I’m talking about the gas stove (including propane).

It was certainly a sticking point for me.  I was one of those people who needed a gas stove. I consider myself a good cook, and the gas stove had become an important part of that self-image. Good cooks used gas. Bad cooks used electric. The still-electric alternative often proposed by green building experts, induction, was just a dressed-up version of electric. The best of the bad, but still bad.

Fast forward to my current home that I bought last year. In a tough housing market, compromises were made, and I ended up with a home with no gas hook up. In fact, gas was not available at all in the entire neighborhood. 

Alas, I was doomed to electricity as an energy source. I was distraught. But, I made lemonade out of lemons, and I purchased an induction stove. I bought a Bosch Benchmark Induction Stove.

And you know what? I am glad that I did.  It turns out I vastly prefer it to gas. I get the same precision of gas with some added benefits, including energy efficiency, a lower carbon footprint, and significantly better indoor air quality. I have read some reports which state that induction can be up to 90% efficient at delivering heating energy to the food, while gas stoves hover in the 40-55% range.  I have joined several professional chefs and experts in our preference for induction over gas.

These are the things that I have found, through my personal experience, that induction does as well or better than gas:           

1. I think I get the same or better quality of control as I had with gas and the food tastes just as good.
2. With the boost feature, I boil water for things like pasta incredibly quicker (up to 50% quicker by some reports).  
3. I have much better flexibility and control with low temperatures and warming (this was especially difficult for me using gas for melting ingredients or making sauces).
4. Clean up with a glass top is often much easier and faster than with gas.
5. Near instantaneous cool-to-the-touch elements after turning it off (avoiding burning yourself after, which I have done before).

These are the things that I have learned to live with:

1. There can be a slight buzzing with only a few pots (which isn’t that bad–just noticeable).
2. You need to be careful about scratching on the glass surface (and I have a few minor scratches already).
3. I had to spend a bit more, but in the scheme of things I think it still provides good value.

And now that I have overcome the emotional hurdle of using induction over gas, I have realized that gas is an inferior choice for several important reasons.

First is safety. This can be a huge issue that I learned firsthand in my last home. Malfunctioning gas stoves can be very dangerous. I was making something in the oven and my CO alarm went off. I thought this was strange, since I could see the burner flames in the oven.   But I sheepishly called my fire department out of an extreme abundance of caution. Fast forward 10 minutes later, and the fire department was urgently pushing me and my pets out of the home. While the oven was working, it was malfunctioning, and producing dangerous levels of carbon monoxide: the odorless, colorless gas that is often dubbed the “silent killer”.

Every year more than 400 Americans die from carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be produced without warning when a combustion appliance malfunctions.  If I hadn’t had a CO alarm, or hadn’t taken it seriously when it went off, I could have been a statistic.  (Which underlines the very strong emotional attachment I had to gas stoves since I still wanted another one in my current home, even after that scary experience.)

Second are the environmental and health issues caused by gas stoves.  Even properly functioning natural gas and propane stoves release formaldehyde, nitrogen dioxide , and other harmful pollutants into the air. These pollutants can reach unhealthy levels inside your home even with an exhaust fan.  There is a growing body of research on the harmful health effects of gas stoves, and the bad news on this front keeps mounting.

A 2020 Rocky Mountain Institute report reveals that homes with gas stoves contain approximately 50-400 percent higher concentrations of nitrogen dioxide than homes with electric stoves. This level of indoor air pollution results in levels of indoor pollution that would be illegal outside.

According to the EPA, brief exposure to high concentrations of nitrogen dioxide in the air can lead to coughing and wheezing for people with asthma or other respiratory issues. Prolonged exposure to the gas can lead to the development of asthma and potentially increase susceptibility to other respiratory issues.

And kids can be especially prone to ill effects. Multiple studies have found that gas stoves have been linked to increased risk of asthma in kids. In a recent Slate article, they state that “A 2013 meta-analysis of 41 studies found that children living in homes with gas stoves had a 42 percent higher risk of experiencing asthma symptoms, and, over their lifetime, a 24 percent increase in the risk of being diagnosed with asthma.”

So, while I was a reluctant converter to induction stoves, I now find that it was one of the smartest choices I could have made. From a cooking standpoint, I get everything I want from a gas stove—plus some—while I have created a much healthier and safer environment for my family and me.

What’s not like about that?

