Make Kid’s Rooms Special on a Budget

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kids_roomsWhen you move into a new home, decorating budgets and energy generally focus first on the living spaces, and bedrooms – especially the children’s bedrooms – may end up getting short shrift. What can you do to make every child’s room special without breaking the bank? Well, the good news is that dollars can easily take a back seat to creativity in a child’s bedroom. Here are some ideas to help.

Use color: Paint and fabric make a big splash with minimal cost. Visit thrift stores for inexpensive furniture with good lines, and then attack it with spray paint to create something special. Dressers, tables and desks can be renewed by changing a dull stained finish to fire-engine red or sunshine yellow. Add contrasting wall paint, an interesting striped fabric for the windows and some inexpensive wall decals and a bedroom can come to life.

Find a theme: If your little guy is in love with dinosaurs, how about looking for bedding crawling with them? Pick up an extra sheet for window treatments and put up shelves to display his favorite prehistoric creatures. If your daughter loves ballet class, consider a room decorated in ballet pink and black with toe shoes hung on the wall and photos of ballerinas hanging from ribbons. Add a canopy to the bed in tutu tulle with some spangles and you’ve created a dream room for your darling.

Be flexibile: Tastes will change as your children grow, so be sure to select simple furniture that can grow with them and be prepared for today’s dinosaurs and dancers to evolve to new interests. Encourage your youngsters to let their rooms evolve as they do. Toys, books, bedding and accessories may change, but a well-planned room will continue to work for each child until it’s time for them to create homes of their own.

For more ideas on making children’s rooms special, take a look at our Pinterest Board on kid’s rooms at https://www.pinterest.com/fultonhomes/kids-rooms/.

Ways to Survive Summer

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summer_funSummer is definitely here and we need to find ways to cope with the double challenges of children home from school and temperatures in the triple digits. Swimming, water parks, and even running through sprinklers and fountains take your family only so far, and you may find yourself experiencing more than a bit of cabin fever when inside activities seem the only option. Here are a few suggestions for making it through summer’s heat without feeling trapped.

Set up some long-term activities. Board and card games can keep children interacting and entertained as long as you add some elements to liven things up. Think about setting up a series of tournaments with simple prizes for the winners. Or have everyone tackle a more challenging type of game such as backgammon, bridge or chess. If you have an expert in the family recruit them to teach the others. If not, get a few books on strategy from the library or look for expert instruction on the Internet. Make this a weekly event – often enough to keep interest high but not so often that everyone gets bored.

Tackle some redecorating or rearranging projects. You could give each child a budget to spend on paint, inexpensive furniture or anything to make their bedrooms special. You could have a door-decorating contest or encourage them to make one wall in their rooms tell the story of their lives so far. A digital camera and some inexpensive enlargements through your local warehouse store can help each child personalize his or her space.

Create learning opportunities. Take trips to the zoo or local museums. Encourage every family member to look into areas that interest them and report back to everyone else about what they’ve learned. Use the summer months to support reading for fun with regular visits to the library, taking advantage of the activities they offer such as summer reading programs.

And for more ideas on getting through the summer, take a look at our Pinterest Board: Summer Fun, at https://www.pinterest.com/fultonhomes/summer-fun/.

Family Photo Tips

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family_photo_tipsWhen you look back on your life, photos capture memories like nothing else. For our parents and grandparents, taking pictures was limited by the cost and effort. Now with the advent of digital photography, you can create a record of every event in your life. But are you taking the time and energy to take the best photos you can of your family and all of the important moments you want to keep?

We invite you to visit one of the Fulton Homes Pinterest boards: Family Photo Tips. We’ve collected a wealth of advice from professionals and skilled amateurs, on everything from finding poses that create interest to how to group photos on your walls and share them with other family members.

Do you have a little one or two with family too far away to see their progress as they change with every week, and sometimes it seems with every day? How about creating a series of photos using the same background with pictures taken every month to show the progress and growth? Or consider celebrating your infant’s first year of life with a special photo taken every month in appropriate garb for the season or various holidays. You can then turn those shots into a calendar for fond grandparents as a holiday gift.

Online companies will help you take your photos commemorating an important milestone in your or your family’s life to create a book that captures the moments and excitement of that time – something you can look at and enjoy long after the time is past.

Or how about commemorating your move into your new Fulton Home? Photos of the construction process, the move, and the progress of your decorating efforts can tell a story that you might want to share as part of a housewarming party.

When it comes to bringing the moment to life with photography, the only limits are your own imagination. And for more ideas and tips, we hope you will visit the Pinterest board we developed to help you make your family photos something special, at https://www.pinterest.com/fultonhomes/family-photo-tips/.

Fulton Homes: Proud of our Windows

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Mediterranean-at-Ironwood-Crossing-windows-cropped-webAt Fulton Homes, we work hard to keep improving the homes we build for our customers. One example is the decision to use Vinyl Low-E Windows on all of our homes. We began this in October of 2010, as part of our ongoing commitment to build ever-more energy efficient homes.

