#thomsenhomes

How to prepare for your design appointments

July 28, 2017 by admin

When building a Thomsen Home, you will have two design appointments with your design specialist. This step can be overwhelming for some people, use our tips below to help prepare for your design appointments.

Before Your Appointment

Create a list of everything you want to include in your home and be prepared to remove some things (or even add a few). Our design specialists recommend adding items to your home that will be harder to add later on, such as a gas line rough in for a future fireplace. Gather ideas from Pinterest and Houzz to help spark some creative ideas. You can even print these off or save them on your phone or tablet to show your design specialist during your appointment.
Calculate your budget. Let your Design Specialist know what your budget is up front. They will be able to take your budget into consideration when helping you select certain options for your home.
Consider your lifestyle and needs such as children, pets, storage, large kitchens, entertaining, etc when thinking about options to add to your home.
Consider these questions before your appointment:
- What area of your home do you spend the most time in? How about the second most?
- Do you entertain friends or family in your home? If so, what features do you wish you had to enhance the entertaining experience?
- Consider the exterior of your home – What colors are you leaning towards? Do you prefer brick or stone?
- Do you feel as though you never have enough storage in your home? If so, where do you feel you need more? Kitchen/Pantry, bathroom, laundry room, mudroom, master closet?

During Your Appointment

Bring your own samples of fabric swatches from your furniture, curtains, etc. Having a visual of what your décor pieces look like might help you decide on what selections you choose for your home.
Once you select your samples during your design appointment, take pictures of the samples for future planning and decorating ideas.

After Your Appointment

Once your design appointments are done, you can sit back and relax while your home is being built!

If you’re looking for more design tips and trends, check out our design section on the blog.

A new level of value: LP SmartSide Siding

July 20, 2017 by admin

This week Thomsen Homes announced our new level of value by including a sod yard, appliances, deck or patio, and LP SmartSide siding in every one of our homes. We are excited about this opportunity for our clients!

You may be wondering what LP SmartSide siding is. Below is a snippet from a brochure from LP SmartSide explaining how LP SmartSide siding compares to traditional vinyl siding.

LP SmartSide Siding: The Next Generation of Siding

LP® SmartSide® trim and siding products are made from premium engineered wood for exceptional durability and beauty. Unlike wood siding, LP SmartSide products provide the protection you need from the elements. Smart homeowners know LP SmartSide trim and siding products are the right choice for lasting curb appeal.

Defining A Beautiful Home

LP SmartSide trim and siding help give your home the warm, natural look of real cedar without the worries. It’s an upgrade from vinyl siding and a beautiful, durable alternative to fiber cement. Plus, LP SmartSide products are the perfect accent to brick, stone or stucco homes. With an extensive array of siding profiles, available in either cedar wood grain or smooth textures, you can make your home the ultimate reflection of your unique style. Tough From The Inside Out SmartSide® trim

Tough From The Inside Out

Every LP SmartSide product is manufactured with our proprietary SmartGuard® process to help resist decay, fungi and termites in even the harshest environments. To prove it, LP SmartSide products are subjected to intense performance testing in Hilo, Hawaii. Our samples are still performing after experiencing conditions comparable to decades of harsh exposure.

A Warranty That Protects Peace of Mind

All LP SmartSide products come backed with an industry-leading, transferable, limited warranty.* It’s the kind of warranty that protects your investment and peace of mind.
• 5-Year 100% Labor & Replacement on LP SmartSide Trim and Siding
• 50-Year Prorated Limited Warranty on LP SmartSide Trim and Siding Substrate

*See www.lpcorp.com for complete warranty details.

Simply A Smarter Choice

• Made of an engineered wood substrate, a renewable resource with a reduced environmental impact.
• LP® uses SFI(R) certified forest management and procurement systems, which help ensure wood comes from well managed forests.
• A cleaner, more efficient installation process with no silica dust, unlike fiber cement products.

There are so many reasons to have LP SmartSide trim and siding installed on your home. It’s a beautiful choice that helps add true craftsmanship and warm appeal to any style of home. View more brochures and information here.

Want to learn more information on the process of building with Thomsen Homes and details on a new level of value? Contact Nate or Jessica to learn more.

Create a smart Home With Samsung’s SmartThings

July 16, 2017 by admin

If you haven’t heard of Samsung’s SmartThings, look it up right now! Seriously. This innovative new device from Samsung can astonishingly turn your Thomsen home into a smart home. In simple terms, it is a home automated system that you can connect your phone via Samsung’s app, Google Home or Amazon’s Alexa to control your lights, garage doors, cameras, door locks, thermostat, blinds and more.

