We created this backyard multi-level deck with a built-in grill for a growing family in Burlington. The pergola makes this a standout design. (See this project in an upcoming Taunton publication on decks…).

If you’re more of a wine connoisseur than beer buff, there are a range of products and options for the oenophile, too. Design a state-of-the-art wine cellar with multiple rooms including a tasting area and space for the home vintner. Or, keep it simple by adding a wine cooler to your entertaining area or kitchen. We like the N’Finity 23 with separate controls for red and white wines, used in our client’s Belmont kitchen, pictured here.

N’Finity 23 wine cooler

Finally, watch the U.S. Open Golf Championships or your favorite movie in a cutting edge home theater. Technology keeps improving the home experience.  If you’re a gadget geek or couch potato, we have some great ideas how to make your fondest wishes come true.   Whether you’re thinking of remodeling an attic, basement or home office, our design and build team can put together a state-of-the-art space that is handsome and functional. And no one deserves a man cave more than Dad.

Feinmann In Home Theater

This year we’re all about how to give your mama the kitchen of her dreams. OK. Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. But we’ve found some products that will enhance your mom’s fun and proficiency in the kitchen. (*And some cool ideas for moms who’d rather stay out of the kitchen!)  Or, treat yourself to any of these suggestions…

This Lexington kitchen features glass front cabinetry and a strong design element in the tile backsplash.

As experts in kitchen remodeling, there are a few design elements we like to recommend:

• Open display shelving or glass front cabinetry (to show off past years Mother’s Day gifts!)
• Tile back splashes (to reflect your personality!)
• Great lighting solutions (to augment any kitchen style or task!)
• Excellent work flow within the kitchen and to other spaces in the home
• Delightful details (ceiling treatments, flooring, countertops, fixtures and more!)

Our award-winning design staff will work with you to make your dream kitchen a reality.  If you’re considering a kitchen renovation in the next twelve months, join us for one of our informative renovation workshops this fall.  Contact us for more information at (781) 860-9800 or info (at) feinmann.com.

And now, suggestions from top sites we love:

1. From Kitchendaily.com – candy, tabletop linens and utensils, aprons, cookbooks (It’s All Good by Gwyenth Paltrow. Love her cookbooks! and site goop.com), wine, and our favorite – the interactive ipad stand and stylus from Belkin. (below)
2.  From Huffington Post – Porcelain mortar and pestle, Classic WafflePro (but only if someone else makes the waffles on Mother’s Day), mandoline, kitchen torch, canning set, ravioli mold with roller, potato ricer, Vitamix blender and spices.
3.  We also love this fresh herb mincer from Casa.com.
4.  Time saving gifts  from Cultivate.com include a cool tote bag, chalkboard list pad, vertical herb planter (to use with her new mincer!) 
5. Give your mom a  Feinmann gift certificate for HomeCrew – our home maintenance and small project division. Get some of those nagging projects off the To Do List.

And for the moms who don’t love spending time in the kitchen but are more likely to be *bitchin’ in the kitchen: 

1. Cool Restaurant Take-Out boxes for storing your favorite menus
2. Personal chef – let someone else do the cooking for you.
3. Take a fun cooking class to get you interested – take it with your significant other, a friend or one of your kids! We like the classes at the BCAE but there are classes all over the Greater Boston area.

Happy Mother’s Day!

The answer is of course! And not only can we explain some of the main styles, but we’re going to introduce you to one of the best resources to inspire you – Houzz.com –  in addition to our blog and website gallery.

Although there are as many styles for the home as there are for your wardrobe, we have developed an expertise in three main ones: traditional, contemporary and transitional.  You’ll find a wide range of looks even within these categories so you can feel comfortable mixing styles, too.  Using a professional to guide you will ensure that your project comes out the way you want it – with correct measurements, coordinated design and within your budget and time table.

Award-winning contemporary Milton kitchen

Typically the hallmarks of contemporary design are clean lines, streamlined shapes and an uncluttered look. Materials often used in contemporary rooms are glass, fiberglass,  “plastic”, chrome, stone – natural and manmade  - and crosscut grains of wood.  Spaces tend to flow and are less formally used.  Colors tend to be brighter, with bigger windows and more natural light.

Traditional style kitchen in Beacon Hill condominium

Traditional design uses classic forms, with the layering of ornament in detailing. Material most commonly used in furnishings are wood and fabric (leather, for example), and the colors tend to be darker and richer. Think mahogany paneled library or sweeping circular staircase.  Spaces are more formally defined as well.

Transitional style can be defined by the use of classic shapes without intricate detail.  Materials used can be similar to traditional as well as contemporary – stone, glass, fabric, and wood.  Transitional design has gained in popularity over the past decade.

Another question we often hear is “should I let the architecture of my home define my renovation?” And the answer is yes. And no.  We’ve added beautifully modern kitchens in Victorian homes and we’ve matched the traditional look of center hall Colonials so that you don’t even realize an addition has been built.  Some of these choices come down to each client’s taste while also being dictated by the materials selected.  There really is no right or wrong answer – just what works, looks good and transforms the space into what you desire.

