Bethany Jenkins Quoted in Article on Virtual Golf

In an article entitled Teeing Up Indoors which appeared in the June/July 2011 issue of Urban Home Magazine, author Sue-Ella Mueller highlights the Interactive Sports Technologies, Inc. product, “High Definition Golf” (HD Golf™).  She writes, “It may sound like a video game, but HD Golf™ is nothing like your kids’ Tiger Woods PGA Tour5 game. With a Linux operating system, sophisticated computer vision (smart cameras) for ball and club tracking and simulations of the top golf courses in the world, HD Golf™ combines the best of the best to produce a simulated indoor golf experience that will have you swearing you just finished playing Pebble Beach^®.”

Jenkins says it isn’t always necessary to work with a room in your home. ”A garage enclosure would be ideal for a golf area and would probably be fairly easy to remodel,” she says.

Jenkins Custom Homes showcased the golf simulator in their 2010 Parade of Homes™ entry.  In that home, Jenkins built an indoor/outdoor media room specifically for the installation of the system.  Mueller quotes Jenkins Vice-President, Bethany Jenkins, as saying, “We had sliding glass doors that opened up to an outdoor living space with a view of an Austin hillside. Then when you turned back inside, you had breathtaking views of famous golf courses.  It was easily the favorite room of almost every man on the home tour.”  Mueller goes on to write that “Fortunately for the homeowner who was not a golfer, the space was also the perfect media room and since the HD Golf™ system doubles as a home theater system, families can adapt a larger, current media room for the simulator.”

For the complete article, click here.

Shan Jenkins Quoted In Article On The Future Of The Home Spa

Recently, Jenkins Custom Homes owner, Shan Jenkins, was quoted in the Urban Home Magazine in an article entitled “Home Spa…Just Add Water”. The article, written by Sue-Ella Mueller, describes how bathrooms have progressed in recent years, and what the future holds. She writes, “With everything from air tubs to automated toilets, from hidden televisions to champagne spray showerheads, the bathroom is now being designed to be our greatest indulgence.”

In that vein, she interviewd Shan to learn about the flat panel televisions we have installed in our homes that are hidden behind the bathroom mirrors. “We use two-way glass to hide a flat panel television,” says Shan. “The important thing with these types of TVs is to provide enough ventilation so that the TV doesn’t overheat.” Mueller writes that “You can now compare your reflection side-by-side to that of Matt Lauer’s or Meredith Vieira’s.”

Mueller also asked Shan about the new window glass we are installing in our homes. Jenkins is one of the few builders who is working with this new type of glass, which is clear until “an electrical current that runs undetected through the glass, is turned on. The glass then goes to an opaque, frosted appearance for privacy purposes.” She quotes Shan as saying:

We recently put this glass in for a homeowner whose bathroom looks out over the hills. Now the homeowner can flip the current for the glass while they get undressed. Then, once they are afforded some modesty from the bathtub walls, they can let the glass go clear and enjoy their view while relaxing in the tub.

Mueller concludes by saying “Everything about these new bathroom products screams relaxation. A bathroom like this would become your own private haven, a sanctuary from today’s stressful living.”

You can read this article in its entirety on the Urban Home website.

Belvedere Kitchen Event

On September 12, Shan and Bethany Jenkins – owners of Jenkins Custom Homes – hosted a kitchen event at the Belvedere Community on Hamilton Pool Road. The event was well-attended and the response, overwhelming! Several of the attendees requested a copy of the seminar notes so here is an overview of what was discussed.

Good Kitchen Design

There are many facets to good kitchen design. At Jenkins, we have a copyrighted “Lifestyle Analysis” process for designing your home that starts by asking questions about how you plan to live in the spaces of your home and ends with a home designed around your personal lifestyle. Here is a modification of that system of design, brought to the scale of just the kitchen.

What Type Of Cook Are You?

