Comfortable House

You don’t have to hop on a plane and travel thousands of miles to find a relaxing retreat. Just step outside your front or back door. Now anyone can transform the exterior space around their home into a beautiful, carefree haven using vinyl columns, decking, railing, and fencing that revitalize home facades and yards—without breaking the bank or incurring a lifetime of upkeep hassles.

How about a vinyl deck that starts in the garden and climbs toward the treetops? Or a welcoming wrap-around porch with elegant vinyl columns? It’s easier than you think to create an enjoyable, unique outdoor space or give your home exterior a beautiful facelift. With so many affordable, low-maintenance choices available, homeowners have fresh opportunities to get creative without committing weekends every year to repainting and re-sealing worn outdoor surfaces. And, let’s face it, who wouldn’t rather relax on their breezy backyard deck with coffee and a good book?

When rejuvenating your home exterior, materials matter. You want durable weather-resistant products that add beauty and style—vinyl is the best choice for decks, porches, columns, rails, and fences. Of course, vinyl materials never have to be painted or sealed. Most wood, if not painted or treated regularly with sealant, can warp, split, and rot from moisture damage or attract termites and other critters seeking their own refuge.

“Decks and porches can extend living and entertaining spaces into the lush outdoors and function as the heart of any home sanctuary. Their design is limited only by your imagination and type of system you choose,” said Deron Manwaring, National Marketing and Sales Manager, Royal Outdoor Products.

A backyard deck can be ground-hugging and garden-friendly—or it can zigzag, wind, and soar upward, depending on terrain and budget. Front porches can be as inviting as they are elegant. Interlocking vinyl plank systems, which ensure fast, easy, error-free deck and porch installation, are perfect for people who want decades of reliable use, eye-catching beauty, and carefree maintenance. Decorative vinyl railing, posts, and trim add finishing touches.

Vinyl columns can give any home a fast, high-impact facelift. They add striking details to your home entranceway, front porch, or backyard deck. Vinyl columns should come ready-to-install with no paint needed, or prime-coated with flaw-free, ready-to-paint surfaces, so you can add your choice of color. If you have an older home with weathered columns or posts, you can replace them or purchase Decorative Column Wrap housing that cleverly hides worn supports.

Different styles of fencing, made from vinyl can create the enclosure you desire behind, in front of, and all around your home. “Fencing can be installed to follow the landscape for a natural and rugged look, or it can be uniquely configured to enclose a garden, patio, pool, hot tub, or other personal hideaway, ” said Manwaring. For a secluded space, choose solid fencing styles in various heights for different degrees of privacy and coziness. Picket and decorative fencing can be used anywhere to enhance home beauty and serenity.

Finally, look for vinyl products with a limited lifetime warranty (not that you’ll ever need it). For more information contact: Royal Outdoor Products, P.O. Box 360, Milford, IN 46542-0360. Phone: 1-800-488-5245. Fax: 1-877-725-3325. Web Site: www.royaloutdoor.com.

New innovations are allowing homeowners to create some of the most uniquely charming looks with siding. It used to be that having siding panels meant a home was destined to look like so many others, but today’s siding offers outstanding dimension and vibrancy through a wide spectrum of colors and various richly-textured profiles.

The siding from The Foundry^® is a new breed of premium vinyl siding that combines maintenance-free living with a bold color palette and the classic natural appeal of cedar shakes and shingles.

With more than 100 different molds from real cedar used to craft The Foundry’s Shake and Shingle panels, the authentic texture of handcrafted cedar shakes and mill-sawn shingles is achieved with random grain variations and detailed depth and dimension. While many home-building materials manufacturers try to replicate the appearance of wood, often falling short on aesthetics, The Foundry delivers a true representation of cedar with a seamless appearance and no noticeable pattern.

These panels provide the warmth and charm of cedar, while eliminating the maintenance that wood requires. Offered in the industry’s widest color palette, no painting, staining or sealing is ever needed with Foundry siding.

Rich texturing is taken to an exceptional level with The Foundry’s Weathered Collection, which is now being expanded to give homeowners even more color and texture options. The Weathered Collection’s coloring provides the uniquely beautiful look of cedar that has weathered over time. It is accomplished through a proprietary process that creates different tonal qualities using a darker shade of color in the grain, and a lighter one on higher points.

