Helping you to keep your commitment to the making the world a much better place than when you found it.

Carbon emission, global warming, clean water, droughts, floods, and recycling are all words and phrases that have found their way into the main stream of our consciousness.  Global warming is no longer debated (reasonably so) for its existence but rather now for viable solutions. We see the environment debated in the news. We discuss issues with our friends and family. Governments and businesses grapple to find ways to have both small and large solutions to what is now becoming a major global problem.

We all want to contribute. We want to make a difference, large or small, to make things just a little bit better. Integrity Home and Cottage is no different.

We believe in insulated concrete forms for structural integrity, but also for the enhanced ‘R’ value. We believe in SIP technology (insulate wall form), smart thermostats, and simple recycling stations to facilitate waste management at the source. We believe in car-pooling our crews to work sites to reduce the carbon footprint. Most importantly, we believe that we always have to look for ways to minimize the negative impact to the environment in everything we do.

We believe in smart design and taking advantage of nature’s assets; such as protecting the tree canopy (as safely as possible) to provide shade in the summer, or designing fireplace solutions with energy efficiency in mind. 

Designing environmentally responsible living spaces, travelling effectively, building with the environment in mind, all offer opportunities to make a positive impact on the state of the planet as we design and build homes and cottages for our clients every day.

IT IS TRULY A JOURNEY NOT AN EVENT

Making it easier, safer, and more cost effective to pursue the lifestyle you enjoy.

Have you ever left the house with the gnawing feeling that something is just not right? Like maybe you left the stove element on, and you then have to turn around, go home, and check it only to find out that you did turn it off. Now you are an hour late for your appointment ( never happened to me… I swear ).

But even worse is when you didn’t have that terrible feeling of leaving some heat element on, only to return home and the house has burned down. No matter how many times you explain to your wife “yes I am sure I turned the iron off and it must have been arson” she really does not believe you (again…never happened to me...really!). Then you might have to go to Disney World and beg for forgiveness for something you really never admitted in the first place, but I digress.

The modern world has come a long way in helping us managing our memory, our home, and ultimately almost all dimensions of our lives. 

We can now check our stove from our smart phone (but not while we are driving – pull over first please), and we can see if the alarm was set off by the wind, the cat, or if in fact the neighbor down the road – who you didn’t trust anyway – and they are making off with your new flat screen TV. 

We can set the temperature in our home to follow our living patterns, we can install video cameras to see just who drank the good scotch (before you start pointing fingers you can make sure it was not you and you just didn’t remember – it is scotch after all), or you can check the house every day while you are in Florida trying to improve your golf game over the winter.

Window blinds can be lowered (or raised), access granted to a neighbor remotely, information accessed throughout the house over wi-fi, and music commanded and played at a moment’s request. 

ALL EASILY AND AFFORDABLY

Technology moves quickly and can be a powerful tool in giving you the ability to manage your life with ease. 

We believe the tools are all there with one purpose, and that is give you peace of mind.

Creating and maximizing space that keeps you connected to those you love and activities you cherish.

Openness, flexibility, and connectedness are all elements that we at Integrity Home and Cottage feel strongly about.

Preparing a meal while watching over the family in an inclusive environment allows for the togetherness that most crave. The old days of a Victorian designed home with private and small spaces are truly a design strategy of the past.

I am not sure how many people out there share this sentiment, but we find that if a certain family member is preparing your meal, it is better to have that person(s) a part of the greater collective than fully isolated and slaving away in the kitchen. The idea is to avoid intruding thoughts like “that ungrateful family that does not appreciate what I do in here…” (I think you get the picture). It is better to create the illusion of collective preparation (superseded with actual collective preparation). Isolation and forced labour are rarely seen as a positive (just my opinion).

Open Concept living is a good idea on so many levels; not only for harmonious family living…

We see with open-design the tremendous opportunities that present themselves in the interior design and layout of space. Openness offers the flexibility to include both functionality and personal expression to create a wonderful space that is purely yours.