Written by Scott Cocking/Marketing Director

The post A Convert From Gas to Induction Ovens appeared first on Deltec Homes.

We have seen this look commoditized and reflected in a myriad of retail stores extending from Ikea to CB2 and more.  The simplicity and uniformity has lent itself to the mass adoption of it.

Out of this, another style has risen that blends this clean, modern aesthetic with a more organic and unbalanced tradition of Wabi-Sabi.  This Japanese tradition celebrates the beauty of imperfection accentuated by its gentle weathering through its aging.

These two trends are both similar and complementary.  Both are rooted in minimalism and comfort. Yet both come from the different perspectives rooted in their different cultures.

Blending of East and West

This blending together creates the style of Japandi.  According to interior designer Ikuhiro Yamagata, “The style is a mixture of highly functional Scandinavian style and Japanese style of Zen spirit.”  It is a natural combination, as these two styles already have great harmony and synergy. At its core, it’s a style that’s all about relaxation and using tactile and visual elements to create soothing sensations.

It isn’t something you purchase off the rack. Perhaps what makes it so popular is that it makes your space more distinctly yours. In an age of one-click purchasing and mass commoditization, Japandi is personal and intentional.

What are some characteristics to consider if this approach is appealing to you? Check out how these Deltec homeowners used some of these principles in a Ridgeline home they built outside Boone, NC.

Color palettes

The color palettes tend towards warmer, more neutral colors to evoke calmness and tranquility. When brighter colors are incorporated, they are done sparingly and subtly to accentuate the overall look rather than attract attention.  The richer yet still muted colors of Japanese design complement the prevalent colder colors of Scandinavian design, helping the space feel less clinical or cold.

De-cluttering

If you have been following Marie Kondo on de-cluttering and organizing spaces, you are well on your way. And if you haven’t then this might be a reason to start.  Japandi is rooted in minimalism, where every piece or item has a reason for being. That isn’t the absence of items but rather the intentional inclusion of specific items that have meaning for you.  

If you want the look but still have the need for stuff, then try “faux minimalism” according to Leni Calas of Ward 5 Design, this involves using natural containers such as boxes and baskets or built-ins or folding screens to hide excess items to keep your space feeling free of clutter.

Furnishings

Japandi style values craftsmanship and pieces that withstand the test of time. Simple, well-built items are the preferred way to create this style. These items often might be slightly imperfect or asymmetrical.   Part of wabi-sabi is finding perfection in imperfect pieces. Think of the Japanese custom of Kintsugi, or putting broken pottery back using gold built on the idea that embracing flaws and imperfections allows you to create an even stronger, more beautiful piece of art.

For many of us, this is a distinct departure from the current practice of flat-packed, unassembled furniture you might order on Wayfair or buy at Ikea. This furniture hearkens back to when the assembly of an item was as carefully done as the design of it.

Textures in furniture can help bring dimension but also coziness to a space. So that dining room chair not only is functional but also gives depth to the space with its different layers of materials.  Or the coffee table with some slight discolorations give some dimension while seating on the sofa.

Think about including items that seamlessly tie history and the future together. Think about buying high-quality pieces that will work with your décor for years to come. “Opt for reclaimed pieces or something that is original or handmade,” Shanty Wijaya of Allprace Properties  says in a CNN piece on japandi. “Use materials that can naturally patina in time, like wood, natural stones and living finish metals. To create depth, use different stained colored woods.”

Simple, high-quality pieces will work with your decor for years to come, designer Ikuhiro Yamagata adds.

Objects for visual interest

With japandi, these can become critical elements for bringing in color, textures and some emotion into an otherwise minimally oriented space. Perhaps there is a highly decorative vase that you want to add a visual punch or an old family bible passed on through the generations. These should be objects that give you joy and create a sense of calm and comfort for you. In this case, the homeowners are dedicated members of the Airstream community and this reminds them of their many memories in their Airstream trailer.

Sustainability and eco-friendly options

It is not surprising that japandi has a strong sustainability aspect to it.  Beyond furniture, look at what natural materials you can incorporate into your home. From natural linens to even hemp, look for items that are not only sustainably built but will stay usable in the future.  It is an antidote to the throwaway culture so prevalent in the western world.

