Industrial and Traditional Styling Combine for Sophisticated Den

From the Atherton model in Penninsula at Queen Creek

From the Atherton model in Penninsula at Queen Creek

You may have noticed a decorating trend capturing an industrial feel in furniture and accessories. These items draw some inspiration from the Steampunk style, based on an alternate world where Victorian elements combine with steam-based technology to make an interesting setting for fictional universes.

If you want to add that industrial feel to your home’s décor, you may be concerned that the look will lead to a cold space rather than one that is warm and inviting. However, you can incorporate industrial elements into a room without losing the warm feeling. This den is a good example.

The strong grey tones in the color scheme are consistent with industrial-style design. But notice the cream, gold and yellow fabric at play on the chair upholstery. Those colors are echoed subtly in various accessories, such as the gold clock face and several yellow books. These splashes of warmer tones go a long way toward making this space welcoming.

Industrial accessories such as the oversized watch face clock and the tool boxes say industrial, but the globe on the desk, the plants and other containers keep this residential space grounded in more traditional elements.

den 2The bookshelves show one of the best ways of combining industrial with traditional styles. The metal framing is classic industrial, but the wood shelves with crown molding along the top capture a much more traditional feel.

Finally, color-blocking on both the walls and the drapes add contrast and interest, while fitting with both an industrial and a traditional style.

Overall, the space makes the best use of two design styles, combining them to end up with a room that is sophisticated yet totally welcoming.

Create a Sophisticated Dining Room

From the Atherton Model at Penninsula in the Oasis at Queen Creek community

From the Atherton Model at Penninsula in the Oasis at Queen Creek community

Grey has become a popular tone in decorating, and it is the strongest color influence in this dining room.  Yet this space feels warm and inviting. It’s the warm tones that balance the grey and make this dining room a place to linger. Let’s take a look at the elements that make this room so special.

Generous sizes: Start with a large table made with a thick top in a wood finish that combines grey with warmer hues. Add high-backed chairs with cushions and padded backs in a taupe/cream that uses both cool and warm tones. Finish with oversized art and substantial candlesticks on the table. All of these pieces give the room a weight and drama that combine to make the décor work.

Dark and light tones: Although most of this room uses neutrals, there is a nice distribution of light and dark tones to provide contrast and add interest. The curtains are the darkest permanent element in the room, but their pattern echoes the lightest tone. That light feeling is picked up in the chair upholstery and the candles. It’s too easy for a room filled with neutrals to end up boring, but these contrasts keep that from happening here.

A single pop of color: The blue napkins add a simple pop of color, drawing the eye to the table and adding just the right spark to the tablescape. Because the rest of the room is done in neutrals, you could easily switch out that blue for any bold color. How about yellow, red or coral? Or you could choose to go with black for extra drama. No matter your choice, this sophisticated dining room is ready for any dinner party.

Fulton Homes: Proud of our Windows

Mediterranean-at-Ironwood-Crossing-windows-cropped-webAt Fulton Homes, we work hard to keep improving the homes we build for our customers. One example is the decision to use Vinyl Low-E Windows on all of our homes. We began this in October of 2010, as part of our ongoing commitment to build ever-more energy efficient homes.

The Eco-View vinyl window products include the latest technology in providing energy-efficient frame design while not sacrificing style or function. The Eco-view frame uses a sophisticated system of hallways in the frame extrusion. This creates a stronger frame while providing a method to circulate air throughout the frame, making it more energy-efficient. It also helps make it resistant to warping and fatigue. All Eco-view frames are made of 100% virgin PVC (vinyl) material.

Eco-view vinyl windows carry an LC25 light commercial rating. This means that these windows surpass industry standards for residential applications. These windows are part of Fulton Homes’ Energy Star version 3 program. The windows and door systems are also user-friendly and include features that help to guarantee years of reliable service and security.

Eco-view vinyl windows and doors – one more way that Fulton shows its commitment to building homes that are energy-efficient and designed to save you money on your utility bills. For more information, visit the “Fulton Cares” page on our website.

Fulton Homes: Proud of our Sustainable Approach to Building

tree-webFulton Homes is committed to doing its part to use trees wisely in two ways:

Most homebuilders provide their customers with over 200 pages of paperwork, but that is not what Fulton Homes does. Instead, we give you a password to your personal MyFultonHome account. You can use this to log in securely and access all contract documents, community CC & R’s, Landscape Guidelines, Bylaws and the Public Report. Your account also provides access to your selected options with warranty information. You can also register all of your options online using your MyFultonHome account, saving you time as well as file-cabinet space.

