Cape-Inspired Design Trends with Staying Power

Cape-Inspired Design Trends

WITH STAYING POWER

Some design trends come and go quickly. Then there are styles that are introduced, and most of us can’t imagine layouts any other way (think kitchen islands and mudrooms). We talked to Kathy DeMeyer, Owner/General Manager of Encore Construction about time-honored home elements that she and her team see work well in project after project here on the Cape and islands.

Open Spaces & Casual Dining

Formal dining rooms serve a great purpose, but most homes that are built today need another more casual option for meals. Breakfast nooks and farm tables off the kitchen have become high-use areas in many local homes. “Every homeowner I meet wants that openness around the kitchen because they don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen when they are hosting,” says DeMeyer. “The kitchen is the main gathering place. No matter how nice the dining room and great room are, kitchens are where people gravitate.” In a Hyannis Port renovation, homeowners Kurt and Linda Hulteen worked with Encore, and they agreed about open space. Their 1960s home was closed off with separate rooms, and they decided to open up all of the walls, losing the formal dining room altogether. They added a sitting area right off of the kitchen. “We love to have people over and it’s just so much easier and more enjoyable when the cooking and getting everything together can coincide with the visiting,” says Linda. “I’m not locked away in the kitchen, which is great.” For the space to really sing, the table and its lighting should be showstoppers. In the Hulteens’ house, the table was from their old home in Alaska and it’s a beautiful live-edge maple. “We spent a long time seeking out this table, and we bought it in Alaska, and it’s ten years old, so when we moved we were determined to bring it with us,” says Linda.

Screened-in Porches

Cape Codders and Islanders can only enjoy sitting outside for so many months, which is why locals find ways to get out in the fresh air whenever possible. Screened-in porches protect loungers from pesky insects, but also offer a place to curl up in when the weather turns. “Very few people are building houses today and not building a screened in porch,” says DeMeyer. The Hulteens added one to the back of their house and it has a view of their backyard. “I have always wanted a screened-in porch,” says Linda. “The one Encore built for us is fresh-looking and clean. We also put a big ceiling fan out there, and that has been great on hot summer nights and days. We use it all of the time, and we’ve even had dinner parties out there.”

Backyard Havens

For those who didn’t think about their backyards as personal sanctuaries before 2020 that has probably changed by now. The pandemic has shifted mindsets, and many homeowners put more attention (and more money) into their backyards in the past few years. The most important thing to think about when dreaming up your outside space is asking yourself how you want to use it. For the Hulteens, that meant installing a roof deck on top of the garage and a putting green. “Having a putting green is like having a mini golf facility in the backyard, and it’s really fun when people come to visit. It encourages competition and conversation,” says Kurt Hulteen.

Kitchen Islands

We, of course, couldn’t write this list without mentioning kitchen islands. A sturdy design trend for over 15 years now, DeMeyer says it can be a starting point for those who aren’t sure what they want in a kitchen, but they know they need an island. “An island is inviting—it says that you are welcome in my kitchen to guests, and it’s a rarity that we do a kitchen that doesn’t have an island,” says DeMeyer. “Sometimes we have to take a wall down to get the homeowners the island that they want.” Islands not only offer necessary seating and additional storage options, but homeowners have been using islands as an opportunity to brighten their kitchen spaces with color. “People are really mixing it up, and in 50-60 percent of kitchens we do, the islands are a different color than the rest of the kitchen. I’ve seen blues and greens, there are so many options, and when you walk into the room it’s really beautiful and adds a nice pop of color.”

Mudroom Magic

More than a place to hang your hat, mudrooms have elbowed their way into the square footage of homes—and for good reason! “There’s nothing worse than coming directly into the house and not knowing where to put things. Stuff can pile up, especially if you have kids,” says DeMeyer. Mudrooms allow for additional storage opportunities for the outerwear and footwear required for the many New England seasons. They are also the home’s greeting space, so homeowners have made a point to make these transitional spaces a welcoming place to take your boots off. “If we are doing a remodel, and the homeowners don’t have a mudroom, chances are we are going to create space for a mudroom. It’s always high on the priority list.”

Defined Entries

The importance of a good first impression can’t be understated when it comes to homes. “Curb appeal is really of great importance,” says DeMeyer. Encore works with homeowners to define their entry ways, so they get a warm welcome when they arrive home. For one project on Allen Harbor, the home had to be raised two feet to escape the flood zone. Instead of an exposed foundation, DeMeyer guided the homeowners to stonework, which gave some additional character to the front of the house. Another interesting addition are the gutter downspouts on either side of the entry. “These are called rain drains, and they are really cool, they look like droplets but function like gutters,” says DeMeyer.

Decisions, Decisions

Renovations and new builds require vision and patience on the homeowners part; they also require a lot of decision making. Encore Construction helps make the process easy by either accompanying clients or providing them with guides at local stores, such as KAM Appliances in Hyannis and Supply New England in Orleans and Yarmouth.

