Eastern Mennonite Elementary School project update

by Charles Hendricks | Jan 16, 2025 | architecture, Commercial Architect, Harrisonburg Architect, Interior Design, project update, School architect

Eastern Mennonite Elementary school is in the home stretch with finishes being installed. On my last visit the lights were being installed inside, the drywall was done, and the shape of the space was clear. I am looking forward to a return visit as the doors have been installed and I imagine the space is flooded with light. There is also a special stained glass installation happening in one of the three upper windows on the north side of the space. I have seen bits of this beautiful work being created by Zachery Nafzinger on his social media posts for ZN Stained Glass.

This space will serve as a place of gathering for the students of the Elementary school to come together and build community. This is a fundamental goal of our firm is to create spaces where this can happen. The idea of building a stronger community through design is what drives us to keep doing what we are doing.

The goal of this building and this space was to keep a connection to the outside, to make it adaptable for many uses, and to incorporate building science / sustainability. We have achieved each of those goals with the wide doors that can stay open in nice weather creating a pavilion like space. The space will be used for lunch, class gatherings, whole school functions, and even a recreation space for days when PE cannot be outside. The building science / sustainability strategies we have used throughout this project include air tight insulation, exterior continuous insulation, LED lights, and a simple form to reduce material use while making the building striking from the outside.

I cannot wait to see it finished and being used. I know the teachers will also welcome this added space for their daily functions.

Planning a kitchen renovation

by Charles Hendricks | Oct 24, 2024 | architecture, Historic Renovation, Interior Design

Whatever your kitchen is to you, you deserve to have it be a special place that fits your needs both functionally and aesthetically. Below are five kitchens to inspire your own home kitchen renovation. For each, we listened to the individual client’s needs and dreams and designed a space to encapsulate the conversations. The results are broad, as each client has different needs and ideas. It is always wonderful to see designs go from ideas to paper (or computer) to a built-environment where memories are made.

1. Eat in Kitchen

The kitchen at Harrisonburg Park House is designed to fit within a small home footprint, utilizing the space by using an open floorplan. The connection between the kitchen, living room, and dining room allows family and friends to be together while watching TV or making meals. The client’s personality shines through patterns and colors that pop in the space, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

2. Double Island Kitchen

This kitchen features two islands and custom cabinets. This space is open to the living room, has an informal eat in area, and tall ceilings.

3. Family Friendly Kitchen

This kitchen provides space for homework, gatherings, and multiple cooks at one time.

4. Historic Home Kitchen

This kitchen addition on a historic home opened up a small space to create a place for large gatherings in a bright space.

4. Views for Days Kitchen

The kitchen of Casa Cielo speaks for itself. The gorgeous wood was a detail that was important to our clients as well as being connected to nature. The wide windows on one side draw your eye and create a synthesis between the interior home and the landscape. Although windows in a kitchen can take up precious cabinet space, creative solutions like designing large cabinet sections on the other walls leave ample storage space.

Blog written by Asha Beck

Effortless Ideas to Embrace Fall at Home

by Charles Hendricks | Sep 27, 2024 | Interior Design

We’re no longer just dreaming about changing colors, leaves falling, and the air getting cooler – Fall is here. As we transition into this new season, the warm and festive colors make us reminiscent of memories spent with family, being together, and even a home-cooked meal. For such a beautiful time of year, everything seems to move at warp speed, making it all the more important to savor the short-lived moments of the season. However, if you’re looking for ways to keep that fall feeling going a little longer, try incorporating some of these simple ideas into your home or business to add a touch of seasonal fun to your environment.

1. Showcase your heirlooms, antiques, and collectible items.

The fall season is a great reminder to embrace family, friends, and togetherness. Display things that make you happy and remind you of those you love!

2. Bring nature indoors.

Incorporate natural elements such as wood, pinecones, or even seasonal fruit. Bringing in natural elements during any season can bring a sense of joy and bring warmth to the space.

3. Explore introducing bold colors as a temporary accent or more permanent statement.

Warm tones such as deep reds, browns, and rust colors are popular right now for good reason – and they’re not just for the Fall season. Pair these colors with gold or wood accents and don’t be afraid to try a new color in a space that could use a “wow factor”.

Blog written by Asha Beck

What lighting should I choose?

by Charles Hendricks | Jan 16, 2024 | Interior Design

By Interior Designer, Jarod Sankar:

We’ve all seen it… you enter a friend’s house, and you’re immediately jolted by the starkness of poor lighting that is anything but welcoming. As an interior designer and an avid believer in the fact that your home kitchen shouldn’t give off the same first impression as a medical-grade janitorial closet, I highly value the importance of lighting. While it may be tempting to buy the first light bulb you see on the shelf, using the correct bulb type and color temperature for your space can be one of the most cost-effective ways to give your home a visual facelift.

