by Charles Hendricks | Feb 11, 2019 | Interior Design
The Pantone Color of the Year, Living Coral, is a bright color that energizes and brings warmth to a space. It is a rich color that builds on recent past colors such as Ultra Violet, Greenery, and Rose Quartz all drawing from nature. I think it ties nicely with our valley heritage of focusing on the outdoors with all the incredible hiking, mountain biking, and scenic views opportunities we enjoy here. While we are far from a coral reef, it is as vibrant as any of the beautiful sunsets we get to see over the mountains. It could really be called Harrisonburg Sunset and it would fit perfectly here in your home.
Some ways you can incorporate Living Coral from a decorating view points are through accent pillows, throw rugs, or upholstering a cool piece of mid-century furniture. Including a larger element like a chair or piece of artwork would allow you to make the color a statement piece. You could also find a cool lamp and add a shade on it with the color which might also cast that color across a wall in a room. The color really brightens a space with its warm undertones and can be used in a sunny room that you want to feel tropical or in dark rooms that could use a little warmth.
As an interior designer, I focus more on the way the home is functioning for my clients. In a renovation we might open up a floor plan to create a larger gathering space. This can bring a dated house into a modern showplace. We could paint the cabinets Living Coral, however, that might be a little much. Often we will make the island in the kitchen the show piece or have you ever considered painting the inside of the cabinets a warm inviting color. It can really offer a surprise splash of fun to a space. Living Coral is eye-catching by nature and that is what makes it ideal for highlighting particular features in your home. We have used the color of the year as an accent wall to make a space feel larger or a patterned wallpaper for a more subtle look.
Thinking about ways to incorporate Pantone’s Color of the Year, Living Coral, into a home is a fun way to bring life to a space. It is a warm color that will energize you and welcome your guests. It might be a simple decorating feature, re-imagining an antique piece of furniture, or an interior design challenge of bringing a traditional house into 2019. We welcome you to give us a call to discuss if you want to talk more about how we design and the importance of paying attention to the small details that make a home a home.
by Charles Hendricks | Aug 1, 2016 | Harrisonburg Architect, Historic Renovation, Interior Design
Our new office is open and getting into shape.
The interior brick walls along the stair that were once covered in black char from the 80’s fire have been scraped. The stairs have been rebuilt leading to the second floor.
Heading into the second floor, the window and door opening from the fire was preserved showing the fire damage.
Where there once was a hole in the floor, now there is a kitchen finished with Alberene soapstone counters and Wolf Cabinets.
Our signage is installed done by Eddie Edwards Signs.
The front desk is installed using wood from attic fire damaged wood. The base of the desk was fabricated by Excel Steel.
The high top desks face the Marvin windows.
Our LEED certificates are hung on the wall along with our awards placed on the shelving.
The 100-year-old drafting desk from Ray’s family has been refinished and installed into my office.
My office space is generous enough for a meeting table in addition to my desk. The wall behind is a dry erase board using Sherwin Williams system.
My miniature architect toy is hanging out with my CSI, Interchange, On the Road Collaborative, and CATEC mug.
My World’s Best Boss mug is there to remind everyone.
Several of my old models from college and a few 3-D printed models are on the file cabinets.
In our conference room we have a new table and chairs. What do you think? Again, there was no floor here a few months ago.
Our new old lights have been redone to be energy-efficient and to preserve the patina from years of use. Thanks to Live Wire for their wonderful work.
Maybe best of all, we have a large storage closet with lots of shelf space.
Stop by and visit. Let us know your memories of the space. If you have any pictures from what the building used to be, we would love to see them.
by Charles Hendricks | Feb 2, 2016 | Interior Design
There are many options for your kitchen countertop, but all seem to have pros and cons making this a hard decision. So which one should you use in your new kitchen? Which one is right for you? Here are some pros and cons of commonly used kitchen countertops to help you make your decision.
