Virtual Tour!

Our Elk Ridge Meadows neighborhood is really coming together. We’d love to have you come check out the model home there. And, if you can’t make it, here’s a virtual tour of one of the just-completed homes in the same subdivision. Enjoy!

5 Reasons to Use an Interior Designer

When any of our homeowners starts the building process, one of the first things they do is meet with one of our interior designers. Why do we structure the buying process that way? Because we know that having an interior designer is one of the things that makes working with Arive as stress-free as possible. Here are some other great reasons to use an interior designer when building your home.

1. Wholesale Hookups 

Interior designers have access to wholesale decor, materials, and supplies to make your home look perfectly unique. Some showrooms and manufacturers only sell to interior designers, so you’ll need to work with one to gain access to the best stuff at the best prices.

2. Less Stress

You know what you want your home to feel like, but not how to accomplish that tone. Enter the interior designer: The expert on helping you make those key decisions on everything from paint color to counter top material. What stress?

3. Mediation

The husband loves contemporary spaces, while the wife prefers a more traditional look. That’s why an interior designer is a must-have through the process. The designer acts as a mediator between husband and wife, seamlessly blending both of their personal styles into a totally harmonious look.

4. Making the Most of a Space

Nowadays, most homes are designed with family life in mind. A kitchen is never just a kitchen: It can be a gathering space, entertaining area, and dining room. Interior designers help you make the most out of every nook and cranny in your home so it’s as functional as possible.

5. Staying on Budget

Staying on budget can be a common homeowner complaint, but when you have an interior designer on your side, it’s much easier to stay on track. When your designer knows how much you want to spend, he or she can show you the best options for your bucks.

Virtual Tour!

Sometimes, it’s about the little things: The fixtures in this home are completely swoon-worthy. Check out another one of our homes in Elk Ridge Meadows!

4 Ways to Save Money on Your Dream Kitchen

Most of our homeowners spend a pretty healthy chunk of their budget in the kitchen. And why not? It’s the most functional room in the house and the one most likely to house an entire family all at once. But you don’t have to blow your entire budget on your dream kitchen – instead, score it on the cheap! Here’s how:

1. Mix Materials

Dreaming of an all-marble kitchen but without the marble prices? Luckily, mixing kitchen countertop materials is a hot design trend, so you can get the look for less by using marble for your smaller, perimeter counters, and then choosing a more budget-friendly material (in a complementary tone, of course) on larger portions of counter, like the island.

2. Think Open Shelving

Cabinets are pricey, so think about adding some open shelves to your kitchen design. They’re much cheaper, and give your kitchen a brighter, airier feel. Added bonus? They give you the perfect place to display your grandma’s fine china as a design element.

3. Consider Island Options

Your kitchen island can be one of the most expensive pieces in the entire room. Think beyond the traditional, cabinet-heavy island. Going for an open butcher block or shelving-based island might bring down costs without sacrificing design or functionality in the final product.

4. Get What Your Want… Now

Our single best piece of advice to new homeowners? Get the kitchen you want now. While it might be tempting to skimp on materials and design to drive the price down, if it means a pricey future kitchen renovation down the road, you could end up regretting that choice. Instead, we suggest finding ways to get the look you want for less, and starting with the kitchen of your dreams from day one to save the cost and headache a reno will bring.

Virtual Tour!

So excited to share this new virtual tour with you! It’s the model home in our new Muhlestein Meadows — the Hailey. We love the open floor plan and living space, and the windows are to die for! Take a look and tell us what you think, or stop by the model home and see for yourself.

Stay or Go? Deciding Whether You Should Renovate or Build a New House

There are pros and cons to both renovating your existing home and starting from scratch with a new build. And, even as home builders, we can admit that sometimes, renovating your abode is a better choice. The real challenge is deciding whether you can get the home for you with renovations, or if it’s time for something new. Here are some things to consider:

You Should Renovate If…

• You completely love your neighborhood and there aren’t any new building lots available for sale.
• You’re emotionally attached to your home and would feel a sense of loss if you were to sell.
• Your home isn’t really at peak sale price, due to repairs, market conditions, and nearby home values.

You Should Build If…

• Your home’s design no longer works for your family, and cannot be altered to make extra room or better functionality.
• You are dying to live in a specific neighborhood, and there are plenty of lots for sale.
• The cost of remodeling your home won’t be commensurate with the eventual value, or the cost of renovations would be more expensive than simply building a new home when added to your existing mortgage.

You definitely have a few things to consider if you’re noticing that your home needs an upgrade. Sometimes, those upgrades can take place with paint and some renovations, but other times, it may make better sense to start new and get the exact home you want from day one. We’d love to help you with that, so start paging through our current designs to see if there’s a plan that would suit your family’s needs.

Virtual Tour!

It’s time for another sneak peek at one of our just-finished homes: The Conner.

Check out this virtual tour and tell us what you think!

