Are you building a new home, doing an extensive remodel or just updating your kitchen? Fulton Homes offers a fabulous design center to help you get it “just right”. They say a man’s home is his castle and at Fulton Homes we want to help you create your own palace, especially when it comes to one of the most used rooms in your home – the kitchen.

While many of you have already have ideas about your countertops, paint and flooringwe can help you add those few extra touches that will make your kitchen a chef’s showpiece.  They say the devil is in the details and here are a few that you may not have considered….hoods, wood, side by side refrigerators and ceiling fans. Yes, this seems like a lot of miscellaneous information but by paying attention to these details your kitchen will be a dream.

With the popularity in range hoods, some homeowners are choosing wood hoods. These hoods can be matched to selected cabinetry from both Timberlake and Karmen.  As the hood becomes a focal point in many kitchens, adding the warmth of wood makes an exciting statement.

Along with wood hoods, you may want to consider a wood panel refrigerator. Using the wood motive again and again gives the kitchen a very integrated look.  Both the GE Monogram and the GE Profile have a wood panel option. You can view these products at Envision, otherwise known as Fulton Homes Design Online™, an online portal into the Fulton Homes Design Center. Use the design checklist on the right to begin browsing products and options.

For those you who want a state of the art kitchen, GE has recently come out with a new option from Monogram that be can used as an extra refrigerator for a large kitchen or other area, as well as taking two of them and placing them side by side. The refrigerator features a top section for refrigeration, a middle section for ice and a freezer and a bottom section that is convertible to either freezer or refrigerator.  It takes about six hours to convert back, making this an extremely versatile appliance.

How about installing a water lineup for both reverse osmosis and soft water systems?  We carry both DuPure and GE as they offer an instant hot reverse osmosis system and a salt-less soft water setup.

And while you may be busy thinking about wood hoods and refrigerator paneling, water systems and state of art refrigerators, don’t forget that the kitchen is a great place for a ceiling fan. Fulton is proud to offer a large fan selection from Kitchler.

With over 30 years of homebuilding experience Fulton Homes has been helping homeowners get that “castle (or in this case) the kitchen of their dreams”. Please visit our design center to get started.

This store makes no bones about what it is about – high prices. It seems to present the “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” attitude. This may draw some customers in, but most value-minded people would laugh and turn away.

Sometimes durable home purchases such as flooring, appliances and countertops may make you feel that there should be signs like this all over the store. But unlike clothing, these items are an investment in your home’s value, appearance, and comfort that lasts for years and never goes out of style.

Just as a silk blouse is more expensive than cotton, some materials cost more to produce and install. It’s up to you whether the look and feel of a silk blouse or a stone floor or countertop is worth the additional cost. Cotton can be beautiful in a different way, and tile or granite can make a room beautiful if stone is not in your budget.

One good way to make value decisions is to take the cost difference between two types of materials and divide the amount by the number of years you plan to live in your home. If you plan to be there for the next ten years, would you be willing to pay X additional dollars every year to have the more expensive product?

Every choice involves evaluating costs and benefits. Instead of thinking in terms of cost, look for value. Consider durability, resale value and how it will make your home look. When you balance cost against what you receive for your money, you can get past sticker shock and make the best choice for you and your home.

The Valley’s Most Ample Showroom Opens its Doors to Remodelers and Potential Homebuyers and Prospective Homebuyers

Fulton Homes invites all Valley residents to their Design Center for “Browse Night” every first and third Thursday of the month from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Design Center is a comprehensive showroom that features affordable design trends and tangible models for every home floor plan. “Browse Night” is open to the community with no appointment needed, giving the Design Center the opportunity to showcase how their magnificent showroom to potential homebuyers and those looking to remodel. Fulton Homes Design Center is located at located at 1241 W. Warner Rd. in Suite 106.

“As the leading home builder in Arizona, we see it as an obligation to have the most innovative and inclusive showroom for prospective homebuyers and those who are looking to modernize their homes.” said Dennis Webb, VP of Operations for Fulton Homes. “Browse Night is the perfect occasion for the community to discover what the Design Center has to offer, view hands-on displays and find out what it will potentially cost to redecorate their homes.”

