Entertainment Center Design -

We've designed and built countless entertainment centers over the years, but the old designs need some updating. Flat screen televisions are an obvious change to the design criteria, but the way that we interact with our electronic devices has also changed considerably. Unlike watching a moving in surround sound, surfing the internet or playing video games isn't done from the couch on the other side of the room. So not only has the entertainment center design changed, but the entire furniture arrangement in the room needs a look.

This modern entertainment center design can be modified to fit into a more traditional home. It's built with regular lumber and plywood, and covered with laminate flooring or similar pre-finished wood product.

The unit hangs on the wall but appears to be floating out from the surface. Space behind allows wires to hang and hookup to all of the equipment without being seen. 

LED light strips can be hidden around the perimeter to enhance the floating effect and puck lights can recess into the upper shelf.

See a short video on our YouTube channel.

Lifestyle Design Considerations

One of the most important functions for a home to perform is to meet the needs of a households' lifestyle. It would be virtually impossible to address every potential topic that might be discussed in an attempt to learn about the vision of your dream home. However, talented designers should be able to lead a discussion and help you stimulate thoughts about the function and characteristics you desire in a home. Be prepared to discuss your daily life patterns, family needs, entertainment and gathering, specialized spaces and storage requirements.

Adaptable Design addresses the changes that typically happen within a household as time passes and needs evolve. Lifestyle matters address specific uses and perhaps even some individual needs that can be solved by the design of a home. Some of the issues are related and overlap each other.

Cooking and Dining

Cooking and dining play major roles in the lifestyles of most individuals and families. Life revolves around the kitchen and dinner table. Entertaining, whether it's formal or family, can be enhanced by the kitchen and dining areas. Gatherings and the best conversations frequently seem to end up in the kitchen. Family dining space is coming back into vogue and the kitchen is often the favorite space for crafts and homework.

Entertainment and Media Center

With flat screen televisions now the dominant format, the typical entertainment center has changed. Additionally, the function of the TV has evolved and watching from across the room may not be the most popular method much longer. The internet and streaming media sources, are changing the way people access and watch information. Have you watched a group of young men playing video games or watched teenagers together, all with their own laptop or tablet computer? Consider that the conventional layout of the family room may be changing.

Fireplace, Roman Tub and Formal Dining

Trends indicate that some common amenities are falling out of favor with home buyers. Home buyers are now wondering if they even need those items that were seldom used in their last home. The trends are driven by economics and a new realization that less "stuff" might mean more time for other things. Consider how often the fireplace, Master bath tub and formal dining room are used in your current home. Alternatives might include, an outdoor fire pit, a luxurious shower and a family dining area.

Guests and Visitors

The frequency of guests and visitors should be considered in your new home design. How long do you  expect guests to stay and how comfortable do you want them to be? Who are your likely guests going to be and what are their needs? Consider these potential visitors, each with different needs:

• Out-of-town friends or family stopping by for a short stay;
• Married children and grandchildren visiting for an extended period;
• College graduate children returning home until their new life is established;
• Elderly parents moving in out of necessity or convenience, and;
• Home office clients meeting for business purposes.

Trends indicate that there is an substantial increase in multi-generation families. Whether out of need or because of culture or convenience, the design of a home can play a role in providing privacy while still addressing individual and family needs.

Home Office and Study Center

The ability to work from home has advanced tremendously with the advent of cloud-based computing. Businesses (like Groninger Homes) that are on the cloud, make information and processes available to employees from any location where an internet connection is available. Additionally, home-based businesses and online education are increasing in numbers. It seems that everyone is connected. What is your vision of a home office: is a luxurious library that is visible to guests; or is it a work center tucked away from view, or; is it connected to the up-to-date media center?

Closets and Storage

Do you use your garage for storage instead of parking cars? Over time we all seem to accumulate a lot of stuff. Some homes seem to have rooms with no other purpose than collecting stuff. That said, nearly everyone has needs for storing their stuff. An entire design meeting can be consumed with discussions about the incorporation of storage into a home. Would you believe that most of the requests we've had for separate his and hers closets in the Master bedroom have come from the husband?

We look forward to discussions with you about your lifestyle matters and the influence on the design of your home. These conversations can lead to thoughts and ideas for a special design that might be different than anything you ever considered before. Let us show you why you should be talking to Groninger Homes about your next new home project.

