Family Room is for.............family!

What is a family in today's world? Family can be anything under the sun and it is whatever you need it to be for your special circumstances!  But, in the realm of building, a family room means so many things.  It is so individual it is mind boggling!  Let's go through some ideas for how to use and improve your family room area.

1.  A Meeting Area - This is any type of gathering you can imagine.  Join with friends and celebrate a birth or bridal shower, holiday gatherings of any type and size, the big ball game or the finale of your favorite TV show, book clubs and bible studies.  When you think of these gatherings - think comfort and seating.  Lighting and tables.  If you need a bit more elbow room to accommodate your group, think about a bump out addition. 

2.  Crafts - The family room is a great place for crafts.  Adults and children alike love to create.  In this instance, you need organization.  Cubbies and baskets are useful to keep small items organized.  Tables with baskets underneath are a great option for kids! They can pull out what they need and easily place it back under the table when done.  You may need special tables, lighting and wall space to keep your crafts moving along.  Consider the wall space you have and how you could rearrange what you have in order to create the craft space you need.

3.  TV Viewing - The family room is a great place to have your TV station.  Consider sectional seating that can create a "space" for your family to curl up and view their favorite shows.  Above the fireplace has become a really cool place to position your TV.  Or you could go with custom cabinetry and the TV on the wall in between.  Stores like Pottery Barn or others have lots of choices for Media Stations.  You can definitely create different "areas" in your family room divided by furniture, rugs or screens.  http://www.potterybarn.com/shop/furniture-upholstery/media-centers/?cm_type=gnav

4.  Reading Nooks - Are you a bookworm rather than a TV viewer?  Make your family room into a personal library of sorts.  Lots of choices are out there for built in shelving or you can have furniture to stand alone that houses your personal library books.  Consider organizing by genre like a "real" library and maybe have a Lend One/Leave One station for friends and family.  Curling up on the sofa or easy chair with a good book is such an enjoyable thing to do summer or winter!  Consider your seating and lighting to accommodate reading for both adults and kids.  Some comfy kids chairs can make the difference between content or crabby kids.  How about a snack station as well?

5.  Comfort Overall - It's important to keep the family, friends and yourself comfortable.  In the winter, a cozy fireplace can add not only ambience but a much needed heat source.  Consider your options: gas, electric, wood burning, wood stoves, etc.  There are many choices that fit almost any budget.  And along the lines of Spring and Fall - our minds go toward allergens!  How does a home air filtration system sound in order to keep down those pesky allergens that cause us all so much grief?  Here is a link to some recommended models.  It might be worth the investment for your overall comfort. http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/air-purifiers.htm

6.  An extension of the family room can naturally lead to a deck.  Whether large or small a deck can add a lot of value to a home in both dollar sense and as well as usability.  In today's world there are so many composite options out there that are not only maintenance free, but stylish - it is the way to go in decking for this age and beyond.  Save a tree and go composite. 

7.  Looking Up - Your ceiling can add so much interest to your room.  Whether you decide to do vaulted, exposed beam, traditional, or tray it can mean a lot to the overall feel of your room and home.  Keeping in mind the architecture of the home and your personal design style, these options as well as trim moldings such as crown are worth the upgrade.

There are so many ways to make your family room awesome!  These are just a few - feel free to contact us with your own ideas.  We love to hear from our fans!

Have a Wonderful and Happy Spring!

The Mingioni Construction Team

Making the most of your dining experience.  It is what every high quality diner is looking for when they search for the right location for a special event.  You want more than high quality food - often you are looking for the ambience or "feel" of the space to create the event that you want.

It is not any different in your own home!  Though, admittedly dining has definitely become a more casual affair, there are the times when we want to "amp up" the experience.  A return to dinner parties has also made a showing in recent times.  No one to throw you out after 10 pm when all the servers want to cash out and go home.  A more relaxed and intimate experience.  A way to connect with friends new and old!  Maybe even impress the client or boss. 

When you look at your dining room - are you happy with what you see? Does your room need a makeover or some improvements to create the feel and ambience that you want?  Here are a few ideas and links to sites that can help you in your quest for the perfect dining experience.
www.houzz.com/photos/dining

1.  How is the flow around your table?  Is the seating area so tight that no one can walk by when you are sitting down? You might want to consider a room extension through using a small addition to the home.  Make the space slightly larger so that the flow around the room is more comfortable.

2.  Look up.  Literally.  What's hanging there?  Is it still your taste? People go through growth in life ... and in decorating.  What you were thrilled with 10 years ago may not be your cup of tea any longer.  Think about a simple upgrade to your lighting.  Here is a link to a local lighting supplier whom we have worked with for many years.  Their supply of amazing fixtures seems endless and their customer service is bar none.  http://www.lighting-by-design.com/lighting.asp

3.  Consider adding some trim detail.  Back in the day, chair rail actually had a function!  It was to protect the walls from the dings of people pushing their chairs up against the wall, but in today's world chair rail, wainscoting, crown mold are amazing use of detail that add character, charm and historic detailing to a room.  Your home may have been built 10 years ago, but you can give it the charm of a 100 year old home - without all the maintenance!

4.  Do you have enough serving area? A bump out addition or bay window could increase the room just ever so slightly so that you could add a serving table.  It makes for a convenient area to place the dishes when not in use on the table. 

5.  Lastly, you might want to think of paint colors or other wall coverings.  Just like in the lighting, your tastes may have changed.  Maybe the inspiring color you chose even 5 years ago has become dated or doesn't reflect your personality any longer.  Here is a link to some color ideas:  http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,20757100,00.html

In any event, I hope that this has inspired you to continue to make your home reflect YOU!  Mingioni Construction is always willing to help in any way that we can to help you love your home!!

The Mingioni Construction Team

 

Building a Custom Home is not for the Feint of Heart - But Oh So Rewarding

It takes whole team of people and a dedicated home owner in order to bring the process from conception to final product.

Getting the design and exact finishes that you want are some of the advantages of the custom home market versus purchasing an older home and going through a remodel.  There are so many design styles out there to choose from and websites like www.houzz.com or www.pinterest.com can help you define your own particular tastes.  Do you like Art Deco, Contemporary, Craftsman, Victorian, Tudor?  Finding your particular style home from that perspective will give your architect a starting point.

Finding the Right Builder and Architect

When looking for the builder/architect relationship sometimes you might go first to the architect or flip and go straight to the builder and build the relationship in that direction asking the builder to do a design/build or recommend an architect that they work closely with.  When interviewing architects always make sure to:

• Ask for referrals
• Ask for names, phone numbers, whether you can call them and to see examples of their work.
• Interview them personally
• You want to make sure that you have a good "feel" for the person and their personality and style.  The fit has to be right. 
• Bring in the architect as soon as possible in the process
• You want someone to be with you from start to finish.  They can end up saving you in the long run from a whole host of headaches.
• Ask about their fee structure
• You should know upfront how much you will be paying and what you will be receiving for those fees.  
• Do revisions cost extra?
• What about time spent on the site or in conversation with the builder?
• Get as much information as you can during the interview process. 
• Realize that selecting an architect is a mutual process
• They should feel as comfortable with you as you do with them.  
• Finding the right fit will make the whole process go so much smoother.  

The Mingioni Construction Team