No matter who is doing the cooking in the family, they definitely have a cooking style. Is it typically either the “quick and easy cook” or the “serious chef”. If you find yourself constantly trying out new recipes from the Food Network, you are probably the “serious chef”. The “serious chef” needs more appliances, solid-surface counters, and plenty of workspace; whereas, the “quick and easy cook” needs a kitchen that is functional but also easy to clean.

“Kitchen Behind The Kitchen”

The “kitchen behind the kitchen” – or the “back kitchen” as it is also known – is a popular trend right now. The “back kitchen” can be used for food preparation and can contain the mixer and blender, a refrigerator, a microwave, and even an oven so that even the most “serious chef” – or even those who prefer to “grab it and go” – can make a mess without worrying about the company seeing it. For those who prefer to have events catered, this is a great location for the caterers to set up their service.

Entertaining

Entertaining is multifaceted. First, ask yourself “How often do I entertain”? If it’s twice a year for your relatives, then you really only need to consider the re-sale value of the home when designing your space and not focus too much on the entertaining aspect. If you entertain once a month or so, you may want to give it a little more thought. For instance, when you entertain, is your cooking part of the evening’s entertainment or does the cooking take place before everyone arrives? Also, do you typically entertain indoors or outdoors – or both? The answers to these questions will help determine the size and shape of the island, the proximity to the outdoor kitchen, as well as the amount of space needed between the sink, refrigerator, and primary work space. It also may dictate that you really need two sinks and possibly two dishwashers. Ask yourself “How many guests will I have at once and what ages will they be?”. Think about where you might put a bartender if you have a really large party.

Livability

Another important question to ask yourself is “How many cooks are typically in our kitchen at once?”. Will you need one workspace or two? More and more families are cooking together, and that means you need more space, both in terms of workspace and work flow within the kitchen. Other questions you need to consider are “How many people would you like to seat at the bar or island?” and “Do you plan to have a separate breakfast table?”. Each situation is different, and only you know yours.

Vision

When planning your kitchen, you need to establish a style that leads you toward a particular end product. Zig Ziglar has said, “If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.” So ask yourself “What one keyword describes your vision for this space?”. Is it “inviting” or is it “clean” or maybe “Tuscan” or “commercial”? What type of sink and plumbing fixtures fit into your vision? Do you imagine a copper sink with copper plumbing fixtures? Or is does your vision include an undermount sink with sleek clean lines and stainless steel fixtures? Only you know how you want the kitchen to look, and defining that vision will help you determine the materials you will use, the stain or paint colors, and any “wow factors” that you may want to add. It all depends on that vision.

Appliances

We always recommend Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to our clients. They were recently chosen #1 by J.D. Power and Associates, plus we have found them to have the absolute best performance and look for the kitchens we design. However, choosing a cook top or range and refrigerator is just the beginning. Think through all the possibilities for kitchen appliances. For instance, the microwave – do you want a microwave drawer, or do you prefer the more traditional unit? Or consider the refrigerator – are you a Sam’s or Costco fanatic? Then, you may need the 48″ Sub-Zero. You can never have enough refrigerator space! Then there is the oven and cook top – do you want a double wall oven with a stand-alone cook top, or an all-in-one range unit? This decision is really just about your personal preference and not so much a performance issue, but it is a decision you must make nonetheless. Even something as minor as the ice maker deserves consideration. How much ice will you need for your parties? Is the ice maker in your Sub-Zero enough, or do you need more than that? Do you require wine refrigerator, and if so, is under-counter enough or will you need a full sized unit? Do you need one dishwasher or two? What about a warming drawer or pizza oven or perhaps a trash compactor? For even more options, see your local Kiva Kitchen & Bath representative.

Access And Flow

Do you want the kitchen to be the hub of your home? Do you want it to be open to the great room? Some people don’t want anyone walking in the front door to be able to see into the kitchen. Think about whether that is important to you. Others want the kitchen to be open to the great room and like people to feel invited to come into the kitchen right away. These are just a few of the things to consider in terms of access and flow.

