A LEED certified home means that your home’s design is recognized as being eco-friendly and has met LEED’s high green standards. Source: Houzz

Getting your home LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified means that your home’s design is recognized as being eco-friendly and has met LEED’s high green standards. The following are a few things that a LEED interior designer will want you to know:

• Style is not sacrificed – Just because a LEED interior designer focuses on creating a green interior design does not mean that they will ignore the aesthetics of the design.
• They’ll use real green products and materials – It’s pretty easy to be fooled by products that claim they are eco-friendly when they really aren’t that eco-friendly at all. A LEED interior designer will ensure that you use the most sustainable products and materials available.
• A green home is a healthy home – In addition to being eco-friendly, a green home is also healthier for kids to grow up in since green homes have much higher air quality than non-green homes.
• Not all projects are good candidates – Some existing homes cannot be completely LEED certified, but that doesn’t mean a LEED interior designer can’t help make your home as green as possible.

Keep these things in mind and contact us at Trilogy Partners for more information about LEED certification.

Here are a few things that you can learn about interior design from a chihuahua Source: Pixabay

Chihuahuas are great little dogs to have (literally!), but they do much more than provide companionship – they can provide inspiration for your interior design. The following are a few things that you can learn about interior design from a chihuahua:

• Use symmetry – Having two chihuahuas instead of one is better for their happiness since they’ll have a friend. Symmetry works better for your decor – two throw pillows on your couch works better than one, two lamps flanking your bed works better than just one.
• Use a brown color palette – If you have a brown chihuahua, why not try to compliment its color with your color palette? Brown may be hard to pull off as the main color in a room, but if you do, you’ll get incredible results.
• Be unique – There’s no denying that a chihuahua is a unique sort of dog. Don’t be afraid to introduce unique elements, whether it’s a bold color or print, or if you mixing two different styles. A unique home design is also a more personal home design.

These are just a few ways that a chihuahua can influence your interior design. For more home design tips, contact us at Trilogy Partners today.

HGTV’s top 7 interior design styles include a colonial office, a midcentury modern, a Victorian bathroom, and many more. Source: HGTV.com

Trying to figure out what kind of style you want to go with for your interior design? What better way to make a decision than to check out HGTV’s top 7 interior design styles for inspiration? The following are HGTV’s top 7 interior design styles:

1. Colonial office design – Give your home office an air of importance with a style that is classy and traditional.
2. Midcentury modern design – For a clean look that implements a number of unique design details, go with midcentury modern.
3. Southwestern kitchen design – Want the kitchen to feel more homey and inviting? Then a Southwestern kitchen design might be your best bet.
4. Victorian bathroom design – If you want to add a touch of luxury to your bathroom design, then you can’t go wrong with a Victorian bathroom.
5. Craftsman design – Create an atmosphere that is comfortable and welcoming by using a craftsman design.
6. Contemporary design – Want to use decor pieces that are modern but also want a design that’s a little more inviting than a modern design? Go with a contemporary look.
7. Farmhouse kitchen design – For function and comfort, a farmhouse kitchen is a great choice.

Consider these styles and contact Trilogy Partners for more design tips today.

Here are some handy eco-friendly tips to help your kitchen get the best lighting. Source: Houzz

Every kitchen looks better when illuminated properly. Thankfully, you don’t have to choose between sustainable living and a brightly lit space. These eco-friendly lighting tips will cast a beautiful glow on your kitchen without using too much energy.

• Installing multiple switches allows you to illuminate just the part of the kitchen you’re currently working in. You can turn on as many or as few lights as you need at any given time.
• Dimmer switches also offer flexibility in lighting. Turn the lights down to conserve energy and set the mood when you’re dining, or up when you’re chopping veggies.
• Accent lighting adds visual interest to your kitchen and illuminates corners, so you don’t have to add as much overhead lighting. Have your accent lights on a separate switch, so you can turn them on only when they’re needed.
• Include large windows in your design. This way, you can bask in the glow of natural sunlight during the daytime. Sunshine is an unlimited resource, and its free.

If you’re building a new kitchen, Trilogy Partners would love to help make it the kitchen of your dreams. Contact us to learn more about our design and building services.

Insulating your home, installing energy-efficient windows, and letting lots of natural light into your home are three ways that your can save energy in your home.

Energy efficiency seems to be on everyone’s minds these days. From reducing electricity consumption to reducing fuel costs, saving energy is good for your wallet and for the planet, especially considering that most of the electricity in the US comes from burning coal. Here are a few energy saving tips to take your sustainable lifestyle to the next level.

• Insulate your home flawlessly. The better insulated your home is, the less energy you’ll need to maintain a comfortable temperature. Blown-in insulation is great for filling gaps and reducing air gaps. Spray foam insulation is also a good choice, especially in areas where moisture is a concern.
• Choose glazed, energy-efficient windows. Homes lose a lot of heat through windows. Choosing windows designed specifically for energy efficiency means reduce heat loss through he glass itself and the gaps around the window frame.
• Include plenty of windows to let light in. Sunlight heats the home and also reduces your reliance on light bulbs. Consider including a pull-down apparatus that can cover windows on chilly days to reduce heat loss.

