Outdoor living spaces go beyond the lawn

While many builders sweat the walk-through of one of their houses by a potential customer, what they may not realize is that what often makes or breaks the sale is what’s outside of the home. Today’s homebuyers are increasingly infatuated with extending their interior living to the outdoors.

Outdoor living space is not simply a lawn or deck; it’s an outdoor area that’s every bit as comfortable or that supplies all of the amenities of the interior space of the home. “When creating your outdoor sanctuary, you need to use the same design principles detailed for indoor spaces,” said DeAnna Radaj of Bante Design LLC/3E Products and author of Designing the Life of Your Dreams from the Outside In. “You want to look at the outdoor space the same way you would an indoor space.”

Four profiles of luxurious bathroom designs

Sweet suite: These master bathrooms at an exclusive, nine-unit glass condominium in Manhattan, developed by Madison Equities and designed by Audrey Matlock, offer the ultimate master bathroom suite. The bathrooms feature a spa shower for two, separate elliptical soaking tub, a private-doored steam room and a balcony. The steam room is 8-by-5-feet, with river-washed bluestone on the floor, Vermont Imperial Danby book-matched marble on the wall, slate tiles on the ceiling and a teak bench. The bathroom is finished with bamboo walls, “floating” marble countertops, custom glass tile walls and fixtures from Dornbracht, Kohler and Duravit. A perfect combination of space, light and privacy, the master suite offers the luxury of a private balcony with entrances off the bedroom and bath, a pair of walk-in closets, a spectacular five-fixture master bath featuring honed bluestone flooring with radiant heating system; white back-painted custom glass tile walls; marble countertop with Duravit Vero wash basins; freestanding Victoria & Albert Napoli elliptical tub; spa shower for two with Kohler Watertile overhead rain showers; and chrome Dornbracht Mem fixtures.

What’s new with energy efficiency tax credits

It’s not news that federal and state governments offer financial incentives to help introduce more efficient techniques and products in American homes, but it’s certainly taken more prominence as energy conservation has become a top priority throughout the country. Add to this some of the bonuses offered in President Obama’s stimulus package, and you—and your customers—have even more incentive to go green, at least until the end of this year.

Stimulating business for builders

Thanks to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, homeowners who invest in energy-efficient products may save money on their energy bills and next year’s tax return. According to the IRS, the law created or expanded six energy-related tax credits, including the Residential Energy Property Credit for homeowners who make qualified energy-efficient improvements to their existing homes.