Home View/Hidden Doors
According to Home of Fine Decorators' Dawn Causa, a growing number of Florida home owners are opting for so-called "flush doors." In this design trend, which produces a seamless effect, the casings are removed and the door is painted to match the wall. Once popular in minimalist dwellings, Causa says these camouflaged doors are now being incorporated into all kinds of house styles. (www.wsj.com)
Wall Street Journal (12/12/03) P. W12; Reed, Danielle
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If the Kitchen's Warm, It May Be the PC
The kitchen has been transformed in recent years from a room solely designed for cooking to a family gathering place, and it is now the most popular area to locate the household computer. University of California-Los Angeles Center for Communications Policy Director Jeffrey Cole believes always-on broadband Internet connections sparked the migration of the computer from the den to the kitchen. "It's all about being able to do things very fast and not have to wait," he remarks. Home owners are putting both laptops and desktop computers with either wireless or cable connections in the kitchen, and some are even giving up eating space to make room for the equipment. Moreover, computer areas are now included in many kitchen designs. Home owners typically choose devices that do not stand out in terms of size, and many prefer laptops because they can be moved to different locations throughout the room. With Salton's $2,000 Icebox, for instance, home owners view the Internet, television, movies and other applications from a flip-down monitor mounted under their cabinets. The device's keyboard and remote control are tightly sealed so that they cannot be damaged by spills and other kitchen mishaps. (www.nytimes.com)
New York Times (12/11/03) P. E1; Hafner, Katie
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Builders: Incentive Program Won't Lower Home Prices Much
Officials in Palm Beach County, FL, have created a voluntary incentive program to assist builders in offering homes for just $78,000-$188,000. Participating builders can undertake higher-density projects that increase area traffic. The incentives are intended to help low- to moderate-income families that cannot afford properties at the county's median price of $246,000 without a significant downpayment. County commissioners say builders could be required to offer low-cost homes to earn project approvals if the plan does not spark improvements within three years. However, Gold Coast Builders Association President Ron Hyman does not expect the incentives to slash home prices. Rather, he believes that lower impact fees, cheaper water and sewer access, and faster permit and inspection processes would be more effective. (www.gopbi.com/partners/pbpost)
Palm Beach Post Online (12/11/03) Shah, Nirvi
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Eagles or Bogies? Golf Courses' Development Appeal Dwindles
Many developers in Northeast Florida have decided not to include golf courses in their project plans. Davidson Development Inc., for instance, opted against a golf course for its Heritage Landing community in World Golf Village mainly because the development already will have a total of three courses when completed. Says Davidson Development Design Executive Rick Pariani, "When you include a golf course, it drives up the cost of the real estate, and the complexion of the community that evolves around the golf course ends up being much higher-end." Homes in Heritage Landing would have price tags between $300,000 and $500,000 or more if a golf course were built, versus $160,000-$350,000 without a course. Pariani says the company has decided to build a family camp instead, featuring swimming, outdoor sports, multi-function rooms, an outdoor movie screen and a storytelling or campfire ring. This will attract buyers with children, while other golf course communities target retirees. A number of experts believe Northeast Florida has plenty of golf courses to meet the needs of its residents, and LandMar Group COO Roger Postlethwaite insists that 1,000 or more homes are necessary for golf course communities to be successful. (www.jacksonville.bcentral.com)
Jacksonville Business Journal (12/01/03) McClellan, Gary
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Building America: Innovation in Home Building
Building America, a Department of Energy-sponsored public-private partnership, aims to make homes 40%-70% more energy efficient. It proposes to accomplish its goal by assembling teams of architects, builders, engineers, manufacturers, suppliers, planners, lenders and contractors to experiment with energy-efficient designs. The partnership also works to minimize waste; speed up the construction process; boost builder productivity; and test new products. Those involved in the research process monitor the envelope, mechanical systems and energy use, among other factors, to help create more sophisticated building systems. (www.homeenergy.org)
Home Energy (12/03) Vol. 20.6, P. 40
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Dimmers Add Ambiance, Cut Electricity Costs
