House & Home Concepts

Recognizing True Leadership

2Transform — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 06:04:33 +0000

From time to time questions arise asking what it is like to start-up and operate a business in a market that has recession-ish qualities (apparently the government has not “officially” called this a recession, rather a stagnant environment) while in an industry that has seen it’s share of scandal and consumer confidence shift from trust to mistrust. As a Christian owned organization with a faithful vision of building a Godly company, I find this an especially opportune time to explain that the future of Dramatic Transformation is full of success and abundant blessings regardless of what paths and diversions that happen over time. Recently, I read an article in Black Enterprise that illustrates true leadership in times of stability and uncertainty.

“…In the arena of commerce, in particular, there is nothing like the threat of recession, economic turmoil, and market uncertainty when it comes to separating the real leaders from the pretenders. In the midst of a rapidly shifting global economy, seemingly filled with limitless amounts of both adversity and opportunity, true leaders stand out from the rest.

Leaders don’t chase fortune and fame; they serve missions and are able to articulate a future for that mission in clear, simple language. They understand that wealth and power are not primary objectives, but inevitable byproducts of fulfilling a need and making a consistent, positive investment in achieving a larger goal. Leaders have vision.

Leaders are able to adapt, evolve and expand to fit the times, without ever losing sight of their mission and core values. They see change not as a threat, but as a natural part of their environment, and understand that what worked yesterday will not necessarily work today or tomorrow. They are willing to strike out in new directions to get better results. Leaders take risks.

Leaders make a tangible difference that goes beyond revenues and profits, measurably influencing and changing lives. They understand what matters to people, including their workers, customers, and partners and can get them to act to serve those interests. Leaders motivate.

Leaders rarely need to actually declare that they are leaders; their work, products, services, personal conduct, and professional performance speak for themselves. Leaders lead by example.

Leaders don’t just do things to, with, or for people; they do things through people. They are masters at communicating the vision, inspiring and equipping their people to serve the mission, welcoming their ideas and contributions, and clearing the way for their success. Leaders empower.

…That means [leaders] must not only make a difference-[leaders] must be the difference”

God Bless Dramatic Transformation~K

Sizing up Mattresses

2Transform — Mon, 05 May 2008 21:14:05 +0000

Many people, myself included, have unfortunately learned an important lesson in bedroom design the hard way. We have mistakenly relegated choosing the right mattress to the lowest priority when designing or updating a bedroom. In fact, after a few nights of unrest, it soon became the most important product in my bedroom…well, that and the T.V. of course. Back Designs inc. offers great advice on finding the right mattress for you. Also, check out whatsthebest-mattress.com. This site provides beneficial information about finding a mattress and also offers detailed reviews of mattresses. ~K

Happy National Home Improvement Month

2Transform — Thu, 01 May 2008 23:16:23 +0000

Spring has once again sprung upon us. Ah yes, the season of new. New beginnings, new dreams, and new Home Remodeling opportunities! May is National Home Improvement month and now is a great time to begin planning your next home remodeling project. The remodeling industry has seen tremendous growth in many new products and efficiency gains in traditional products due to advancement in new technologies. Green building trends are incredibly hot in the market right now and are getting the most advantage of techno-remodeling.

Also, many savvy investors and homeowners are also opting to update and improve their homes, instead of gambling in this sluggish real estate market. And what a great way to position yourself for the next boom! While the overall housing market is experiencing a downturn, many homeowners who wait out the slow housing market and remodel their homes, should be pleasantly surprised by how their remodeling will increase the resale value of their home.

While kitchen and bathroom remodeling are still the most popular remodeling ventures, many people are finding other ways to improve their quality of life, by simply adding amenities to their home such as upgrading fixtures and appliances. Click here for a 2007 “Cost vs. Value” Report on home remodeling and get started on your remodeling project list today!~K

Paper Countertops

2Transform — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:00:34 +0000

When it comes to countertops, most people think of tile, formica, and of course, granite. But what about paper? Yes…paper. Countertops made of paper are surprisingly durable and the surfaces are scratch, stain and heat resistant. Check out these websites(1, 2) for more information. ~K

Somethings Cooking in the Digital Kitchen

2Transform — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:02:43 +0000

Whether you want to appeal to the lady of the house or the entire family, a high-tech kitchen is a great place to start.

Source: DIGITAL HOME Online
Publication date: April 22, 2008

By Dan Daley

If there was ever a match made in heaven for builders using technology to sell homes, it’s the increasingly complex relationship between home systems integration and the kitchen. The kitchen has been the center of homes going back thousands of years. The arrival of the home theater and media room may have temporarily shifted that focus, but the kitchen is again taking its rightful place as not just a node on a system but as a full-blown technology center.

