Arts & Crafts Style Home

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Cooley-Station-012-web - CopyAlthough this look has been around for a long time, the appeal of the Arts &  Crafts style has only grown in recent years. When you’re planning your next home, how about considering this warm and intriguing option?

Let’s begin with color. Arts & Craft architecture brings in rich dark colors to recreate the best of nature. This light and dark brown combination brings in classic colors for the style. In particular, the dark brown pediment echoes the feel of yesterday when the Arts & Crafts style first appeared. Notice how the white trim helps make the darker tones pop and keep the home from feeling too dark.

One way to spot an Arts & Crafts bungalow is by the porch columns. They always grow larger at the bottom, not unlike a tree trunk. The three columns here have that characteristic look.

Adding the rock base also demonstrates an understanding of the Arts & Crafts movement. The goal was a return to hand-crafted materials that take advantage of natural elements. This model, Sunset at Cooley Station, shows how the style can be reinterpreted in today’s new homes.

We invite you to visit this and our other models at Cooley Station. We think you’ll find them inviting and appealing.

Spring is Here!

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2016-03-20

In other parts of the country the first day of spring is exciting after what is often a long, cold and gray winter. Here in Arizona our winters are warm. sunny and the envy of most of the Eastern United States. But there is a flavor to spring in Arizona if we take the time to see it.

First we have the orange blossoms blooming. Orchards full of them in some places in Arizona, and it’s rare to drive down the street without seeing at least a few trees in bloom. Roll your car windows down in some parts of town and your nose will be inundated with the smell of orange, lemon and grapefruit trees in bloom.

Even in the desert, flowers cover the normally dry landscape. Yellow, of course, but some blue and purple smaller ones too dot the roadside. Easterners are surprised by the variety of flowers our cacti provide this time of year. We calmly explain, “we had a lot of rain…” In other parts of the country flowers bloom everywhere every Spring. Here, we know how lucky we are to have the rich display we’re seeing this year.

And of course we can add to that with flowers at our own homes. Plants in pots – either individual flowers or luscious mixes – look wonderful clustered around the front door. Consider adding a few flowering bulbs under the trees in your yard. Simply follow the instructions at your local nursery – putting them in the refrigerator for a few weeks will allow you to end up with daffodils and tulips out here.

Don’t forget the pleasure of spring plants in your home. Either in pots or as cut flowers, daffodils make a grand display at a brunch or in your kitchen.

Whether you’re looking at the calendar or outside, Spring is here. Enjoy it!

Let the Sunshine In

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Cooley Station 102Arizona is all about sunshine, and sometimes it seems like we don’t take enough advantage of it out here. Yes, it is easy to become too used to having almost every day be a sunny day. But for those people who grew up in other parts of the country, it’s important not to take our sunshine for granted.

One terrific way to appreciate our sunny climate is with plenty of generous windows. It’s important to look for opportunities to bring light inside and brighten our homes. This window at Fulton’s Surfliner model at Cooley Station does that beautifully. Take a look at the way it brings light into this room.

First, it is set at just the right height to comfortably fit a sofa along the bottom. This gives you a strong design option to choose among a sofa, sectional or two easy chairs at this location. With any of these choices, you have plenty of light for reading.

With the view into the yard, this window also gives a pleasant perspective. The right landscaping choices help make the interaction of indoor and outdoor space inviting and workable. A window this large helps strengthen that connection.

Finally, the Fulton Design Center team can help you make the best decisions for window coverings to show off this and every other window in your new home. This allows you to make the most of our sunshine and the natural lighting available to you here in Arizona. For a closer look at this and other models at Cooley Station, visit our website at: http://www.fultonhomes.com/our-communities/cooley-station

 

Granite Adds Color to Kitchen

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If you’re drawn to painted cabinets in a kitchen but worry that there won’t be enough color with your choice, take a look at this option, from the Surfliner model at Cooley Station. The cabinets are white, the appliances stainless, but this kitchen is anything but bland thanks to the dramatic granite countertop.

With every Fulton Home, granite countertops are standard in your kitchen. This choice is perfect with white cabinets. First, there is enough light color in the stone to connect the countertop with the cabinetry, yet there is still enough contrast to be effective. The natural brown and gold elements warm up the space, filling in the tones normally provided by stained wood cabinets.

