July 2018 The WBS Connection

INSPIRATION

Making the Home an Accessible Retreat

Elaborate outdoor living spaces, enhanced master bathrooms and showers, and strategic lighting are three big trends we’re seeing in upscale home design during 2018.

Interior finishes like intricate moldings, built-in cabinets, and exposed beams are often what we in the Midwest consider upscale when we think about features of a custom home. But in 2018, homeowners and homebuilders are taking their game up a few notches when designing dream homes.

Elaborate Outdoor Living Spaces

We’re not talking about your traditional paver patios and BBQ grills here. We’re seeing sophisticated outdoor kitchens complete with wood-fired pizza ovens and more counter space than what is traditionally found in an interior kitchen.

People are willing to spend money on furnishing outdoor rooms, even in Wisconsin, so they feel like they’re lounging in a living room. Rugs, pillows, sound systems, and ambient lighting add to the effect.

To build these outdoor rooms, homeowners are using stone, brick, and concrete pavers for walls, fireplaces, patios, porches, kitchens, and other outdoor features. These materials stand up to the weather and are attractive.

Enhanced Master Bathrooms and Showers

Some of the neatest trends we’re seeing in the master bathroom are inspired by the high-tech world of smart homes, and Wisconsin-based Kohler is leading the way.

Kohler Konnect is the company’s IoT (internet of things) smart home network. Products include a voice-activated lighted mirror with built-in Amazon Alexa functionality; a shower that allows you to adjust the water temperature, control the shower heads and spray patterns, adjust music or lighting, turn on steam, and set the duration of a shower using voice commands; a tub and faucet you can automatically fill and drain by using voice commands or through the Kohler Konnect app; and a toilet with ambient colored light, Bluetooth music syncing, and a heated seat and foot warmer.

Strategic Lighting

If you’re really looking to add “wow” factor to your home, try the hot trend of backlighting. Seen in fireplace surrounds, on shower accent walls, behind mirrors, and even behind kitchen backsplashes, backlighting creates ambient lighting that is atmospheric and functional.

Another way to add novelty to your custom home is by using plenty of large skylights. Skylights had a bad reputation for years, but they’ve come a long way in terms of design and installation methods. These ceiling windows create paths for natural light to reach otherwise dim areas, which is always welcome during cold Wisconsin winters.

INNOVATION

Cambria Quartz Introduces New Designs

Inspired by the majestic landscapes of Wales, Cambria recently announced five new, bold countertop designs with incredible clarity and quality made to enhance any space.


The five new designs from Cambria are additions to three collections: the Oceanic Collection, the Desert Collection, and the Marble Collection. Four of the five designs are available in matte and high gloss finishes.

In the Desert Collection, the dark ebony design Blackpool Matte is only available in a matte finish. The new design addition to the Oceanic Collection is Levven, with its muscular currents of gray, black and white.

The Marble Collection includes three new designs: Mersey, which is a deep, glassy black with white streaks that flash like lightning; Skara Brae, which has thick mossy green veins set against a bone-white marbled backdrop; and Bridgewater, an industrial gray-blue accented with brief interludes of white.

These five additions mean Cambria’s quartz palette now encompasses over 150 unique designs across nine collections, available in both high gloss and matte finishes.

EXPERIENCES

WBS Truss Plant

Are you aware that when you choose WBS, you’re supporting a local Wisconsin business that manufactures its own roof trusses, floor trusses, and wall panels?

The 54,000-square-foot Green Bay truss facility houses six roof truss lines, two floor truss lines and two wall panel lines. We use state-of-the-art computerized saws and incorporate laser technology for accurate truss set-up and profiles.

Watch this video and visit our website to learn more about our truss plant.