Make the most of your new deck or covered porch this season with a new landscape design that will further your enjoyment for seasons to come!

If you’re one of those homeowners who changes your home’s decor to match the season, you might be interested in learning what color Pantone has chosen as its color of the year for 2012. And since we’re just beginning spring, this is a great time to introduce to you Tangerine Tango!

The announcement of Pantone’s Color of the Year is always an event that interior designers, builders, and do-it-yourself enthusiasts wait for with anticipation. But Tangerine Tango, Pantone color number 17-463, might have some people scratching their heads. How can you decorate with a color like this? Here are a few ways:

This pale orange shade doesn’t overwhelm, but it will create a visible pop in your decor, and can be worked into your home in a few creative ways. In a kitchen, it’s an ideal color for the walls—or even on a focal wall—particularly when mixed with lighter colored cabinetry in natural wood, or with white or ivory painted cabinets. The lighter color will break up the tangerine slightly so that it is not overwhelming.

Small spaces can benefit from the use of tangerine tango as an accent color. Consider incorporating this shade through the use of throw pillows, drapes, rugs, and art accents. For a fresh and springy approach, use this color on an accent wall and combine it with lemon yellow, a cool pale green, or fresh white.

Bathrooms can also benefit from this cheery color. Bring in bath accessories and towels in this happy shade and liven up a dull white or black bathroom. Mix in turquoise accents for a beachy look that will create an oasis feel in your bath.

And if you’re just not digging this color in accents or as a paint choice, you can always incorporate it in the form of fresh-cut flowers. Fresh flowers in the springtime always brighten up the home.

Good luck and have fun incorporating this color into your home. You’ve a whole year to enjoy it before Pantone names its new color for 2013!

Image courtesy of Pantone.com

This time of year, just as in the spring, we experience several calls about outside faucets leaking. That usually means someone has forgotten to disconnect the hose on the nights we have a light freeze. Why does this happen? First of all, most faucets are not designed to allow a hose to remain connected during a freeze. Even a “frost proof” faucet is not designed to have a hose connected during freezing weather. A “frost proof” faucet is designed to allow the water to drain out of the faucet when turned off. The stem is usually 6″ to 8″ back in the wall, allowing the water to drain out. When a hose is left hooked up, it allows the water to siphon back into the pipe. The water freezes and the pipe expands, usually causing a split in the pipe. Many people don’t realize the hose was hooked up for just one evening, and always tell us there was no hose hooked up. We know otherwise, as the faucet would not have frozen and split. SO DISCONNECT THAT HOSE EVERY TIME YOU USE IT.

• Meyer Plumbing

It’s a good time to have your furnace system serviced and your fireplaces serviced. Nothing worse than realizing a small amount of preventative maintenance could have saved an uncomfortable evening and an expensive service call for a replacement part.

• Chapman Heating and Cooling
• Prudential HVAC
• Energy Control

All fireplaces should be checked to make sure they are in good working order and are safe to use. Even the engineered gas fireplaces should be checked and serviced.

• Fireplace Distributors

We also recommend the electric panel be looked at yearly. Why? Where the main wire feeds enter the electric box and are inserted into a lug, these can work loose over time, as the wire can expand slightly and contract slightly, allowing the lug to loosen somewhat. This can lead to an unsafe situation, and can allow for the main breaker to get hot and burn out. It sometimes leads to the entire panel box needing to be replaced.

• Crider Electric

Sump pumps occasionally get a breather in the winter months. However, if the water table rises, and we have a wet fall and winter, it still has to do its job. We recommend you test the sump pump(s) every 30 days, allowing you to know it is in working condition.

• Meyer Plumbing

This is also a great time to check your septic tank if you are on a septic system. The growth over or around the septic tank is more easily accessed this time of year than it is in the spring. It also gives you the opportunity to make any repairs if required, and get any areas ready for seeding in the spring.

Find a HBAL member who can help. www.hbal.com

Having just changed our clocks to EST, change those batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

If you have any questions concerning the above, give us a call at (502) 244-0114, email me at perry@pllyons.com or fill out our handy Ask a Question Form. I might even write a blog post to answer it!

For updated information concerning industry related issues and comments, follow us on Twitter.

Rocky Pusateri of Elite Homes talks about many of the benefits of building a Homearama home in 2012 at Shakes Run.

We figure Rocky hit on all the high points, so we’ll list the bullets here and you can watch the quick video for the rest. He summarizes it well as he usually does.

• Shakes Run gives you the feel of the country (think Spencer or Shelby county but without the bedroom community feel) but has the city life within three miles at the Gene Snyder in Middletown (think churches, Target, Kroger, schools, and restaurants like Wild Eggs).
• A home in Shakes Run (or any Homearama site) would give you an instant value. As Rocky states, many of the contractors and subcontractors want to put their best foot forward. Often times they are willing to discount new products or services in order to get the massive free publicity that a Homearama home gives.
• Shakes Run has lots of green space, lakes, and many walk out wooded lots. Balance this with a clubhouse and pool, and you have the suburbs meet the country.

Perry Lyons of P.L. Lyons just finished up a home in Shakes Run. He knows the ground, the restrictions, and the process. He’s also a respected builder in the community, and serves alongside Rocky on the board at the HBAL. Needless to say, we’d love to build a contract home or Homearama home for you at Shakes Run.