Soapstone
Cost range: $75 – $150 psf
PROS:
-versatile in design/colors, wide range of color from almost pure white with slight marbling to charcoal gray with nearly solid color, very non-porous, doesn’t require sealing, stain resistant, easy to clean with just soap and water, doesn’t harbor bacteria, chips/scratches can be easily sanded/buffed out
CONS:
-soft/easy to scratch, high price
Granite
Cost range: $95 – $150 psf
PROS:
-wide range of color/movement, scratch resistant, high quality, hard surface, heat-resistant,
CONS:
-porous, needs to be resealed often, stains easily when not sealed properly/frequently enough, crack or chip when something heavy is dropped on it, high price
Marble
Cost range: $125 – $250 psf
PROS:
-beauty, wide variety in color and movement, heat-resistant
CONS:
-porous/stains easily, needs frequent resealing, soft/scratches easily
Quartz
Cost range: $125 – $175 psf
PROS:
-wide range of color, won’t chip or crack, non-porous because it is engineered, high quality, very hard substance, heat-resistant
CONS:
-not as natural of a look as natural stone, seams can be noticeable sometimes, not as heat-resistant as granite, high cost
Slate
Cost range: $50 – $65 psf
PROS:
-non-porous, doesn’t harbor bacteria, won’t absorb liquids, very hard and durable, heat-resistant, affordable (can be half the price of granite/marble/soapstone/quartz), won’t easily scratch/chip
CONS:
-corners can be slightly brittle (recommended to round edges to prevent cracks or injuries), less color variation than other natural stones
Wood
Cost range: $35 – $200 psf
PROS:
-appearance, variety in color/grain, warm to touch compared to stones, recycled/recyclable, good work surface
CONS:
-require regular/proper sealing, can be damaged by water if not treated properly/regularly, may need refinishing, scratch and dent fairly easily
Solid Surface
Solid surface countertops are man-made blends of acrylic and polyester. An example is Corian.
Cost range: $75 – $120 psf
PROS:
-very wide variety of colors, non-porous, stain resistant, formed into nearly any shape and size
CONS:
-can be damaged by heat, not as much variety and depth in color/movement as a natural stone
Laminate
Cost range: $20 – $50 psf
PROS:
-inexpensive, very wide variety of color/pattern, easy to clean, quick to install, can be customized into most any shape or design, stain resistant
CONS:
-damaged easily by heat, not very scratch resistant, surface damage is difficult to repair
by Charles Hendricks | Sep 9, 2015 | architecture, Interior Design
10 Reasons to Hire an Interior Designer
Are you thinking of hiring an interior designer, but don’t know if it is really worth it? Below are 10 reasons you should hire a professional to take care of your design needs.
1. Professional interior designers are focused on providing solutions that take health, safety, and welfare as their top priority. Many design decisions in your home can have a great effect on the health and safety of you and your family.
2. The field of interior design is always evolving, knowing what is current is critical.
3. Interior designers are trained to apply local and national codes to their designs to ensure their clients get the safest and highest quality designs available.
4. Interior designers are familiar with the current housing market and can advise their clients on what products and design solutions will be a smart investment.
5. Experience is valuable in any and all professionals. Hiring an experienced interior designer can give you peace of mind in knowing that he or she will be making sound design decisions regarding your home.
6. Interior designers have vision. If you are struggling to come up with a solution to your awkward kitchen layout, insufficient storage, or you think your home just needs a major renovation, interior designers can see the big picture and create design solutions that will maximize your budget, space, and style.
7. Interior designers are familiar with the best products in the industry, and can make selections that will work best for you and withstand the wear and tear of everyday living.
8. Interior designers think long term. If you’re building a new home that you want to live in forever, designers know what decisions need to be made now so that you can easily age in place.
9. Interior designers know how to make a space versatile. Versatility maximizes efficiency.
10. Interior designers take a holistic approach to design. Collaboration is a large part of the success of a project, and interior designers often work with architects, engineers, and product experts to ensure that their design decisions are not only doable, but the best possible solution for their clients.
Before you decide to start your home renovation project, call a professional interior designer to set up a consultation. It will be worth a couple of hours to at least check it out.
by Charles Hendricks | Jun 24, 2011 | architecture, Charlottesville, Interior Design, project update, Wintergreen Resort
I spent some time with a contractor at Wintergreen yesterday. We have been doing work on several projects in Nelson County and she wanted to get an idea on cost for a deck design. We toured an amazing rental house that was clearly a million dollar property with a two million dollar view. The deck was in ok shape structurally, but did not fit the interior of the home or take advantage of the views. I know that an investor that is using a rental property to make money does not want to invest in replacing a perfectly good deck (at least it will be for a few more seasons), but think of the repeat clients they would have if they had an incredible deck to go with the incredible home. There is so much potential for this and many of the other homes built 30 years ago at Wintergreen. The homes I have looked at are all showing their age, some more than others, and are ready for a face lift. We offer consulting services to help you get your property energy-efficient, interior design services to help you update the look, and architectural services to help you remodel. Give us a call it you want to talk about how to best take advantage of your million dollar views!
