About Style

Operation Organization — Everything in Its Place

by

Fall is the perfect season to think about nesting, de-cluttering, and organizing your home to make sure all of the odds and ends you accumulate throughout the year have a proper home. To that end, we’re offering a roundup of some the special customized cabinetry insert options that are available in the Myers Made™ cabinetry line to help you. See the slideshow below for some of our most popular solutions, along with details about how they can assist with your needs.

How can you choose which options are right for you? You’ll need to clearly define your goals and wishes in order to create a beautiful and well-organized space that matches your home and taste. Of course, we can work with you to cover all of the basics you’ll need — whether it’s a kitchen, bath, library, or entertainment/media room — and add value with these and many other internal solutions that help make everyday living a bit easier and happier.

Narrow but tall spice storage drawer: easy access for cooking, and out of the way when you are not.
Simple flatwear drawer with attractive maple dividers — eliminates the need for cheap, plastic flatwear organizers.
Wooden peg storage drawer with dishes.
Wooden peg storage drawer with dishes.
Just one of many recycling and garbage pull-out combinations available.
Wooden peg storage drawer with dishes.
This 2-tiered cutlery drawer organizes everyday and special-occasion flatwear and takes up no more space than a typical flatwear drawer.
A deep drawer with moveable pegs that can be configured as desired to accommodate many pots, dishes, and serving bowls without the risk of edges banging together or heavy dishes being dropped from an upper cabinet.
Drawer base cabinet with standard top drawer. The middle drawer is divided into general use on the right and storage for utensils on the left in cans, which come out for easy dishwashing and keep the countertop free from clutter.

Center City Trinity: Small Space Expert Design Solutions

by

pied-a-terre_small spacesWith the advent of the tiny house and sustainability movements, and the popularity of books like Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing” and Sarah Susanka’s Not So Big series, many folks are looking to reduce their footprint and renovate smaller spaces. Here in Philadelphia, we have lots of modestly sized older homes and among them is no greater example than the original “trinity” — a small townhouse built in the 1700s or early 1800s with one room on each of three floors, typically configured with a first-floor kitchen/family room, a second-floor bedroom/bath, and a small third-floor living space. Sometimes referred to as a “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost house,” these modest but charming homes usually feature a fireplace with a pocket staircase tucked behind the chimney and overall square footage of well under 1,000 sq ft. Many of the city’s original trinities, especially those found in neighborhoods like Washington Square and Society Hill, have been modernized, expanded and sometimes combined into larger dwellings that accommodate families with larger kitchens, bathrooms, and additional bedrooms on upper levels. However, you can still find many authentic trinities in the city, commonly as rental properties in areas like Fishtown, Chinatown, and Northern Liberties.

We have been working with our clients on a genuine trinity in the historic Pine Street section of town, on what used to be Antiques Row. For our trinity, we have been asked to develop creative and efficient small-space solutions to make it comfortable by modern standards without expanding its footprint, because it’s bound on three sides by other houses. This takes strong design skills, discipline, and experience. While many features have to be specified to perform double- and triple-duty functions, any built-ins and furnishings must be scaled appropriately for the proportions of the home. But one needs to be careful to not treat the house as a miniature, as the finished space needs to serve real-sized humans! Each system needs to be specified to bring efficiency while only occupying a small piece of the overall footprint, and understanding how to use some of the options that were popularized by the sustainability movement, such as on-demand hot water heaters, has served us well. Looking for multi-function solutions can bring great value and sometimes, contrary to what some might think, we sometimes specify larger fixtures that offer multiple functions, which can net a higher functioning space.

In the end, the best design is always design that you don’t notice, but this is especially true when working with very small spaces.

With demolition starting this week, we’ll keep you in the loop on updates to this project!

tam.sig small spaces

Adaptive Reuse: A Space Fit for a Diva

by

image of windows

Part II in a Series on Adaptive Reuse, the basis of an upcoming presentation by Tamara Myers at the 2016 Las Vegas NKBA Kitchen and Bath Industry Show and NAHB International Builders’ Show.

In moving towards a more sustainable future, we already have a head start with claiming some adaptive reuse successes. Already integrated into our everyday thinking about what type of building can be turned into a home: the loft and the barn. Indeed, some of these transformations are so woven into our current vocabulary of building stock that ironically you will see elements of the form affecting new home design, including “barn-like” great rooms with exposed trusses, and new “loft” apartments with large windows and polished concrete floors.