Since the Design Center’s inception, it has been the Fulton Homes’ goal to be the greatest design showroom in Arizona, providing incomparable display models and samples than any other showroom.  Fulton Homes instills this initiative by continually evolving their style to keep up with trends. The 13,000 square foot showroom showcases a bountiful of home design selections including kitchen fixtures, countertops, appliances, flooring, cabinets, lighting and bathroom furnishings.  Professional Design Consultants assist each client by working with their personal style and budget to redecorate their home. Designers counsel on simple home upgrades as well as complete remodeling projects.

The Fulton Design Center is the first showroom in Arizona to provide an online tool to preview present design options.  Customers are able to create a “Wish List” to gain better understanding of what is available at the Design Center, and what would be best fitting for their home.

“Designing a home is a process that should be enjoyable to the client,” said Patrick Crowely, the Design Center’s Director of Business Development. “At the Fulton Homes Design Center, we enjoy undergoing the design process with each client, making the experience of remodeling a home pleasurable, informative and affordable.”

For more information on Fulton Interiors complimentary Browse Nights, please call (480) 302-3333 or go to www.fultonhomes.com and click on the “Fulton Interiors” link.

Jumping visually from your sample choices to your final floor or kitchen or bath can be a real challenge. If you find it hard to visualize, the process is even more difficult. Here’s a quick tip that can make your decision process simpler.

For example, flooring is easier to visualize if your sample is actually on the floor. Once you narrow your choices, place the samples you are considering on the floor and stand right at the edge of each one in turn. How do you feel about the color, tone and texture of each now that you’re looking at from the installation distance and angle? Everything from the contrast inherent in a tile, wood or stone floor to a color or tone shift as the light hits carpet from the floor will help you make your final choice.

Take the same approach when it comes to kitchen and bath selections. This is a bit more complicated. Position every piece in as close to the final installation angle and distance as possible. (You may need several people to help with this!) Step back and see how they come together.

Visualizing is all about taking a few small pieces and imagining a complete room from them. This is always complex, but taking this simple step can give you a whole new angle on your space. We are here to help you through the entire process.

Does the thought of walking into a design center to make your home selections seem overwhelming to you? Think about bringing someone along to help reduce your stress and make the process easier and more fun.

You don’t need a design expert because you’ll find that with us. Instead, invite someone whose taste you admire, and that you can trust to be supportive without being overbearing. This may be a friend or a relative. Sometimes your spouse is your best partner in this process. Other times, it’s better to leave him or her out of the process until the final decision. Parents or siblings may be a good choice also.

Whomever you select, think about why you want them along, and let them know your goals. Do you just want moral support, or do you want real advice on your selections? Do you get easily confused? Possibly you need someone who can help you focus as you narrow your choices down to a manageable few.

Whatever your goals, be sure to make the final decision yourself. If you let someone else, no matter how close, control your choices, will the home ever feel like yours? The only exception to this is a spouse. Make sure you make selections that you both feel good about. Finally, if your friend is actually making the decision process more difficult for you, end the session and make plans to come back later on your own. It’s OK to do that; it’s your home and there’s no point in wasting time if you’re not getting closer to a decision.

Adding in another person can help you clarify your decisions and make the process much more fun and less stressful for you. Don’t be shy about asking. Most people will be flattered that you want to include them.

New home construction can be a complicated process that requires adherence to schedules to keep the process running smoothly.

As a new homebuyer, you have a responsibility to make decisions, in regards to your home, in a timely manner. It may not seem important to you to choose certain things as far in advance as you are asked, but trust us! There are many things that go on behind the finishes you see at the end that need to be addressed very early in the construction process. Any delay in these decisions can effect multiple people, schedules and deadlines that you ma not even be aware of.

For Fulton homebuyers, structural options, which are options that change the footprint of the home, must be finalized at the Structural Option Finalization, which is 10 days after the initial contract.  We won’t be able to change any of the structural options at the Design Center. You must make all other option selections at the design center within 30 days of contracting your home.

With Fulton Homes, you have the opportunity to personalize your home with the interior finish options provided by your builder. We hope that with the posts we offer in this blog that we can help prepare you for this process by providing you with answers to some of the questions you may have. For other posts on the design center process, please click here.

Now that you know what to expect from your design appointment from one of our previous posts, here are some of the tips and guidelines to help you prepare for your design meeting.

