Choosing your Fulton Home gas fireplace

Gas Fireplace  Design Center 040As the temperatures hover around freezing at night, this time of the year begs for a fireplace. With the Fulton Homes gas fireplace option, you receive the charm and warmth of a fireplace without the headaches of buying wood, cleaning out ashes, and managing the burning process. You also have the advantage of having a fire even on smokeless days in the Phoenix area when the weather begs for one.

A fireplace provides a natural focal point to a living or family room. People are automatically drawn to a hearth, just as fireplaces in years past provided the center of a home for families to gather together for warmth in the days before central heating.

Today’s fireplaces can bow to tradition or make a more modern statement, keeping in tune with your personal style. Let’s take a look at what makes this fireplace special.

Stonework: Using stone or tile to outline your fireplace and define your mantel makes your fireplace uniquely yours. The choice of the tile design for the mantel can be paired with the same look in your kitchen backsplash to help link your kitchen with your great room space. Notice how the stone shines in the light – the fireplace’s flames will be mirrored on that inviting hearth.

Shelving: Adding the matching shelves on either side of the fireplace itself enlarges the influence of this focal point in your home while allowing you to showcase some treasured accessories. The mantel also provides enough depth to provide the opportunity to display select items that fit your fireplace’s profile.

Lighting: Candle sconces to either side of the mounted television and lights shining down on the shelves provide a nice ambient brightness without overwhelming the space. Once again, the sconces can be selected to match your kitchen and dining light fixtures, helping to integrate the style in every part of your home.

Whether warming your home in winter or adding charm to your family room in the summer, a gas fireplace is a simple way to help create a welcoming feel to your home for family and friends.

Choosing the front door for your Fulton Home

Door DisplayDesign Center 046We all know the saying, “It’s the first impression that counts,” and Fulton Homes is giving you the opportunity to create a terrific first impression for visitors to your home. With an amazing variety of styles, wood tones or even color, the Fulton Design Center can create the entry look you dream about.

Do you want a traditional door with the strong detailing that comes through as a powerful entrance with an established presence? Take a look at the door to the right in the photo above. With its deeply-grooved panels and oak grain, this door looks as though it’s been around for generations. The old-fashioned brass door handle also conveys this feeling.

Maybe you’re looking for something a little more rustic. Take a look at the door in the center of the photo. The sturdy wrought-iron door handle with its squared-off style fits a more hand-hewn rustic mood.

Then take a look at the lighter-hued door between the other two. With its bead board styling and curved top, this door suits a more casual country feeling. The soft wheat color fits the style, creating an inviting feeling before people even step inside the house.

Your front door introduces visitors to your home. Fulton Homes understands the importance of that first impression, and your selection options for your home’s entry door demonstrate that. When you take the time to find just the right look for your style, your front door will say “Welcome” to every friend and family member.

Choosing the Kitchen Faucet for your Fulton Home

Fuacets Design Center 022We use faucets every day but don’t really think about them. However, when you walk into the Fulton Design Center to select your kitchen faucet, it pays to consider what you want in terms of both function and style.

Take a look at the faucet selected for the kitchen above. It’s a simple style that would work well in a traditional and a more eclectic kitchen design. The polished nickel finish works beautifully with the stainless appliances while showing fewer water spots than chrome.

Notice the high profile of this faucet. This provides room underneath to easily fill large pots and pitchers. The handle is ergonomically sound. The lever style makes it easy to control with one hand. It also has a pull down sprayer that’s incorporated into the faucet itself rather than set separately. Many of today’s faucets are designed this way.

Some faucets offer water patterns that range from a standard flow to a strong spray designed for rinsing fruits, vegetables or dishes. Many cooks find that they really appreciate the spray option. While you’re selecting your kitchen faucet, you may want to add one or more built-in soap dispensers. It’s tidy and convenient to have easy built-in access to both hand and dish soap without having to pull a container out from under the sink.

Finally, if you’re creating a kitchen with an old-fashioned country look, be sure to take a peek at the pump-style kitchen faucet. It has all the functionality of the modern faucet, while showing a style and finish that makes it feel like it came from your great-grandparents’ time.

You’ll enjoy checking out all of the choices available to you for your kitchen faucet in your new Fulton Home.

Exploring the Fulton Design Center: Kitchen Counters

Design Center 018In our last Fulton Design Center blog, we recommended starting your kitchen design plan by choosing your cabinets. The next decision is countertops. Do you want granite? The look and feel of real stone is dramatic, and it seems that everyone’s dream kitchen includes granite countertops.

Fulton offers a wealth of granite choices, along with the option to pick out your slab, which helps to ensure that you are happy with your selection. Certainly granite adds to a kitchen. Take a look at the strong personality of the granite in this kitchen. It picks up the warm tones from the cabinets but also adds some cooler colors to connect the cabinets with the stainless appliances. This countertop choice truly pulls the kitchen together.Granite Design Center 015

Large slabs of the most popular granite options allow you to really see and appreciate impact of each stone. And with today’s sealed granite, it no longer requires the repeated treatment that was common not so many years ago.

Although you may be captured by this countertop option, take the time to look at some of the other choices. Quartz and other countertop materials may suit your taste more than granite. It pays to at least consider other countertops.

One final tip when making your selection: remember to create contrast in your kitchen. If your cabinets are dark, a lighter countertop can build a well-defined distinction between various aspects of your kitchen. Decide if you want your counters to add a strong personality or subtly blend into the background.

Will your kitchen be an adventure or a refuge? Your countertop choice helps contribute to the mood and feel of your final kitchen design.