Bringing in life

Plants or other greenery are also central to japandi design. They feel welcoming and add a natural element to complement a minimalist interior.  Much like biophilic design, the ideal is to use plants and greenery to create a more natural world and feeling inside. Forgo the lone pot by the front door and incorporate plants into your living area. They could be a few carefully placed plants or even a bonsai tree to elevate the Japanese feeling. Should you not want be able to use real plants, take some cues from biophilic design and use a variety of prints and items that evoke nature.

Putting it all together

The sum is greater than the parts. Japandi is about creating a space. The important thing is that it works for you. So don’t fret and worry if you paint outside the lines.  It is worth noting that this, like many things, is not new but today’s version is being remixed into the trends sphere with new elements that evoke the past but are very popular right now and fit today’s desire for a more organic and healthy life.

The post A design style that is both modern and organic–Japandi appeared first on Deltec Homes.

A New Look Option Makes its Debut

Vertical siding is in, but our new polyash siding option, coming from Boral America’s TruExterior Crafstman collection, isn’t just any vertical siding.  With a clean v-groove profile and smooth finish, this new siding design scheme also features trimless windows and doors, exposed fasteners, and clean mitered corners, offering a more modern aesthetic to our traditional 360 collection homes.  This vertical siding can come pre-painted, and on round sections of our home, pre-installed, just like our popular lap siding.

Flexibility and Versatility

Clients can side their whole house in vertical siding, or mix this option with our other popular siding options:  fiber cement lap siding, fiber cement shake siding, cedar lap siding, or cedar board on board siding.  Varying textures on the same home are a great way to give it visual interest, as in the examples below:

A New Step Forward in Product Sustainability

But the best news yet: the innovative polyash material is highly sustainable.  It is made of 70% recycled content, manufactured in a LEED certified facility that, like Deltec, uses renewable energy and carbon offsets, and is a is Cradle to Cradle Bronze certified product.

To help understand why Cradle to Cradle certification is so significant, we need to delve into some critical concepts in the world of material sustainability.

The Benefit of a Circular Economy

The circular economy is the idea that our manufacturing systems can create items from recycled materials, and that those items can then be recycled at the end of their useful life, and on and on.  This idea was pioneered in the seminal environmental book Cradle to Cradle (the title for which the product certification is named). Circular economic thinking tackles environmental stewardship on both ends: looking at both the environmental harm caused by extraction and manufacture of a product, and then again the harm at the end of life due to disposal. 

A true circular economy is not an easy thing to achieve, in the construction industry most particularly.  Construction materials are often especially bulky and dense, energy intensive to produce, and difficult to recycle at the end of their service life.  The equivalent carbon emissions associated with extracting and manufacturing a material is called its embodied carbon.  Buildings have some of the highest embodied carbon of anything that humans create: accounting for 11% of equivalent global carbon emissions, according to the US Energy Information Agency.  (That’s a separate accounting than the ongoing energy use of buildings, which is roughly 40% of equivalent global carbon emissions.) 

Cement as a Building Material

Every building project is complex, using many different components with different usable lifetimes, and made from raw materials extracted and manufactured all over the country and even all over the world.  Tracking   down and precisely quantifying all of that embodied carbon is a tall order, but some trends are so clear their impacts dominate over others. In particular, cement is often by far the biggest aspect of a building’s embodied carbon, used in components such as foundations and some siding projects.

Why is cement such a factor in embodied carbon?  Cement is an important and versatile material in human civilization, and yet, every aspect of the production and distribution of cement is resource-intensive, from extraction, to production, to shipping.  A whopping 8% of total global carbon emissions come solely from cement.  

Fiber cement siding has become a hugely popular choice for new homes, owing to it moisture resistance, rot resistance, fire resistance and low maintenance. You can stamp it to look like wood, it takes paint well, and requires re-painting much less often, than actual wood.  For those seeking to build a resilient and low-maintenance structure, there’s a lot to love about it. Yet fiber cement siding is composed primarily of Portland cement and silica, with some small amount of wood fibers added in. 

A Better Approach Than Cement

Polyash siding, by contrast, offers a different way of achieving the same low maintenance.  Today, many concrete and brick mixes use fly ash, a bi-product of coal production, to reduce or eliminate Portland cement, and doing so is one of the most effective ways to recycle this otherwise problematic waste material. Boral’s innovative polyash siding takes this even further: binding fly ash to polymers to create a highly durable and stable siding material that boasts all of the same durability and paint-ability features as fiber cement.  By re-purposing an otherwise nuisance waste material into a useful product, and doing so in place of a material that otherwise highly energy intensive to produce, polyash is a great example of circular economic thinking.  Choosing this material can definitely have an impact on the total embodied carbon of a building product.

