Tag Archives: green

Spruce Up Your Home for Spring

April 26, 2018UncategorizedAlamo Heights, beautiful, best, Bill Smith, blog, cleaning, custom, custom built, Dominion, fiesta, fiesta san antonio, Fiestaware, gelato colors, green, high end, home builder, house, houzz, Jason Gale, Jesse, kitchen, luxury, macreme, new, New Braunfels, Olmos Park, paint, personal, private, real estate, recommended, reviews, sales, San Antonio, Schertz, Spring decor, Stone Creek Custom Homes, Stone Oak, sustainable, sutapants, Texas Hill Country, top rated, upscale, Vintage Oaks, wallStoneCreekTX

Spring has finally sprung in San Antonio, and now it’s time to start sprucing up your home to reflect the blossoming surroundings. If you’re needing some inspiration, we’ve got you covered!

Spring Cleaning:

First thing’s first, before you can even think about adding something new to your home, you’ve got to get rid of the old. It’s time to go through your closets, garage, spare bedrooms and even kitchen cupboards and toss or donate what’s not working for you anymore. A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t used it in the last 6 months then it’s likely (unless they’re holiday knickknacks) that you’re not going to use them in the next six months either. Here are a few tips to help get rid of that winter funk:

Air out your pillows, blankets and comforters by hanging them on a clothesline for a day. That Spring scent on your pillows will do wonders for a good night’s sleep.
When’s the last time you cleaned your ceiling fan? We know… we can’t remember either. Now’s a good time to clean them off and give them a nice coat of furniture polish. Spinning all that dust around does nothing but kick up your allergies.
Likewise, we often overlook window and door screens. Use a scrap of carpeting to easily brush off all the built-up winter residue. This is a great job for the kids!
For cleaning the refrigerator, everyone’s favorite chore, go green by using a combo of salt and soda water to get it spick and span in a jiffy.

Spring Décor:

Now, for the fun part! Who doesn’t want to spruce up their palace with all of the Spring-inspiring colors and infinite décor and design ideas that abound, but let’s start small.

The easiest way to bring Spring into your home is to fill it with beautiful plants that do well indoors. We suggest some vibrant purple or indigo violets that will make you smile every time you walk into a room. African violets are some of the easiest houseplants to manage, which is good when you’re on the go. You might also consider hydrangea, hibiscus, a shrimp plant, flowering maple or peace lily, which also flourish indoors. Simple green, leafy plants are all the rage this season so now blooming required to give your house a touch of lushness.
Since Fiesta is upon us, why not adorn your front door with a festive wreath of colorful ribbons and cascarones? If you want to be more Spring-centric, consider a beautiful floral monogramed wreath that will last well beyond the fiesta madness.
Macreme is back in style, as well as fringing, tassels and feathers on all things from throws to rugs and wall hangings. They give your home a cozy rustic quality with just a few simple accessories.
If you’re looking for a more permanent change, consider the trending fashion-forward gelato colors – think orange and raspberry sherbet – to liven any room. Add these pretty colors to a single wall for a touch of Spring shine, or more if you’re in the mood to be bold. Accessorize with some pastel colored vases, dining chairs and plates. We like Fiestaware, which is elegant yet colorful.

Finally, if you’re ready to really go bold, let’s get started on your new dream home! Schedule a free consultation using our online form or give us a call at 210-494-5400.

Meet Our Interior Design Consultant, Carla Royder

March 7, 2018UncategorizedAlamo Heights, beautiful, best, Bill Smith, blog, Carla Royder, Carla Royder Designs, consultant, countertops, custom, custom built, design, Dominion, furnishings, green, high end, home builder, house, houzz, interior design, interiors, Jason Gale, Jesse, light fixtures, luxury, new, New Braunfels, Olmos Park, personal, Pinterest, private, real estate, recommended, reviews, sales, San Antonio, Schertz, showroom, Stone Creek Custom Homes, Stone Oak, sustainable, sutapants, Texas Hill Country, tile, top rated, upscale, Vintage OaksStoneCreekTX

As you can imagine, building dream homes requires a strong team of professionals. When it comes to interiors, we rely on interior designer, Carla Royder, and her own team (Renee Golobay, in particular) at Carla Royder Designs to inspire, inform and guide our customers so that they achieve everything they want within their budget.

Carla, who opened her business in 2003, has a wide range of customers with homes ranging from $500 thousand to five million dollars. Her company is a full-service firm, meaning they also completely furnish homes when the client requests it.

Think of Carla as a liaison that helps streamline communications between builders and customers. “The selection process can be overwhelming,” Carla pointed out. “We help narrow down their choices so that it’s not overwhelming.”