Home owners can spend anywhere from $4-$50 on dimmer switches for their kitchens as well as living, dining, powder and family rooms. They allow occupants to control the lighting in each room to create a particular mood, and they also cut light output and electricity bills by controlling the circuit current. There are a variety of styles to choose from — including push dials, touch controls and toggle-and-lever — and they are available in colors that match the walls, windows and floors. The size of the dimmer, meanwhile, should correspond to the total wattage of the light bulb being used in the room. Though dimmer switches can be installed quickly and fairly easily, home owners might want to pay a little more for installation by an electrician to avoid bad connections and potential fire hazards. However, experts warn, home owners should use dimmer switches only for incandescent lighting and never for outlets or appliances. (www.chicagotribune.com)
Chicago Tribune (12/05/03) Heins, Frances Ingraham
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Builders Survey: Raise a Cheer
According to the CIT Construction Industry Forecast, optimism among U.S. construction executives rose 16% in the last year to the highest level since 1999. More than half of the 900 contractors and equipment distributors polled — 62% — expect next year to be an improvement from 2003, and most believe the commercial construction sector will fare better as well. Only 8% of respondents anticipate a worse year. Optimism was highest among contractors in the West South Central region — which encompasses Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. Those in the East North Central region including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin were not as confident about the industry's outlook. (www.wsj.com)
Wall Street Journal (12/10/03) P. B8; Chittum, Ryan
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Restaurant Look Enters the High-End Home Kitchen
A growing number of home owners are taking advantage of low interest rates to upgrade their kitchens, which are a top priority because they retain value and boost the property's resale potential. High-end appliances are gaining popularity because families are spending more time gathering and entertaining in the kitchen, plus experts say home owners want to showcase their wealth. Wine coolers, $6,000-plus Sub-Zero refrigerators with digital controls, convection ovens, quiet dishwashers, multiple appliances and warming drawers are in high demand among affluent home buyers as are upscale cabinets, sinks and countertops. According to Coppenbarger Homes interior coordinator Josie Myers, many home owners are opting for commercial-grade appliances, while others desire built-in appliances hidden behind the cabinetry. Myers notes that some kitchens even combine the two looks. (www.jacksonville.bcentral.com)
Jacksonville Business Journal (12/01/03) Geddes, Ryan
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Hanging Up on Old-Line Telephones
Several Milwaukee-based businesses are replacing traditional phone lines with Web-based communications systems. With voice-over Internet Protocol (VOIP) technology, companies can combine voice and data capabilities and similarly handle both voice mail and e-mail messages. Businesses can also install new phones easily and quickly by plugging them into the network system, and they save money on long distance calls by making them over the Internet. "There's a flexibility and increase in productivity that these systems are able to bring," remarks SBC Communications Inc.'s voice data convergence director Marianne Gedeon. (www.milwaukee.bizjournals.com)
Business Journal (Milwaukee) Online (12/08/03) Trewyn, Phil
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The Doorway to a Digital Document Strategy
Multifunctional digital copiers, which lately have added such features as scan-once technology, raster image processors and enterprise networking, can create an impressive new document-management solution for companies that take a total-cost-of-ownership approach to their document handling needs. While most companies still think of the devices as a capital expense — it can run from $3,000-$15,000 for an entry-level machine handling 16-33 pages per minute and $20,000-$40,000 for devices handling 40-60 pages per minute — there are also additional savings and productivity gains to be found by using the devices. For example, the copiers can create new value as low-cost, high-quality document scanners, and their networking functions can make them a convenient e-mail portal for sharing hardcopy documents without having to pay associated postage costs. The devices can also convert existing documents from hardcopy to digital format. A downside, however, is the need to reengineer the management processes for the assets and related workflow; it may be a good idea to put the IT department in charge of handling networked multifunctional document devices. The companies that develop an enterprise document strategy into which multifunctional devices can be incorporated are the companies that will see the most benefit from the devices. (www.psdmag.com)
Document Processing Technology (12/03) Vol. 11, No. 7, P. 20; Errigo, Sam
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