Upscale Kitchens and Bathrooms Need Extraordinary Materials

 House of Rohl, specializes in exquisite handcrafted plumbing fixtures and materials for the bathroom and kitchen. Based out of California, the company is family-owned and operated and is the perfect company to refer to when creating a one-of-a-kind bathroom or kitchen. Here are some products to consider when designing a kitchen or bathroom.

Victoria + Albert Volcanic Limestone Baths and Sinks

Volcanic limestone is a beautiful material to use in a luxurious bathroom. The white rock is formed when immense heat and pressure from liquid magma transforms surrounding limestone.  This volcanic limestone is the primary material for Victoria + Albert bathtubs.

Each of these bathtubs is hand-finished and cast from one piece of stone. The bathtubs are chip and crack-resistant. The bathtub is naturally white but can be customized in any color in a gloss or matte finish.

Shaws Fireclay Sinks

A great option for a chef's kitchen is the Shaw fireclay sinks. Each sink is handcrafted by the Shaw family in England. The process of creating the piece has been passed down for over 100 years.

The sinks are created by pouring liquid clay into porous molds and then drying for 40 hours. Once dried they are then smoothed by hand and glazed. A specialty kiln is used to fire the sink for two days. The method is called slip casting and creates a sink with clean lines and natural shapes.

Perrin & Rowe Brass Taps and Fixtures

Another company that is located in England is Perrin & Rowe which specializes in water fixtures. There is no mass production each piece is handcrafted. They hand-forge brassware taps and sanitaryware from the best quality brass. Each piece is hand-molded and hand-polished and plated with a protective coating.

‘Brassware is also assembled by hand and each piece is individually water-tested,’ say the company founders. ‘Our casting plant in Wolverhampton is one of the last of its kind, carrying on a tradition that’s over a hundred years old. But what distinguishes us most is our high standard for performance and beauty. Because precision isn’t our method. It’s our mission.’

What you choose to use in your kitchen and bathrooms can make or break the design. An upscale bathroom and/or kitchen is a great selling factor when it comes to listing your home.

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Ways To Create a Healthy Home

 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic is now a part of our lives, more homeowners now than ever focus on living in healthier homes. The link between a homeowner's home and their health is very important nowadays. The wellness and health of a homeowner are not based on the price point of their home, as the necessity for a healthy home spans across all price points.

Hayward Healthy Home five principles give great tips to design and construct a healthy home. These principles are continuous fresh air, proper sealing and insulation, cleanable surfaces and healthy home habits. A healthy home has a quieter inside environment and has an even temperature year-round.

Other ways to create a healthy home include using non-toxic materials and products, keeping good installation practices and design strategies. Examples of these include using wide-plank floor with a fresh water-based finish, no/low volatile organic chemical paints and finishes, appliances that were unboxed and left outside for 24 hours to allow them to off gas before installation, an induction stovetop, a steam oven, and a separate ventilation system in the garage.

“..when you make a home healthy, you also make it tight and energy-efficient, so you get that value, too. So health is really the powerhouse that’s going to make this change happen on a much faster scale than the drive to energy efficiency,” says Bill Hayward, CEO and chief sustainability officer of Hayward Lumber and founder of Hayward Healthy Home Score.

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St. Tammany Parish School District's Tax Renewed

 St. Tammany Parish voters approved the St. Tammany Parish school district tax to be renewed. The tax renewal will bring $102 million to the school district. Voters were in favor of the four property taxes that total 42.72 mills.

The school district's current budget is close to $453 million. The renewal of the property taxes will cover a big part of the district's budget. The money will be spread between general school operations, employee salaries and student educational programs.