One can create a series of special spaces within the open layout; reading areas, media areas, or simply a blend of the formal and informal to suit the activities of your daily life. If an interior design element no longer suits your tastes then change is easy and extremely cost effective.

The physical elements that typically come with an open concept design such as light, space, and connectedness make this a design trend that will be in demand for many years to come.

• We need light to elevate out mood.
• We need space to give us comfort.
• We need connectedness to facilitate our purpose.

Open Concept design enables a healthier spirit and we believe in its power to build truly wonderful spaces.

Maximizing your space while making it easier to interact with the things you want and need during the course of your day.

STUFF

We have lots and lots of stuff. It seems to forever multiply and find locations to reside in that we never imagined possible. In a world that promotes ownership of “multiples of everything” and “several of …” for each season, we seem to be continually perplexed with the questions: “where did I put?”, “do you know where my?”, and finally the ultimate, “you took my…didn’t you!” We are not engineered very well to remember locations of multiple items over a four-season rotation; never-mind the daily anguish of “have you seen my car keys or phone?”

The good news is that as we age our memory only gets better, or more accurately, we sometimes forget we even owned a pair of cowboy boots.

We believe a well-designed home solution can help, and in some cases, no more so than in the kitchen alone. The daily search for inputs of the number one problem, “what is for dinner?” has created the most emotional response to a favorite smart-storage solution: the walk-in kitchen pantry. 

We are passionate about smart-storage and so are our clients.

Clients have struggled with the many dimensions of home design and nothing evokes a response like a walk-in closet or pantry. The ability to search for today’s dinner ingredients at eye level – instead of on bended knee, reaching in the back of the cupboard for a “last resort can of tomatoes” that turns out to be kidney beans – creates joy that one would have thought to be reserved for a large man cave with a jersey of your favorite sports team framed on the wall next to a big screen TV. Who knew?

Smart-storage deals with the big and the small. Whether it is designing a decompression zone at whichever door you enter the house, or creating a strategy for stowing your seasonal belongings, there is a necessity to designate a ‘home’ for all of our possessions. Think about all of time and energy you use on a daily basis just trying to keep track of where you left your phone or house keys; wouldn’t it be great if you can redirect that energy to dealing with the more important realities of life?

Well-organized and well-designed works. We understand that our homes and cottages need to accommodate not only the people, but also the “stuff” people have, and how they interact with it – daily, occasionally, or seasonally.

You will have forgotten all about your “trophy fireplace” until you actually find those car keys…

Extending your space to the outside world in a way that is relaxed and comfortable.

Designing with a purpose of connecting to the space outside is an important element to any Integrity Home or Cottage. Life carries on beyond the front and back door of any abode, and so smart design needs to ensure that your outdoor living space is crafted to help you take full advantage of what the great outdoors offer.

A sleepy and rainy afternoon in the summer only begs for a great place to nap and rest the soul (don’t worry… chores can wait). A screened-in porch with a comfortable day-bed accompanied by your favorite blanket that gives you just the right amount of comfort and warmth… is truly heaven on earth (some say naps are over rated but I have concluded that more research needs to be conducted on this very issue. I will get back to you with a definitive point of view of its importance after multiple tests). Nevertheless, some wise person did say, “sleep is important” and never more important than in a special place that gives you the sounds, smells, and ultimate freshness of the outdoors with the security and protection from the unwelcome elements; be it the rain or pesky mosquitoes.

The power of a well-designed outdoor living space goes beyond the “stolen pleasures” of the day-to-day, but also to the grand events that fill our calendars in the summer season or holiday times.

When entertaining friends and family an outdoor deck and grill, or the even more elaborate outdoor kitchen facility, make the special times easy, accessible, and hopefully more frequent. Getting a beer only a few feet away, or preparing the grill and meal in the presence of your guests make it easier not to miss a moment of the occasion.  A creative and personalized outdoor living space is invaluable for creating and sharing lasting memories.

Great design can remove the worry and make life that much easier!