Craftsman style is best summed up by one word: wood. Lots and lots of wood. Interior characteristics may include plenty of exposed wood and fireplaces. In the past, this style has been associated with farmhouses, cottages and cabins (even “moose lodges”), but it’s in more home designs than you might think.
A craftsman style home has specific structural and cosmetic elements. Dormer windows, for instance, as well decorative attic vents, and stone chimneys. The rustic feel has, unfortunately, come to be associated in some circles with older style homes, due to overusing wood or even 1970s wood paneling.
But…
Craftsman style is back! No longer is it stuffy or conservative, because it’s got some new twists and techniques.
There are many reasons for adding a second story to your home. You might have a growing family. Or you might need to remodel to create a multi-generational home. Or you’re setting up a home business. Or you simply want more space with extra bedrooms and bathrooms and you don’t have space to expand your first floor. Or perhaps there’s a good view you can enjoy from higher up.
With the wonderful balmy climate in the Tampa, St Petersburg and Clearwater areas you might want to extend your lifestyle outdoors. This may call for converting an existing bedroom or living room into an entertainment area adjacent to the pool. That means adding a story and putting bedrooms up there – with decks and balconies – to overlook the pool.
Sometimes, adding an extra story makes extra sense. If you like your neighborhood, why move? It may be tough to find another home that suits all your needs. Meanwhile, expanding your home vertically adds plenty of resale value.
Designing for the New Floor
The fun part of adding a story is imagining and planning the new floor space and thinking about Read More »
You can’t wait to remodel your home, right? Or at least, you can’t wait for it to be done. But maybe you feel stymied by the challenge of getting the project started. It can seem overwhelming because you have to think about budget and finance, clearing out rooms, storage, disruption, design ideas, contractors, stress, and more.
Where and how do you get started with home remodeling? Our contractors and designers have some advice for you.Read More »
If you are wanting to build a new home in the Tampa area, especially a luxury new home, that is truly awesome. Of course, finding the perfect lot to build on can be a challenge, to say the least. Before you can think about home layout, kitchen finishes, luxury master bathroom, and solar systems, you need to find that ideal location that will meet all your needs.
In some areas of Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties, vacant lots can be hard to come by, especially in South Tampa. In other areas, they are available, but you need to be sure about many different factors. Do you wait for a lot to become available in the area you want (could take a long time), do you approach to buy a lot that isn’t for sale, or do you start fresh in another location? Read More »
Energy efficiency in the home just makes sense. It saves you money, it reduces consumption of resources, and it helps the natural environment.
Right across the Tampa Bay area, and especially in Pinellas County, energy efficient new homes are being built to reduce greenhouse emissions and to use land more efficiently.
Why Go Green?
It’s about personal stewardship for now and for the future. Building an energy efficient new home is one of the simplest ways a homeowner can reduce the harmful effects of wasting energy. One house at a time, consumers can make a big difference in lessening their carbon footprint.Read More »
These days, homeowners have a real array of must-haves when it comes to dreaming about their luxury new homes. And why not? With today’s sophisticated technology, having your custom home builders incorporate some well-chosen high-tech features into your home design is easier than ever. There may be some cool space-age controls out there that you haven’t even thought of!
Luxury new homes say that it’s time to treat and pamper yourself in elegant, top-quality surroundings. You want an ultra- attractive environment that practically runs itself, letting you enjoy touch-button, ultra-modern convenience.
Fun and Terrific High-Tech Features to Consider
Yes, fun! Because in addition to the appeal of practically effortless control over your custom-designed private surroundings, these great gadgets will make you feel futuristic and all-powerful.
1. Multi-Room Audio-Visual Control
An impressive item to opt for in any luxury dream home is a multi-room, audio-visual control system. This allows you toRead More »
As the plans and dreams for your design build home start to take shape, it’s obviously important to put a lot of thought into the various details that will successfully bring everything together. If you’re eager to use wood as a major interior design component in your new home, or even just for a few dramatic features, it helps to know more about the possibilities.
Depending on the main theme of a house, certain color schemes and materials, including wood, may be more appropriate. Even the amount of natural light can make a difference as to how the wood will look. Many contemporary home designs are considerably minimalist and lend themselves to sleek, warm wood accents, while country-themed homes, for example, usually incorporate more wood finishing overall. But there are no hard and fast rules. Every aspect of a design build home’s materials would depend on the homeowner’s personal taste.
Design Build is All About Your Preference
Today, most custom builders incorporate a number of gorgeous wood accents to add truly special, top quality touches to their design build homes. The natural color and texture that wood adds to a home is timeless. People are drawn to wooden flooring, cabinetry, moldings, window and door trim, and other embellishments. Wood is sturdy and stylish, and comes in a wide variety of shades and natural patterns.
Would You Like to Know More about Wood?
