Metallic materials will always have a place in trendy, uber-cool spaces, but this year introduces copper as the new black. When it comes to this season’s trends, copper is unparalleled and provides a welcome escape from the cold, stark stainless steel fixtures that have dominated interior design for years. Our client chose this stunning copper lighting for their guest bathroom - it warms the cool space while bringing a hint of Morocco to this elegant powder room.

The bathroom is arguably one of the most important rooms in the house. It’s where you start and end your day, and for some, it’s the only place you can grab five minutes to yourself! If you’re looking for something completely different for this room, copper lighting will highlight the minimalist or industrial vibe and give you free reign to contrast with other textures and colours.

Again, practicality is key when it comes to the bathroom, and copper is a go-to for many, thanks to both its resistance to rust and its warm, relaxing aesthetics. In this sense, copper interiors are as practical as they are indulgent.

Behind this beautiful Mediterranean inspired home lies a myriad of green features, sustainable systems and finishes.

One such system feels timely given the scarcity of water we are facing in the west this year.

Drought-stricken California’s homeowners may be thinking about grey water as a means to reuse this precious substance. However, before the advent of the Grey Water system, developed in Australia, called the Nexus system, the main way to use grey water was by diverting water from baths and laundry directly into the yard and onto landscaping.

The system of tubes and tanks filters and disinfects the water with ultraviolet light, employing a unique patent-pending three-stage process that is said to make the water “near potable,” and after being filtered and disinfected, the water is stored in a 200-gallon storage tank. The potential for watering savings is exponential with this device and may cut water use by 1/3 while producing hot water from taps in 3-5 seconds.

How? The system does this by extracting waste heat from grey water via a heat pump, with the heat then transferred to clean water in another storage tank.

This also allows super-fast delivery of water, with hot water available from taps in only 3 to 5 seconds. Not only is this a convenient feature, but the homeowner doesn’t have to turn on the tap and wait for water to get hot — something that can waste a gallon or two.

Every little step we take to conserve water helps with the severe drought we’re facing in the west. ☀️

This is the same home from an earlier post when we talked about visual storytelling - the opposing view showing the front of the home and how it seamlessly integrates into the surrounding hillside and foliage. The roof and siding colors were chosen to ensure they are within the town’s required LVR - the light reflective value.

What is LRV Anyway?

LRV, or Light Reflective Value, refers to how light or dark a paint colour will look on a scale of 0 (black) to 100 (white). The higher the LRV number is, the lighter the colour is. The lower the LRV number is – the darker the colour is. Many towns have LRV requirements when building or remodeling a home. It’s important to ask your architect, designer and/or contractor about these requirements prior to committing to an exterior color for your home. Woodside, as one example has clear guidelines on LRV and color choices:

1. Select colors and materials which fit with the natural environment, thesite, and the neighborhood. Materials which retain the appearance of their natural finish are preferred. Lighter colors should be used in settings where they are appropriate, such as meadows as opposed to redwood forest.

2. The use of lighter colors may be appropriate for structures that relate to the historic vernacular of Woodside.

3. Color and material choices should be consistent with the building’s architectural style, building location, and mass. Muted colors that complement the surrounding natural landscape are preferred. Excessive variation in color is discouraged.

4. Roof colors should be inconspicuous when viewed from a distance. Select roof colors and materials that limit glare.

Blending in with the surrounding area creates a sense of symmetry, is visually soothing and ensures neighboring homes complement one another.

Virtual storyboards are an easy way to help clients visualize their finish choices. Building a custom home is exciting, but there are hundreds of decisions to be made, and using tools such as renderings, 3D modeling, and storyboards helps our clients see the “finished” project. Our PCS team of industry experts guides our clients through each step; listening and collaborating, educating, and providing value engineering ensures a personalized building experience for every client.

In the midst of the holiday season, we reflect upon what matters most during a challenging time of year, made all the more so, with the pandemic. As a team, we focus on our core values and work to ensure we embody them with each choice we make, this being one of them: “Maintain environmental and social responsibility in every decision.” 

With that in mind, some of our team spent a Saturday building bikes with the Turning Wheels for Kids organization. We are grateful that our founder and CEO Dave Edwards has volunteered with this “bike build” event and is supportive of our entire team participating. 

Dave believes in giving back to our community and shares, “I am constantly looking for new ways to improve the lives of those around me, from opening doors for the elderly to donating food and serving the homeless.  The pandemic has really reinforced my realization that we are incredibly lucky just to have a home to live in, transportation and food to eat. I have also realized that none have been more disadvantaged and impacted by this pandemic than children of the front line and essential, workers, who are also often the poorest of our population.  I have been a devoted cyclist for 35 years and I know the freedom you can feel while out riding a bike, seeing new things, breathing fresh air and absorbing the suns rays.   Building bikes for children in need, so they can experience these same feelings, is just a small thing I can do to help empower kids who need even bit of freedom they can get in these times of Zoom classes, curfews, cancelled sports seasons and lockdowns.” 

Turning Wheels for Kids’ works diligently to collect funds to purchase and assemble bikes, then distribute them to worthy, established children’s charities for their holiday giving programs. Each year, they look forward to the annual Big Bike Build where in one day, all bicycles are assembled for the holiday giving program by groups of community volunteers. 

This year, our Project Manager, Kristen Diaz-Kleiboer also brought her two children to help. “Being a part of the 2020 ‘Turning Wheels for Kids’ was meaningful to me because it combined several things I like to do: create something together, help others and have teachable moments with my daughters, all while having fun. This year was especially important as my daughters Theresa (9 years old) and Da’Naya (8 years old) were able to participate with me.” states Kristen. Her daughter Theresa says “It was fun building bikes and getting to help others get bikes.” While Da’Naya summed it up perfectly “It was AWESOME.”

Holidays are about giving, and we’re proud of our team for their commitment to our community.  

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What COVID19 has taught us about Green/Sustainable Building?

The Covid19 Pandemic has created disruptions in the supply chain, further revealed changes in the world’s climate, and brought further light on the equity and diversity issues both locally and globally. Those in the building industry who have advocated green building practices are facing new challenges and struggles. This panel discussion will feature 3 experts in the green building industry who will share their experiences and responses to the pandemic in the built environment.

Join us on Wednesday, November 18th, 2020 from 6:00-8:30pm as our Founder and CEO, Dr. Dave Edwards joins two other green building experts for a panel discussion on this educational and highly relevant topic. “What has COVID-19 taught us about Green/Sustainable Building?”

Discussion points will include:

• Identify the issues surrounding material supply, health and wellness, climate change, and building design affected by the Covid 19 pandemic.

• Illustrate the appropriate uses for green concrete, its availability, and its inherent properties as it relates to climate action and disruptions due to the pandemic.

• Discuss how the pandemic and other 2020 events have changed architects, builders, manufacturers, and clients’ perceptions and calls to action on green building practices.

• Explore ways that architects, builders, and product manufacturers can advocate and educate the public on green building practices that will improve their health, safety, and welfare and to be better stewards of the Earth for future generations.