Every year, many people talk about the resolutions they are making for the upcoming year, many of which involve having better self discipline. One of the most common resolutions is to be more organized.

 With 2014 just around the corner, why not make it your resolution this year? A great way to help accomplish this resolution would be to add a home management or study space to your home. Whether it is a home in the process of being designed, an addition to your current home or simply transforming an, existing unused space into a zone of productivity.

Creating a home management space is a great solution to help get yourself and your family organized in 2014! Here is a little organizational design inspiration in these home office spaces designed by Visbeen Architects. 

December 26th: Boxing Day

Happy Boxing Day, also known as Day of Goodwill. It is historically known as the day servants receive gifts from their bosses. Some people just take December 26th off to spend time with friends and family and to recover from the Christmas festivities. However, it is best known as one of the biggest shopping days of the year. However you choose to spend your day you should take a moment to check out this article from our friends on HOUZZ for some ideas for what you could do with your December 26th. 

Wishing you a day full of love and joy. 

Merry Christmas from all of us here at Visbeen Architects.

Pier View Cottages

For those of you that have been following the blog this past year you will have seen the posts about the article for the 2013 'Great Lake Story' from Michigan Blue Magazine. It has been a pleasure to work with the team at Mike Schaap Builders to bring these lakeside visions from Visbeen Architects to life.

Located on a private beach in South Haven, MI, each of these spectacular homes have an unobstructed view of the pier and the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan. These award-winning designs are within walking distance of downtown South Haven, a premiere beach town in West Michigan. 

If you are looking for a lake home or you simply would like to see the product of two talented teams, visit the Pier View Cottages website to view these beautiful lake homes and the charming beach community in which they are located.

Greenbuild Recap

A few weeks ago Wayne Visbeen traveled to Philadelphia, PA and met up with the folks from GAF to do live drawings, in their booth, at the Greenbuild Conference. It was very exciting to be able to partner with GAF this year as they - GAF - and the world of architects and builders prepare for the updated version of LEED standards. 

Wayne Visbeen talking with architecture students at Greenbuild. Read the article at the USGBC website

In case you do not know:

GAF is the largest manufacturer of commercial and residential roofing in North America and one of the very few manufacturers to be a USGBC Platinum member.
"LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is transforming the way we think about how our buildings and communities are designed, constructed, maintained and operated across the globe". 

Want to learn a little more about what we did at Greenbuild? Read the blog from the USGBC website to learn a little more about the happenings with GAF at Greenbuild 2013. 

Photo via. GreenBuild Website 

Room Guide: Built-In's

When buying or building a home, consider how much storage you will need and what you will want on display. Built-in's are a great way to integrate storage into the floor plan without having to buy additional furnishings for your home. A built-in can be anything from a linen closet or kitchen cabinets to a window seat or book case, they all help to open up floor space and create additional storage needed to organize your home. Built-in's can creatively utilize all of the available square footage in dead spaces such as the space under the stairs or in under used closets. 

This Old House Magazine published an article by Joseph D'Agnese, "Built-in Storage Ideas", that displays some creative ways to utilize existing spaces with built-in's. 

Photo Credit:  Julian Wass Via.

Here are some built-in's designed by Visbeen Architects that provide functional storage and add to the overall ascetics of the home. 

This built-in bar is easily accessible in the passthrough between rooms. It allows for convenience and design appeal with the glass faced cabinets displaying the miniature refrigerator and barware. 

Framing a doorway with a built-in bookshelf is a clever way display your library and to add character to any room. 

 This corner built-in bookshelf fits in with the curves of the rest of the home. It provides storage while still allowing extra light to enter and brighten up the room.

 The e-space built-in provides a location for work without having to add the square footage of a full home office to the floor plan. 

 Having a built-in next to a fireplace is a creative way to store and display firewood. 

 For kitchens with limited cabinet space; a closet built-in with pocket doors creates storage that can be hidden to reduce visible clutter. 

This built-in reading nook is the perfect spot to curl up and read a good book   

 For all of the pet lovers out there, this is a great way to create a space just for your pet and avoid spilling the food and water on the floor. 

Room Guide: Fireplace

With temperatures dropping as fast as the snow, I think we can all agree that winter has officially arrived in West Michigan. Love it or hate it, why not find yourself a cozy spot next to a roaring fire with a cup of hot chocolate to keep the chill of winter at bay. Your fireplace can be an accent feature to a room or can easily become the focal point. Check out some of the traditional, the modern and the ultra cool fireplaces that have been designed by Visbeen Architects.

The dark wood mantle of this fireplace creates a focal point for this lighter toned room

 Seeing double? This see through, two-way, fireplace has been placed in the middle of the living room in order to create two separate spaces while maintaining an open floor plan 

  A modern, low profile, fireplace gives way to the artistic to create their own unique space that warms the room

A more traditional fireplace with warmer tones that helps you feel right at home

Look again…Although you may not see it, this fireplace has 4 sides, some of which include storage for wood or blankets

This wide, modern, fireplace is the centerpiece that brings extra warmth to the vaulted ceiling room

A dramatically dark mantle of this fireplace along with dark accent pieces brings warmth into this large, multipurpose, living space

A two-way, see though, fireplace has been placed in the center of the room to be enjoyed from both sides in this costal home

For those warmer nights that you want to spend outdoors, why not spend them around an outdoor fireplace?

Do you know where this 4-sided, outdoor, fireplace is located?

Home Design

2013 Design Home

It has been an exciting month for all of us here at Visbeen Architects. We have had two of our home designs featured in two different publications!  Emmett, located in South Haven, MI, was featured in the Michigan Blue Magazine and the Heartsworth, which resides in Ada, MI, is recognized in Grand Rapids Magazine as the 2013 Design Home. 

The Heartsworth is a one of a kind home built by Infiniti Custom Homes with interiors artfully designed by Lauren Greiner, interior designer, with Klingman's Design Studio. 

From start to finish this home has been all about the details. From the decision of how it would be placed on the property in order to accentuate the natural attributes of the nature preserve, to the X-style design incorporated in the interior and exterior details of the home. Enjoy seeing the interior and exterior details of this spectacular home. 

Thank you to all of those that helped this beautiful home to become a reality.