According to St. Tammany schools Superintendent Frank Jabbia, the taxes will go into effect starting in 2023 and will be collected for 10 years. The communities votes were as follows. For the first property tax, 54% of the residents voted yes for the 4.42 mills that would bring in around $10.52 million per year. The second property tax vote was yes for 55% of the residents. This tax is for 32.41 mills and would collect around $77.1 million annually. The third property tax would be at 3.14 mills and would collected around $7.4 million a year which 54% voted yes. The fourth property tax got 53% of the voters approved and will bring in around $6.5 million per year at 2.75 mills.

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2021 Third Quarter Sees A Strong Boost In the Vacation Home Market

 

The NAHB Home Building Geography Index (HBGI) released in December 2021 shows an increase in permits for second homes. The counties in the country with a high ratio of vacation homes have seen a big spike.

“Over the last year, second-home markets have increased their market shares, due to increases in hybrid work arrangements, early retirements and wealth gains in housing and stocks,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz.

New construction growth has taken off in the second home market. The growth rate for single-family homes in the second home market was 36.1%, this is a rise compared to the non-second home market average of 23.2%.

In the past year, the housing market for single-family homes has been booming in suburban areas. The report shows that the higher density markets are coming back. This is not the case in the multifamily construction sector. Permits for multifamily projects were higher in smaller cities and rural areas than in larger metropolitan areas.

“As more workers transitioned back to the workplace, there was a rebound for housing production in urban core markets, as well as ongoing growth in exurban areas,” said NAHB Chairman Chuck Fowke. “And while builders are still grappling with affordability headwinds in both small and large markets, this rebound in housing production in some higher density markets where building is more costly highlights the need for policymakers to reduce housing supply barriers that are driving up home prices.”

“Although all geographies are showing construction growth, the suburban shift is less pronounced than we’ve seen in prior quarters as some higher-density markets see a rebound even as exurbs continue to expand,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz.

Single-family permit growth data for the third quarter of 2019 and 2020 was 5.6% in large metro communities while it was 12.3% in the suburbs. The current report for the fourth quarter of 2020 and 2021 shows an increase of 21.1% in large metro markets and a 30.8% increase in the suburbs.

For multifamily permits, the 2020 and 2021 data show they fell from 40.5% to 37.9% in higher density markets while they rose from 24.9% to 37.2% in the smaller communities. This is a large shift in this market. Historically, year-to-year changes in multifamily market share are usually slow to develop and rarely move more than one percentage point higher or lower. This makes these latest year-over-year numbers noteworthy.

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2022 Kitchen Trends For Your Home

 

The kitchen is the heart of the home and is a very important space. This has become even more prominent since the pandemic. Here are the 2022 kitchen trends the industry is sharing.

1. Sunny Celebration

Bright and open spaces have become very important, especially since homeowners have had to stay indoors during the stay-at-home orders. The new year brings joy and brightness. The color trends for our kitchen are nice yellows, burnt oranges that are set against cool blues and light whites. The contrast will make a room pop.

2. Two-Tone Upgrade

This look was seen at the end of 2021 and seems to be hot in 2022. Two-toned kitchens are in! Even though they contrast in color, the look is streamlined and complementary shards are used.

3. Natural Pink

Nice pastels such as pink have become a trend for the color of the 2022 kitchen. Th pastel shades give a neutral and refreshing look to your space.

4. Sands of Time

This dune-colored palette is sure to make your kitchen look serene. This design is popular for 2022 and is said to be a Minimalism and Scandinavian design combined.

5. Matte Grey

Is it grey or gray either-or, this color is a great stylish design for your kitchen. Touch-to-open cabinets in a matte grey gives a simple and sleek design.

6. Natural-Inspired Green & Oak

They say that green is a calming color. Bringing green into your kitchen is a trend you will see this year. Expect to see kitchen cabinets in colors inspired by wood-land hues such as brown and greens.

7. All that Glitters

Another trend you will see this year is a metallic accent in your kitchen. A new trend will be dark cabinets with a metallic backsplash.

8. Countertop Continued

A nice countertop in the kitchen can boost your kitchen's look. A trend to see this year is waterfall kitchen island tops. These countertops look seamless and simple in design.

