Building custom homes isn’t just a job for us at Schumacher Homes, it’s a passion. That’s why we’re always excited to visit the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show each and every year. This show gives us an opportunity to discover a multitude of incredible inventions and innovations that have been developed by the leading designers, manufacturers, and technologists over the past year so that we can add these offerings to our ever growing list of home customizations. Be it design elements that can bring bold enhancements to the look and feel of your new home or brand new technologies that can make your daily life a bit more convenient and exciting, it’s always a favorite time for us as we bring new features to our FrontDoor™ design catalog.
One of our never-ending goals as home builders is to continually improve our processes and our selection of options so that your dream home can be a reality. We found some truly inspiring new products at this year’s show that we think will do just that. Featured in this article are just a few of our favorite new products for the coming year, but if you’re interested in learning more, our New Home Consultants are always excited to run you through the entire list of amazing new additions and features that we’re able to bring to life in your new home.
Kohler Smart Showering
Yes, you heard that right, Smart Showering. We were a bit skeptical when we first heard the term as well, as it seemed perhaps a bit excessive, but once we spent just a few moments with this new DTV+ digital showering experience from Kohler, we were sold. In fact, it might be one of our favorite smart home products. Imagine a shower that will start warming up for you as you get out of bed as you tell Alexa to “start my morning shower”. By the time you walk into your beautifully tiled bathroom, the water will be set to the perfect temperature, ready for you to step inside the glass door. Let your shower know that you’re in the mood for a 10 minute steam session after a long day at the office, adjust the lights to something a bit more ambient, and play your favorite album to complete the full spa experience, all without touching a button or turning a dial.
If you know Schumacher Homes, you know that we’re big proponents of building a true Owner’s Retreat into your new home. We find that our customers love having a quiet space where they can feel completely at peace, away from the busy excitement and energy of the rest of the home. With so many options for a spa-like experience in your master bathroom like alcove lighting and drop-in bathtubs, the addition of a DTV+ Smart Digital Showering System is that final, modern element that can turn your owner's bathroom into the tranquil sanctuary of your dreams.
Wall Mount Wireless Charger from Hubbell
Not much makes us giddier than an invention or innovation that can help declutter a home. If you’ve been speaking to a member of our team about design elements for an open concept home, you’ve undoubtedly been treated to the concept of the so-called “messy kitchen” as a way to keep your home looking tidy. On a lesser level, perhaps you’ve heard suggestions for sleek cubby systems in the entryway or storage ideas for your closet space. Decluttering is a design trend that is right on point these days, and rightfully so. Luckily, Hubbell has released something this year that is quite small, but can speak volumes when it comes to tidying all those cords and surge protectors that you currently have strewn about your home.
Perhaps you don’t even know it, but nearly all new smart phones have wireless charging capabilities - they simply need to be placed onto a Qi enabled charging pad to replenish their battery. What Hubbell has designed is a wall mount charger that holds your phone right beside the power outlet - that also contains a USB port - eliminating the need to keep a charging cable dangling on the kitchen counter or on your home office desk. This is one of those simple elements that can add that extra touch of cleanliness to your home, allowing you to appreciate the effort that went into the modern, uncluttered design of the space. The only real question that we have about this product is how many rooms we’d want to put it in.
Interior Doors and Hardware from TruStile Doors & Emtek Products
Doors can often be overlooked as an essential moment for design inspiration. No matter what style your home is modeled around, choosing the proper doors can make a major difference in how it looks as you flow from room to room. They can also have an enormous effect on the way that sound travels throughout your home when looking for a bit of privacy during the day or night. We’ve always been fans of TruStile’s doors across the board as they provide exceptional design characteristics along with top notch engineering that makes them long lasting and great for blocking out unwanted sound when closed. This year, TruStile blew us away with a couple of their new designs.
When it comes to door construction, TruStile doesn’t hold back. All of their doors have a 1.75” thickness which makes them as stable as doors can be while greatly reducing the amount of sound that gets transmitted to or from the room that they enclose. If you have a home office where you like to lock yourself away for a few hours of quiet work or if you want to be sure that your children’s bedrooms are suitably quiet for them to sleep, uninterrupted by noise from the television or otherwise, these are the doors for your family. Their best in class stability and durability ensure that they won’t shrink, expand, or warp when exposed to changes in weather or humidity and even include architectural-grade, square corner, ball bearing hinges that are custom built to your home’s specifications. But let’s move on to the fun part - style.
First off is their signature TS (TruStile) series. These doors are classic in style and function, but at the forefront of architectural design and technique, making them an exceptional choice for your new home. Featuring architecturally-correct panel door styles ranging from 1-9 panel configurations, each door is built with genuine stile and rail construction, never routed or stamped, making for superior durability. Our favorite part of these doors is that TruStile’s manufacturing processes allow an incredible amount of customization. If all of the panel design options weren’t enough on a simple, classic, wooden door, there is also the ability to include glass, resin, leather, or metal for an exceptionally custom and classy look that can really enhance the beauty and splendor of your home be it more classic or exceptionally modern.
For those more intrigued by door stylings, it’s hard to go wrong with TruStiles brand new TM Series of doors that showcase over 100 contemporary designs. These doors feature strong, clean lines and bold accents that can complement the modern features in your home design. Fashioned from dark woods they can make a striking statement set against clean white walls or done in strong white patterns they can help endure the trend forward design already instilled in your home through cabinetry, ceiling features, and modern lighting.
Of course, no door is complete without a door knob and we are loving the new designs brought to market this year from our friends at Emtek. It’s easy to gloss over the small details, such as door knobs, when pushing your way through all of the design aspects of a custom home, but this is an important element to spend a few moments of time researching. We love the combination of form and functionality that Emtek brings to the table, providing options for any style - contemporary, farmhouse, classical, or in between. Choosing the right color, shape, and design for your knobs can add a bit of splash of excitement to your home and their newly introduced options definitely deserve some recognition.
The New Products Don’t Stop Here!
Our team is always on the lookout for new products, be it at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) International Builders’ Show or in our day to day work with some of the best homeware companies in the world. We’re always happy to sit down and show you our personal favorites when it comes to new fixtures and features, so don’t be afraid to schedule a bit of time with one of our New Home Consultants.
About Schumacher Homes
Schumacher Homes, based in Canton, Ohio, is America’s largest custom homebuilder, with operations in 32 markets in 14 states across the country. The National Housing Quality award winning company has built over 19,000 homes, customized to fit each family’s lifestyle, since its founding by Paul Schumacher in 1992. Schumacher Homes takes each customer’s inspiration and gives it a home. Each Schumacher Homes location includes a one-stop shopping design studio and model homes displaying the latest in architectural and product trends. Stop in today, be inspired and receive your no obligation price quote.