Dovetail Homes

Solid Hardwood vs Engineered Hardwood

dovetailhomes — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:39:51 +0000

There are so many choices to make when building a custom home, from floorplans to finishes. One of the most important decisions you’ll have to make is the type of flooring to install. Your choice should be informed not only by the interior design style you are going for, but also by your lifestyle, preferences, and the practical demands of the space.

Solid Hardwood Flooring

Wood floors are de rigueur these days in luxury home design, but should you choose solid hardwood, or engineered hardwood? Take a look at this information from Armstrong to help you decide.

Solid hardwood is 100% hardwood milled from lumber. It’s what you think of when you think of real hardwood floors. Because it’s a natural material, hardwood will react to humidity, temperature, etc, resulting in shrinking and expansion. One of the benefits of solid hardwood flooring is that it can be sanded and refinished over the years, returning it to its original state or changing the finish to fit new styles. It is not considered a good choice for basements or other below-ground rooms.

Engineered Hardwood Flooring

Engineered hardwood, on the other hand, is also made of wood, but is built up of multiple layers of wood. This type of wood flooring, while still “real” wood, consists of anywhere from 3-10 layers of wood glued together. The multi-ply structure makes this type of flooring more stable than solid hardwood, and less prone to temperature and humidity-induced warping. It can also be installed below ground, making it a popular choice for finished basements.

Contact Dovetail Homes today if you are interested in building your own luxury home in Atlanta.

images via Armstrong

Bright White Kitchen Cabinetry

dovetailhomes — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:39:26 +0000

It’s obvious that homeowners these days want to simplify their lives and their homes. They want easy, relaxed spaces that are beautiful and elegant without being fussy; streamlined and sleek without being cold. Old World inspired kitchen cabinetry is on its way out, and crisp, bright white is on the way in.

White cabinetry makes the kitchen look airy and spacious, and allows the focus to be on other design elements, like the appliances, lighting, floor and counter finishes, and other aesthetic choices. Take a look at this kitchen in an Atlanta home we recently built.

The white cabinetry allows the gray subway tile to really pop, and the white marble with swirls of gray ties it all together. The look is clean, sleek, and contemporary, but with a warmth that is often lacking in more modern designs. Industrial/vintage inspired light fixtures and bright red range knobs bring a sense of personality to the room, and the end result is just stunning.

If you are interested in building a custom luxury home in the Atlanta area, contact Dovetail Homes today.

photo via Dovetail Homes Facebook page

Exterior Home Style Trends

dovetailhomes — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 15:39:02 +0000

There are so many important details to think about when designing a custom home, but one of the most important things to consider is the exterior style. The exterior of your home makes a first impression on guests and sets the stage for what is to come, so it pays to think carefully about the elements you’d like to include.

Builder Magazine recently released a list of predictions for the top home design trends of 2012, and one of those trends is increased personalization. More and more, homeowners are choosing to customize their home’s exterior to fit their personal style, with exacting specifications and unique features.At Dovetail Homes, we strive to build homes that capture the client’s style perfectly, whether that means Old World luxury or crisp, clean Americana. That’s the beauty of building a custom luxury home with our Atlanta design-build company- you get exactly what you want. From Sandy Springs to Atlanta to Dunwoody, contact us today to find out more about bringing your dream home to life in one of the Atlanta area’s best neighborhoods.

photos via Dovetail Homes

Housing Market Shows Signs of Life

dovetailhomes — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:38:10 +0000

According to a recent article on CNBC, the single-family housing market is ready for a rebound. Recent years have been hard on the housing market, but experts are pointing to some signs that they say could signal the beginning of brighter days. National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) president and CEO Jerry Howard notes in the article, “With the exception of really hard-hit markets, the vast majority is ready to turn around.”

Some indicators are looking good, like the iShares Dow Jones US Home Construction Index Fund, considered to be a broad barometer for the industry, which was up 38 percent, and the S&P 500 which is up about 21 percent.

The conditions needed for a recovery are falling into place as well- residential rent is rising, leading some renters to consider buying; existing-home inventory is at its lowest in the last five years and inventory of new homes is at its lowest in 40 years; affordability is at record highs, as are delinquencies; consumer confidence is rising; and job growth is accelerating. It’s good to see these signs of life in the residential building industry, and hopefully things will only get better from here.

If you’re interested in building a custom luxury home in the Atlanta area, contact us at Dovetail Homes today.

Beautiful Bathroom Design

dovetailhomes — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:37:25 +0000

If you are considering building a home in the Atlanta area, you’ve come to the right place. Dovetail Homes is a design build firm that specializes in creating custom luxury homes that fit our clients’ desires and lifestyles perfectly. We believe your home should be a sanctuary from the stresses of life, and one room in particular should provide an atmosphere of calm and relaxation- the bathroom.

More and more homeowners are embracing spa-like bathrooms, and we have created many beautiful spaces that fit this trend. Take a look at some examples from our custom home portfolio.

This beautiful stained glass window makes the perfect focal point for a bathing nook, with rich stone tile and oil rubbed bronze fixtures.

This luxurious bathroom features a large walk-in shower and a soaking tub in its own intimate alcove, the perfect place to relax and de-stress after a long day.

The cutouts in the wall adjoining this tub not only keep the space feeling open and airy, but also provide a great place to display a favorite piece of art or a beautiful plant for a pop of life and color.

What would your dream bathroom look like? We would love to work with you to design and build your Atlanta area home. Contact us today to get started.