9. Backsplash & Beyond

Kitchen backsplashes have been a trend for a while now. There are many to choose from and countless designs. The 2022 trend for backsplashes will be a wrap-around backsplash. This means the backsplash will go from behind the stovetop to the ceiling and down onto the floor.

10. Practical Alternatives

Wooden beams or steel poles are being incorporated into the design of the 2022 kitchen. Also, steel countertops are the rage, they are easy to clean and durable.

11. Fully Integrated Smart Kitchens

Smart homes are becoming the norm now. Smart technology allows for smaller, more conveniently shaped appliances in the kitchen.  These appliances are energy efficient and can make your life easier. A smart fridge can actually let you know when you are running low on a particular grocery item!

Remember that the kitchen is the heart of the home and can bring family and friends together. Make sure to spruce up your kitchen for the New Year.

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Experts Predict Record Increase in 2022 for Conforming Loans

 The housing market has had some price increases in homes in the past year. The spike has not only hit the home buyer's pockets but has pushed the limits of conforming loans to what experts anticipate may be record increases in 2022.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the maximum loan limit will be close to $1 million for high-cost areas for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Those loans that are over the loan limits will be considered non-conforming or jumbo loans and will also be charged higher interest rates.

Many home buyers are excited about the increase. Those in high-cost areas will now not be considered jumbo loans. "There are so many benefits to having a conforming loan, increasing the loan limits will be huge," said Melissa Cohn, Regional Vice President at William Raveis Mortgage.

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae are not lenders but they buy loans back from lenders and turn around and sell them to investors. In turn, loans are cheaper for lenders and they can offer better rates to their consumers.

Now with the higher limit for conforming loans, more homebuyers will qualify. The consumer will spend less on their down payments and can have a lower credit score to be approved.

This change comes as the home prices have increased around 7.42% between the third quarter of 2019 and 2020. Due to the rise, the baseline maximum conforming loan limit will increase.

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A New Steakhouse In Slidell

 St. Tammany Parish could see a new steakhouse at the proposed Camellia Bay Casino in Slidell. The restaurant will be opened by New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees and renowned chef John Folse.

Brees is confident in his partnership with chef John Folse who Brees describes as a "Louisiana culinary icon." Folse not only is a chef but also does TV & radio work, a restaurant developer and the founder of the John Folse Culinary Institute.

Brees, who just retired from the Saints the past year supports the casino project. Not only will there be a casino resort but also a $35 million youth sports complex that will be funded by P2E the company that will bring the casino to Slidell. Peninsula Pacific Entertainment (P2E) is a development company based out of Los Angeles, California. The company will build the casino and operate it.

The Camellia Bay Casino plans to have a total of seven restaurants on site. The casino will be located in East St. Tammany Parish just outside of the city of Slidell. The $325 million project is described as a luxury resort and will also feature an Outdoor Amphitheater, resort-style pool & lazy river, a new dock & Marina, and a convention center.

The revenue and jobs from the casino would be an advantage for St. Tammany. The project is on hold until residents will vote on whether to reverse the 1996 vote to pan casinos in St. Tammany.

“I know that winning is about building the right team. Chef John Folse is a Louisiana culinary icon. And P2E has a proven track record of successfully building first-class resorts like I know Camellia Bay will be. That's why I'm so excited to announce our collaboration on our first signature steakhouse. We want everyone to come and experience the exceptionally high standard we have for our food here in Southeast Louisiana, with an added touch of my personal history playing for a region I love so much,” said Drew Brees.

“In Louisiana, you can’t have a good time without great food. I am proud to be a part of this tremendous opportunity for St. Tammany Parish,” said Folse. “Together with the team at Camellia Bay, we will build a first class-restaurant that is worthy of the association with one of Louisiana’s Greatest of All-Time - Drew Brees. We hope voters in St. Tammany will vote yes so we can make this a reality.”

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