The Caesarstone Mobile Gallery is a great new iPhone app for builders, designers, or anyone building a new home. I'm already a huge fan of Caesarstone quartz counters so it was great news to see that I could carry the entire portfolio of their color options in the palm of my hand. It also includes a handy surface calculator which very easily estimates the amount of materials you'll need. You can also request samples, email details of the product to clients or bookmark your favorite colors for easy access later.
I really like the design of this. These new Raindance shower heads from Hansgrohe offer 3 innovative new spray modes. From a 10 inch "Rain AIR" spray shower, to a powerful massage setting with multiple jets or Rainflow which mimics a waterfall. It claims to be the first horizontal rain panel. Because it installs flush to the wall, it is also a great fit in a simplistic bathroom design. Hopefully I'll be showing you photos in the near future of an install in a new project!
I know I have a lot of posts about fire, but this is too cool to pass up. This is a new portable fireplace for indoors or outdoors and it's available in a range of colors. It burns a bio-ethanol so it's safe wherever you'd like to add a fire element in or around your home. You can find more at Conmoto
Here's a couple cool new faucets from Grohe. It's part of the Ondus collection and has some very minimal and modern color options like black, white, chrome, etc. The light on the right hand side of the upper photo functions as an analog clock when not in use, and tells the temperature of the water when being used.
If you haven't heard of FLOR yet, I'm sure you will soon. It's a great flooring product with literally endless design possibilities and it's very easy to install...or even re-install! They have many different FLOR styles, colors, thicknesses, etc. I wanted to share the one shown below though. It's aptly named "Putt up or shut up" and offers a very clever and stylish rug for your living space. Perfect! Be sure to check my Jordan Iverson Signature Homes Portfolio for a couple of photos showing a few other FLOR tile options I've used in my designs.
The Fisher & Paykel Izona Cooksurface is a very cool concept bringing style to the kitchen cooktop. The pan supports are hidden when not in use, and raise up when you use a burner. This makes for a very clean look and an easy clean ceramic surface when you're finished cooking. Very cool.
I've been wanting to use one of these SPARK fires for a while now, and I've noticed they just came out with their new "linear burning system". Now I have no choice. There are endless design possibilities with this new system. How about an 8 foot long, open ribbon flame fireplace in your home. 8 feet might be overkill, but it's an option. I'm really looking forward to using this system in the near future! Here's their brochure on it.
Here's a final finish item that can be often overlooked. The mailbox. While these won't always work with all homes or subdivisions which provide group mailboxes, they are a great touch in many older neighborhoods or new homes when allowed. I found these 2 at Chiasso online. The mailbox on the left I recently installed as the perfect final touch on 2 of the homes I built at The 4 at Lincoln. The clean lines and attached newspaper holder were a perfect fit for the homes and homeowners needs.
I'm hoping this will be followed by many more new Apps for Interior Designers, Builders etc.
I.D. Wood is a pretty simple iPhone Application that according to Interior Design Magazine includes over 50 different types of wood. This could be handy when meeting with clients and quickly showing them what options they have for different grain types and natural colors. It also explains the woods durability and sustainability among a lot of other information.
Announcing a new proposed project at the foot of College Hill in Eugene. Each of the 3 esclusive new homes will offer modern sophistication in an efficient and functional living space. Each stylish home will be approximately 1100-1300 square feet of open loft style living with private 2nd story outdoor living space.
Please call for design concepts, and for reservation/pre-sold information
Please check back for more information or visit my official website
It's that time of the year...the 2009 HBA Lane County Tour of Homes is happening right now! The first weekend was a great success and now there's only 7 days left to tour 19 different homes by 18 local builders. Tour hours are 6-9pm weekdays, and 12-6 this weekend!
I'm featuring my new project at 15th and Lincoln in an established neighborhood in downtown Eugene. Come see the first two of "The 4 at Lincoln" townhomes. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The homes offer a style not typically seen in Eugene and I've already received mulitple comments from people saying it feels liked they've stepped into a home in New York, San Francisco or Seattle.
Also, if you don't come to see the home, you have to at least view all the furnishings and accents throughout the home that came from my favorite local home furnishing store...Modern! All of the furnishings are for sale, so come take a look and see the latest trends and styles in home design and home furnishings.
As always please visit my website & the new blog for the latest information and photos about current projects and home design products and ideas.
This is a FREE event and the tour guide books are FREE as well, so stop on by!
