Make the most of your new deck or covered porch this season with a new landscape design that will further your enjoyment for seasons to come!

If you’re one of those homeowners who changes your home’s decor to match the season, you might be interested in learning what color Pantone has chosen as its color of the year for 2012. And since we’re just beginning spring, this is a great time to introduce to you Tangerine Tango!

The announcement of Pantone’s Color of the Year is always an event that interior designers, builders, and do-it-yourself enthusiasts wait for with anticipation. But Tangerine Tango, Pantone color number 17-463, might have some people scratching their heads. How can you decorate with a color like this? Here are a few ways:

This pale orange shade doesn’t overwhelm, but it will create a visible pop in your decor, and can be worked into your home in a few creative ways. In a kitchen, it’s an ideal color for the walls—or even on a focal wall—particularly when mixed with lighter colored cabinetry in natural wood, or with white or ivory painted cabinets. The lighter color will break up the tangerine slightly so that it is not overwhelming.

Small spaces can benefit from the use of tangerine tango as an accent color. Consider incorporating this shade through the use of throw pillows, drapes, rugs, and art accents. For a fresh and springy approach, use this color on an accent wall and combine it with lemon yellow, a cool pale green, or fresh white.

Bathrooms can also benefit from this cheery color. Bring in bath accessories and towels in this happy shade and liven up a dull white or black bathroom. Mix in turquoise accents for a beachy look that will create an oasis feel in your bath.

And if you’re just not digging this color in accents or as a paint choice, you can always incorporate it in the form of fresh-cut flowers. Fresh flowers in the springtime always brighten up the home.

Good luck and have fun incorporating this color into your home. You’ve a whole year to enjoy it before Pantone names its new color for 2013!

Image courtesy of Pantone.com

Spring seems to make everything come to life. People are undoubtedly more enthused about starting home design and building projects when the weather warms up and the sun starts shining. We’re proof of that this year!

I wanted to share a couple of spring projects we have going on right now. As the weather continues to warm up, we hope more and more people start thinking about building, remodeling, and renovating the inside and outside of their homes.

• We have two contract houses in the beginning stages. One in near Shelbyville, and another in Spencer County. The footers have been poured on these houses and we’re grateful that the weather has allowed us to get this part of the process of construction underway.

• We’ll be starting another custom building project in Shepherdsville very soon and will bring you the details and progress of that home as it unfolds.

Although we advertise ourselves a lot as a Louisville builder, we actually cover all of the surrounding neighborhoods and counties outside of Metro Louisville like Shelby County, Oldham County, Bullitt County, Spencer County and more.

Contact me today if you’re thinking about building or remodeling, whether you live in Metro Louisville or in one of the communities surrounding it.

When remodeling your home, one of the first things to think about is whether or not the renovations you have planned will boost your home’s overall value. Putting your renovations to work for you—ensuring that they help make you money in the long run—can be a daunting task, especially when you’re renovating on a budget. Use the five tips listed below as a guide for smart, economical, and budget-friendly ideas when renovating your home. If you need help from an experienced custom home builder and remodeler, contact me today and let’s start a conversation.

1. HAVE A PLAN Before you start on your project, set up a plan that carefully outlines what you hope to accomplish. One way to do this along with organizing your thoughts is to cut out pictures and magazine articles relating your projects. Do some research online not only for ideas and inspiration.

2. CONSIDER SECONDHAND STORES Many towns have discount stores – such as Habitat For Humanity stores – where donated and excess job site items such as lumber, appliances, hardware, and more are sold at a relatively low rate. Saving money on items like this can lower your bottom line while still yielding a beautiful finished project that increases the value of your home.

3. CURB APPEAL MATTERS Increased curb appeal adds lasting value to any home, and can be a project that has minimal costs involved. With a little elbow grease, fresh plants and shrubbery, and new house numbers or light fixtures, your homes exterior will be brightened up and its value increased.

4. SOCIAL MEDIA IS YOUR FRIEND Now more than ever, companies are making use of social media sites like Facebook to reach out to customers with deals and one-time offers. This can be a great way to get a discount on appliances, services such as carpet installation or roofing, and more. The more you save on the initial remodel, the more money will be in your pocket when it comes time to sell your home.

5. LOCATION IS KEY Be sure to take your location into consideration when planning renovations. If you live in a hot climate, green cooling systems are a great investment that will add huge value to your home. Likewise, if your home is in a large development, taking the time to add exterior features that will set your home apart is a great investment.

And remember, always be sure to use a licensed, insured general contractor.

The Home & Garden Show is this weekend. Visit the show to get great ideas for the spring remodeling and custom building season. The show is sponsored by LG&E and powered by The Home Builders Association of Louisville (HBAL).

Here are a couple of quick links for more information about the show:

• Ticket and pricing information
• Location and dates
• Seminars and speakers

We find that even though the show is a wonderful place to get ideas and to see the latest products and services, you as the homeowner still need a quarterback on your team. You need a custom builder and remodeler. Below is a list of things you don’t always want to leave up to a subcontractor or vendor:

• Pricing projects accurately.
• Managing the permitting and appraisal process.
• Handling financing issues.
• Delivering on time.
• Project managing all the egos, timelines and deliverables.

This is where we come in. We have 38 + years of experience that we bring to the table.

If you go to the show this weekend, write down some questions or ideas you get from the show. If you see some new products you’d like to try but don’t know where to start or how to put it all together, then contact PL Lyons today. Let’s have a no-obligation conversation about your custom remodeling or building project. If you’re looking for a Louisville builder, you can start by asking us a question about your project. No strings attached!

