Symmetry Spring 2015

Spring-Summer 2015

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Symmetr y Spring-Summer 2015

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Publisher Symmetry Central Texas is published by Louis Doucette

Editor Trisha Doucette

Strategic Media Placement Diane Purcell

Contributing Writers Sharla Bell Jackie Benton Beth Bond Mauri Elbel

Advertising Sales Sandy Weatherford – Austin Gerry Lair – San Antonio

Design and Production Jennifer Nelson – Full Nelson Productions

Printing and Direct Mail SmithPrint

Traveling Blender, LLC. Advertising rates available upon request. All rights reserved by copyright. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of publisher. Every effort is made to assure accuracy of the information contained herein. However, the publisher cannot guarantee such accuracy. Advertising is subject to errors, omissions and/or other changes without notice. Mention of any product or service does not constitute endorsement from Symmetry Central Texas. The information obtained in this publication is deemed reliable from third party sources, but not guaranteed.

Symmetry Central Texas does not act as an agent for any of the advertisers in this publication. It is recommended that you choose a qualified remodeling, home furnishings, or home improvement firm based on your own selection criteria.

Symmetry Central Texas does not act as an agent for any of the realtors or builders in this publication. It is recommended that you choose a qualified realtor to assist you in your new home purchase.

Symmetry Central Texas will not

Phone knowingly accept advertising for real Austin: 512.385.4663 San Antonio: 210.410.0014

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Sales Address 10036 Saxet Drive / Boerne, Texas 78006

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estate that is a violation of the Fair Housing Act. All real estate advertising in Symmetry Central Texas is subject to the Fair Housing Act that states, “We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. Policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity throughout the nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin.”

© Copyright 2015 by Symmetry Central Texas. All Rights Reserved.

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Symmetry Central Texas Spring-Summer, 2015

f e at u r e s

Architectural Evolution

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A (Fourth) Life In Living Color

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Radically reconstructed bungalow becomes modern family’s dream home

trends

Kitchens

Kitchen With A View Baths

Moroccan Meets Contemporary

An antique find in a striking color inspired the coolmeets-warm master bathroom in this Austin home

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Outdoor

Hillside Haven

Thanks to creative landscaping, an Austin family’s outdoor space that once sloped so steeply that it was unusable is now an inviting yard for playing and entertaining perspectives

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Does Your Home Have An IQ?

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Flip The Switch

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Yes, but you may not know what it is

Redesigned switches, device-controlled lighting catches up to today’s on-the-go lifestyle

We Want It Hot, Hot, Hot! Strong Foundation

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resources

Advertiser’s Index

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Does Your Home Have An IQ? Yes, but you may not know what it is.

By Bjorn’s Audio, Video and Home Theater Photography courtesy of Bjorn’s Audio, Video and Home Theater

Everyone’s talking about smart homes nowadays and if you believe what some companies are saying, smart homes are going to revolutionize the way we live, solve problems we didn’t know we had and even improve our love life!

(No, we’re not making that up.) It sure sounds wonderful. After all, who wants to live in a dumb home?

But what exactly is a smart home and how does it work?

Well, “smart home” is basically a new term for something that has been available for decades, although not as wide spread. We’ve been calling it “home automation” all this time.

Smart home automation often starts with a single, easy-to-understand home theater remote control that replaces the usual three or four. It can also dim the room lights and lower the shades. You can even use it to lock and unlock your doors and adjust your thermostat’s temperature!

But that’s not all a smart home can do. You can install cameras for monitoring your home, seeing who’s at the door or checking on the kids. While you’re at it, you can teach your home to be more comfortable to live in while saving lots of energy - and do it automatically whether you’re at home, at work or on vacation half way around the world.

In the not-so-distant future you will be able to control most electronics in your home from your smart phone or tablet. Everything from your coffee maker to your refrigerator will be controlled, even to the point where you will be able to check the date on the milk or see how many eggs you have.

The idea behind a smart home is to make it user friendly and as comfortable as possible while being energy efficient at the same time.

Savant, Control 4 and RTI are all companies that offer state-of-the-art smart home systems.

These systems communicate with nearly anything with a computer chip. They are all very similar and offer as much or as little connect and control as you want.

Savant and Control 4 offer apps that allow you to use your tablet or smart phone to control your new smart home. By doing this, it allows you the ability to control things like door locks, lights, temperature and even music from anywhere at any time.

In addition, the ability to monitor lifestyle and health issues are available and are only going to become easier to use and more affordable as well. Just image having your heart rate, blood pressure and calories burned checked just by pressing a button on your wall or your smart phone. Now add the ability to contact your doctor or emergency help automatically and you can see where things are going.

While most of this will work with Bluetooth, you will still need help with the network along with custom installation and wiring. That’s where Bjorn’s Audio, Video and Home Theater in San Antonio comes in. They are specialists in custom installation and networking for all smart home and home automation needs as well as audio, home theater and multi-media rooms.

Whether you’re ready to increase your home’s IQ or you just want a better audio system, Bjorn’s can handle it and even come to you if needed.

So if you liked the Jetsons when you were a kid, you’re going to love the new smart home.

Smart home or home automation? No matter what you call it, it makes you a very smart homeowner. And what better time to increase your home’s IQ than during a home renovation? n

RESOURCES Bjorn’s Audio, Video and Home Theater 210.828.3237 / 800.223.6991 www.bjorns.com

Spring-Summer 2015

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Flip The Switch Redesigned switches, device-controlled lighting catches up to today’s on-the-go lifestyle

By Mauri Elbel Photography courtesy of Lights Fantastic, Legrand’s® Adorne Collection Not a day goes by when we don’t use a light switch, flipping it on as soon as we wake up and off as we go to sleep. And while light switches are one of the most common fixtures found in the home, it’s been decades since that small white rectangle has been revamped –– until now.

“The light switch hasn’t been redesigned in over 60 years,” says Angela Ryan, LED lighting specialist at Lights Fantastic.

In today’s world of rapidly changing technology, the industry is finally flipping its switch, bringing the old fashioned light switch up to speed. Legrand® is on the forefront of the redesign, offering reliable, energy-saving light switches paired with stylish plates to brighten dull and dated walls.

“This manufacturer is on the forefront when it comes to redesigning basic switches and outlets in our residential homes,” says Ryan. “Legrand has restyled the look and performance of the typical light switch, changing the style itself from a rectangle to a square, allowing for a clean modern look.”