Did you know:  Coal ash is the second largest waste product by volume in the US, after household trash. Even if every power plant stopped burning coal today, there would still be billions of tons of it around. Newsworthy spills of supposedly contained coal ash storage sites have happened in the US, causing environmental harm to land and water. Fly ash is one component of coal ash that can be recycled by replacing some of the cement in concrete.  Boral’s polyash siding binds fly ash with polymers to safely encapsulate the fly ash and offer a very stable, workable, and durable siding material.  This siding delivers the low maintenance and wood appearance of fiber cement siding while also repurposing a significant waste product. 

When we think about sustainable buildings, we naturally spend a lot of time thinking about the energy, the health, and the durability of those buildings, because those are the attributes most tangible and most directly beneficial to the building owner.  Yet true sustainability is about tracing all of the impacts a product or process has on the environment, and the selection of materials certainly has a role to play in the bigger picture of climate change and other large environmental challenges.  Where possible, choosing materials with low embodied carbon, and those that contribute to a circular economy, is an important way to further build green.

Learn more:

Boral’s polyash story:  https://truexterior.com/from-waste-to-wow-the-science-of-fly-ash/

Green Builder Magazine, the truth about fly ash: https://www.greenbuildermedia.com/buildingscience/the-truth-about-fly-ash

Cradle to Cradle Certification:  https://www.c2ccertified.org/get-certified/product-certification

Environmental Building News’ statement on fly ash:  https://www.buildinggreen.com/op-ed/ebns-position-fly-ash

The post New Exterior Siding Option Offers Enhanced Looks and Sustainability appeared first on Deltec Homes.

As the pandemic stretches on, friluftsliv, or living outdoors, has becomes even more relevant than before and is gaining rapidly in popularity.

Like hygge, it isn’t a thing but the enjoyment of a lifestyle. But while hygge focuses inward on us and our relationships, friluftsliv looks outward towards our relationship with nature.

According to the BBC, the expression literally translates as “open-air living” and was popularized in the 1850s by the Norwegian playwright and poet, Henrik Ibsen, who used the term to describe the value of spending time in remote locations for spiritual and physical wellbeing.

And in Scandinavia, it does not stop for cold winters or dank, rainy days. There is a saying in Swedish that there is no such things as bad weather, only bad clothes.

It could be the pleasure of long strolls in winter air with friends, walking a dog on a chilling morning or even enjoying cold beverages—there is even a special term for drinking a beer outdoors—utepils.

The concept is not unique. The love of the outdoors is also considered an American ideal and the biophilic design movement to bring nature inside is also becoming a huge trend in the United States.

But, like Scandinavian furniture, it is the simple yet intentional application that makes it unique. It is that feeling that you get when experiencing nature at its simplest level.

So, when considering building a home, think about how you might include friluftsliv in your planning. It could be the piece of property you select—does it offer direct walking access to nature trails or can you literally paddle your way away on a lake? Does your location invite you to take a midday break for a walk in the woods? Can you take a relaxing swim after meetings? 

It could include specific design elements that help you connect to nature. Is there a mudroom to store walking sticks?  You could build a special room or even a boathouse to better access kayaks and fishing poles. Do you have a quiet space in your home that makes you feel like you are in the middle of nature?  Perhaps you have built a sauna and plunge pool to invigorate you? You can design outdoor seating to enjoy a coffee on a cold day or iced tea on a warm day—or take part in utepils.

Like hygge, it is about your connection and enjoyment. So, think about how you want to live in and with nature and how your home allows you to do it. Then plan that into your property and home.

The post Lessons from Scandinavian Living–Friluftsliv appeared first on Deltec Homes.

Ikea is one of the most well-known examples for its simple and inexpensive furniture but many high-end furniture stores such as Hay or Design within Reach embrace the style as well.

However, Scandinavia has had a much bigger influence on modern living beyond its furniture. While many might not fully embrace the practice of leaving our babies out in the snow, there are several recently popular lifestyles that have gained popularity.

