This year, one of our designs received a big award, The 2022 American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) Grand ARDA (American Residential Design Award) for Outdoor Living. There were 168 entries from 63 designers, and we were honored to have won for our project we titled, “Next Level Exterior Living”. We were blown away by all the entries and the design talent that was on display at this year’s award ceremony.
Residential Designed Solutions has won an award for an Entire Home Remodel, $250,001 - $750,000 in the 2021 Best in American Living™ Awards (BALA) by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Award levels, including platinum, gold and silver, as well as Best in Region and Of the Year recipients, will be announced at the virtual award ceremony held during the 2022 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla.
From conceptual design sketches to a finished home — It’s always fun to see progress on projects we’ve had the pleasure of working on. This project with a Contemporary English Country feel is located outside of Lebanon, Ohio and is being built by Jimenez-Haid Custom Homes. We’ve had the opportunity to visit the site multiple times and see all the progress that’s been made. Scroll down for the inside scoop on this project!
This modern farmhouse, found nestled in the back of a long, wooded lot in Worthington, Ohio, showcases mixed materials on the exterior adding to the modern look of the home. The dark board and batten mixed with standard wood siding in the same color add visual texture to the home, while the stone water table and natural wood accents add warmth to the overall exterior aesthetic.
Small project turned giant undertaking: a remodel of our client's entire house! Stripped down to the footers, this cold, 1970's contemporary was built up into a warm and welcoming craftsman home.
Rarely in the day to day design services we provide, are we asked to design a truly significant home. This project was one of those opportunities.
Winning an award is always exciting! Being awarded a NARI ACE Award is one of those exciting moments-because it happened again this year! We couldn’t be more proud of this award here at Residential Designed Solutions; we do what we do because of our clients.
What is the NARI Ace Award?
NARI (National Association of the Remodeling Industry) of central Ohio gives ACE (Achievement in Consumer Excellence) awards yearly. Clients complete a survey online describing the work performed by the company and rating the company’s quality of work, responsiveness/reliability, timeliness/punctuality, and professionalism.
This award is important to us because it is a recognition program based on our clients’ feedback. Being recognized with the NARI Achievement in Consumer Excellence Award helps more consumers be aware of us, provides us with valuable client feedback, and recognizes us for the quality work we do.
We are honored to receive this recognition again this year. We take our craft seriously - designing homes is what we do! Thank you to our clients for their trust in us and for taking the time to recognize our work and their belief in us at RDS.
Custom Urban Farmhouse
This family of 5 wanted to build a new home in a rural setting that would allow them to appreciate their hobbies and interests.
In addition to their custom designed farmhouse with a large wrap around porch, outdoor living spaces were designed to incorporate a pool and adjacent greenhouse.
A barn will be constructed on the property, leaving plenty of space for their 3 children to run and explore their 5 acres. They were inspired by the urban farmhouse style including industrial, yet classic, finishes inside.
The open first floor layout will be perfect for family time as well as entertaining, with large bedrooms upstairs, a master suite balcony, and a unique studio loft over the garage.
First Floor
Second Floor
Our designers are ready to help you create your dream home! Designing homes with your vision in mind and watching the excitement it brings you is our inspiration.
As 2018 comes to an end, we look forward to what 2019 is going to bring. We’ve been reflecting on 2018 here at Residential Designed Solutions, asking the question to our designers and staff, "What has surprised/inspired you this year and how, both professionally and personally?” Our answers are as varied and unique as all of us and we want to share them with you. Ask yourself the same question! You might be surprised by the answer.
A new design challenge always brings a little extra adrenaline to the process. With the Evans Farm development coming online this year and providing the opportunity to design a Parade of Homes house, I’m finding that absorbing and working within the very specific architectural guidelines is adding some design excitement! It is always inspiring to be part of the initial design process in a master planned community.
On the personal side, we welcomed our first grandchild in February, a very handsome and inquisitive little boy. He is telling us all about a lot of things, is crawling, and has just discovered that floor registers are removable! We enjoy spending as much time with him as possible, as you can imagine.
This year at RDS has brought new responsibilities. Some have allowed me to grow in areas that are new; others have allowed me to revisit areas that I thoroughly enjoy. The Front Porch Friday videos have been fun and challenging at the same time. I often prefer the behind the scenes approach and there is nothing behind the scenes about being on camera! Providing clients with color selection assistance for their new projects has given me another avenue to use my creativity. From tiles to granite, to cabinets and paint colors, it’s been a pleasure helping clients see their projects really come together. I am hopeful that both avenues will continue to help RDS grow our business and brand to the public, as well as within the building industry.
Personally, in May of 2017, my 16-year-old son was diagnosed with leukemia. After extensive treatments last year, trips to Philadelphia for immunotherapy over the winter, and missing the entire school year, he received a bone marrow transplant in March of this year. He is back to school cancer-free this fall and doing very well. We are enjoying the good days! His experience has taught me the valuable lesson that ‘Every Day is a Gift.’ We continue to pray that his good health remains, and continues to get better.
