Think about adding a reclaimed wood coffee table to your home

If you’re looking to bring some visual interest and a traditional vibe into your kitchen, think about introducing reclaimed wood.  We’ve gathered a few ideas to get you started.

One of the best places to start is with the kitchen table.  Bringing in a traditional farm table (which is easier to find than you’d think) will serve as a focal point and a conversation piece in the heart of your home.  Or, go ahead and build your own table with reclaimed wood, which, as long as it’s structurally sound, will sand down and finish into something beautiful and unique.  Using reclaimed wood to build shelving or cabinet fronts is another fine way to make your kitchen both traditional and unique.  Architectural salvage shops are good places to find old wood; some people even re-use wine crates and older palettes.

If you don’t want to commit to old wood cabinets, using it as a contrasting feature on a kitchen island is a possibility.   Or, if you want to go really big, reclaimed wood makes a great kitchen ceiling, and certainly, floor.

At Trilogy Builds, we’re happy to help you design the right custom kitchen.  View our website for  more information.

photo courtesy of Tom Borowski on Flickr

image via Flickr

Wood makes a wonderful accent for the interior of the home, the natural element provides an unequaled design. When using wood the color palate that you select can make a dramatic difference in how the space is perceived.
To find your most complementary combinations keep these tips in mind:

Grey
Weathered or blonde woods are well represented with this color. It also works well with black stains. Finding a light blue with grey undertones will make walnut pop in a room.

Blue, Aqua, Turquoise
All of these shades are an excellent way to accent the warm honey or amber wood tones.

Whites, Creams, Ivory
These are staples when it comes to wood trim. When using a cream it is important to stay away from yellow undertones and whites should never be bright.

Brown and Beige
Given the natural hues of wood, it is an easy matter to find an acceptable brown, tan, or beige that will blend with wood elements.

Green
Of the colors found in the outdoors, wood and greens are the greatest combination.

You can make the most of your interior design by finding the right color match to your natural wood elements.

image via Flickr

Smooth, round river rocks have been used for centuries in a variety of architectural designs. Such a long history of usage has not made them less popular today. The trend of using smooth river rock lends itself naturally to your Breckenridge luxury home plan.
There are many uses for river rock in interior and exterior design, but do not use them inside a fireplace, because when heated to a high temperature the rocks could explode.
A variety of size options are available, from tiny pebbles to large round stones. The natural assortment of colors makes them fun for planning your palette, regardless of whether you mix and match schemes. Solid colors, such as black can make an impressive statement as a focal point in a room decor.
Imagine massaging your bare feet every time you step into your river rock shower floor. A river rock fireplace will only enhance the natural mountain setting so abundant in your Breckenridge luxury home environment. Consider a earthy outdoor setting with the loose spreading of pea-size pebbles underfoot. Compliment your marble or granite kitchen countertop with river rock walls.
Let the Trilogy Team help you design and build your Summit County home. Contact us today.

Plan your next home remodeling project with the use of different levels to creatively differentiate your living spaces. Changing levels can better define and utilize your floor layout.

Adding a few steps to half a floor either up or down can enhance your innovative style, no matter if you have a one-story or multi-level home. Different effects can be achieved, depending on the number of steps you add.

Liven up your living area with open, closed or a combination of levels somewhere in between. The change can be dramatic or subtle, depending on the look you are seeking. Build an overlook area from the kitchen, a cozy, intimate dining space, or a stylish transitional zone between levels.

Choose an artistic flare in level remodeling that compliments the natural flow within your home. A loft space can be incorporated with a minimal addition of design-build that can utilize otherwise wasted space and break up high ceilings.
Even just a single step or two can create a soft flowing transition from the living room area to the kitchen or dining hall areas.

Contact Trilogy Partners today for help with all your home remodeling ideas. Email or call us today at 970-453-2230.

Many home improvement companies will recommend a whole host of energy efficient options that should be performed on your home, and usually their advice coincides beautifully with the services that they offer.

No one wants to cast aspersions, but many of these companies only inspect the features that they can improve and do not really look at the big picture. For this reason, a savvy homeowner should get an independent energy audit to determine the best course of action. In particular, energy audits will inspect the following three main areas:

• Windows and Doors – Testing will determine if the house is properly sealed.
• HVAC System – A cost/benefit analysis will be conducted between the current system and a newer, high efficiency one.
• Insulation – A whole house survey can determine if insulation is lacking in the walls, attic or subfloor crawlspaces.

With a thorough energy audit in hand, homeowners can now choose the most cost effective way to resolve their home’s problem areas. For more information on energy audits in particular or green home design in general, contact us at Trilogy Partners. We can be found online at TrilogyBuilds.com or you can call us directly at 970-453-2230.

Image: Shutterstock

Design by bhh Partners

For our many projects, we choose to work with only the best in Colorado architecture, design, and construction. This is why we have teamed up with bhh Partners, an award-winning architecture firm.

