Is winter beginning to get to you? Kick away the winter blues by bringing indoor plants into your Cape Cod home. This means that while you are protecting these plants from the harsh and cold weather outside, they will also brighten and enhance the charm in your living space, all through the dull winter period. With the use of architectural planters, the beauty of your home’s interiors can be greatly enhanced. REEF has designed some exciting spaces which are great for keeping plants positive energy in the  home all year long. Here are some great ideas to help plants bring some life to your home.

Indoor Plants bring life to your Cape Cod Home

We all love our stuff! On Cape Cod we all need beach chairs, coolers, books, tennis racquets, leashes for the dog...you name it! But it can become overwhelming if it's A.O.P.! (All Over the Place). It's much more fun to be able to find your stuff when you need it. Getting organized and staying that way can be a challenge. Here are some savvy tips to creating spaces that will stay organized.

Savvy Storage Tips

Cold winter days turn our attention to energy efficiency. How can you make your Cape Cod Home energy efficient? It's surprising how much energy (and money!) can be saved by taking a few simple steps. Here's a great list of 5 simple projects that will increase the energy efficiency, comfort, and value of your home.

5 Simple Projects to Improve Your Home's Energy Efficiency

Many of the homes we design and build have an emphasis on wonderfully relaxing spaces. Frequently our customers seek to create an oasis of escape, with a focus on comfort and flow. Personal spaces like bedrooms, bath rooms, living rooms, and even kitchens are receiving more attention to detail than simply creating the space. Here are great samples of how using texture, color, patterns and other simple touches can increase the comfort and enjoyment of bedroom sanctuaries.

Cozy Cape Cod Cottage Style Bedrooms

Let's face it: you've got to do laundry. So you might as well have some fun with it! No longer is the laundry area hidden down in the basement. Most of our customers want a 1st floor laundry, perhaps off the Kitchen, or even in the Master Suite of their Cape Cod home. Wherever the location, the Laundry Room is bound to be "in the mix" much more so than in years past. Here's some great ideas to make your laundry room an enjoyable place to be.

Coolest Laundry Room Ideas

   Now that we are in the dead of winter, there are still opportunities to do maintenance on your Cape Cod Home.  This is a great time of year to identify leaks, drafts, or other issues that arise with the cold weather.  Some of the biggest potential risks at this time of year are leaks from ice dams, or frozen and broken pipes.  Take some time to walk through your attic and basement spaces and seek out potential drafts and seal them with foam.  Even a small amount of preventative maintenance at this time of year can save you from a very expensive repair! 

If you are heading south for the winter, and leaving your Cape Cod Home unattended, this is a good time to confirm all of your contact information with your homewatch or alarm service company.  Another inexpensive option is to have either a freeze alarm or water sensor installed to quickly identify a potential freeze or leak as soon as possible. 

For more information click here: January Home Maintenance Checklist

Windows are bigger than ever today. They play an increasingly important role in helping our customers maximize the value of their home by welcoming light, opening vistas, and creating interesting, inviting spaces. There are myriad options, from decorative to functional. Some of the energy efficient models may even qualify for energy rebates. Many of our customers build or re-buld their homes around views of Cape Cod Bay, Vineyard or Nantucket Sound, marshes and bogs. Here are some great ideas for using windows to create truly special spaces.

Factors to Consider when Choosing Windows

  Home automation has come a long way. In years past, we have installed home automation systems that were complicated, labor intensive and cost well over $10,000 for the most basic systems.  Today, with the integration of smart technology, and widely-available high-speed internet, these systems are becoming more popular. Many of our customers leave their Cape Cod homes unoccupied for much of the year, and with an investment of a few thousand dollars, live home monitoring has become a realistic feature that should be considered.  Here are some reasons you should think about adding home automation and monitoring to your next Cape Cod Home project.

1. Real time information about your property
2. HVAC Control and monitoring
3. Safety
4. Available Live Video integration

These systems are all expandable and can accommodate lighting controls, HVAC, security, home theater and even appliance monitoring, and nearly all of them can be controlled and accessed through you smart phone, PC or tablet!

Here is the complete article from Freshome.com: Top 10 Reasons for Home Automation

Here are some fresh and cost-effective design trends to consider for your Cape Cod home. Kitchen Entertaining with a View, Multi-Generational Living, and Green Elements are all getting a lot of attention. This is good information with a return to simplicity.

Eight Design Trends, Fresh and Simple  

Many customers are including home generators in their construction specifications. Events like Super Storm Sandy have heightened awareness of the benefits of being ready for natural disasters. Cape Cod is not immune to hurricanes and other big storms. Here's what you need to know about home generators:

Generator is a Smart Investment for Cape Cod Homes