“The decisions that homeowners have to make can be so overwhelming, so we make sure someone on our staff—typically our in-house designer—goes with them to make selections,” says DeMeyer. “We also have a dedicated person at KAM and Supply New England, who knows the project details and can work with them.” Beyond whether homeowners like the look of tile or bath fixtures, they also need all of the pieces that go inside the wall for installation. “Those are things that most of the time, you don’t care what they look like, but you need them and the person at the shop makes sure that all of those items are ordered.” The Hulteens said having the guidance of Encore’s team was critical when shopping for tile, plumbing, countertops, and cabinets. “It was so much fun and it was so helpful to have the designer with us,” says Linda. “Kurt and I make decisions really quickly. We know what we like and what we don’t like, and what made the process easier was having someone there to tell us what would work and what might not work in our space.”

ENCORE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

103 Main St, Dennis Port (508) 760-6900; encoreco.com

AN ENERGY-EFFICIENT Place to Call Home

Cape Light Compact helps homeowners save on energy costs.

Cape Light Compact, which is part of the Mass Save Program, was established in 1999 with the mission to provide residents in the 21 towns on Cape Cod and Martha’s Vineyard and Dukes County with energyefficient programs for their homes. “Mass Save as a whole and its energy-efficiency programs are going to play a key role in our greenhouse reduction targets over the next 30 years,” says Dan Schell, Senior Analyst at Cape Light Compact. The locally controlled program offers energy-reducing opportunities to homeowners on the Cape and Martha’s Vineyard. “With Cape Light Compact, it’s really unique that we have local control over something that is typically administered by utility companies,” says Schell.

We spoke with Dan Schell about Cape Light Compact’s three main offerings:

Home Energy Assessments: WEATHERIZATION AND INSULATION Home energy assessments are a good way to tell how efficient your home is yearround. Many times, here on the Cape and islands that can mean figuring out how much heat is escaping through older doors or windows. “The number one energy cost in a home is heating, and the number one way to save is insulation,” says Schell. Cape Light Compact partners with Rise Engineering as well as HAC for incomeeligible participants. After scheduling an assessment, a licensed Energy Specialist will visit your residence to test the quality of insulation and sealing. There are a lot of older homes on the Cape, and many weren’t built for year-round use. “The nice thing about this program is Cape Light covers 100 percent of air-sealing costs, and we cover 75 percent of insulation install costs,” says Schell. “For anyone in moderate to low-income categories,

we cover 100 percent and the same goes for renters.”

It is important to note that you do not have to own your home to take part in the program. “Both homeowners and renters who have residential electricity accounts on the Cape or Martha’s Vineyard are eligible for home energy assessments,” says Schell. Also, the initial assessments are free. Cape Light Compact has an energysavings calculator for residents, so they can do the math and see how much they might save with an electric heat pump.

Electric Heat Pump 101: TRANSITIONING OIL AND PROPANE TO ELECTRIC With the costs of oil and propane rising, electric heat pumps can save residents money. The reason more people aren’t making the switch, according to Schell, is awareness. “If someone has been happy with a propane or oil furnace for years then they are hesitant to change,” says Schell. He also notes that the electric pumps of 10 years ago are not the same today. “They’ve changed and the technology has evolved, so that they work well in the cold weather environments,” he says. If homeowners decide to install an electric heat pump, they would get an assessment from Cape Light Compact and then work with a local HVAC contractor to replace their current propane or oil system. After the work is complete, Cape Light Company issues a rebate. Electric pumps are better for the environment, according to Schell. “When you use propane or oil, you’re burning fossil fuels,” says Schell. “Massachusetts is moving towards relying on renewable energy year after year. When you use an electric system, the energy that you are consuming for your home becomes greener and greener.” Appliance Rebates: MONEY BACK FOR GOOD REASONS Cape Light Compact offers rebates for a number of home appliances, including dehumidifiers ($30), window air conditions ($40), electric dryers ($50), and air purifiers ($40). The appliances just have to be energy-star certified, which is something that is clearly visible when you are purchasing a new product. “You’re getting a rebate, which is immediate savings, but also there’s an electric cost savings throughout the life of the piece of equipment,” says Schell.

Insulation is the key piece as we head into winter. If folks feel like their home is drafty in winter, then now is the time to get it taken care of before really cold weather hits. Not only will their home be warmer and more energy efficient, hopefully they’ll see cost savings on their heating bills.

— DAN SCHELL

Cape Light Compact also helps homeowners recycle old appliances, such as refrigerators. “At no cost, we will come pick up and recycle your old, working fridge, and then mail you a check for $75,” says Schell.

CAPE LIGHT COMPACT 508-375-6644 261 Whites Path, Unit 4, S. Yarmouth capelightcompact.org