“See Your Toilet in a Whole New Light”
…says Kohler, referring to their Nightlight lighted toilet seat. In the middle of the night, you don’t want to turn the bright bathroom light on, startling yourself awake. With Nightlight, it’s easy to see the toilet area with the lid down; and, with the lid up, you can select from two different brightness levels to illuminate the toilet bowl for improved sight in the dark. Powered by four “AA” batteries, Nightlight runs on a seven-hour cycle, so you need not remember to turn it on at night or off during the day!
Visit www.kohler.com to learn more.
Note: Product spotlights are for informational purposes; we do not formally endorse any product or service.
Whether it’s a big family meal or formal dinner party, keeping food hot while you’re trying to get everyone around the table has long been a challenge. Viking Range has come up with a delicious solution with their 18-inch wide under-counter Incogneeto™ Induction Warmer that mounts directly under your stone or engineered stone countertop, transforming that portion of your countertop into a food warmer. The Incogneeto works with cookware that has an induction compatible base and features Automatic Pan Detection so there is no heating when the pan or bakeware is not present. Viking claims the Incogneeto can hold food to within +/- 2° F and has four temperature settings: 150°, 160°, 175°, and 190°. Best of all, the unit mounts underneath your counter with no drilling or cutting of the stone needed!
It’s just common sense, there’s a reason every time you wash your hands. Yet prior to each wash, you’re grabbing the faucet handle – that collector for all of the previous bacteria and germs you needed to wash off! Auto grease…raw fish and poultry…chemicals…what residue has built up on your bathroom and kitchen faucet handles? Touch-activated faucets to the rescue, such as Delta’s models with their Touch20® Technology. Simply touch anywhere on the faucet spout or handle to turn on and off. The faucet will deliver the same settings (flow rate and temperature) as the previous use. Powered by six AA or six C batteries, LEDs around the base flash red to indicate low battery; or choose the optional AC adaptor.
Forbes reports that women have a 1 in 7 chance of celebrating their 95th birthday (sorry guys, you only have a 1 in 14 chance of blowing out 95 candles). Today’s longer lifespans, scattered families, and the desire for independence coupled with the fear and high cost of nursing homes has made live-in caretakers a viable option. Similarly, accident victims and wounded veterans may need around-the-clock aides, which, not surprisingly, are often parents moving in. Home plans like Scholz Designs® Bauer Creek plan 
The median age of widowhood is 59.4 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). After a lifetime together, it’s no surprise that many of these “suddenly single” widows (and widowers) desire homeownership AND companionship. They’ve told us they’re looking for separate owner’s suites with shared living spaces. Take Design Basics’ Tucker Terrace plan 
Particularly due to the aging baby boomer generation, there is a growing number of households with siblings or sometimes cousins moving in together. In addition to the desire to be with family, we often hear this is out of economic necessity, such as a suddenly single widow or even older related couples wanting to split housing costs. Not surprisingly, these are two of the driving forces behind the surging popularity of plans with dual owner’s suites on the main floor such as Design Basics Toulouse plan 
Special Needs
Streets meander through the neighborhood. Curbs and sewers are already in place, as are young saplings hinting at the promise of beautiful tree-lined streets. This, the neighborhood you’re buying into. You’ve been planning this new home for years. Everything’s been selected, from the floor coverings to the lighting fixtures. No detail has been overlooked. Or so you thought. In the excitement of your dream home becoming a reality you didn’t notice. But your car did. That significant bump when you pull into your drive. In fact, low-slung cars can’t turn into your drive without bottoming out. It’s called a curb grind.
You just assumed that the end of your driveway would slope gently to the street level. But that costs extra money, and if it’s not in the specifications, it likely isn’t going to happen. The time to talk about a curb grind is not after the driveway has been poured—it’s too late at that point. The time is before your purchase agreement is signed!