In today’s wireless world that has us constantly searching for spots to power up our mobile devices, Legrand has created integrated outlets equipped with USB ports. With

Legrand’s sleek array of stainless switches, dimmers, outlets and wall plates, those white bulky rectangles are becoming a thing of the past.

“When building a custom home, the last thing you want to see are screws in the face plate of the light switches,” says Ryan.

“It’s like installing a builder grade polished brass chandelier in the dining room. It’s old, outdated and there’s nothing exciting about it.”

Despite their expensive new look, these aesthetically-pleasing alternatives aren’t out of reach for the average homebuilder.

“Legrand has taken something that was unattainable and unaffordable and turned it into a product that’s available to the everyday consumer,” says Ryan.

But it’s not just outdated switches and outlets that are getting a modern facelift.

Our on-the-go lifestyle and LED technologies are providing vast opportunities to improve lighting products with adaptive-control technologies that allow us to control lighting from our phones and tablets.

For example, Philip’s Hue personal wireless lighting combines brilliant LED light with this intuitive technology.

“Philips has LED lightbulbs you can use in pendants, lamps, chandeliers –– anything –– and control the color, on or off mode, and brightness or dimness of the bulb from your phone or tablet,” says Ryan.

Philips Hue can wake you up, help protect your home, change your mood and even keep you informed about the weather –– but besides offering convenience, this use of adaptive control technology can also assist in saving energy, says Ryan. The app helps you control Hue, placing the ability to change colors, brightness and function in the palm of your hand. Utilizing Hue’s dimming capability, you can save on energy by dimming the lights from your phone or tablet even if they aren’t on a dimmer.

“Another way to save energy is the ability to set a timer,” she says. “I have them in my office, and at 9 a.m., the timer turns them on. In

conjunction, the app has Geofencing technology that permits the lights to turn off automatically if my phone leaves the house. They then will come back on automatically as soon as I return home.”

It seems like a lightbulb (pun intended) is finally going off in an industry that has taken a back seat to the rapidly advancing technologies taking place all around, making the basic light switch more capable than it has been in 60 years and bringing new opportunities to change and control our lighting remotely.

“Both the new appearance and technologies are now available to the everyday consumer, made affordable so anyone can use them,” says Ryan. “We are no longer just rethinking what types of light sources we use –– incandescent vs. LED –– we are now finally rethinking the way they look and how we are able to control them.” n

RESOURCES Lights Fantastic

512.452-9511 www.lightsfantastic.com

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Architectural Evolution Radically reconstructed bungalow becomes modern family’s dream home

By Mauri Elbel Photography by Whit Preston

Spring-Summer 2015

Oftentimes life becomes the driving force behind design.

For architect J.C. Schmeil, it took nearly 15 years of re-edited dreaming and evolutionary designing to transform his family’s 1935-bungalow into what it is today – an amalgam of clean lines, clever nooks, soothing colors and well-lit spaces. Tucked into Austin’s downtown Bouldin Creek neighborhood skirting bustling South Congress Ave., this radically reconstructed bungalow is not only a testament to good design, but one that has evolved with him and his family over the years.

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“This house is really tailored to our lifestyle,” says Schmeil, owner of Merzbau Design Collective, who orchestrated everything from the design to the construction of their home. “It’s very open – even when people are in separate rooms, we still feel connected. The footprint is small, but there is still enough space to stretch out.

It takes advantage of the light and trees, but in a way that still makes an inner city house feel private.”

Schmeil and his wife, Ashley McLain, a principal at Cox|McLain Environmental Consulting, Inc., bought their 1935 Austin bungalow in 1998. Originally 820 square feet with two bedrooms and one bathroom, the space suited their needs as a couple but they knew they would want to add on when they had children.

“I think the moment we moved in I started designing things in my head,” he says. “But as our lifestyle has changed, our needs have changed, too. When we first moved here with no kids, it was the perfect size for us. I even had an idea of having a whole ‘sake lounge’ where the guest bedroom is now. Then you

have kids and that idea sounds so ridiculous.”

In 2002, Schmeil and McLain almost doubled the size of their house when their first son was born, bringing it up to 1,500 square feet. They called it the stealth addition because they cut the back of the cottage off and added a family room, master and bath behind the original structure, leaving it completely unaltered from the front. But another child and almost a decade later, they felt it was time to expand again. In 2011, the architect finally got the chance to dramatically redesign their home.

“This was not a remodel – it was radical reconstruction,” says Schmeil. “I’ve gone through this process a lot before with clients and I know it can be this sort of emotionally taxing but also a very exciting process. But I think I didn’t realize what a big deal it really was until I opened up the front door and there was no roof. We kept the bones, but we made everything else new.”

Today the 2,150-square-foot, four bedroom, three bathroom house complete with an office and music room offers a practical and playful solution for a family with two growing boys,

now 11 and 13. The once cramped bungalow is now both spacious and connected, boasting a soft modern aesthetic characterized by clean lines and sleek finishes but warmed up with white-washed woods and a few traditional elements that were left intact such as the gabled roofline and arched entryway.

Schmeil, McLain and their two sons, Corbin and Beckett, lived on-site during the 2012 construction process. Plywood walls were put up around construction zones, the master bedroom was used as storage, the boys slept on couches and their bathtub doubled as the kitchen sink.

“The kids were great about it, but living there during construction was part of the reason it pushed us to get the whole renovation done so quickly,” McLain says. “It also made it exciting because we could see how much progress was made each day as we came home.”

The result was everything they hoped for – a comfortable, open home suited for daily family life as well as social entertaining.

Walking into the home, you enter the dining room/library, a towering space featuring

Spring-Summer 2015 floor-to-ceiling bookshelves that frame the front door and rectangular windows that grant treetop views.

“This library wall is a huge favorite of mine,” adds McLain. “We are serious book collectors and before we just would have our books stacked all over the place. This is a personal touch that really reflects who we are and what we care about. Looking at this wall, you will see a lot of evidence of our travels, which is very important to us. It’s fun to look at these things and make our travel plans – the next spot in the world we will show our kids.”

Schmeil says, according to Austin’s McMansion Ordinance, residents can build a house only as large as 40 percent of their lot’s square footage or under 2,300 square feet. To avoid exceeding the square footage allotment, Schmeil tore the original roof off and vaulted the ceiling in the front room – an effect that creates dramatic appeal upon entering the home.

