Why Wellness? Simply put, our current built environment is working against our health and wellness. According to the Global Wellness Institute’s 2018 report “Build Well to Live Well,” the greatest health risks we face today are a result of sedentary lifestyles and lack of exercise, poor diet, stress, pollution, loneliness and alienation. Chronic disease now… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Design Tips & Trends
Community Amenity Design Trends
Community amenity design is continually evolving. In today’s competitive marketplace, unique amenities are a great way for communities to set themselves apart from the competition. It is such an exciting time to be in the industry, that we decided to take a step back and share some of our favorite trends with you. At KGA,… Read more »
5 Tips for Navigating the Permitting Process Smoothly
We recently sat down with Laura Swartz, Communications Specialist for Denver’s Community Planning and Development department, to talk about the permitting process and how best to navigate it. Our biggest takeaway? While the permitting process has historically gotten a bad rap, it doesn’t have to be that way. They have been hard at work streamlining… Read more »
6 Design Trends for New Home Communities
KGA’ers John Guilliams and Kiley Baham recently had the opportunity to join the Denver Metro SMC (Sales & Marketing Council) Board on a trip to visit some of Southern California’s newest master planned communities. 11 communities, over 30 models and countless flights of stairs later, we are excited to share with you their top 6… Read more »
9 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Custom Home
Unless you’ve done it before, building a custom home is a new and challenging process! Today we are going to look at some of the most common mistakes that people make when building a custom home, and tips on how to avoid them. Compromising Location for Price A huge mistake that homeowners make concerning custom… Read more »
Top 3 Considerations for Multi-Gen Homes
The demand for multi-gen homes is on the rise, fueled by an increasingly diverse buyer pool. We’ve been watching this trend for a while, but in digging into it a bit more, we found that nearly 1 in 5 Americans currently live in a multi-generational household – that’s approximately 60.6 MILLION people! (Source: Pew Research). Keeping… Read more »
Must-Have Home Technology Products for Your Remodel Project
Remodeling a home is an exciting process that breathes new life into old living spaces. With the right design and construction teams in place, the results of this transformation can be astounding. But, while you’re choosing new color palettes or kitchen and bath layouts, don’t forget about the critical role that technology can play in… Read more »
How Do Millennial Home Buyers Differ From Their Parents?
Get the latest on Millennial home buyers from guest blogger Jennifer Riner of Zillow, who brings us findings from Zillow’s most recent Consumer Housing Trends Report. Millennials are not who we thought they were – at least when it comes to real estate. According to Zillow Group’s Consumer Housing Trends Report, 42 percent of home… Read more »
Colorado Organic Modern Kitchens
Over the last several years, homeowners have gone from taking note of, to fully embracing, the organic modern kitchen. As kitchen designers, especially in Colorado, nature reigns supreme. I’ve been designing kitchens for over 20 years, and love how the Colorado organic modern kitchen presents both the opportunity and challenge to combine technology with the… Read more »
5 Cool Home Technology Products for Your Custom Home or Remodel
When it comes to crafting today’s living spaces, the integral role played by home technology is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Whether you’re looking for enhanced security, greater convenience, or the most impactful ways to entertain family and friends, there are no shortage of solutions to choose from. This abundance of options was clearly illustrated… Read more »
I Deserve it Features – the Master Bath
The Master Bath is full of opportunities for “I deserve it” features. From luxurious over-sized showers to sleek and sexy free-standing tubs, here are some of our favorite “I deserve it” features to turn your master bath into a relaxing sanctuary. Showers vs Tubs Showers are beginning to compete with the tub as the primary… Read more »
I Deserve it Features – the Kitchen
The kitchen is the perfect place to continue our conversation on “I Deserve it Features”. No surprise, the kitchen continues to be the hub of activity in the home. Cooking is fast becoming America’s favorite family hobby. Consider the popularity of shows like Master Chef and Chopped, and the ever increasing number of food blogs… Read more »
I Deserve it Features – the Owner’s Entry
At KGA, we love incorporating “I Deserve it Features” into our home designs! From simple details to one-of-a-kind custom designs, “I Deserve it Features” take on many shapes and sizes. Over the next couple of months, we will be looking at 3 common places that “I Deserve it Features” can be incorporated into the home,… Read more »
Emerging Trends in Amenity Design for New Communities
It’s no secret that this is an exciting time to be in the home building industry! As land planners and landscape architects, we’re fortunate to have front row seats to the housing boom that Metro Denver and the Colorado Front Range are currently experiencing. Since we always keep a close watch on emerging trends in… Read more »
What is Considered Design?
The Origins of Considered Design Considered Design began as a set of guidelines developed by KGA to help streamline the process of designing production homes. We found ourselves addressing similar, if not the same, questions and challenges on a high percentage of projects. As a result of working through them we developed a set of parameters… Read more »
Sustainable Design Trends for 2016
What are the latest and greatest trends in sustainable design? Am I doing all I can to incorporate and capitalize on those trends? Whether you are a builder, architect, designer – or consumer – these are the million dollar questions. Having graduated with an M.S. in Sustainable Design from Philadelphia University and being LEED design… Read more »
10 Design Trends for the New Home Market: Part 2
Our look at production home design trends continues this week, starting in the kitchen. (If you missed part 1 of this blog, you can read it here: 10 Design Trends for the New Home Market: Part 1) 6. Back Kitchens From a design standpoint, the kitchen is still the most important room in the house…. Read more »
10 Design Trends for the New Home Market: Part 1
Last month I had the opportunity to share 10 of the top architecture and design trends I’ve seen so far this year at an event called “60 Design Trends in 60 Minutes”. The new homebuilding industry is constantly changing, and as architects we work hard to stay at the forefront of what home buyers are… Read more »
Tiny Houses
I’ve become fascinated with the newest trend in the housing industry: “Tiny Houses”. Tiny houses are homes that are between 100 and 400 sq. ft., and often built on wheels making them mobile. Looking at them I can’t help but remember growing up – there were beautiful, sleek, aero-dynamic Airstream trailers and boxy looking Winnebagos. … Read more »
3 Things to Consider when Hiring a Landscape Contractor
Spring is finally here, and as the weather warms and the leaves unfurl, we’re all invariably faced with the landscape to-do list. Some projects are as easy as planting some colorful annuals on your front porch, while others need a professional eye and muscle to complete. There are a lot of options when you finally… Read more »