Front Porches

What are the elements that contribute to that comfortable "front porch feel"? We spent last weekend riding our bicycles throughout some great seaside towns along the Florida Panhandle. Apalachicola is an authentic "Olde Florida" town full of inspirational designs with nearly every home featuring an expansive front porch. 

The vacation communities of Seaside, Watercolor and Rosemary Beach all offer newer homes with character and style that certainly isn't duplicated anywhere else, anywhere! Here are links to the photo albums I assembled: Apalachicola, Rosemary Beach, Seaside and Watercolor. Enjoy!

Some of the photos may be blurry as they were all taken while riding on a bicycle. Take care.

Design Questionnaire

A design questionnaire or checklist can help stimulate thoughts when working on a new home design. 

How do occupants effect the function of the design? 
How long do you plan to live in the home? 
Can the design adapt to the changing needs of a family?
Where are rooms located and how do they interact?
What are the public and private room relationships?
What are the specific requirements of each room?
Do you have pets or frequently have guests?
Describe the type of entertaining you do.

These questions and many more can help you think through important decisions that an architect or home designer will need to develop a home design for you. Here's a thorough checklist that will really get you thinking. Please let us know if we can help in any way.

Design Questionnaire

Outdoor Living Space

The indoor-outdoor relationship likely has more impact on the southern style of architecture, than any other influence. Except for July and August here in Florida, there are several days every month that encourage spending time in an inviting outdoor space.

Design Priorities for Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency starts with good design. Of course the efficiency of nearly any home can be improved, but designing for energy efficiency is always going to yield the best results. 
Depending on the status of your project, there are priorities to consider that will have an impact on the energy performance of the structure.
   
 1. Property Selection - View lots are the most common to create challenges with home energy use. Ideally southern views are going to be beneficial and western views the most detrimental. Additionally the shape of the lot can affect the length axis of the home with positive or negative effects on energy use.
    2. Solar Orientation - Once property has been selected, the structure should be oriented to capitalize on the seasonal arc of the sun. In the northern hemisphere it's preferred to orient windows to the southern exposure and prevent heat gain on the east and west elevations.
    3. Passive Solar Design - The sun can heat our homes in the winter and even help keep us cool in the summer - for free, when passive solar design techniques are used. In this approach, the building itself or some element of it takes advantage of natural energy characteristics in materials and air created by exposure to the sun. Passive systems are simple, have few moving parts, and require minimal maintenance and no mechanical systems.
    4. Reduce Energy Demand - Some of the most effective methods to reduce energy use include: increased insulation values and weathertightness; HVAC zoning and programmable thermostats; CFL and LED lighting; and behavior modification.
    5. Increase Efficiency - Increased energy efficiency is available for a number of building systems. This is where cost-benefit analysis becomes important. Depending on the success of the previous strategies, there may be a point of diminishing returns from the investment in higher performance products. Windows and HVAC systems are the main items to fall into this category.
    6. Solar Thermal Heating (and Cooling) - Solar hot water heating is a type of thermal heating strategy but did you know that thermal solar collectors can also be used to heat the inside of the house? This is called hydronic heating and is actually quite comfortable and can be affordable. Additionally, in the right application solar thermal panels can actually be used to cool your home in the summer time.
    7. Alternate or Renewal Energy - The final upgrade to consider is the addition of an alternate energy source like photo-voltaic panels or a renewable source like a micro-hydro generator. Recent industry articles indicate the cost of PV (photo-voltaic) over their lifetime, is getting close to power purchased from utility companies. Additionally, if PV panels are amortized over a 15-year mortgage period, the cost saving and interest tax deduction may exceed the cost of purchased power. Let us help you make the calculations.

Floor Plan or Elevation?

A common challenge when designing a new home is to create an exterior elevation appropriate to the design theme once the floor plan is complete. Additionally, how do the floor plan and elevation impact the construct-ability of the structure. It may look beautiful but be prohibitively expensive to build. Many vernacular designs credit their appearance to the ease and efficiency which they could be built. Responsible design must balance all three elements - floor plan, elevation and structure.

The floor plan is often the starting place for a new design, although a strong elevation may dictate the boundaries and restrict the plan. Good designers build the home in their head while they are designing. Failure to understand how the structure is going to be assembled may create complexity that drives the cost up once the structural engineer starts his calculations. It's also important to understand that the engineer usually doesn't contribute until the design process is nearly finished, whereby changes may be costly.

Groninger Homes can contribute to the design process of your home to ensure streamlined execution. We'd like to design and build a new home for you but can help even if you have your own designer and/or builder. Let us show you why you should be talking to Groninger Homes.