“Another part of the impetus for going up was that we have two heritage oak trees and we wanted to keep some element of yard,” he says. “Going up also gave us the views. It feels a little like a tree house up here.”

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To the right of the entry dining/library is a charming guest room they refer to as the “gran-suite” because it is where McLain’s mother stays when she comes to visit. The bedroom is connected to an office via a small stretch of storage lockers, unique built-in cabinets perfect for storing their boys’ sports equipment, and a bathroom outfitted with slate floors and cool blue glass tiles.

Maple plywood with a white wash finish is replicated in several areas of the home – on the lockers, stair rails, media cabinet and the fabulous panelized plywood tile wall in the entry, resulting in a visually cohesive yet costeffective design choice. Schmeil collaborated with longtime friends Paul Wintle of Texas Trim and Jeffery Bennett of Bennetthaus for the unique custom cabinetry and storage spaces seen throughout the house.

Schmeil was able to double the size of their kitchen by removing a wall between the kitchen and former dining room. The couple says the kitchen is now undeniably the heart of their home where they spend ample time talking, eating and cooking together. It’s an inviting space with walls painted in Benjamin Moore’s Beach Glass, custom cabinets from Texas Trim painted in Healing Aloe and white HanStone® countertops.

The bungalow’s original white oak floors remain in the entry and kitchen while stained concrete floors make up the family room and master bedroom. Salvaged longleaf pine planks from the home’s original interior walls were reused for flooring throughout the second story addition. The boys share a bedroom, complete with a reading nook carved out of the wall which duals as a twin bed loft during sleepovers. If desired, the adjoining play room space can easily be converted into a separate bedroom.

“Beckett loves to perch in the corner window and read books and Corbin likes to relax, play games and read in the nook,” says McLain.

But one of the coolest design features sits adjacent to the boys’ bedroom/playroom – a secret room accessed via a “Scooby Doo” bookshelf. A large bookcase set on heavy duty skateboard wheels slides open to reveal a hidden music room outfitted with a set of drums, a guitar and a keyboard.

“The boys love it,” Schmeil says. “Whenever they have someone over that is the first thing they show them. They will say, ‘do you like the bookshelf?’ Then they open it up for their friends and you can hear them saying ‘wow, cool!’.”

Green elements were utilized throughout the house – an investment both Schmeil and McLain felt was important given their commitment to sustainability. The home’s original pine was reused for the flooring upstairs and the original oak flooring was kept downstairs, travertine from the LBJ Library at The University of Texas where both Schmeil and McLain attended graduate school was salvaged for the front porch, and recessed LED lights were installed through the house. A tankless water heater, open cell foam insulation and Andersen® 100 series windows increase the efficiency of the old home.

The redesign makes great use of natural light – windows bathe sunlight throughout the home and those placed high give way to views of neighboring trees during the day and stars at night. A soothing palette plays throughout the house in variations of watery blues and greens with bolder punches like Benjamin Moore’s Fresh Grass wall color seen in the music and laundry rooms and the boys’ reading nook. The home’s design is both open and inviting, creating flexible communal spaces that work for both private and public uses.

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“I realize one of the main things I appreciate about the house is that I can work at home at any time, which I often have to do at odd hours, and I love being able to look out the big windows at our beautiful Live Oak trees,” says McLain. “Quite often, one or both boys are in here in the evenings, too, doing homework on the computer or projects on the floor. And when I do find a little free time, there’s plenty of room to practice yoga.”

Schmeil admits designing a home for his family was a difficult undertaking but one that proved to be incredibly rewarding – a modern-day answer to urban family living.

“I like the fact that we can walk to a ridiculous amount of restaurants within a three-block radius, there are multiple grocery stores, coffee shops and public transit options as well as hike and bike trails all around us,” says Schmeil. “We are really happy with how it turned out, and it suits us well.” n

RESOURCES Merzbau Design Collective 512.636.5900 www.merzbau.com

Paul Wintle/Texas Trim 512.799.1090 www.texastrim.com

Jeffrey Bennett/Bennetthaus 512.801.2339 www.bennetthaus.com

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A (Fourth) Life In Living Color

By Sharla Bell Photography courtesy of Panache Interiors

Circa 1950, a cinder block, bare bones, weekend fishing shack was erected, presumably to facilitate the shelter necessary between lengthy fishing excursions on Lake Austin. In the mid-1990’s, a young couple seeking year-round residence, and seeing an amazing setting around which to build their lives, commissioned Peter Pfeiffer, FAIA, of Barley|Pfeiffer Architects, to remodel and update the cabin, making it a wonderful setting to enjoy lake living and entertaining. Pfeiffer did this job so well that the home was even featured on a popular TV show at the time called “Street Appeal.” A decade later, Pfeiffer was called back to the home to remodel it again, this time to make it more family and kidfriendly as well as more energy efficient. Rooms were added, and the interior updated to reflect current style. Now, several years later, another family, this one with older children, has bought this home and brought it full circle, once again returning it to a weekend vacation home, albeit one with considerably more flare than the original.

Spring-Summer 2015 When the new homeowners came to Sharon Radovich, Principal of Panache Interiors, they had one very important goal in mind: a super FUN house “that reflected Austin’s cool vibe.

The home’s layout with two separate living areas appealed to them so their kids could have their own space to hang.” The previous renovations had already transformed this lakeside house into a mecca for entertaining, with its multiple living areas, large decks and beautiful views. Radovich and her clients added loads of color, great art and sleeping for 15 (!) to make this the ultimate destination for lake relaxation.

The previous owners had some to do with charting the course for this newest remodel: the neutral tones they had chosen, the black stone countertops, taupe wood floors, gray cabinets and beige and gray tiles, made a great backdrop for the vivid colors

Warm, neutral tones in taupe and grey, along with stark accents of black, provide a perfect backdrop for vivid pops of color and vibrant art.

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A riot of color, lots of comfy seating and an impressive television set-up make this second living area perfect for the family’s older children and their friends.

