Central Oklahoma Homes by OPUBCO Communications Group

CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HOMES | MAY - JUNE 2010

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CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HOMES | MAY - JUNE 2010

Living green is no longer a lesson in deprivation.

CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HOMES | MAY - JUNE 2010

Eco-friendly designers and manufacturers have developed ideas and products that make it a little easier to be green. We found just a few options that are eco-wise and healthy, from top to bottom.

PENDANTS FROM RECYCLED CARDBOARD Graypants, a design studio in Seattle, has developed a way to make pendant lighting from corrugated boxes. The lights come with little assembly and emit soft diffused light.

For more of this story go online to newsok.com/centralokhomes.

SOAPSTONE FIREPLACE A soapstone fireplace helps keep the room warm but doesn’t require harsh chemicals in order to keep it looking good. Those made by Finland-based Tulikivi are considered among the most efficient, environmentally friendly wood-burning fireplaces because they provide up to 24 hours of radiant heat after the fire is out.

aBovE | aLTERnaTivE hEaT | ThE ZEFiRo soapsTonE FiREpLacE can RadiaTE hEaT 24 houRs aFTER a FiRE FiZZLEs ouT. imagE couRTEsy oF TuLikivi LEFT | REcycLEd Fashion | a REcycLEd coppER sink consTRucTEd FRom oLd pipEs and wiREs. imagE couRTEsy oF naTivE TRaiLs

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If you’re able to do some rehab, consider recycled copper sinks, such as those from Native Trails, San Luis Obispo, Calif. Made from recycled copper pipes and wires, they’re eco-friendly from the start. But because of the nature of copper— like bamboo, it has antibacterial properties — you don’t need toxic household cleaners to clean it, so you’ll have more motivation to banish chemicals in exchange for natural alternatives, such as vinegar and baking soda.

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Progress

A worker sweeps the concrete slab of the banquet building as construction proceeds on the new Central oklahoma Home Builders Association headquarters in oklahoma City. By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

Builders association headquarters takes shape

those aren’t houses going up at 420 e Britton Road, but home builders are involved in the project from the ground up. it’s the central Oklahoma home Builders association’s new headquarters. delays slowed the project, the last one a four-month stall for the wintriest winter in memory. But more good than bad has come the builders’ way in the three-plus years since chesapeake energy corp.

bought their previous office building and banquet hall at 625 W interstate 44 Service Road. it started with the sale to chesapeake, said Mark dale, owner of carriage homes and association president. the 16,874-square-foot building and parking lot fetched a good price, he said. chesapeake paid $5.5 million for the property, which the builders had owned since 1960, county records show. “Other than the hard time coming out of the ground, we have really been pretty charmed in this whole process, at least in terms of the numbers,” dale said in a recent

Carpenters work on the framing process as construction proceeds on the new Central oklahoma Home Builders Association headquarters in oklahoma City. By Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman

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CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HOMES | MAY - JUNE 2010

By RichaRd Mize Staff WRiteR

CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HOMES | MAY - JUNE 2010

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Interior accents and fabrics shape the new family room. Part living space, part luxury resort – all your backyard

OUTDOOR LIVING

OUTDOOR LIVING CONTINUED from PAGE 21

For years, the trend in outdoor living has been to integrate the interior with the exterior to get the best of both worlds. This means bringing comfy furniture and high-performance appliances outside, and developing materials and technologies to help them withstand the weather. The recession may have dampened spending overall, but it drives the “inside-out” movement as people forgo vacations and nights on the town to make the most of their outdoor living space. Homeowners want to step into their backyards without leaving the comforts of home. That means bringing indoor practicalities like task lighting and coat racks into the great outdoors. And then there are those who want to feel as though they’re worlds away. “The style in outdoor living this year can be summed up in two words: luxury resort,” says Elaine Williamson, owner of her self-named Frisco, Texas-based design firm. Her clients want amenities like decked-out cabanas that give the impression that an umbrella drink is soon to come. “We’re truly turning yards into places you’d visit on vacation.” Both groups, the nesters and escapers, are fueling a “design revolution” in outdoor furniture and furnishings, says Rob Pressman, principal of TGP Inc. Landscape Architecture, Encino, Calif. “Exteriors used to be more raw in the sense we didn’t have all these sophisticated materials. Now, all the interior elements are available for the outdoors.”