Exploring the Fulton Design Center: Kitchen Start-up

Bertazonni KitchenReady to plan your kitchen? The Fulton Design Center offers such a variety of styles and options that it may be challenging to narrow down your choices. These suggestions may help you with the process.

Choose your overall style: Do you love the richness of the traditional Tuscan look? Features such as the carved columns on the island above can help recreate that mood. If you lean toward a simpler option, take a look at the Shaker-style cabinets and start from there. However, do not feel obliged to be entirely consistent with your style choices. Take a look at the lighting in this kitchen. The contemporary pendants have a strong impact and help sharpen the more traditional look of this space.

Choose your cabinets: As you can see from the photo above, cabinetry makes the biggest design statement in this room. Your choice of cabinets affects every other decision you make, so make your cabinet choice the foundation of your kitchen’s design.Cabinet Display Design Center 034

The Fulton Design Center has a rich selection of styles and finishes, with sample doors that you can take throughout the Center to coordinate your total space.

Consider cabinet style and tone: You have two important choices with your cabinets. The first – style – provides the framework for the entire kitchen design. The second choice – cabinet tone – affects every other option you select.

A dark cabinet choice may lead to a lighter countertop and flooring selection. Painted cabinets can create a farmhouse feeling and a bright kitchen space. Light cabinets have a younger, more contemporary style, particularly when paired with a dark countertop and exciting backsplash.

So when you make that first decision – your cabinets –you’re well on your way to creating the perfect kitchen for you and your family.

Design Center Magic

DC SignAre you a fan of HGTV? Do you pause to leaf through home magazines whenever you see them? Are you fascinated by the Pinterest boards that focus on home design or great kitchens? If any or  all of these describe you, then the Fulton Design Center is your version of a trip to Disneyland.

When you select your new Fulton Home, the focus is on square footage, the number of bedrooms, closet size and in general how well the home will function for you and your family. Those are all very important issues. If you think of your home choice as the entrée of a lovely meal, your design center experience is the dessert!

Before your appointment, be sure to visit the Fulton Design Center during one of the browse nights. With designers there to help direct you to the various options available, this provides a no-pressure introduction to the Center. Also check out the online option information on Fulton’s website for a preview of coming attractions.

Visiting the Fulton Design Center for the first time can almost overwhelm you with the variety of choices for every room in your new home. But with the help of your designer, you will soon start envisioning the home you want. Like the Design Center’s motto: “dream and create,” you can create just the right look for your home and have your design dreams come true.

From countertops to carpeting, appliances to area rugs, the Fulton Design Center provides the grown-up version of Disney’s world, where all of your wishes can come true. Enjoy the ride.

Fulton Pinterest

Screen Shot 2013-09-05 at 9.22.22 PMDo you know what Pinterest is?  It’s the one of the fastest growing social media tools.  Pinterest is a place where you can gather and organize things you love, tips, inspiration, etc.  It’s like cutting out pages in a magazine and filing them, but all electronically.

This is a great tool for planning new projects or events. You can get inspiration for just about anything.

  • Go on and search for dinners to make when you run out of ideas for family meals.
  • Learn how to make your own party decorations.
  • Get home decor and design inspiration.
  • Find meaningful quotes.
  • Get tips when you’re having a baby.

Honestly, the list of things you can find on Pinterest is endless.  Follow our boards to get home and life inspiration or maybe you just want to see what kind of houses we can offer if you’re building a new home.

Fulton Facebook

Screen Shot 2013-09-05 at 9.13.59 PMDid you know that you can connect with us on Facebook, too?

Catch up on the latest information and design tips we have.  Engage in conversations with us and read about events we’ve got going on your phone, tablet, or computer!

“Like” us and connect with us on Facebook here.

Selling your Old House – Clutter

9831625_MWhen you’re ready to buy a new Fulton Home, if you’re already a homeowner, part of the process is selling your current home. You may want to check into the Fulton Homes Trade In Program. Many buyers of new Fulton Homes will qualify for the program, which offers three options for handling your current house. Visit our Trade-In Program website for information on your choices.

Even with help from Fulton Homes, you still will benefit from preparing your home properly for sale. The first step is clearing out any clutter. You’ll hear this from realtors all the time, but they may not tell you why this is so important. Here are three key reasons why eliminating clutter will help sell your home for top dollar.

Clutter makes your Home look smaller: Subconsciously, potential buyers who see a cluttered home think that the home doesn’t have enough closet or storage space. Clutter also makes a room feel smaller than it is. Many people want to buy a home to give them more space, and your clutter says they won’t find the space they want in your house.

Clutter makes your home feel too personal: People want to imagine the home as theirs. Your clutter makes it clear that the home is yours, so that they can’t picture themselves in the space. This is also the reason to eliminate any family photos, drawings and notes on the refrigerator, and anything else that makes your home obviously yours. People need that extra space to picture their own furniture and accessories.

Clutter distracts: Too much clutter can keep potential buyers from noticing the special features of your home. A fireplace that’s blocked by toys or magazines isn’t a focal point for a room anymore. Beautiful bow windows can be hidden by a room with too much furniture. Most people can’t visualize your home without all your things in it.

If you just have too much stuff to clear your home easily, rent a storage unit for a few months. And don’t dump it all in the garage – you’ll just make the garage look too small. First clear out all the extras, then eliminate at least some of the furniture – just keep saying “less is more” to yourself, and ask your realtor for advice as to when you’ve cleared enough to make your home totally sellable.