Category Archives: Family Fun

How would you use a Butler’s Pantry?

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Legacy Models 032Traditionally, a butler’s pantry was a small room between the kitchen and the dining room used to store china and serving pieces. Today, however, butler’s pantries are coming back as a resource for entertaining and display.

Now that we’ve moved into the holiday season, wouldn’t you enjoy one of these butler’s pantries when holding a holiday event? How would you use this space in your own home? Here are a few suggestions.

As drinks-central: Whether you are serving wine and cocktails or soft-drinks and juice or after-dinner coffee, this space is perfect for holding the glassware, drink options and any other items you may need. Away from the kitchen, people can help themselves to their choice of beverage without interfering with dinner or appetizer preparations.

Legacy Models 072 (1)As an extension of the buffet: Perhaps this would be a good place to present a small dessert bar or position extra plates and silverware. You could also provide room for napkins and extra placemats or other table linens.

As a clean-up resource: Use the space under the sink to hold an emergency clean-up kit for spills. Clean small white towels, paper towels, and a reliable carpet spot cleaner can easily be accessed to address unexpected messes.

As a children’s snack center: items such as pretzels, mini graham crackers and juice boxes could be arranged on this butler’s pantry, giving little hands an easily-accessed source for the kind of treats kids appreciate rather than the fancier appetizers prepared for adults. And don’t be surprised if you see some of your older guests wander over and grab a chocolate teddy-graham or two.

However you choose to use this space, a butler’s pantry provides a nice additional resource for entertaining friends and family this season and all year round. For an opportunity to check out these two butler’s pantries in person, visit our Legacy community in Gilbert.

 

Laundry Room Luxuries

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DSC_0050What does your dream laundry room contain? Let’s start with the newest front-loading washer and dryer. Would you prefer traditional white or do you have the design courage to choose this fire-engine red? Everyone knows that the police notice a red car so that the color sticks out if you’re speeding, but in your laundry room safe in your own home, you can enjoy this daring color with no fear of a ticket.

Next, how about a laundry room sink? Large and deep, this works well for hand laundry, washing small pets, and rinsing out stains.

Some people like to make these sinks home central for mopping floors, with plenty of space to fit a bucket and let a mop drain.

By the way, notice the nice location right above the sink with a rod to hang clothes that need to drip dry. This well-designed laundry room is ready to handle all of your clothes washing needs, and wants!

 DSC_0051Next, how about cabinet and counter space? In this room, open built-in bins can be assigned to each family member to handle homework, mail and other personal items that get misplaced throughout the house. This space makes a great family-central for books, backpacks, keys and mobile devices. There are plenty of outlets to charge anything, and keeping it all in one location makes it easier for you.

DSC_0049Want more? How about yet another area of cabinets and counters? Tucked in the back of the generously-sized room, this unit could be used to hold craft or sewing supplies, pet items or for storing any items of interest to the family. Maybe this could become board-game storage or a good location to handle wrapping paper, ribbon and decorations for birthday and other holiday events. Your choices are only limited by your imagination.

Is this the laundry room of your dreams? Not sure? Well, how about visiting the Fulton Homes Legacy community and taking a look? You’ll find this dream room in the Basha model home. It’s just one space designed with you in mind at Legacy.

 

A Backyard that Fits your Needs AND Wants!

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Corsica Model at Ironwood Crossing 008A dramatic water feature shown under construction for the Corsica Model at Ironwood Crossing was recently completed, making this backyard patio more appealing and serving as a focal point for entertaining. Three separate fountains create a powerful background sound as well as providing a strong visual impact. Would you want this type of water effect in your backyard?

The location enables homeowners to enjoy the fountains both inside and outside the house, and using a combination of rock and stone allows this piece to remain eye-catching even when the water is not running. The rock-covered ledge in front delivers the perfect location for sitting and maybe even soaking tired toes in the water.

The stone patio looks roomy enough for an outdoor dining table as well as a casual seating arrangement. Certainly an outdoor kitchen with a grill would be a nice addition. What special features would you add to this backyard?

Now that summer is almost over in the Phoenix area, people plan to enjoy the outdoors by scheduling everything from parties to family dinners outside. How would you like to take full advantage of your yard to encourage family and friends to spend time there?

Maybe you would enjoy a comfy lounge chair designed to relax in the evening after work. Could a small bistro table and a couple of chairs just large enough to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning suit you better? Why not check our Fulton Homes Pinterest Board on Outdoor Living for some ideas for arranging and decorating your backyard? Take a peek here: http://www.pinterest.com/fultonhomes/outdoor-living/.