The Selection Process

First, we provide Carla with a budget. Before you go in to pick out what you want, she recommends sifting through home magazines and pouring over Pinterest to help give her team an idea of the style and look that you’re wanting. The clearer the vision you have of your new dream home, the better they can help you create it. That’s true for us as well.

“My biggest philosophy is I like to get to know the client and who they are. I want their personality to show through in their house because a home should say who you are. I think people should be able to walk into your home and be able to feel your personality,” she explained.

The best part is the showroom! Carla has samples of everything you could ever want and more, from tile to countertops and light fixtures – literally anything and everything you might need in your new home.

This process should be fun, if not easy, but we guarantee Carla’s team does their best to make it feel like a breeze.

Trends

No matter how hard we try to avoid trends, it’s nearly impossible. Carla recommends every home get a facelift approximately every five years.

For our customers, she says the trend is leaning towards light colors and clean, crisp interiors and simple tile patterns. She noted that brass tones are also making a comeback.

So what’s the best part of Carla’s job? She tells us, “When the clients are blown away. I absolutely love the big reveal when we pull a room together, and they come home and see it for the first time. Some clients fall to floor and have tears coming out of their eyes. That is super rewarding.”

With Carla and her staff on our team we know the home building experience is definitely a rewarding one! To get started, please call us at 210-494-5400.

New Year! New Home?

January 24, 2018Uncategorized2018, Alamo Heights, baby boomers, beautiful, best, Bill Smith, blog, CoreLogic, custom, custom built, Dominion, green, high end, home builder, home buyers, home buying, house, housing market, houzz, Jason Gale, Jesse, luxury, Market Watch, mortgage rates, new, New Braunfels, new home, New Year, Olmos Park, personal, previously owned, private, real estate, recommended, reviews, sales, San Antonio, Schertz, Stone Creek Custom Homes, Stone Oak, sustainable, sutapants, Texas Hill Country, top rated, update, upscale, USA Today, Vintage OaksStoneCreekTX

The new year is a great time to set goals and make a plan of action. If buying a new home is on your list this year, there’s no better time to get started. With an estimated million more people moving to the Alamo city within the next ten years, now is the time to bring that dream to the forefront – find your ideal location, plot of land, and let us build you a luxury home you will love for life.

As always, we’re here to help. Here are some updates on current housing market trends, so that you can be as informed as possible when making your home buying decisions:

- According to Market Watch, mortgage rates are expected to rise in 2018. CoreLogic, a data provider for the real-estate industry, averaged six forecasts of mortgage rates, arriving at a consensus view that the 30-year fixed will average 4.7% in December 2018. In November 2017, the 30-year, fixed-rate mortgage averaged 4.07%.

- According to USA Today, the U.S. has been experiencing a housing shortage. Baby boomers are staying in their homes longer than previous generations, it’s assumed, because they’re living longer, healthier lives. What this means is building a new home might just be easier than buying a previously owned one.

- As far as San Antonio is concerned, the housing market is showing no signs of cooling. 2017 was another record year for our beautiful city. New home sales are expected to increase by 7% this year, while existing home sales are likely to increase only 2.5%. Looks like everyone’s wanting a custom-built home!

Find out why a custom-built home is the best idea for you too! Call us at 210-494-5400 to set up a free consultation. You can also fill out our online form to request more information.

Texas Décor, from Stunning to Sassy

December 19, 2017UncategorizedAlamo Heights, art, artists, artwork, beautiful, best, Bill Smith, blog, custom, custom built, decor, Dominion, E. Dan Klepper, gilbert duran, green, high end, home builder, home decor, house, houzz, Jason Gale, Jesse, Jonas Perkins, Ken Kopacki, luxury, new, New Braunfels, Olmos Park, paintings, personal, photography, private, real estate, recommended, reviews, Robert Tatum, sales, San Antonio, Schertz, sculpture, Stone Creek Custom Homes, Stone Oak, sustainable, sutapants, texas, texas decor, Texas Hill Country, top rated, upscale, Vintage OaksStoneCreekTX

Photo by Ken Kopacki

Whether you’re looking to decorate your new custom home or current abode, if you love Texas like we do, then you might consider spreading a little Lone Star State love throughout your space. Here are some recommendations to start you down the Texas trail.

E. Dan Klepper

Few artists capture the stark beauty of west Texas as perfectly as E. Dan Klepper. An artist, photographer and writer, he’s captured the imaginations of many a Texan. If you’re driving through Marathon on your way to Big Bend, be sure to stop in at his studio, Klepper Gallery. Adorn your living room or dining room wall with one of his large-scale prints of the West Texas landscape and you have yourself a stunning showpiece.