Belmont transitional kitchen in a Victorian home

You’ll see on our website gallery – and on our new website launching soon – samples of work in the three main styles discussed: traditional, contemporary and transitional.  We recommend you check out our Houzz.com page as well.  One of the aspects of Houzz we like and recommend to clients is the Idea Book – you can collect images that resonate with you and you can share your Idea Book with family members and friends as well as design professionals you’re working with. Houzz offers thousands of images to inspire and guide you as you gather ideas for your renovation project.  They also provide a directory of professionals and  fabulous tips in their articles.  If you don’t already have a Houzz account, it’s free and easy to set up!

While Houzz is the gold standard, several other websites are available to search for ideas as well, among them Pinterest, Cultivate.com; Hometalk; and Porch.  The Internet offers unlimited choices for anything you may be looking for – room ideas, products or professionals with whom to work.

There is a Native American proverb: “We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.”  With that in mind, we want to share some of the ways that Feinmann has been committed to environmental concerns over the years and ways in which you can, too. “We have been using half-pound and two pound foam insulation for ten years, which is now the standard within the industry,” says Peter Feinmann, company founder and President. ” Town inspectors have always been impressed with Feinmann’s on-going commitment to using resources wisely.”

We use windows and doors that are highly rated for energy conservation whenever possible.  In a recent project in Lexington, to minimize the effects of the hot summer sun, our architect designed and we built a brise soleil. The slates still allow natural light but lessen direct heat on the large windows overlooking the client’s backyard.

Here are other ways which you can protect and preserve our greatest natural resource – our planet:

1.  Recycle
2. Compost
3. Water conservation with low-flow toilets and shower heads
4. Energy Star rated appliances
5. Turn off lights when leaving a room
6. Buy local produce
7. Use your own bags at the grocery store
8. Adjust your thermostat or use a “smart” thermostat
9. Walk, ride a bike, use public transportation or share rides
10. Use “green” products and support “green” causes whenever possible

Happy Earth Day 2013!

The older split-level home in Lexington backed up to wetlands, which was both a blessing and a challenge. The homeowners wanted to maximize their bucolic rear view. However, the wetlands prevented expanding beyond an additional 100 square feet.  As the renovation plan also included enlarging the undersized master bath, a half-floor up from the kitchen, the staggered rooflines presented another design challenge. Finally, the kitchen lacked functionality, with a cramped eating area tucked into a corner by the staircase to the lower level.

Lexington Kitchen Before

The solution for expanding the footprint included taking space from the existing wooden deck that ran along the back of the house. A piece of the deck was retained, off of the dining room, and the view preserved by using modern cable railings. The design solution for the rooflines provided extra ceiling height for the new eating area. Oversized Andersen gliding and fixed transom windows along the rear wall contribute to the feeling of spaciousness while giving the homeowners the backyard view they desired. A cedar brise-soleil was added over the rear windows to block the intensity of the summer sun while still providing filtered light.

Expanding the kitchen allowed a large island to be built with a cook-top and second prep sink, perfect for culinary demonstrations. The Bosch exhaust hood features a glass canopy, minimizing obstruction of the new view of the backyard. The island countertop is Charston by Cambria, a charcoal quartzite with iridescent flecks of blue. A neutral ceramic tile backsplash is enlivened by a glass mosaic pattern over the main sink. The expanded kitchen provided additional cabinet space for the homeowner who keeps a kosher kitchen with several sets of cookware and tableware.  Custom maple cabinetry has a natural finish. Additional display shelves were built in the eating area to house the homeowner’s extensive cookbook collection and favorite serving pieces. We wrote about this client’s search for the perfect table on our blog earlier.

Kitchen after renovation – Tiled backsplash

Eating Area After

“We appreciate the team approach that Feinmann takes, providing the contribution of many people. We ended up with a finished project that is much more than the sum of its parts,” says the homeowner.

The new, contemporary kitchen brings all of the elements together in harmony. This former food professional now has a kitchen she relishes!

We like the Hansgrohe Raindance imperial flush mount system.  With water conservation becoming more and more of a concern, manufacturers have turned to technology to enhance performance while reducing water flow rates. According to Derek Taylor, a product specialist for Hansgrohe, they developed their AirPower line to solve the challenge of using less water without compromising the shower experience. “The air is a way for us to dramatically reduce the flow rate without sacrificing the comfort of the showerhead,” says Taylor.  “Water enriched with air produces droplets that are bigger, lighter and softer.”

If you do your best singing in the shower, like the undertaker character in Woody Allen’s movie “ To Rome with Love”, then the Kohler Moxie showerhead is probably for you.  Using Bluetooth technology, the Moxie showerhead syncs with smartphones or mp3 players and can be detached for use outside of the shower as well.

Others let you personalize your settings and it remembers them for you! Moen and Grohe (Power & Soul) both have models that offer a variety of state-of-the-art spray patterns. Whether you prefer handheld or wall mounted models, and no matter what kind of shower experience you desire, there’s probably a product that can be installed to satisfy.  Like the Kohler commercial, we can design an entire bathroom around the showerhead of your dreams!