Designed for Entertaining – Living Space

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Corsica Model at Ironwood Crossing 007If you enjoy entertaining friends and family in your home, why not consider including a space made for entertaining? This room, from the Fulton Homes Corsica model at Ironwood Crossing, is ready for any gathering.

Whether it’s just you and your daughter after dinner or a troop of teenagers visiting on a weekend afternoon, a pool table adds personality and entertainment to any group. The sleek lines of this table combine with a maroon cover to fit perfectly in this grey-toned room. People of all ages enjoy playing pool, and this table creates an inviting mood in this room.

The table in the corner is bar-height, making it easy to watch the game while enjoying a drink and snacks. This is also a great spot for some appetizers or snacks to make the party more fun. The sleek shelves on the wall bring more personality into the room while using no floor space.

Take a look at the flooring. With the look of hardwood, this rectangular mimics the classic approach while providing the convenience and ease of maintenance of tile. The whitewashed tone fits perfectly into the grey, black and maroon colors of this room.

Notice also the different style of ceiling fan. The retro stainless fans gain a modern look when built into a ceiling fan this way. All of the design elements in this room combine to make a space that shows a unique sense of style – and a confidence that allows the designer to take chances.

A Space all your Own

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Kitchen DSC_0292Yes, this is a lovely kitchen. Pendant lights hang down on an oversized island. You have plenty of room to fix even the most complex of meals. But we’re not talking about the kitchen today. Instead, take a look to the left in this photo – to a small room off the kitchen with a built-in desk and cabinets. That space belongs to you.

What would you do with this piece of real estate all your own with no structured purpose? It could be a spot for organizing the household – keeping the family calendar updated along with lists of responsibilities and plans for upcoming weekends.

It could be used to track and pay bills, check email and visit Facebook or Pinterest. Or how about using the space for scrapbooking or writing holiday cards or thank-you notes? The cabinets above the desk could hold extra notepaper or those holiday cards you bought on sale last January – easy to find when November rolls around again.

What about gift wrapping? It might be the place where you keep extra office and school supplies or even some art supplies for emergency homework projects. You could tuck yourself in here every evening with a nice cup of tea and write up your to-do list for tomorrow – or just read a magazine.

Finally, this space could fuel your dreams. Always wanted to start your own business? You could start it here. It’s your space to do with what you want. Fulton Homes wants to help you make all of your dreams come true, and give you the space for it.

What a Dad Does

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9609167_SWhen you’re barely old enough to remember, a father swings you high into the air – almost too high but while it’s scary it’s also amazing. You see the world from on high for just a minute before safely landing on the ground, and you reach your hands up and say, “More.”

Wrestling, running, jumping – dad plays harder than anyone else. As the evening goes into night games of tag and races across the yard are more exciting because the biggest boy of all joins in – dad.

At parties, your father is the first person who ever asks you to dance. Feet in your dress shoes stand on his as he slowly turns you around the floor to the music and you are the happiest child in the room.

20387713_SRiding a bike is hard, but it’s easier with your dad right there, holding the seat, talking you through how everything works, picking you and your bike up when you fall, and telling you to go faster and faster until you realize that he’s no longer behind you and you are riding your bike all by yourself.

For every milestone, dad is there. Cheering you on at little league, helping you learn how to throw and catch a ball or kick a goal in soccer. Clapping at every school play, recital and concert. Telling you that you were wonderful and nobody noticed when you forgot a line.

There are the tough days too, when he has to let you know that what you did was wrong and help you find a way to fix it.

Every kid needs a dad. But don’t limit your thinking. So many people in your life can be a dad for you, including uncles, family friends and even moms. It’s about knowing that whatever happens, your dad or dads will have your back. And that’s what Father’s Day is all about: thanking all the dads in your life. Be sure you do.

Make Father’s Day Special

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17605308_SDo you want to celebrate Father’s Day in a fun and special way? How about capitalizing on a dad cliché instead of trying to do something different?

One fun party idea could use the theme “Dad in Plaid.” Get everyone in the family plaid shirts and some kind of plaid shorts including the guest of honor – they don’t have to match. As a matter of fact, they could clash and make the look even more entertaining.

Use a plaid tablecloth, napkins and see what you can find in terms of plaid decorations. Or create your own special look by picking up plaid shirts and shorts from a thrift shop and scattering them on the table and draped over pictures on the wall.