“The kitchen is becoming the key interface point for home automation, especially since in modern home design it’s increasingly common to see the kitchen connected to the house’s great room,” observes Ray Lepper, president of Home Media Richmond, an integrator in that Virginia city. “Making the kitchen the systems control center of the home sets up that combined space nicely for entertaining.”

Shawn Hansson, owner of Logic Integration in Englewood, Colo., says he will typically install a 12-inch flat panel display in the kitchen as an interface for the home’s automated systems. He’ll then program software widgets, such as real-time weather and stock updates, and he’ll link the panel to programs like Microsoft Outlook or other e-mail program via Ethernet to the home’s router. “Outlook on the touchscreen is replacing the note and refrigerator magnet,” he says. “It also keeps the family computer free for other tasks.” Hansson’s screens can also call up a security camera, or even multiple cameras if a video multiplexer is integrated into the system.

Jason Hanley, owner of Acme Integration in Spokane, Wash., uses ELAN’s Via! Valet touchpanel in kitchens and programs them in order to eliminate the need for what he calls “wall warts,” which are anything from light switches to whole-house audio volume controls.

“Centralization of functionality is the trend these days, and the kitchen is the most central space in the house,” says Hanley. “If you can incorporate a group of technologies into a single, simple control surface in the kitchen, the builder can accomplish several things, not least of which is reducing or removing the technology intimidation factor with the wife and making her interior decorator happy not to have to work around the warts.”

Smart Appliances

The fabled refrigerator that can sense when you’re low on milk has yet to become a reality. But builders and integrators are preparing the runways for something like it. Shawn Hansson says he has several builder clients who have requested cabled LAN connections for appliances in anticipation of the time when they can be accessed on a network. (And now several smart appliances are network-addressable.)

“We’re already seeing that capability from high-end appliance makers, allowing remote users to do things like preheat an oven or get a ping when the washing machine is done,” he says.

Jason Hanley sells LG refrigerators with built-in 15-inch LCD screens that come with component video inputs. Using an ELAN S12 multiroom AV controller and an M800 remote, he can send various video sources to the refrigerator screen.

“The kitchen is a hub where video cabling, phone lines, and the network meet up,” Hanley says. “And I’m using Cat-6 cabling on all the structured wiring now. It’s faster as the kitchen’s electronics environment gets denser, and it has some sales flair.”

If you want to look over the horizon at the next-generation connected kitchen, you’ll find it at the MIT Media Lab’s Counter Intelligence Group, created to explore “technological approaches to functional, cognitive, and social support in the home, with a particular focus on the kitchen.”

CounterACTIVE is a kitchen counter that’s actually an interface for a combination computer, overhead projector, and electric field sensing array. Users are guided through recipes by touching the icons and words on the countertop. Another research project uses a camera to replace the traditional oven window. Video and other data can be sent to any screen in the home.

Looking for the Pay-Off

Even though fully integrated, high-tech kitchens are thus far a custom builder phenomenon, not all high-end builders have jumped headlong into smart kitchens. Tom Mason, president of Tom Mason Custom Homes in Knoxville, Tenn., says he’s just now venturing into the field, using Simple Control, a locally based company that markets its own home automation systems. He’s integrated smart appliances into the kitchen package of his parade showcase home, including an IP-connected range and refrigerator. As a sales proposition, it’s working, he says.

“What I’ve found is that you have to let [prospective buyers] touch the technology, not just talk about it or put in the brochure,” he explains. “And it absolutely, positively has to work every time. You can’t push a button and not have something happen that’s supposed to happen. You lose them immediately.”

Mason says automating kitchens isn’t as clear-cut as, say, a home theater. “We’re still learning how to configure them. Not everyone wants everything,” he says. “As we learn how to make them more ergonomically correct, I think we’ll see high-tech kitchens help sales.”

Michael Cronin, a principal in Cronin Wood Investments, a custom builder in Nashville, says the kitchens in his $1 million-plus homes have been as connected as the home theater or media room for several years. “At this price point in this market, a touch screen in the kitchen that can control the home automation is no longer considered a luxury,” he says.

However, while high-tech kitchens are a selling point with buyers, Cronin adds that the average cost to outfit them–about $50,000 in a $1 million home–doesn’t generally provide a huge return on investment in itself.”The margin on technology is in the equipment, which the integrator or a distributor sells, not in the installation of it by the builder,” he says. “I’m not looking for the automation in then kitchen to add revenue; I’m looking for it to help make the overall sale.”