If you've been waiting for an iPhone app like this like I have, now is your chance! Both Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore have created iPhone Apps that allow you to snap a picture of any color you find out and about and match it with one of their many paint color options! This is a great tool for designers and home owners who find inspiration on the run!
This isn't like my usual posts, but couldn't go without being talked about. LEGO is releasing an Architect series building collection featuring Frank Lloyd Wright. The image above is from his iconic Falling Water home. I'm looking forward to other featured Architects & Designers.
Unbelievable rates & incredible values on homesites & construction costs.
The recent housing economy has allowed for an amazing opportunity for people to have their dream home built on a premier homesite for a great value. In and around Lane County nearly all subdivision homesites and beautiful view sites with acreage are not only available, but in some cases priced at nearly 20-40% less than what they were a year or two ago.
What does this mean to you? An amazing opportunity to invest in your custom designed dream home and for an obtainable price! I would be happy to meet with you and go over the design and construction process to see if this is an opportunity that can be of value to you. I'd like to offer a high quality, Design/Build package to you or someone you might know.
So, even if your personal home value may have dropped 10, 20 even 30%, you are going to make this up with the savings of all time low rates, and much lower costs of construction and land costs. It's time to take advantage of this!
I'd also be happy to give you a list of the available homesites in subdivisions throughout the Eugene/Springfield area so you can see what really is available. An example, is the home shown above which is a proposed home in the new Crest Meadows Subdivision in South Eugene. This is a beautiful new subdivision of 15 premier lots. If I can help in any way please let me know!
Please visit Jordan Iverson Signature Homes for more information. You can also subscribe to this home design blog with the link or RSS Feed on the right. Also, if you're interested, you can signup for the free newsletter.
I hope everyone enjoys their Spring Break...hopefully in the sun!
Efficient & creative use of space has always been a big focus of my home designs. Now more than ever, good, thoughtful design will give you not just a more efficient space, but will also help when it's time to sell.
The above storage space & entertainment center has many funtions. It was designed, not just to elegantly frame the flat panel TV & free up floor space, but also to hide all of the additional electronic equipment, DVD's, and misc. storage. A small infrared sensor is placed on the TV, so the remotes can still control any equipment that may be hidden behind the door. There are many details to think about when building a custom cabinet like this, and I'd
be happy to answer questions about the process.
Because it swings out completely just like a cabinet door, it can also be seen from many different angles if needed. In this room it can even be positioned to be seen outside on the deck area! More photos of the room can be seen on my website.
Until next time, thanks for reading! You can also follow Jordan Iverson Signature Homes on Twitter now.
Wallpaper is continuing to gain popularity in chic remodels and trendy new construction. The above pattern is called "blackbird" by Cavern wallpaper. It's more of a "wall scene" than wallpaper, but either way they are a lot of cool new patterns popping up here and there.
Another company I came across is Twenty2 and they also have a lot of great options to choose from. With all these new wallpaper options, it can be a fairly simple way to make a great accent wall or transform your room completely.
As always, if you'd like tips or are in need of a designer or builder, I'm here to help. Also, be sure to visit my design portfolio at Jordan Iverson Signature Homes.
I'm always on the look for the latest in innovative & clean lined fireplace options and EcoSmart never dissapoints. EcoSmart fires are fueled by Denatured Ethanol, which as their website states is a environmentally friendly, renewable energy. These are a couple of their latest offerings. The first model above is the "Element" and the 2nd is called the "Zeta". The Element uses a Caesarstone shelf to hold the burner. Two of my favorite materials and home design elements in one...Caesarstone quartz and a sleek stainless steel fire feature...perfect! The Zeta is also very striking and is actually made of a combination of plywood, stainless steel and leather...yes leather.
The best part about these, is that they can be placed nearly anywhere as they require no flue, no connection to a fuel supply and they burn clean! They offer many finish options and also a lot of retro fit or remodel options so the design possibilities are nearly limitless.
I wanted to share a few photos of a recently completed total makeover of a large garage/shop area I worked on. I typically focus on highly customized new homes, but most people don't know I will also take on select remodel and interior design projects. Please visit my website for more photos!
The goal for this room was to provide space for a large built-in "theater" area, wet bar, 1/2 bath and recreation room with a woodstove, pool table and air hockey table. The main challenge was working with the orginal lighting locations that were used when it was just a shop area. Another challenge was fitting all of these items into a funtional space without feeling crowded. In the end I created a media space with built-ins, surround sound and a 65" HDTV that was partially enclosed, but was still open to the recreation/game room area. The main recreation room area includes the air hockey and pool tables with ample room for moving around. On the end is a raised woodstove with built-in storage below for firewood and a built-in bench for a reading nook and additional storage. The wet bar uses "Cinder" colored Caesarstone counters with a dry-stack ledgestone veneer as a backsplash.