14626444_SYou may find paper plates or cupcake covers such as the one shown in the photo to the right. Be sure to take lots of pictures of the party and see if you can work the plaid theme into any gifts or gift wrap. For example, plaid boxers or madras shorts would fit the look.

Another party theme could be “Dad and the Ties that Bind.” Have everyone wear ties, including the youngest members of the family, and use ties gathered from a thrift shop or two to decorate. Extra wide ties from paper could serve as placemats. Old ties would also make good ribbons for gifts.

You may want to have every child draw with fabric paints on plain ties to give dad some “fancy” handmade ties from the family. Once again, get photos.

Father’s Day is worth celebrating, so why not give the dad or dads in your life a chance to be a little silly on his day? You’ll create an event that everyone will remember.

Father’s Day Gifts from the Heart

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7200927_STraditional dad’s day gifts such as ties and shirts get old, so how about making sure Father’s Day is celebrated in style with a gift the dad or dads in your life will treasure?

Here are a few ideas to make that special day memorable for a father.

Give a memory. Create a special experience for dad. How about a surprise family picnic with all of his favorite foods? Make sure all he has to do is hop in the car and you can head to a favorite park. A trip to the zoo or a favorite museum such as a science museum would also be fun. Be sure to take plenty of photos so you can remind him of the day long afterwards.

18615974_SGive flowers. Men generally aren’t used to receiving flowers, but a simple arrangement in a dad mug can be an unexpected treat. And by putting the flowers in a nice mug, he has a remembrance long after they’re gone.

Give photos. Does dad have a current photo of the family in his office? If not, start taking photos and choose the best to frame. Digital photo frames work if you want to share more than one shot.

Go handmade. Handmade cards, drawings or simple items for a desk have extra meaning if made by your children. Covering a can to make a pencil holder or a clay creature as a paperweight can be fun for the kids to make and fun for dad to receive. For more ideas to make Father’s Day special, visit The Fulton Homes Pinterest board. And have a wonderful day!

Sharing Family Photos

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14570371_SMany people love to collect and share photos of their children and grandchildren, and parents know that these are appreciated gifts. If you have people in your life who want photos of your family, it pays to think about the best delivery system.

A photo album provides the traditional approach to photos. If you are a scrapbooker, you might want to give key family members albums with removable pages, and give them updates to add regularly. This way they can enjoy the photos and also take part in the story of your trips or holidays.

14234026_SFor family members with limited space, consider giving a digital photo frame. This way they can have multiple photos within one small area. Updates are also easy – just load additional photos on the frame when you see them or send a flash drive for those family members who are tech-savvy. You may also want to give a pocket digital photo carrier so grandma can carry it in her purse to share with friends.

19428252_SOne fun gift for family requires some pre-planning. By taking holiday or seasonal photos of your child or children for a year, or even seasonal family photos, you can give personalized photo calendars in December with a different seasonally-appropriate photo for each month. For doting grandparents, aunts and uncles, this calendar is so much more fun and appreciated than a generic one picked up at a bookstore, and not that much more expensive.

Thanks to digital photography, photos of loved ones provide easy and welcome presents. You can share the joy of your family by giving thoughtful photos presented in inviting ways.

Displaying Family Photos

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18886173_MThe image to the left shows a standard approach to displaying family photos. This provides a charming way to use a mantel while enabling you to keep family pictures close.

By choosing frames of various materials, shapes and sizes the look stays lively. Including items that add height such as the candlestick and mirror also help the display.

The final reason for success comes from the decision to stay in the same color family with the frames and other display pieces. Warm brown, gold and cream link together to make everything feel cohesive. Don’t hesitate to mix frame styles when you’re sharing a collection of family photos. This helps make the look seem spontaneous and casual rather than planned.

13568701_SToday’s photo displays don’t have to follow traditional patterns. You can vary your approach to displaying as much as you can vary the look of the photos themselves. Take a look at this set of three black & white photos of a father and his newborn, for example.

The photos were selected from a much larger number of shots, illuminated with a single light in a dark room. By showing only parts of the parent and child, an image comes through of a strong connection and lots of love.

The simple wire and clothespin display suits the delicate simplicity of the photos. Depending upon the size of the photos, you could hang them at the end of a hall or in a corner by the front door. Or this might be an appealing addition to the nursery. Photos could be added and changed as the baby grows.

For more ideas on displaying photos, visit the Fulton Homes Family Photo Tips Pinterest Board at: http://www.pinterest.com/fultonhomes/family-photo-tips/.