There are some phrases in the English language that seem—at first glance anyway—to be oxymorons: “Jumbo shrimp,” “good grief,” “ill health,” “minor miracle,” “old news,” and “pretty ugly” are among some of the oxymorons we use on a fairly regular basis. 

Sometimes you’ll hear people say that change is a good thing. Often that’s true. Sometimes you have to make changes—even to something you like—in order to get what you really want. That’s even true when it comes to building a custom home. There are times when you change your mind about what you think you wanted initially. And sometimes making that change is absolutely the right choice to make. But when making changes when you’re building a house can have a significant impact on the cost of your home. But it doesn’t have to be that way. How can you avoid expensive changes—and still get the home you want?

Over the last several years, the whole Great Room Concept has become increasingly popular. Homeowners and their guests like the casual feel of an open design that lets them move freely from one room to another. And many people love how an open floor plan allows more natural light into a room. For some, however, this style takes a bit of adjustment. Here are some tips for making the Great Room in your Poconos home even greater. 

When you think about designing the kitchen in your new Poconos home, what are the first things that come to mind? For many homeowners their thoughts immediately turn to cabinets, countertops, sinks, faucets, flooring, and appliances. It’s not surprising. After all, those are the features you see when you walk into a kitchen. And make no mistake, all of those things are important. 

There is a good chance that nobody beside you will ever spend much time in your Master Suite. That alone is one thing that makes it so special. It’s a very private and personal space. For many couples, it’s a bit of a private retreat—unlike any other space in the home. So what can you do to make it even more special? Here are a few ideas. 

If you’ve been doing some research on building a new home you may have come across the school of thought that warns you against buying more home than your budget can handle. To be honest, we think that’s pretty good advice. If you buy more than you really need, and overextend yourself—chances are that you won’t really enjoy the time you spend in your new home. And you might not even be able to stay in it very long. 

One of the most important rooms to think about when building a new home is the master bathroom. At one point in time, it was a bit of an afterthought for a lot of homeowners—but not anymore. The fact that (according to the National Association of Home Builders) the bathroom is the single most commonly remodeled room in the home, provides you with a glimpse of just how important this room is. Apparently, a lot of homeowners aren’t completely happy with what they start out with! 

Being outdoors is one of the biggest draws to life in the Poconos—and we think your home should offer you the opportunity to enjoy that natural beauty as much as possible. That’s one reason that so many of our home designs feature decks off the back of the home that allow you to have a private seat for Mother Nature’s show! 

For a lot of people building a home in the Poconos is a dream come true—whether it’s a vacation get-away, a summer, home, a place to retire, or a year-round family home. Part of the appeal is that there’s something for everybody in the Poconos. But there are times when more than one family wants to take advantage of what the Poconos have to offer. 

It’s not always about peace and quiet in the Poconos. Sometimes, it gets downright loud—and some residents love it that way!