During the boom of the early 2000s, everything in real estate was about resale. Every decision that homeowners and builders were making was about mainstream tastes, neutral colors and what the ‘market’ wanted to buy. And that is how we ended up with acres and acres of beige homes with almond windows and almond trim. It’s no wonder we are seeing a resurgence in color and unique features and finishes, we’ve been ‘beige-ed out’.

Color and finish are great ways to show your personality, frame your furnishings and possessions and bring joy into your daily life. For me a beautiful color in my bedroom helps me wake up with a smile!

While I don’t recommend intense color all over the place, there are spaces that can take more color. Bathrooms, entryways, and dining rooms are great places to go deeper with color or bring in an unusual material. Walls that have big windows or lots of shelving are also good candidates for a bold color choice. Keep in mind that white trim will really make colors pop!

Accent walls can be done out of almost anything: wood, steel, wallpaper, flooring and cork. Lots of materials can be applied to a wall – I’ve seen sheet music used as wall paper! Wainscot paneling will tend to cut a room in half, using a whole wall is a more modern approach that will make the room seem taller. Finish materials can add color and texture and even bounce light – so get creative!

Barn doors are a great place to add color and texture to a wall since they are out in the open and take up a lot of wall space – why not make it unique and colorful?

As we get into the finish stages of a project, I have a list of ‘art projects’ that have popped up over the course of the design and building process. Often, it’s a built-in or a door or a trim detail that came out of a serendipitous remnant, craigslist find or brainstorm. Metal roofing can become a backsplash. We’ve built doors and shelving out of leftover flooring, metal strapping, reclaimed lumber and ceiling material.

Penny Lane Home Builders

Reclaimed trusses can be the inspiration for a whole house build! Salvaged bowling alley can make beautiful (heavy – it’s more than 2” thick) countertops, benches and shelving.

Penny Lane Home Builders & Sage Kitchens

Metal pipes can become a handrail or towel rack. Penny Lane Home Builders will create a unique home for you!

As we burrow in for the long winter here in Montana, it is a good time to consider the condition of our indoor air. Get your furnace checked and filters cleaned. Make sure that ventilation fans in the baths and kitchens are working – and use them to vent indoor pollutants all year round.

On our coldest and driest days a little humidity can be helpful, but don’t overdo the moisture. Keeping humidity levels below 40% keeps dust mites at bay. Too much moisture leads to mold and mildew as well.

We are fortunate to have the occasional warm day which is the perfect time for a House Flush: turn off your furnace and open several windows for a half- hour or so to flush out the stale air. Close the house back up and turn your heat back on.

Have a warm and healthy winter season!

Structural Insulated Panels are typically composed of rigid foam insulation sandwiched between two strand boards — kind of like a s’more. The exterior skins are attached to the foam core with a high-strength adhesive. The foam core material is high-density expanded polystyrene. The foam core serves as a spacer and insulator between the exterior skins. Altogether, the structure acts as a monolithic whole — as opposed to stick-frame construction using 2-by-4s, where hundreds of individual nailed connections hold the studs and skins together. As a result, SIPs are twice as strong as a wood-framed house and extremely energy efficient. Compared to a typical stick-frame house, a house built of SIPs will require about half the energy to heat and cool throughout the year in most climates. It’s not just the thickness of the polystyrene inside that makes SIPs more energy efficient — it’s that the whole panel is designed to function as one structural unit. The thermal “tightness” and resistance to heat flow work with the insulation value to achieve exceptional comfort and energy efficiency. SIPs also help conserve forest resources, because they produce almost no waste. As worldwide timber quality and availability continue to decline and the costs of labor and energy increase, SIP construction should become more popular and cost-effective.

We get asked the question about whether building with SIPs is cost-effective vs. framing. We have run numbers on this several ways.  The key is to compare ‘apples to apples’.   You cannot compare SIPs to cellulose or batt insulation, or to 2×4 construction.  I have priced out two homes both ways.  Comparing the cost of SIPs walls to 2×6 framed walls with 3.5″ Corbond insulation — there was a difference of about $1000 more for the SIPs on a 3500 sf home.  Keep in mind that the SIPs panels have about 40% more insulation due to fewer thermal breaks (fewer studs, less lumber equals more insulation).  It really depends on the design and if you want to use SIPs, design with them in mind from the beginning.

We have not found SIPs to be profoundly faster (or cheaper) for custom homes due to complicated framing/structural issues, but you do reduce the amount of time needed for the insulation subcontractor (1 day vs 1 week)as he usually just has to insulate windows/doors, garage wall, and the odd framed area. A very simple design does speed things up and could save framing labor if your framer is experienced in SIPs. We try to design for SIPs from the outset and work with local contractor Big Sky Insulation in Belgrade.

