Blog Archives




 

  • CBIA calls builders to act
    - Thursday December 4, 2008
    I received a release this morning from the California Building Industry Association calling for members to voice their concern of a new proposed law by the California Resources Air Board. This new law would put a new cap on emission gasses which the CBIA says would put a greater burden on the housing industry. The CBIA expresses urgency and emotion in the release.  California does have a reputation of having strict building/housing codes. But does this new law go too far? Will it really affect the housing market as harshly as the release implies? For California builders, what is your opinion of this new change happening in your state? Check out the release here. The release also includes a link to a page for voicing your...

  • AIA releases survey on compensation
    - Tuesday December 2, 2008
    The Dow was down again yesterday which seems to be a weekly occurrence. But despite the issues on Wall Street, the American Institute of Architects released its compensation survey at the beginning of November with promising results. According to the release, "... a nearly six percent annual increase in average compensation for architecture positions between 2005 and 2008, the strongest period of growth since AIA began collecting compensation information in 1990." This sounds like positive news! Especially with all the negative news we hear about the housing market. Click here to view the complete report. So, are the survey results realistic with what residential architects and designers are experiencing in the custom home...

  • NAHB release on bank bailouts
    - Tuesday November 25, 2008
    NAHB released a report today about the purchase of FDIC banks negatively affecting the housing market. At one point in the release, it touches on the homebuilders in Texas who have been mostly insulated from the slowdown. Click here to read the release. Are the recent bailout actions impacting your construction loans, and/or business?

  • Online marketing
    - Monday November 24, 2008
    When times are tough, there's a saying that companies should focus on marketing even more so than before. This is sometimes easier said than done. When companies have to weigh where to lot their valuable dollars, in most cases marketing is left off the table. But, with the new internet age, there are many marketing tools that are free. Taking advantage of these online marketing tools might be just what companies need to get through the next few months. What online tools, if any, are you using?

  • Trends Unveiled at Preview Luncheon for 2009 IMM Cologne
    - Tuesday October 21, 2008
    During a recent preview luncheon at Fiamma here in the Big Apple, Koelnmesse GmbH – organizer of imm cologne held annually at the Cologne Exhibition Center in Germany – recently offered a preview of the international design trends that will be emphasized and seen at the upcoming international furnishings trade show, which is set for Jan. 19-25, 2009. The German company unveiled these interior design trends – which were broken into four categories called Extra Much, Near and Far, Tepee Culture and Re-Run Time – predicted by the show's Trendboard for 2009 and beyond following a two-day meeting of its five members this summer in Barcelona, Spain.This year the board – which gathers annually and whose members...

  • The Path to Embracing Environmental Design
    - Tuesday April 29, 2008
    Today, the widespread observance of Earth Day – and Arbor Day – now more than ever signals to one and all that not only is environmentalism something that could reduce the human impact on the earth, but that it’s also something that’s become increasingly political and corporate (see related story), with Google going green for the day on its search page and offering a list of Earth Day-related sites just a click away, for instance, President George W. Bush planting a tree in New Orleans on Tuesday to mark Earth Day and all three presidential candidates issuing statements calling for better environmental standards. The Bush administration also offered a plan to boost fuel economy for cars and trucks to cut U.S...

  • Two Show Homes Go Green, and Luxe
    - Tuesday April 29, 2008
    With Earth Day Tuesday, and Arbor Day Friday, it was appropriate to post the audio files describing the kitchen and master bath of The (25th Annual) New American Home because it was the first show home to be certified by the National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) new Green Building Program, launched on Green Day during the 2008 International Builders’ Show (IBS) in Orlando, FL.The New Southern Home, which was also on display during the IBS, was built with plenty of eco-friendly building and design techniques and products, as well, so it’s also appropriate to post the audio files describing the kitchen and laundry room.Both homes featured Timberlake Cabinetry, which has also received certification by the Kitchen...

  • Consumers Want to Do More Green Building and Remodeling: Study
    - Monday April 28, 2008
    The latest research from Better Homes and Gardens (BH&G) looked at the most important factors homeowners consider when buying a new home or remodeling their current homes. The results – which BH&G released during the 2008 Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) in Chicago – didn’t find any surprises in the top five priorities in a home, which are: 1. An all-new kitchen that looks great and is fun to work in. 2. The right amount and type of customized storage. 3. A master bath and bedroom that feel like a luxurious hotel room. 4. Well-designed spaces that can be personalized. 5. A separate and convenient sizeable laundry workroom.However, what is surprising is that the study found that more than half of all of...

  • K/BIS 2008 Design Display Takes a Literal Look at ‘Green Design’
    - Monday April 28, 2008
    This year, everything seemed to be coming up “green†on the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference (K/BIS) show floor, and the 2008 Design Showcase was no exception. Now while many displays and products were green because of their environmentally friendly design, the Design Showcase highlighted “green design†quite literally.Indeed, the project’s principal designer Ingrid Leess was inspired by CaesarStone’s Apple Martini shade of natural quartz surfacing material. Leess, of New Canaan, CT-based Ingrid Leess Interior Design, started with color as her guide, and because of that green hue she saw last year, green became the theme of this year’s Design Showcase, which was sponsored by Woman’s Day...

  • Eco-Friendly Design, Aging-In-Place Options, Integrated Technology Mark 2008 DIC
    - Friday April 25, 2008
    The National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA)/Meredith Corp.’s Design Idea Center (DIC) returned to 2008 the Kitchen/Bath Industry Show & Conference for its third year.Dubbed “Your Kitchen and Bath, Your Way: Designs for Every Lifestyle and Life Stage,†the 10,000 sq.-ft. DIC showcased eco-friendly design ideas, aging-in-place options, integrated technology applications and organization and storage solutions. The DIC also featured products, appliances and materials from a variety of manufacturers and designers, including sponsors Armstrong, DuPont Surfaces, Kohler, KraftMaid and Sub-Zero/Wolf.Here’s a “glimpse†of each vignette that was on display at the NKBA booth in the South Hall: Hostess...

Events