Like all buildings that were originally built for another purpose, barns and lofts often come with some missing elements that need to be remedied for a successful transformation. Of course, each space is different, but it’s fairly typical to see limited sources of light and air. Understandably, buildings that were built to contain animals or farm equipment, or serve as a warehouse or manufacturing facility typically focused more on being a protective shell with limited openings to the outdoors. Letting light and air into an old building typically requires some creative infrastructure reorganization, enlarging existing openings, adding interior wells and courtyards, and so on. Those critical evaluations make all the difference when determining whether a warehouse or barn can successfully become a comfortable home for the long-term.

I recently was thinking through some of the lofts that I’ve seen in films or have visited over the years — some primitive, some quite lovely and inviting. And I asked myself what made the inviting ones successful. I laugh when I remember the loft space I romanticized from Diva, a French film from the early 1980s. Set in Paris, it had a full cast of wonderful characters, including an opera singer who didn’t believe art could be captured in a recording, and a Vespa-riding mailman named Jules that was obsessed with her. There were bootleg recordings, good guys and bad guys, lots of suspense, and, of course, wonderful arias. What I remember as much as the people are the buildings, the deteriorating opera house, and especially the loft space where the artist lived. The loft was dark with minimal appointments, and the space was open enough that one of the characters regularly roller-skated around, circling the bathtub that sat in the middle of the space. Truth is, taking a bath in middle of a cold loft is not all that fun, having had the chance to give that concept a test run on more than one occasion. Like many young art students, I coveted a space like that, but I came to understand over time that if there isn’t an intervention into these spaces to bring the vital elements of intimacy, some privacy, and essential light and air, that the building will only provide shelter and not sustenance.

We want folks to thrive in their spaces; we want their buildings to thrive. Therefore, we aren’t afraid to take on some strong design work and make the critical changes that will carry those spaces into a sustainable future.

tam.sig

THE MYERS CONSTRUCTS 2015 KITCHEN & BATH EVENT GIVEAWAY

by

Have you been considering a kitchen or bath remodel for what seems like forever? Collecting ideas on cabinetry, finishes, and appliances, yet doing nothing with them? There’s never been a better time to take action and achieve the spaces you’ve been yearning for, thanks to these great incentives….

Standalone_1175X1290For a limited time, when you sign on to work with the Myers Constructs design team to create your dream kitchen featuring a Myers Made cabinet package, we’ll supply a free 24″ Kitchen Aid dishwasher at the construction stage, courtesy of Gerhard’s Appliances. We can help plan the perfect new kitchen for you and your home whether you currently have a small space, an open loft plan, or a large traditional kitchen.

Or:

1508251328_KMBTSH_Sign on to work with our team to create the bathroom you’ve always wanted, and we’ll supply a free Kohler Moxie bluetooth shower head at the construction stage! Our expert team will work with you to develop the right plan to meet your family’s needs, while curating the right mix of great technology options to match a wide range of styles. The Moxie bluetooth shower head is a great addition for those who don’t want to miss the latest NPR story — or their favorite tunes — even while showering!

Want to learn more about how we can help you plan, develop, and build your new kitchen or bath project? Reach out to our team today.

Shopping with the Myers Constructs Design Team

by

1504211017_CM_exterior_Work was recently finished on this Cape May shore cottage for a developer with which we worked, that had purchased it in foreclosure on spec and was preparing it for resale. We had some input into the design choices made. Many layers of carpets, vinyl flooring, and cheap cover ups were torn out, to reveal a really charming 1910s four-square Sears and Roebuck Arts & Crafts style kit house. The goal was to maintain and enhance the charm and comfortable character of the home. We thought you might enjoy a little “peek behind the curtain” to see the finishes and furnishings selected for this remodel.


1504211020_bar.area_Because the rooms are modestly sized in this quaint cottage, cluttering them with large furniture or ceiling fans was to be avoided. The developer also avoided the common Victorian heavy rose-colored or floral layering décor commonly found in Cape May beach homes. The finish concept was built around our Myers Made™ custom cabinetry.





1504211021_chairs_The developer then selected sleek early- and mid-century and Danish furniture that lends strong character, but maintains a light feeling in the rooms.






1504211022_light_ 1504211023_chand_Quality lighting and fixtures — mostly from Restoration Hardware — were selected to add a little glitter to each room. Nine- and 12-inch Turner® Flush Mount ceiling fixtures gave a nod to the nautical environment — without adding kitsch.






1504211025_kitch.fauc_ 1504211027_bath.fauc_Finally, the developer selected all of the water fixtures in polished chrome from the Kohler Artifacts® line, and added a deep Kohler Archer® tub.






