Mark Johnson Custom Homes Blog

Landfall custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes encourages our readers to view recently uploaded photos of our projects, both past and present, on our Flickr and Facebook Fan pages. View our Photo Sets on Flickr and Facebook, including our luxury homes in Wilmington and Hampstead, NC. For more detailed information on these homes and available lots in Wilmington, NC visit our Inventory Page!

Landfall luxury home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share an informative article from ConcreteNetwork.com on how to design and what elements to include for the ideal outdoor living area for your home. Below are the ways to use concrete to build your perfect outdoor space and for more information on each, click here!

“Decorative Concrete Surfaces
Start by installing stamped, stenciled or stained concrete patios and walkways to establish the basic floor plan and design scheme for your outdoor room. You can even pattern your outdoor floor with a permanent, weatherproof rug that adds visual interest and helps define dining and conversation areas.

Cooking
Something to cook with, such as a barbecue grill or wood-fired pizza oven, and countertops for food preparation and serving are key elements in a well-designed outdoor kitchen. Concrete countertops offer the advantages of weather resistance and versatility, since they can be formed into any shape you desire to suit the space. A coat of sealer will simplify cleanup by protecting your countertop from stains. Other amenities, such as concrete bartops and outdoor sinks with plumbing, can expand your entertainment options.

Hearth
Wood-burning or gas fireplaces, firepits, chimineas and portable patio heaters extend the enjoyment of outdoor living well into the evening while creating a cozy conversation area for people to gather around.

Furniture
No outdoor room is complete without ample furniture for dining and lounging. Attractive high-quality outdoor furniture also provides a smooth transition from the indoors to the outdoors and helps define the space as an extension of your home. Concrete seat walls and cast concrete couches or chaises, softened with pillows or cushions, can be used as permanent, weatherproof outdoor seating.

Water features
If space and budget allow, installing a concrete swimming pool, spa, waterfall or pond can provide beauty, relaxation and tranquil sounds.

Architectural accents
Add elegance and character to your outdoor room with decorative details such as concrete statuary, fountains, landscape borders and cast stone columns.

Lighting
Use pathway and landscape lighting to add ambience, accentuate key architectural features, and extend outdoor enjoyment well into the evening.”

Information and Photo Courtesy of: ConcreteNetwork.com

Landfall custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes encourages those in the area this Valentine’s Day to take advantage of all that the Cape Fear area has to offer! The Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau released a press release this morning detailing how you can celebrate in the Wilmington, NC area. Below is a list and for more information, click here!

• 30th ANNUAL N.C. JAZZ FESTIVAL
• 8th ANNUAL WILMINGTON CHOCOLATE FESTIVAL
• HOLD-YOUR-HONEY-TIGHT HAUNTED TOURS
• VALENTINE HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE RIDE.
• SWEETHEART CRUISES ABOARD THE HENRIETTA III
• WILMINGTON GARDEN SHOW
• BIRDING TOUR
• THAT’S A MORAY! VALENTINE DINNER
• 60th ANNUAL CAMELLIA SHOW & SALE

Landfall builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share a recent article from Professional Remodeler’s Editor in Chief, Jonathan Sweet, on the Home Star, or “Cash for Caulkers”, program. Sweet outlined the five issues below on what will hopefully boost energy efficiency and jobs, and to read each in more detail, click here!

1. WHAT WOULD THE MONEY GO FOR?

2. WHAT’S THE POTENTIAL IMPACT?

3. WHAT’S BEHIND THE PROPOSAL?

4. DOES THE PROPOSAL COMPETE WITH THE AMERICAN CLEAN ENERGY AND SECURITY ACT?

5. WHAT’S THE LIKELIHOOD OF HOME STAR GETTING PASSED?

Previously, Landfall custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes introduced our readers to two series of Energy Star certified Bosch Appliances – the 800 Plus Series Dishwasher and Vision Washer and Dryer. Now we’d like to highlight the Evolution 800 Series Refrigerator. Complete with a door alarm to notify you if the door was accidentally left ajar, the Evolution has external temperature controls which allow you to make adjustments (such as changing the temperature, locking the icemaker, etc.) without having to open the door. This ensures the inside of your refrigerator maintains a constant temperature and keeps food fresher longer. And because it’s Energy Star Qualified you are guaranteed that it will minimize energy use and maximize efficiency, which will reduce energy bills and help protect the environment. Visit their website for more informaton on the Evolution and other energy-efficient appliances!

Energy Star Bosch Appliances were used in our LEED Platinum Green home in Wilmington, NC. Click here to watch an HD video on the home and learn about its Green features!

