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To Upgrade or Not to Upgrade: That is the Question

by: ARA

(ARA) - You�ve found the perfect neighborhood, selected a home plan you adore and chosen a reputable builder. So you think all the stress and decision making in building a new home is now over? Think again! With so many ways to customize a home today, there are hundreds of upgrade options from which you will have to choose . . . cabinetry, countertops, carpets, faucets, appliances . . . the list goes on and on.

Also, if you are like many new home buyers, you have fallen in love with the model home in your community and hope to add similar upgrades to your own residence. Once you discover, though, the amount of money the builder put into all those extras, you will need to decide which upgrades you really want (and can afford) or whether you should take what the builder provides and consider making upgrades yourself sometime in the future.

According to Laura Jonke, design coordinator with Bob Schmitt Homes, Inc. of North Ridgeville, Ohio, and an American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) member, there are several advantages to upgrading during the building process including customization, financial incentives, resale benefits and convenience.

Customization

One of the best reasons to include upgrades in your building plan is to infuse your own style into the home. Whether you want to give your home a country look or a contemporary flair, the options you select will help convey that style throughout the house. Upgrades also offer the home buyer a better grade of product.

Another reason for upgrading is functionality. The standard refrigerator offered by the builder (often referred to as �builder grade�) may not give you the side-by-side door style you prefer with ice and filtered water in the door. And, you probably will not get that great showering system with the multiple body sprays and large showerhead without incurring the cost of an upgrade.

Financial Incentives

One major benefit of upgrading during the building process is that it allows you to roll the cost of the upgrades into your mortgage loan. Although you may pay more in taxes initially, upgrades can be paid off with your monthly house payment at a lower interest rate than if you sought out a home equity loan in the future. In addition, most builders will include upgrades in your home warranty program.

Resale Benefits

What you choose now may play a big role in determining the resale value of your home in the future. Name brand appliances and popular custom upgrades will appeal to potential buyers. Concentrate on rooms like the kitchen and master bath which buyers �zero in on� when purchasing a home.

�For resale appeal, try to avoid creating spaces that aren�t functional for anyone but your family,� said Jonke. �Spaces should be versatile enough to accommodate a wide range of people and lifestyles.�

Convenience

If you decide to wait and upgrade after you move in, you�ll have to deal with the disruption in your household. It is usually much easier and more convenient to have the builder upgrade items during the construction process and spare you the hassle and headaches of having a house that is torn up and areas that are unusable.

Advantages of Upgrades

Although there are countless areas of your home that can be upgraded, Jonke advises her customers to put money into the most-used areas of the home. Some of the items to consider include faucets, flooring, appliances, countertops, cabinets and lighting.

Faucets

When it comes to faucets, upgrades provide more style and functionality. In the kitchen, consider upgrading to a pullout spout model in which the faucet wand can be extended to easily fill vases and pots or for cleaning purposes.

Moen�s latest kitchen offering is Aberdeen. This faucet has a classic look, but features a unique �pause� button which allows users to interrupt the water flow while moving the spout outside of the sink so there is no mess on the countertop or surrounding areas.

In the bathroom, style is the name of the game. Choose a bathroom faucet such as the new Kingsley that offers traditional styling in a host of finishes -- including new Wrought Iron -- to complement your bath accessories. This faucet and others in the Moen line are built on the M�PACT common valve system which means a number of different trim options will work on the same valve body, allowing for instant upgrades from above the sink.

Floor Covering

Upgrading to a better grade will prolong the carpet�s life. With higher density carpets, the dirt doesn�t break down the carpet fibers as easily, meaning the carpet will be less likely to show traffic areas. Upgrading can also provide more options such as a Berber or textured carpet.

It also makes sense to upgrade the sheet or hardwood flooring in high traffic areas of the home like the kitchen or utility room. Choosing vinyl with a polyurethane coating will provide more of a wear layer and longer-lasting beauty. Flooring upgrades increase the value of the home and provide better longevity.

Appliances

According to Jonke, most people today are asking their builders to upgrade to glass top ranges, quieter dishwashers, and a built-in microwave with a ventilation feature installed over their range. Some new home buyers are also opting for the new GE Advantium oven which uses halogen bulbs for faster cooking.