See how all of these selections came together in the completed home, recently listed for sale. It’s quite lovely!

In Praise of Multi-Purpose Spaces

by

cafe.areaWe find that most of our clients lead busy lives, wearing many hats and juggling multiple tasks daily — and they need their homes to fit that lifestyle. For that reason, we like to think about spaces creatively to imagine how they can serve multiple purposes.

Case in point: When we remodeled our own kitchen, we created a little “cafe area” that sits off to the side. In this space, we eat lots of meals, relax with a glass of wine, and sometimes catch up on bills and correspondence. We find that it’s a nice place to pause during the day or relax together while cooking dinner at night. It could also easily work as a game area, arts and crafts space, or small office-on-the-go.

It’s hard to imagine, but this cafe area was once the original entryway to our house. It consisted of a 4’x16′ broken concrete pad along the front center of the home that led to a front door with a side light and a small entryway closet. Next to this were some tiny windows and a doorway to the kitchen. The front door didn’t function anymore because the slope of the broken pad caused the door to be pinched. Instead, everyone used what was the breezeway between the house and the garage to enter the home. We decided to make this the true entryway, finishing the breezeway off as a foyer/mudroom. We removed the old front wall, door, windows, hall closet, and kitchen walls to create an open plan kitchen and family room. In the process, we added about 50 square feet of floor space. That doesn’t sound like much, but it had a huge effect on the space of the kitchen and the entire first floor.

To keep the cafe area from feeling cramped, we were careful to select light-feeling furnishings, including two art deco chrome chairs we had recovered in white leather and a small, marble-topped Saarinen table. The side tables/benches are storage boxes I built many years ago with a simple combed painted finish, which do double-duty as additional seating. We finished the area simply with a painting I created in the 1990s, and clean-lined roller shades.

Diane Menke
Diane Menke, VP/Operations Manager

What Happens in Vegas Won’t Stay in Vegas

by

Tamara visited Las Vegas last week to attend the second annual Design & Construction Week, which hosted 125,000 of the most well-respected industry professionals and members of the media, while showcasing the largest homebuilding and design industry shows, including:

  • Kitchen & Bath Industry Show (KBIS)
  • International Builders Show (IBS)
  • International Window Coverings Expo (IWCE): VISION
  • International Surface Event (ISE): SURFACES

Tam spent the bulk of her week with the KBIS group gathering information and ideas for our clients from companies that were introducing their newest product lines and design innovations. She also participated at many other levels, attending opening ceremonies, perusing the various trade show floors, speaking to vendors, and attending educational presentations called Voices From the Industry. Tam attends events like this to help our clients make informed decisions and provide them with the most contemporary design solutions — plus, we just love sorting through the “candy store” for them!

Connect with us on Facebook to see more great photos from Tam’s trip.

Announcing Our New Private-Label Cabinetry Line: Myers Made™

by

myersmadelogo

Here at Myers Constructs, we have been designing, selling, and installing cabinetry for almost 30 years. Last year, we decided we could improve upon the options currently on the market by creating our own custom line of cabinetry. Our priority was finding a great quality product that was built regionally to our specifications and standards. We couldn’t be more pleased to announce that, after a lot of research and negotiations, we found a manufacturer with great systems and talented, hard-working people who will create them for us. The name of our new private label line of cabinetry is Myers Made™, in honor of our company co-founder, head designer, kitchen and bath design expert, Tamara Myers.

The Back Story

Tamara spent at least a decade designing, building, and selling kitchens and bath cabinets before co-founding Myers Constructs, Inc., in 1998. Before that, she worked as a carpenter in the field during the day, and a kitchen and bath designer at night. Tamara is a genuine “maker.”

Tamara holds a LEED AP certification and Certified Remodeler certification from NARI, and she is also an active member of NKBA When Tamara designs a room, she sees through the finishes and knows where the studs are. She makes sure our carpenters understand these details just as well as she does in order to build what’s been designed. The walls are sized and cabinets placed so that the tile layout makes sense with no funny cuts. As a result, our kitchen layouts can be tough to execute, but it’s always worth the effort!

During the coming months, we will be unveiling our new Myers Made™ cabinetry line in the Cape May cottage renovation being done by a local speculative development company. Stay tuned to peek at behind-the-scenes photos of the cabinets being built; to learn more about features, benefits, and custom colors for the Myers Made™ line; and to see how our cabinetry will perfectly complement the new kitchen in this lovely old home on the Jersey shore.

Learn more about Myers Made cabinetry.