May
Outdoor Entertaining- ideas for your backyard.
Tags: backyard, Cinco de Mayo, entertaining, florida, fort myers, grill, holiday, home design, homes, naples, outdoor kitchen, party, patio, pool, southwest florida, summer kitchen
Apr
Enhancing Home Decor with Family Heirlooms
Grandmother Duncan’s silk settee may be nearly a century old, but it fits perfectly with our more contemporary living room furnishings.
What’s more, this special family heirloom adds a personal touch, and gives us an important story to tell. You, too, can successfully incorporate your family’s warm memories into your decor. Following are some suggestions: (more…)
Tags: antiques, bonita springs, design ideas, florida homes, fort myers, furnishings, home construction, home decor, home design, home remodel, interior design, luxury home solutions, naples, recycle, reuse, southwest florida home, update furniture
Apr
Spring flowers brighten up your home!
If you live in Florida, you recognize the change of seasons – no matter how subtle those clues are.
With the whisper of spring breezes, many of us want to get outdoors and dress up the outside of our homes with fragrant, colorful flowers.
Our tropical and subtropical climates offer so much beauty and variety – but it does take thought and planning to make sure we are planting the right flowers at the right time.
Tags: Florida flowers, flowers, horticulture, planting, spring
Mar
Time for spring cleaning!
Welcome spring! Springtime’s arrival means blooming flowers, warm breezes and yes, spring cleaning. Some perceive this as a daunting, much dreaded task – but look on the bright side. There’s nothing like the feeling of a refreshed, shiny, clean home – with our helpful tips you’ll be on your way to a cheery, optimistic outlook on your home, and on life. (more…)
Tags: home decor, pool, spring, spring cleaning
Mar
A St. Patrick’s Day message: It’s easy being green
Whether or not we have Irish ancestry, March 17 brings the color green to the forefront. And in many cases, a rousing celebration to go along with it. In recent years, “green” has taken on a whole new meaning as we become more sensitive to our environment, and aware of protecting the world around us for our children and grandchildren. In our line of work, building a new home or remodeling an existing one requires careful planning as we consider all the ways we can be “green.”
In my own home, I have discovered several easy ways to protect our environment. There are simple steps we can all take that will truly make a difference in the long run. Here are four to get you started as we think “green” this weekend.
Keep your cool…
If you set a programmable thermostat, it will automatically adjust the heat or the air-conditioning to match your day-to-day routine. You won’t waste energy while you are out, and you won’t have to remember to turn the thermostat up or down when you return. An even better idea? If you live in a southern climate, turn it up just two degrees (down if you are in a northern climate during winter). Believe it or not, you will keep nearly 880 pounds of carbon dioxide from warming the earth – really!
It’s a wash…
…except if you don’t wash it. Did you know that standard washing machines use 40 gallons of water per load? If your clothes are not really that dirty, it’s okay not to wash them – and save a load a week. If all American households actually did this, we could save enough water to fill more than seven million swimming pools. When you do wash, put full loads (saving 3,400 gallons of water a year) in cold water. This will help save on your gas or electric use.
Lose your lint…
The average U.S. household spends up to $135 a year in energy costs drying clothes. A dirty lint filter can use 30 percent more energy collecting your lint, and it can limit the life of your dryer. So remember to empty it out after each load.
Assess your appliance…
You can save energy by simply choosing the right appliance for the job. Electric kettles use less energy than stovetop ones. A toaster oven uses up to half the energy of a conventional electric oven. An electric crock-pot makes soups and stews using less wattage than a stove.
Paying attention to these simple adjustments can help save energy, money and yes, our environment. See how “green” you can be!
To all our readers, Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Luxury Home Solutions is a full-service construction company that designs, builds and installs — direct from our manufacturers — the many elements it takes to create the home of your dreams. We have more than 30 years’ experience in luxury home construction, design, remodeling, renovations and updates, as well as routine maintenance and repairs. Luxury Home Solutions has built more than 1,000 homes and installed more than 7,000 kitchens. Our dedication to our clients is unparalleled and we have spent decades building trust, confidence, and relationships to last a lifetime.
Joni Hall
Luxury Home Solutions
Mar
New Home Fashions have a wild side…. with a splash of color
As Fashion Week came to a close in New York City, it became clear that many of the chic new fashion trends glimpsed on the runway would be mirrored in the latest home collections as well. One of the favorites that came to our attention was the tribal look.
Jan
10 Kitchen Must Haves!
10 Things Every Kitchen Must Have and
What I love About My Kitchen
One of the things I love most about my job is the opportunity to help people create the kitchen of their dreams. The kitchen is such an important part of not only the home but the family! We spend a lot of time in the kitchen, cooking, eating, sharing and entertaining guests so this space deserves the extra time and attention needed in its creation. Below are ten things I believe every kitchen should have and then if you scroll down further I’d love to share my kitchen with you!
1. Natural Light
Look for ways to maximize light, from eliminating cabinets next to windows to using transparent or reflective materials like glass and stainless steel.
2. Visual Texture
It’s the mix of woods, countertop materials, and finishes that creates warmth, personality, and mood.
3. Stainless Steel
The consummate neutral, it looks great with everything and will never go out of style. I love its organic quality — it develops a well-worn patina over time.
4. An Island
If space allows, an island is essential. It’s the social center of the kitchen.
5. A Great Sink
Accessories such as an integrated colander and a sliding cutting board make working there more efficient.