We thought this would be a fun topic to put on the blog and share on social media. We’d love to have your input. Not because we’re trying to sell you a home (we don’t have much inventory right now) or because we’re hoping to build your next custom contract home (although we’d gladly take you up on that). We just wanted to see how things are changing in the Louisville real estate market.

So what’s your Louisville dream home look like?

It seems like out are the days of 4,000 or 5,000 sq foot and above homes. Sure they happen, but it seems the market has moved to a less is more focus. Simple homes with more amenities. People are downsizing their mortgages and their upkeep left and right—when they can sell, that is. People have even started buying tiny houses (http://tinyhouseblog.com/). You might not be there yet, but your dreams, goals, and desires for a dream home may have been altered in the last five years of this economic shift. If so, we’d love to know how so.

Do you prefer a community-type development like Norton Commons, or a traditional suburban neighborhood like Fox Run? Would you like an infill home built in an older, existing area like St Matthews, Middletown, Clifton, Lyndon or many others? By the way, these old lots are few and far between.

Would you prefer to be in a town home, patio home, or condo type development with some unique twists? Are you looking at having one to five acres on a tract outside the city in a neighboring county like Spencer, Shelby, Oldham, or Bullitt?

So do you prefer a two story traditional, a one and a half story, or a ranch?

When it comes to the basement, is it a walkout or a traditional basement? Finished or unfinished? Believe it or not, some like an unfinished basement as a romp room, storage space, or more importantly, as one less place to clean and dust.

What are the must-have amenities?

Are you a cottage home, craftsman, traditional, modern, or cape cod fan?

Brick, brick and brick, or hardiplank/ siding?

Leave your thoughts in the comments, on the Facebook thread, or @reply us on Twitter.

We’re heading back to the annual International Builders Show in Orlando Florida. Yes, somebody has to go to Florida in February, so we drew the short straw. We’re one of the Louisville Builders taking one for the team.

This show has been an almost annual event the last few years. We attend this show in part because I serve on the local HBAL Board of Directors, the HBAK Executive Board, and in part because even us older builders like to keep up with our industry. As we’re using Twitter, Facebook, and blogging, we have to keep up with all the latest products and trends in our industry.

Every year, we come back with new ideas and updates on the pros and cons of green building and developing, new regulations making home building more difficult, the state of the housing market, and the latest product enhancements that affect our customers. Those are all very good reasons to make the annual trip.

This year’s NAHB International Builders Show is February 8-11. Normally, this would be a perfect time for builders to take in a conference, although this year we actually have two, possibly three custom homes we’re starting in January and early February. We’re also finishing up a dental office addition for our friends over at A Winning Smile Dental Center in Okolona. If you’re looking for a Louisville Dentist, they are expanding and accepting new patients. We won’t complain about the activity, or the break to sharpen our saw.

P.S. If I can get my new iPhone 4 working before the trip, I will be live tweeting, shooting videos, and blogging about the show like in years past. Stay tuned for more.

We’re wrapping up 2011 having just completed a new home in Shakes Run Subdivision, six bath/kitchen remodels, three basement finishes, three sun room additions, three commercial office build out/renovations, several entry door and window replacement installations, and several other major types of renovations.

Currently we are carrying over into 2012 an addition for A Winning Smile Dental Center located in the Highview/Okolona area, just broke ground on a custom home in Shepherdsville, a contract to build a custom home in Finchville, and working on two more custom contract houses, along with some remodel projects to start.

We look forward to a great 2012 as we continue to design/build new custom homes, design/build basement finishes, decks, sun rooms, and almost any type of renovation—residential or commercial—in Louisville Metro and surrounding counties.

If your 2012 plans involve a new home, residential remodel, commercial build out or remodel, basement finish, or other property improvements; contact us for an estimate.

Wishing you a healthy and prosperous 2012.

Christmastime is here! Can you believe this year is almost over? Every December we pause to reflect on the passing year—areas where we succeeded and areas where we can improve.

We also like to take this opportunity to let our employees and our clients know how much we appreciate them. The people we work with really are the life of the business, and we have the best. We are grateful for the loyalty of both our employees and our clients, and we look forward to continuing to build those relationships as we enter the New Year.

Hopefully the excitement of the holiday season will linger awhile as we enjoy time with family and friends over the next couple of weeks. 2012 holds the promise of a happy and successful business year ahead.

From everyone at PL Lyons, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

So you’re getting ready to anchor down for winter. NFL football is in midstream, college bowl season is coming up, and basketball—well it’s just starting. You have old man winter moving in for the next 3-4 months and you’re thinking, “Man I’d like to have a cozy basement to take it all in.” If you’re the lady of the house, you might be thinking craft room, homeschool room, or kids play area. If you’re the man of the house, you’re thinking man cave. Did we mention that we provide marriage counseling along with custom building and remodeling Either way, finishing a basement is a great and affordable way to add space and functionality to your existing home.

It’s not too late to get the jump-start on a basement remodel. Can you have it done by Christmas? Well, no, but you might be able to have it done for that Super Bowl party you’ve always wanted to have. Or how about March Madness?

We just finished up several basement finishes this fall. We have some testimonials, some videos, and some after pictures to share in the coming weeks.

We completed one basement remodel in Jtown, a basement finish in Oldham County, and a basement remodel in Eastwood. Although building custom homes has always been our strong suit, we often go back and finish basements for our custom building clients. Oddly enough, none of these recent projects were from custom home clients.

Whether we’ve built for you in the past and it’s time to finish that basement, or you’re just looking for a Louisville basement remodeler, we can help.

We price a basement finish just like we price a new custom home—with precision. This way you know what you’re getting and know your budget from day one.

Call us to get the conversation started today at 244-0114. Or, as always, use our online form to schedule an initial conversation.