Fulton Builds Energy Star Homes

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Fulton’s Energy Star approach to homebuilding for all of its homes ensures that your home will save you energy costs, be more comfortable, and reduce your family’s exposure to harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). Our Energy Star Certified Homes surpass all of the current Energy Star Requirements. Some of the steps we take with your home include:

  • Low VOC carpeting and interior paints to minimize the off-gassing these products can release when new.
  • A Lousiana Pacific Tech Shield Radiant Barrier under your roof to deflect the sun’s heat away from your attic.
  • High-performance Vinyl Windows designed to reduce both heat and UV rays from entering your home.
  • A 14 SEER Carrier Air Conditioner which provides energy efficient cooling. It also comes with a 10-year warranty if you register it online.
  • Merv 6 Return Air Filters to help your A/C unit run more smoothly.
  • Outside Air Exchange Fan to provide the precise air exchange required to keep your indoor air fresh while still allowing you to benefit from the tight construction required to keep energy costs low.
  • Drywall Caulking at Top Plate which further seals and insulates your home.
  • Minimum 10% Bulbs to be CFL – longer lasting and saves electricity.
  • Foam Seal on All Exterior Doors – a common place to waste energy – to reduce your air leakage.
  • Gas Water Heater with a .58 to .62 Efficiency Rating which will save on your water heating costs.

As part of earning the Energy Star Certification, a third-party inspection firm performs exhaustive tests on all Fulton homes. We’re happy to share more information about the energy saving features in our homes. You’re welcome to visit our website or one of our exciting Valley Communities.

 

Pavers Make Outdoor Space Special

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When you visit the Fulton Homes Design Center, be sure to visit this courtyard, set off to the right when you face the front door. This space was designed to allow you to see the four varieties of pavers available to Fulton Home Owners for use in their outside spaces.

Positioning these pavers on the ground outside allows owners to see the pavers in daylight, set the way they would look in a home. Would you like to make your sidewalk or outdoor patio something special? Fulton Homes offers the option to use pavers to add extra style and personality to your outdoor space.

The pavers are made of concrete, designed to mimic stone. They fit together to create almost a cobblestone effect, adding drama to your home. As you can see from the photo, they work well against either standard concrete or gravel. We recommend selecting your pavers and your gravel in colors that complement each other.

Pavers provide an old-world look and add a feeling of elegance. At the same time their concrete construction makes them a low-maintenance choice. Just a quick rinse with the hose keeps them looking good.

Talk to your Fulton Homes designer about various ways to introduce pavers into your home’s exterior. We also have a number of photos to demonstrate how pavers can enhance your outdoor space. With a little imagination and some planning, you can create a finished look that will be perfect for family use or entertaining.

 

Choosing the Right Wall Art for Your Home

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When it comes to decorating your walls, everyone has their own taste and there is no right or wrong choice – or almost no wrong choice. However, art is more than selection. It is also placement and setting. For example, this gentleman’s fish is positioned against a strongly patterned wall, distracting from the power of his trophy. It would be much more effective against a plain wall, preferably where people wouldn’t have to sit underneath it. Here are some basic tips for making the most of the art on your walls.

Consider proportion and placement: This fish, while centered against the pattern on the wall, is too close to the wall on the right. Be sure to center larger pieces in a room or they can overpower one side of a wall. On the other hand, a smaller piece of art shouldn’t be asked to support an entire large wall. Either place it on a smaller area or combine it with other smaller art to make an arrangement. Another big mistake people make is hanging art too high. If you hang it at eye level you can see it without looking up.

Select the right hanging method: The ropes holding this fish in place create a sense that the fish may not be stable against the wall. This approach to hanging also diminishes the feeling of movement this fish could create. Since all trophy fish are actually plaster reproductions, there would be no issue with adding a bar on the back to create an invisible hanging system.

Take your time choosing the right art and the right placement. This can make a big difference in the look and feel of your home. Experiment before you decide: Set art down on the floor or a table under your selected location or locations. Spend a few days imagining the art where you’re thinking of placing it. If you still like it in a few days, go ahead and hang it.

Make the Most of your Design Center Time

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Visiting the Fulton Home’s Design Center is a fun and exciting experience. Helped by one of our designers, you have the opportunity to select all of the options that will combine to make the perfect home for you.

Taking a few steps before your Design Center time will help you  determine just what you want in your home. Here are a few ideas:

Take a look at our models. Each model features different cabinetry, countertops and flooring options. This gives you a chance to see how various choices look in a home. You may want to take notes about items you are drawn to so that you can locate them in our Design Center.