Landfall luxury builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes has experience with Energy Star Appliances – we used them in our Energy Star Certified home in Wilmington, NC! And we’d like to keep our readers informed on the latest developments for Energy Star windows, doors and skylights. As of January 4^th, 2010 they will need to meet new performance levels. It will still be easy to find these high-efficiency products: just look for the ENERGY STAR label. And remember, Energy Star qualified windows, doors and skylights reduce energy bills by about 7-24 percent, increase comfort, and come in a variety of shapes and sizes to achieve precisely the look you’re after. For more information on the new requirements, product benefits, federal tax credits, FAQ’s and more, visit their website!

Landfall new home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is a proud member of the National Association of Home Builders and encourages our readers to sign up for their quarterly e-newsletter, HouseKeys. HouseKeys is designed specifically for consumers and gives their readers “consumer news from America’s home builders”. Below is a list of articles from their latest issue and sign up to receive it straight to your Inbox by clicking here!

• Is There Still Time to Qualify for the $8,000 Tax Credit?
• Connecting the Green Dots
• Prepare Your Home and Yard for Winter This Fall
• Making Home Improvements? Check Out These Tax Credits
• “The View” Names North Carolina Home Builder the Ultimate Volunteer
• Understanding Your Home Remodeling Contract
• What’s in Your Toolbox?

Landfall Green home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes is excited to share a new website from Team Strickland at Coldwell Banker Seacoast Realty for our LEED Platinum Green Home in Landfall. This ICF home in Wilmington, NC is Energy Star certified and the LEED Platinum rating is the highest attainable rating for a home from the U.S. Green Building Council. This is the first LEED Platinum home in Wilmington, NC so out of all of the current Wilmington, NC homes for sale, this is the “Greenest” by USGBC standards! Visit www.2002Kenilworth.com for detailed information on the home, its Green features, photos and more!

Landfall custom home builder Mark Johnson Custom homes would like to ensure that New Hanover County residents are aware of a new disposal law for paint waste. Below is a statement from the Cape Fear Green Building Alliance’s latest newsletter, and to read their previous newsletters, click here!

“The New Hanover County Department of Environmental Management has implemented a new policy on paint waste. Paint waste is defined as latex and oil-based paints, lacquer thinner, spray paint, paint strippers, mineral spirits, varnishes, wood stains, used brushes and rollers, etc. The new paint waste policy will be as follows:

Homeowners and contractors are instructed to solidify their paint waste by removing the lid and placing it in an open area or by adding an absorbent material such as sawdust, kitty litter, sand, etc. Once the paint waste has been solidified, they should place it in their trash cart or dumpster along with their regular trash. If homeowners or contractors arrive at the Landfill or Wastec facility with solidified paint waste for disposal, they will be charged the current tip fee for municipal solid waste. If homeowners or contractors arrive at the Landfill with liquid paint waste for disposal they will be directed to the Wastec facility and charged the current tip fee for municipal solid waste. For more information, call 910-798-4400.”

During these particularly cold winter months it’s important to beat the winter blues by keeping your home warm and comfortable. So Landfall home builder Mark Johnson Custom Homes would like to share a press release from renowned interior designer Catherline La Marca with her best tips for creating warmth in the family room of any home. Below is the press release and for more of La Marca’s tips, visit her blog!

“Renowned New Jersey Interior Designer, Catherine La Marca, shares her signature design tips for creating a warm and welcoming room in any home.  

According to Catherine, one of the simplest ways to add warmth to a room is to add color.  Color can be used to suggest feelings of relaxation, happiness and tranquility.  To accomplish these feelings, choose rich, earth-toned colors such as an autumn gold, burnt sienna or cranberry red.  Keep it simple by only painting one or two walls in the room with one of these colors.  Choose lighter, neutral colors for the remaining walls.  

Homeowners who aren’t ready to commit to a darker, more bold color of paint can opt to add warmth to a room by choosing large, eye-catching oil paintings that primarily use warm, bold colors like the ones suggested above.  “The right wall décor can dramatically change the look and feel of any room, plus it’s not as permanent of a commitment as paint,” says Catherine. Another tip from Catherine; go frameless to save.  Frameless oils are becoming more and more popular because of their beauty and affordability.  

For an even simpler solution, Catherine suggests using candles for added appeal.  ‘Candlelight can be used to add warmth to any room at anytime of the year,’ adds Catherine.  ‘Choose your favorite scented candle to further enhance the inviting atmosphere for your family and guests.’

NJ homeowners can find all of Catherine’s tips for adding warmth to any home by visiting her blog site at http://catherinelamarca.com/2009/08/interior-design-tips … “