CENTRAL OKLAHOMA HOMES | MAY - JUNE 2010

Manufacturers are offering outdoor furnishings that would look right at home in a living room or even a four-star hotel suite, including deep, comfy sofas with silky

upholstery, accent pillows with elegant piping, and fringed throws. “Think tufted, rounded and luxurious, with not a bit of wrought iron,” Williamson says. “Think damask. Nautical stripes and big tropical florals on vinyl are a thing of the past.” Companies like Patio Heaven and Kannoa offer outdoor sectionals, sofas, loveseats and ottomans that seem like they would be out of their element outside, due to the richness of their materials and their detailed construction, but they’re designed to withstand full exposure to wind, rain and sun. “You can leave them unprotected. You can spray them off with a hose,” Williamson says. “Some manufacturers are so bold as to offer them in white.” White is “popping up everywhere,” agrees Gina Wicker, creative and design director for Glen Raven, N.C.-based fabric design firm Glen Raven Inc., which makes Sunbrella outdoor and indoor fabrics. “It makes the perfect canvas for seasonal updates with pillows, throws and rugs.” This season, Neutrals are transitioning to cooler hues like a gray-cast taupe rather than warmer tones, and charcoal gray rather than dark, chocolate brown,” Wicker adds. “We’re seeing these cooler neutrals partnering with anything from fun yellow, orange and pink to calmer wheat, brass or vellum hues.”

OUTDOOR LIVING

Balance, repetition, contrast and variety are important design principles to take into consideration.

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“Neutrals are transitioning to cooler hues like a graycast taupe rather than warmer tones, and charcoal gray rather than dark, chocolate brown,” Wicker adds. “We’re seeing these cooler neutrals partnering with anything from fun yellow, orange and pink to calmer wheat, brass or vellum hues.” Whatever the purpose of an inside-out exterior, the same interior design principles should guide the selection and placement of furnishings. “They might apply even more so,” Williamson says, “because there are more interferences by which you need to scale things and consider the colors.” Start by finding or creating a focal point, such as a cabana, fireplace or water feature, she suggests. This visual anchor will help determine the color palette, materials and lighting that will be used throughout the outdoor living space. Balance, repetition, contrast and variety are important design principles to take into consideration. Contrast and texture can be introduced underfoot, as flooring for the outdoors has come a long way. “It’s a lot richer – not just your brick patio,” Pressman says. “You have woods, tiles, stones. You can use just about anything you’d use indoors as long as it’s slip-resistant.” Wood decking, fencing, structures and furnishings can enliven and add dimension to a space with deep, vibrant colors that go far beyond the basic browns, like Olympic Exterior Stains’ Harvest Gold, Avocado and a lipsticklike shade called Rosewood.

Finishing touches also have an indoor sensibility. “I have seen more and more interest in outdoor sculpture and art used in the landscape,” Hutton says. Though perhaps not on the same level as Rembrandt, specially treated oil paintings resistant to sun, rain and snow are cropping up on fences and above outdoor sofas. CB2 offers versatile furnishings conveniently designed for outdoor and indoor use, including the Garcon Rolling Bar Cart that collapses for storage. “People want flexibility,” Pressman says. “Things used to be more defined, and spaces were zoned according to use, so you’d have your grill in one place like a little outdoor kitchen. But as families and kids grow, people like to be able to do different things and move things around.” Williamson also has noticed a preference for what she calls “free-range fires.” She especially likes the portable line of chic fire vessels by Planika Fires, which are safe for small or enclosed spaces because they burn smokeless, nontoxic bio-fuels. With all the furnishings available for outside, it’s important not to lose sight of two things: Plantings still make the best backyard decorations, and less is more, even outdoors.