Notice how the tile work stays light, but adds a rustic charm to the space with its beveled edges and trim. The dark mosaic tile elements over the stove and along the middle section of the island add an interesting dark contrast.

The dark flooring brings out the darkest brown visible in the countertop, connecting everything in the kitchen together. A few touches of black – the sink, the burners on the stove, and some accessories – pull in some additional strong dark tones.

This kitchen doesn’t really need a lot of additional color. A bit of maroon from the bar stool cushions and coffee cups are all that it takes to finish off the look.

Is this the kitchen of your dreams? Come take a look at this choice and more at our model homes at Cooley Station. Visit FultonHomes.com to learn more.

 

Cozy Lounge

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Cooley-Station-089-web - CopyHaving a living space up on the second floor right by the bedrooms makes sense. This cozy area, from the Sunset model in Cooley Station, provides an inviting space for lounging in the evening, watching TV, or just talking together.

This second-floor lounge is perfect for so many things. Parents with small children can relax here after a long day, taking a few minutes for themselves after the kids are asleep. Yet still being handy if someone has a bad dream or needs a glass of water. Teenagers can hang out here in a space separate from the rest of the house yet close by when it’s time for dinner. Or maybe you need a break from your day. This nook is a great spot to read a book, curl up and watch a favorite television show, or just nap on the sofa.

If you sew or have a hobby, this space is perfect to assign as you wish for working on a project. And everything is upstairs and out of the way of the rest of the family.

The colors of this room, rust and navy, work so well together. Using a strong rust-toned focal wall sets the stage for a space that’s not afraid of color. As a separate area, this lounge provides the opportunity to be daring and bring in colors that may not be part of the rest of your home decor choices.

To see this space in person, we invite you to visit our models in Cooley Station. We think you’ll find a lot to like there.

 

An Upstairs Balcony to Enjoy

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Cooley-Station-093-webMost of us appreciate outdoor living. A front porch or back patio make spending time outside more enjoyable, particularly with an overhead roof to provide shade from the Arizona sun. But what about having an outdoor living space upstairs? Here are some of the advantages:

Privacy: Most people don’t look up. With this balcony tucked away at the corner of your home, you can enjoy outdoor time without drawing attention. There’s also just enough room for you and your spouse or significant other. Here’s a nice opportunity to get away together, just the two of you, for a few minutes in the day.

The view: Whether you’re facing East or West, you will be able to enjoy a birds-eye view of the sunset or sunrise every day. With a second-story balcony you have a vista when you’re outside. While this photo was taken during construction, soon the view will include a well-settled neighborhood with green belts and other amenities.

Morning coffee break: With a balcony just outside your master bedroom, it’s easy to step outside in the morning to drink a cup of coffee, maybe read the [paper, and plan your day. Everything is better when you’re outside.

Evening relaxation: Spending a bit of time outside before bed can help relax you and enable you to let go of the stresses of the day. No need to worry about daytime clothes. Instead get into comfy PJ’s and have a seat, maybe with a cup of chamomile tea, and breathe deep. You’ll feel better and more able to fall asleep.

However you use this balcony, it gives you another outdoor space – cozy and personal – providing another way to enjoy the best of Arizona outdoors.

Personalize Valentine’s Day

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heart-762564_1280What do you do for Valentine’s Day with your spouse or significant other? Do you exchange cards or maybe go out to dinner? Perhaps flowers and candy show up at your home. But this year, how about personalizing your Valentine’s Day celebration? Here are a few suggestions to make your celebration extra special.

Revisit a special place: Did you meet at a party, an event or even just a grocery store? How about taking a trip back to that location to revisit those memories? You could have dinner at the restaurant where you held your wedding reception or rehearsal dinner. Or maybe you just remember a special day you’d like to re-experience. You can talk about it ahead of time or just make the plans to surprise your partner. Be careful not to make it a contest to see how much he or she remembers, though. This is a trip down memory lane, not a quiz.

Plan a special indoor picnic: Throw a tablecloth and some pillows on the floor and plan a meal of finger foods. Use candlelight to add to the ambience. Add a bottle of wine or a favorite drink. You can sprinkle fresh flower petals on the cloth and be sure to add a favorite chocolate dessert.

Make your own Valentine card: You don’t have to be an artist to draw a heart. More important, use this opportunity to tell your partner at least some of the most important reasons you’re glad to have him or her in your life. Because that’s what Valentine’s Day is really about, after all.

