If you’ve ever considered building your dream home on land you already own or land you’ve yet to purchase, join us Saturday for “Homebuilding 101.”
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Our carpet is green!
No really – every piece of carpet in a Garrette Custom Home is GREEN. Don’t worry, we’re not referring to the color, as there are 20 colors to choose from, we’re referring to environmental impact. We only use carpets that are Green Label Certified Plus, tested and approved in accordance with the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Indoor Air Quality Testing and Labeling program. And if that’s not good enough, our carpets are recyclable and will never need to be disposed in a landfill (carpet is the #2 filler of landfills, after diapers), and it can be recycled to make new carpet!
Our popular Frieze-style carpets are also
- R2X stain and soil resistant and offer a patented treatment, 5 year limited warranty against soiling and liquid spills
- Quality assured and have a 10 year Quality Assurance Warranty, free of manufacturing defects for 10 years
- FHA approved
We think great, hassle-free carpets are a MUST in your new home, and not to mention they’re nice and warm during the long northwest winters.
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Visit Ilwasco Estates in Camas to see the INSIDE of the newly-completed home!
JUST COMPLETED – pictured below before its completion, this Garrette Custom Home is the popular Rialto floor plan which features a 700-square-foot master suite and dramatic stone arched entryway. The first home to open in Ilwaco Estates in Camas, the neighborhood will also feature the five–bedroom Rainier and the customizable Fabrico with four to six bedrooms and a full bathroom on the main floor. Come see us in Camas and take a tour of the inside.
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New Garrette Neighborhood!
We’ve just broken ground on our newest neighborhood, Ilwaco Estates in Camas. Not only is the location near Klickitat Neighborhood Park fantastic, but the schools are amazing and layouts exceptional – it’s very worth checking out. Below is our press release with more information about the neighborhood and you can always visit our website to preview floor plans and elevations – or just come take a tour.
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Portland makes national list of improving housing markets
Great news just in from the Home Builders Association (HBA) of Metropolitan Portland. In a press release the HBA announced that Portland was added to a national list of improving housing markets! For those of you who wants some more details, here are the highlights from the HBA announcement:
- In February, the list of housing markets showing measurable improvement expanded by 29 metros for a total of 98 entries on the NAHB/First American Improving Markets Index (IMI).
- To make the IMI, metro areas must show six consecutive months of improvement in housing permits, employment and house prices.
- Oregon markets are showing significant improvement for a housing recovery in 2012.
- Local housing inventory levels are below a six month’s supply and housing demand is growing.
- A 1.9% improvement in house prices is projected for 2012.
- Between December 2010 and December 2011 the RMLS Market Action Report showed a 6% rise in pending sales and 4% increase in closed sales.
This news and sunshine – what a perfect way to kick off February.
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A & J Custom Cabinets
Several years ago we were lucky enough to start working with A & J Custom Cabinets. A & J makes exceptional cabinets for all Garrette Custom Homes, just check out their beautiful, quality cabinets on their Facebook page or stop by our showroom to see them for yourself. Another great thing about A & J is that they’re local and based out of Vancouver, Wash., just like Garrette Custom Homes. https://www.facebook.com/AJCustomCabinets
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Don’t Neglect Your Office
Your office may just be a place for you to type away at the computer or for you to sort out your mail. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up on designing the space. Every space you live in affects you, even if you only spend a small portion of your time in it.
Keep things tidy
Paper work, pens and more paper will start to creep up around your desk sooner or later. So go out and buy folders and cabinets to keep these items in place. Make sure to keep things at it’s original place at the end of the day so you can have a clean office to go back to every day. Especially when it comes to cups of caffeine that helped you survived throughout the day should not stay in your office overnight, they belong in the dishwasher ready to serve you again the next day.
It’s not all about work
Your office sometimes needs a little fun environment to make things a little less stressed every once in a while. If you’re one of those people who work at home, then this is very important advice for you to follow. Have a little fun sometimes, and remember to get your rest. If you have the space for it, put a lounge chair or a convertible sofa in the office so you can lie down and get some shut eye. Just remember to keep a balance and not ending up on the couch all day long and not get any work done!
