Tag Archives: furniture

Love Your Living Room

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Courtesy of Glen Andrews Art Glass

Courtesy of Glen Andrews Art Glass

There’s that one main room in your home where everyone gathers, perhaps watches TV, enjoys lively conversations, plays games. You might call it the living room or the family room. You might even have a great room, a modern version with an open floor plan that also combines the dining room. We love building great rooms for our clients, which by its very nature, encourages family interaction.

Regardless of what it’s called, this is the heart of your home, and you want it to be a room that shines. Your living room should, more than any other room, reflect the personality of you and your family.

Here are some tips to help bring some love into your living room or make that great room even better!

-          If you have a great room, then you must rely on area rugs and furniture to create the spatial boundaries in the room. Typically, you want a backdrop that is more neutral. Different sections of the space can utilize colors and patterns but should compliment the other sections of the room. Accent walls can also be used to cleverly add definition between spaces.

-          Update your great room with a home office space, small library, children’s play corner or adult arts and crafts corner. All of these options can, again, add dimension and definition to the space.

-          Find some unique antiques to add some character to your living room. Old antique doors can also be used to divide up a room. We recommend a hidden gem right here in San Antonio, called Architectural Antiques Salvage. This giant warehouse is filled with all sorts of treasures, from doors to light fixtures, clawfoot bathtubs, sinks and even some décor. They are located at 403 Dawson St., just on the eastside of downtown.

-          If you’re looking to update your furniture, which is a fun way to change the look of your living room, consider adding some curved furnishings. Once popular in the 60’s, the curved look is coming back. For example, a crimson velveteen sofa with a back in the shape of a half circle and a curved cushion in front. A piece like this can help add a touch of femininity to the room.

-          Light fixtures can be an easy way to define the space in your great room or living room, and can also serve as a showpiece that truly represents the ambiance you’re wanting to achieve. You might consider having some custom blown glass pieces to create a modern-day chandelier. Locally, we recommend Glen Andrews Art Glass of Caliente Hot Glass. They can design a piece specific to your look and tastes and even install it for you. For more information, visit glenandrewsartglass.com.

However, if it’s simply time to start dreaming of a new great room, we’re here to help! Give us a call at 210-494-5400 or fill out our online form to get started.

Transform your Home this Summer with these Great Decorating Ideas

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fireplace

No Flames Fireplace

It’s rare, even in winter, that we get a chance to use the fireplace, but there’s zero chance of it for the next several months, so why not add a splash of style and color by filling the space with something eye-catching? We suggest some stunning candles, a piece of artwork, a hunk of coral or a unique precious stone like amethyst – whatever compliments your living room’s color palette.

Bring the Outdoors In

Since it’s too hot to sit outside during much of the day, why not bring elements of nature into your home instead? Brighten up your living space by adding fresh flowers, plants and fresh fruit centerpieces. Not only will it make your home look more inviting, it will also smell delicious! Natural, eco-friendly materials such as hemp and bamboo are another great way to add a little rustic class to your environment.

Dedicated Indoor Bar

If you don’t already have a dedicated bar inside your home, consider creating a space where you can easily whip up your summer cocktails. Get some fun glass jars and fill them with fresh herbs, limes, lemons and any other inviting accoutrements you might throw into a drink. If you really want to impress, experiment with making your own simple syrups and shrubs. It’s a lot easier than you think! Here’s a recipe to get you started:

Pop with Pillows

A simple, inexpensive way to beautify any room is to add some decorative pillows. This summer, try finding pillows with vibrant designs and graphics. If you’re feeling creative, you can even make your own. Graphic outlines are easy enough to block-print onto fabric. When your friends compliment your new pillows, you can make them one or inspire them to make their own.

Brighten Up Tired Furniture

Another easy way to boost your home’s inner beauty is to transform an old chair or side table by spray painting it (with a high-gloss paint) an upbeat summer color like sunshine yellow, grassy green or Texas sky blue. This new lacquered look can be a great accent in any room – be it the bedroom or your home office. Just don’t forget to properly prime the furniture if you’re doing it yourself.

If you would rather have a new home built just for you rather than transforming your old one, please call us at 210-494-5400 for a consultation. If you wish to be added to our private email list for our newsletter, please sign up here.

Custom-Made Furniture for Your Custom Home

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STD 1

If you’re going to spend the time and money to have a custom home built, why not fill that beloved home with some extraordinary custom furniture as well? If you plan ahead you can create a symbiotic environment and have furniture designed to fit the exact space it’s going to live in.

If this is something you’ve never considered, you may not know that San Antonio, and certainly Texas, is home to some brilliant and highly-skilled custom furniture designers, who can make furniture that’s either traditional or avant garde. Here are just a few local furniture designers/builders you might want to consider.

George Schroeder of Schroeder Design

George Schroeder has earned a reputation as one of the leading large scale metal artists in the United States, and we’re lucky that he’s located right here in San Antonio. Schroeder somehow manages to translate fluidity and energy into his pieces, so that they’re all incredibly creative and unique. Although the scope of his work really runs the gamut, from modern sculpture to paintings, his ability to construct magnificent custom furniture that are iconic pieces in any home is a rare gift.

Peter Zubiate of Zubiate Projects

Peter is known for his beautiful wood furniture and often works with local architects and builders to create specifically-designed furniture, including tables, chairs, beds, built-ins and unique pieces. Whatever you can think up, Zubiate can bring that vision to life.

