Your design requirements and water needs can be met in a variety of efficient ways!

Water-Saving Toilets & Washers

Staying on the subject of water use, I want to now draw attention to the two highest water consuming fixtures in the home. Toilets and washers account for almost HALF of water use in a residential home. By focusing on new rating systems and available technology, we can drastically reduce water consumption. As I stated before, California is very drought prone and has the unfortunate condition where peak consumption occurs at odds to peak rainfall. The state also has a projected populaton of 60 million people by 2050! Making water-saving fixtures standard in homes can have a huge impact, now and in the future.

Toilets are a feature in the home that is definitely taken for granted. If it is not working, it can be a real problem. Conversely, we use the toilet multiple times per day, maybe not realizing how much water use it is creating. Older model toilets can use as much as 3 gallons or more, each time it is flushed. Have a larger family? If a family of four each use the toilet 3-4 times a day, that can add up to 330 gallons PER WEEK! A federal mandate established in 1992 now states that new toilets can only use 1.6 gallons per flush (GPF). The EPA WaterSense programs goes further with a 1.28 GPF requirement. Also under the 1.28 GPF program can be a "dual-flush" toilet, which can offer 1.6 GPF for solids and 1.1 GPF for liquids.

Traditional "gravity" flush toilets can work fine using 1.28 GPF. "Pressure-assist" toilets use air and water from a pressurized tank within the porcelain tank of the toilet. Clogging is not often an issue. These are popular for commercial applications, yet do cause a lot of noise for a residential home. One of the newest products is a "vacuum-assist" toilet. This type uses a special tube that diverts air from the filling tank to the actual trap of the toilet. This air pocket will create less water to fill the bowl, while also creating a gap in the line. This pocket will then cause a vacuum when flushed, drawing waste down the line with operation similar to traditional "gravity" units. All these types can be found in models that price for around $300.

If you don't want an entire new toilet, retrofit kits are also available. These will replace your existing flushing mechanisms with a dual-flush operation. These kits will usually run at about $30. Look for the GPF ratings so that you can be sure to meet WaterSense requirements.

Clothes washers are a bit more tricky to quantify water use. Since washers can come in different sizes and have different cycles, a standard rating had to be created. The Energy Star program therefore created the "water factor" (or WF) rating. This calculated the numbers of gallons used per cycle PER cubic foot of washer capacity. The lower the number, the more efficient the washer is. The federal standard WF is 9.5, while the WaterSense requirement is a WF of 6. Technology can help to play a role here, with specific cycle options and "load sensing" (much like a dishwasher) that can determine how dirty clothes are and how much water is needed to clean them. Highly efficient units from Frigidaire, Samsung and LG all have a WF of around 3!

As you can see, the products you need to use less water in your home ARE available. The good news is that they are also affordable, becoming a new standard as we move towards greater efficiency and performance for your home.

Water Efficiency Standards & Practices

Water usage is becoming more of a concern for developed areas. Populations are steadily increasing while water resources are staying the same (or in shortage depending on the weather of any given year).

Water efficiency can have some small paybacks in utility bills, but there is more of a "big picture" perspective to take. The distribution, purification and heating of water uses large amounts of energy. Also, the more water we use, the more our waste systems are stressed. By cutting water shortage on a large scale, the payoff will come in the form of fewer water shortage periods, higher energy availability, less pollution and more efficient waste processing.

Federal mandates for water efficiency have been established by the department of energy. These are seen as the most basic level of water consumption for fixtures such as toilets, showers, faucets, dishwashers and clothes washers. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also established the Water Sense program, which takes efficiency even further and undercuts federal standards significantly. However, the technology available in modern fixtures and appliances can still achieve these numbers and are price competitive. Look for the official "water sense" label:

or search for approved products here.

The bonus when shopping for water efficient appliances, such as clothes laundry and dishwashers, is that they are often EnergyStar rated as well!

When examining your home for water efficiency, even before you switch out appliances and fixtures, you may want to start with looking for LEAKS.

Studies show that leaks account for about 14% of indoor water use. That is almost as much water as either bathroom faucets or showers! It can be amazing what a few drips can add up to over time! Not only is the water wasted, but it can be causing damage to the home. Look for dripping faucets or toilets that keep running. Check out the connections under your sinks. Look for water stains at the bottom of walls or on a ceiling. Many homes in the Bay Area are older and may contain water piping that can now be corroded and weak, with leaks at joints and fixtures.

Whatever the size of your home and family, using water efficient products and practices can create significant savings of this precious and irreplaceable resource. Additionally, if communities, cities and regions can band together to commit to water efficiency, the results will be of a larger scale and the rewards may span into generations to come.