Formerly known as Baker + Hogan + Houx, bhh Partners has catered to the Rocky Mountain region since 1976 with residential and commercial design services. The firm is composed of a team of experienced professional architects skilled in creating architectural plans that address specific client needs and maximize natural surroundings at the same time.

The architects for bhh Partners’ Colorado offices are Marc P. Hogan, Michael R. Houx, Jarrett L. Buxkemper, and Tim Gerken. You can get to know more about them on the bHH Partners’ bio page.

Aside from highly customized projects for each client, bhh Partners also delivers excellent customer service and high attention to details. They are passionate about their craft, work well with one another as a team, and have great visions for their designs — and it shows in their work. These reasons are what convinced us that bhh Partners is a great addition to our team here at Trilogy.

Trilogy Partners is proud to be a part of the vibrant Breckenridge community and the people that call this region home. We are also incredibly proud of the work of Michael Rath, one of our managing partners, and the global charity he co-founded called Haiti Orphan Rescue Program. Michael works with an accomplished team in an effort to help revitalize distressed Haitian orphanages through grassroots solutions.

Haiti Orphan Rescue partnered with their sister organization Union of Haitian Orphanages for Action. This collaboration allows Michael and the team at Haiti Orphan Rescue Program to identify distressed orphanages desperately in need of upgrades and modernization. Through grassroots efforts the two organizations learn what the orphanages need before establishing a renovation plan. Orphanages have received a  variety of improvements, including raised garden beds, storage solutions, play structures, upgraded plumbing, roof repairs, and composting toilets.

What makes the work of Haiti Orphan Rescue Program so unique is the local approach. Local laborers are hired for the construction work and a vast majority of materials are purchased locally. This allows the benefit of the work to extend past the orphanage walls. You can learn more about the program from the Haiti Orphan Rescue Program website or Facebook page.

Almost everyday we hear news of depleting rainforests and the effects our actions have on the environment. An easy way to stay green in your home design is to use reclaimed lumber instead of virgin wood.

A few reasons why you should incorporate reclaimed wood into your sustainable design include:

• Keeping forests alive. Forests are responsible for turning carbon into oxygen helping, to an extent, to offset the carbon that is released into the atmosphere everyday. In addition, many ecosystems rely on these forests to stay alive.
• Reclaimed lumber can be up to 40 points stronger on the Janka scale than virgin wood. Most reclaimed lumber comes from older construction sites where older wood was used. In comparison, virgin wood is usually taken from first-generation forests.

Where to use reclaimed wood:

• Remodeled bathroom. While builders warn against using virgin wood in bathrooms, reclaimed lumber can withstand moisture levels and is suitable for furniture or veneer panels.
• Wood floors. Reclaimed wood floors look identical to those made from virgin wood. They are highly attractive, durable, and easy to maintain in comparison to carpet, which retains to dirt and moisture.

Contact us at Trilogy Partners for support in creating and building a sustainable design using reclaimed wood.

Image: houzz

As prices of heating oil, propane, and electricity continue to rise, even more commercial business and residential owners, municipalities and schools are changing to geothermal ground source heating and cooling to create a more sustainable design in their buildings. Geothermal heat exchange systems use only a third of the energy required for propane or fuel and produce no harmful emissions.

What is geothermal heat exchange?

Geothermal exchange involves harnessing the underground temperature of the earth for heating and cooling purposes. While air temperatures above-ground range from sub-zero to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, underground temperature is reasonably constant, varying from no more than 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Geothermal exchange systems use heat pumps for heating and cooling due to their extreme efficiency. Unlike HVAC systems, heat pumps move rather than generate heat. However, traditional heat pumps cannot move heat easily when temperatures are lower than 30 degrees Fahrenheit, so they are usually fitted with a supplemental heater. This problem is solved when a geothermal exchange is used in place of air exchange.

With a sustainable design, geothermal exchange systems are more energy efficient, meaning lower energy costs and it’s no wonder so many people are switching to this heating and cooling alternative.

Share your thoughts on the system in the comments section below.

Image: This Old House

When looking into a company within the Summit County area that’s reputable and can manage your construction work at a high standard, you will need some clear indicators. That’s why choosing a member from the Summit County Builders Association can provide you with the quality you need in getting the job done. One such member is our team here at Trilogy, and there are many reasons why you should a member.

• Supporting NAHB at a local, state and national level, the Builder’s Association provides their time, effort and expertise in maintaining a higher standard.

• In order to form an even stronger network, members recruit others such as contacts and colleagues. They’re then able to work towards their goals together.

• Membership means that many will receive non-dues funding thanks to advertising and sponsorship.

• With a group of resourceful individuals, you can get business and property tips from others invested in your success.

Viewing these reasons, it is clear to see why so many are choosing our services. Being an SCBA member allows us to attain and surpass a standard which we feel our customers deserve. When you have an idea of what you want for your property contact with us to see how we can help you.