2 Nichols Hills & NW OKC Community Magazine
Nichols Hills and Community Magazine
Spring Home and Garden
On the cover: Wilshire Cabinet + Co owners Travis Morelock and Jason Grife. Above: Meet the faces of the new standard in cabinetry at Wilshire Cabinet + Co and the company mascot, Cher. See story on page 4.
CONTENTS
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With some forethought, designing a beautiful garden for you and the pollinators is not difficult. Know what you are signing up for when you are building a custom home. Exterior renovations can improve the value of your home.
From our advertisers:
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Not all homeowners insurance policies are the same. Call Gary Baccus State Farm Insurance today to find out why.
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Why not take technology into the bathroom, too.
The right way to get the most out of mulching.
Don’t forget about the hardscape when trying to improve curb appeal.
With the help of the community, the Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity has built its 1,000th home. See how you can get involved, too. Nichols Hills & NW OKC Community Magazine 3
The New Standard in Cabinetry
- Photo by AJ Stegall Photography
Soft close drawers and doors, interior organization accessories and integrated technology features can be incorporated into nearly all cabinets today. But, if your cabinets are not finished in much the same way that your automobile was, you need to ask why. And then you need to visit Wilshire Cabinet + Co and discover the new standard in cabinetry. The company is owned by Travis Morelock and Jason Grife. “Every Wilshire cabinet is custom-built to order from exact specifications for each customer in a quality-controlled manufacturing plant, using the finest materials and latest technologies,” Travis said. “Each cabinet is expertly finished in that same plant, quite similarly to a luxury automobile: multi-layer finishes are applied and immediately heat cured in a dust-free environment.” “The result is a silky, smooth, highly durable cabinet fabricated to last! Every product is backed by a multi-year warranty.” Morelock and Grife, along with their mascot, Cher, opened the Wilshire Cabinet + Co doors in June 2017, but the desire to bring beautiful, state-of-the-art cabinetry to the Oklahoma City market began years before that. Before the launch of Wilshire Cabinet + Co, Morelock was at the helm of MIDMODERNdesign: a highly-successful and award-winning, full-service design/build firm specializing in quality home remodels and new home design in the OKC metro. As owner and chief designer, Travis was passionately following a strong family legacy as a third-generation member of the design and construction industry – a career for which he had been preparing since early childhood. At a time when most young people are into comic books and cartoons, he read house plan books and watched every episode of “This Old House” he could. Over the years, Travis’ love of everything design and joy of travel Above: The simple but durable white shaker cabinetry serves as an important canvas for the perimeter of this kitchen allowing the Mediterranean-inspired tile to take center stage. The faux finished custom range hood pairs beautifully with the decorative hardware providing a focal point for the space.
- Photo by Paul Riedl Photography
At left: Light, texture, contrast, movement, and pops of color harmonize to create sophisticated comfort in a modern urban setting. Gorgeous woodgrain laminate finish and minimal hardware on the cabinetry yields the ultimate in durability and modern feel. The team of talented kitchen designers at Wilshire Cabinet + Co always bring your vision to life...and life to your vision.
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- Photo by AJ Stegall Photography
- Photo by Paul Riedl Photography
fueled his pursuit of the latest trends, materials, technology, engineering and all things new in the design/build world. This passion is exactly what drew Travis to learn more about a new rising star in the cabinetry world: pre-finished cabinetry. Historically, cabinet boxes are built off-site and installed, unfinished, in a new or remodeled home. A woodworker then comes on-site to add trim. Next, a painter is brought into the home to spray paint or stain. Finally, the cabinets are allowed to air dry. “This process is called ‘site-finished’ and is a method that has long been standard practice in Oklahoma – but now there is a much better way that offers superior results,” Travis said. Wilshire Cabinet + Co offers a whole new standard of fresh inspiration and leading-edge innovation combined with a customer experience that can’t be ignored. “Cabinetry and cabinetry design (for both indoor and outdoor spaces) are at the foundation of our business and we also offer curated collections of complimentary products to complete the project,” Jason added. “From vanities to designer hardware, Cambria® quartz countertops to Ruvati® sinks, integrated cabinet lighting and hidden USB/power outlets, Wilshire offers customization options that showcase style, versatility and convenience while reflecting individual personality.” “Wilshire Cabinet + Co does not offer cabinet refinishing, as the refinished product would not meet the Wilshire standard for strength and durability,” Travis said. Wilshire’s new cabinetry options are engineered to last in the ever-changing Oklahoma weather environment and designed for modern-day living. While almost everything is built here in the USA, Wilshire Cabinet + Co does take pride in globally sourcing materials for cutting-edge, real exotic woods and never-before-seen European laminates. “We are also multi-lingual at Wilshire Cabinet + Co and are fluent in builder, remodeler, designer, commercial specifier and homeowner
Above: A warm walnut veneer vanity with clean lined black hardware is a perfect pairing for this clients’ colorful geometric tile to create a mid-century modern jack-and-jill bathroom in Edmond.
