The Cliffs Signature Services was created to aid property owners in the navigation of their Cliffs home building process by rec0mmending highly qualified builders, architectural designers and interior design firms.

Choosing the right home builder is essential to creating your dream Cliffs home.  Brock Builders is well-renowned  in Western North Carolina for their experience and expertise in custom home builds.

For more information about building your dream home in one of The Cliffs exclusive communities, please visit CliffsSignatureServices.com.

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Cost

While lower priced wood flooring materials have gained popularity in these economic times, it’s important to understand not only what you’re paying up front, but how a material will handle the test of time.

Some homeowners may want a flooring choice that has a low up-front cost and are not concerned with how it will wear in 10 years, like a low grade number one or two oak.  However, most homeowners prefer to invest a little more up front for a product that’s going last, such as a Brazilian cherry.

Green Factor

Green wood flooring like bamboo is appealing, but for it to truly be eco-friendly, this renewable wood source must be local, not shipped across an ocean from Thailand.  If you want a green wood flooring option, talk to your certified green builder who can help you find out what’s available locally.

Use

In newer homes, the floor plans are typically more open, making wood throughout a great choice.  But wood flooring in kitchens and bathrooms will likely be damaged by water and wear over time, making cork and engineered wood products may be a better choice.

Again, this is where your home builder may be able to help, as he will have a greater understanding of a room’s use matched with an aesthetically appealing floor.

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Brock Wood Frame Home

The surge of innovative new materials to the home building market may have you wondering whether a wood frame is the best choice for your new custom built home.  The experts agree, wood frames win.

Natural and engineered wood products provide unmatched structural strength and safety.  Even after its long reign at the top, wood is still considered the primary choice for residential and even commercial building structures.

Here are some of the top benefits to using a wood frame for your new home build:

Wood is Affordable

Wood is one of the most affordable and available choices for your home’s frame.  While lower-priced prefabricated wood products are growing in popularity, framing wood is available in a wide range of types and price points.

Wood is Available

Wood and wood based products are in great supply and easy to find.

Wood is Adjustable

Wood products can also be easily cut down to meet a job’s specifications, while other materials may be more difficult to alter.

Wood is Strong

Innovations in wood products and in the way that wood is used in framing a structure mean greater strength than ever.  Wood framed houses have even been shown to survive hurricane winds and earthquakes.

The facts are in; wood materials make great home frames, but be sure to consult an experienced home builder to help select the best products for your new home.

We at Brock Builders have the experience and expertise to help you select the best products for your home build.

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Attractive Stone Flooring, A Design Favorite

The global economy has greatly influenced home design, giving life to some unexpected trends. Consumers are building and buying homes that are smaller, smarter and greener; quite a contrast to the bigger-is-better, lavish-excess of recent years.

Whether you are planning to build a new home, buy or remodel, you should familiarize yourself with these emerging trends, which appear to be here to stay:

Energy Efficiency is Key, Smarter is Better

1. ENERGY STAR Appliances—Stylish, up-to-date kitchen appliances can make a great impact on your home’s visual appeal. But even more importantly these days—they can also save you money. With energy tax credits and the money you’ll save over time on utility bills, adding energy efficient appliances to your new home has never been so important.
2. Water Catchment Systems—Incorporating native, drought-resistant plants into your landscaping is great-looking and good for the planet. But did you know that you can make your yard even greener by installing a rainwater catchment system. Gutters deliver rainwater into insect and bacteria resistant barrels, which can later be used for watering gardens and several other non-drinking purposes.
3. Energy Saving Building Includes—With utility costs on the rise, homeowners are looking for houses that are well insulated and sealed from the beginning. Drafty, leaky houses are costing too much to maintain, and using up too much energy to heat and cool.
4. Tankless and Solar Water Heaters—Another way to quickly run up your monthly bills is by paying to much for those winter-defrosting hot baths.  Solar heating systems make great, natural use of existing sunshine to heat your hot water, leaving you paying for just those not-so-sunny days.
5. Natural Flooring—Bamboo, cork, wood and stone have long been favorite flooring choices of interior designers, but did you know that they also help create a healthier, chemical-free environment in your home.
6. Outdoor Rooms—With rarely used, formal living rooms becoming a thing of the past, outdoor living and dining spaces are quickly taking over. Some popular features include large, space-heating stone ovens, built-in seating made of natural materials and huge, welcoming dining tables.
7. Smaller, Smarter Spaces—Bigger-is-better is a mindset of the past. Huge homes with extra rooms mean higher monthly bills, and lower spacial efficiency. Homeowners are instead choosing open and accommodating floorplans.
8. Smarter Storage—Built-in kitchen islands, perfectly organized garages and tons of closets can help make better use of your square footage. Too little storage means clutter and large furniture pieces to accommodate closet overflow. But adding extra storage into your build means seamlessly making room for all of your belongings.
9. Smart Home Systems—If you knew how much energy it was actually using, you may be more likely to turn that light off when you leave the room. Smart Home Systems not only allow you to heat and cool based on the times of day that someone is home, but they can also tell you just how much power is being used at a given time.
10. Front and Side Porches—Outdoor spaces add square footage and traditional attractiveness to your home. Whether you’re enjoying a summer evening out front under a ceiling fan or rocking in a chair watching the sunrise, front and side porches enhance your home’s welcoming curbside appeal.

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Working with your custom home builder in a part of your home you may not have imagined, you can add useful square footage in the form of an outdoor room.   Backyards are too often laid with grass and beyond that, left virtually empty, save a swing set, rusty old grill, or tract of space for your dog to run.

Outdoor Kitchen

Modern outdoor rooms have expanded upon the old backyard favorites in ways that provide function in a luxurious package.  Simple grills have been replaced with built-in outdoor kitchens with massive stone and pizza ovens, perfect for entertaining year round.  Warm summer nights can be enjoyed outdoors with friends over a fresh baked pizza.  Cold winter nights are made warm by gathering around massive stone ovens, while piping hot soups boil up atop an outdoor stove.

Outdoor Living Space

Tattered patio furniture has been become a thing of the past.  Replacement options include built-in seating units with removable cushions, tall stools seated before an outdoor bar and rustic wooden dining tables and chairs.  Built-in furniture, like benches and sofas can add a natural appeal to your outdoor space at a minimal carbon footprint by using indigenous materials.

Indigenous Landscaping

No room is complete without the right decor.  And for outdoor rooms, that means landscaping.  Working with your HealthyBuilt Certified Home Builder, you can incorporate native plants into your outdoor space, which will require little to no maintenance.  Eradicating plants that are exotic to Western North Carolina in favor of native species will create harmony in the ecosystem of your outdoor space to ensure the health and well being of forces who also appreciate your outdoor space, such as migrating birds.

Since recent studies suspect perfectly manicured lawns as one of a home’s largest carbon producers, transforming your dull, grassy space to a luxurious outdoor room can even be beneficial for the planet.

Whether you’re looking to add life to your existing home in the form of an outdoor room, or you want to create a special entertaining space in your new custom build, speak with your home builder to make use of this valuable space.

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Earlier this year, new performance requirements went into effect on all ENERGY STAR windows, doors and skylights.  Knowing how to identify these labels when purchasing your new energy efficient products is vital to making good investments and ensuring eligibility for tax credits.

Red and Black Labels

ENERGY STAR Red Label

There are two new ENERGY STAR labels to watch for.  The label shown at right was rolled out in October of 2009.  Appearing in either red or black, this label identifies window, skylight and door products which will no longer meet the high-efficiency ENERGY STAR standards effective April 1, 2010.

Blue Label

ENERGY STAR Blue Label

The new, blue label will help you identify ENERGY STAR products that are eligible for tax credits up to $1,500 when installed in 2010.

To ensure the highest level of energy efficiency and tax credit eligibility in your ENERGY STAR purchases, it is always important to consult your green home builder.

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A Custom Island Adds Kitchen Storage

Be honest, can you ever really have too much storage?  Ample storage space is one of the most sought after qualities people look for in a new home.  Building a new custom home is an excellent opportunity to ensure that your new house has all of the storage amenities that you desire.