Spring-Summer 2015

Radovich introduced into the home. The new homeowners also bought the home semifurnished, “with the big treasure being the 79” round glass dining table with ten green leather chairs. I needed to bring the green and black into the great room to balance the kitchen and breakfast.” And thus began a beautiful friendship between bright greens and aqua blues and the neutral finishes that already lived there. Radovich found a fun, floral fabric that integrated the black and green in a playful manner at Collectic Home, which she paired with a black linen fabric for the base of the sofa to add a classic look. She knew “a zebra rug would be a voguish addition,” and she had the Great Rug Company “funk it up with edge strips of green shag and black carpet.” She sourced the green glass coffee table at NEST Modern and the Collectic American Leather black recliners round out the seating. Radovich chose to paint the long wall into three colors, “visually breaking it up to bring balance to the space.” She carried the stripe theme onto the window panels, unifying and adding interest to the great room. The fabulous art in the space comes from local artists. Rebecca Bennett paints serene abstracts in vivid colors, and Radovich

commissions work from her for many of her projects. The homeowner found the oversized dice painting by Carlos Ortiz at Collectic Home.

Each space in the home began to take shape following this same formula: what was great about the space already + fun additions from Radovich and the homeowners that fuse the space into a new creation. In the entry way, the front door was already orange, so Radovich “painted the towering staircase wall to match and stacked metal-rimmed mirrors on it for an inviting entrance to the home.” At Exteriors Designer Showroom, she found a colorful Company C striped rug that she placed on the floor “to unify the orange entry and the aqua media room.” The pale aqua ottoman, tufted with orange patterned buttons, was crafted by locally-based Iron Thread Design, and the comical bulldog art was brought from the homeowner’s previous lake house. Radovich says she “cannot help but smile the minute she walks through the orange entry door - the space energizes me.”

In the media room, the black leather sectional came with the house, and Radovich contrasted the black with bright aqua wall paint for a sense of fun. She also added

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a red enamel table from 5 Elements for a pop of color in the center of the room. The homeowner, a realtor who according to Radovich “has a great sense of style, and found the nostalgic photographic art in Houston, and the vivid daisy rug and pillows at Crate and Barrel.” In this space, they clearly created the perfect hangout for the homeowners’ college-aged children.

But at some point, everyone needs to sleep.

And there is no shortage of places to lay one’s head in this remodel. With a perfect green hue already painted on the walls of one guest room, Radovich was able “to find a trundle, a triple bunk bed and a chair/chaise/bed to sleep 6 in this room. The client had the quilts and polka dot bedding to add whimsy and a bit of nostalgia.” The “bunk” room is lined with four beds draped in leopard comforters from the owner’s previous lake house. Radovich added the lake home’s signature aqua tones and the owner found the playful Life Savers® art.

In the master bedroom, Radovich wanted to give the owners a restful place to retreat.

That first meant extending the wall between the sofa in the great room and the master bedroom, which originally did not go all the

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Luxurious fabrics in shades of grey evoke a sense of calm, allowing the cobalt wall to be art itself. way to the ceiling. Rob Mall Construction raised this wall to the ceiling, eliminating the issue of sound transfer from the great room.

Then Radovich set about making the space a haven for tranquility. She “specified a tall Nathan Anthony headboard and upholstered it in textured linen with sketchy gray circles.

The organic cotton duvet from Restoration Hardware is accented with a rectangular Ankasa Ikat linen pillow from Wildflower.” She used “the cobalt blue in the accent pillow to anchor the bed, and finished the room with a neutral chair and window panels, whitewashed end tables and a grey rug for a relaxed atmosphere. The crystals on the lamps add a romantic tone.” The deeper hues evoke a sense of calm, successfully giving the parents the respite they will most likely need from all of the young people visiting each weekend.

The art in each space is certainly

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In guest bedrooms, bold walls of aqua and lime provide energy yet seem cooling and comforting. conversation-worthy, none more so than the absolutely fabulous longhorn painting in the hallway off of the great room. Radovich spotted the longhorn at Art City Austin for a Wimberley ranch project, and at the same event selected a colorful cow for this lake house. But when she showed the cow to the homeowner, she “wasn’t enthusiastic, and said ‘if it were only a Longhorn, I might be interested.’” So Radovich showed her the image of the longhorn painting she had placed in the ranch project and the homeowner “was immediately enamored by it.” They commissioned the Atlanta artist, who uses a technique of applying paint and wax over photographs to give it a unique depth, to paint a slightly different longhorn for the lake house.

And now said longhorn holds court amongst a bevy of beautifully-unique pieces of pop art in the home.

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When asked what factors are key when designing a lake house vacation home, Radovich replies that one should always “keep it simple. Make it uncluttered and restful. Have amenities that make you feel pampered… whether that is luxury linens, the New York Times, or simply a cold beer.” She also adds that materials should be durable and easy to maintain, after all, a vacation home should be all about the vacation! n

RESOURCES Barley|Pfeiffer Architects 512.476.8580 www.barleypfeiffer.com

Panache Interiors

512.452.7773 www.panacheinteriors.com

Rob Mall Construction/Mall Custom Cabinets 512.970.1054 www.robmallconstruction.com

Spring-Summer 2015

Window Coverings

Since 1993 Southern Shutters & Blinds has been serving Central Texas with locally manufactured custom shutters and blinds as well as a full line of Hunter Douglas Products.

Call today for a FREE IN-HOME CONSULTATION

512-931-0400 southernshuttersusa.com

AWARD-WINNING INTERIOR DESIGN custom homes • lofts spec homes • commercial Stephanie J. Villavicencio, ASID Texas Registered Interior Designer

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512.443.3200 www.bellavillads.com

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We Want It Hot, Hot, Hot!

By Jackie Benton Let’s face it – the only time most of us will think of our hot water heater is when a cold shower serves as a rude reminder that it’s time to replace the old one.

And that’s when it seems we can’t stop thinking of our water heater, and how quickly we can get the new one installed.

But wait: take a moment to educate yourself about your water heater purchase, says Kelly Rigdon, Area Sales Manager for GE Appliances and Lighting. Recent changes in United States Department of Energy (DOE) requirements mean you’re going to have more to think about when it’s time to choose your new water heater. New to the market hybrid electric/heat-pump models are giving tankless water heaters and traditional electric storagetank heaters a real run for the money.

“The new DOE mandate applies to all new water heaters manufactured after April 16, 2015, and will impact all water heater purchases — replacement and new construction,” says Rigdon. While there are DOE changes for natural gas storage-tank water heaters, Rigdon says that the biggest impact will be on homeowners installing electric water heaters. “The current standard tank electric water heater does not meet the new DOE standard. Electric water heaters represent approximately 49% of the total water heater industry, and there are two categories for the new mandate,” says Rigdon.