Spruce
This is a yellowish white wood with a distinct texture. Spruce is one of the most essential woods used in building in many areas of the house, particularly walls, stairs, ceilings and flooring. Read More »
If you are looking to build a classic home in Florida, you need to understand this particular architectural style in order to achieve that classical element in your home. It may seem easy at first, seeing as you can find these types of homes almost everywhere, but really, it isn’t that simple. Building this style of home is definitely possible, but what would make the process much easier is if you obtain the help of custom home builders with experience in this type of architectural design.
Zero in on the Details with a Custom Home Builder’s Advice
In addition to hiring a trusted local custom home builder, there are a number of things to consider in preparing for the project. Having a professional team on board will beRead More »
Originally called “Italian lime plaster,” Venetian plaster is a stunning and effective finish for various home features, including walls and ceilings. It consists of authentic lime plasters mixed with colorants such as ground marble dust, and is applied to concrete or wood surfaces to create either a smooth or matte finish.
Remember that not all custom home builders are trained and experienced in the art of Venetian plaster, a specialized technique that surpasses the application of many more conventional wall coverings and surfaces. Some of the specific styles of Venetian plaster include the scagliola, sgraffito and the marmorino.
Scagliola – Originally from Italy’s Tuscany region in the 17th century, this technique comes from an Italian word meaning “chips” (scaglia) and has traditionally been used to produce stucco columns and other architectural features that resemble inlays in marble and other hard stones. The material may be veined with colors and applied to a core, or a pattern might be carved into a prepared matrix. The melding of materials and method provides an appealing complex texture and richness of color.
Sgraffito (or scraffito) – When used for wall décor, this particular Venetian plaster technique and effect is created by applying layers of plaster tinted in contrasting colors to a moistened surface, and then scratching to produce an outline drawing. Recently there has been Read More »
The idea of a truly modern, futuristic living space is a subjective concept and means different things to different people. If you envision a fully automated structure of cold and impersonal glass and steel, think again. You don’t have to be the Jetsons to live in a house that’s considered futuristic. Owning the house of the future may be more attainable and straightforward than you imagine.
Decide what the definition of a futuristic home means to you personally. Is it high tech and equipped with sophisticated gadgets, or a more natural structure, built with especially eco-friendly materials? You may prefer toRead More »
I would hire Nelson CR again in a heartbeat. No construction new project and/or renovation is without issues. However, if you want a company and a team that will resolve those issues to your satisfaction then NCR is that company. The thoughtfulness, professionalism, quality of work, communication and a resolution oriented team are the best... Read More »
J.I., homeowner – whole home remodel
We would hire Nelson construction again without hesitation. The entire team, from the unseen to the seen, were dedicated, responsive, respectful, and patient while we lived through a beautiful renovation.
V.I., homeowner – whole home remodel
Nelson Construction out of Clearwater/Tampa fully remodeled our 7,900 sq ft home in Clearwater, Florida. To say they did a great job is an understatement. The qualities of this company extend beyond just a nice finish. Road blocks: Near the beginning of the remodel we ran into our first hidden challenge. To modify and create... Read More »
BZ, homeowner – historic home restoration/remodel
The staff at Nelson Construction do a fantastic job of caring for their customers. They care about their work, their products, and the customer’s satisfaction in the final result. I also greatly admire their attention to legal rudiments, which some contractors try to skirt or dodge. Nelson Construction operates within all ethical codes and boundaries,... Read More »
A.O. - American Power and Gas
We were satisfied with the level of service we were given by Nelson Construction and Renovations. The project manager was very communicative. Any time I needed an answer, the Nelson Team was there. Everyone was very professional and courteous, and the end result is beautiful.
J.T.
“We highly recommend Nelson Construction and Renovation, Inc. We are totally satisfied customers. Nelson Construction will always be our first recommendation to friends who want to build. “Our project was the 2014 renovation and expansion of a 600 square foot 1950’s bungalow in Safety Harbor’s historic district. Our goal was to create a space suitable... Read More »
Ann Morgan & Margo Pfleger, homeowners – home addition and whole home remodel
On behalf of the whole CCHR Clearwater team, we would like to thank you and your company for the stellar work on our new building – which did open on time! Even though we were very pressed for time and things were very hectic, your supervisor remained stable and your work areas somehow remained organized.... Read More »
Jamie Blackstone - Renovations Supervisor – Citizens Commission on Human Rights
Nelson Construction and Renovations exceeded our expectations on our fairly good-sized job (new addition and complete living room and kitchen remodel). I have never worked with a company before that was this intent on making our project a total success AND was so fast and efficient. In addition to that, they routinely went above and... Read More »
Scott and Holly - Clearwater, FL
This letter is to commend Nelson Construction for the excellent job done on our kitchen renovation. When we returned from vacation we were surprised to see the difference and how great it all looked. We expected to see a mess, but everything was cleaned up perfectly; and your company did even more than we expected... Read More »
The Baldwins
Thank you for the job well done! I have renovated several houses and know the hassles that often come with these endeavors – dirt, delays, redo’s, cost, contract issues, etc. I was planning to renovate my kitchen for many months, but kept putting it off, simply trying to avoid the expected hassles. Once I finally... Read More »
W. Nero
Mr. Nelson was my contractor for a major house renovation in March 2006 and also my office renovation in June 2006. He is a rare commodity in the construction industry. He is honest, efficient, on time, on schedule and overall a pleasure to deal with. In my area, where real estate values are climbing and... Read More »
Michael Haldane - Managing Partner/Executive Producer – The Radke Film Group
Our school was in great need of a new roof. Sorting through the various types of roofing and installations was very overwhelming, and for such a large project, we needed to be certain we were making the most cost-effect decision we could. So we hired Nelson Construction to be an Owner’s Representative to help navigate... Read More »
T. Campana
Nelson Construction is a valued company, steadfast to a strict, honest and drug-free work environment. The most notable point of Nelson Construction’s service was the quality work and professional integrity. My project met all of my expectations and more. Project Images (*Click image to enlarge)
S.K. - Clearwater, FL
The most notable part of Nelson Construction and Renovations’ service was their attention to detail. Great all around service and finished product!