Professionally, I was inspired by our Front Porch Friday series. I have learned a lot from them and even though I was a fan of DIY projects to begin with, after a little research on different topics, I feel even more confident to take on more projects on my own. I also feel as though from learning all of these new things that I am also a little wiser on not taking on some projects that I would have otherwise because now I know what is actually involved.
Personally, I’d say I’m a little surprised at how much life can change in one year. Justin and I had been planning to start a family, but planning and having it actually begin to happen are two different things. It has been a year full of mixed emotions and excitement. I am excited for what the remainder of the year holds for us.
On April 2nd, seven months ago, I stepped out of my car and walked into Residential Designed Solutions. I was on the edge of a new beginning personally and professionally and didn’t fully appreciate the challenges and rewards that awaited me.
One of my favorite childhood pastimes was to sit at the window in my room and daydream about house designs. One day it would be a rugged mountain cabin defying its natural surroundings and the next day a quaint getaway by a peaceful trickling stream. I would then sketch these simple conceptions in my graph paper notebook. As is true of most sketches these were simple representations of space and form, completely devoid of the detail necessary to make such structures stand in the real world. Now this romantic love of childhood was going to be what I would do every day. The stage for my surprise and future inspiration was set.
Working at RDS hasn’t been all a daydream through the windows of imagination. There has been a lot to learn about the practice of architectural drafting. Along the way I have come to appreciate the detail and accuracy that goes into even the simplest construction drawing sets. I’ve been brought face to face with some of my personal weaknesses; acknowledged them and endeavored to use them to become stronger. The journey has encouraged me to continue growing personally and professionally.
I am blessed to work with the team here at RDS. They work continually to create strategies and procedures that enable us to meet the demands of an ever- changing market. Their commitment to providing a higher quality of service for the amazing people we work with inspires me. There have been many lessons from this that I have taken for myself. To each of my coworkers here at RDS and those of you I get to work with a big thank you. This November I’m thankful to be a member of the RDS team.
Watching my two daughters grow into adulthood, each adjusting to new challenges this year (one starting college, the other beginning a career as a pharmacy technician) has both surprised and inspired me. They have reached far with bravery and enthusiasm and that inspires me in my work and personal life.
In the past year, I have been inspired professionally by witnessing fair and honest business practices. Whether the account is large or small, the consistency of doing business with honesty and integrity is considered a core value of the company.
On a personal note, these values are also practiced when interacting with associates of RDS. It is an honor to be a part of the RDS team.
All of us here at RDS wish you the best for these last days of 2018. As 2019 approaches, should you be in the need of home renovation plans or a new house plan, our designers would love to surprise and inspire you with our thoughtful and well-designed house plans!
To all our building, remodeling and industry friends that we have had the opportunity to work with over this past year we say thank you! It is always a pleasure and honor for us to be allowed to play a part in your construction projects. We enjoy working with you, as one of your team members, to help your homeowners realize their dreams.
We wish all of you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving and the happiest of holiday seasons!
Based on pictures shared with us from HOUZZ and PINTEREST by our clients, we are seeing more and more marble in upscale baths. The walls and countertops are not an issue, but the floors provide some challenges for both designer and builder.
The Tile Council of North America, TCNA, requires that any floors with natural stone applied must be designed with a deflection of L/720, twice as stiff as code requires L/360 (“L” is the length of the clear span of the floor joist in inches). The challenge is that we have no idea what your client is going to select when we lay out the structure for the house. If we know ahead of time, stiffening that floor area is simple. After the fact it may become very expensive.
Changing the subfloor or the backer board isn’t going to provide the required rigidity, you’ll have to add additional joists. This may mean removing and replacing HVAC, plumbing and electric to get these joists into place.
The simple solution for designers and engineers is to add a disclaimer to the plans, but that doesn’t help you one little bit. The best choice is for all of us to be aware of the potential problem and attempt to get a determination or at least a direction on floor surface selections from the homeowner before we complete the plans. If homeowners know there will be a lot of extra cost to change the floor later, that may help them make some decisions earlier.
Let’s work together on solving this one!
I never recommend social media links to anyone but recently I came across Build w/Matt Risinger, a channel on YouTube with a lot of detailed construction information. He’s a custom builder in the Austin, Texas area and he is talking about performance vs. prescriptive codes; contemporary interior trim details, soundproofing tricks, hidden door ideas, etc. All in all, this is a very informative group of videos. His channel publishes new content twice a week so you can watch what interests you.
Below is a link to a short video from Matt on traditional framing vs. high-performance framing techniques. He walks you through two houses while talking about and pointing out the differences.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDsaMFY3OcE I hope you find it as interesting as I have.
Start getting ready for winter by raking leaves and showing your home some love!