Give equal design to your office
It might be easy to just make your bedroom and living room a little piece of heaven to live in, but your office needs just as much tender loving care. What color suits you best in helping you work and allows you to be at peace all at the same time? Hang a few posters that would help motivate you through the day, a little humor always goes a long way as well.
Yoga For Kids
Kids nowadays are growing up faster than ever with constant surrounding of technology filled with easy access of global information overload. To help them relax and rejoice the present moment, yoga would be a great hobby for them to start young with.
Benefits to their mind
Unlike other sports children are exposed to, yoga is noncompetitive and brings together compassion and cooperation rather than two teams opposing one another. It also allows the children to learn early techniques of relaxation and inner fulfillment so they can keep a peaceful mind as they begin to learn life’s challenges. A healthy mind is just as important as a healthy body, so yoga is the best option to promote both.
Use animal yoga to engage with your kids
To start animal yoga, the kids can suggest different animals to imitate their movements. And since kids love group play, this will gain a lot of cooperation skills for them as well.
For kids to imitate a butterfly
1. Sit on the floor and place the bottoms of your feet together, and relax your body.
2. Pull your heels close to your body.
3. Sit up straight and hold on to your feet.
4. Start to gently move your knees up and down, mimicking the flapping of butterfly wings.
5. Place your fists on your temples with your index fingers projecting like little antennae. Lean forward and side to side like a butterfly going from flower to flower.
6. Res by putting your hands under your knees and bring the “wings” together to give them a hug.
7. Breathe and relax.
Baby yoga
Yoga is an easy sport for mom’s with babies as they can be in the same room together. When they are fast asleep, you can easily place them in their stroller or car seat so you can get your much needed meditation. If they are wide awake, there are many mom and baby yoga exercises. For example, you can use an exercising ball and place your baby on top with a blanket underneath them. Use your hand to support her back and gently roll the ball back and forth. This way they get some tummy time and some extra exercises compared to sitting on their backs all day.
Landscaping Ideas For Your Own Backyard
Thinking of creating a landscape design for your back yard? Well you better get started before the weather gets too cold.
The Plan
When planning your backyard, consider what you need and want in your space.
- Play area for children
- Pet friendly area
- Vegetable garden
- Dining / barbecue area
- A shed for gardening tools / supplies
Once you’ve decided on what you want in your back yard then print out Rona’s guide in Carrying out an outdoor design project. This guide will make up your lists, design your plan and develop a realistic work schedule. Usually you should start with the bigger jobs to get them out of the way, but don’t force yourself to complete the job within a year. Your plan should be divided in stages over a span of 2-3 years, that way your budget is in alignment and you don’t overwhelm yourself. You should also incorporate the accessory list below to enhance the look of your backyard
- Using water features such as fountains, ponds, hot tubs & swimming pools
- Shade features like pergolas & gazebos
- Assign a theme for your backyard such as color, style, scent. Or others such as a Japanese rock garden, southwest/desert and a cottage garden.
There’s enough room for style and comfort
The trend in designing your home indoors has also led it’s way to the outdoors. It’s a trend to make your outdoor living just as comfortable as the indoors. Your backyard can be just as cozy, the main concern would be to weather proof your outdoor furniture and to also incorporate the weather outside such as rain, wind and sun. For example, a gazebo or awning can help protect against harmful UV rays during the day and insects when the suns down. With regards to furniture, make sure to include comfortable seating with cushions and throws when the evening gets a bit more chillier.
If you have limited space to work with, consider using containers that are portable and can easily be replaced. You can move them around when guests are over, and use the containers to store colorful flowers to brighten dark corners.
Another tip is to include more curved walkways and paths to create the illusion of more space. The flow of space from one area to the next allows an open space feeling compared to small and boxed in.
Hot Property- Single level home, now under construction in Hockinson, WA!
Hockinson Village is located in Hockinson, WA, just on the outskirts of Vancouver, WA. It is a private, gated community and is within walking distance to the high school. This fantastic sinlge level home is 2900 SF +/- on 1.02 acres.
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