First of all, seize the opportunity! You may have already asked yourself “why should I upgrade now when I can do it on my own after I move in?” With Fulton Homes, you will experience one stop shopping in your own personal appointment with a trained consultant. In most cases, you will be able to roll the cost of the options into your loan. Nevermind having to race all over town from one store to the next in search of the right products and reliable installers. Now is the time to install options without disrupting your home. Changing your ceramic tile, carpet, hardwood or other products after you move in can be an extensive process. Be advised that you may risk damaging your home and it can sometimes void your warranty on other installed products.

Your Fulton Homes contractors have been carefully selected. They have the proper insurance, quality assurance practices and warranty commitments that provide you with the peace of mind that you will receive quality products that are expertly installed. Lastly, we encourage you to make the most of your selection meeting by bringing with you a cushion off your sofa, a fabric swatch from your new chair, a paint chip or even a picture from a magazine of a beautiful room that inspired you.

We hope these tips will help you in preparation for your design meeting. If you would like any further tips, please let us know by leaving a comment here!

Selecting the products that will turn your house into a home can be a daunting process, a process that requires your time, creativity and commitment.  There are so many decisions to be made from flooring to countertops to other interior finish options and we’re sure that you have many questions.

We want to help prepare you for your appointment by providing you with the expectations, tips and guidelines that will enable you to make your selection process run smoother and be more enjoyable! Today’s post is about expectations for the process.

WHAT TO EXPECT

To begin with, you should expect to have a great appointment! This is one of the fun parts about buying a new home. It’s your opportunity to select the products that you like with the advice and guidance of a trained professional. What else could be better?

Just like every homebuyer is different, so is every homebuyer’s design appointment. Knowing what to expect before walking into your appointment will help you prepare.

Foe example, Fulton Homes Design Center is a 13,000 square foot facility right off of Warner Road east of the 1-10 in Tempe. At the center you’ll see thousands of choices of options such as Appliances, Cabinets, Flooring, Countertops, Structural Wiring, Window Coverings, Doors, Lighting, Electrical fixtures, ceiling fans, bathroom and kitchen fixtures, outdoor kitchens, garage systems, closet systems, and even fireplaces with plasma TV’s.

We realize that with this many option selections, in all of our homes; the Design Center process can be overwhelming. That’s why we have created the first on-line design center in Arizona. Our buyers can preview and even save options in their own home, well before their actual design center appointment.

When you initially purchase a Fulton Home, you are set up with a “MyFultonHome ” account, and with this account you can access almost all of the options that are available for your particular plan, in your community. With other builders, the sales associate will usually give you a 10 page listing of all of the options that are available, in some sort of code. Some may or may not have prices, so when you finally get to the Design Center you have to make many decisions in a relatively short period of time without much preparation. With Fulton Homes Online Design, you can view pictures, warranty information, descriptions, and prices for this vast array of customized touches for your new home.  Not only can you see what the price is for each option before you purchase, but the site will display how much that option is going to cost per month.  You can also compare options ensuring that your final selection is right for you. These options can be saved and prepared in advance of you appointment and the Design Consultant can review your saved items with you at the appointment. Upon completion of your appointment, your selections will be finalized.

At Fulton Homes, we believe your Design Center experience should provide you with adequate time to become confident and familiar with your choices. However it is vital to the construction process that selections be finalized at your meeting.  For this reason, it is in our mutual best interest that you utilize the significant preparation tools that we offer.

Your appointment may last just a few hours or may require two meetings. The time allotted is solely dependent on your available options and your personal decision process. Once again, preparation is the key. If you have questions prior to your Design Center appointment, please contact your Sales Associate.

Since you will be spending several hours making some permanent design selections, we ask to make child care arrangements and not bring children to the Design Center.

At your Fulton Homes Design Center appointment, you’ll meet with your Design Consultant.  He or she will briefly guide you through the process and review any items that you have saved on your Fulton Homes Design Online program. He or she will be your main contact throughout the appointment, although you will interface with subject matter experts in Cabinets, Appliances, and Structured wiring. These three areas can be so detailed and sometimes confusing, that Fulton Homes wanted to have experts in each of these areas available for all of our homebuyers.

Also, remember to bring your checkbook. A deposit will be required when you finalize your selections.

We hope this information helps you understand more about the Design Center process and how Fulton Homes handles this process. Stay tuned for more information about the Design Center Process.