Themed Design

Theme is another approach that supports the design and budgeting of a project. The featured home had a strong design theme that reflected a historic architectural style. Decisions were made based on the interpretation of appropriateness to the style. We researched photos and publications, to achieve the right combination of products and finishes to compliment the architecture.

Even the floor plan can be influenced by architectural style. Since vernacular architecture was most-often designed within a regional climate, the lifestyle of the occupants dictated how spaces were used and related to each other. Porches, roof pitch and exterior finishes are the most recognized influences.

Additional benefits to the themed design approach include, timeless appeal, enhanced lifestyle, energy efficiency and improved comfort. Feel free to ask how we can help you benefit from this and other aspects of functional design.

Cat Boxes

After posting photos of the new kittens that were visiting last night, I received a couple questions about the box where they were sharing their dinner.

On one side of our laundry room we built cubbies for the kids clean laundry and school books, etc. The two cabinets sit on a bench that is open underneath. Beneath the bench I built two rolling boxes that could be used for storing shoes or sports equipment. In our case we use them as cat boxes.

The box on the left has another shallow box that sits down in it. The shallow box has a removable liner for the cat litter. The box on the right holds food and water.

Both of the boxes can be easily rolled out for cleaning and someday if we become empty-nesters (without a cat), we can use the boxes for some other purpose.

Choose a Builder for Product or Service?

My friend, Tracy DeCarlo just posted an article describing one of the reasons many home construction projects go wrong. She hit one of the nails right on the head. Lack of specifications and an incomplete set of construction documents, expose the owner to potential change orders and expensive oversights. Omissions and inadequate allowances are typically the culprits when one builder's price is substantially less than another's. But there's another issue that often sets the stage to cautiously approach the selection of a home builder.

Most buyers choose a builder based on their product, not the service they provide. Few builders win awards for their service although many are recognized for award-winning designs. Some builders have a keen eye for details and aesthetics, but the reality is that most designs are the work of someone other than the builder. The point here is to focus first on the service provided by the builder, then consider the product. Do the skills and processes demonstrated by the builder indicate that they can manage the project efficiently without surprise and extra cost? Ask your builder about the procedural systems they use for managing their projects.

Adaptable Design

Adaptable Design refers to the ability of a home to suit multiple and changing needs of its occupants. As a family grows or ages, their needs for space and functionality evolve. There are several considerations related to the specific needs of a family but also to the changing demographics of what defines a family and the occupants of a home.

The life-cycle of a conventional family follows a somewhat predictable path, but this of course depends on the definition of "conventional". Several new descriptions of family types have been coined in recent years and demographics are constantly changing. 

Adaptable design attempts to address the needs of the changing family unit and allow a home to serve its occupants over time without compromises or expensive renovations.

The process of designing for adaptability starts with a look at the family unit:

• Families with young children usually desire bedrooms that are grouped together. Young children may actually prefer sharing a bedroom or bathroom with a sibling.
• Pre-teen children may not yet require privacy, but have some specialized needs that include study space and entertaining their friends. Spaces shared by the family may not be suitable for activities that include video games and internet browsing.
• Teenagers desire privacy for themselves and their friends. The home where the teenagers prefer to hangout may (or may not) be conducive to healthy growth of the family.
• When children leave for college, the home may have an empty feeling, but parents are often reluctant to downsize too quickly in case of "rebound". The current economy and lifestyle of young working adults has contributed to more college graduates moving back in with their parents.
• The number of multi-generational households is also on the rise. As well as the above factors, increased lifespans may contribute to elderly parents moving into the family home. Add to that cultural preferences, and the number of households with three or even four generations under one roof is on the rise.
• Empty Nesters are frequently active and social, but not yet ready for retirement. Without the additional family members under the roof, they want to entertain or travel, and be free from maintenance or management of a large home. Their needs have evolved away from "family" but they might still want some space for family members when they come to visit.

For these reasons and many others, adaptable design should allow a home to function successfully through as many of life's phases as possible. We look forward to discussing your household needs and creating a special home design just for you.

These two homes both feature courtyard floor plans with cabana suites which are ideal for in-laws, college students or an office with private entrance. Please follow these links for more:

Hamilton Residence

Lujo Rustico

Design vs. Budget

Understanding the budget goals of the project requires a good understanding of construction costs, something that many designers are not qualified to do. Conceptual and preliminary estimating should be available during the design process to prevent surprises and manage the design to the budget. Many projects have remained on the drawing board when the owners discover that the cost to build is over their budget.