Jonas Perkins

Jonas Perkins is a renowned artist who creates custom sculptures out of bronze, wood, plaster and stone. He also makes ceramic and glass mosaics, frescoes and more. His sculptures are on display in public places throughout Texas, including his Korean War memorial in San Antonio’s Municipal Plaza. Interestingly, he lives outside of Fredericksburg in a home he built himself out of recycled materials.

Robert Tatum

Based in San Antonio, this seasoned artist’s murals cover walls all over the city. His signature style is easily recognizable – it’s sometimes political, sometimes outlandish, but always unique and exceptionally executed. He has a retail space at Blue Star Arts Complex where you can find fun pieces to decorate your walls. He’s also available to do commission work, from homes to restaurants.

Gilbert Duran

Gilbert Duran has been a staple of Southtown for a very long time. His portraits are sometimes whimsical and sometimes bewilderingly gorgeous. You may have seen his paintings on the walls at the famous restaurant, Rosario’s, and his work is so popular now he even sells his paint-covered palettes.

Ken Kopacki

If you love photography of Texas icons, both well-known and off the beaten path, Ken Kopacki has made it his life’s mission to capture the unique beauty of Texas, from dilapidated barns to historic sites such as Cadillac Ranch. He’s up-and-coming, which means good news for collectors – his artwork is far more affordable than the previously mentioned.

Call us at 210-494-5400 if you need some beautiful custom walls and rooms for your new Texas décor. You can also fill out our online form to get the ball rolling.

What To Do in SA This Winter

November 21, 2017Uncategorizedactivities, Alamo Heights, beautiful, best, Biga on the Banks, Bill Smith, blog, Boudro’s, cheese, cheesemaking class, class, custom, custom built, Dominion, events, farm, free, green, high end, holiday, home builder, Hotel Valencia, house, houzz, Jason Gale, Jesse, lost maples, luxury, new, New Braunfels, Olmos Park, parade, parks, permaculture, personal, private, real estate, recommended, restaurants, reviews, river boat, river walk, River Whey Creamery, riverwalk, sales, San Antonio, Schertz, Stone Creek Custom Homes, Stone Oak, sustainable, sutapants, Talking Tree Farm, Texas Hill Country, top rated, upscale, Vintage OaksStoneCreekTX

Unlike most of the United States, which is already suffering from freezing temperatures, in San Antonio, it’s time to get out of the house and take advantage of this perfect time of year.

Holiday Delights

Enjoy the Holiday River Parade on November 24 in style this year. Many restaurants offer dinner packages, and there really is no better view of the parade. The best part is you don’t have to fight the crowds. Choose from restaurants such as Biga on the Banks, Boudro’s, Hotel Valencia and more. You can book your reservation here.

Although our riverwalk is a top tourist attraction, it’s easy to forget how beautiful it is, especially when they light it up during the holidays with over 100,000 lights. It’s truly a winter wonderland in Texas. You can also take a special river boat tour and see our amazing city from a whole new perspective!

Lost Maples

If you’ve never heard of Lost Maples, you’re missing out. This state park, just a few hours from San Antonio, is a gorgeous respite from city life. This hidden grove of Uvalde bigtooth maple trees is best during a two week time period in the fall when it turns bright red and gold, but it’s a fantastic place to visit all year round. Winter is a great time to go camping or explore their 10 miles of hiking trails. You can also fish the Sabinal River or Can Creek, but keep an eye out, you might see our Stone Creek Custom Homes’ guys hooking some bass.

December Permaculture Class

Learn all about natural gardening from a pro – Sylvain Clavieres of Talking Tree Farm. They offer free permaculture classes at the farm (located near Converse), typically every month. The next one will be on Sunday, December 3 from 4 to 6 pm. Find out how to start your own garden or discover sustainable techniques that will help you replenish the one you already have. The best part is they bring in a chef to prepare lunch using all of the delicious produce grown at the farm. This one is a must for a fun afternoon with the family. For more information, go to talkingtreefarm.com.

Cheese Please

IF you love cheese, get up close and personal with it at River Whey Creamery’s “Hands On Cheesemaking Class,” on January 21^st. Learn how to make a lemon juice coagulated cheese, whole milk ricotta and a cultured cheese from nationally award-winning cheesemaker, Susan Rigg. Sign up early at riverwheycreamery.com.

When you’re done adventuring, give us a call at 210-494-5400 and let’s discuss how you can love San Antonio even more in your new custom home. You can also fill out our online form to request more information.

San Antonio Custom Home Builder Stone Creek Custom Homes

Best Custom Home Builder in San Antonio, Texas