Countertops

Granite or Corian are the upgrades people want when it comes to kitchen countertops. If the budget does not permit these, Jonke suggests adding a beveled edge to the builder-grade laminate countertops. This provides an upscale look but won�t break the budget.

Another option is to use a laminate countertop, but add a composite sink, like MoenStone Granite. This sink will provide durability, scratch and stain resistance and can be installed as an under or overmount.

Cabinets

Cabinet upgrades give home buyers the option of solid wood doors rather than veneer and also allow for stylish features such as raised panel doors or a Shaker style. Also, cabinets like the Diamond line from MasterBrand provide plenty of functional features inside the cabinet including pullout shelves, lid organizers, cutlery dividers, spice racks and wine glass holders.

Lighting and Technology

Jonke encourages clients to wire for lighting if they are even considering adding a fixture to a room in the future. It is always easier to wire during the building process and then cap it off rather than add a fixture after the house is built. Some upgrades to consider include ceiling fans, recessed or track lighting and under cabinet lighting. Also, wire for the technology age with Internet accessibility throughout the house as well as cable, fax and surround sound capabilities.

Universal Design

Universal design no longer has to bring an institutional look into your home. The growing population of seniors will appreciate the new stylized elevated toilet seats, tub grips, transfer benches, decorative grab bars, and tub and shower chairs from suppliers like Creative Specialties International. Finally, a safe and functional home can benefit from today�s style options.

For more information about Moen products, contact Moen Incorporated at 25300 Al Moen Drive, North Olmsted, OH 44070-8022, call toll free (800) BUY MOEN (289-6636) or visit its Web site at www.moen.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content

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Courtesy of ARA Content

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Principles of Interior Design
by: Kathy Iven

Whether you are working with existing furnishings and fabrics or �starting from scratch� with an empty room, you should always use the elements and principles of design as a guide in choosing everything. The elements are your tools or raw materials, much like paints are the basics to a painter. The elements of design include space, line, form, color, and texture. The principles of design relate to how you use these elements. The principles of design are balance, emphasis, rhythm, proportion and scale, and harmony and unity.

Principle #1: Balance

Visual equilibrium in a room is called balance. It gives a sense of repose and a feeling of completion. A well-balanced room gives careful consideration to the placement of objects according to their visual weight. The elements of line, form, color and texture all help determine an object�s visual weight, which is the amount of space it appears to occupy. Balance also refers to how and where you place the elements (line, form, color and texture) within a room. To maintain balance, try to distribute the elements throughout the room.

� Formal balance, often referred to as symmetrical balance, creates a mirror image effect.

� Informal balance uses different objects of the same visual weight to create equilibrium in a room. It is more subtle and spontaneous and gives a warmer, more casual feeling.

Principle #2: Emphasis

Emphasis is the focal point of the room. The focal point should be obvious as you enter the room; it is the area to which your eye is attracted. Whatever is featured, as the center of interest �a fireplace, artwork or a window treatment framing a beautiful view � must be sufficiently emphasized so that everything else leads the eye toward the featured area. You can add emphasis to a natural focal point or create one in a room through effective use of line, form, color and texture.

Principle #3: Rhythm

Rhythm supplies the discipline that controls the eye as is moves around a room. Rhythm helps the eye to move easily from one object to another and creates a harmony that tells the eye everything in the room belongs to a unified whole. Rhythm is created through repetition of line, form, color or texture. It can also be created through progression. Progressive rhythm is a gradual increasing or decreasing in size, direction or color.

Principle #4: Proportion and Scale

Size relationships in a room are defined by proportion and scale. Proportion refers to how the elements within an object relate to the object as a whole. Scale relates to the size of an object when compared with the size of the space in which it is located.

Principle #5: Harmony and Unity

A well-designed room is a unified whole that encompasses all the other elements and principles of design. Unity assures a sense of order. There is a consistency of sizes and shapes, a harmony of color and pattern. The ultimate goal of decorating is to create a room with unity and harmony and a sense of rhythm. Repeating the elements, balancing them throughout the room, and then adding a little variety so that the room has its own sense of personality accomplishes this. Too much unity can be boring; too much variety can cause a restless feeling. Juggling the elements and principles to get just the right mix is a key to good design.

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