Come see us at the North Carolina State Fairgrounds, September 27th through September 29th, as we participate in this year’s Southern Ideal Home Show.
The Home Show is the Triangle area’s largest home and garden event. More than 200 exhibitors will be present to feature their products and services, as well as to offer their industry expertise in answering questions on your projects. Exhibitors, local businesses and local experts, fall into such categories as home improvement, outdoor living, interiors, and kitchen and bath.
Paradise Found Construction will be located at Exhibit booth 132. Jeff Wiblitzhouser and members of our team will be on hand to speak with you about your remodeling or renovation projects. Whether it’s a bathroom upgrade or a complete kitchen renovation, we pride ourselves on helping our clients find energy efficient ways to improve their homes. We specialize in green construction and products, and would be more than happy to work with you on going green, too. With Energy Star products and green products, you’ll not only save money but you’ll make your contribution to the world we live in and help keep it beautiful!
So, mark your calendar for September 27th-29th. We look forward to seeing you at the Southern Ideal Home Show at the NC State Fairgrounds!
Posted on October 18, 2013 9:59 am
These days, it’s not unusual for someone to work from home. More and more people have created a home office for themselves, a little bit of workspace from which they can park a computer and take care of business.
One of our clients came to us with a home office problem. The space he used for his office was separated from the rest of the house with just a wide archway. The room’s location was off the side of the entry hallway directly across from the dining room, which also was set apart with the same large archway. Both the office and the dining room were toward the front of the house, the front door and the entry foyer.
Without a wall or a door at the office, there was no way to reduce or shut out any normal noise or activity from the other inhabitants of the house. This became an ever increasing problem as our client’s young toddler got older, more mobile and entered the office more frequently, and the house became a busier place.
Our client needed to find a way to reduce the noise yet not feel isolated from the family. The solution was to remove the archway and install a set of large double French doors, over which were installed a transom. To unify the look, we also removed the archway from the opposite dining room and installed the same transom. This allowed a visual connect from one room to the next, and also gave the house a more contemporary style.
The addition of the new glass doors and transoms allowed our client to control the sounds that entered his office space but it did not deter him from seeing what was going on outside of his workspace. He had a window into the rest of the house, which allowed him to still feel like part of the family, and could work more effectively. In addition, the new design added light and dimension to the foyer and to the rest of the home.
See BEFORE and AFTER photos in our Project Showcase.
After 20 years of living in their home, a Cary couple came to us with the hopes of remodeling their kitchen and making it “theirs” for their next 20 years.
Their old kitchen was like so many kitchens we’ve seen—old in look, feel and design. The small kitchen was designed with those very familiar color and features: brown wood cabinets and vinyl countertops. The kitchen had only one small window and was otherwise lit by large fluorescent tubes. It sat adjacent to a small dinette lit with the also familiar brass chandelier. The cabinetry consisted of one large U-shaped unit, positioned in such a way that one of the long arms of the U served as a separator between the kitchen and dinette. The refrigerator stood closely to the “legs” of the U shape. The combination of a large amount of brown, almost no natural lighting and the cabinet acting as a half wall made the kitchen/dinette areas feel dark and cramped.
Our goal was to give our clients a kitchen that was brighter, less cramped, more usable and more up to date, compatible with their changing lifestyle. In order to do this, we added more natural light by replacing the small window with a much larger one. We removed the one large fluorescent unit and installed high hat lighting and a more modern chandelier in the dinette. Other renovations included new cabinets, which came in a white wood and granite countertops that nicely complemented the new stainless steel appliances. The reconfigured layout of the cabinets to be set along the edges of the kitchen made for more of a streamlined effect, opening up more space, and creating a longer unified space.
To add to the usability of the kitchen, a granite-topped island was put in place. It was adjoined to a dining table set on the dinette’s floor, again adding to the streamlined look and feel. The redesigned kitchen and dinette was finished with the replacement of the linoleum floors with hardwood flooring, adding to a smooth, modern feel. The new features give this kitchen more personality, more functionality and more space for the homeowners themselves or for entertaining.
See BEFORE and AFTER photos in our Project Showcase.
Water Damage Restoration Covered by Insurance
A small pinhole in the coupling of the hot water supply line from the hot water heater developed and began leaking and spraying hot steamy mist. Because of its location in the seldom used finished full basement, it initially went unnoticed.
By the time the homeowners noticed the leaking water, the moisture content in the ceiling sheet rock and well down the walls read 100%. The moist, warm environment proved to be ideal for colonies of mold spores to spread throughout the basement, aided by the HVAC system's return and supply lines circulating the mold spores. It didn’t take long before mold patches eventually covered all of the exposed materials and surfaces, furniture included.
The homeowners had protection from their insurance policy and were able to have repairs done after this unfortunate disaster.
Construction ensued. The ceiling, floors, and all of the interior and exterior walls were stripped down to the wood framing and masonry and disposed of. The first and second floor HVAC duct work was removed, and the entire existing full bath was gutted.
The remodeling included increasing the size of the full bath and removing the shower/tub as well as installing a large and comfortable tile shower. We added a small towel closet, and a separate entry into the adjoining room, which would now be reconfigured into a bedroom. A new EPA water sense-rated commode, a vanity cabinet with a natural granite countertop and an under-mount sink, a wall-hung mirror, and new sconce lights rounded out the update.
We turned the adjoining room next to the full bath into a bedroom. We added generous closet storage space and new lighting.
We finally turned our attention to the old kitchenette/wet bar. We took away some of the footprint to add to the full bath and designed an efficient and handsome wet bar/kitchenette.
Porcelain tile, no VOC interior paints, a complete replacement of the basement and first floor HVAC ducting, air handler equipment cleaning, and green-certified carpet and pad combined to create a healthy and light-filled living environment.
FAMILY ROOM ADDITION IN WAKE FOREST, NC
Family Time Re-Focus Michelle and Dominic had purchased their home in Wake Forest several years earlier with the idea in mind that it would serve as a family-centric place where they could gather with extended family. Situated in a quiet residential neighborhood with large lots, it was the perfect place for them to read more…
