New Year, New Beginnings

Happy New Year!

The New Year always brings to mind a clean slate. We say good bye to the past and embrace new beginnings. For some of you – that may mean a move, a new location and new home, and we welcome the opportunity to talk to you about what your dream home means to you.

For me – it means retiring after 25+ years working with Randy and my fellow employees at Thelen Total Construction. It has been a very fulfilling part of my life, being part of the process where families can realize their dreams of the home they always wanted. It really is a life changing process for them!

I’ve been proud to be associated with a respected company of people who are smart, creative, dedicated and experienced. We share the work, respect each other’s talents, and do what it takes to ensure a great experience for our clients, and also have a little fun each day too.

Carol & Melody at the annual Thelen Christmas Party

Knowing how important the role of Office Manager – “Command Central”, as we call it at Thelen Total Construction is – the next person to fill the position would need to be a great fit for the organization. A person who is smart, organized, energetic and self-confident. A person who gets the culture here of doing your best and doing what it takes to create a great experience for our homeowners.

We are excited to welcome Carol McCoy to Thelen Total Construction! Carol has been working here since early November and has proven herself to be a very capable member of the team.

Me – I’ll truly miss the people here, the best tradespeople around, and other respected professionals I’ve had the good fortune to work with. It’s been great!

Thank you all for the memories, and I plan to stay in touch.

Melody Fehling

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Lauderdale Lakes Family Retreat

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  • Lauderdale Lakes Family Retreat

Lauderdale Lakes Family Retreat

There is something about a lake where warm summer days, cool night breezes, laughter and games make for treasured family times. This is a retreat with plenty of room for multiple generations of family members and friends to enjoy the good times. The original carriage house and boathouse on the property were kept and renovated to complement the style of the new home on the lake. A new detached garage was built. The home is timeless, comfortable, and unfussy. Able to stand up to the demands of kids, dogs, and many happy weekend guests.

Green Lake Retreat

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  • Lauderdale Lakes Family Retreat

Green Lake Retreat

This was a very special project, building this lovely traditional lake home get-away on a beautiful and spacious lakefront lot. At over 8,000 square feet – it was designed for ample space for overnight guests with 2 guest suites and a bunk room each for boys and girls. There are many delightful places to congregate in the home making it a welcome retreat for the owners and the lucky guests.

Lodge on Middle Lake

  • Lauderdale Lakes Family Retreat

Lodge on Middle Lake

The exterior of this lakefront home uses wood, stone and beams creating a rustic lodge look. Inside, the design and décor feature unifying craftsman and natural material elements, creating a cozy and casual ambiance. A wonderful escape from busy city life! The Interior Design firm – Katherine Elizabeth Designs helped create the unifying exterior and interior design shown.

Pantry Power

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Pantry

According to the National Association of Home Builders, a pantry was the kitchen feature most desired by new home buyers.  Kitchen pantry possibilities range from a closet, a nook to a dedicated room.  A couple of interesting trends in pantry design:

  • Wanting more daylight in the kitchen prompts a shift in storage design. Delivering more daylight means less available wall space and that has translated to an increased interest in walk-in room pantry space.
  • A really large pantry can serve as a secondary kitchen; also known as a “messy kitchen” , or a back kitchen – complete with cooktop, dishwasher, sink, prep space, floor to ceiling storage for canned goods, serving platters, oversize pots and pans, and space for caterers to set up. With open kitchens adjacent to living areas, a back kitchen provides a place to keep kitchen chaos out of sight when company comes.

Convenience, accessibility,  and “at a glance” visibility are the key attributes of a great pantry.  A walk-in pantry doesn’t need to be fancy since it’s behind closed doors.  However, even if it’s only simple shelving, it’s a good idea to include a countertop for a landing zone. It’ll make it easier to stock items, provide extra place for food prep, and space for a blender, a stand mixer and a coffee maker.  You can add as needed wall cabinets with pull-outs and built-ins. Other features can include pullout baskets for root vegetables, narrow cubbies for large platters, and nooks for cookware. The pantry should be large enough to hold a week’s worth of groceries and close enough to the food prep area. Organization and the right location are more important than size alone though.

Other pantry design ideas to keep in mind are: Pantry Tip

  • Which way will the door open? A door that opens inward can work, but it may make an already small space smaller. When space is at a premium, the best options are a pocket, folding or a sliding “barn door.”
  • Ideal lighting illuminates every shelf evenly, so be sure to install quality LED lighting. A skylight is a great idea if the home design allows. And make sure the light switch is in a spot by the pantry door.

Whether your pantry is  built-in cabinetry, a butler’s, a walk-in, or a combination – storage is never in short supply, and your kitchen layout is optimized for maximum efficiency.

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