Take advantage of Design Center browse nights. These evenings give you the chance to get to know the choices you have for your home. You can meet our designers and other Fulton people, take your time exploring our vignettes, and start to plan what you want in your own home. Our choices are extensive, so if you develop some ideas about what you like – and don’t like – it will make the selection process easier later.

Set priorities. You may want everything and it’s smart to decide ahead of time where you want to splurge. For example, many people prefer more expensive cabinets in the kitchen. However, a less expensive choice may work well for you and you can spend a bit more on the backsplash for a wow kitchen at a lower price. Or you may want wood flooring throughout your home and are willing to save in other areas to afford it.

Relax and enjoy the process. Your designer is a great resource for helping you making selections that will work together, and your home will be beautiful. Choosing your options is a pleasure many people will never experience. Make the most of your opportunity.

School Organizing

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Are your children well prepared as they start school or are you dealing with missing assignments and notebooks that seem to disappear every morning?

You can help your children stay organized for school by setting up personalized “lockers” at home. These can range from space on a bookshelf to storage containers or bins. Even a small file cabinet would work. By making sure school materials have an assigned place, getting ready in the morning will be less stressful. Here are a few hints to make this work.

Choose a good location. Your children are more likely to use the assigned space if they pass it as they walk into the house. Find space near the front door or inside by the kitchen and label each child’s bin or area so there are no arguments. It’s OK if they just dump their books and papers inside. At least they’re all in one place.

Have one bin for school supplies. This makes it easy for everyone to stay stocked up.

Make sure the spaces are large enough. If your kids run out of room, the overflow may end up on the floor or a counter near-by, which defeats the purpose. Remember that they will accumulate more materials as the school year continues. You may need two bins eventually – one for current work and the other an archive for past notes and papers.

Leave a treat in each child’s assigned spot for the first few weeks. A mini candy bar or a small toy rewards your children for putting their school materials away. Be creative to keep it surprising and exciting. After three weeks – the time it takes to make or break a habit – move to occasional treats.

Have a clean-up day once a month. This gives everyone the chance to get rid of papers or notes that they will no longer need or move some things to the archive bin, keeping the current bin under control.

Why not try this approach? With just a few steps, you can reduce the tension of tracking down school materials and make the school year easier and more organized.

Getting Ready for Fall, Arizona Style

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In other parts of the country, September is a reminder that winter is coming and people will be spending more of their time indoors. For those of us who live in Arizona, though, September is just the start of temperatures  that invite more outdoor living. As the heat diminishes, it’s time to prepare for the beautiful weather that’s just around the corner. Here are a few suggestions to make the most of fall.

Look over your outdoor furniture. During the summer, the sun, heat and chlorine from post-swimming use may have caused some damage. Now is the time to stock up on new cushions or consider spray-painting to revive your current furniture. Visit a good hardware store to get insights into what kind of spray paint can perk up your outdoor look.

Consider adding lighting. Does your backyard have the lighting you want for entertaining? How about stringing lights in a tree for a year-round festive look? Inexpensive paper lanterns with LED votives in them can be hung anywhere to add interest and an inviting ambience.

Plan an outdoor party. We’re lucky not to have to worry about bad weather in the fall. In the next few weeks as the weather cools we’re all likely to enjoy getting outdoors again. Host a potluck at your home and pull out some outdoor games such as croquet, bocce ball, or badminton to play.

Include al fresco dining as part of your regular plans. Eating outside is one of the best features of fall in Arizona. Pick up an inexpensive tablecloth and start scheduling some meals outside. At first breakfast may be your best choice but as we reach the end of September almost any meal is more enjoyable out-of-doors.

Take the time to get ready for fall Arizona-style. No leaf turning yet, but the weather we’ve been dreaming about all summer long is just around the corner.

Choosing the Right Cabinets

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Cabinet choice has the strongest impact on the look of your kitchen. It’s worthwhile to spend some time before you choose your cabinets looking at kitchen photos on a website such as Home and Garden Television’s to see how different cabinet styles and finishes affect the look of the final kitchen. We have several kitchen vignettes in our Design Center and sample kitchens in the models. These can all help you determine what you want your kitchen to look like.

Here are a few tips when you’re choosing your cabinets. This photo is from our Design Center, showing some of the cabinet options available to you.

Cabinet style affects the feel of your kitchen: If you want a more traditional kitchen, choose a cabinet with a more patterned door. The door at the top left in the photo above is a good example of a more traditional look. Take a look at the doors showing on the second rows of the next two displays. Those are also good choices for a more traditional appearance.