speak, and we understand which types of products fit their varying types of projects,” Travis said. “Our combined years of experience and varied backgrounds have come to form a team of unsurpassed design, carpentry and sales talent in Oklahoma.” First and foremost, Jason and Travis said that customers can expect that service is built into every aspect of the experience and process at Wilshire Cabinet + Co. “From the time you engage with any of our 10 team members, it is apparent that you aren’t at just any cabinetry company,” Jason added. Continued on page 10 At left: This Mediterranean-inspired kitchen in Nichols Hills reflects the owners’ style and incorporates many family treasures. Using custom color cabinetry for the accent island adds an eclectic interest along with mixed hardware finishes. The Cambria Skara Brae® quartz countertops provide organic flow to a truly functional space and a truly relaxing oasis. Nichols Hills & NW OKC Community Magazine 5
Designing a beautiful garden for you and the pollinators You don’t need a prairie or large lot to attract and support pollinators. A meadow or informal, formal and even container gardens can bring in bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to help pollinate plants. It’s just a matter of selecting the right plants, adjusting your maintenance practices and skipping the pesticides. Create your garden by converting a few square feet of lawn, garden bed or front yard into a pollinator-friendly garden. You may want to start by switching out part of an existing garden or container to more pollinator-friendly flowers. Expand your planting options by converting a portion of your lawn into a pollinator garden. Outline the bed with a hose or rope. Remove the sod, add compost as needed to improve drainage and you’ll be ready to plant. Simplify and dress up your efforts by using an easy-to-assemble raised garden kit like the Pollinator Garden Bed (gardeners.com). Its long-lasting cedar planks slide into aluminum corners to create a hexagonal bed. Get creative while increasing the garden’s size by adding additional sections to create a honeycomb or other interesting design. Mark the outline of the raised bed you select. Cut the grass short and cover with newspaper. Set your raised bed in place and fill with a quality planting mix. Mulch four to six inches surrounding the raised bed for ease of mowing and to eliminate the need to hand trim. Once your planting bed is prepared, you’re ready to plant. Include single daisy-like black-eyed Susans, coneflowers, and asters that allow visiting insects to rest and warm when sipping on nectar or dining on pollen. Add a few tubular flowers for butterflies and hummingbirds. They both like bright colors and can be seen visiting salvias, penstemon and nasturtiums. And don’t forget the bees that are attracted to bright white, yellow, blue and ultraviolet colors. You’ll find them visiting these and other blossoms like catmint, sweet alyssum and perennial geranium. Include spring, summer and fall bloomers to keep pollinators visiting and well fed throughout the season. You’ll enjoy the seasonal changes along with the color and motions the visitors provide. Include early spring perennials and bulbs to attract visitors in early spring as they search for much-needed food. Add fall flowers to help prepare them for winter or migration to their winter homes. Those in milder climates will want to add some pollinator-friendly flowers to support and attract pollinators wintering in their backyard. Plant flowers in groups for greater design impact and to reduce the — Photo courtesy of Garden Supply Company 6 Nichols Hills & NW OKC Community Magazine
See GARDENS, Page 8
Ask Gary Baccus
Are all homeowners policies the same?
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No, it is not surprising to find quotes on homeowners insurance that vary by hundreds of dollars. Most companies offer several different types of homeowners policies, and the lower the premium usually means less coverage. I know price is important, but more important is making sure your homeowners policy provides the coverage that you need. State Farm is No. 1 in home insurance for a reason. We sell one homeowners policy, which is the most comprehensive on the market and competively priced. It is designed to put you back where you were, if not better, before your loss. Our goal is to protect
what you have, not just sell you a policy. The easiest way to make sure you are getting the coverage’s you need to protect your home is to schedule an appointment with me to review your current policy. Many of your neighbors are satisfied State Farm customers. State Farm insures 1 out of every 4 homes. My agency has been established for 44 years giving me expertise in the insurance industry. We have 6 licensed associates who are friendly and helpful in answering any questions you might have about insurance. Our State Farm Agency offers insurance for auto, homes, condos, renters,
business, boats, fleets, life and annuities, health and disability, and mutual funds. We offer banking services such as car loans or refinancing, CD products, credit cards and checking and savings accounts. Our current State Farm policy holders in this area have recently had a rate decrease in their home and auto insurance. How many people have heard that good news from their insurance company lately? Our office prides itself on customer service. I will take care of you and make sure you are getting all the discounts State Farm has to offer. If you want the protection and peace of mind you deserve give me a call today!
