Hot off the Press: New Photos

Here are photos of one of our more contemporary style homes recently completed.  This one was designed and built in-house by our on-staff architecture department and construction managers.  This family came to us at one of our recent Parade of Homes because they needed a builder they could trust to take care of everything, since they lived overseas during the entire design and construction process!  Who says you have to stress out over building a home?  As this owner will gladly tell you, they occasionally asked each other, “I wonder what Jenkins is going to do about the _____?  Oh well, they will figure it out.”  When they came back to see the home completed, it was like receiving the best birthday gift ever!  They walked it with us, gave us the punchlist (which wasn’t even very long, thanks to Jeff, our Construction Manager), and signed off on everything.  From our standpoint, it was one of the most successful projects we have ever done, and this isn’t the first time we have built a home while the owner lived far away.  It is becoming more and more normal for us to build for out-of-town clients.  Anyway, here are some of the photos of this home.

Remember the Kids Table?

Did you ever have to sit at the kid’s table growing up?  I did.  I couldn’t wait until the day I got to sit at the grown-up’s table, either.  Well, we recently designed a home for a family that reminded me of this age-old tradition. This particular family needed a version of the kid’s table.  Then, they also needed a table that could accommodate the adults at family gatherings, like Thanksgiving, or “Grandma-just-dropped-by Day”.  After discussing their needs, we thought that the younger children needed to be able to climb right into their own chairs (which needed to be standard table height).  However, the older kids probably didn’t mind climbing into bar-height chairs.  Plus, the Mrs. didn’t want people to be able to see right into her Kitchen in case it wasn’t spotless.  So, in response to these needs, we designed the Kitchen as shown at right, above.  Notice that it just happens to fit their entire family for day-to-day eating (the “Eat-in Kitchen”).  Well, trust me…it does.  Then, we designed the Dining Room (right next to the Kitchen) for the adults.  The Dining Room is the first room you see when you enter through the front door;  so, besides being a show-piece with its rock and brick arches, it also seats overflow guests (the “grown-ups”).  Ahhh, life is so much easier now for this large family with a busy lifestyle!  At breakfast time on those busy school days, Mom just pours the cereal and passes out the bowls without more than just a few steps.  For bigger meals, she puts the food out on the side serving bars (right and left) and lets everyone serve themselves. Plus, she always feels good knowing that all her guests have a place at the table.  You know what they say, “If Momma ain’t happy, ain’t no one happy!”  Well, I’m happy to report that Momma is happy, and isn’t that what good design is ultimately all about?!  Incidentally, this home won a state-wide award (Texas Star Award) for its Kitchen design.

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.

Top 8 Design Considerations for Your Outdoor Living Space

There are many facets to good outdoor kitchen and living design. At Jenkins Custom Homes, we have a copyrighted “Lifestyle Analysis” process in which we ask questions about how our clients plan to live in the spaces of their home, including the outdoor spaces. Our design team then creates their unique home, complete with the outdoor kitchen. Here are some of the questions we ask our clients to help determine what they will need in the way of an outdoor living space.

Livability

How serious are you about grilling? How often will you be preparing meals outdoors? Would you like to be able to prepare the entire meal outside? With the variety of appliances available, this is entirely possible.

Appliances

We recommend Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances to all our clients because they offer the greatest quality and selection.

Orientation

Where will the afternoon sun be in the summer and in each of the seasons? This is a critical component to orienting the outdoor kitchen, as you do NOT want the afternoon sun right in your eyes when you are grilling. Instead, you want to be standing in the shade with a ceiling fan above you. This will discourages insects from hanging around as well.

Cross-ventilation

Which way does the breeze blow? Grills produce a lot of heat and smoke so be sure you have good cross-ventilation.

Time Spent Outdoors

How much time will your family actually spend outside? Do you enjoy looking at the outdoors from the inside, or do you enjoy being outside? This will help you evaluate whether you need a TV or fireplace outside, or even possibly incorporate the entire outdoor experience into an indoor/outdoor game room. Or maybe you prefer a solution that allows for enjoyment of the outdoors when the weather is nice but utilizes a screen system that closes out the bugs and captures as much as 90% of the home’s air conditioned air when the screens are closed. In the photo to the left, you can just see a hint of the screen system in the slots within the columns, but otherwise can’t tell they are there.

Choose Your Style

What type of materials will you use? Is your primary objective longevity, or beauty, or perhaps functionality? Will you use stone and stucco, with stainless doors and drawers or marine grade lumber with African mahogany doors? We recommend a natural stone tile counter top for covered areas or solid surface counter top such as granite for open air outdoor kitchens.

Flow and Access

Think about the flow of traffic on a daily basis, when it is just your family at home. What shape works best? L-shape or U-shape? Or perhaps something more custom, like a cart you can roll out when you grill? A note about access from the kitchen: we find that a pass-through from the kitchen to the outdoor space really cuts down on the number of trips to and from the kitchen.

Entertaining

Finally, when you host a get-together, how many guests will you have in your home and what ages will they be? Think about where you might have a bartender if you have a really large party. Think about your sister-in-law who drinks too much…maybe you need a soft chair in the shade (near the bar) for her so she doesn’t fall and hurt herself. Each situation is different, and only you know your situation.

Resources:

• http://Blog.NewHouseBuilder.com
• http://www.NewHouseBuilder.com
• http://www.wolfappliance.com
• http://www.kivahome.com/