If you’re looking for a country feel, consider cabinet styles such as the one fronting the second row in the first display cabinet. The bead-board style in the center reflects a country mood. The painted cabinet door in the top row of the second display also provides a country look with a touch of shabby chic thanks to the style of the finish.

For a modern kitchen, choose as simple a cabinet as possible. You may want to consider a door with no molding or a Shaker style with a very simple look.

When you’re selecting your finish, remember that darker cabinets tend to create a formal look and lighter wood has a casual feel. Also some stains, such as cherry, will change color slightly over time. Remember too that your cabinet choice will have an impact on every other kitchen decision, so if you want a dark countertop or floor you may want to think twice about dark cabinets.

Be sure to experiment with cabinet choices, countertops and flooring together, to find the right combination. Our designers can help create the perfect kitchen for you.

Choosing Faucets

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Many people think all faucets are a lot alike. But once you really review your options you may be surprised at the differences. Here are a couple of things to consider when you’re making kitchen and bath faucet selections.

To begin, think about functionality. Do you want a kitchen faucet with a pull-out sprayer to rinse out your sink or fill large pots? You may also want enough height to fill tall containers. What about extras such as a built-in soap dispenser?

It’s a good idea to take the time to feel the handles to see if they fit well in your hands as you turn them on and off. Would you rather have a one-handled faucet that moves to set the temperature or two handles?

Have you decided on your finish? If you are selecting stainless appliances, you’ll want to choose a finish that works well with them. Also, think about matching the style of your faucet to your kitchen. With a modern kitchen look for one with clean lines, while a traditional or country-style kitchen allows you to choose a more old-fashioned style.

In the bath, take the time to learn how the shower head and faucet and options work to make sure you choose something that you will be comfortable using every day. Once again, coordinate your faucet with your chosen bath design and towel racks. A bath is a great place to experiment. How about trying a different finish to step up the style?

Yes, all faucets give you hot and cold water when you turn them on, but it’s worthwhile to consider both function and fashion when you make your final choices.

 

Add a Creative Space for your Family

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Artistic efforts by children have been shown to improve their reading and math skills as well as their scores on achievement tests later in life such as SAT’s and ACT’s. Unfortunately, limited budgets have trimmed art budgets for many school-age children, but you have a chance to create opportunities for art in your home.

A dining room can become a temporary art studio with the right supplies. If you’re concerned about spills, stick to crayons or colored pencils like the family in the photo above. Some colored pencils have watercolor capability – dip them in water to create art that’s more like painting but with less chance for a mess.

If your dining room table may be damaged by your art plans, invest in an inexpensive vinyl tablecloth or head to your nearest fabric store for a length of oilcloth to cover the table. Either can be cleaned easily with a sponge.

For younger children, look for a corner of the family room or dinette with enough space to set a child’s table and chairs. Set up a shelf nearby with a collection of paper and art supplies. This proportional work space can invite children to bring art into their everyday lives.

To encourage your children to experiment with art, have a place for hanging their finished work. The most common option is the refrigerator, but you may want to hang a cork board as a changing display of current projects. Another option is demonstrated by the photo above. A simple line hung along a hall or family room with clips to hold the pictures allows you to showcase the family art.

Providing an opportunity to experience art in your home can help your child develop, but it is also a great way to get the whole family involved in a fun activity.

Put some Bling in your Kitchen

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Beautiful cabinets and stainless steel appliances combined with granite countertops add to a lovely kitchen space. However, what if you want something unusual and uniquely yours?

How about building some bling into your backsplash? This kitchen provides just one example of what’s possible when you take some chances and add some tiles with personality and shine.

The space behind your range naturally shapes an opportunity to create art in your kitchen. The image-shaped rectangle benefits from some creativity. In this case, small metallic tiles provide an eye-catching display. Adding a few tiles at the corners of the 12-inch stone squares carries the theme throughout the rest of the backsplash.

Carefully-placed lighting catches the brilliance of the simple mosaic with long thin glass pieces acting as a frame. For a minimal cost, this kitchen has moved from nice to stand-out with the kind of wow factor that is irresistible in a new home.

Be sure to add accessories that complement your backsplash choice to integrate it with the rest of the room. Notice the appealing bowl to the right in gold and copper metallic tones. The variety of colors in these tiles open up the kitchen to almost any metallic choice. They connect to the stainless as well as the warmer shades in the granite and cabinets. When you choose your backsplash option, look for versatility as well as personality so that you can make adjustments to your kitchen’s look more easily.

It’s worth taking some extra time and spending a bit more to create a backsplash that will set your kitchen up to be remembered. Enjoy finding just the right choice for you and your home.