One you may have heard of hygge a Danish word that loosely translates to a quality of coziness and comfort that creates a feeling of contentment and well-being.  Importantly, it is not an act but a state of being. That could be why it is so difficult to pin it down exactly.

It was born out of the need to be comfortable and enjoy the long Scandinavian winters together with an intimate group of friends or family. In a New Yorker article, Louisa Thomsen Brits, the author of “The Book of Hygge: The Danish Art of Contentment, Comfort, and Connection,” calls it “a practical way of creating sanctuary in the middle of very real life…”

It is about surrounding yourself with the small things that make life good such as warmth, light, seasonal foods and drinks within the atmosphere of laughter, friendship and security. It is about those mundane daily rituals like brewing coffee, lighting candles, and sitting by a fire that could be boring but instead become small moments to enjoy.

Clearly, your home plays a large part in creating this sanctuary. When designing your home, think about creating cozy book nooks, window seats, or more intimate spaces to enjoy.  Perhaps design a semi-private informal space in which to escape in your floorplan.  Incorporate a direct vent fireplace into a gathering space. You may want to include a hot drink station as part of your secondary kitchen or within your gathering areas.  Consider storage to de-clutter your space. 

When choosing fixtures and finishes, consider the importance of intimate lighting to create ambiance. Think about neutral color palettes and natural materials. Use textures to soften spaces.  You may want to include a few nostalgic or memorabilia touches into your home.

While hygge is associated with the cold Scandinavian climate, hygge can work for warmer climates as well. Design outdoor spaces around fire pits or use a heat lamp over outdoor seating for chilly evenings.   Build in those same nooks and gathering areas.

At the end of the day, the key to hygge is to make it work for you. What brings you or your intimate group those moments of serenity during the shortest days and most stressful times?  What makes you savor those small moments letting you just enjoy that moment?

Should you be interested, you can also read about the concept of frilufstiv or the biophilic movement that can help inform how you think about hygge.  

The post Lessons from Scandinavian Living–Hygge appeared first on Deltec Homes.

Here is a guide and some tips to help you think through and make your decision on what works best for your home in its location that matches your design preference.

Color Selection Factors

Your home’s environment: the landscape

This is a critical first step because your home is impacted by its surroundings and you cannot change these colors.  Do you want your home to blend into the natural environment or stand out? Many of our customers want their homes to connect to nature, so select colors that complement their surroundings, whether it is soft greens or warm beiges in the mountains or light blues and clean neutrals in the beach areas to reflect the sky and sun.

Some customers want to stand out and create a statement with their homes with more vivid colors that complement their surroundings but do not blend in. Perhaps they want to evoke a certain building style or trend. These people might select a bright white or muted black color.

Often homeowners realize they need to go one or two shades darker or warmer than initially thought in order to get to the color saturation you desire. On such a large scale, especially if you are dealing with lots of sunlight or expansive blue skies, the color will appear lighter or sometimes even “bluer”. We have even seen colors turn a bit “greener” when surrounded by forest or trees.

Pro-Tip: Consider different times of days and seasons when thinking about your colors. That dark green forest in the summer might be rich yellows and reds in the fall or darker browns in the winter.  

Your home’s environment: the neighborhood

While many of our homeowners build in more remote locations, a lot of them also build in new or existing neighborhoods.   In this case, you will want to look at what the other home colors are like and how your home fits in with them.  Is your home surrounded by homes with specific architectural styles that dictate what colors would be appropriate?  Do you want to fit in or stand out? Some neighborhoods and homeowners’ associations have strict limitations on home colors so you will want to research that first.

Your home: The roof

Your roof color has a huge impact on your home’s appearance. It is usually the second largest area beyond the siding.  The roof color and siding work together to create your home’s curb appeal so they must work together.

If your roof is a black or neutral gray, then you have less to worry about your siding color clashing with your roof. Or perhaps your specific architectural style will already dictate your roof and siding color combinations. The roof composition and texture may also be important to consider.

For example, if you are installing a classic metal roof on your home (and they can look fantastic), you would want to consider its flashiness or reflection in matching your color.  Perhaps you really want to make a statement with a copper roof and need a color to match.

Pro-tip: Do a google search for homes with the type of roof and siding colors you are considering. For example, “metal roof with brown siding” or “black roof with white siding”. This can not only help you visualize what you want but avoid any potential mistakes.

