Before we wrap-up our Industry Insider interview series, we encourage you to check out the below interview with Kirk Guthrie of Linkasink. As a manufacturer of an array of beautiful, custom artisan sinks, the folks at Linkasink understand that their customers are looking for a sink that is not only high-end, but also truly unique. To meet these demands, Linkasink offers an extensive product line that utilizes a number of different design details, finishes and personal touches.
Futurists and trend-watchers agree: Multi-national design trends—coupled with a cautious economy—could greatly influence America’s housing future. Here are a few examples your business should consider to stay ahead of the curve:
We are so excited to welcome Becky Shankle of Eco-Modernism as our guest author tomorrow. We’ve posted a lot on garden trends and outdoor living over the past couple of months and Becky’s going to take us one step further by sharing her expertise on the convergence of kitchen design and the garden.
Becky has spent 22 years in building design, on a wide variety of projects , both commercial and residential, and hybrids of both. She currently focuses on the intersection of modern design, treading lightly, and the kitchen. Becky’s design style marries green materials & efficiency with simple, contemporary aethestics. She is highly mindful of both budget and the environment, and a straightforward, no-nonsense communicator. Her website is www.eco-modernism.com and provides a very fresh approach to remodeling.
During our interview with Sarah Susanka, she shared that cultural creatives are paving the way for a new way of living. We think Becky illustrates this new way of thinking to a T.
Follow Becky on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ecomod
Today, our industry expert, Angie Zajac from Tyco Thermal Controls, talks about the trend in radiant floor heating systems and identifies the reasons why there is such a growing demand among consumers to install electric floor heat throughout their homes.
Exploring the Products and Brands That Are Making It Easier for Consumers to Save Water
Practicing energy efficiency is one of the more popular ways that homeowners are diving into the green living landscape, and though conserving water is equally important and easy to do it’s often overlooked.
When it comes to water conservation, the key is to stop wasting. In their May issue’s “At Home in the Zone” feature, Dwell points out to readers that there is a big difference between the amount of water we actually need to accomplish every day tasks and the amount of water we are using to do those tasks.
The reduce, reuse and recycle principles all apply to our water supply, making conserving it one of the easiest ways to go green. Here are some products that are currently available to help homeowners cut down on their water use and waste:
Photo Courtesy of thrifyliving.net
Here are two angles to consider when it comes to marketing products that allow homeowners to better conserve water:
Features like Dwell’s and charts like this one are real eye openers for homeowners and consumers – just like the rest of the green movement, the key is to share the right information with your consumers and provide a product that will help them take that first small step towards living a greener lifestyle.
Note: See Kohler’s Save Water America video below.
Smarter Appliances and Technologies Will Reduce Energy Consumption
While the first “smart products” were designed to allow homeowners to control their lighting with one click of a switch or play music throughout their homes with another touch of a button, today’s smart products are taking on an even greater mission – energy efficiency.
Let’s start by explaining exactly what is meant by “smart.”
The idea is to allow home appliances and electrical meters to create smarter consumers in order to help curb the nation’s high-energy consumption. In addition, an upgrade to the current national grid will mean a system that is more efficient, communicative and modern. GreenTechMedia points out that “Installing meters not only helps utilities monitor energy use and balance supply with demand, but it can also enable their customers to track their consumption at any time online, not just when they receive their energy bills.
Utilities are gradually rolling out consumer-friendly monitoring tools, which can show both the prices of electricity throughout the day and the power usage for each home or business. The goal is to encourage consumers to use less electricity during times of peak demand, when utilities charge more for power.”
Take a look below to find out which companies have introduced or are planning to introduce smart products in the coming months/years.
Manufacturers are working feverously to deliver home appliances that work with utility companies and home dwellers to become a smarter society when it comes to energy use.
Home Intel Editors Share Our Favorite Magazines, Blogs, Websites and TV Shows
At Home Intel headquarters, our GoogleReaders and RSS feeds are always busting at the seams with new posts and updates from our favorite blogs and websites. There are so many great information sources available for home and green design, we find our lists growing everyday.
We think a good resource should provide a variety of information on different topics – whether it’s the newest trends, appliances and product overviews, DIY project ideas or just some beautiful, inspiring photos.
Here’s a quick core sample of some of our favorite resources.
Magazines: We know a magazine is great when it makes us read it like a book – cover to cover. We are just thankful these publications have websites we can check for updates between issues.
Blogs: What makes a design blog great? At Home Intel, we look for blogs with bite-sized posts that provide the right photos, links and lists. These give us quick but powerful hits of inspiration that we couldn’t mark “read later” if we tried.
Websites: Our favorite websites have organized layouts. These sites have enough content to keep us lost for days, but we love them because they are so easy to navigate.
TV: We tried to narrow it down, but it’s just impossible. We love everything about HGTV and Planet Green.
What are your favorite resources? Let us know if you think there’s something we’ve missed!
With so many lighting options today - chandeliers, lamps, recessed cans, pendants and more - decorative lighting is probably one of the most important accessories a homeowner can buy. We should know too since several of the Home Intel editors are remodeling and in the process of shopping for new lighting fixtures to compliment their updated spaces.
Photo Courtesy of MyInteriorDecoration's Weblog
Following are three decorative lighting trends we’ve seen in stores and homes over the past few months:
According to the American Lighting Association, it is important to remember that there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to selecting fixture styles. Today, it is considered perfectly acceptable to mix and match opposing styles to create an interesting and surprising complementary look.
For more information on lighting trends check out:
Photo Courtesy of ThisOldHouse.com
Experts Share Views on the Industry and Uncover Top Trends, Practices Affecting the Space
Home Intel is happy to announce that we are launching an “Industry Insider” series featuring interviews with spokespeople from top brands and experts within the home space. Through this series, we will be providing insight into trends, new products and overall philosophies affecting the industry.
The series will be launching today, Wednesday 5.6, with a transcript from our interview with Sarah Susanka earlier this week. Sarah is an eight-time best-selling author, architect and leader in redefining Americans’ views of their homes.
Our first series will run through 5.22, but we will be looking to provide similar insights and interviews with experts on a regular basis.
Homeowners Forgo Lavish Vacations, Look to Create the Perfect Outdoor Oasis
The perfect summer oasis may be closer than you think. As more people forgo their traditional summer vacations to save money, many homeowners are looking for ways to spruce up their backyards to create a relaxing outdoor paradise where they can escape from their day-to-day troubles, unwind and enjoy the warm summer sun.
Photo Courtesy of RogersGardens.com
After doing a little online research, we have uncovered the top five tips for revitalizing an outdoor space just in time for the summer season. Although most homeowners will not be able to jet off to a tropical destination this year, they will be able to indulge themselves with an updated patio, deck or balcony.
Photo Courtesy of backyardcity.com
