(3.5-min read)

As you begin to design your new home, the lighting options have never been more abundant. In fact, they may be downright intimidating. Between the different hues, fixture styles, and materials, it can be hard to know where to begin! One immensely popular option for any space of your home is recessed lighting. But just because its popular may not make it the right choice for your new home construction. In this piece, we’re going to look at the pros and cons of recessed lighting. 

Pros of Recessed Lighting

Tucked Away for a Larger Feel

Recessed lighting really shines (pardon the pun) in how expansive it can make your ceilings feel. Standard hanging light fixtures, even if they’re only hanging inches from the ceiling, can make it feel that much lower. Recessed lights provide a much more expansive feel to the ceiling. 

More Room For Activities

Not only does recessed lighting offer the illusion of higher ceilings, but they actually provide more space in tighter areas. Even a few more inches of space can be immensely helpful in tighter spaces such as bathrooms, closets, hallways, or kitchens. 

Highlight Objects or Spaces

Much like directional track lighting, recessed lighting fixtures can be used to bring intension to certain aspects of a room. Having recessed fixtures over framed photos, paintings, or sculptures immediately attracts the eye to such stunning pieces of art. 

Recessed Lighting Classes Up The Joint

While there are classy ways of dressing up a space with other forms of lighting, few compare to the “expensive” feel of recessed lighting—despite recessed lighting not being much more expensive. For a high-dollar look, recessed lighting certainly helps sell the luxury and class of the space. 

The Cons of Recessed Lighting 

Dark Ceilings

Recessed lighting is excellent for shining light down from the ceiling, but not at illuminating the ceiling itself. While hanging lighting fixtures still give off a bit of light on their backside that shines back up into the ceiling, the back of the recessed lighting fixture is invisible. Some call this the “cave effect” due to the dark ceiling. Still, some actually like the cave effect, as it makes the room feel a little more spacious and relaxed in the evenings. This is a matter of preference. 

Energy Inefficiency

Unlike other lighting fixtures that only require the drilling of small holes into the ceiling, recessed lighting involves the drilling of reasonably large holes in the ceiling. Though modern recessed lighting fixtures have a great deal of insulation to attempt to remedy energy inefficiencies, many of these inefficiencies still exist. If you have many recessed fixtures in a single room (maybe to combat the “cave effect”), you’re looking at a potentially leaky space that either lets out heat in the winter or cool air in the summer. 

Is Recessed Lighting Worth It? 

Ultimately, installing recessed lighting or not in your new home construction is a matter of preference. These fixtures can offer an immensely spacious and elegant vibe, but may also keep your ceilings themselves in the dark while proving to hike energy bills. 

Need Help Deciding? 

Receive professional new home construction consultation from the property experts. You’re invited to get to know the professionals from Perry Hood Properties and get started designing and building your dream home. 

(4-min read)

Few other home styles have weathered the storm of design fads like the ranch-style home. Let’s take a look at why these homes initially took off and why they remain popular among home buyers and even home builders. 

How the Ranch Home Came to Be

Though associated with the post-WWII boom in housing, ranch-style homes initially landed in the hearts of Americans at the beginning of the 20th century. The two main selling features of ranch-style homes each contributed to the other—simplicity and price. Probably some of the first open-concept homes of their kind, ranch-style homes featured very expansive living/dining room areas offset by bedrooms and low-graded roofs. Though typically one-story, part of their popularity grew from the ease of their expandability through the option for a split-level layout is so desired. Ranch-style homes were incredibly simple, which allowed for limitless customization for occupants. Whereas traditional floor plans more-or-less dictated furniture placement and space usage, ranch-style homes included expansive spaces that could be used or set up however the homeowner so desired. 

Why “Ranch” Style? 

Despite the majority of ranch-style homes not existing anywhere near a ranch, the “ranch” name came from the Spanish colonial inspiration prevalent in California, Nevada, Arizona, and other parts of the American Southwest. The open layout and low-grade roofs proved popular in more desert climates but were equally as effective in other parts of the country. 