Centralized Hub

The heart of Samsung’s SmartThings is their centralized Hub.

“The Hub communicates with all of your different connected products – regardless of their wireless protocol – so that you can easily monitor and control them from the SmartThings app. The Hub contains ZigBee and Z-Wave radios, and is also compatible with IP-accessible devices. There’s no hard-wiring or installation needed. Simply connect it to your Internet router using the included Ethernet cable, attach the power cord to the back of the Hub, and you’re ready to start creating a safer, smarter home.”

By using the Samsung’s SmartThings Hub, compatible devices (outlets, light switches, etc) and the app, you can control just about anything in your home. For example, you can program specific lights to turn on when you unlock your front door. You can also set your early morning routine in the app to gently turn on the lights and music, as well as start your coffee machine before you even wake up. According to SmartThings.com, plug your iron into a SmartThings Outlet and you’ll be able to turn it off via the app or put a SmartThings Motion Sensor in your living room to turn off the lights. The SmartThings app will even alert you if there is a potential water leak or suspicious activity while you’re away. Complete your Smart Home by using Google Home or Alexa. Change your thermostat, turn on or off your lights or start music, all with the sound of your voice. The possibilities are endless! There’s no limit on the number of individual devices that you can connect to the Hub. View a complete list of products here.

Ask your Design Specialist on how to integrate SmartThings into your new Thomsen Home. Check out more design tips and trends here.

Design Trend: Navy Cabinetry

July 6, 2017 by admin

Navy cabinets are a growing trend in the interior design world. When incorporated correctly, this trend can create a classic, timeless look. Whether you are going for a farmhouse look or a modern feel, navy cabinetry can complement with various decor pieces to create any style.

Incorporating navy cabinets in the kitchen

When using navy cabinets in the kitchen, it is best to use the darker color on the base perimeter cabinets or accent with a navy kitchen island. Our design team recommends pairing darker base cabinets with white upper cabinets. When using a darker color on upper cabinets, this may create an unbalanced, top heavy feeling in your kitchen. Add a white granite or quartz countertop to create a well-balanced kitchen design. In your decor pieces, incorporate metals such as gold, nickel or copper items. This kitchen in our 2585 2-Story Model Home incorporates the custom navy blue base cabinets with white upper cabinetry. Accent pieces include nickel cabinet hardware, bronze lighting, and a mix of metal decor pieces.

Incorporating navy cabinets in the bathroom

If you’re going for a lighter, classic look, accent the dark cabinets in your bathroom with a lighter countertop. Choose either white, cream or a grey countertop. Thomsen Homes offers numerous granite and quartz countertops, as well as high-end laminate options. If you are creating a masculine bathroom, pair the navy cabinets with a darker countertop such as dark grey. Again, incorporate metals such as gold, nickel, or copper in your decor pieces, as well as lighting fixtures and cabinet hardware. This bathroom in our 1670 Rambler Model Home is a great example of how to decorate with navy cabinetry in the bathroom. Accent pieces include satin nickel cabinet hardware, lighting, plumbing fixtures, and bronze decor pieces.

Whether you decide to incorporate navy cabinetry in your bathroom or kitchen, you can’t go wrong with this classic design that adds a hint of color to your space. If you’re looking for more design trends, check out our design section on the blog.

A Day of Volunteering at the YWCA

June 29, 2017 by admin

Last week the Thomsen team took a day of volunteering at the YWCA Cass Clay. Below, Jocelyn from the HR department, discusses highlights of the day volunteering at the YWCA.

Getting Involved

Shelter means a lot to us as a home builder. Together our team works to help our clients build the perfect home to lay their heads down every night. As the largest shelter serving women and children in the North Dakota and Northwestern Minnesota, the YWCA is recognized as one of the longest standing nonprofits in the Fargo-Moorhead area. The YWCA shelter and various programs offered have helped more than 16,000 women since opening on University in 2004.

What We Learned

The YWCA has many programs for women and their children, but most of us learned that day that they also offer supportive housing. Women have the opportunity to stay in a fully furnished apartment that costs 30% of what she earns annually. The supportive housing also had to be kid friendly, and the playhouse pictured below was one project we worked on. We also worked on various tasks outside on the housing grounds.

How We Helped

The Thomsen team went in small groups throughout the day to volunteer. The morning groups focused on washing, cleaning, and weeding while the afternoon focused on staining, painting, and mulching. Some of us hadn’t volunteered with the YWCA and this eye-opening experience got us out of the office and helping others.

As a homebuilder, we were excited to help an organization such as the YWCA who works with women and children in our community. Thank you to those who volunteered!