A Child’s Valentine

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valentines-day-1182245_1280As adults, we may think of Valentine’s Day as a day for romance, with our significant other if we have one, or with frustration at the absence of romance if we don’t. But we tend to ignore celebrating Valentine’s Day with our children.

Of course, even little ones can get caught up in whether their current crush will notice them on the day, but you have the power to make it special no matter what with just a little effort on your part. Here are a few tips to make Valentine’s Day special for you and your child or children.

Send them a Valentine: If your child or children look forward to getting mail, it may be worth the cost of a stamp or two to actually mail a card to each child. If the mailbox process itself isn’t important, set the cards at the breakfast table for opening first thing in the morning. Make the cards special by writing something personal about why you love them using a specific example.

Add a Valentine treat to their lunchboxes. This could be a heart-shaped cookie or some heart chocolates wrapped in red foil. It would also be nice to add a note with another reason why they’re special to you. It’s easy to get too busy to tell our children how much we value them. Valentine’s Day gives you a chance to do so.

Plan a Valentine dessert for dinner. Maybe it’s a heart-shaped cake from the bakery or a favorite treat with a few conversation hearts sprinkled on top. Or you could just make hot chocolate and serve it with a construction paper heart tied to the handle of the mug. Present the dessert to each child with a kiss.

In one day you have three opportunities to tell your children you love them. And that way when life gets busy again, they know that you think they are important, and that they are your favorite Valentines every day of the year.

White Cabinets Make a Bright Kitchen

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Cooley-Station-106webThere are as many options for kitchen styles as there are cooks. Many people love a dark Tuscan look, with cabinets in a rich stained wood and darker countertops in stone that echo an old-world look. Others lean toward a contemporary option that includes lighter stained cabinets and a solid-surface counter.

But if you want your kitchen to capture a bit of a farmhouse feel while staying light and bright, you may want to consider painted cabinets. This kitchen’s cabinets are ever-so-slightly off white, which provides a cheerful mood.

Notice that overall this kitchen’s other elements keep the painted cabinets from feeling bland. The rich gold granite countertops add enough interest and contrast to make this kitchen pop. And the darker mosaic over the stove adds another inviting element of contrast.

With this light a kitchen palette, the choice of darker flooring is smart. It grounds the room with its strong contrasting element while encouraging the lighter choices to shine. Maroon leather-topped stools and other maroon accessories also contribute to the sophisticated color choices of this space.

Notice the glass door on the corner cabinet. While many people would rather not have a lot of glass doors in order to hide not-quite-tidy cupboards, one glass door adds a special charm to any space. This is the perfect spot to showcase glassware or nice serving pieces.

So when you’re planning your kitchen, don’t just skip over the painted cabinets. Consider whether they would fit the kind of kitchen you want – light, cheerful and bright on even the darkest days.

Stripes make a Splash

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two-striped-bedspreads-webWhen you’re planning a child’s room or a guest bedroom, patterned fabric provides a great way to add pizzazz without spending a lot of money. And for generations, one of the smartest patterns to choose is a stripe.

This photo showcases two different approaches to stripes for bedspreads and matching pillow shams. With today’s bedding stores and online options, you can pick up a bedspread and sham set, often with a matching dust ruffle, for less than $100.

Stripes are a fun choice. They also offer a lot of flexibility. You can pull out one color for the walls and use the others for accessories. Notice that both of these bedrooms focus on one strong color note drawn from the bedspreads.

On the left, the bedroom captures the spread’s gold and white tones in the artwork, while the walls themselves take that same gold and lighten it to make the space colorful without being overwhelming. This looks like a boy’s room, and most boys won’t be comfortable with too much color on the walls.

The other bedroom is geared toward a girl, and one who is not afraid of color. Notice how the artwork chosen brings out every color in the striped bedspread. While you’re not always fortunate enough to have that happen, take advantage of accessories and other elements in a bedroom to pull the stripe colors into the space.

Now in these two bedrooms the stripes provide the only patterned fabric. But one nice thing about stripes is that they leave the room open to other patterns. You could add several floral-patterned pillows in the same tones to the room on the right and it would still work. Another geometric pattern would suit the bedroom to the left.

When you want to introduce pattern to a room, it’s smart to choose stripes. They provide a safe way to be a little daring, because they always work well.