The Ranch-Style Boom

As World War II came to a close and millions of families sought suitable housing during the Baby Boom of the 1940s and 1950s, the new construction of ranch-style homes exploded. Part of the reason for the expansion was due to the home’s flexible design, simple construction, and customization. Few other styles of a house could fit the different needs, styles, and preferences of millions of families. Ranch-style homes could conform to the needs of families of varying socioeconomic levels and were incredibly simple to expand. They could be built upon basements in the upper Midwest or on concrete slabs in areas with rockier soil. Their exteriors could be outfitted with brick, wood, stucco, or siding. They could comfortably accommodate an attached garage or not. The main living room could have a dividing wall to assign space to a dining room or not and could lead straight back out to a patio…or not. 

The End of the Ranch-Style Boom

Somewhere around the 1970s, the number of ranch-style homes being built started to subside. The primary reason was the desire for larger homes. The majority of ranch-style homes ran from 1,000 to 2,000 square foot in size. Modern tastes can require homes to run in the 3,000 square foot ranges or even higher. 

Who Still Likes Ranch-Style Houses?

Despite many people seeking out multi-level homes to maximize their square footage options, according to a 2019 Google keyword study, more people were searching for ranch-style homes than any other style of dwelling. One theory is that younger families may be looking for smaller places in the more historic areas. Another theory is the growing number of empty-nest Baby Boomers looking to downsize their home to a more manageable one-story home that reminds them of their upbringing. Other theories point to new homeowners preferring minimalistic homes with retro flair. Whatever the reason, all signs point to a resurgence in the popularity of the ranch-style home layout. 

New Home Construction in Tulsa, OK

If you’re looking for quality new home construction services in the Greater Tulsa, OK area, you’re invited to meet with the new property professionals at Perry Hood Properties. Whether you prefer something ranch-inspired or far from it, the custom home builder experts from Perry Hood Properties can deliver your dream home that exceeds your expectations. 

(4.5-min read)

“Open floor plans are all the rage these days.” 

Most new home construction today is indeed done so in what is called an “open floor plan.” In a house with an open floor plan, aside from the bedroom and bathrooms, more common areas flow into each other with a higher level of openness than traditional floor plans. There are many reasons why open floor plans have taken off in style and function, but let’s quickly take a look at their traditional floor plan counterparts. 

Traditional Home Floor Plans

Believe it or not, there once was a time when one couldn’t see the kitchen from the living room or even the dining room of a house. In most homes before around the 1940s to 1960s, homes were primarily compartmentalized. If you’ve ever visited one of these homes, you would notice a separate front room, living room, dining room, and kitchen—none of which allowed for easy communication between each room’s inhabitants. This compartmentalization going back centuries was due primarily to the challenges associated with heating and cooling the spaces. Large open spaces require a combination of powerful HVAC units and efficient insulation—neither of which was affordable until around the 1970s for many families. Around this time is when we see a sharp uptick in new home construction utilizing what would be called an “open floor plan.” 

Open Floor Plans

Open floor plans didn’t immediately connect all common spaces in a home the way many do today. Starting in around the 1970s, open floor plans began mainly by removing the walls between the kitchens and dining spaces. As HVAC units grew increasingly efficient and adequate insulation more abundant, more and more sections of new homes opened up to one another for a more substantial feel. Open floor plans exploded in popularity. Despite this, they still had their negative attributes. 

Pros of Open Floor Plans

Enhanced Socializing

Open floor plans make communicating and socializing across spaces in the home effortless. Someone cooking in the kitchen can easily maintain a conversation with someone lounging in the living room or a child doing homework at the dining room table. 

Furniture Positioning Flexibility

With many traditional floorplan layouts, furniture positioning options were limited. With open floor plans, specific spaces can be customized for different needs with the simple placement of a piece of furniture. 

Multifunctional Spaces

With open floor plans, one space can be a living room, entertainment room, office, or homework spot all in one. Other areas can double, triple, or even quadruple in purpose. 

More Shared Natural Light

Open floor plans mean fewer walls to block out natural sunlight from the windows. This greater access to windows means an even more open and luxurious feel. 

Cons of Open Floor Plans

Expensive Temperature Control

Open spaces will always be less efficient to heat or cool. Though better insulation and modern windows can limit the influence of outside air on inside temperatures, it will always be less efficient with larger spaces. 