Designing to a budget is an effective way to ensure that a design gets built. Once again, by beginning the estimating process during the design phase, surprises can be minimized. When establishing a conceptual budget, we have some tricks that help us understand the owners' needs:

• Architectural Digest, Southern Living or DIY magazines
  Depending on the type of design magazines that the owner prefers, we can get a hint of where we should establish a budget. The high-design and details shown in Architectural Digest are demanding and some builders may have difficulty achieving the level of quality; Southern Living magazine demonstrates attention to detail but is not as demanding, and; DIY is usually about achieving bang-for-the-buck at the best price.
• Aluminum or Wood-Clad Windows
  There is a broad range of window preferences among many home buyers, from: specific name-brand high-end products, to; no preference at all. While the wood-clad windows are more expensive, the preference is often driven by demand to achieve a high level of quality and performance. These expectations can influence many of the other products and systems within a home.
• Appliances and Plumbing Fixtures
  Appliances and plumbing fixtures can be large ticket items within a home's budget, but the customer selection has more to do with the overall budget than just the appliances or fixtures themselves. It's been our experience that when buyers want specific appliance and plumbing fixture brands, they won't compromise otherwise. We can reduce the size of the home or make other cutbacks to save money, but they often will not consider other brands.

Did all that make sense? These are our observations after working with dozens of owners. Establishing a conceptual or preliminary budget can be more involved that just adding up costs. A good estimator can help establish a realistic budget, and then a good designer can design within the budget.

Design Strategies

There are two sides to the process of designing a home - aesthetic and functional. Even if "form follows function", design preferences play a key role in managing the expectations of the customer. Some people are drawn to the work of a designer because the aesthetics appeal to their taste, while others prefer designs and styles they are familiar with. In all cases, good design is a function of understanding, what the customer likes, what they need and, what they can afford.

Photos and scrap books are a great way to collect design ideas. During the early stages of the design process, try not to think too literally. Use your ideas to inspire the designer. Show the designer what you like without telling him or her what you want. You may be surprised what a little thinking outside of the box will achieve. Allow the designer to express his interpretation of your requests. He may have ideas and solutions that you hadn't considered.

The personality types of both the designer and owner, play roles in the design process. There's a big difference between practical and flamboyant. Accountants, athletes, entertainers and CEO's may have completely different agendas. A responsible designer should know which type of owners he can please and refer others to another designer.

Dog Trot

Long before air-conditioning was invented, homes throughout the southeastern United States were designed to capture cooling breezes and shade their occupants from the hot southern sun. The Dog Trot is a design that was common during the 19th and 20th centuries, that was used with various architectural and regional styles.


The plan consisted of two enclosures connected under one roof and separated by a breezeway. Typically one enclosure would be used for cooking and dining, and the other used for living and sleeping spaces. The separation kept the heat of the kitchen out of the remainder of the house. 

The additional benefit of the breezeway was its ability to capture breezes and actually increase the velocity of air movement. With the help of deep overhangs or front and rear porches, even the lightest breeze was captured and funneled between the two enclosures. By opening doors and windows to the breezeway, and windows on the far side of the enclosures, cross-drafts were created that removed heat and made the living spaces more comfortable.

Modern home designs can benefit from lessons of the past. As energy costs continue to rise, it makes sense to look back at the techniques that were used to remove heat and improve comfort in our homes. Zoned living spaces, large overhangs, covered porches and cross-ventilation can all contribute to the architectural style and performance of the Southern Home.

courtesy of Dan Gregory, Architect

Green Certification Process

Each of the green certifying programs uses similar checklists for tracking the green components of a home and calculating the overall performance rating. In general "Green" can be categorized into: 

• Property Characteristics; 
• Site Development; 
• Water Conservation; 
• Energy Efficiency; 
• Smart Resources; 
• Durable Construction; 
• Indoor Health; 
• Environmental Awareness; 
• Waste Management; and
• Operations and Maintenance.

Each comprises several methods of varying values that meet the intent of the category. The process is an integrative whole-building approach where points earned in one category may benefit or impede performance elsewhere. 

A preliminary analysis can be performed during the home design phase so that goals can be established for development of the project. Some of the most cost-effective and beneficial results can be obtained by incorporating green decisions into the early design phase. 