Before we go through the various types of storage that can be planned into your new build, we want to clear up a common misconception.  Adding storage space does not have to mean bedroom closets only.  There are several opportunities throughout your home to satisfy storage needs that are often overlooked.  Here are some of the top picks for adding extra storage spaces to your new home.

GARAGE

Built-in shelves and workbenches are a simple solution for garage storage. They lessen clutter from large tools and smaller items, such as drill bits, that can get lost in a mess of any handyman’s toys. Garage storage organization can also be done by adding drawers into the work bench. For storing rakes and lawnmowers, consider adding a storage shed onto the rear of the home.

FOYER

When entering your home, it is so easy to drop shoes, purses, briefcases and backpacks, without having a way to organize or hide these items. Having a built-in coat rack and organized shelving systems right near your front or a rear door easily helps keep walkways clean, while also creating a stylish entry way. Benches with storage underneath are another great idea and provide a last-minute spot to tie shoes or remove them.

KITCHEN

Kitchen storage organization is a necessity for any homeowner and there is no such thing as too many cabinets. Make sure your home plan features a copious amount of cabinets and that your builder takes full advantage of all of the space in the plan. A Lazy Susan-style cabinet provides a functional space that also reduces the need to overcrowd a pantry, as it is another area where storage should be plentiful in the kitchen. Storage racks inside longer or lower, hard-to-reach cabinets make it easy to keep dishes and plastic containers organized.

BATHROOM

Bathrooms often have the reputation of lacking in storage space. But with so many modern amenities including window seats, towel racks, built-in shelving and even bureaus used in vanities adding counter space, drawers and cabinetry, such is no longer the case. With these features in place, your bathroom will take on a new life, offering storage for everything from toiletries to towels and linens to dirty clothes.

ATTIC

One of the most popular new ideas is transforming the attic space to create sizeable walk-in storage rooms. Many new homes now feature these walk-in or walk-out attics. Space is plentiful in the attic so why not take advantage of it? The comfort of no longer climbing up tiny, unstable stairs is worth more than peace of mind.

No matter where you need storage space the most, chances are you can never have enough. When building a new home keep these tips in mind and remember to always maximize your space.

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Paint Color Trends for Custom Homes

Ever wonder why certain rooms tend to invoke one emotion over another? For instance, warm red-hued kitchens can promote hunger, while cool blue bedrooms invite relaxation.

Choosing the right colors can be as vital to the comfort and success of your new home as your well-thought-out appliances. Your builder or general contractor can assist you with popular color choices, but the majority of these decisions should be based upon your personal tastes. Building a custom home is all about getting what you as the homeowner want, but before painting the whole house red or blue, consider adapting these trends to express your design style throughout your new home.

NEUTRAL COLORS

Neutral colors have a misconception of being boring or uninventive, but neutral doesn’t automatically mean tan or beige. When choosing your home’s colors, think in earth tones.  By choosing warm, muted shades for your color scheme, you can invoke an intended feel without overwhelming the senses. Plus the addition of your furniture, decorative fixtures and pieces of artwork are what will complete the room.  So if it’s feels done before it’s even furnished and decorated, your room’s wall color may be too heavy.

MOOD DETERMINED BY COLOR

When dressing your home up with color, be careful to marry together the right shade with the right emotion.  Warm colors like red, orange or yellow work best in rooms that exude energy, like the kitchen. Kids’ rooms are often bright for a reason, as stimulation and creativity abound with just a dash of color. Cooler shades in the bedroom or bathroom, such as blue, green or gray, conjure up thoughts of mountain and beach side views, which typically produce very relaxing environments.

OPEN FLOOR PLANS

When choosing colors for a home with an open floor plan, the home color design must be cohesive. This is an area where a neutral like a soft chocolate or deep beige can still lend “color” to a space while still allowing you to have fun with your floor coverings, window treatments and accessories. Repeating a color or using different shades of the same color helps create a flow from room to room and enhance the open layout. Brighten each room’s personality with fabrics, window treatments or attractive tile work.