Noise Control and Lack of Privacy

One of the greatest detractors of open floor plans is a lack of sound control or privacy. If someone wants to watch a movie undisturbed while someone else is entertaining friends and still someone else needs to work on homework, all three groups are at odds with each other. 

Cleanliness & Upkeep

The more open sections of a home are to each other, the more dirt, clutter, and mess can move from place to place. Also, simply because of the sheer quantity of furniture and accessories in what feels like a single “space,” open floor plan homes can feel less tidy and more cluttered. 

Finding a Palatable Solution

One of the best ways to ensure your home achieves the best flow with the minimal downsides is with a custom floorplan. New home construction is more accessible and customizable now than it ever has been in the past. It’s never been easier to work with architects and builders to achieve the house that appeals to both your modern open and traditionally compartmentalized preferences. 

New Home Construction in the Great Tulsa, OK Area

If you’re considering new home construction in the Greater Tulsa, OK area, you’re invited to meet with the residential property professionals from Perry Hood Properties.

(3-min read)

No matter how modern home design becomes, there will always be a yearning for a touch of old-world charm. Some opt for natural wood tones. Others prefer a more traditional floor plan. These are superb options. Still, a sure-fire way to obtain a traditional coziness is with exposed rafter beams. But why are exposed rafter beams so appealing, and how can you achieve them? 

Let’s Go Back

Believe it or not, those massive beams overhead in many homes were not originally there to give off a rugged, architectural aesthetic. Many are there to hold up the house! Before the advent of modern HVAC, raised ceilings were less about making a room feel more substantial in traditional homes than they were to supply a place for heat to go during the warmer months. The heat in a room only rises as far as the ceiling will let it, making raised ceilings a must for homes in places with brutal summers. With exposed ceilings comes exposed framing. This framing not only held up the roof of the house, but also the weight of the upper floors. 

Where’d They Go? 

As the residential HVAC systems became more common, the need for higher ceilings mostly went away. Instead, homeowners sought to keep their energy bills lower. Lower bills also meant lower ceilings as a means of causing air conditioners and heaters not to exert as much energy altering the temperatures of the headspace. As ceilings came lower, exposed rafter beams became covered by sheetrock, plaster, and other materials. 

Don’t Call it a Comeback

So, why have exposed rafter beams made a return to interior design? Simply put, insulation has gotten better and cheaper. While, yes, a homeowner can expect to pay more in utilities to heat or cool a come with expansive ceilings, innovations in home and window insulation have significantly reduced the price of regulating the temperatures of high-ceiling homes. This increased insulation efficiency has led to new home construction that features open ceilings with exposed rafter beams.

But what about ceiling beams in interior design? 

Decorative Ceiling Beams

The cozy charm of exposed rafter beams has inspired home renovators or those building new homes to consider exposed ceiling beams solely for decorative reasons. There’s only one problem for many of them—the frame of their homes don’t require such beams. For this reason, some have opted to install overhead beams purely for their aesthetic appeal. These beams can add the cozy kitsch of a log cabin getaway in any lower-ceiled room as much as they can in living rooms with raised ceilings. It’s never been easier to achieve the best of both worlds—modern construction and old-world charm from exposed rafter ceiling beams. 

Whatever You Want—It’s Your New Home Construction

Trying to fit your design preferences into an existing home can be difficult. For this reason, many have opted to custom build a new home to their specifications. If this sounds more up your alley, the home construction professionals from Perry Hood Properties can help you design and build the home of your dreams in the Greater Tulsa, OK area. 

(4-min read)

Let’s face it; your home office is probably pretty boring. Here’s the good news—it doesn’t have to be. Because this is your own individual space far away from the glance of passing co-workers, you’re free to customize this space to your heart’s content. Let’s take a look at some less-common means of adding personality and thereby comfort to your home office space. 

1. Use Whiteboard/Chalkboard Paint

Depending on whether you prefer chalk or dry-erase markers, painting one or all of the walls of your office with chalkboard paint or whiteboard paint allows for unabashed brainstorming and note-taking. Both fun as well as useful, making the walls of your office a place for your notes is a great way to make your home office uniquely “you.” Our only warning about this technique is to make sure that you don’t write anything you’ll regret when you’re on a video conference call. 

