Every year, many people talk about the resolutions they are making for the upcoming year, many of which involve having better self discipline. One of the most common resolutions is to be more organized. With 2014 just around the corner, why not make it your resolution this year? A great way to help accomplish this resolution would be to add a home management or study space to your home. Whether it is a home in the process of being designed, an addition to your current home or simply transforming an, existing unused space into a zone of productivity.Creating a home management space is a great...

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December 26th: Boxing Day

Happy Boxing Day, also known as Day of Goodwill. It is historically known as the day servants receive gifts from their bosses. Some people just take December 26th off to spend time with friends and family and to recover from the Christmas festivities. However, it is best known as one of the biggest shopping days of the year. However you choose to spend your day you should take a moment to check out this article from our friends on HOUZZ for some ideas for what you could do with your December 26th.&nb...

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Wishing you a day full of love and joy. Merry Christmas from all of us here at Visbeen Architec...

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Pier View Cottages

For those of you that have been following the blog this past year you will have seen the posts about the article for the 2013 'Great Lake Story' from Michigan Blue Magazine. It has been a pleasure to work with the team at Mike Schaap Builders to bring these lakeside visions from Visbeen Architects to life.Located on a private beach in South Haven, MI, each of these spectacular homes have an unobstructed view of the pier and the sparkling waters of Lake Michigan. These award-winning designs are within walking distance of downtown South Haven, a premiere beach town in West Michigan. If...

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Greenbuild Recap

A few weeks ago Wayne Visbeen traveled to Philadelphia, PA and met up with the folks from GAF to do live drawings, in their booth, at the Greenbuild Conference. It was very exciting to be able to partner with GAF this year as they - GAF - and the world of architects and builders prepare for the updated version of LEED standards. Wayne Visbeen talking with architecture students at Greenbuild. Read the article at the USGBC websiteIn case you do not know:GAF is the largest manufacturer of commercial and residential roofing in North America and one of the very few manufacturers...

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Room Guide: Built-In's

When buying or building a home, consider how much storage you will need and what you will want on display. Built-in's are a great way to integrate storage into the floor plan without having to buy additional furnishings for your home. A built-in can be anything from a linen closet or kitchen cabinets to a window seat or book case, they all help to open up floor space and create additional storage needed to organize your home. Built-in's can creatively utilize all of the available square footage in dead spaces such as the space under the stairs or in under used closets. This Old House Magazine published...

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Room Guide: Fireplace

With temperatures dropping as fast as the snow, I think we can all agree that winter has officially arrived in West Michigan. Love it or hate it, why not find yourself a cozy spot next to a roaring fire with a cup of hot chocolate to keep the chill of winter at bay. Your fireplace can be an accent feature to a room or can easily become the focal point. Check out some of the traditional, the modern and the ultra cool fireplaces that have been designed by Visbeen Architects.The dark wood mantle of this fireplace creates a focal point for this lighter toned room Seeing double? This see through, two-way,...

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Home Design

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2013 Design HomeIt has been an exciting month for all of us here at Visbeen Architects. We have had two of our home designs featured in two different publications!  Emmett, located in South Haven, MI, was featured in the Michigan Blue Magazine and the Heartsworth, which resides in Ada, MI, is recognized in Grand Rapids Magazine as the 2013 Design Home. The Heartsworth is a one of a kind home built by Infiniti Custom Homes with interiors artfully designed by Lauren Greiner, interior designer, with Klingman's Design Studio. From start to finish this home has been all about the...

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