First, let’s start with the basics. There are 3 typical light bulbs that are found in residential spaces. When choosing a light bulb to best suit your needs and its environment, it’s important to weigh the facts and limitations of each.

3 Types of Light Bulbs

Incandescent:

Whether you see incandescent bulbs as tried and true, or as tired and due for a change, the incandescent light bulb has been around for over a century. Incandescent bulbs are known for giving off a warm light that can make an area feel cozier and more welcoming.

While incandescent bulbs are good at promoting a comfortable at-home environment, they are also known for a short lifespan and are not energy efficient. Another negative trait that can be attributed to incandescent bulbs is their heat generation, which can be dangerous depending on the fixture it is being used in, or if the bulb is in an area that little fingers could get a hold of.

LED (Light Emitting Diode):

For a lot of people, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about LED lighting are the blinding headlights on new cars that pop over hills at night and seem to be aimed directly at you, almost as if they were specifically designed to give oncoming drivers temporary vision impairment. In reality, LED lighting is one of the most versatile and most capable lighting options that is available today. As opposed to Incandescent Lights, LED bulbs come in many different color temperatures, many different shapes and sizes, and have a much longer lifespan. As an additional bonus, LED bulbs are significantly more energy efficient, and are a more sustainable option that creates less waste.

CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamp):

CFL, also known as compact fluorescent lamp bulbs, have been dying off in popularity over the last decade. Decades ago, CFL bulbs were once the superior choice due to price and efficiency. CFL bulbs were seen as a more energy efficient option due to their 25% higher energy efficiency compared to incandescent bulbs. However, as LED bulbs have come to the forefront, we now see that LED bulbs are roughly 75% more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, making them the clear winner. CFL bulbs are now harder to find and have minimal options in terms of color temperature and bases. Aside from aesthetics, and more importantly, CFL bulbs contain mercury. While some sources say that the mercury vapors from a broken bulb are not enough to cause harm to humans, it is still not a viable option for keeping a safe environment for you and your family. As of February 2023, CFL bulbs are being banned from production in some regions, which will further reduce the ability to find CFL bulbs on the market.

Color temperature:

Color temperature is measured in Kelvin (K). The Kelvin scale ranges from 2000K to 7000K, with the warmest light being 2000K and coldest being 7000K. For residential use, a warmer color temperature promotes a less sterile environment, and is associated with more calming energy. Warmer temperature light bulbs, like Warm White, are great for bedrooms due to the relaxing light provided. Cooler bulbs such as Day White or Cool White are associated with a harsher environment, casting a sterile glow that is usually seen as brighter and cleaner. Day and Cool White are more functional in bathrooms and closets. While these bulbs serve a purpose, it’s important to be picky when it comes to color temperature in your home. For example, Cool White bulbs contain more blue light, which can negatively impact your sleeping schedule.

Lighting temperature is a very important factor in relation to your space, as the cool or warm light cast on your walls and furniture may make them appear differently as the sunlight from the day fades. Test out different bulbs in a dark area of your home and see which color temperature works best with your furniture and finishes. Using a consistent color Kelvin throughout your home promotes more continuity throughout the space and can also create less visual discomfort from the difference in brightness and shadows throughout the home.

Examples of difference in light color temperature.

Which bulb is best for me?

With so many bulbs available, now it’s time to narrow down the best option for in-home use. In general, LED lighting is best in terms of its versatility and its energy efficiency. Not only will switching to LED bulbs save money on your electricity bill, but it will also mean less time spent on a ladder trying to reach that awkward bulb in your ceiling. After finding the specific bulb base for your fixture and finding an LED bulb that has the proper wattage according to your fixture specs, look for bulbs with a color temperature of 3000K. This is a warm, bright, and even light that will supplement light in dark areas without being cold and sterile. 3000K is relatively universal, with warm undertones to promote relaxation but enough brightness and less yellow tones to work well in higher traffic areas that may require a more intense light.

In summary:

Incandescent bulbs: produce warm light, but they do not last as long and are not energy efficient. There are also limited options of light colors available.
LED lights: wide range of light temperatures available, much more energy and cost efficient than incandescent lights.
Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL): more energy efficient than incandescent lights, but less efficient than LED lights. Have mercury in them and are being banned.
Color temperature is measured on the Kelvin scale, with the warmest light being 2000K and coldest being 7000K.
Warm lighting makes a space feel cozy, relaxed, and well… warm. Cool lighting can be brighter, feel cleaner, and work well in closets and high traffic areas.