Saving energy does not have to be time-consuming or inconvenient. Build and live responsibly, and you can minimize your energy use day after day.

When designing your home’s kitchen, here are some tips to help you choose the perfect eco-friendly appliances for your home.

Whether you’re designing a completely new kitchen or simple remodeling your existing one, choosing eco-friendly appliances is important. Not only do energy-efficient appliances lower you energy bills, but they also reduce your impact on the environment.

When selecting a refrigerator, choose an appliance that meets your needs in terms of size. A fridge that’s too small will have to work harder to keep food cold while it’s packed full. Buy too large of a fridge, and you’ll be paying to cool empty space.

Both gas and electric cooktops have environmental impacts, since most electricity in the US is generated from coal. An new eco-friendly choice is a magnetic induction cooktop, which transfers heat to pans through magnetism, meaning less heat is wasted.

Make sure any dishwasher you choose is Energy Star-rated and ensure has multiple wash cycles. You can use the “light wash” cycle to save water and energy.

The way you use your eco-friendly appliances is important too. Always fill your dishwasher completely before running it, don’t open the fridge for longer than needed, and cook in large batches to minimize oven use. With a little effort and good choices, you can live more sustainably every day.

These are several handy tips you’ll want to bear in mind for your next home remodeling project.

Remodeling your home can be stressful and time-consuming, but if you go about it in the right way, you are guaranteed success. Here are a few home remodeling tips to ensure your newly fashioned home turns about absolutely stunning.

• Hire a build-design team who has been in the business for a while and has experience creating the type of home you’re seeking.
• Be honest and clear with your remodeling team about what you want and what you don’t want. Make your needs and desires known, so that they can tailor their plans to them.
• Spend plenty of time looking online and in magazines for design ideas before you make your plans. This way, you don’t run across an idea you never thought of and wish you’d included it.
• Remember that open floor plans and spaces are popular right now, and for good reason. They make it easier for family to be together and make your home feel more welcoming.
• Include one or two “splurge” items in the design that you want, but don’t really need.

Start planning your remodel today, because only after what you establish what you really want, is it possible to achieve it.

Here are some of 2015’s hottest interior design trends. Source: WSJ.com

A new year brings new interior design trends. If you’re thinking of remodeling or building a new home this year, keep these trends in mind as you create your own designs.

• Metals are very trendy right now. Creating a layered mix of silver, gold and bronze is a unique way to call attention to your space.
• Rugs patterned with irregular shapes and swirls, similar to those you would see in a Monet painting, are great for both dining rooms and living rooms.
• Indigo blue is more popular than ever, especially when used with lighter colors such as coral and sage green.
• When choosing glass items, be sure to opt for smoky glass rather than clear glass. It gives the room a mystical, refined look.
• Graphic tiles are popular both indoors and outdoors for 2015. Unique, colorful concrete tiles are perfect for those who want to share a little bit about their lives and passions with visitors.

Start planning your remodel today, and be sure to include some of these stunning ideas. Whether you create an indigo and sage living room or a kitchen with metallic decor, you’ll have a home to be proud of in 2015.

Here are some great “green” tips to help you make the most of recycled tiles in your kitchen. Source: Houzz

Tile is pretty much a fixture of kitchen décor. However, if you’re redoing your kitchen or building from the ground up and want an environmentally conscious space, you can’t do much better than recycled backsplashes. You can get the beautiful look you want and make sure your kitchen was completely sustainably sourced. Use these tips from Trilogy Partners to learn more about common types of recycled tile.

• Use glass tile for a backsplash if you want a more modern look. While you might see some variation between tiles, it’s generally very pleasing to the eye, and is often the case with new tile as well. Recycled glass tile also uses only 30% of the energy required for new glass tile.
• Consider ceramic tile for your backsplash if you prefer a more uniform look. Unlike some recycled tile, ceramic is typically made into a uniform color that’s ideal for clean décor styles and bold, bright or darker colors, as well as white.
• Try metal tile for a bold, sexy look! Making recycled metal uses just 5% of the energy needed for new metal tile too.

Contact Trilogy Partners to learn more about recycled backsplahes and tile for your kitchen.

For anyone looking to upgrade their kitchen BUT remain eco-friendly, here are a few “green” kitchen appliances that you’ll want to consider. Source: Houzz

The appliances you install in your kitchen make a huge difference in how the overall space looks. They also say a whole lot about you as a homeowner. That’s why many people are looking for eco-friendly appliances for their kitchens. If you’re building a home or upgrading your kitchen, consider these appliances for your space. They’re good for the environment and they can make your space look great. Use this guide from Trilogy Partners to help figure out which ones are right for you.

• Consider family size when buying a refrigerator. An eco-friendly refrigerator that’s too small is going to have to work harder to cool your food when it’s packed full. Most families can use a refrigerator of about 25 cubic feet efficiently.
• Think about a magnetic induction cooktop if you use the stove a lot. You might be used to a standard gas stove, but they aren’t quite as environmentally because of how natural gas is sourced.
• Buy an oven that’s the appropriate size. They usually come in 24, 27 and 30-inch sizes, but if you don’t cook much, small works just fine. Convection ovens also use less energy.

Contact Trilogy Partners to learn more about eco-friendly appliances.