The Eco-View vinyl window products include the latest technology in providing energy-efficient frame design while not sacrificing style or function. The Eco-view frame uses a sophisticated system of hallways in the frame extrusion. This creates a stronger frame while providing a method to circulate air throughout the frame, making it more energy-efficient. It also helps make it resistant to warping and fatigue. All Eco-view frames are made of 100% virgin PVC (vinyl) material.

Eco-view vinyl windows carry an LC25 light commercial rating. This means that these windows surpass industry standards for residential applications. These windows are part of Fulton Homes’ Energy Star version 3 program. The windows and door systems are also user-friendly and include features that help to guarantee years of reliable service and security.

Eco-view vinyl windows and doors – one more way that Fulton shows its commitment to building homes that are energy-efficient and designed to save you money on your utility bills. For more information, visit the “Fulton Cares” page on our website.

Fulton Homes: Proud of our Sustainable Approach to Building

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tree-webFulton Homes is committed to doing its part to use trees wisely in two ways:

Most homebuilders provide their customers with over 200 pages of paperwork, but that is not what Fulton Homes does. Instead, we give you a password to your personal MyFultonHome account. You can use this to log in securely and access all contract documents, community CC & R’s, Landscape Guidelines, Bylaws and the Public Report. Your account also provides access to your selected options with warranty information. You can also register all of your options online using your MyFultonHome account, saving you time as well as file-cabinet space.

This paperless approach to your home’s paperwork has saved over 3 million pieces of paper since we started this process, and that’s a lot of trees.

The second way we save trees is with our onsite lumber waste recycling program. We work with Waste Knot Recycling Company to help recycle lumber that would otherwise be wasted and added to land fills. Waste Knot takes all of the framing lumber waste from our homebuilding sites and uses those lumber pieces to manufacture “finger-jointed-studs.” Our framing contractors use those studs to build panelized wall systems to frame our homes.

This approach saves money and provides stronger and better-built frames as well as a significant savings in time and labor. Waste Knot Recycling estimates that this recycling of lumber waste saves over 2,000 trees a month, and we’re proud to be a part of that process.

Visit our “Fulton Cares” pages to learn more about how Fulton Homes focuses on helping the environment by saving energy and resources.

Fulton Cares

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fulton caresFulton Homes believes in giving back to the community, and an important part of that is our commitment to build homes that are safe and energy efficient so that we help our homeowners and help the environment at the same time.

Our energy efficient building processes allow us to build homes today that are far more efficient than those of just three to four years ago A third-party testing group checks all of our east valley homes, giving them Power Wise certification. All of our new homes have 14 SEER AC units, higher insulation, and vinyl Low-E windows.  In addition, most of our appliances are Energy Star certified. This makes today’s homes far more efficient and less expensive to operate than yesterday’s homes.

For example, at Fulton Homes, we build well-insulated homes, demonstrating a commitment that has qualified us to be among a select few builders certified as SRP PowerWise Homebuilders. Our assurance of proper insulation includes switching from blown fiberglass to the more environmentally-friendly cellulose insulation, improving insulation around doors and windows as well as silicone-sealed transitions and openings– protecting vulnerable areas where heated or cooled air may escape a home, leading to higher energy costs. We also use Low-E Windows in many of our models, further reducing energy loss.

And if you choose, Fulton offers many insulation upgrades that can provide even more energy efficiency to your home. We believe that our commitment to you and the environment is just one example of the many ways that Fulton cares about you, your family, and our community.

Fulton Homes and Water Safety

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With the 100+ degree temperatures we face this and every summer, swimming is a great way to beat the heat. But with so many pools in back yards around Phoenix, every summer brings the tragedy of children drowning. It’s easy to blame parents when something this horrifying happens, but in reality turning your back for just a couple of seconds can lead to disaster.

This truth is why Fulton Homes strongly supports the “2 seconds is too long” campaign this summer in conjunction with KTAR-FM and Arizona Sports 98.7 to remind adults that emergencies around water can occur in a split second.

“For years Fulton Homes has proudly sponsored 2 Seconds Is Too Long in hopes of raising awareness for families to watch their children around water,” Doug Fulton, CEO of Fulton Homes, said. “Being vigilant with children around water, teaching them to swim, having a pool fence and having an adult who knows how to preform CPR are all critical for protection against drowning and near drowning accidents. Drowning is a harsh reality in Arizona, and we want to continue doing everything we can to prevent another family tragedy.”

This campaign is supported by another Fulton Homes community program: the annual Fulton Homes Fence Patrol program which provides pool fences to families in need every summer.

To learn more about the Fulton Homes “2 Seconds is Too Long” campaign and the Fence Patrol program, visit our website at http://www.fultonhomes.com/news/fulton-foundation/water-safety.

Fulton Homes and The Fulton Family Foundation

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Ira Fulton was always a success at whatever he undertook, and he has also always recognized the importance and value of giving back. As he explains, “When you look at history, you realize we are here for just a second, a twinkle of time and you learn we can do things to make the world a better place.”