The Kitchen is the Heart of the Holidays

by Charles Hendricks | Dec 28, 2023 | architecture, family, Interior Design

By Aliyah D. White.

During a recent weekend, my family and old friends gathered around my parents’ kitchen and blessed the food for the first Christmas party they have hosted since before the pandemic. My parents’ kitchen has always been more than just a place to feed the body. The conversations and laughter that have been shared while my mom whips up medal-worthy meals and my dad whips up his delicacies, like beanie weenie, are some of my favorite memories from growing up. For as long as I can remember, the kitchen has been the central part of the house I grew up in, and during the holidays the warmth I feel there extends to the many people we welcome in from the cold.

Beulah Kitchen Addition

Frank Lloyd Wright believed that the hearth was the psychological center of the home. In the past the hearth was where families would gather around for warmth and cook their meals. But, as times have changed, it has become a bit obsolete as the anchor of the home. Central heating takes care of warmth, and the kitchen is now where meals are prepared and shared with loved ones. Someone, who I am sure was equally as wise as Frank Lloyd Wright, once claimed that the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach. So, as the location of where we make meals has shifted, so has the path to our hearts.

Elk Rock Vista

Coming home for the holiday season means spending time with family, sharing meals, and catching up on life’s big and little events. The kitchen is often the busiest room in a home and because food is such an important part of familial culture and heritage, the kitchen becomes the most treasured room during the holidays. It is where recipes are passed onto the next generation and family history is made more vibrant amidst delicious smells and tastes. Opening the kitchen to the rest of the home not only increases functionality of the room, but it can also nurture greater interaction among family and friends.

Hilltop House

The heart of your home may look very different from mine. We have designed kitchens that double as gathering spaces by using methods like opening them up to other living areas or adding large islands that can still conceal the mess that comes along with holiday cooking. Our work as designers is to ask you specific questions to figure out what would make your kitchen gathering space the dream you have always wanted. From renovation to new construction, we have seen so many different options and know what questions to ask to uncover just the right solution. In the gallery below, you can view a few of the kitchens that we have designed, each for a specific client’s needs.

So, as you gather together this year – if you find yourself thinking, “What if we made this little change?” give us a call to talk about your dream. We would love to help you figure out what is possible and what works best. We would love to help you enhance the heart of your home for future holiday seasons.

Design Strategies to Make Your Kitchen More Functional

by Charles Hendricks | Nov 15, 2023 | architecture, Interior Design

Is your kitchen ready for the big day? Thanksgiving is coming.

Turkey Day is upon us and that means some of us will be spending a lot of time in our kitchen. As one who cooks (or heats up in some cases) a traditional Thanksgiving dinner each year, I know how important it is to have an efficient and functional space for cooking. I also know that if your kitchen is cut off from the rest of the house, you can feel isolated while others are cheering for their favorite parade float. Our kitchens are a central hub for activities for our family, so we’re providing some kitchen design tips to make your kitchen the best possible and most functional space it can be for turkey cooking and everyday family time. (Click each image below for a closer look).

1. Universal design standards say we should have pull out shelves, drawers, multiple height counters, pull down shelving, and places to sit and stand to allow everyone to use your kitchen effectively.

2. Including composting, recycling, and trash center makes for easy clean up and it can be hidden in pull out cabinets to keep your kitchen looking tidy.

3. A large walk-in pantry allows you to keep things organized and in one place and for everything to have a place. Don’t settle for a small cabinet solution. If your home can handle it, make a space that works for your way of cooking.

4. Maximize your storage opportunities, filling in blind corners and “spacers” to put in viable and functional storage options.

5. Pick the right countertop for your kitchen goals. Click here for the pros and cons of different kitchen countertop materials.

old town harrisonburg kitchen (7) - maximize storage

6. Make sure you have lots of natural light in your working space. You don’t have to have wall cabinets on all the exterior walls, you can use a walk-in pantry for added storage and open up your wall space with large windows.

7. Add undercabinet lights so you can see what is on the counter while you are working. Having the ceiling lights in the right place can also add light to your work spaces.

8. Install a 24” deep cabinet above your refrigerator to gain a little more functional storage space in your kitchen.

9. Connect your kitchen to the living space so the entire family can gather while one or two people are preparing the meals.