Design Priorities for Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency starts with good design. Of course the efficiency of nearly any home can be improved, but designing for energy efficiency is always going to yield the best results. 
Depending on the status of your project, there are priorities to consider that will have an impact on the energy performance of the structure.
1. Property Selection - View lots are the most common to create challenges with home energy use. Ideally southern views are going to be beneficial and western views the most detrimental. Additionally the shape of the lot can affect the length axis of the home with positive or negative effects on energy use.
2. Solar Orientation - Once property has been selected, the structure should be oriented to capitalize on the seasonal arc of the sun. In the northern hemisphere it's preferred to orient windows to the southern exposure and prevent heat gain on the east and west elevations.
3. Passive Solar Design - The sun can heat our homes in the winter and even help keep us cool in the summer - for free, when passive solar design techniques are used. In this approach, the building itself or some element of it takes advantage of natural energy characteristics in materials and air created by exposure to the sun. Passive systems are simple, have few moving parts, and require minimal maintenance and no mechanical systems.
4. Reduce Energy Demand - Some of the most effective methods to reduce energy use include: increased insulation values and weathertightness; HVAC zoning and programmable thermostats; CFL and LED lighting; and behavior modification.
5. Increase Efficiency - Increased energy efficiency is available for a number of building systems. This is where cost-benefit analysis becomes important. Depending on the success of the previous strategies, there may be a point of diminishing returns from the investment in higher performance products. Windows and HVAC systems are the main items to fall into this category.
6. Solar Thermal Heating (and Cooling) - Solar hot water heating is a type of thermal heating strategy but did you know that thermal solar collectors can also be used to heat the inside of the house? This is called hydronic heating and is actually quite comfortable and can be affordable. Additionally, in the right application solar thermal panels can actually be used to cool your home in the summer time.
7. Alternate or Renewal Energy - The final upgrade to consider is the addition of an alternate energy source like photo-voltaic panels or a renewable source like a micro-hydro generator. Recent industry articles indicate the cost of PV (photo-voltaic) over their lifetime, is getting close to power purchased from utility companies. Additionally, if PV panels are amortized over a 15-year mortgage period, the cost saving and interest tax deduction may exceed the cost of purchased power. Let us help you make the calculations.

AC Ducts in the Attic

The Greenhouse Effect causes a typical attic to become super-heated in the summertime. For this and other very important reasons, we now realize that AC ductwork doesn’t belong in a typical vented attic. After 50 years of installing AC ducts in the wrong place, why are we just realizing this now?
First a little history lesson...

In 1947 mass-produced, low-cost window air conditioners became possible as a result of innovations by engineer Henry Galson, who set up production lines for a number of manufacturers. That year, 43,000 window air conditioners were sold in the United States. By 1969 more than half of new automobiles were equipped with air conditioning and most new homes were built with central AC.
(Ref. National Academy of Engineering. www.greatachievents.org)

In 1952, in Pompano Beach Florida, the metal plate connected engineered wood truss was invented and patented. The invention marked the beginning of the truss industry, that is still dominating building construction all over the world. (Ref. www.truss-frame.com )

It’s interesting to note that nearly all of the renowned Florida architectural styles pre-date World War II. After costs doubled during the 40’s and early 50’s because of increased cost of labor and materials, many new homes were downsized and simplified.  These modest homes proliferated across the American landscape. It was an extremely significant time in our country’s history with returning veterans from World War II and the Korean War, creating a huge need for simple, secure housing. Tract home communities sprang up across the country, and the suburbs were quickly filled with new homes - all part of the American dream.
(Ref. www.floridahistorichomes.com)

Additionally during this time period, mass-produced concrete blocks became readily available and spurred the growth of Florida concrete industry giants, Rinker and Florida Rock. At the time concrete block seemed like an ideal building material to fill the need for low-cost housing also fueled by population migration into the state. Hence, the now well-known basic Florida construction style developed: slab-on-grade; concrete block walls; and engineered wood trusses for the roof structure.

Since most homes in Florida were built without basements, the attic became a convenient place to install the AC ducts. Energy was cheap and air-conditioning was a welcome necessity, so until recently AC ducts have been going into a typical attic and few builders and designers ever considered otherwise.

There was a brief interest in increased energy efficiency after the OPEC oil embargo of the 1970’s, but it quickly faded as the affluence and growth of the American economy influenced the purchasing decisions of home buyers and builders. In another post, I’ll discuss how this same affluence has degraded building performance and brainwashed the consumer into comparing homes using cost-per-square-foot analysis.

www.resconserv.com