2. You Decide What is Considered “Office” Furniture

When it comes to office furniture, most of us are used to snap-together pieces of particle board and clunky cabinets. The reason for this strictly practical nature of most office nature is because it needs to meet the needs of every employee. Well, at your home office, the furniture only needs to meet your needs. So, whether or not your desk is a laminated block of particleboard, an antique door you’re laying across two bike racks, or a cool old vanity is totally up to you. 

3. Experiment With Lighting 

One of the most refreshing aspects of working from home is staying “so long” to working under harsh fluorescent lighting. Now that you’re free of this, what kind of lighting options will you opt for? Natural light? Hanging LEDs? Floor lamps? Feel free to do your research, try out different styles, and go nuts. 

4. Develop Various Work Stations

You likely feel different in the morning than you do in the afternoon. Who’s to say that working in the same environment is necessary? To lean into your different moods throughout the day, design a few different work stations ready to utilize your energy best. Consider having a space dedicated to morning work, a nook devoted to answering email, a chair where you make calls, etc. When you assign each of these spaces a specific kind of work, you can better focus your mind on those types of tasks. 

5. Free Up Floor Space With Floating Shelves

An office with cabinets nestled in the corners of the room feels tiny. If you’re even the slightest bit handy, the world of floating shelves awaits. With the installation of just a handful of floating shelves, you can be on your way to free corners ready for a five o’clock dance party. 

6. Make This Your Space

Even if you work for a company from home, your home office is your space—your space to be your most creative, your most focused, your most productive, and your most energetic. Take a little while to decide what kind of space you want to spend hours of your working days. Put aside what other people think is good and decide for yourself. Which colors make you feel the most optimistic? Which furniture textures put you at ease? Which decorations inspire you to push through and extract your best work? Once you’ve decided which of these attributes encourages you to be your best self, design the office of your dreams. There’s a good chance that it’s within your grasp. 

Need Help Building That Office? We Can Help. 

Now that you’ve had a little bit of time to consider the home office of your dreams, now its time to make it a reality. While some of us can create this space with the area we currently possess, others will need the help of a home construction professional. If you require the assistance of a home construction expert in the Greater Tulsa area, look no further than Perry Hood Properties.

(4.5-min read)

It’s incredibly important to have a designated office space if you work from home. Not only does this removed space allow for increased focus, but it also allows you to turn off work from your mind at the end of the day. For many of us, this has forced us to be creative with the smaller removed spaces we’ve now made our offices. Though this is the case, there are ways to increase the feeling of smaller areas. Let’s take a look at a few of our favorites interior design techniques for making small spaces feel big.

1. Utilize Windows & Natural Light

Nothing makes a room feel larger quite like a nice big window that pours in light. To maximize the feeling of a room and not feel like you’re working in a trash compactor, position your desk as close to windows as possible. Exchange the miniblinds for light, transparent curtains. 

2. Light Colors For Space, Dark Colors For Depth

If you can paint your new home office, consider bright colors for larger walls to expand the natural light. You can also accent the depth of a room with dark colors. The ultimate enemy of a spacious feel are medium-toned colors. Many “safe” colors can make a place feel small, making it essential to stay bold. 

3. Floor to Ceiling Curtains On Windows

Ok, so your windows aren’t floor-to-ceiling—that doesn’t mean your curtains can’t be. In fact, having longer curtains can actually trick the eye into believing a window feels longer than it is. Not only does the length exaggerate the window length, but a longer curtain gives the natural light more of a reflective surface as it dives down to the floor. 

4. Tall, Shallow Storage 

Bulky bookshelves and other cabinets can quickly eat up square footage in a room. Utilize the square footage of the space by using taller, skinnier storage. Your bookshelf skyscrapers will store just as many books than shorter, wider bookshelves without hogging so much floor space. 

5. Always Be Decluttering

Nothing makes a room feel smaller like clutter. Even if you have an assortment of trinkets and knick-knacks precisely where you’d like them in a place, this lack of straight lines and defined space quickly gums up the feel of the room—making it feel filled with…stuff. To keep your home office feeling spacious, relax with the accent pieces, and make sure everything has its place. 