If you’d like to visit Shakes Run, we’d he happy to give you the nickel tour, simply fill out this convenient form or call us at 244-0114 to set it up.

Here’s a quick, fun video of us at the scramble. This is an annual event. We always announce upcoming scrambles and events on our blog, so be sure to follow along if you’re interested in participating next year.

The Home Builders Association of Louisville (HBAL) will be having its annual golf outing at Quail Chase on Monday, September 12 from 11 AM to 5 PM.

This is a very popular event that draws nearly 210 golfers each year. The outing consists of a golf scramble, hole-in-one, closest-to-the-hole contests, and a nail driving contest. Golfers are treated to complimentary beverages and snacks throughout the day and each golfer receives a special gift. Immediately following golf, a free buffet is served.

I’ll be at the event so if you’d like to get a team together, please let me know. Or, you can read more about the golf outing here.

Here’s something you might not know about the HBAL. You don’t have to be a registered builder in order to be a member. They also have affiliate and associate membership opportunities available. You can read more about membership benefits and opportunities on the website, or contact me if you have any questions.

I hope to see you on the golf course!

The building industry—much like any other industry—is constantly changing and improving. If you’re one to keep up with the latest trends in design, decor, and building products, then you probably should be aware of Professional Builder Magazine’s list of the best new products for 2011.

Each year, the editors of Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler check out the newest products, finishes, and systems for residential construction and come up with a list of 101 best new products, then lump them into categories such as outdoor living, kitchen and bath, structural, and more. Read more about how the editors choose the winners here.

Here are some of the products that caught our eye this year:

• Kohler’s ultra-lux Numi toilet
• Blanco Solon Compost System
• Sterling Lawson Air Massage bath
• Azek’s In-Deck Storage Kit
• Kolbe Folding Door Systems

View the entire list of winners by category and read more about each product. Want more information about building or remodeling? Then check out our website.

If you live in Louisville, you probably know about Homearama. This event happens every year and this year it’s sure to be as exciting as ever. It’s being held at Norton Commons, a new, traditional community in Prospect.

This community is very unique, and the architecture of the homes here are unlike what you might see in many new subdivisions today. The styles are more traditional, with some even having a farmhouse feel. It’s definitely a unique neighborhood and if you can make it out, you won’t be disappointed. It’s expected to be one of the biggest and most exciting Homearama events Louisville has seen.

Here are some details to keep in mind:

• Twenty-one homes all on one street will be displayed, providing easy walking from home to home
• You’ll have access to the amenities that Norton Commons has to offer such as shops and restaurants
• It begins on Saturday, July 16 and runs through the end of the month
• The Home builders Association of Louisville is a sponsor and offers a link for a coupon on its website
• Ticket prices: $10 for adults, $15 for a two-day pass
• Hours: weekdays 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.,Saturdays 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Sundays 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Directions: Exit Highway 22 (Brownsboro Road). Proceed approximately 1 mile to Highway 1694 (Old Brownsboro Road) and turn left. Norton Commons is approximately 0.6 miles on the left. Look for yellow Homearama signs.

Even if you aren’t looking to buy or build a custom home, you can still get great design ideas for your next remodeling project and have a chance to experience this one-of-a-kind community.

Keep us in mind if you plan on building or remodeling in the future.

Here’s how the Home and Garden Show fared in our eyes.

On Friday and Saturday there were a steady flow of people just out looking for education and information. Of course, just like at any trade show, there were the usual “stuff grabbers.” You know the ones, equipped with two bags and looking for any widgets they can score. Most seemed to stop at our booth and take a DVD or a brochure. Some asked questions. Most of the interest we saw on Friday and Saturday was around remodeling or home improvements.

The show was not quite as large as years past which makes sense given the state of the economy. There were plenty of TVs to watch the NCAA games, and the same good fairgrounds food. The show is always a great opportunity to connect with friends in our industry, see our subcontractors in a more informal way, and get a pulse on the market.

Sunday after about 3:00 the traffic at our booth really picked up. Sunday from 3:00-5:00 was the best time (after the ball games but before the selection show). During that window alone we had four quality leads.

First were a couple of good remodel leads, then a custom home lead, plus four appointments.

We also had a handful of people sign up to receive our monthly email newsletter.

Overall, I would consider it a successful show! By the way, check out the Home and Garden Show’s website to search for information you may have missed.

If you read my newsletter this weekend, you may have noticed that I’ll be attending the Home Garden & Remodeling Show again this year.

The show runs from March 11-13 at the Kentucky Expo Center and is produced by the Home Builders Association of Louisville. Exhibitors at the show will be offering information on any home-related topic you can think of.

I’ll be exhibiting a full booth this year and will be talking to people about custom home building and remodeling. I’d love for you to stop by my booth and say hi. If you have any questions about home remodeling, improvements, or custom home building, please make sure to ask.

Also, I’ll be collecting business cards at the booth. Be sure to drop yours in for a chance to win a prize.

We look forward to seeing you at the show!

P.S. It’s worth the trip out for a famous Ky fairgrounds pork chop sandwich. Also, if you have the time, the Kentucky State Fair flea market is in town.