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GARDENS Continued from Page 6 energy pollinators expend when gathering nectar and pollen from one flower to the next. Provide plants with enough space to reach their mature size. Temporarily fill in voids with annuals like salvia, single zinnias and nicotiana that also attract pollinators. A meadow or informal, formal and even conDon’t let all the plant and design possibilities tainer gardens can bring in bees, butterflies overwhelm you into inaction. Gardener’s Supply and hummingbirds to help pollinate plants. Company has plans for designing gardens to attract bees, butterflies and hummingbirds plus tips on keeping them safe in your garden. Mulch the soil with leaves annually. It suppresses weeds, conserves moisture, improves the soil and provides homes for many beneficial insects. Allow healthy plants and grasses to stand for winter. These provide homes for many beneficial insects and food for birds. Wait as long as possible to clean up your garden in spring. If needed, pile clippings out of the way to allow beneficial insects to escape these winter homes once temperatures warm. Then shred and compost the plant debris in summer. As your gardens flourish, you will want to create more pollinator-friendly spaces. Your efforts will be rewarded with beautiful flowers, increased harvest and the added color and motion these visitors provide. ••••• Melinda Myers has written more than 20 gardening books, including Small Space Gardening. She hosts The Great Courses “How to Grow Anything” DVD series and the Melinda’s Garden Moment TV & radio segments. Myers is a columnist and con tributing editor for Birds & Blooms magazine and was commissioned by Gardeners Supply for her expertise to write this article. Her web site is www.MelindaMyers.com.
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Know what you sign up for when building a custom home
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Even considering being able to design your own custom home is an exciting prospect. Whether you’re ready to take the plunge or just exploring your options, here are tips to keep in mind. Know what you’re signing up for. Building a custom home is a significant undertaking and a major life decision. It’s a big commitment in terms of time, money and energy. While this shouldn’t scare you away from your dream home, it’s important to know what youÕre getting into. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the kids or busy caring for an ailing parent, it may be best to start this later. Hire the right professionals. You
may be a DIY pro, but this isn’t a project you want to take on yourself, even partly. Key professionals you’ll need to work with include an architect, plumber, electrician and more. Consider also working with a designer who can help with the interiors to make sure the space is as functional as it is beautiful. Do your research to find quality pros. This isn’t the time to skimp on labor. Think about furniture layout early. While it may seem a bit premature to start decorating your living room before the foundation is laid, knowing how you’ll want to use and lay out each room can help you during the building and design process. For example, you can save time and money down the line when you know from the get-go you’ll want a window seat and two large couches to face the
fireplace. Know where to save and spend. Costs can quickly add up, so itÕs important for you to decide early on what matters most to you, and what’s worth investing in. You can always upgrade your flooring or cabinetry, but you can never change the foundation. Prepare for the unexpected. Building a new home is a process, and you can minimize stress by embracing that it will be unpredictable and can change throughout the journey. Plan for things like weather delays and higher costs. The unexpected can also lead to positive changes in your plans. For example, you might come across a new flooring material that's more ecofriendly, or a smart home automation system might hit the market and you'll want to integrate it into the design. Be flexible.
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Continued from page 5
- Photo by AJ Stegall Photography
The mainstay of the service at Wilshire Cabinet + Co is Jason. He spent nearly a decade in donor development and non-profit management, lending a unique perspective to the client experience. His ability to see the big picture, while also drilling down to the most minute details, has created a process geared toward success for both the company and the client. Wilshire Cabinet + Co’s gallery was designed to inspire clients much like a museum, featuring ever-changing collections that reflect the latest design trends and newest lifestyle amenities for your home. Staff designers initially visit with clients to learn about their projects, assess their needs and discover their design aesthetics. Using either the client’s plans or on-site measurements, a rough estimate is created to provide a budget before a design deposit is made. “The client and their staff designer work through every detail of the space, including how they and their family live life on a daily basis. Whether it be a client who always has lots of family in for the holidays and everyone helps prepare the feast, a seasoned baker with lots of equipment and gadgets to make his or her award-winning cakes or simply a young professional looking to make a statement in their home while entertaining guests, each client is unique as are their cabinetry needs,” explained Jason. “Using 3D renderings, the staff designer works
with their client to bring their space to life, while reviewing each and every storage detail designed specifically for the way they live.” For more information, call 286-6282 or visit www.wilshirecabinetco.com. Wilshire Cabinet + Co is located at 320 W. Wilshire Blvd. and is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and by appointment.