6. Conceal Major Office Equipment

Huge monitors, computer towers, and printers can quickly devour the visual real estate of your home office. Much like decluttering the small items in your house, make sure your office equipment has a concealed space. Keep your computer towers under the desk along with your printers. If possible, mount your monitors on floating mounts to increase desktop real estate.

7. Use Decorative Mirrors

This list would be incomplete if we didn’t mention the old classic room-expanding trick—mirrors. Placing mirrors lacking in natural light can help expand the feel of pretty much any space. Be mindful of your mirror placement, though—nobody wants to wind up looking at themselves every day or even on the way to the bathroom. This is especially true on no-meeting days where makeup is strictly optional.  

8. Large Wall Art Pieces

If you have a few vast open spaces on the walls, some large art pieces can increase the feeling of the size of the room. This is especially true for art pieces that contain a sense of depth, such as landscapes and other scenes from nature. 

9. Furniture With Exposed Legs

Boxy desks and cabinets have a way of eating up the cubic feet in any space. To open more cubic feet in your office, consider utilizing furniture with exposed legs. Be on the lookout for minimalistic furniture that won’t fill up the room.

10 Utilize Multifunctional Furniture

To minimize the amount of furniture in your small office, utilize multifunctional furniture. If you have to have filing cabinets, see if you can use them to hold up your desktop. If space is especially limited, consider a floating or fold-down desk. If you have two people working in one area, consider using one large two-sided desk rather than two separate desks. The fewer legs on the floor, the more spacious your office will feel. 

Tired of Your Tiny Home Office?

If you’re ready to upgrade to a larger home office, the custom home construction specialists from Perry Hood Properties are proud to serve the Greater Tulsa, OK area with all of their home construction needs. 

Learn more about Perry Hood Construction Today

(3-min read)

Whether you’re starting from scratch with new furniture for a new office or you’ve found yourself needing to work from home, your desk is where you will be spending a considerable chunk of your time every day. Your desk must suit your work style as well as your taste. In this piece, we’re going to examine how to select the desk best suited for your work and personal style. 

Your Style

Though your desk is primarily the piece of furniture that holds up all of your stuff, it is essential that you enjoy approaching it every day. To make working from home a pleasant experience, keep your own taste in mind when selecting a home desk. Do you like the look of wood? Glass? Stone? All of these options and more are available. You owe it to yourself to take your time to select a desk you don’t mind sliding up to every morning. 

Your Size Needs

When selecting a desk to meet your needs, consider what the optimal size will be. If a desk is too small, you may not have enough space to write a letter, keep your coffee, your computer, and the like. If a desk is too big, you may be more prone to cover it with junk. The desk should also fit within your home workspace without taking over the room. 

Your Utility Needs

It can be easy to forget that a desk is a piece of equipment to be used. Would you find several drawers helpful? How about a desk that can change heights? Are you ever planning on standing at your desk? Would you like to be able to move your desk around the room easily? Keep the utilitarian nature of your office in mind when making your selections. 

Your Work Gadgetry

Some desks are timeless works of art meant to facilitate work with stationary, books, and maybe a typewriter. Other desks are downright space-age in their ability to house electrical ports and wirelessly charge mobile devices. Whichever your speed, your desk should support the tools of your trade. 

How It Works With Your Chair

Your desk and chair are the peanut butter and jelly of your home office—they need to work together. If your desk and chair heights aren’t correctly aligned or even if their styles clash, this can make your remote working experience sub-optimal. Before you purchase a desk for your office, make sure that it compliments your ideal work chair—or lack thereof.

Your Desk’s Position in the Room

If you work from home for hours at a time, the position of your desk in your home office is essential. Having your desk near natural light can help increase a sense of space and enhance your mood. If you’re expecting guests to your office, you may consider facing your desk toward the door. Consider desk placement in your office to keep your office feeling spacious and welcoming.  

Need Further Help Designing Your Home Office? We Can Help

If you’re looking to build a new house with a dedicated office in the Greater Tulsa, OK area, the custom home construction professionals from Perry Hood Properties can help. 

Learn more Perry Hood Properties Today

(3.5-min read)

Are you forced to work from home due to circumstances beyond your control? Just looking for ways to optimize your home workspace? There are many ways to make the best of your home office. 

