Quality

By |2022-07-22T07:38:05-07:00October 5th, 2015|Community, CTA Consultation, Happy Stuff|

When someone says quality, what do you think about it? For some it is a finely crafted pair of shoes; for others, it is a well-engineered car; still, others will think of an Ivey League education and good manners. This is a word that can go a lot of places. How do you make

Core Values

By |2015-09-21T16:38:27-07:00September 21st, 2015|Community, CTA Consultation|

A number of years ago we gathered to determine what our values as a team are at Stearns Design Build. It is advised that companies identify those things that are central to who they are, that are most important. So we set about doing that. We created a list of many possible values. We discarded

What Does Home Mean to You?

By |2015-08-06T18:35:18-07:00August 6th, 2015|CTA Consultation, Projects|

Stearns Design Build has a big vision. As our tag line says, “we design and build happiness.” Specifically we do this within the context of the home. The home is the space that each person identifies as her/his own. It is not public. Home is where we go to find solace, familiarity, safety and hopefully

Roll-In Shower Remodel

By |2015-05-26T15:35:26-07:00May 26th, 2015|CTA Consultation|

There are many options when considering an ADA size specific, roll-in shower remodel. Although the primary need may be for wheelchair accessibility, a roll-in shower can also provide style and beauty to any bathroom. As you can see, the aesthetic flow of the bathroom was not interrupted by converting the existing shower into one that is

Local Donations Provide Upgrade for WIC Office

By |2023-01-30T06:56:13-08:00February 19th, 2015|Community, CTA Consultation|

College Station, February 9, 2015- When Amy Rensvold, with the local Women, Infants and Children’s (WIC) office called Stearns Design Build she was hoping to get a bid to have some laminate countertops replaced. Instead Stearns Design Build president, Hugh Stearns offered to do the work for free. Thanks to the generosity of Lowe’s in Bryan, who contributed materials at half price, the project could be done with no cost to the WIC office.

Therapeutic Landscape Network

By |2014-11-13T20:22:05-08:00November 13th, 2014|CTA Consultation|

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Naomi Sacks, who runs the Therapeutic Landscape Network. She is currently working on a PhD in Architecture here at TAMU. But her accomplishments exceed that of many who have long had such academic di...stinction. Her book, Therapeutic Landscapes: An Evidence-Based Approach to Designing Healing Gardens and Restorative Outdoor Spaces, is available on Amazon. Though Naomi's focus is on landscape design in institutional settings, I look forward to learning as much as I can about her approach and applying it to the residential setting.

Biophilia

By |2014-11-04T17:25:59-08:00November 4th, 2014|CTA Consultation|

To the extent that we seek “green” or sustainable solutions, it is not enough to consider the resources that we use in building, we must consider our relationship to all resources. We must design homes that put us into relationship with life’s resources so that we can become aware of our part of a process of dynamic balance.

Wood, Plastic or Composite: A Customer’s Guide to Decking

By |2014-10-23T14:21:42-07:00October 23rd, 2014|CTA Consultation|

Composites are the new face of deckingThe most notable changes in the decking market have come with the creation of synthetic decking materials. Most synthetics require less maintenance than wood, but are far from perfect. They are more expensive than basic wood decking materials and although much more weather proof than wood, they are not immune to weather damage. No decking is perfect, but the variety of natural wood and synthetic products on the market today are providing both home builders and home owners a longer list of possibilities and options than ever before.

Do you use Houzz.com?

By |2014-08-18T16:36:08-07:00August 18th, 2014|Community, CTA Consultation|

Have you been to Houzz? Houzz is a social media website dealing with home design ideas, from furniture and fabrics to custom and homes and remodeling projects. Houzz is a place for homeowners to browse a database of more than two-million photos of residential interiors and exteriors. Home owners can browse photos by room, style,

Best Energy Retrofit

By |2013-08-17T14:45:57-07:00August 17th, 2013|CTA Consultation|

green building Which is the least expensive energy retrofit? A.  Installing solar panels B.  Replacing existing windows with high efficiency windows C.  Installing energy star appliances D.  Sealing air leaksWhich has the highest ROI? A.  Installing solar panels B.  Replacing existing windows with high efficiency windows C.  Installing energy star appliances D. Sealing air

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