“All electric water heaters with a capacity exceeding 55 gallons will require a minimum 2.0 energy factor. The only way to achieve the new minimum energy factor is with a hybrid electric/heat-pump water heater. If your water heater capacity is less than 55 gallons, the new mandate dictates that it has an energy factor of .95 or greater, compared to the current standard electric water heater efficiency standard of .92. The significant cost difference for the minimal efficiency gain to the .95 energy factor makes purchasing anything less than a hybrid electric/heat-pump water heater hard to rationalize for any consumer, at any capacity.”

Rigdon says homeowners might get a case of sticker shock when looking over prices for the new hybrid electric/heat-pump water heaters compared to last year’s prices for standard storage-tank electric water heaters,

but a little education about what they’re getting, and the improved efficiency, might take away some of the financial sting when looking at the long term return on investment.

The new hybrid electric/heat-pump water heaters have been credited as being more than twice as efficient as traditional electric storagetank water heaters, and the reduction in water

heating costs can save an average household $3,000 in electricity costs over the lifetime of the appliance.

That translates into real dollars and cents savings, says Rigdon. “The standard electric storage-tank water heater is .92 percent efficient, so for every dollar you spend in energy cost, you get 92 cents worth of hot water. But, with a hybrid electric/heat-pump water heater with a 2.0 energy factor, for every dollar of energy you spend, you get two dollars in hot water. In fact, many models have energy factors that exceed the new 2015 DOE standard and will save consumers even more on their

monthly electric bills. For the first time ever, the most cost efficient way to heat water is with an electric water heater. Hybrid electric water heaters are even more efficient than natural gas tankless water heaters! In addition, hybrid water heaters install much the same as traditional tank water heaters, so the return on investment including the product and install cost can be less than four years when you factor the savings in annual energy costs for a hybrid electric versus a standard water heater.

While many storage-tank water heaters and hybrid electric/heat-pump water heaters look similar on the outside, it’s a whole other story on the inside. Hybrid electric/heat-pump water heaters combine an electric storage-tank heater with a heat pump that captures heat from the air. It’s the heat pump that makes these hybrid water heaters so much more efficient. Instead of using gas or electricity to create heat, a heat pump simply pulls it from the surrounding air, providing a yearly savings of 60-plus percent over standard electric storage-tank models.

Although installation is very similar to a standard tank electric water heater, consumers will find there are some unique installation requirements for the new hybrid electric/heat-pump water heaters on the market after April 16, says Rigdon. Hybrid water heaters can require as much as 1,000 cubic feet of space to capture enough heat from the air, along with a condensate pump if there is no drain nearby.

“They are a little taller,” admits Rigdon.

“But the cost of installation shouldn’t change much for the average install, although there might be some connection changes in existing structures because of the height differences depending on brand and model. With our GE GeoSpring™ models, you don’t have to increase the amperage, and you can use existing plumbing connections. You do have to have 700 cubic feet of air clearance, so you might need to budget a little more money for a louvered door or a duct kit, for installations where the minimum air clearance is not available. Basically, the retrofit for these hybrid electric/heat-pump water heaters is less expensive than gas tankless water heaters.”

Rigdon says that as the April 16 deadline gets closer, more of his customers have questions about the new requirements and

Spring-Summer 2015 And like incandescent light bulbs, electric storage-tank water heaters manufactured under the old regulations will still be on the market and available for purchase, albeit in fewer numbers as time goes on.

“April 16 is just the manufacturing deadline,” says Rigdon. “After that, we can no longer build them. You’ll see several advertisements for these older electric models with the message that you’d better replace your hot water heater now, while the cost of the unit is less. But with

what that will mean to new building and remodel projects.

“These DOE changes aren’t new announcements to the industry — we’ve known about them for some time. But no one was paying much attention before. Like a lot of other things, it was out on the horizon, and we knew it was coming. It’s not a whole lot different from the mandate about incandescent light bulbs — no one was concerned until the mandate went into effect.”

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the new standard in effect, even though you’re spending more money on the unit purchase, you’ll more than recoup the difference in a few years in your energy bill.” n

RESOURCES Kelly M. Ridgon, Area Sales Manager GE Appliances and Lighting www.geospring.com

SIZING STORAGE AND HEAT PUMP (WITH TANK) WATER HEATERS Sourced from http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/sizing-new-water-heater To properly size a storage water heater for your home -- including a heat pump water heater with a tank -- use the water heater’s first hour rating. The first hour rating is the number of gallons of hot water the heater can supply per hour (starting with a tank full of hot water). It depends on the tank capacity, source of heat (burner or element), and the size of the burner or element.

The EnergyGuide label lists the first hour rating in the top left corner as “Capacity (first hour rating).” The Federal Trade Commission requires an EnergyGuide label on all new conventional storage water heaters but not on heat pump water heaters. Product literature from a manufacturer may also provide the first hour rating. Look for water heater models with a first hour rating that matches within 1 or 2 gallons of your peak hour demand -- the daily peak 1-hour hot water demand for your home.

To estimate your peak hour demand: Determine what time of day (morning, noon, evening) you use the most hot water in your home. Keep in mind the number of people living in your home.

Use the worksheet below to estimate your maximum usage of hot water during this one hour of the day -- this is your peak hour demand. Note: the worksheet does not estimate total daily hot water usage.

The worksheet example shows a total peak hour demand of 36 gallons. Therefore, this household would need a water heater model with a first hourAverage rating of Gallons 34 to 38of gallons. Times Used Use Gallons used

HotPeak WaterHour Per Usage During Hour 1 HourRating*in 1 Hour Worksheet for estimating Demand/First Average10 Gallons of Hot Water Shaving (.05 gallons per minute) 2Per Usage Shower 10 Hand dishwashing or food 4 prep (2 gallons minute) Shaving (.05 per gallons per minute) 2 Shower

Use

Automatic Dishwasher Hand dishwashing or food prep (2 gallons per minute) Clothes Washer

64

Automatic Dishwasher

7 6

Clothes Washer

7

Times Used = During 1 Hour = x xx == x

x

=

xx x x x

Gallons used in 1 Hour

== Total Peak Hour Demand Total Peak Hour Demand

= = = = =

Example 3 Showers

10 x

3

=

30

1 Shave 2 x Showers 13 hand dishwashing 10 4 xx 1 Shave Peak Hour Demand 2 x

1 13

= ==

2 30 4

1 hand dishwashing 4 Peak Hour Demand

x

1 1

= =

2 36 4

36

Adapted from information from the Federal Energy Management Program Energy Cost Calculator *The above worksheet is based on standard usage with no water conservation measures.