This paperless approach to your home’s paperwork has saved over 3 million pieces of paper since we started this process, and that’s a lot of trees.

The second way we save trees is with our onsite lumber waste recycling program. We work with Waste Knot Recycling Company to help recycle lumber that would otherwise be wasted and added to land fills. Waste Knot takes all of the framing lumber waste from our homebuilding sites and uses those lumber pieces to manufacture “finger-jointed-studs.” Our framing contractors use those studs to build panelized wall systems to frame our homes.

This approach saves money and provides stronger and better-built frames as well as a significant savings in time and labor. Waste Knot Recycling estimates that this recycling of lumber waste saves over 2,000 trees a month, and we’re proud to be a part of that process.

Visit our “Fulton Cares” pages to learn more about how Fulton Homes focuses on helping the environment by saving energy and resources.

Fulton Cares

fulton caresFulton Homes believes in giving back to the community, and an important part of that is our commitment to build homes that are safe and energy efficient so that we help our homeowners and help the environment at the same time.

Our energy efficient building processes allow us to build homes today that are far more efficient than those of just three to four years ago A third-party testing group checks all of our east valley homes, giving them Power Wise certification. All of our new homes have 14 SEER AC units, higher insulation, and vinyl Low-E windows.  In addition, most of our appliances are Energy Star certified. This makes today’s homes far more efficient and less expensive to operate than yesterday’s homes.

For example, at Fulton Homes, we build well-insulated homes, demonstrating a commitment that has qualified us to be among a select few builders certified as SRP PowerWise Homebuilders. Our assurance of proper insulation includes switching from blown fiberglass to the more environmentally-friendly cellulose insulation, improving insulation around doors and windows as well as silicone-sealed transitions and openings– protecting vulnerable areas where heated or cooled air may escape a home, leading to higher energy costs. We also use Low-E Windows in many of our models, further reducing energy loss.

And if you choose, Fulton offers many insulation upgrades that can provide even more energy efficiency to your home. We believe that our commitment to you and the environment is just one example of the many ways that Fulton cares about you, your family, and our community.

Fulton Homes and Water Safety

With the 100+ degree temperatures we face this and every summer, swimming is a great way to beat the heat. But with so many pools in back yards around Phoenix, every summer brings the tragedy of children drowning. It’s easy to blame parents when something this horrifying happens, but in reality turning your back for just a couple of seconds can lead to disaster.

This truth is why Fulton Homes strongly supports the “2 seconds is too long” campaign this summer in conjunction with KTAR-FM and Arizona Sports 98.7 to remind adults that emergencies around water can occur in a split second.

“For years Fulton Homes has proudly sponsored 2 Seconds Is Too Long in hopes of raising awareness for families to watch their children around water,” Doug Fulton, CEO of Fulton Homes, said. “Being vigilant with children around water, teaching them to swim, having a pool fence and having an adult who knows how to preform CPR are all critical for protection against drowning and near drowning accidents. Drowning is a harsh reality in Arizona, and we want to continue doing everything we can to prevent another family tragedy.”

This campaign is supported by another Fulton Homes community program: the annual Fulton Homes Fence Patrol program which provides pool fences to families in need every summer.

To learn more about the Fulton Homes “2 Seconds is Too Long” campaign and the Fence Patrol program, visit our website at http://www.fultonhomes.com/news/fulton-foundation/water-safety.

Make your Backyard Special

corsica ironwood crossingWith a little planning, your backyard can become another entertainment, eating or relaxing space. The secret is setting up several independent “rooms” using furniture or other elements to define each functional space. Let’s take a look at one approach – this backyard from Ironwood Crossing’s Corsica model.

Use color and style. Just as you want to coordinate the colors and design choices in an open kitchen-family room-dining space in your home, you want to ensure that every separate area in your outdoor space works well together. Look for table and chair sets that use the same colors as your outdoor seating arrangements or bar chairs.

Notice in the photo above, the cushioned bar seating around the outdoor kitchen matches the cushions in the seating area. Also the chair backs coordinate with the outdoor dining chairs. This makes your yard feel coordinated and thoughtfully-designed rather than a haphazard collection of items.