For the roof, SIPs are most cost effective when you desire a vaulted space and can light the space with cable lighting, pendants or fans.  If you are using trusses, it is hard to justify the expense of SIPs when you can foam the attic and blow in lots of cellulose for less.  Electrical can get complicated with a SIPs panel roof . To install can lighting you must frame for an additional ceiling, which is more expense.  With the right design though it can be a great solution.  I have added links to two homes that I have built with SIPs roofs. Note the lack of can lights in the vaulted spaces (we did use them where we had framing (soffits and second floor framing)), but used cable and pendant lighting. The homeowners were excited about being able to do something different with regards to lighting and thinking outside of the box, or ‘can’ in this cace 🙂

Manhattan River Lodge

Gallatin Valley Ranch

Looking at house plans online or in catalogs is a lot of fun and if you find a plan or two that you really like they can seem like a great way to save some money in your building budget. While I encourage you to look at plans and learn about your likes and dislikes, I generally discourage the purchase of plans from these resources for several reasons.

1-Local codes

While the plans sold through plan companies are drawn to meet nationally recognized building codes, they may or may not apply to your local jurisdiction. Every region has local variables and issues that the local codes address. In our area of Montana we have seismic, snow, insulation, infiltration and radon considerations. In the mountains we also have steep slopes, rocky soils and enormous snow loads. Some regions have expansive soils or high water and hurricanes. So while your purchased plans may look nice, chances are they will have to be re-drawn to meet local permit requirements after consultation with a local engineer.

2-Changes and modifications

Chances are that even if you love a certain plan, there will be something that you want to adjust or tweak. There may be changes that have to be made to accommodate your neighborhood Design Review Board or your lifestyle. Again, you would be looking at re-drawing the plans, negating any savings.

3-Personalized Design

Every home site has advantages and disadvantages. Every client has personal preferences and unique lifestyle requirements. Your home is usually your biggest investment and has an enormous impact on your daily comfort, convenience and enjoyment. A home designed for your site; taking into account views, prevailing winds, southern exposure, access, neighbors as well as your personal needs becomes a daily joy to live in. Planning pays off in daily dividends living in a home that has been thoughtfully designed for location and owner.

4-Do I need an Architect?

The short answer is ‘that depends’. Some developments or jurisdictions require that you use an architect, others don’t. Many design/build firms have an in-house designer or architect that can be very cost effective. Local draftsmen and even your builder may be very qualified to help with your design. It is important to have a good rapport with your designer and to be upfront and honest about your likes and dislikes. Look at their portfolio and try to walk thru one of their homes if possible. Visit their website and Houzz site to get a feel for their designs. You want to mesh with them on style, size, priorities and budget. If green building or energy efficiency is important to you, find a designer who has experience in those areas.

A thoughtful designer will want to learn as much about you and your family as they can. They will schedule several meeting to review and revise. I send my clients off with homework to help us define their preferences and style. Bringing plan ideas, photos and articles will help your designer to understand what you want. Websites such as Houzz and Pinterest are wonderful for collecting and sharing ideas with your team.

Remember the days of the washer and dryer located down in some dark, dank corner of the basement? Well those days are over – laundry rooms are growing in size, prominence, furnishings and functions. No longer relegated to basements and back rooms, laundry rooms are going where the laundry is – next to the bedrooms, even when they are upstairs, like this one in our model home complete with a stacked washer/dryer, sink, rolling laundry baskets and plenty of storage.

Just imagine all the activities that can happen in a room with the washer and dryer and some counter space: crafts, wrapping and shipping, sewing, hobbies, projects, homework, pet supplies and grooming.

In our dog-loving community, if you have the space, adding a pet washing station in your laundry or mudroom, can be one of the best design decisions ever made! Our home owners in this picture are daily grateful for the dog washing and grooming station they added to their laundry room!

With thoughtful furnishings, good light and a sink – the sky’s the limit. Be creative in how you can ‘hide’ the less glamorous elements of a utilitarian space like a laundry room. In this picture, one of our homeowners had a fake beam installed and hung a curtain to hide the water heater. Some stylish but functional suspended shelves, make for an inspirational space!

If you are looking for more ideas or inspiration, there are some great articles on laundry rooms on Houzz as well! For complete portfolios of a number of our projects, check out our gallery or follow us on our Facebook page! 

As residents of the Northwest, we can’t help but notice that August has become Smoke Season. Smoke and haze come to our area from fires both local and far away. Depending on the jet stream, we may get smoke from as far away as California, Alaska and British Columbia!

When there are air alerts and you are advised to stay indoors, is there anything else you can do to breathe easier?

If there is a smoke-free day, open your windows and flush your home of stale air and bring in the fresh air. This is especially important the longer your home has been closed up.

Use your furnace fan to circulate your indoor air and run it through your air filters.

Replace air filters before and after fire season with a high-quality allergen rated filter. HEPA filters will help with allergens and most particulates, however, smoke also contains gaseous pollutants that are more difficult to remove. Use an additional air cleaner, position it in a central location near your largest return air duct that contains a carbon filter for additional air cleaning.

Don’t add to the problem with candles, incense, vacuuming or cigarettes!

In your car keep the windows closed and use your air conditioning in the “Recirculate Mode”.

If you need to use a mask, don’t use a dust mask, use a N-95 or P-100 designated mask as they are designed for smoke particulates. They are available at most hardware stores.

If you have breathing and/or allergy issues be sure stay indoors and to use your medications as prescribed. Don’t hesitate to see your doctor if you find yourself coughing or losing your voice or feeling ‘foggy’. These are all symptoms of breathing issues.

Airnow.gov – for air quality reports