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Kitchen With A View

By Mauri Elbel Photography by Jennifer Siu-Rivera

Spring-Summer 2015

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Creating a comfortable lake house feel in the kitchen of this threelevel waterfront home sitting on Canyon Lake began with opening up the view.

“Imagine your beloved family home situated on the edge of Canyon Lake, as a glowing sunset is reflected off the water,” says Julie Bradshaw of Bradshaw Designs. “Now imagine an awkward rock wall standing between you and that gorgeous view, along with an outdated kitchen, lack of storage and various mechanical problems.”

With an outdated aesthetic that was slightly too fancy and formal for their clients’ modernday tastes, Bradshaw Designs was called on to create a more comfortable, inviting kitchen better suited for relaxing with family and friends while CROSS Construction helped bring the vision to life. Almost immediately, Bradshaw suggested removing a large interior rock wall that completely blocked the view of the lake.

“A lake house needs to be all about the lake views,” says Bradshaw. “We suggested removing the rock wall so they could see the lake from the kitchen/great room and they instantly fell in love with the idea.”

Removing the awkward rock wall from the middle of the house not only opened up the views to the lake, but it also flooded the home with natural light, says Craig Scott of CROSS Construction. This seemingly obvious design decision corrected the broken-up look that resulted from previous piecemeal additions to the 1960’s-built home - one that occurred in the late-70s and another in the ‘80s.

“There were two different additions to the home that were not mechanically or aesthetically incorporated well into the original house design,” says Scott.

Even before the remodel was complete, the designers say they could appreciate the room’s potential afforded by the sweeping panoramas of the lake.

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Symmetr y “There were several times during construction that we were awestruck as we watched a storm roll in across the lake,” says Bradshaw.

The outdated kitchen was in desperate need of a head-to-toe makeover, from its 1970’s wood cabinetry and floral countertops to its vinyl flooring and mismatched appliances.

“More efficient use of space was a primary goal,” says lead designer Staci Peterson.

“For example, because a second oven was located downstairs, the chef was constantly running up and down the stairs with broiling hot food. By placing a second oven in the main kitchen area, she can now cook hot food for a crowd and not leave her comfy kitchen.”

In addition to making the cooking arrangement more functional, Bradshaw designed ample storage space through the use of custom drawers in the island and perimeter cabinets. CROSS gutted the kitchen down to the studs, enlarged and reframed the window above the sink to open it up to the spectacular lakefront view, re-wired and re-plumbed the entire space, added stainless steel appliances and replaced the flooring with a medium-stained red oak that was woven into the original

Spring-Summer 2015

wood floors to create a cohesive look with the traditional hardwoods in the great room.

A variety of finishes incorporated throughout the kitchen provide a more modern, updated feel. White, handmade glazed brick tile on the kitchen backsplash brings a fresh look to the space by continuing up to the ceiling rather than stopping just under the cabinets. Swing arm wall sconces mounted above the farmhouse sink and comfortable rattan counter stools contribute to the relaxed lake house vibe that now flourishes throughout the space. Peterson says she especially enjoyed the collaborative team effort with the owners in designing the vent hood, which features a dark charcoal color that contrasts nicely with stainless steel banding.

“The vent hood is very simple, yet one of my favorite elements in the kitchen,” she says.

Seagrass Limestone countertops are another fun finish incorporated into the design - and one that also provides a personal touch for the owners with fossils that can be seen throughout. The owner collected fossils during his childhood at the house and even lays claim to fame of real dinosaur tracks in the huge natural boulders that the house is perched on, explains Bradshaw.

Throughout the kitchen, a white and gray palette keeps the space neutral and the feel fresh, modern and timeless.

“Often less is more,” says Bradshaw of the remodel. “Especially when you are designing a space that is more difficult to get to, like a lake house where there isn’t a Home Depot®

35

two blocks away. Keeping the look simple and classic helps the design stay in style. They (the clients) are just so excited to enjoy the lake with family and friends. His sister cried tears of joy when she first saw it finished. That’s what we love to hear.”

“They just love this space now,” agrees Scott. n

RESOURCES Bradshaw Designs

210.824.1535 www.bradshawdesignsusa.com

CROSS

210.826.7200 www.cross-tx.com

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Strong Foundation

By Jackie Benton There’s no need to explain the lesson behind the parable of the Wise and Foolish Builders to Johnny Harvey with Level Best Foundation Repair. Harvey’s business has been especially busy repairing home foundations that have been compromised due to the prolonged Texas drought.

expansive clay soils expand when they get wet and contract when they dry out. It’s this back and forth movement that causes a structure to settle over time. Every time we go through a drought, the house sinks a little more, and then when the soil becomes wet again it goes back up, but a little less each time.”

Besides affecting a home’s appearance with unwanted cracks and displaced tiles, foundation problems can also cause other home repair issues. While it might seem odd, foundation problems caused by drought can actually lead to flooding inside the home.

“Think about it for a moment,” says Harvey.

“If your home’s foundation settles due to drought conditions and cracks form, then your

level the house is. By engineer standards, you are allowed a 1” drop over a 30-foot space.”

Harvey says that a reputable foundation repair company will engineer a custom solution for your home’s foundation repair.