Crisp contrast is created within each Weathered Collection Shake or Shingle, but the grand effect for a home is a warm and variegated color field that is saturated with character.

In a whole-home application, these panels make an eye-catching statement on each side of the house. For additional texture and a personalized look, Weathered Collection panels can be combined with materials such as brick or fiber cement to bring unique appeal. Used with stone veneer, the Weathered Collection offers a home outstanding dimension with a timeless look. The Shingles and Shakes are a classic complementary fit for a stone wainscot or door surround.

As an accent in roof gables, the Weathered Collection provides additional architectural interest to draw gazes upward. The panels’ texturing can gain an even greater focus when set off by crisp trim designs, and posts or columns, creating elegantly detailed scenes.
A new introduction to the Weathered Collection’s palette is a true cedar color that features natural gold and brown tones, and undertones of subtle pinkish-red that add a hint of rose-colored blush. This authentic finish delivers rustic charm and warmth, and continues the Weathered Collection’s tradition of paying homage to nature through its range of light, medium and dark earth tones.

All Weathered Collection panels offer a 7″ exposure, while the Staggered Shake panels also have an available 10″ exposure that works to heighten its rugged design appeal vertically. Shingles have natural surfacing and random mill saw marks, Split Shakes are defined by peaks and grooves along the grain that create interesting shadows, and Staggered Shakes feature an uneven pattern and rough-sawn butt ends for a completely handcrafted appearance.

In addition to their style benefits, the panels have superior durability. An ASA cap maximizes color appearance, so while the panels look authentically weathered, their design and color will keep their integrity through Mother Nature’s storms and blistering sun. Foundry Shakes and Shingles are backed by a limited lifetime warranty.
The Foundry is a division of The Tapco Group™.

With more homeowners searching for ways to be environmentally-responsible, pocket doors are sustainability’s secret weapon. They consume no usable floor space and can be completely hidden away in the wall. In addition to maximizing floor space, they provide enhanced privacy and beautiful entries. Pocket doors allow builders and architects to design more energy-efficient, right-sized homes that deliver cost-savings and outstanding space utilization.

Homes with smaller footprints feature optimized living areas that consume fewer building materials and generate lower energy bills. With their smarter functionality, pocket doors are an effective, easy way to reduce a home’s carbon footprint.

With Johnson Hardware’s pocket door systems, homeowners can easily create improved door designs. It all starts with the pocket door’s space-saving utility. Where a traditional swinging door can require 8 – 10 sq. ft. of usable floor space, a pocket door takes none. Envision the additional usable floor space generated by replacing a dozen swinging doors with space-saving pocket doors. It could save 120 sq. ft. of floor space – that’s less to build, and less to heat and cool. Taking into account a value calculation of $150/sq. ft., the space-savings would equate to $18,000.

Having this additional usable floor space means families gain a place to put a needed bookshelf or lamp, favorite piece of artwork, vibrant flowering plant, or other desired furniture or furnishings. In terms of simple comfort, a pocket door makes a room seem roomier.

Pocket doors can also maximize open floor plans with their virtually limitless design potential. With Johnson Hardware’s heavy-duty pocket door frame, a homeowner could use doors that weigh up to 300 lbs. and have a maximum interior entry opening of 90 sq. ft. A doorway this size, using converging pocket doors, offers great traffic flow and versatility. One large room can seemingly be created out of two when the converging pocket doors are open. When not in use, rooms can be sectioned off to save on heating and cooling costs.

Pocket doors are also recognized for their universal design factor and benefits for aging in place. They are easier to access by those who use a wheelchair or a walker to assist with mobility. While a swinging door can be difficult to maneuver around, a pocket door that glides easily into the inside of the wall offers no obstacle. With wheelchairs requiring a larger doorway, these doors can be pushed and pulled easily, riding smoothly on Johnson Hardware’s jump-proof tracks and ball-bearing rollers. Johnson systems are designed to last a lifetime, using commercial-grade, three-wheel or four-wheel hangers. As residents age in place, the pocket doors will remain easy to operate with Johnson’s quality-tested and guaranteed components.