And if you’re interested in good shower lighting, our friends over at Yale Lighting & Appliance recently gave some great suggestions on their blog.

Maybe you just need to do a spring clean up. Last April we published a great spring cleaning chore list on our blog. Read more about it here… Now is the time to turn the water back on outside, clean or replace filters and shake off the winter doldrums! Any day now, the weather will signal lawn furniture can come out of storage.  And the biggest harbinger of spring in Boston? The Red Sox home opener next week.

Remember that you don’t have to tackle your “to do” list alone. Feinmann’s HomeCrew™ can help with ALL of your handyman and smaller projects, as well as a customized home maintenance plan.  If you’re looking for Home Asset Management, we’ve got you covered. Right now we are scheduling on-site visits to our clients’ homes to perform our custom home inventory and evaluation.

In honor of St. Paddy’s day, we’re thinking about all the ways you can incorporate the color green into your home.  A great way to introduce green into a space is with tile.  There are unlimited possibilities in a variety of materials: stone, glass, porcelain or even metal tiles.  Our friends at Roma Tile in Watertown have a great selection and wonderful customer service.  The tiles shown here are all glass: the diamond set are called Illampu; the small rectangles are Ben-Nevis; and the large background tiles are Lime Green. 

We’ve used green in a variety of projects, including the green tiles in this Beacon Hill condo family bathroom.  Green works well with many other colors (taupe, burgundy, brown, pink, or blue) as well as wood grains plus green brings energy into a space.

• Plants (doesn’t have to be four-leaf clover…)
• Accessories:

We love this Oxbow Décor pillow bursting with freshness.  Use it as an accent on a favorite chair or sofa.  An easy infusion of green can be a simple  bowl of green apples or limes.  Maybe this Iittala Aalto apple green glass vase strikes your fancy. Fill it with daffodils and spring has arrived! 

• Wallpaper
  • Farrow & Ball Tessella (BP3603) or Wisteria (BP2213) for example
  • Osborne & Little Salix (1) or Arboretum for example
• Paint 
  • Benjamin Moore Hancock Green (HC-117) or Creekside Green (2141-40) for example 

No matter what shade of green you prefer -  beryl, jade, emerald, lime, sage, moss, fern, pine, pea, olive or tea – there has never been a better time to add some verdegris into the mix.

Feinmann has recently installed some marvelous, interesting floors that work well in their room settings.  One of our favorites is a rubber floor that was used in a basement gym and laundry area. “The one we used comes in large pieces like a puzzle,” according to Project Manager Tammy Russo, but it also comes in rolls.  It was installed directly over a concrete floor. “One of the advantages is that it is sound deadening.” This flooring is also a good choice for a home music studio.

Another popular trend is bamboo flooring. Because bamboo is plentiful and fast growing, it has been given the sustainability stamp of approval.  Feinmann has used bamboo in bedrooms and dens.

Recently we installed Sant’Agostino tiles that look like wood grain in a carriage house project. “Some of the advantages to using the tile over the wood are the longevity of the tile and its moisture resistance,” says Dave Wittig, Feinmann Production Manager. The tile is made in the Emilia-Romagna region of Northern Italy, north of Tuscany.

As part of the same carriage house project, a reclaimed wide plank pine floor was used.  Although beautiful, the soft pine requires maintenance.  Another flooring we used in a contemporary project recently was Brazilian cherry, matching the same wood used in another part of the house.  The warm tone of this wood appealed to the homeowners.

What is your favorite floor surface?  We’d love to hear your ideas and what floors you!

Planning a little somethin’ somethin’ for your Valentine? Ladies, listen up. We all know the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. So your battleground is in the kitchen. 

And we here at Feinmann know a lot about kitchens. Start with a man-size refrigerator you can fill up with his favorites. Then we suggest one of these popular steam ovens. Cook a gourmet meal that will make your Valentine drool for days and that rivals any restaurant. Of course don’t forget the beverage center – a separate wine and beer cooler – that makes entertaining a breeze. Or simply open a bottle of bubbly to toast one another.

Now fellas, don’t think we’ve left you out of the Valentine’s Day hoopla. Your battleground is in the boudoir, but specifically the master bath. Because what woman wouldn’t want to soak in a Jacuzzi tub like the one pictured, surrounded by candlelight and soft music? Sprinkle a few rose petals around and you’ll be sure to score points. Today’s bath products have greatly improved over years past with steam showers, rain showerheads, and towel rack warmers.  Oooh, wrap your Valentine in a toasty, terry robe. Create plenty of ambiance – and storage – and your lady will be yours forevermore.

Of course, not to be totally sexist about the whole thing, we know men can cook and soak in the tub just as well as any woman. And many women want to spoil their partners. Love doesn’t have to be confined to only Valentine’s Day and creating the dream space can begin tomorrow with a call to Feinmann.

Remember our friends at AudioConcepts can show you how to bring music to both battlegrounds, so let the dancing commence. Happy Valentine’s Day!