“There are several good piering options for a slab foundation,” he says, “including pressed piers, steel piers and drilled piers. For a pier and beam foundation, there is really only one option that is accepted by most engineers, While it’s no secret to anyone that drought which is a Sona tube pier with a 2-foot deep can damage a home’s landscaping, turning footing.” a beautiful and verdant green lawn into Harvey acknowledges that there are brown straw and wilted gardens, but it can potential hidden costs that might come up be just as devastating to the home itself by with leveling a home’s foundation. “One thing affecting a home’s foundation. It turns out to keep in mind is the collateral damage that that those issues with a home’s lawn brought can come with leveling on by drought are also a house. There will be good indicators there “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them sheetrock cracking, and might be trouble afoot into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. sometimes flooring and with a home’s foundation, plumbing issues associated too, Harvey says. During The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat with foundation repair,” he prolonged dry spells, the against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on warns. “Just be aware that soil surrounding a home’s the rock. this is not covered by the foundation shrinks away, But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them foundation repair company and causes problems that, into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. and will be an added if not addressed in a timely expense.” way, can create even bigger The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat Harvey also stresses the issues over time. against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” importance of homeowners “The best thing you doing their research on the can do is to try to keep - Matthew 7:24-27 foundation company to be a healthy lawn. In the sure they are getting the summer time when it is home is now in a position of vulnerability to service and work they are paying for and deserve. hot and dry, you might want to incorporate a anything that can enter through those cracks, “It is always good to start with something soaker hose around the house — but you must like the Better Business Bureau or reviews on be careful as you can overdo it with these. You including water. So when we do have a big Texas rainstorm, your home could get water Yelp,” he says, adding, “But also it is important only want to use it when it is hot and dry, and damage when the rain finally does come.

Then to see how long the company has been in then only maybe 20 minutes a day. You can you’re looking at the costs of foundation repair, business. Most companies that don’t do good overdo it with these and have the opposite and repairs due to the water damage as well.” business will not stay around very long. Read effect. The object is not to keep it wet but just But how can homeowners tell if their homes their warranties carefully and ask questions to keep it from drying out.” have foundation issues?

In the case of a about them.

The drought is just one part of the equation settling foundation, there’s no clear evidence, “Just make sure that you deal with a that adds up to a damaged home foundation, but be observant, advises Harvey, and look reputable company that will stand behind their says Harvey. The other part has to do with for changes in your home’s appearance.

“The work,” he stresses.

“You want to get a repair Texas itself. While many area homeowners most common signs are cracked sheetrock, that is the best solution for your home and will think trouble with foundations is limited only doors that are having difficulty closing, cracked save you the trouble of ever having to worry to Central Texas, Harvey says the trouble is tile and cracked masonry work on the exterior about the structural integrity of your property actually much more far reaching, and holds of the home,” he explains. ever again.” n implications for many Texas homeowners.

“A foundation professional should conduct a “There is a strip of clay soils close to the visual inspection of the inside and the outside Oklahoma border above Dallas that travels RESOURCES of the house, looking for signs of foundation down through Central Texas and a little below issues such as cracks and problems with San Antonio. It’s about four counties wide Level Best Foundation Repair doors,” says Harvey. “Also, he will take 512.832.6161 and turns right to extend through Houston www.levelbestaustin.com elevation readings to determine exactly how and Corpus Christi,” explains Harvey. “These

2014 CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR National Remodeling Association San Antonio Chapter

CROSS is a full-service residential remodeling and custom home builder, with an established customer base in San Antonio and the surrounding area. We pride ourselves on sound ethical business principles and a strong desire to provide complete customer satisfaction.

Discover the CROSS difference at cross-tx.com. cross-tx.com • (210) 826-7200

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Moroccan Meets Contemporary An antique find in a striking color inspired the coolmeets-warm master bathroom in this Austin home

By Beth Bond Photography by Tommy Kile

A pair of ornate wooden doors from Morocco has long held a bit of fascination for one family living in Austin’s Barton Hills neighborhood. After the detailed carving and vibrant turquoise color caught their attention at an antiques dealer in town, the family bought the doors as decorative pieces and propped them against a wall on a small landing in a staircase. That was more than a decade ago.

“When our son was small, his buddies thought there was a secret room behind the magical blue doors,” the parents explained.

In a certain sense, those kids had it right: The doors eventually would be the stylistic inspiration for a room that didn’t yet exist in the house and would have to be carved out of secret space.

Spring-Summer 2015

39

40

Symmetr y In 2013, the family hired CG&S Design-Build, an Austin company specializing in residential renovations and additions, to reconfigure some underutilized space in the house. The couple and their now-teenage son had been sharing a bathroom for years, and they wanted a private master bathroom of their own and a separate bathroom for him. The time had come to give one overly large hallway bathroom a redesign to split it up into a downsized hallway bathroom, a master bathroom and a closet for their son’s bedroom.

Why would a hallway bathroom have so much wide-open, unused area in the middle? “Dancing space, I guess,” joked CG&S project designer Mark Evans.

Bathroom, ballroom - same thing, right?

Whatever the case, it was far from efficient.

And not only had the bathroom been awkwardly oversized, but a fairly big chunk of space - nearly 30 square feet - surrounding an internal heating, ventilation and air conditioning system was walled up, somehow lost to poor home design plans.

“Everybody suspected there was extra space behind the wall,” Evans said. “We did remodel the master bedroom and reworked the HVAC system. It was a rethinking of the master area.”

Once that walled-up space was accessed, the renovation necessitated a fairly high level of expertise from the CG&S construction crew because they discovered flaws from a previous company’s work. The existing framing was found inadequate, and new glulam trusses were needed to support the roof structure.

New trusses were also sistered into the existing floor joists to eliminate the sag over the lower level. New plumbing lines were run perpendicular to the floor trusses, with passages run through the joist and the lines meeting at the main drain.

The result of strengthening the framing, slimming down the interior HVAC system and putting up walls to divide the new rooms was truly transformative for the second story of this home. One unnecessarily vast bathroom (plus hidden interior space, plus a bit of square footage from the master bedroom) became three usable spaces.

Once the major construction was complete and the practical issues had been addressed, it was time to consider the finishes that would create the desired feeling of the new master bathroom. That’s where the blue Moroccan doors came in, along with other antiques from the homeowners’ collection of vintage ceramics and architectural pieces.

Spring-Summer 2015 The owners envisioned attaching the deeply hued doors to a custom-built linen closet and using their shade and style as an inspirational starting point for the room’s decor. CG&S’s cabinet maker whipped up the built-in piece they had imagined, and in a room of sleek, mostly modern textures, its rustic carved wood serves as a contrasting focal point.

“They wanted a zen, happy feeling from it rather than a workaday bathroom,” Evans said. “The idea was mixing up old, new, warm, cool to achieve a quiet, relaxing space. It’s not gigantic but it’s comfortable. It doesn’t need to be huge.”