Your home: Decking and Overhangs

Many homeowners want to extend their living areas with decks or extended overhangs on their homes. It could be a Classic Mountain Timberframe porch or even a wraparound deck around their entire home.  Pay attention to the deck color and textures that not only add visual interest to your home exterior but should complement your siding color. Even pay attention to the siding underneath the deck that may be shaded.

Your home: Foundation

This can have an impact on your home’s appearance if it is used as a design element that you want to highlight, such as a stone wall foundation. It can add not only add visual interest to your home but may replace the need for accent or trim colors on your siding.

Your home: Doors, Windows and other architectural details

There are also a variety of other home details that you will have to match with your siding color. Consider what style and color your garage and entry doors as well as window trim and style might be when thinking of colors. If you are including other architectural details like wood soffits or a wood entryway, you will need to coordinate your paint color with these as well.

Paint Color Selections

Collections

Because exterior paint selection can be so challenging, we have done some of the work for you by creating some color collections.

One of the most successful exterior palettes, or collections of color, is a “monochromatic” approach or colors that vary in shade but not hue.  This is an effortless way to create a subtle, sophisticated effect.  Deltec has curated these color collections that build on four color hues.  You cannot go wrong layering these shades on your home in siding, trim or soffit details.

You can check out our collections in this blog post.

Additionally, these shaded collections also allow for an easier comparison of intensity of color. For example, if you want a light-colored home vs. a dark one, seeing the shades in relation to the other colors provides a better visual reference point.

Customizing the collections

An easy way to get the benefit of our curated collections but still add your own unique stamp to your home is to add some pops of color or textures. An entry way is a fantastic opportunity to add in a unique element.  Add in a pop of color or accent siding at the front door for added interest and curb appeal.

Or a natural wood soffit to contrast the painted siding.

Pro-tip: Many of our Deltec homeowners are very artistic and have built some extremely unique homes. Searching through our site or on Pinterest you may find some homes that provide inspiration for you.

Matching your windows

With Marvin as our exclusive window supplier, we have paired their colors with ours and offer a range of appropriate color options. We currently have 6 selected colors.

If your exterior colors are earthly with warm beiges and reds like our Western collection, consider looking at bronze, cashmere or pebble gray window frames. But the clear, cooler colors of our coastal collection are perfect for a bright stone white window frame.

If you are looking for an air of architectural sophistication that will stand the test of time, our black and bronze widow frames might be ideal for your home.

Pro-tip: Do not assume that stone white will work with any color combination. Sometimes a bit of color in your window frames is much better than white.

Don’t go overboard

We have carefully selected the colors in our collections to complement each other and work together.   Often, anything more than three colors or different materials may look disorganized and break up your home, making it look cluttered.

Our Solar Farmhouse is a perfect example of making your home stand out with a distinctive look and oodles of curb appeal by using carefully selected colors and textures limited to three: all white siding, contrasting black window frames and natural wood accents.

Testing it out

It is very beneficial to see the color in real life. Colors on monitors are never accurate and even small color swatches might be misleading when you are painting a large surface like a house.

We are happy to send you a brush out sample including the colors you are considering.

Pro-tip: Purchase test sizes of the colors and paint them on large pieces of poster board.  Using your existing home, move the poster boards with the colors around the different sides of the home at different times of the day to get a sense for how the color looks in different lighting. If you are not building remotely, you can do the same on the property location to test the colors out with the actual lighting conditions.

Ordering it from Deltec Homes

We understand there are a lot of materials to be specified so the Deltec Design team has created a spec sheet for all the materials that will need to be selected for 360 Collection homes as well as Renew Collection homes.  You can find these on the Customer Portal or request one from your designer. Here are two examples:   

The post How to Choose the Right Exterior Paint Color for your Home appeared first on Deltec Homes.

One of the most important design considerations for your home is the exterior paint selection. What seems simple can be surprisingly difficult. While the interior paint colors are often geared towards your style and taste, the exterior colors are one of the largest public statements your home will make, with a significant impact on curb appeal.

With all the new paint colors and treatments, selecting your exterior paint colors can seem daunting.  At Deltec, we are here to help. We spend a lot of time thinking about colors.

While we have over 50 years of experience helping homeowners select the paint style that works best for them, we are also very attuned to what current trends are and what colors are becoming more popular.

That is why we are very excited that one of our newer colors was recently selected by Sherwin Williams (our exclusive paint supplier) as their 2021 color of the year.