It’s been a stunning fall so far but we know what winter will bring! Not only do we need to get out our winter coats, gloves, warm clothes, and shovels, but we need to get our homes ready for winter, too. At RDS, your home design specialists, we’ve been discussing what we need to do to our homes this fall so that we aren’t caught off guard when cold weather really arrives.
Download our Winter Ready Checklist here. Use this handy checklist to make sure you’ve done everything you can to have your home ready for winter.
Furnace:
One of our first Front Porch Friday videos was all about furnace filters. View it here for everything you need to know about them. It’s important to get your furnace serviced, the filter changed, and tested for any leaks. A yearly furnace checkup could save you from a really cold night.
Clean Up:
The leaves are falling and we’re busy raking. (Make sure to mow or mulch some of them into your lawn to give it some much-needed nutrients.) But don’t forget to clean out the gutters once the leaves are down in order to prevent overflowing gutters when it rains or ice build-up when it’s cold.
To avoid a slippery scenario, keep leaves cleared off walkways, the driveway, and decks.
Is your chimney clean? If it hasn’t been cleaned in a while, especially if it is wood burning, now is the time. Experts suggest having them inspected yearly.
Cover outdoor furniture or move it indoors after cleaning it.
Take soil out of the pots that you keep outside or bring them inside. The soil can freeze, expand, and crack your pots.
Do you need to trim branches from trees and bushes that could be affected by wind, snow, and ice? This is especially important if they are near your home. Wait until they are dormant to trim them so that you don’t hurt the plants.
A Little Prevention:
Replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors and check your fire extinguishers (the pressure gauge needle should be in the green area).
Do your flashlights need new batteries? Be prepared! It’s going to be dark longer so you’ll want plenty of working batteries in case of a power outage.
Take a hard look at your fireplaces, furnace, and any other types of heaters you use. Is the area around them clear and free of anything flammable?
Reverse the blade flow of your ceiling fans so they run clockwise, creating an updraft and pushing the heated air down into your rooms.
Disconnect outdoor hoses and store them in the basement, shed, or garage. Drain the outdoor faucets and cover them with hose bib covers. Don’t forget to have your lawn irrigation system winterized.
If your roof and shingles are older, have them inspected for cracks, leaks, and damage to flashing seals around chimneys and vent stacks.
Winter will be here before we know it, but now you know what to do. So get out those warm, snuggly blankets, find your slippers, and heat up the hot chocolate. And if you’re ready to design a new home or remodel part of your existing home, we’d love to create it for you.
At RDS, we believe that designing a home is one of the most satisfying parts of our work. We love building relationships with our clients, and working with them to bring their dreams to reality. We want you to get an idea of what our clients think of their experience working with us. As you will read, we can design a home for you to build anywhere!
Name: Kirk and Nadine Shepard
How was your experience with RDS – Residential Designed Solutions?
Our experience with RDS was superb! Working with Jim Wright and his crew was an easy and pleasurable process in designing our homes. After working with Jim on our home in Ohio, we were fortunate to have him design our next home in Connecticut (which was due to a business transfer). His calm and professional manner made this step to homebuilding a joy. Jim was so very helpful in providing suggestions and listening to our needs, which made our finished homes exactly what we had imagined.
What space(s) did you have redesigned or did you have a new home designed?
We have had two new homes and a renovation for a family cottage designed with RDS.
What is the favorite aspect of your new home design?
We loved the general floor plan of our homes; they were functional for a family of six (4 sons!) and were spacious enough to give everyone their own area when needed. Both homes have a warm, comfortable feel about them.
If you could change one thing, what would you change?
After living in the first home in Ohio designed by Jim, we went back to him to see if he could design the same home in Connecticut for us on the property we had purchased. Being the ultimate professional in his craft, at our first meeting, Jim asked us this question. “After living in our home for 2 ½ years, what changes would you want to make?” There were two small changes; he really designed it right the first time!
What was your overall experience like?
Kirk and I have been very satisfied. We have recommended RDS to others and have told them they would not be disappointed.
What advice would you offer to someone who is designing a home or redesigning a space in the home?
1. Know that there would be many decisions to be made during the design process; it would help to get your ideas and requests down on paper. Start looking at home design magazines, internet sites, drive through some neighborhoods, even visit some open houses to get ideas of your likes and wants for your own home.
2. Get an architect or residential designer that is reputable (do your homework before signing any contracts) and that you feel you have established a good rapport within the initial meetings. This will make the difference in a wonderfully pleasant home building experience, or a complete nightmare.
Who else did you reach out to for designing your home?
We were fortunate to have a neighbor who was a home builder who we admired and trusted, Mr. Ed Lynch, Lynch Builders. Ed recommended Jim Wright, Residential Designed Solutions, as the one to work with. After meeting with Jim, we never needed to contact anyone else.
Would you do it again?
Yes, most definitely!
We’re thrilled that Kirk and Nadine have such confidence in us and have been happy with their homes. Let our designers help you make your dreams a reality. We’d be honored to work with you!