The turquoise of the new-old cabinet, along with the homeowners’ eclectic pottery collection in shades of blues, greens and teals that sits atop it, guided the choice for similarly colored walls and the matching material lining the shower - a glazed ceramic tile handmade in Mexico. The homeowners chose a complementary, moody gray for the tiles lining the floor, the side of the tub and the wall behind the sink. A gray-green quartz surface covers the countertop and the surface around the top of the bathtub.

“The floor tile is porcelain - it’s not natural, which is great for a floor because it will last a long time,” Evans said. “And the granite countertop with green running through it has a lot of linear movement.”

In keeping with the cool, modern aspects of the room, the dimmable LED lights chosen for the sink area are two clean, tubular fixtures.

The plumbing fixtures in the shower and the bathtub and over the trough-style sink are shiny and contemporary.

Offsetting the bathroom’s cool tones and neat lines are several decorative touches: a mirror from the 1920s with an ornately scrolling gold frame and cabinet fixtures that are new but hearken back to a period closer to the mirror’s era. There’s also a built-in space above the tub that creates a spot for interchangeable decor. It’s built like an inset window lined with warm-toned wood with a shelf to hold pottery, shells, geodes, a longlegged starfish and flowers. Sunlight streams in from a window on the adjacent wall with obscured glass for privacy.

Mixing the old with the new produced a relaxing space that feels fresh but familiar - and those blue doors have finally found their home. n

RESOURCES CG&S Design-Build 512.444.1580 www.cgsdb.com

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Hillside Haven Thanks to creative landscaping, an Austin family’s outdoor space that once sloped so steeply that it was unusable is now an inviting yard for playing and entertaining.

By Beth Bond Photography by Steve Knetig

Spring-Summer 2015

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Before landscape designer Mark Biechler came along, the home pictured here had a deep slope. A hillside, maybe. A gradient. But certainly not what typically would be called a yard. The incline that stretched from a creek up to the house was too steep, too rough to be put to use in any significant way.

But take a look at the property now that Biechler has made his mark on it and you’ll find something much more than a typical yard. The space is now grassy and leveled out by thoughtfully placed retaining walls — but it’s terrain that still rolls, textured with varying natural materials like zoysia grass and limestone, and dappled by sunlight making its way through a collection of slim trees. Not only that, but a portion of it has been converted to a putting green. And there’s a wide staircase made of natural rock as well as a one-of-a-kind water feature.

“It happens a lot in Austin: People build on the side of a cliff but want a yard,” said Biechler, partner and lead designer at Pearson Landscape Services. Throughout a dozen years in business in Austin, the artist-turned-landscapedesigner has been asked over and over to bring forth from rugged, untamed earth the type of outdoor spaces homeowners can use and enjoy.

The inspiration for the landscape renovation on the plot started with a simple desire to reclaim exterior space that was inaccessible and unusable. The homeowners are a family with children and they wanted an outdoor space where everyone can play and where they can entertain guests. It has a hot tub and a comfortable seating area, but that’s just

44

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the beginning. These imaginative homeowners’ definition of “usable” was expansive enough to include the installation of a small putting green that’s approximately 30 feet by 50 feet and covered by shade trees. Carpeted with synthetic grass, the putting green features four holes for hours (or perhaps even days or weeks…) of practice perfecting a precise golf swing. Just off to the side is a chipping pad.

Limestone blocks forming retaining walls were the answer for creating level ground, but Biechler took things a step further by creating a theme centered on that particular material.

With this type of stone widely available nearby, homes with limestone features take on a look that feels distinct to the area. Here, flat slabs of what’s called Oklahoma stone are laid out to form a wavering walkway and pave a shaded patio area, and sharply cornered limestone bricks are set to outline trees and other features of the yard. Large limestone boulders dug out of a quarry in the Williamson County town of Jarrell, Texas, are positioned to form a set of steps.

“We back-stacked them,” Biechler said.

“It looks like a natural escarpment but it’s a staircase to get you up there.”

Ascend to the top of the boulder staircase and you’ll reach a water feature that’s appealing to the eye as a focal point of the yard and also serves a particularly practical function.

“They live close to a major street, so they wanted to cancel out the noise with a water feature,” he said of the burbling art piece. “It’s right at the entrance as you walk in. It’s totally unique and one-of-a-kind. It’s completely custom built, not prefabricated.”

The idea for the flowing fountain came to the homeowner halfway through the process, and Biechler designed and built it from scratch. It was designed as a wide steel dish that’s six feet in diameter sitting atop a pedestal with water flowing out and over its edges. It sits under a modern-looking steel arbor and is surrounded by sandstone.

This project took about four to five months to complete in 2013, and Biechler says the homeowners have been pleased with their recovered outdoor space since. And the revamped yard is getting attention — as it turns out, the neighbors living next door just might want Pearson to work its magic in their yard as well.n

RESOURCES Pearson Landscape Services 512.386.5900 www.pearsonlandscape.com

Spring-Summer 2015

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Advertiser Index BUILDING MATERIALS

NTERIOR DESIGN

Stock Building Supply

Bella Villa Design

GLASS

Dawn Hearn Interior Design

www.stocksupply.com 512.444.3172

Parrish and Company

www.parrishandcompany.com Round Rock: 512.835.0937 San Antonio: 830.980.9595

www.bellavillads.com 512.443.3200

Anchor Ventana

www.ventanaman.com 512.388.9400

HOME BUILDERS

REAL ESTATE

www.dawnhearn.com 512.930.0250

Austin Board of Realtors

KITCHEN & BATH

WINDOW COVERINGS & AWNINGS

Factory Builder Stores

Austintatious Blinds and Shutters

www.austinhomesearch.com

www.factorybuilderstores.com Austin: 512.834.1442 San Antonio: 210.349.9333

Cross Construction www.cross-tx.com 210.826.7200

www.austintatiousblinds.com 512.608.0302

Southern Shutters & Blinds

Kiva Kitchen & Bath

www.southernshuttersusa.com 512.931.0400

www.kivahome.com Austin: 512.454.4526 San Antonio: 210.826.9652

HOME REMODELING Realty Restoration

www.realtyrestoration.com 512.454.1661

WINDOWS & DOORS

Morrison

BMC – Marvin Windows and Doors Distribution

www.morsco.com Austin: 512.928.1110 San Antonio: 210.344.4436

www.marvin.com 512.977.7440

Martel

www.martelwindows.com 800.609.1596

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