YA
Thank you for giving us a new home that we love. Every time we look around we are reminded that we made the right decision to go with Nelson. We shall recommend you to anyone who asks and would be happy to serve as references for potential clients.
Margo & Ann
Your Concrete Design Website is very impressive. Beautifully put together and inviting to the design community.
M.N.
In short, we love our home. It is gorgeous. The counter tops are amazing, the cabinetry is perfect. Overall we are so happy! Project Images (*Click image to enlarge)
SS
We couldn’t be happier and we plan to use your company on any upcoming project that we have. The employees and subcontractors were very professional; it was something we noticed right away. The job site was cleaned every day, and my cleaning lady even noticed and told our friend about it. The level of communication... Read More »
AP
You and your guys are the BEST!!! It is such a pleasure to be able to open my home and leave for the day and know there will not be a problem. Your staff is like family! Project Images (*Click image to enlarge)
JB
Nelson Construction has been the best construction company that I have ever hired. I am sure that they are not the cheapest but they offer an excellent product and are very professional. They stayed in daily communication to let me know the status of the project. Their crew was friendly, courteous and conscientious. They showed... Read More »
SG
Working with Nelson was like no other experience I’ve ever had–and I’ve done a ton of work on my very old house. They’re so professional and stayed in close communication with us. I will NEVER use any other contractor again! I can’t say enough good things!
Joy Gendusa - CEO - PostcardMania
Nelson Construction delivers every time: quality product, on time and in budget, no surprises, no rip-offs, stellar service and product, communication and genuine interest in finishing the product 100% to my satisfaction (and theirs)!
Stacey Tiveron - CEO - Trade Only Design Library (TODL)
I wanted to tell you how pleased I am with the work done by Nelson Construction & Renovations. The external deck and 2 stairways your company recently built at my North Clearwater Beach apartments exceeded my expectations. I was very impressed with every aspect of the operation in the work and the interaction with me... Read More »
Craftsman style is best summed up by one word: wood. Lots and lots of wood. Interior characteristics may include plenty of exposed wood and fireplaces. In the past, this style has been associated with farmhouses, cottages and cabins (even “moose lodges”), but it’s in more home designs than you might think.
There are many reasons for adding a second story to your home. You might have a growing family. Or you might need to remodel to create a multi-generational home. Or you’re setting up a home business. Or you simply want more space with extra bedrooms and bathrooms and you don’t have space to 
These days, homeowners have a real array of must-haves when it comes to dreaming about their luxury new homes. And why not? With today’s sophisticated technology, having your custom home builders incorporate some well-chosen high-tech features into your home design is easier than ever. There may be some cool space-age controls out there that you haven’t even thought of!
As the plans and dreams for your design build home start to take shape, it’s obviously important to put a lot of thought into the various details that will successfully bring everything together. If you’re eager to use wood as a major interior design component in your new home, or even just for a few dramatic features, it helps to know more about the possibilities.
If you are looking to build a classic home in Florida, you need to understand this particular architectural style in order to achieve that classical element in your home. It may seem easy at first, seeing as you can find these types of homes almost everywhere, but really, it isn’t that simple. Building this style of home is definitely possible, but what would make the process much easier is if you obtain the help of custom home builders with experience in this type of architectural design.
Originally called “Italian lime plaster,” Venetian plaster is a stunning and effective finish for various home features, including walls and ceilings. It consists of authentic lime plasters mixed with colorants such as ground marble dust, and is applied to concrete or wood surfaces to create either a smooth or matte finish.
The idea of a truly modern, futuristic living space is a subjective concept and means different things to different people. If you envision a fully automated structure of cold and impersonal glass and steel, think again. You don’t have to be the Jetsons to live in a house that’s considered futuristic. Owning the house of the future may be more attainable and straightforward than you imagine.
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I would hire Nelson CR again in a heartbeat. No construction new project and/or renovation is without issues. However, if you want a company and a team that will resolve those issues to your satisfaction then NCR is that company. The thoughtfulness, professionalism, quality of work, communication and a resolution oriented team are the best... 