1. A Home Office

It may seem like it goes without saying, but the best home workspace is a separate room. While you may feel like your kitchen table, the breakfast nook, or living room coffee table will suffice, you’ll notice a significant boost in productivity if your office is a dedicated place in your house. Not only is this the case for focusing while at work, but also for mentally turning off work after hours. If your favorite leisure spot around the house doubles as your office, you’ll never feel quite like you can leave work behind and relax. If you can’t either close the door behind you as you begin work or close the door after you’re finished for the day, it’s probably not the best workspace for you.

2. The Proper Communication Tools

Depending on the nature of your work, the communications tools needed may vary. If you’re in more of a customer service role, it doesn’t hurt to invest in a decent telephone headset. If conference calls are the norm, a robust speakerphone is excellent. If teleconferencing is your office’s speed, you may need to up your webcam game. Some enjoy using a computer-connected headset while others may prefer a podcasting mic used with headphones. However your office chooses to communicate, lean into that style when it comes to picking out the tools of the talk. 

3. The Power of Tunes

One of the perks is of working from home is having control of the music. If your favorite songs help increase productivity, make sure you have either the right speakers or headphones to last you throughout the day. Tinny speakers or painful headphones can start to drive you crazy after a few hours of use. Avoid earbuds, as hours of wearing these little earworms can result in wax build-up. So, whether they’re cushy headphones or warm speakers, dial in your music game so it can be one less thing to worry about. 

4. An Atmosphere That Inspires Productivity

The condition of the room you choose to make your workspace can have a tremendous impact on your productivity. Before you start work for the day or after you finish, make the conscious effort to remove clutter, laundry, or any mess from your workspace. Instead, create a space that is tidy, focused, and all business. 

5. Ergonomics

You may feel like you can get away with working at a kitchen table with a laptop for hours. Your back, neck, shoulders, and arms will probably disagree with you. When working for home, work as ergonomically as possible. Use an actual office chair designed for hours of work or use a proper standing desk for part of the day. Keep your computer monitors at eye-level. Keep your keyboard and mouse at waist level, below your heart, to keep circulation steady. Your feet should either remain flat on the floor or just slightly elevated—never propped above your waist. These little techniques will keep you feel fresh and productive all day.

Need Help Building Your Best Home Office? We Can Help

If you’re having trouble finding an existing house with a suitable home office, why not build your own? For help building your custom dream home in the Greater Tulsa, OK area, consult the friendly custom home professionals from Perry Hood Properties. 

Learn More About Perry Hood Properties Now

(3.5-min read)

Whether you’re looking to protect your front door from particular security concerns or make your home more energy-efficient, storm doors are a great addition. In this piece, we’re going to review some of the perks of installing a storm door on the exterior entrances of your home as well as look at the most popular building materials.

Storm Doors for Security

When one thinks of storm doors, they don’t typically think of security. After all, storm doors are relatively lightweight and not thought to be robust enough to protect your home. What they do provide is a layer of friction to would-be home invaders. Exterior doors typically open inward. While this is handy in terms of protecting your doors from the elements, it makes them susceptible to being kicked in. Storm doors, however, open outward. When a storm door is closed and locked, this creates an additional barrier between a would-be home-invader and an exterior door. It’s true that a dedicated home invader could likely break a storm-door to get to the point of kicking in an exterior door, this would be quite difficult and would attract too much attention before they could gain access to the outer door.

Storm Doors for Energy Efficiency

Storm doors are very popular among homeowners for the added energy efficiency they bring. A properly installed storm door can significantly reduce the draftiness or exterior doors in the winter and help retain the coolness of air condition systems in the summer.

“Very High Strength-to-Weight Ratio”  

There are a wide variety of storm door materials available for purchase. While there are wooden storm doors as well as wood-cored aluminum storm doors, fully aluminum framed storm doors are likely your best option. Aluminum has a “very high strength-to-weight ratio,” according to Frank Costanza, as played by Jerry Stiller on the show Seinfeld. Wood, on the other hand, has an immense amount of flex and is much more susceptible to weather damage.

Storm Door Viewing Styles: Full or Partial View

To protect your beautiful front door while keeping it on display, there are various storm door viewing options.

