Our Experts
Kevin Gilday, Gilday Renovations | Geoffrey Kuck, FWI Custom Homes & Renovations | George Papaheraklis, FineCraft Contractors | Michael Winn, Winn Design + Build
Why is a lighting plan key to a successful redo?
“The right lighting beautifies and harmonizes a space, enhancing the original design intent.”
— George Papaheraklis
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“Considering color temperature, intensity and positioning of lights can reduce eye strain, enhance tasks and increase energy-efficiency.”
— Michael Winn
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“A plan identifies which fixtures are switched together and separately; how percentages of output are managed; and how lighting will impact mood and highlight art.”
— Geoffrey Kuck
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“Every room needs a lighting plan that includes supplementary illumination via lamps or pendants and sconces or up-lighting for ambiance.”
— Kevin Gilday
Trends in Smart Home Technology
“Integrated cooking, temperature, food orders, groceries and security systems all under voice command—and vacuums that clean on a schedule.”
— George Papaheraklis
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“We like Josh.ai. It offers products that are similar to Amazon Alexa or Google, but more conversational.”
— Geoffrey Kuck
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“Our team regards the Pico remote control switch as the best innovation in the past five years. It lets you put a switch at any door opening without running wires.”
— Kevin Gilday
Storage Smarts
“Put shelves under the stairs, open up bulkheads for storage or create a laundry chute from the upper floor that makes your life easier.”
— George Papaheraklis
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“Utilize your attic. We wrap walls and nooks in shiplap; this allows the smallest spaces to look good.”
— Geoffrey Kuck
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“We often encourage people without closet space to co-opt an adjacent bedroom and outfit it as a closet—but make sure the outfitting can be removed for resale when you want more bedrooms.”
— Kevin Gilday
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“We like to create room dividers with built-in shelves or cubbies to serve as both a visual barrier and a storage unit.”
— Michael Winn
