In this issue, we are continuing to showcase our interior finishes, designs and products. We hope you enjoy this peek into what Grace Homes can do for you and the interior of your home.
|
|
Thanks to advanced plumbing and modern technology, bathrooms are much more than necessities. With luxury steam rooms and hydrotherapy baths, it's difficult to imagine how bathrooms could get any more sophisticated. That said, the bathroom, like any room in the house, is ever changing in terms of design trends. Grace Homes has years of experience guiding our clients through the selection process.
|
 |
|
|
Bathtubs can be an expression of your personality. Freestanding and clawfoot types will boldly occupy a favored position in the bathroom. Alcove, drop-in and corner tubs often are nestled against walls and integrated into the overall scheme. Bathtub choices may include a large array of therapeutic features such as jets and bubbles, music or digital controls.
In addition to the pure personalization benefits, water sense shower heads also contribute to a greener lifestyle. These low-flow showerheads slash bathing water consumption 50 to 70%. You'll also use less energy heating up the water. Many styles and features are available, including flow-adjusting dials and a pause button, which allows you to break for a bit of lathering up, then return to the same temperature and pressure.
|
|
|
|
|
How hard could choosing the right toilet possibly be, right? Well, believe it or not, a lot goes into choosing bathroom fixtures including the perfect toilet.
In addition to this, a home owner should keep in mind that over the course of a lifetime, an average person flushes the toilet nearly 140,000 times. If you install a WaterSense HET (high-efficiency toilet), you can save 4,000 gallons per year, and your children can each save about a third of a million gallons during their lifetime.
When designing your room, you will be faced with decisions such as style, size, technology and more, and at Grace Homes, our experienced staff is here to help you every step of the way.
|
An attractive, up-to-date bathroom is a wonderful investment that will increase your home's overall aesthetic and value. It is also a way to create a private retreat. Grace Homes provides unique methods of home personalization which include details such as custom cabinetry and counter tops.
|
|
|
Custom Vanity Here is one of our favorite vanity details. This is a slice of log harvested locally, sealed and supported by Rhododendron branches. The oil rubbed bronze finish of the faucet and the pipes below accent the hammered copper vessell sink. |
|
|
|
|
Low VOC Paint
Information on Low VOC Paint and the many benefits you can receive when choosing paint for your home.
Choosing low-VOC or zero-VOC paint is an important step toward turning your interior or exterior paint job "green." And with little to no odor, and performance and price that rival conventional products, paint manufacturers increasingly are producing low-VOC paints.
VOCs health hazards
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are solids and liquids that convert easily to gas or vapor at room temperature. VOCs are contained in many paint products and have been linked to a variety of health problems-watery eyes, headaches, asthma, respiratory diseases and cancer.
Common paint VOCs
Common VOCs in paint include ethylene glycol (the same chemical compound found in antifreeze), formaldehyde, benzene, and a variety of other flammable or toxic chemicals. The paint's materials safety data sheet (MSDS) lists the hazardous materials the product contains. Laminated MSDS sheets are usually displayed in paint stores, or you can download them from a paint manufacturer's website.
VOC regulations
Current EPA regulations limit VOCs to 250 grams/liter in latex paint, and 380 grams/liter in oil-based paint. Low-VOC paints, now available from most major manufacturers, clock in at less than 50 grams/liter in flat paints, and 150 grams/liter in gloss paints. Some go even lower, hitting 25- or even 10-gram/liter benchmarks.
A paint that has 5 grams or less/liter can claim "zero-VOC" status.
Low-VOC price
Painters shy away from low-VOC paint, thinking it's more expensive than the stuff that's hazardous to their health. In fact, low-VOC and zero-VOC paint are comparable in price to any paint that's comparable in coverage.
Price is determined by how much bang you get from a gallon. Benjamin Moore's zero-VOC Aura paint sells for almost $60 per gallon, not because it's zero VOC, but because it is self-priming and requires only two coats to cover a room. Benjamin Moore's low-VOC line, Ben, costs about $35 per gallon, comparable to other VOC-laden premium paints.
Tints and VOCs
Even if you buy low-VOC paint, you can unwittingly raise toxic levels by adding tints tainted with VOCs. Low-VOC tints are available, so ask for them when lightening or darkening paint.
Grace Homes employs low VOC and VOC free paint!
|
Closet Interior Bringing Customization to Your Closets Your options for designing a closet are now nearly as wide as your choices for furnishing your house. It used to be that all a closet had was rods, hooks and shelves. Today, a closet's custom mill work and visual finishes are as sophisticated as any high-end kitchen or bath. |
High Efficiency Bath Fans Panasonic Whisper Green Panasonic offers two models of bath fans in their Whisper Green line that are equipped with an energy efficient LED light and a DC motor that uses only 7.5 watts. Both models are 80 CFM and are ultra quiet. |
|
Grace Homes is on Pinterest! Check us out! |
|
|
|