- Photo by Paul Riedl Photography
Above: Using several complimentary hardware styles provide visual interest to your cabinetry. Choosing ergonomic shapes to match the task and movement improve functionality and ease.
At left: Wilshire Cabinet + Co owners Travis Morelock and Jason Grife with the company mascot, Cher. 10 Nichols Hills & NW OKC Community Magazine
Community support helps Habitat build 1,000th house At Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity, we build homes, but we’re also building futures filled with hope for hundreds of our fel low Oklahomans. We build because we believe that everyone, everywhere should have a safe, attractive – and above all affordable – place to call home. This year we are thrilled to celebrate the dedication of our 1,000th Habitat home and we couldn’t have done it without the wonderful support we receive from the Oklahoma City metro community. When you become a donor or sponsor of Central Oklahoma Habitat, you are helping change lives, while strengthening your community as a whole. Whether it’s an inkind donation of a roof, flooring and appliances or funding an entire house, every gift and sponsorship we receive this year – no matter how large
or small – will help a family in need of decent, affordable housing to realize their dream and start building longterm financial security. And the gift of a stable home doesn’t stop there. These hard working families will then have more to spend on food. We invite you to learn how you or your compa ny or organization can join Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity in helping families build strength, stability and independence through housing. Please contact our team for more information and remember – Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity is positively impacting our state – one house and one family at a time. Blessings, Ann Felton Gilliland CEO & Chairman, Central Oklahoma Habitat for Humanity At left, homeowner Brittani Githiri and her son Piaget receive the keys from COHFH Chairman and CEO Ann Felton Gilliland.
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Why not a hightech bathroom, too Gadgets & gizmos help improve restrooms Technology is infiltrating every room of the house. Many new home buyers are millennials, and this tech-savvy demographic covets technological innovations. A recent survey by Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate indicates 77 percent of Generation X and Y home buyers want their homes equipped with the tech capabilities they have grown accustomed to. Many of these involve smart innovations, including those that can transform one of the most private • Automatic faucets: Infrared sensors have been helping keep public restrooms more hygienic for years. The same technology can be used in home bathrooms to curtail water waste and keep faucets and sinks from becoming infested with germs. In addition, faucets with built-in timers can be programmed to set tasks for brushing teeth or washing your face. • Musical shower: Instead of having to blast the volume on the portable speaker you use in the bathroom, a wireless speaker is built into some showerheads. This enables those who like to sing in the shower or listen to podcasts while washing up to enjoy this luxury effortlessly.
rooms in the house - the bathroom. Automated home theater rooms and Wi-Fi-enabled home security systems have become the norm, but what tech improvements are available to make the powder room more in touch with today's digital lifestyle? According to the home improvement resource The Spruce, bathrooms have the most potential of any rooms to be improved with technology. The following are just some of the bathroom gadgets and gizmos no one should resist before giving a try.
• Smarter weight management: Bathroom scales have gone high-tech as well, with various options enabling users to measure weight, BMI and body fat percentage before sending the data wirelessly to a phone, tablet or computer. This can put you in greater control of fitness goals. • Hightech toilets: Borrowing ideas from bidets and trends around the world, modern toilets do not require hands or paper. These toilets have temperature-controlled water, spritzing wands and air dryers to clean and sanitize. Self-cleaning toilets help busy professionals save time and are ideal for those who always want their bowls as clean as possible. And if you desire extra comfort, toilet
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seat warmers are available, while LED lights can make nighttime restroom visits easier. • Soaking tubs: As fast as standalone showers were introduced to the modern bathroom, tubless designs have been replaced with streamlined soaking tubs. Tubs come with different features, including chromatherapy, which employs colored lights to enhance mood. Air baths are controlled electronically and provide different levels of sensation for those who are skipping the hot tub. Round out these innovations with automated lights, chilled medicine cabinets and aromatherapy, and your bathroom will indeed become a technological spa.
