Storage Wars, Making Everything Fit

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At Ence, we are well known as being one of the foremost luxury home builders in Utah. But while that dream home may seem spacious and expansive at first, as humans, we have a tendency to fill that space with furniture, clothes, ornaments, etc. Eventually, you may find that your home looks like an episode of hoarders. There is nothing wrong with owning a large amount of personal items, if you know how to store them. Having a spacious, open home allows us to breathe and relax. Here are some tips to help your home remain a place of relaxation and comfort, while still keeping all the things that you just “can’t throw away.”

An Example of Hoarding

  1. Hoarding_living_roomChoose the right sized home for your needs. Sometimes this can be difficult, especially depending on what is needed. It isn’t an uncommon experience to move from a larger home to a smaller one. If you ever feel you absolutely can’t part with anything, consider taking advantage of not only indoor space, but outdoor space as well. Utilize a patio overhang and walls to create an outdoor room in your house.
  2. Plastic bins, plastic bins, plastic bins. They are cheap, affordable, and come in all kinds of shapes and sizes. Plastic bins can make a world of difference when you are trying to become organized. Additionally, you can buy plastic storage furniture (pick plastic or a synthetic for it’s lighter properties as wooden furniture can often be heavy and hard to move).
  3. A bit of elbow grease and/or home design can ensure that your home has all the necessary qualities to be able to store the large quantities of items that you have collected over the years, but just can’t get rid of. Consider making a storage space under the stairs, for an improvised closet, or use that space in the attic, that otherwise would go unused. Protip: stack heavier boxes/tubs along support beams to ensure that they are well supported, it never hurts to be safe. Also, try and go up into the attic every so often to spray for spiders that may take up residence!
  4. Cabinets with glass windows and shelves, placed strategically throughout the house, allow for an easy display approach. There are many places where these items can be found pre-built and ready to install. Although, if you aren’t handy yourself with tools, you can always hire an expert or friend to install them for you. Having the extra space on a blank wall, for instance, goes a long way toward showing off your collection.

Finally, if you absolutely don’t have space in your home for all of your gear, collected over the years, get a storage unit. One of the easiest ways to avoid having a cluttered house is to spend a bit of money on a storage unit; they vary in size so you can store practically anything. The idea is that you will have it when you need it. Try to pick a unit that is close to where you live, as you may find that you may need quick access to what you’ve stored. Consider storing things which are seasonal: clothes, decorations, and collectibles. Store items that you rarely use, but don’t want to throw away. For more tips and reasons to get a storage unit, visit this website.

How to Childproof your New Home

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At Ence, we realize that buying and owning a new home can feel like you’re walking on clouds. That is, until you look down at your 22 month old child, realizing that sometime in the not-too distant future, they will be getting into absolutely everything and anything that they can and possibly hurting themselves in the process. Whether you are new parents or grandparents, here are 5 tips to help ensure that your child won’t be the victim of circumstance. While this list is not all-inclusive, it does contain some great tips for getting started on child-proofing your new luxury home.

Dresser falling on a child

1. babyIs it big and heavy? Anchor it to the wall! Many parents likely feel that their two or four year old toddler couldn’t possibly tip over the heavy television stand, or the book case filled with books. That’s definitely not the case.http://abc7.com/news/anchoring-tv-and-furniture-prevents-tip-over-injury-to-kids/800282/
Every year, over 200 children die because of heavy furniture falling on top of them.
It can happen at any moment. Don’t let your child become a statistic. If you think that the piece of furniture is potentially heavy enough to crush your child, secure it to the wall with an anchor, and secure all televisions to the furniture pieces themselves. For more information on what kinds of furniture should be secured, check out this site here: http://childproofingexperts.com/5-myths-about-furniture-tip-over-injuries

2. Purchase furniture with rounded edges and a sturdy build. Kids are full of energy and it only takes a second of running around a corner, or taking a wrong turn without looking, for the event to turn into a trip to the hospital. If you have furniture with sharp edges, whether it be counter tops or a table, consider either attaching plastic guards over the top, or possibly manually rounding the edges. Your child may still run into the corners, but it is more likely to be a bump that can be healed with a kiss than a cut which requires stitches. Buying furniture that is heavy duty will also reduce the risk of injury as your child gleefully jumps, runs, and otherwise uses the living room furniture as a jungle-gym, while you aren’t looking.

3. If you have small children, cordon off stairwells leading to the second floor or basement. While it is likely every boy’s and girl’s dream to fly, their first experience shouldn’t be down the stairwell. Keep in mind that baby-gates will only work for so long. You may need to upgrade them as your child figures out how to climb or otherwise disable the safety mechanisms that are supposed to keep them at bay.

4. On the subject of safety devices, plug guards, cabinet hooks, door safety handles, and other similar devices can keep a child in the room they are supposed to be in. However, a young child should be supervised at all times. These preventative measures will likely ensure that you won’t have to worry about a child ending up in a room they weren’t supposed to be in.

5. Finally, there is no substitute for education. Educate your children at every opportunity about the various dangers that can be found around the home. While they will assuredly discover many of these dangers on their own, vigilance and education should keep them from trying to inadvertently hurt themselves.

By following these helpful tips, you can avoid many of the stresses that come with being a parent. It is our hope that you and your children safely and happily enjoy living in your Utah luxury home.

6 Interior Design Ideas for Your Dream Home.

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Who hasn’t ever dreamed of their “perfect” home and the things that they would love to see inside? At Ence, we don’t just build luxury homes, we build dreams. But a dream can feel pretty empty without filling it with content.
Here are 6 of the coolest design ideas that we could find on the internet, which could transform your custom St. George home (or wherever you may happen to be) into a dream home fit for an emperor.

1. Aquarium Bedsky
Ever dream of falling asleep in an undersea paradise? Well, this gets you just about as close as you might want to be without having to live close to the ocean. For St. George Homes, this is a boon. If you have a bit of money, you could have a custom fish tank made to overhang off your bed. Then you could fill it with a variety of tropical fish (make sure they are compatible!), and drift off to summer in style as you watch the fish lazily swim through the tank.

2. Bookcase stairwell
Bookcases are awesome, but sometimes they can take up much needed space. Solution? Turn your stairwell into a book case. The only problem you may run into on this one is the fact that the stairwell may become one of the most popular spots in the house to hang out!

3. Secret Rooms
Believe it or not, there is a company out there that will install secret rooms into your Utah Luxury Home, if you have a bit of cash. It could be the ultimate getaway or a safe-room in times of trouble. Not a bad investment for a dream home.

4. Under-the-stairs storage.
Ever wonder what to do with all that useless space under the stairs? Why not turn it into extra storage. Install drawers, cabinets, and cupboards to get the most out of the otherwise unused space.

5. Outdoor Cinemas.
A projector, a few pieces of drywall, and a frame on wheels (surrounded by white canvas), can make an excellent, and potentially mobile outdoor cinema. With this, you can break out when the weather gets warmer. Enjoy classics at full blast to attract the neighbors to your door. You are certain to be the talk of the town! Or, at least the neighborhood. This is a great way to get the family together for the evening.

6.Fish-tank pool
Pool installations are a must but if this is going to be a dream home, it needs to be even classier. Install fish tanks around the edges of the pool so that you can literally “swim with the fish.” Alternatively, a small pond just beyond the edge of the pool would work as well, just make sure they have their own separate filters!

We hope you enjoyed some of these ideas presented here. Any one of these ideas can be fulfilling but the important thing to remember is that this is YOUR dream. Figure out something that you would like to see happen, and go for it.

For further information, don’t hesitate to contact us here for more information.