Dan Daley is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to DIGITAL HOME Online.

Traffic Flow

2Transform — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 22:52:55 +0000

Does the traffic flow in your home adequately fit your lifestyle? Traffic flow is how people move around a room. The traffic flow of a room can determine the functionality of a room and overall ease of live-ability in a home. When planning a new construction or designing a remodeling project, if you don’t pay attention to the traffic flow of a room, you may find yourself frustrated by traffic hazards. To avoid this headache, it is important to be attentive to entry ways and walking paths. Heavily trafficked rooms, such as a kitchens, generally benefit from more than one passageway in and out of the room. Stand-alone islands in kitchens also make the room less restrictive and can add more storage space. Also, when considering traffic flow, the little things do matter. The direction of a door swing can make the difference between easy access to a room or a design faux pas and hinder your ability to decorate with furniture. To avoid a traffic hazard on your home project, create a traffic flow chart. First, make a rough traffic plan of the room you are interested in designing. Next, draw lines showing the paths people will take in this room; keep in mind any possible furniture, appliances or any other objects that will be in that room. Also, consider who will be trafficking the room. If children will be going through the room, you probably should keep in mind the rate of speed of the traffic in the room. Remember, careful planning can help create traffic flow that will make your newly remodeled room easy and enjoyable to use. ~K

Bamboo Flooring

2Transform — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 23:29:25 +0000

Bamboo flooring offers a durable and environmentally friendly choice among flooring materials. In fact, manufacturers are able to turn bamboo stalks into smooth flooring with incredible quality and sturdiness.

Bamboo is a grass, not wood.It is a fast growing and replenishable resource that can produce new shoots every year that can be harvested in controlled forests generally in 10 years or less. Compare that to most hardwood species that take over 50 years to reach saleable. Bamboo has a natural beauty which is unique and can compliment any room. Bamboo flooring products are offered either pre-finished or unfinished and are available in a variety of different shades, dimensions and grooves.

The best part of course, (yes it gets better!) is that you can expect that installing bamboo flooring will save you money. 1- The cost of installation typically compares to the installation costs of installing hardwood floors. 2- Bamboo flooring typically lasts 30 to 60 years making it’s durability financially rewarding since it will save you the costs of having to re-install flooring.

For more information, please Click Here to visit a Bamboo manufacturer recently featured on NBC Nightly News. ~K

Top Ten Reasons You Should Professionally Stage Your Home…

2Transform — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 23:39:48 +0000

Phone 888.563.9271 Fax 760.301.8005 www.homestagingresource.com

1. You will make more money.

U.S. Housing and Urban Development reports that a staged home will sell, on average,17% higher than an un-staged home.

2. Your house will sell faster, which equals less headaches and hassles.

The New York Village Voice reported that the average number of days an un-staged home is on the market is 30.9 versus 13.9 for a staged home.

3. The cost of staging doesn’t cost a dime.

In a 2007 Home Gain Survey of over 2000 realtors, it was discovered that sellers who spent typically $500 on staging services for their home recovered over 343% of the cost in the sale of their home.

4. Most home sellers cannot view their house objectively.

If you can’t see objectively, you can’t package effectively. Have a staging professional get your home into its most advantageous condition for showing.

5. You’ll have less guesswork and “Do It Yourself “work.

A professional home stager can manage your projects from start to finish. Or, they can give you a detailed enough report based on their extensive knowledge and training to have you “do it yourself”.

6. Only 10% of home buyers can visualize the potential of a home.

This is why staging a home is critical! You don’t want the advantages of your home overlooked and left up to the buyer’s imagination.

7. The longer your home is on the market, the lower the price will be. So stage first!

According to a National Association of Realtors survey, homes that sold after four weeks on the market sold for 6% less than ones within the first four weeks! Don’t be in a position where you have to lower your price. Have your house staged first!

8. The money you make may be tax-free. The money you spend is tax deductible.

Take advantage of a possible tax-free capital gain by getting every dollar possible!

9. Leaving your house in “as is” condition will help sell the competition.

Right now the number of homes for sale on the market is at a record high. Competition is stiff and buyers have very high expectations. Successful agents know that the key to selling competing is professional staging.

10. You can relax.

You will have the satisfaction of knowing you have done absolutely everything possible to affect a quick sale of your most valuable commodity and for top dollar!

Click Here to find out your return on Home Improvement Investments