TRENDS FOR 2010

Interior paint decorating trends for 2010 include purples, such as eggplant or wine shades, oranges (think terra cotta) and yellows. Whether a pastel, or rich shade with orange hues, yellow is a stimulating shade in any room. Just be careful not to overdo it.  Green is also a popular home decorating trend, and not just the color. Using organic and environmentally friendly paint products that contain no dyes and are made from natural processes is an easy way to produce a healthy home environment.

For those needing unique color decorating ideas, painting stripes and patterns have become quite popular, while painting just one wall an accent color is an easy way to add color without drastically changing the room. No matter your preference, decorating with color is a fun and exciting process that allows your creativity to flow and so that your family can flourish in your custom home.

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Budgeting for the Right Appliances

Kitchen appliances typically account for about nine percent of the budget when building a new home.  Therefore, the life expectancy of each of your new appliances should be a long one.  Plus, whether or not your new house is a HealthyBuilt green home, you may want to consider installing EnergyStar appliances which may cost more upfront, but will save money on energy bills over time.

Use of Your Kitchen Appliances

Refrigerators can eat up the biggest chunk of your appliance budget, so choosing the right one for your home and family is vital.  Some internal features to consider are shelving depth and space, Twin Cooling technology, gallon door door bins and water filters.  While the external look, feel and dimensions of each piece are vital to maintaining design harmony in your kitchen, first considering your family’s cooking style and eating habits will help determine which one is right for you.

Talk to your family and make a note of how you typically use your stovetop and oven to help select the right ones for your new kitchen.  Some cooks are loyal fans of gas ranges, while others prefer the sleek look of modern electric stovetops.  While the overall look and feel of your kitchen appliances is important, performance and preference take the lead in selection.

The kitchen sink is becoming an increasingly popular site for putting your design eye to good use.  Attractive hardware, under-counter mounts, different color options, shapes and materials all allow you to express your inner kitchen designer.

Your new kitchen appliances each serve a unique purpose, but by working with your builder, each one can be integrated into the design of your new kitchen to create an inviting space for both cooking and gathering.

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Custom Home Theater System

Home theater systems are not just about picture and sound quality any longer.  This entertaining electronics trend has transformed into an interior design mainstay.  It doesn’t matter if you are installing your system into a new custom home or an existing remodel; visual congruency between your home and theater system is vital to maintaining design harmony throughout your house.  Theater systems should look good, even when the TV is not turned on.

The past 20 years have demonstrated a fast evolution of the home theater system design.  Bulky, big screen televisions and movie projection devices have been replaced by sleek plasma screens and Blu-Ray hi-def video systems.  Tiny speakers are seamlessly built into walls and ceilings.  Even flat screens are disguised behind paintings and tapestries.  Comfortable and flexible options for seating also abound.

Selecting a Home Theater System

The first step is considering your family’s viewing preferences.   Do you prefer a hi-resolution screen for savoring every detail of your favorite movies, a large screen television for gathering around during a big game, or a modest-yet-accommodating TV for enjoying family time?  Be sure to ask for professional advice from your builder and interior designer to ensure that you select a system that fits best with your viewing needs.  Keep in mind, the home theater’s design will need to incorporate a sound system that fulfills these and aesthetic needs.

Setting Up Your Theater System

The next step is to determine the size and configuration of the system you choose.  The size and shape of your viewing room will govern seating arrangements, placement of equipment, and storage options.  An electronics professional can work with you and your custom home contractor to determine the best usage for the space.

Seamlessly Incorporating Your System

Incorporating the system to suit your home’s look and feel can mean the difference between an eyesore of a room and an enjoyable space for gathering with friends and family. Comfortable chairs or sofas that recline, swivel, and allow the viewer to adjust are a few of the many popular seating options.  Eco-friendly dimmers on the lighting systems, attractive wall hangings or curtains for sound quality, and warm, non-distracting colors can help make your room design a success.  Luxury includes like a custom wet bar or vintage popcorn machine can also add to your viewing pleasure.

An effective home theater design is just one special way that you can transform your home.  Time spent viewing movies with family should be time enjoyed.

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