Add accessories. While you don’t want to accessorize the outdoors at the same level as the inside of your home, a few additions make a difference. The plants in pots scattered through the yard contribute to the charming feel of the space, and adding throw pillows in the seating area gives it a finished look.

Consider the ground surface. If you add pavers, tile or finished concrete for a consistent appearance, they can make everything feel integrated. In this backyard grass, planters and columns create a sense of separation.

Think about what you want from your backyard and you can suddenly expand your home’s choices and add charm and fun to your home.

Use Pinterest to Help Create the Home of your Dreams

pinterest_fultonAre you planning to move into a new Fulton Home soon? Or maybe you’re still getting settled and deciding how to decorate your new home. Well, even if you’re just looking for ideas to update your home and add some pizazz, we suggest checking out Pinterest.

If you’re not familiar with Pinterest, it is set up like a collection of bulletin boards, allowing you to capture a favorite room, product, color or idea and save it in categories of your choice. For example, you may want to look at kitchens, or possibly just different backsplashes. Just open a Pinterest account of your own, add a board named for whatever you want to explore, and then use the search option at the top to see what’s out there.

Of course, you’re welcome to visit our Pinterest site. We have 70 boards holding almost 1,400 pins, and we add new ones just about every week. Our pins range from various home categories such as dining rooms and closets to more family-oriented topics such as our newest addition: Arizona Summer Safety.

The Fulton Home’s Pinterest site has been designed with you in mind. Whether you’re looking for ideas for general entertaining, birthday parties or something special for Father’s Day, we invite you to check our boards out for suggestions and tips. And if you like it, follow it for a chance to stop by easily whenever you want.

And if you discover something of value, whether on one of our boards or any others, you can just repin to your own Pinterest site to hang on to the idea and information. Then when it’s time to plan that party or redo that bathroom, all of your ideas are saved in one place.

If you are looking for information or ideas that we don’t list on our site, just let us know and we can add a board or pins to answer your questions or provide tips. After all, it’s there for you. Check out our Pinterest site by clicking here. We look forward to your visit.

Ironwood Crossing

ic_masterplanFulton Homes takes pride in its planned communities with amenities selected to suit the home buyers. They are also set in locations close to shopping and good schools. Ironwood Crossing demonstrates that commitment to neighborhoods you will be proud to live in, with an Aquatic Center, Community Clubhouse, parks and other shared benefits that make a group of homes into a special community.

Located at Ironwood and Ocotillo in Queen Creek, twenty parks, approximately one for every 100 families, offer every homeowner a selection of ramadas, barbeques, basketball courts and shade structures. The Aquatic center has a splash pad set off from the main pool area so that small children can play in safety. The 7000 square foot pool is half covered to shade swimmers from the sun. It also includes separate restrooms and a
clubhouse with a kitchen – perfect for neighborhood or family parties.

ic_aquatics_center1The community is part of an excellent school district – the J.O. Combs Unified School District – and the Legacy Charter School offers education from grade Kindergarten to sixth grade right within Ironwood Crossing itself.

Outside amenities are also easily accessible, with a new Banner Hospital only two miles south and over one million feet of retail to provide shopping, services and dining. Ironwood Crossing was designed for affordable family living, with everything homebuyers need to make a good home for their families.

It’s no wonder that Ironwood Crossing was named the best-selling master planned community in Arizona. We invite you to visit our sales office and see the possibilities for yourself.

Do You want a Fulton Home Right Now?

Inventory_home_montage-webMaybe you’ve just moved to our area and have fallen love with Fulton Homes. Or maybe you’re just ready to move into a new home before summer’s heat hits us. If for whatever reason you want to move into a brand new Fulton Home without a delay, why not check out our inventory of almost-finished homes?

Here at Fulton Homes, we know that there are customers who find it difficult to wait through the entire construction process to move into their new home. We have a selection of inventory homes waiting for you to explore. With a variety of layouts and finish choices, you may find the home that would be perfect for your family. These homes are almost move-in ready, making it easy for us to help you into your home with minimal delays.

If you want to see the choices available, we invite you to call or visit our sales offices for the community you’re considering. A member of our sales team can help you discover the homes available so that you can determine which one will be perfect for your new home.

This home, located in our Ironwood Crossing community, is just one of our inventory homes. With its completed kitchen, front-yard landscaping, and lighting, it will be perfect for some home buyer. Our design team makes the finish decisions, ensuring that every inventory home has an inviting and unique look.

We look forward to showing you our selection of homes – built with you in mind.