6. Integrated Refrigeration
Creating cabinet facades to hide refrigeration units gives me a tremendous amount of design freedom. By eliminating a large, boxy element, I can make a kitchen feel more room-like.
7. High-Performance Appliances
Today, high-efficiency burners and ovens with convection and self-cleaning are really indispensable.
8. A Hook
Every great kitchen has a hook, that one unique element that just pulls you in. It could be a hood, a sink, a pot rack.
9. A Kitchen Designer
Kitchen design is complicated, and the landscape is constantly changing. Hiring a professional is perhaps the most valuable investment you will make.
10. Ice Cream
In my opinion, no kitchen is complete without it.
Here’s what I love about MY kitchen!
I Love that my kitchen has room for family gatherings. The easiest way to draw family together for an enjoyable evening is with a good home-cooked meal!
I love the natural light flows in and highlights the visual textures in this space. The antique wool rugs help to soften the room, the richness of the cherry wood, and the silk valance over the sink each add an element of personality to the large kitchen.
The large appliances, a 48″ Thermador Range and an Integrated 48″ Sub-Zero refrigerator both look right at home in this over sized space, designed to accommodate a large family.
On either side of the sink, 2 dishwasher are hidden behind cabinet doors, one for clean, one for dirty. Much easier that way! All the latest appliances, Built-in Coffee/espresso maker, warming drawer, convection-microwave, and a Steamer in the island!! The island is the central hub of the entire house – great for setting out the buffet style meals.
I have a lot of electric outlets in the tile work – so I had a painter come in and paint the switches to look like the tile. Suddenly they disappear. She also painted the bottom toe space of the appliances to match the cabinet doors where the metal of the appliance was showing through.
Now for the Cookie dough Ice Cream!!
At Luxury Home Solutions, we Design, Supply, and Install. As General Contractors , we are able to not only create the designs with the use of in-house design team, but supplymany of the products that we purchase direct from the manufacturers, and installusing our own employees. Our dedication to our clients is unparalleled as we build trust, confidence, and relationships that last a lifetime. As a full-service construction company, we excel in luxury home construction, design and remodeling, renovations and updates, as well as routine maintenance and repairs.
Joni Hall
Luxury Home Solutions
Jan
From Old to New Again!
Recycle & Reuse Old Items in New Ways
In a day and age where we have become more Eco friendly and budget conscious we have so many options for home decor! But just because we want to go green or save money doesn’t mean we have to go with something unattractive or out of style. I love getting creative with the re-purposing of items in a home and below are just a few ideas that can help you turn something old into something new for your personal space!
Here Landis Carey gives us a great idea for an outdoor table. This works great for those of us in Southwest Florida! The idea of dining outdoors right now is mostly a fantasy for the majority of the country, but we can still dream, can’t we? Made of solid concrete that was salvaged from a remodel, this table is bound to withstand the test of time and weather. There’s no snow or rain that will make it warp or rot, so if you’re in the market for a new outdoor dining table, this might be a great solution! Click here for more.
I love this beautiful serving tray, made from a salvaged Cabinet door. If you get started on this project now, you could have your own special serving trays before VALENTINES DAY!! One of these would make an awesome gift for someone who loves breakfast in bed, don’t you think?
Here is another great outdoors idea that works perfectly with our all year-long warm Florida weather – these old doors were re-purposed as a beautiful Arbor! Talk about showing your garden some love this year! We found more ideas for doors so please keep reading!
Chairs made from nothing but newspaper via Inhabitat. The very cool furniture that David Stovell is making out of carefully rolled newspaper – something that could be done at home if you have the patience! Click here for more.
Here’s another creative way to reuse an old door – how about a new swing for your back lanai or front porch? There are many beautiful nights where you just want to sit back and enjoy a cool southwest Florida breeze outside. Now you can!
This one is just amazing! It’s an ottoman made from an old washing machine drum. Creatively unique idea!
How about putting those old jeans of yours to good use? You can still sit on them and give your old chair a nice, new yet relaxing look!
Here’s another great idea for putting that old door to good use. How about a new headboard to give your guest bedroom a fresh new look?
We found a number of nice examples of doors being re-purposed as a headboard. This last one has a more natural wood look to it.
At Luxury Home Solutions, we Design, Supply, and Install. As General Contractors , we are able to not only create the designs with the use of in-house design team, but supplymany of the products that we purchase direct from the manufacturers, and installusing our own employees. Our dedication to our clients is unparalleled as we build trust, confidence, and relationships that last a lifetime. As a full-service construction company, we excel in luxury home construction, design and remodeling, renovations and updates, as well as routine maintenance and repairs.
Joni Hall
Luxury Home Solutions
Jan
Happy Holidays from Luxury Home Solutions
As this year 2011 comes to an end we reflect on everything we have to be grateful for. We truly appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve you over the years. We appreciate your trust in us and the friendships that have grown over time. We look forward to many more years of success, prosperity and abundance for all. Thank you for being such a valuable part of our business!
Wishing you Peace, Joy and Prosperity this Holiday Season from our family to yours! Happy New Year 2012 from Luxury Home Solutions!
Dec
Merry Christmas from Luxury Home Solutions!
During this beautiful time of the year we send you blessings, love, joy and prosperity from our family to yours! We appreciate your preference over the years. It’s such an honor to serve you. We value the trust you put in us and we look forward to serving you for many years to come!
May all your wishes come true this Holiday Season! Merry Christmas from Luxury Home Solutions!