They have named urbane bronze as their color of the year. Beyond it being a rich and warm color, we are also excited that they selected because it embodies much of what we at Deltec believe our homes do—create a sanctuary that is rooted in natural connections. Check out their announcement.

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We are especially pleased that it comes out of the biophilic design movement, something that we firmly believe in and have written about before. You can check out our series of articles on biophilic design here.

See how it looks on this house rendering that uses it as the signature color for its exterior.

Color choice doesn’t just include the main color, however. One of the trickiest decisions is to decide on a color scheme, or a selection of colors for different elements on your home exterior that complement each other to create that overall look that you want for your home.

That is why we have created different color collections to help make it easier to select the colors that provide not just curb appeal but relate to the different environments where are homes are built.

Western

This collection reflects the warm and rich colors found in the majestic landscapes of our interior west and southwest.

Coastal

These tones pick up the colors found on some of our most scenic beach areas with references to the water, sky and sun.

Architectural Neutrals

Sometimes your home color isn’t dictated by your environment or personal tastes but must fit into a neighborhood or area with specific guidelines. This subtle but stylish collection can work in both historic and modern environments within the strictest of association guidelines.

Architectural Style

This collection is designed to fit within coastal neighborhood or historic areas but with a splash more color to liven up your exterior.

A key part of color selections is understanding how it will work on your home in your location. For more advice on how to go about selecting your home color, please check out our blog here.

We are excited by color and hope you are too!  Happy coloring.

The post Deltec Announces New Color Collections appeared first on Deltec Homes.

The current world is littered with examples of humans building structures and spaces that meet functional needs or demonstrate its power over nature. From windswept grand plazas to sunless city street corridors leading to soulless grey cubicles lined up in matrixed rows or windowless hospital rooms taken over by the arresting buzz of machines.

In the past few decades, only sparse attention has been paid to bringing nature into our living environments, often through a few sickly house plants stuck in corners or wallpaper left over from decades past.

However, it wasn’t always this way, nor should it be. The more mechanical the world becomes, the more we need to consciously consider and design for a human experience in the world.

Humans desire an innate connection with nature.  From the crackling of a campfire, to the soothing crashing of waves, to dappled sunlight through tree leaves and the organic feel of wood, we still yearn for connection with nature for security and health. Recent studies have demonstrated that.  While the term biophilic design is relatively new, the concept has been around for centuries.

A new trend with an old approach:

The practice of biophilic design predates the modern world. It was how humans were forced to live together with and dependent on nature.

With the rise of agriculture 12,000 years ago and then the evolution to the concept of the urban environment 6,000 years ago to the more recent history of industrialization, western society has shifted its view to a competition with nature glorifying human accomplishment.

You can see that in the early industrialization with factories built for manufacturing efficiency and architecture that emphasized scale and rigid shapes. So how have recent buildings like the Google headquarters that emphasize greenery and cocoons come about? How did we go from the photo on the left to the one on the right?

It is an age-old concept that has recently found a new home. Some people track it all the way back to the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. For surviving buildings, it really got its start in the Islamic Golden Era (8th-14th Century). During this period, buildings were designed for both direct and indirect contact with the natural world—as they strove to seek out an understanding of the world.

For example, the Umayyad Mosques (Damascus, Syria) built between 705-715 used patterns that were found in nature. While not exclusively used, they were dominant in both art and architecture to avoid the depiction of the human form for religious beliefs.

In this picture you can see the natural patterns, natural light, and natural materials used in the interior of the mosque.

While the structure of this Mosque was built as a fortress for protection, the courtyard includes access to nature and a water fountain. That combination of protection and connection was a catalyst for many breakthrough innovations during this period and was evident across many areas of study such as architecture, art and science.

An excellent example of the use of natural shapes was the symmetric polygonal shapes that pre-dated the principle of quasicrystaline geometry by 500 years, which is still being used by scientists to better understand quasicrystals at the atomic level.

This desire to design and construct something that has taken thousands of years to explain scientifically and design without modern technology is one of those ancient mysteries that baffled scholars.  It only became clearer in 1984, when an American biologist took a radical and interdisciplinary approach to explain how these innovations could have been achieved.