From high-density urban neighborhoods to new environmentally-conscious single-family homes and multi-family communities, building for optimal space needs is driving sustainable living. Pocket doors give homeowners the solution for the most usable space. In new construction, the Johnson pocket door frame is a fast installation for homebuilders. For existing homes, making a change to more efficient pocket doors is also an easy project. A remodeler or experienced do-it-yourselfer can install a Johnson pocket door frame in minutes, with just a few tools.

To learn more about Johnson Hardware and to see a full range of sustainable interior entry solutions, visit www.johnsonhardware.com or call 800-837-5664.

The winners of the 2009 Awards for Design Excellence (ADEX) have been announced, and Lightline^® door canopy products from Feeney, Inc. have been selected for the top level Platinum award. ADEX, sponsored by the international trade publication Design Journal, is the largest and most prestigious awards program for product design of furniture, fixtures and finishes marketed to the design trade. Every year a judging panel of professionals representing a cross section of the design industry selects the best product designs from a field of over 1,200 entries submitted by over 400 companies.

“We were thrilled to hear that the Lightline^® canopies had won a Platinum ADEX 2009 award, especially given the depth of the product entries,” said Del Leutbecher, Director of Business Development at Feeney, Inc. “Since it was first introduced in the United States, the Lightline^® product has inspired an incredibly enthusiastic response from the design and construction communities, and this award is a gratifying acknowledgement that we’re on the right track.”

Lightline^® canopy products are manufactured by Polymer Kunststoffe GmbH of Germany and distributed in the United States by Feeney Inc., Oakland, CA. These products have been widely used in Europe to shield people from the elements when they leave their homes or businesses. The manufacturer has taken an old concept of over-door canopies and awnings and created new, modern designs using innovative materials: stainless steel support arms, integrated aluminum gutters and UV resistant acrylic visor panels in a variety of finishes.

“Lightline^® canopy products require no custom design or one-off fabrication,” said Del Leutbecher. “Each canopy comes in an easy-to-assemble kit with all the hardware necessary to assemble and install; plus, a patented Click-Lock pane attachment feature makes installation a breeze without drilling holes through the acrylic visor panes. Simply insert the panes into the frame, lower the support arms, and snap the Click-Lock ends together. These canopies offer eye-catching designs that are easy to use, durable, low maintenance and sized to fit almost any standard doorway.”

Lightline^® canopies are available in a variety of styles. The Gable Canopy looks best on a pitched roof configuration; the rounded Arch Canopy works well with both modern and traditional designs; and the simple, versatile Curve Canopy complements virtually any doorway.

Kits also come in several standard widths ranging from 5 feet to 9 feet, and the Curve style even has an extended, multi-panel model that allows for continuous widths, a useful design for commercial storefronts.

For additional information on the ADEX award or Lightline^® canopies, please contact Andrew Penny or visit www.designjournalmag.com or www.lightlinecanopies.com. Detail drawings and 3-part specifications for the Lightline^® products are available for downloading from the website. Members of the media can get the latest news from Feeney at www.feeneyarchitectural.com/media

DesignRail^® aluminum railings from Feeney, Inc. are among the many prominent products featured in the NextGen “First to the Future” National Demonstration Home in Las Vegas. The 5,200 square foot, 5 bedroom home is a showcase of modern, next generation living ideas with a focus on four basic themes: strong, green, efficient and digital.

The DesignRail^® railings are installed on the foyer stairway and balcony of the NextGen home and include a silver powder-coated aluminum frame with stainless steel cable infill. These railings were selected for the project because of the durability, low maintenance, and environmental integrity of their materials as well as their innovative design details that ensured an attractive finished product.

“The characteristics of the DesignRail^® line blend perfectly with the ‘stronger’ and ‘greener’ concepts of the NextGen project,” said Del Leutbecher, Director of Business Development at Feeney. “Not only do our aluminum and stainless steel products contain a high percentage of recycled raw materials, but they are also incredibly strong and durable with long usage cycles and low maintenance costs. And our state-of-the-art, powder coating line emits no V.O.C.s or heavy metal waste, uses a non-chromium pre-treatment wash, and reclaims 93% of the waste water via a reverse-osmosis membrane filtration system.”

