OUR BLOG
Understanding the Permitting Process
When it comes to undertaking a new construction project, whether it's a residential home or a commercial building, one crucial step that often gets overlooked or underestimated is the permitting process. Building permits are the official documents required by local or state authorities that grant permission for construction or renovation work to begin. While it may seem like a hassle or unnecessary red tape, proper permitting is essential for a variety of reasons. In this blog post, we will explore the significance of the permitting process and provide some valuable insights to streamline your new construction project.
Tiny Homes and Building Codes: Navigating the Legal Landscape
Today, we're delving into a topic that's got our sustainable and accessible design hearts beating – tiny homes. You know, those adorable pint-sized dwellings that have captured our imagination. But before we dive in, let's remember that at Waldron Designs, we're all about responsible, eco-conscious design.
New Construction: Design Expectations
Designing a new home is an exciting venture that allows you to bring your dreams to life. Whether you're embarking on this journey for the first time or have some experience, it's essential to set clear expectations as a client. This not only ensures that your vision is accurately translated but also establishes effective communication with your design team. In this blog post, we will explore some key factors to consider when setting expectations as a client for designing a new home.
Starting from Scratch
After living in home after home that is just not quite perfect, the itch to build often has its merit. But, how does one begin this arduous process (and I won't lie... it is arduous)? Let's take a look at the steps and requirements needed to build new!
What to know about VOC's
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are a major concern in our homes. They are released as gases from various household items like paint, cleaning products, furniture, and air fresheners. These chemicals contribute to indoor air pollution and can harm our health, causing respiratory issues, headaches, and even cancer with long-term exposure.
Do I Need a Range Hood?
We visit several homes without any range hoods. Nothing, Nada. Moreover, the nearest smoke detector to the kitchen is the first to be removed. We don’t want the detector blaring when we burn a piece of toast after all, right? If our cooking produces enough smoke to set off the smoke detector, imagine what it's doing to our bodies.
Designing for Migraines
Did you know that 39 MILLION Americans suffer from migraines? With migraines being a fairly common ailment, it only makes sense to consider both what prompts these episodes, but also a respite when we experience them.
5 Ways to Improve Existing Kitchen Accessibility
We’ve seen all the fantastic designs for accessible kitchens with varying counter heights, and fantastic built-ins that all require a full kitchen renovation. But, what if a full renovation is not in the cards? How can we create an accessible kitchen using what we have?
Design Consultations for Real Estate
We’ve had introductory meetings with several potential clients who are enthusiastic about remodeling their new homes but, after doing some digging, then find out that the dreams for their new home aren’t possible. Of course, it can be heartbreaking to the new owners and, honestly, we hate delivering bad news like that. If only we all had done that research earlier!
Chromotherapy As A Design Consideration
Eternal skeptics here at Waldron Designs, we jumped into scientific papers and decided to establish the validity of Chromotherapy, and we’re excited to share what we found with you, because some of this is what we expected, but most of it is not!
Sustainability: Not Just A Perk
As children, we never saw the red skies that come from local wildfires. We never had to worry about whether our air was clean enough to go outside. We didn’t watch king tides in awe, wondering why peoples’ homes were built so close to the beach because they were flooding. We remember talking about hairspray putting a hole in the ozone, but we didn’t FEEL the ramifications of global warming. It didn’t feel real.