Ira Fulton and Fulton Homes are committed to responsible corporate citizenship and helping improve the quality of life for everyone. This public responsibility is seen as essential to the business and they actively seek out partnerships with those agencies that respond to community needs by developing and implementing innovative solutions.

Fulton Homes donates over 60% of its profits every year to many worthwhile causes around the country. Some of the benefiting recipients of these investment dollars include Arizona State University, Brigham Young University, University of Utah, Huntsman Cancer Institute, as well as numerous local organizations in and around the Phoenix area. Fulton Homes and the Fulton Family Foundation focus giving in the following areas: education, water safety solutions, health and human services organizations and family services.

Agencies that have an interest in partnering with us must meet our requirements. These are:

  • 501(c)(3) status.
  • Organizations must not discriminate by race, creed, gender, ethnicity, disability, age, or any other basis prohibited by law.
  • No political, fraternal, or veteran’s organizations.
  • No individuals.

If you meet these requirements and would like to be contacted by Fulton Homes and/or the Fulton Family Foundation, you can fill in our Non-profit submission form at: http://www.fultonhomes.com/news/fulton-foundation/non-profit-submission-form

All information is gathered for contact purposes only.

Quartz: A Popular Choice Among Homeowners

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Quartz-Everest-White-Bristol-Beige-Allegheny-Amber-Install3-464x464Quartz has become a favorite material among homeowners in kitchen and bathroom design, being used for countertops and backsplashes, as well as vanities and showers. It’s really no surprise that its popularity continues to grow, since it has the best qualities of laminate and stone, along with its own unique features.

Characteristics of Quartz

Quartz has several appealing characteristics that make it a truly wonderful material for many design projects. Here are five great features that make quartz a top choice.

Durable: Quartz is extremely durable, with more than 93% of counters being made of natural quartz crystals, one of the hardest minerals found in nature. The result is a stone with a scratch resistant surface that’s stronger than granite and marble.

Quartz isn’t as heat resistant as other materials, however, and can be damaged by excessive heat. Extra care should be taken by using trivets for hot pots and pans in the kitchen, and exercising caution when using equipment such as hair dryers in the bathroom.

Quartz-Alberta-Install-464x464Stain Resistant: Quartz resists staining much better than other materials such as granite, concrete and marble, standing up to even the toughest food stains including coffee, cooking oils, and wine. This is certainly a huge plus for most of us!

Sanitary: Due to its nonporous surface, quartz doesn’t harbor bacteria or viruses, enabling you to keep your surfaces completely clean, which is especially important for both kitchens and bathrooms.

Easy to Maintain: Whereas granite and marble countertops must be sealed regularly to prevent staining and the growth of bacteria, adding to the cost of these materials, quartz doesn’t require sealing or other routine maintenance to retain its lovely appearance or durability. And it’s very easy to clean, requiring only soap and water to keep it looking as good as new or a stone cleaner to give it that polished shine!

Environmentally Friendly: Quartz is a plentiful mineral that impacts nature less than granite, making it an eco-friendly choice.

Quartz-Cumberland-Flax-Install-464x464An Extremely Versatile Material: In addition to all these fantastic characteristics, the manufacturing process provides uniform color and appearance, with large slabs that allow for more coverage and fewer seams than with natural stone. And its rich, luxurious look, and wide array of gorgeous colors and patterns, makes it easy to match any kitchen or bathroom design scheme.

For a material with an upscale, beautiful look and minimal maintenance requirements that’s also virtually indestructible, quartz is tough to beat. For more information on quartz, or to see some of the many looks available, visit the Fulton Design Center on a browse night or stop by Arizona Tile. You’ll find the perfect quartz surfaces for your new Fulton Home.

A view from Outside: Bathroom

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Corsica-bath-webHave you ever thought about what a room looks like from the outside? That moment before you actually step into a room creates a person’s first impression of the space. Given this, you may want to spend a bit of time at your doorways looking at what people see as they first walk into every room in your home.

This bathroom takes advantage of every design and décor element to create just the right first impression. To begin with, the flooring transition is smooth, with an inviting and interesting tile pattern that fits well with the style and colors of the bedroom.

This bathroom is a study in contrast, and that is evident immediately when you look through the doorway. Notice how the mood created by the flooring is echoed in the sharp change in color between the dark vanity and light countertop.

The light fixture also supports that feeling, with a dark finish complementing the appealing light shades that shine without being overpowering.

Just a few accessories add charm to the vanity. Their dark tones also provide just the right amount of contrast to the white counter with size and shapes that are interesting without being overwhelming. Brown and grey tones from the artwork and towel suit the space while connecting the bath to the bedroom through color.

How much time have you spent looking into each room in your home from the hall or just outside? Take this opportunity to view your décor choices from a new perspective, and remember that the old adage “It’s never too late to make a first impression” works for rooms as well as people!