4 Tips for Making Sure Your Home Stays on Budget

You have a budget; you want to stick to that budget. But if hours on Pitnerest have you dreaming about a palatial closet and gold-plated faucets, your budget might be seen as a hindrance instead of a help. But we know that homeowners who operate within a comfortable budget are the happiest, so here are a few ways that you can stick to yours while building.

1. Identify Your Key Costs

Where are you going to spend the most money? Think about it like packing a cooler for a picnic: You put in the biggest items first, and then fill in the little stuff. By planning out the big-ticket items, you get a clearer picture of what’s left over for the smaller items on your wish list.

2. Find Wiggle Room

Building a house might be mostly about living out your dreams, but it’s also about compromise. Maybe you love the idea of an enormous closet, but are willing to downsize in order to get the finishes that you want. Find where you’re willing to negotiate with yourself, and you’ll find some wiggle room for your budget.

3. Choose One Splurge

Hey, there’s no reason that a budget has to totally rain on your parade. We recommend choosing one splurge that will make your house completely yours. Maybe it’s a professional range or a beautifully tiled walk-in shower. Identify the one thing that you know will make you fall in love with your house, and you might not notice some of the things on which you had to compromise.

4. Keep Your End Goals in Sight

Why are you building a home? Independence? More space? The perfect place for your family to gather? Whatever the end goal you have for your home, chances are that going over budget isn’t going to make or break those goals. In fact, sometimes spending more than you should could put those goals even further out of reach. By keeping those goals in mind while you spend, you gain perspective and have an easier time staying within budget.

Happy building!

4 Ways to Prep Your Landscaping When it’s Cold

Baby, it’s cold outside! Okay, it’s not too bad for a Utah winter, but cooler temps still leave us itching to get outside, plant flowers, mow the lawn, and do all that stuff that gives our homes major curb appeal. And while it might still be a little too cold to actually get planting, there’s no reason to swear off landscaping until May. Start now, and by the time April showers bring May flowers, you’ll be ready for them.

1. Make Some Plans

If it’s warm enough, head outside and take a survey of your property. What items need to be done this year? Are there landscaping repairs that need to be done? Checking out your grass, garden, and property can help you prep a budget and make plans for the spring.

2. Clear the Beds

The fall and winter have a way of clogging your gardens with twigs, leaves, and other debris, and the perfect time to clear is now. Clearing before shrubbery and flowers start to grow makes it easier to rake, pull, and otherwise prep your beds for planting in the spring. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that clearing out your beds makes your landscaping look better, too,

3. Trim Shrubs

Over the winter, your bushes and shrubs probably have grown a few inches. Now is the perfect time to bust out the garden shears and trim your shrubs back in preparation for the inevitable growth spurt come March and April. Tidy up your shrubs and you’ll be ready for sunnier days ahead.

4. Get Organized

After a few months of being in “survival mode,” your shed and garage are probably looking a little worse for the wear. Spring landscaping will be here before you know it, so get organized: Rotate out the snow shovels and snow blowers and replace them with rakes, your lawn mower, and gardening tools.

Why Your Home Designer Says “No”

While we definitely try and accommodate all of our homeowners, in an age of Pinterest and Houzz, sometimes an item on your wishlist simply isn’t feasible. Luckily, you’ll be working with a team of designers to create your dream home – inside and out – and you’ll have a combined 30 years of experience in your corner.

Occasionally, your designer might have to tell you “no” during the process, but we promise it’s for a  good reason! It’s why we work from a catalog of gorgeous home plans: They’re a jumping-off point for your own customized, safe, and happy home. Understanding why you might not be able to get everything you ask for is key to working with a qualified, experienced designer who is committed to building the best home possible.

1. It’s Against Code

Each city in Utah has a unique set of building codes by which any owner has to abide. Those codes govern everything from the color of your exterior to the size of house, where it sits on your lot, and the various components inside. Sometimes, a designer can’t give you certain features simply because it’s against what the city dictates.

2. It’s Not Applicable

If you saw a house that you love, but it’s on the Eastern seaboard, you should know that it’s a house built specifically for the climate and building codes there. If you don’t need a specific type of siding because of Utah’s climate, your designer will definitely let you know.

3. It’s Over Budget

A good designer always keeps your budget in mind, and certain features can push your budget higher. He or she might not be giving you an enormous fireplace simply because your budget doesn’t allow. Of course, you can always re-prioritize your budget to allow for upgrades and features, and your designer should be happy to accommodate the changes.

4. There’s a Better Solution

A designer has years of experience, so when you suggest a feature, material, or layout, he or she might be better able to give you what you want with your budget and for your family. After all, with years of designing homes specifically for families, your designer will have learned a thing or two about making sure your home is perfect for you – not for someone you found online.

Trust your designer and you’ll be able to cultivate a relationship that helps you get exactly what you want in the most economical, convenient, and stylish way.

Happy designing!