Mulching, when done right, benefits a landscape
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-Landscape features vary significantly from house to house. Some homeowners may prefer water features on their properties, while others focus on flowers that would be the envy of a botanical garden. Regardless of those preferences, lawn and garden enthusiasts who want to make their properties as idyllic as possible may eventually look to mulch to help them accomplish that goal. Mulch helps soil retain moisture, which promotes strong, healthy flowers, plants, trees, and shrubs. And because soil beneath mulch retains more moisture than soil that's not protected by mulch, homeowners won't have to spend as much time watering mulched landscapes. That saves time and conserves water, which can be a big benefit in areas prone to drought and/or especially hot summers. Mulch also helps to suppress weed growth, which can ensure all that hard work needed to create an eye-catching garden won't be compromised by the presence of unsightly, thirsty weeds. Mulching seems like a simple task, and it can be. But that does not mean homeowners cannot make mistakes when mulching. The following are some common mulching mistakes to avoid as lawn and garden season hits full swing. • Not enough mulch: Mulch is ineffective when spread too thin. The Virginia Cooperative Extension at Virginia Tech and Virginia State University recommends applying mulch no less than two inches in depth. Anything less than that will prove ineffective at preventing weed growth and helping the soil retain moisture, and that means you will need to water more often. • Poorly located mulch: Mulch should not be placed too close to plant stems or tree trunks. When it is, tissue is so wet that it makes for a perfect environment for disease and insect infestation. • Failing to mulch to the drip line: The drip line of a tree refers to the outermost circumference of the tree's canopy from which water drips onto the ground. The VCE recommends mulching to the drip line of a plant or tree, which ensures the plant or tree will get the most out of the mulch. Mulching to the drip line also minimizes competition from the grass, leading to stronger plants and trees. • Failing to weed before mulching: Weeds should be removed prior to mulching. If they're not, the mulch can provide the same growing environment for weeds that you're trying to create for your plants and trees. Mulching benefits a landscape in myriad ways, especially when homeowners avoid some common mulching mistakes. Nichols Hills & NW OKC Community Magazine 13
HARDSCAPING Non-living features can improve curb appeal, too Curb appeal is beneficial in various ways. Curb appeal can make a home more attractive to prospective buyers and give existing homeowners a place they want to come home to. In its study of the worth of outdoor remodeling projects, the National Association of Realtors found standard lawn care and overall landscape upgrades were most appealing to buyers, as well as the most likely to add value to a home. Although plants, grass and other items can improve curb appeal, homeowners should not overlook hardscaping. Hardscaping is an industry term that refers to the nonliving features of a landscape. These features can include everything from decks to walkways to ornamental boul ders. Introducing paths or paver walls to a property helps develop that home's hard scape. Hardscape and soft elements often work in concert to create inspiring land scape designs. DIY landscape designers can heed certain tips to make the most of hardscape fea tures on their properties. Choose materials. As with many landscaping projects, homeowners must first determine what types of additions they would like on their properties. Common hardscape features include patios, decks, walkways of pavers or bricks, and retaining walls. Hardscape elements can be functional or simply decorative features that add whimsy to the yard. Choose a theme. The right style allows hardscaping and softscaping materials to work together. For example, homeowners may want to give their yards an eastern feel, complete with a koi pond and decorative bridge or trellis. A formal English garden, however, may include manicured paths with stepping stones and ornate topiaries. Mixing too many styles together can take away from the overall appeal. The pros suggest looking at the overall plan of the design, even if all of the work can't be completed at once. This way the eventual finished project wil be cohesive. 14 Nichols Hills & NW OKC Community Magazine
Think about the purpose. Hardscaping can look good but also serve key purposes. Pebbles or gravel can mitigate trouble areas that don't grow grass or plant life well. Retaining walls hold back soil in yards with sharply inclined hills. Mulch can set perimeters around trees and shrubs, as well as planting beds. Fencing, another form of hardscaping, is essential for establishing property boundaries and adding privacy. Consult a professional. While many hardscaping additions can be handled by novices, large-scale projects, such as patios and decking, can change the grading of the yard. Professionals can map out how to handle drainage issues and meet building codes. In addition, professional installation can ensure hardscaping features last for years to come. Hardscaping should blend with the nature around it and take its cues from the surrounding environment. This can help softscaping and hardscaping work as one.
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