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When applying design principles to wide-open spaces, the areas where people tend to fall down are scale and proportion. Where intimacy is desired, a pergola “scales everything down to create the feeling of an outdoor room,” says Jeff Hutton, author of “Inside Out: The Art and Craft of Home Landscaping” (Breakaway Books, 2007).

COUNTER CULTURE

Indoor sensibilities such as extra counter space and a wine chiller are the new norm for outdoor kitchens. Up next — the dishwasher

n recent years, outdoor kitchens have taken the backyard barbecue from low-key to luxe, and the latest innovations in design are no exception. “The staycation and all of that has been very popular for some time, but what we’re seeing now is that people are really investing the money to make those outdoor areas as comfortable as the indoor areas,” says Patrick Byrne, executive vice president at Roanoke, Va.-based Atlantis Outdoor Kitchens.

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According to Byrne, outdoor kitchen design is becoming even bigger and more elaborate. “They’re bigger than many indoor kitchens,” he says, noting that intricate details like arched valances, fluted columns and advanced stonework are popping up, along with added counter space. “Kitchens are more packed with features and functionality,” says Russ Faulk, an instructor with the National Kitchen and Bath Association’s continuing education program and a vice president at Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Kalamazoo Outdoor Gourmet. “Where at one time it was pretty much a grill, a sink and a cabinet, then a refrigerator became pretty standard, then an ice maker became pretty standard, now we’re seeing, according to a survey by the National Association of Homebuilders, I think it was almost 60 percent of designers, builders and architects surveyed said a wine chiller was a must-have feature in an outdoor kitchen.”

Pizza ovens also are popular added perks, and Faulk says the next big innovation in outdoor kitchens will make clean-up a breeze. “We’re all still waiting for an outdoor dishwasher to hit the market, but it hasn’t happened yet,” he says, adding that he believes one will debut sometime next year. “Everybody in the industry is waiting for somebody to get it done.” Faulk suggests keeping functionality in mind. “Don’t shortchange the countertop area,” he warns. “You see a lot of people putting in all the equipment they want but then they only give themselves a square foot of counter space to work with. Think about the prep work, think about serving, think about where you’ve got to put a platter. You’ve got to have space to work.” Finally, no matter what the trends, make the kitchen your own. “It’s whatever you want it to be, and whether it fits your home,” Byrne says. BY JEssIcA ABEls cTW FEATuREs

permission

granted Make no apologies – think bold, conﬁdent and bright when it comes to heating up the great outdoors

right and warm, happy and inviting, the color orange is too big to be contained indoors. Associated with many of nature’s most stunning displays, from setting suns to blooming wildflowers, the cheerful hue can add life to any outdoor living space. With spring fashion lines by Nanette Lepore, Maria Pinto, Pamella Roland and David Rodriguez all naming shades of orange as their signature color for 2010, it’s clear the hue isn’t just fun and games. When used tastefully, it can add a high-fashion sophistication to an outdoor designs.

Interior designer Callie Jenschke, coowner of Scout Designs NYC, says that because orange is already so pervasive in nature, it pairs well with the colors of the outdoors. “It can be found in sunsets, in changing fall leaves and in the skins of fruits and vegetables,” she says. “Orange is perfect for any outdoor space since it pairs nicely with grass green and sky blue.” Pantone’s executive director, Leatrice Eiseman, agrees. “Putting orange against a green background makes it seem even more vivid and friendly,” she says. “The way to have real impact with orange is to go to the opposite side of the color wheel. The boldness of orange intimidates some. “Orange is not a shrinking violet. Its intensity scares people,” Jenschke says. “But its warmth makes it such a complement to any space.”

“Flowers instantly add a touch of whimsicality and friendliness,” Eiseman says. She loves gerbera daisies and marigolds; other bright blooms include canna lilies, zinnias and poppies. Nicki Clendening, who co-owns Scout Designs with Jenschke, notes that while orange is typically viewed as a loud color, different shades can feel more refined. “Bright orange is not very sophisticated when used in large amounts, but an orange with an umber tone, such as a persimmon or Tuscan-inspired hue, completely changes the color and can be used to create a wonderfully warm space,” she says. And what better space to warm up than a deck or patio, to complement the summer sun? “Orange is synonymous with energy. To bring that excitement to the outdoors, think about creating a great outdoor entertaining space,” Jenschke says. She suggests incorporating the color as accents, with outdoor plates, glassware, pillows, rugs and lanterns. For larger outdoor furniture and other accent shades, try vivid complementary shades to maximize intensity. Bring in neutrals to soften the look. “Orange looks sophisticated and fresh when paired with whites and ivories, and dashing when paired with its complement, deep purple,” Jenschke says. Whether on your table or in your garden, orange will feel right at home in an outdoor living space.