The DesignRail^® systems are designed for quick and easy on-site assembly using pre-engineered components that snap and screw together without any welding, grinding or special finishing. All of the rails and stanchions are made from high-strength 6000-series aluminum that contains a minimum of 25% reclaimed content. In addition, the lightweight nature of aluminum reduces shipping costs and related fuel use and makes the parts easier to handle on the job.

The aluminum components are available in 8 standard colors and over 200 custom colors to suit virtually any design requirements, and the tough powder coated finishes adhere to rigorous AAMA-2604 coating specifications for lasting performance.

Available with the system are ADA compliant applied grab rail designs, 5 different styles of cap rails, and 4 post-mounting options. Infill options include CableRail™ stainless steel cables (used on the NextGen project), tempered glass panels and aluminum pickets.

The low maintenance benefits include no rusting, peeling, splintering, cracking, or repainting, issues that are typically associated with many other types of materials and railing systems, and Feeney offers a 10-year warranty on the powder coated finishes and stainless steel cable infill.

For additional information on the NextGen project and DesignRail^® aluminum railings, please contact Andrew Penny or visit www.nextgenhome.com and www.designrail.com. Detail drawings, 3-D Sketch-up models and 3-part specifications for the DesignRail^® products are available for downloading from the website. Members of the media can get the latest news from Feeney at www.feeneyarchitectural.com/media

Few home projects do more to enhance the overall beauty of family homes than clean, sparkling, windows. Although generally affordable, easy enough to perform, and requiring little in the way of materials, the window-washing project is perhaps the easiest chore to put off for another day. Here are some suggestions for maintaining classy glass inside and outside your home:

Organize the scope of the project and the options for getting it done. How many windows? How often would you like to have them cleaned? What are the options for getting the job done?

If you live in old three-story house with 92 windows, the options are fairly straight forward. You can ask the local window cleaning service for a quantity break, or divide the windows by the number of week’s year, and then tackle them at a rate of two or three each week. A third option involves renting a scissor lift at your local home store annually or semi-annually to make the outside part of the job as safe as possible.

New houses with even large numbers of windows often have the advantage of lift out panels that can be quickly cleaned and replaced. Again, a workable schedule can be a big help if you plan to do it yourself. Professional window cleaner’s can do the job for less than you probably imagine when working on a continuing contract.

Outside windows suffering from long-term neglect may challenge the skills of professional or do-it-yourself window cleaners, but are clearly worth the extra effort.

Materials:

Window cleaners come in all sizes and shapes. Spray-ons are perfect for a quick clean up with no muss or fuss. Vinegar water and steam cleaning are favorites for removing residue from past cleaner formulas. Also, there are commercial products that can be power sprayed onto outside windows. Be careful about power spraying in areas that might cause paint peel in nearby trim.

For the really dirty outside windows your will want to try a commercial window-cleaning solution or strong sudsy-ammonia solution in hot water. It can be applied with a padded telescoping applicator or brush, and removed with a rubber squeegee from ground level or from a platform ladder. Rinsing will prevent the dull film that sometimes follows heavy-duty use of cleaners.

Window Dressings:

Curtains, drapery, cornices and blinds can change the look of a room dramatically. While wide wooden slats blinds can make rooms on the sunny side of the house habitable, reducing glare and helping to control the room temperature, sheer curtains or sheer drapery let in the sunlight for fully brightened rooms, and open the possibilities for a full spectrum of color. Likewise, matching blinds, whether vertical of horizontal unify large rooms and give an orderly look inside and out.

ABET LAMINATI, a leading manufacturer of High Pressure laminates, continues its tradition of daring, innovative design with Serigrafia — now in a raised Longline finish. The 16 new designs, produced by ABETs special silk-screening techniques, emulate exotic fabrics with a slightly raised surface of vertical lines. In addition to wallcovering, this laminate can also be used on furniture or any application that does not require a horizontal surface.

When combined with the already existing Serigrafia line of 21 dazzling designs in a smooth surface, the new silk-screened patterns bring the total number of choices to 37. Each sheet of postforming Serigrafia is individually silk-screened and measures 51 inches by 120 inches.

ABET LAMINATI continues to be the leader in high pressure laminate design. As with all our products, the Serigrafia line is in stock at ABET’s U.S. distribution centers as well as local distributors across the country. For further information call 1-800-228-2238 or 201-541-0700, fax 201-541-0701.