The powder room has some unique details also and more will be posted on the blog in the coming weeks so check back soon! As always you can visit my website for more information about my company & this blog for the latest trends and design tips!
This is the trendy "Karbon" faucet from Kohler. I've seen a couple of these installed and they are pretty eye catching. It basically allows the faucet to be positioned at nearly any angle you would ever need and then some. It's not as fluid a movement as I expected, but I'm still going to use one in a future project nonetheless.
One often overlooked area for adding some eye catching design details and added functionality is as simple as an additional island or bar sink. There are many new creative sink designs out there and the above photos show a few from Elkay. The 1st sink shown, is great for entertaining as it can be filled with ice and drinks or condiments can be placed in it. The second design in the shape of a Martini glass is just a fun touch for a wet bar area. The third sink shown features an "island" mounted faucet which turns 360 degrees and blue LED lights for an added wow factor.
I'm a sucker for good design and lighting, so I had to post this one. It's the SOLO pendant light from Re-Surface. I saw this light about a year ago, and have been itching to use one in a design since then. I have them picked out for a residence I'm working on right now and I'm excited to see how they fit into the room. It's obviously not for everyone, but I thought it was a such a simple, yet creative idea.
If you're looking for something other than Granite as a choice for countertops, I'm going to list a few new materials that I've found and or used. While there is nothing wrong with granite, I've never used it in my designs and prefer some of the other amazing materials out there. With the whole "green" building movement, there are more to choose from all the time! Here's a few of my favorites.
Easily my favorite is Engineered Quartz. This product is nearly maintenance free & is said to be scratch, stain, mold & heat resistant. There are many companies who offer this product, including Caesarstone, Cambria, Zodiaq, Silestone, & HansStone. I've used most of them, but really like the color range that Caesarstone offers. Many of the companies actually offer colors that closely resemble granite, but offer the benefits of an engineered quartz product.
Paperstone is another interesting product and like it's name shows, is made from recycled paper & resin. I've seen it applied and it can be cut and sanded down like wood for some very creative uses and options.
Icestone is a newer product made of recycled glass and cement. This is a very sustainable product and meets many of the "green" building requirements. It has some great color options also and I look forward to using it this year.
As you can see, there are many alternatives to granite, and more becoming available it seems almost monthly. Check back soon for other innovative products & materials you can use in your new home!
So one of the most overlooked items when designing and building a new home is lighting. Unfortunately this is one of the single most important aspects that not only will make your home come to life, but also help you live more efficiently and increase the functionality of the spaces in your new home. Whether it be the main source of light, task lighting, accent lighting, safety lighting, natural lighting, etc. there are many aspects to think of in each home design. Many times in my designs the light fixture itself becomes almost a piece of art or focal point in the design.
The kitchen is one of the most important rooms to focus on lighting not just for preparing meals, but because it is also often the center of attention while entertaining. While there should obviously be ample lighting to fill the main space, there should also be specific task lighting where cooking prep work will be done. Accent lighting in or above cabinets can help add a simple touch of elegance in the room at night. Natural light is one of the most overlooked and one that I work hard to incorporate into each home design I create. Well positioned windows, and the use of skylights can help save energy and make spaces feel more comfortable and spacious. With correctly placed & sized windows & skylights you will find that you may not even need to turn on the lights during most of the day.
Well positioned lighting can help define spaces and make spaces feel larger than they are. I use thoughtfully planned lighting to actually transform the house at night. The lighting will be used to show the, angles, architectural details and art niches, etc. throughout the home.
Another simple way to help with lighting in a new home is to use dimmers. Dimmers can help not only with energy savings, but easily change the mood of a space very simply. This is a simple tip that should be applied in new construction, but can also be easily upgraded in your existing home!
There are many other details I think about when designing a ligting plan, but these are a few of the most important!
I'm excited to anounce that my latest completed home design was featured in the Fall issue of Eugene Magazine. I was honored to be included as the luxury "walk-through" home. The article was very well written and I'm glad I was fortunate enough to be in this professional local publication! The issue is still available in most stores around town & I'll be posting the PDF of the entire article later.
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