OUTDOOR LIVING

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“For spring 2010, we are seeing a range of orange that includes some of the brightest tones in the orange family,” says Laurie Pressman, vice president of fashion, home and interiors at international color authority Pantone, Inc., Carlstadt, N.J. “These hot and luminous shades are thought of as gregarious, fun-loving and high energy.”

If you’re timid about the tint, Eiseman suggests starting small and subtle with a striped umbrella. Even the most color-shy homeowner can give their garden a lively pop with an orangehued plant.

OUTDOOR LIVING

All hands on deck

n immediate extension of your home, porches and decks bridge the gap between the inside and the great outdoors, providing indoor comfort while making the most of nature’s beneﬁts. The recession has pulled Americans back toward the simpler pleasures in life, which appear to include a greater focus on outdoor living. All the more reason, then, to get on board with the new wave of deck and porch design: creating a seamless transition between the inside of the home and its outdoor counterparts. “Americans are turning off the television. They’re gathering outside again,” says Paula Wallace, president and cofounder of the Savannah College of Art and Design and author of “Perfect Porches” (Clarkson Potter, 2010). “We’re in the midst of the great porch renaissance, and clients want interior designers and architects to create intentional outdoor spaces.”

Wallace says a porch is no different from a living room, with one big difference. “It generally doesn’t rain in the living room! Designers have to make porches a little hardier.”

Weather-wise accommodations include cabinets and other storage devices to stow pillows or artwork during a storm and ensuring the porch is deep enough to allow guests to sit outside and not get wet on a windy, rainy day, she says. As for decks, Bobby Parks, DeckExpo advisory council member and owner of Peachtree Decks and Porches, Alpharetta, Ga., says that while homeowners still ask for speciﬁc design elements like diagonal decking, rounded decks and square and bayed corners, their greatest concern is creating cohesion. People want a porch “that looks like it belongs with the house,” he says. That calls for building in more hidden fasteners and decorative lighting. “In an effort to make something look more like it belongs, we’re doing more crown molding, more PVC-wrapped columns,” he says. Often, homeowners even request tiled floors and fireplaces in their porch designs, Parks says.

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Porches and decks enjoy new life with crown molding and storage options

Lounge lizards Outdoor beds bring the ultimate in stylized relaxation to the backyard

OUTDOOR LIVING

By Dawn Klingensmith Ctw Features Backyard lounging options not only used to be limited, but they also could be a source of embarrassment. remember those chaise lounges with the vinyl straps that left imprints? and how exiting a hammock so often turned comical?

taking outdoor lounging to the next level is a sign of the times, arising from keener design sensibilities as well as the recession, says Durham, Conn.-based designer sharon mcCormick. “stylistically, people are willing to take more risks than they used to. People are staying home more, too, and they want to stand out from their neighbors.” Consider somer’s posh, portable Cabana to go, a wind-resistant, steel-framed outdoor room complete with recycled plastic or wood ﬂooring, custom curtains, a chandelier, a round rattan bed with matching side tables and an ottoman. rectangular outdoor beds that would look right at home in a master suite are available from companies like sutherland Furniture, which offers a line inspired by robin hood. the sherwood “looks like an actual bed. i can