Making It Yours

The bottom line is that when you design your kitchen, you will never regret the time and effort you spend making it yours. Your kitchen should reflect your family, your lifestyle and your vision. When it does, you will be living your dream.

How It Works

“People think that it’s this veneer – that the designers are handed this box and told, ‘Make this look good!’. That’s not what we think design is.  It’s not just what it looks like and feels like.   Design is how it works.”

- Steve Jobs

Although volumes have been written in the pursuit of defining “good design”, the above quote, taken from page 10 of the book Design Is How It Works by Jay Greene, may be the best summary of that elusive definition that I’ve found.  Makes sense – considering the source.

However, if you think about it, this quote can be reduced to that age old adage, “Form vs. Function”. That is really what he’s saying isn’t it?  Form without Function doesn’t make good design.  It may look great, but if it doesn’t work, what use is it?

Although I never thought of it in exactly those terms, that really is at the heart of the design/build philosophy of project delivery.  Unless the architect and his team of professionals seamlessly collaborate with the builder and his team of professionals, the “how it works” part remains illusive.  Frankly, the Jurassic method of employing the architect to oversee the builder is woefully inadequate.  You would think that with modern technology that method of project delivery would be as efficient as ever.  Not so.  Technology has quickly advanced construction materials and methods at a pace and breadth beyond what the architect and builder can master together, much less separately.  Add the rapid adoption rate of BIM (Building Information Modeling) to the equation, and it becomes even more apparent the need – or better yet, requirement – for better, more efficient team collaboration.

Accepting the requirement for collaborative design/build, there is no way to execute this philosophy better than within the walls of the true design/build firm.  Separately, the architect and builder will always rest on their primal need for self preservation.  In other words, at the end of the day, the architect ultimately only cares about his reputation and his business, and the same goes for the builder.  Within the true design/build firm, this basic conflict is removed as neither discipline is more important than the other, and the client is the ultimate winner.  Finally, when the designer and builder are united in matrimony, they can give birth to their twins “Form” and “Function” and ultimately, the project (home) not only looks great, but IT WORKS great also.  Ahhhh – triumph!

Autodesk® Revit® Architecture

We have a new secret weapon here at Jenkins Custom Homes: Autodesk® Revit® Architecture. According to the website: “Autodesk® Revit® Architecture building information modeling (BIM) software helps architects and designers gain a competitive advantage with tools that enable you to design freely, keep information better coordinated, and deliver more efficiently.”

For our residential designers, this means that “From conception to construction documentation, [they can] design projects within an intuitive environment.” For our clients, it means it is now possible to see – and experience (through virtual reality) – their developing home before the design is even completed! According to Jenkins Vice-President, Bethany Jenkins, “It’s pretty amazing…The design of a home can now happen faster and clients can get real time feedback.”

Beyond 3D modeling, with Autodesk® Revit® Architecture, our residential designers can produce “photo-realistic” drawings like the one seen here. This is especially helpful for our clients who are not local. We can email screen shots and drawings of their home as the design develops.

Except for the picture above, all of these are drawings of homes that are currently in the design phase or are already under construction here at Jenkins Custom Homes.

J.D. Power Ranks Wolf #1!

As one of their preferred trade partners, we at Jenkins Custom Homes want to congratulate Wolf Appliance for taking top honors in the J.D. Power and Associates rankings for Range/Cooktop/Oven!

The press release states that “The Kitchen Appliance Satisfaction Study measures customer satisfaction in three product categories: dishwashers; refrigerators; and cooktops/ranges/ovens. Customer satisfaction is measured based on performance in six factors: performance and reliability (including how well the appliance functions, noise level and energy efficiency); features (such as the number of settings available and appliance capacity); ease of use; styling and feel; price; and warranty…Among manufacturers of cooktops, ranges, and ovens, Wolf ranks highest with a score of 812, and performs particularly well in five of six factors: ease of use; performance and reliability; styling and feel; features; and warranty.” Congratulations, Wolf!