Edward Wilson suggested the theory that humans were driven to seek connections with nature and other life forms. That was the birth of the term “biophilia” or literally, “the love of life” as we understand it today.  This theory integrated architecture and physiology, propagating a new way to conceptualize the design of our build environments and their impact on our physical, social, intellectual and physiological well-being.

Using this new interdisciplinary lens that expanded our historical review of buildings beyond an architecture perspective, studies have concluded that while the term is new, the concept existed in the ancient world, dating back to those Hanging Gardens of Babylon.

What the studies have also demonstrated, but anyone who is standing in a mountain meadow with a gentle breeze ruffling tree leaves and a burbling stream nearby already knows, is that humans crave a natural connection. We simply do better physically and mentally outside the urbanized environments we have developed and closer to the natural environments from which we came.

So, how do you apply thousands of years of history, scientific study, and your own personal experience to your own home? The second part of our blog will give you the context to do that. Look for it shortly.

The post Biophilic Design Part 1: Historical Background appeared first on Deltec Homes.

One of the first kid-friendly Deltec home building projects at CiderFest 2017, a fundraiser for our friends at the WNC Green Building Alliance

Being in quarantine, especially for parents of young children, is a new normal that most are not used to. Ideas for keeping the kids busy are running low, but fear not, we’re here to help! Over the years, we’ve participated in several events in our community and have found that one of the most popular activities to  keep the kids entertained is building their own Deltec out of Popsicle sticks.

Thanks to our amazing engineering department (and a special shout out to our panel designer, Philip Graf, and truss designer, Christian Funk), you can have the same fun with your kids at home with our newly available blueprints and DIY instructions.

Our Engineering Department put together blueprints for your kids to build their own Deltec home

Click here to download the plans

The post Deltec Homes Arts & Crafts appeared first on Deltec Homes.

Piggs Brothers—a Certified B Corp, just like Deltec Homes—was founded as far back as 1840 to bring innovation to the housing industry. They have a rich history of testing building materials for structural integrity.  Though at first known primarily for their early R&D failures—who can forget the disasters of the straw houses of the late 1800s— they’ve since become a powerhouse in wind testing, and we’re excited to be able to use their new test facilities to push the limits of our wind resistant design. Their expertise is in part due to the peculiar methods employed by their Director of Wind Testing, Dr. B Brad Wolfe, who has developed his own patented testing method that the company calls their Huff and Puff system.  Since there are very few wind tunnels in the world that can create wind conditions strong enough to challenge a Deltec Home, we needed to turn to the best.

“The strength of the Deltec design comes from the round shape of our structures, the quality of materials we use, and our focus on critical connections,” explains Matt Oblinsky, Director of Engineering for Deltec Homes. “The round shape optimizes wind pressure build up. Our quality materials, such as plywood instead of OSB, and diamond grade machine stress rated truss lumber, perform at known higher capacities.  And our typical fastening and attachment schedule uses tighter patterns than most in the industry.  The result is a structure that has been optimized from roof to foundation to resist winds.  However, we wanted to engage in wind testing from the most reputable company possible, to help us continue to improve our designs.”

Some might ask how Deltec’s wood-framed design might stand up against the Piggs Brothers’ more well-known invention, the brick house.

“We’ve actually gone away from materials like that,” says Alex Pigg II, VP of Operations for Piggs Brothers.  “Stone is hard to find, while brick and concrete are very energy intensive to produce, and they all have dismally low insulating value. It is imperative to reduce the energy use and the total embodied energy of homes, and I’ve always said that brick and stone just weren’t the right avenue from a total energy perspective. I’ve finally brought my brothers on board with that way of thinking. Our earlier errors were that we needed higher quality sticks with better attachment points.  Adding in innovations such as off-site fabrication, which improves quality, construction tolerances and speed of dry-in time for the structure is a real game-changer. A more efficient shape helps too, benefiting wind resistance, waste optimization, and energy efficiency by offering reduced exterior surface area for the same interior square footage.  That’s why we’re excited about the testing process with Deltec.  They are really bringing forward the way wood-framed construction should be done.”

At an undisclosed location, Dr. Wolfe will perform the Huff and Puff process himself.  He has informed us that he requires several weeks of preparation to get ready.  He also cautions us not to be too optimistic:  his test is rigorous, and many homes of all construction types have not been able to withstand the forces.

But we’re not worried.

The post Deltec Homes Announces Strategic Partnership appeared first on Deltec Homes.