Room service: An outdoor bed takes backyard lounging to a new level – and gives a homeowner something to brag about. Courtesy of SomersFurniture.com c/o ElaineWilliamsonDesigns.com

see it for a contemporary house because it has such sleek lines,” mcCormick says. when choosing an outdoor bed, “Decorate the same way outside as you would inside,” mcCormick says. “you want it to tie in and have something to do with your architecture, and then tweak that to your taste.” Choose colors that tie in with your home’s interior, or opt for natural shades to blend in with the surroundings. use a bolder color for cushions and pillows and change them out seasonally, somers suggests. and for all you old-schoolers who want to stretch out but think beds belong inside, la-Z-Boy offers plush, soft, sink-right-in chaise lounges. © CTW FeaTures

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these days, the time-honored pastime of snoozing in the sun is a serious business. Outdoor chaises come with cushiony upholstery and hammocks come with canopies. But the most notable evolution is the backyard debut of beds, sometimes complete with headboards and side tables. it’s not so much that people want to count sheep under the stars as they want to feel like they’re on vacation while still at home, says Debbi somers, president of las Vegasbased somers Furniture. “what makes you feel like you’re on vacation? either lounging around on the hotel bed or a chaise by the pool,” she says.

Craftsmen give wood a second life

he time-honored skill of woodworking appears to be enjoying a modern resurgence among collectors and designers.

KIM COOK FOr The AssOCIATed Press

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Virginia-based Bill Jewell brought his exhibit, “history in the Making.” his firm, historical Woods of America, acquires trees and turns them into beautiful objects. But these aren’t ordinary trees. They’re called “Witness Trees” - witnesses to history -and while they’ve lived for a couple of hundred years, nature ultimately reclaims them.

Jewell offered 20 of the world’s best wood artists the opportunity to choose a specimen that inspired them, and craft it. he hopes to take the show around the country if he can gather funding. “I’m not a rich guy, but I feel there’s a direct and valuable connection to our past through these trees and timbers,” he said. “each of the artists brought their unique vision to the woods they chose, and really gave them a second life.” CONTINUED from PAGE 32

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Amid the tony crowd at this year’s Architectural digest home design show in New York, the guys in jeans and work boots were like rock stars, chatting to their fans. Many works were showstoppers, among them pieces crafted from historical woods or repurposed antiques.

They come from presidential estates and other historic sites, such as the ellwood Plantation, where two generals headquartered during the Civil War, and the rappahannock river Crib dam, the former power mill where Northern and southern soldiers reportedly shared friendly encounters.

said. “It has hardwood ﬂoors, wallpaper, wrought iron on the front doors. We replicated part of her house.” For a client on the East Coast who owned a vineyard, Pollak and Mowrer hired an artisan to hand-paint each brick on her Lab’s doghouse to match corresponding bricks on her mansion. A Chihuahua in Long Beach got a miniature Spanish cathedral with white marble granite ﬂoors and stained glass windows. But such amenities aren’t exactly recession-proof. Donald Gorbach founded a company called Doggie Mansions in West Palm Beach, Fla., in 2006, offering doghouses from $10,500 to $100,000. Gorbach is still selling real estate but as for the doghouses, “we just put everything on hold due to the economy,” he said by e-mail. “We thought it was a bad time to promote $10,000 doghouses when people are losing their homes.” After Hilton posted her photos, she was rebuked by some for the extravagance. Blogger Perez Hilton introduced the doghouse by saying: “We hope all unemployed, poverty stricken Americans turn a deaf ear, because this could be painful!!”

Kassis knows that kind of criticism exists. Her answer: “Life is about choices and everyone has their standards,” she said. “There is no right or wrong. I will do whatever it takes to make my animals safe and happy.” On the Net: www.lapetitemaison.com www.ranchandestateproperties.com COPyrIGHT 2010 THE ASSOCIATED PrESS.

Tammy Kassis’ 11-foot tall Victorian doggie mansion (above and to the left) sits in her backyard for her dogs Chelsea, Darla and Coco Puff, in Winchester, Calif., AP Photo | Chris Carlson

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Cameron Sinclair, co-founder of the charity Architecture for Humanity, wrote on the Huffington Post Web site: “Having just returned from Haiti this story kept playing on my mind. It is not

that she did it, it was that she was willing to do a photo spread for Life and Style magazine about it. Almost as if to say, ‘Sorry your home is getting foreclosed, but check this out!’”

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