WOOD by Alberto

Another talented, but perhaps lesser known woodworker in San Antonio is Alberto of WOOD by Alberto, who makes handmade, original Texas wood products, including furniture. He recently completed a commissioned project for a local home of stunning large custom barn doors that are connected via heavy duty metal wheels that allow the doors to slide open.

Cortese Brothers

Cortese Brothers is a family owned and operated furniture company in San Antonio. They work closely with customers to create furniture that’s beautiful yet affordable. They incorporate your initial design research into the finished piece.

Deep Fried Design

Although Andrew McGuire hails from Austin, we won’t hold it against him because his furniture is absolutely stunning. He makes stylish modern furniture like beds and tables using reclaimed wood. He has a photo on his website of a funky coffee table he made from a reclaimed gym floor. It’s clear this custom furniture maker not only thinks outside the box, but lives there.

If you already have the furniture and just need the perfect home to put it in, call us at 210-494-5400. To be added to our private email list to receive the Stone Creek Custom Homes newsletter, please sign up here.

 

2015 Home Trends – Hot or Not?

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If you’re going to put time and money into building a new home, you might as well make sure it’s everything you want it to be. Here are some fun new trends designers are anticipating for 2015. Read on to see if any of them spark your imagination!

ARCHITECTURE & FURNITURE

According to Zillow, mid-century modern elements in architecture as well as furniture is one of the biggest up-and-coming home design trends for 2015. However, keep in mind that trends such as these should serve as inspiration, but should not be overdone!

COLORS

Everyone’s talking about colors, but what colors are hottest is up for discussion.  According to Sherwin-Williams, people are opting for brighter colors now that we’re out of a recession.  Check out their Coral Reef, color #6606, which they’re saying reflects America’s new optimism for the future.

Pinterest seems to support this idea, as a majority of the color trends for spring on display are certainly bright, bubbly and even traditional Easter holiday colors.

Conde Nast Traveler would have you believe that ochre is the “it” color of the moment. Inspired by recent fashion trends, ochre is transitioning into home design, where it makes a dramatic impact when paired with rich, velvet jewel tones.

Remodelista’s pick for interior wall color of the year is a gorgeous yet humble pale, dusty pink called “Pink Ground” from Farrow & Ball. It pairs especially well with black or grey furniture.

KITCHENS & BATHROOMS

An organic look for appliances is a continuing trend. Buttons on dishwashers are being gracefully hidden; refrigerators and ovens are made to blend into the kitchen’s décor, so that sometimes they’re even hard to find! Take a look at the Zen Oven by Amica, which has a crisp white façade with a simple wood handle and two black buttons –  the perfect accent to a minimalist kitchen.

Marble backsplashes are being used to create an exotic look and accent piece in any kitchen, while jewel-toned tiles in fun shapes are a stylish option for master baths or even guest baths and go great with vintage tubs.

THE LIBRARY

Surprisingly, in a country obsessed with getting online, libraries filled with old-fashioned books (made with paper!) are back in style. According to Details.com, libraries with actual books are making a comeback. Maybe it has something to do with the popularity of Downton Abbey, or perhaps people are simply nostalgic for the old days. Even VCR’s are coming back!

Stone Creek Custom Homes, along with our interior designers, can help you make all of these important decisions. Call us today at 210-494-5400 for a complementary consultation!

Creating Your Custom Home Patio & Backyard

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Water Feature

We want all of our clients to dream big when envisioning their perfect home and that includes your ideal outdoor patio. Sometimes people are afraid to shoot for the moon and the stars because it’s simply not in their budget right now.  Sure, budgets are a fact of life, but the fact is, whether it’s in your budget or not, planning your dream house allows us to put infrastructure in place that doesn’t really cost much, but saves you time and money when you are ready to expand.

Knowing where you’re going to put your outdoor barbecue pit, rotisserie feature or future sink, for example, all comes into play when building infrastructure. It helps us to know that a few years down the road you’re going to need an electrical outlet here or additional space there. It’s much less of a hassle and less expensive than a retro-fit application.

Outdoor Kitchens

Outdoor kitchens are trending in the United States, especially in warmer climates like Texas where we love to grill and barbecue.  They’re a stunning showpiece to any new home and are perfect for families who enjoy hosting parties and events. Because the outdoor kitchen should complement the architectural elements and landscape, we like to incorporate compatible materials and subtle architectural details that are aesthetically pleasing and able to easily withstand the elements.

Landscaping

One of the most interesting new landscape opportunities we’re seeing are edible gardens. We’re not talking just vegetables, but blended gardens that incorporate edibles with ornamentals, such as tomatoes mixed with roses. This fresh take on gardening is more natural to the environment and is a fun way to create your own farm-to-table dishes. A well thought-out garden, such as planting wild basil, also invites birds, bees and butterflies into your backyard.

Water elements can be a wonderful addition to enhance the zen-like atmosphere of your backyard – making it the go-to spot for relaxation after a crazy work day. With so many designs these days, there’s a water feature for every type of landscape and budget.

With modern techno gadgets like mosquito-control misters, outdoor air-cooling systems and new water-resistant acrylic fabrics in a wide array of patterns, many people are making their outdoor patio as comfortable, if not more so, than their living rooms.

Still, before you get too excited, you should first get familiar with your backyard space and then decide how you wish to use it. Stone Creek Custom Homes is here to help guide you through all of these important decisions. Call us today at 210-494-5400, and let’s get started!