OUR BLOG
OUR BLOG
Check out what’s happening with Myers Constructs as well as the latest news and trends in home renovation.
Random Thoughts on “Big Box” Styling
When you walk through the home furnishings aisles in any of the "big box" retail stores, you will find that textiles, lighting and accessories are all offered in a general color range of brown, beige, or off-white. You may find the occasional splash of low-grade red or green in items like curtains or rugs, but that's as much diversity of style as you will find. We find this limited color scheme off-putting, especially when there are so many wonderful small boutique suppliers online and in most towns where you can find better quality items in a much broader color scheme that are created to work with the era of your home. The following are some pointers on finding good quality, “out-of-the-big-box” materials: Tile. Tile is made of clay with some color added into the mix of the glaze. Better colors, even earth tones, cost more than listless tans and beiges.[...]
The Prize Installation
Monica B. is the proud winner of our recent George Nelson Bubble Pendant Lamp giveaway. Our team recently visited her home in Drexel Hill to install the pear-shaped light fixture in one of the corners of her charming living room. The simple lines and sculptural quality of this lamp will add interest and visual warmth to this corner of her home for years to come. And a tip of the hat to Electrical Wizardry, which did the installation.
Sorry About That….
The website was offline a bit during the last couple of hours, as I attempted to upgrade the backend WordPress version to 3.4. Without success. And then had to downgrade the website to version 3.3. Very carefully. Sometimes it takes a little while after an upgrade is released for all the various interacting parts to be upgraded too, so that everyone plays nicely together. I'll try again in a few days, after my blood pressure returns to normal.
Nelson Lamp Giveaway
We are excited to announce that we're partnering with Design Within Reach’s Princeton Studio to provide and install a lovely George Nelson Pear Bubble Pendant lighting fixture for one lucky winner. Architect George Nelson developed this fresh solution to lighting design in 1952 by spray coating a skeleton of steel wire with a layer of translucent plastic that allowed light to shine softly through and protect the eye from glare. The tautly stretched plastic emphasizes the simple form and sculptural quality of the lamp, making it an ideal fit for many different styles of home design. This giveaway, including installation, is valued at $750. For a complete list of giveaway rules and to enter for your chance to win, please visit our Facebook page. Tell a friend!
Another Opportunity to Win
In celebration of the success of our George Nelson Lamp giveaway, when we reach 500 Facebook "likes," we'll randomly choose a winner to receive a $100 gift certificate to Terrain, the lovely home, garden center and cafe in Glen Mills. Tell a friend.
A Quick Tour of Mario Batali’s Kitchen
A bit more counter clutter than we prefer, but still, a nicely put together workspace. Stay with it for a look at his wine storage room. The man is unapologetically oenophilic.
Lighting: It’s All About the Plan
Lighting: It's All About the Plan As is the case with many aspects of our work, if we do our job well when planning the lighting scheme for a project, the solutions become almost transparent to the homeowners and their guests. That's because they simply blend naturally into the overall landscape of the room, completing the circle of design. For kitchens and dining areas, in particular, we always aim to bring in multiple types of light to allow opportunities to change its effect, depending on the time of day, the task at hand, the number of folks in the kitchen, and, of course, the preferences of the different people in the household. Behind the scenes, we work with one of the most basic design principles: the layering of light. There are three layers of light needed for a successful project, and this is one of the things that can really[...]
Sneak Peek: East Falls Kitchen Photo Shoot
Take a gander at this lovely image from a photo shoot conducted last week by Mark Gisi of Tabula Creative at one of our kitchen projects in East Falls: We couldn't be more pleased with the results of the shoot and of the project itself. When we began work on this kitchen, it was suffering from dated 1970s styling and poor cabinet layout and storage design that made the room feel cramped. Contributing to the problem was the fact that the kitchen was sharing space with the laundry facilities, and the room was also uncomfortably cold due to an inefficient heating design. The customers called us in to fix the temperature issues and make the style/design more harmonious with the handsome1920s house. They wanted a true cook's kitchen with logical storage areas and a relocation of the laundry area. The reconfigured room now features high-end Thermador appliances, white Medallion semi-custom[...]
Beware the “Singular Specialty Expert”
My business partner and I attend a lot of events with other professionals in our industry. Recently, I was at a meeting where a very high-end HVAC contractor was boasting to our group about the $150K geothermal heating and cooling system his company recently installed in a NJ home. The system was top shelf, top price, and his client had no problems paying for it. Shortly after the new HVAC system was installed, however, his client called to say that one room in his house was still feeling very cold and uncomfortable. The HVAC contractor explained to his client how the system was properly sized and was delivering as designed. The problem, said the HVAC contractor, was that the house was old and not properly weathersealed. So the HVAC contractor then sold his client another $50K in weathersealing to make sure each and every room was finally comfortable. This story[...]
What does the Oscar greenroom and our clients kitchen have in common?
Awards for everyone! Check it out, Designer Waldo Fernandez has created some relaxing spaces for all presenters and honorees at this year Oscars. The Architectural Digest Greenroom at the 2012 features quartz counters that we have also used in some of our wonderful kitchens. See the Greenroom and the Casearstone quartz counters here: http://www.architecturaldigest.com/resources/features/2012/03/oscars-greenroom-waldo-fernandez-article