Full-View Glass Storm Door Window

A full-view glass storm door is a door with a full-length window framed in aluminum. This provides the very best view through the storm door of your elegant front door.

Partial-View Glass Storm Door Window

If you’re less particular about the visibility of your front door or would like additional window options, there is always the partial-view glass storm door windows. These options also allow for a section of sliding glass for a partial screened section for bug-free ventilation. Screened sections are especially popular with those who would like to use their storm doors as screen doors with the weather is favorable.

Cost of Storm Doors

Depending on the level of security options, materials, sizes, and styles, storm doors can run from as little as $170 to as much as $1,300. While moderately handy homeowners can install their own storm doors, professional installation of a storm door can range from $160-$260.

The Perfect Storm Doors for Your New Home

If you’re building a new home, it’s possible to select a storm door that matches your home’s existing style. If you’re looking to build a new home in the Greater Tulsa, OK area, look no further than the home construction professionals at Perry Hood Properties.

(4-min read)

Many listings for homes these days will boast of “an additional living room” where, in generation’s past, this wasn’t the case. Why? Because these weren’t considered living rooms. What were they? Dens! Also sometimes called a “study,” these partially secluded spaces have either been advertised as living rooms instead of dens or studies due to a lack of interest in dens. Well, there has been a resurgent interest in dens, studies, and home libraries. In this piece, we’re going to explore the idea of setting up a den/study in your home.

The Downfall of Solitude

Home designs of the past generation or so have largely advocated for open-concept everything. Whereas homes were once compartmentalized, families are now hyperconnected and in their own worlds. Busy schedules and hyperconnectivity have decreased quality time. This decrease in quality has increased the demand of open-concept layouts to fill the void. While these floorplans foster togetherness, they’ve all but removed the option of solitude outside of our bedrooms.

The Perks of Solitude

“Why would anyone want to seclude themselves?” Most of us have all but forgotten about how nice it can be to be left alone. Whether we have a passion project we’d like to work on, a series of books to get through, or just the ability to listen to an album or music without headphones, the occasional bit of solitude is all but a vintage novelty. The perks of solitude include focused reading, deep work, interrupted enjoyment of media, or quiet entertaining.

The Rise & Fall of the Mancave

As men started spending less time working on projects or reading books and more time watching sports or playing video games, the study quickly became the “man cave.” While it is a place of solitude for men, the environment of most man caves rarely provokes a desire to pursue deep work or time with one’s own thoughts. The layout of the room typically encourages focus on a television screen. The redirected focus reveals how the design of the room lends itself to its function.

The Power of Environmental Design in a Room

Like a man cave’s furniture arrangement encourages watching the game, likewise, can any room’s layout encourage any behavior. A stowed television may provoke just enough viewing friction that one may instead fill a page in their journal. A boxing speed-bag or jump rope on the wall may inspire a quick workout instead of a lounging session. A book on the side table next to an easy chair can encourage reading. The environment can be used to reduce the friction of healthier behaviors and increase the friction towards less desirable behaviors. Dens and studies, like home gyms, can be carefully designed to facilitate moments of productive solitude.

What Should Be in Your Den

Knowing what to place in your den depends on what positive solitary activity we hope to pursue. Would you like to read more? You may want to have your favorite books visible and easily accessible. Would you like to pursue writing or art? Align your desk or a corner where picking up this activity is virtually effortless. Would you like to spend less time watching television? Consider having the TV covered by curtains when not in use or not in the room at all. The options are limitless for optimizing your den for productive solitary endeavors.

Socializing in a Den

Though a den is typically thought of as a place to be alone, it can also be a great place for very small-scale entertainment. A den can be a respite for entertaining guests in an active home or a great alternative to noisy or expensive cocktail bars or coffee shops. There’s a certain friendly intimacy enjoyed by a space free of distractions where one can enjoy the company of a dear friend over a soothing beverage.

Designing Your Den Oasis

If you’re looking to build a new home and feel that you’d enjoy the comfortable solitude of a den, it’s never been easier to include one in your plans. If you’re looking to build your dream home in the Greater Tulsa, OK area, the home construction professionals from Perry Hood Properties can make your plans come to life.