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Things to Do in the Hamptons This Summer – Locals Guide

August 8, 2018 by themodernbarn Leave a Comment

Our Favorite Things to Do in the Hamptons This Summer

There are so many things to do in the Hamptons, and as the hot and humid days of August drive New Yorkers to leave the city for the East End, we have put together a list of some of our favorite things to do.

We’ve created this list for those who are seeking activities that aren’t as popular, attractions you won’t find on Time Out New York’s list, allowing you to avoid the crowds and have an authentic Hamptons experience.

By the Plum Builders Inc. team.

The summer is a mad rush out here and it’s difficult for locals to find their summer days.

What we enjoy doing is usually very different than visitors or summer people.

We stay away from all restaurants, beaches and public places Thursday-Sunday as much as humanly possible. Instead, we head to the farm stand or villages before the visitors wake up and enjoying the beauty of the farm and the peace on the village streets.

Discover Amazing Art Exhibits & Concerts

As great as it is to enjoy the beach and delicious food, the Hamptons has much more to offer. Take some time to check out the exhibits on display while you’re visiting. These are showcased in a rotation, and they never disappoint.

A great resource to bookmark to keep tabs on what will be happening during your visit is the Hamptons Art Hub which has extensive coverage of what’s happening in the East End art scene.

Summer in the Hamptons showcases a full calendar of concerts and the talent that comes to town is second to none. There are fantastic concerts at Amagansett Square and Talk House, or you can hit two birds with one stone and do a wine tour and then catch a summer music show at Wolffer Estates.

Off The Beaten-Beach

Going to the beach in the Hamptons can be overwhelming at times. We recommend connecting with nature and family and enjoying beach BBQ’s and fires in the evenings when the crowds have gone. You can also rent a kayak and paddle out to the more remote stretches of beach, this is where the magic of the Hamptons can be found, on the water and off the beaten path.

Eat, Drink, Repeat.

We love food. Let’s be more specific, we love great food! Once the day is done, it’s time to get cleaned up and a find a dinner spot for the evening. There are definitely going to be times when you stay in and make something special for you and yours. But, it’s worth tasting all that the Hamptons has to offer.

We prefer family owned establishments like Michaels’ Maidstone Bar and Restaurant. Michaels’ has been in business for over 40 years, located near Maidstone beach. The restaurant is charming and unpretentious and the food is diverse, sophisticated comfort food. Tip: if you do make it to Michaels’ then you’ll want to catch a sunset at Maidstone beach.

We enjoy having brunch in the park on the water in Sag Harbor with iced coffee and treats from Sag Harbor Bakery. “Free ice cream Wednesday” at Bay Burger, outside or out back seating enjoying the warm weather.

Last, head to Ditch Plains in Montauk early in the morning and watch the surfers with an egg sandwich and cup of coffee from Goldbergs Bagels.

Work on Your Golf Swing

Whether you’re an avid golfer or don’t have much of a swing, it’s still worth going to the golf course at least once. In the Hamptons, the best place to go is Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.

The course here is like none other, it hosted this year’s U.S. Open. It’s a breathtaking sight and a challenging game all in one.

Connect with Nature

The final thing you have to do in the Hamptons this summer is to enjoy the nature all around you. Going to the beach is fun and all, but the beautiful forestry and calmer waters in the surrounding areas are worth exploring.

The Hamptons has a handful of national parks and reserves, visit the Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge and Linda Gronlund Memorial Nature Preserve Sagg Swamp Nature Preserve.

Who doesn’t love a good sunrise, set your alarm and catch one of the most beautiful scenes the Hamptons has to offer in Indian Wells Beach. The key here is that you’ll be there and gone before the rest of the world shows up.

You Might Decide To Stay

Many who visit the Hamptons fall in love with it and decide to stay, some seasonally and others year round. If you’re considering making this your home and building out here, then you might find our resource helpful.

Finally, while there is no shortage of things to do in the Hamptons in the summertime, last winter we put together our list of things to do in the Hamptons during the off season.

Luxury Homes – What Home Buyers Want

July 31, 2018 by themodernbarn Leave a Comment

WHAT HOME BUYERS WANT WHEN BUILDING A LUXURY HOME

In The Know by Al Giaquinto President, Plum Builders Inc.

To answer the question of what home buyers want Al Giaquinto shares his insights and how the needs of the clients have shaped his forward-thinking and trademarked design The Modern Barn®.

What are clients asking for?

Most clients are compelled to build new or to renovate because they need more bedrooms than they currently have. As little as 30 years ago 3-bedroom homes were the standard. So, clients today usually expect us to design and build for a minimum of 5, and one of them can be in a lower level.

Homebuyers like all bedrooms to be ensuite, and they usually ask for special attention for their own master suite to make the space comfortable and private.

We sit with new clients asking dozens of questions to get a sense of what our clients need.

What we continuously hear is that they want a home that fits their family and then a home that reflects their lifestyle and summer! They want bright, light and comfortable living which is clean and uncluttered.

Many shingle style homes still have a formal dining room, and most families want to reallocate that space differently. They want to open the kitchen, take down the walls and push the boundaries of socializing to accommodate the greater need for space.

Modern Barn® Room

They ask us for The Modern Barn® Room, this room is normally an oversized space that can accommodate at least two eating areas. Today those spaces are normally anchored by popular long tables that serve many functions besides a place for sharing meals.

So, clients today are looking for multifunctional useful spaces that can fit a crowd of family and friends that are sharing a meal or raising a glass in celebration or hosting a book club, perhaps even displaying a science project for all to view.

Visit our gallery to experience expansive living.

In keeping with light and bright spaces, clients want light colored wood floors and countertops that don’t stain and neutral colors as a backdrop in showcasing the natural world outside.

And clients want just enough wall to show off an oversized painting or photograph or a collection of their choosing.

To us, this is recognition of the yearning for human nature to live in meaningful spaces which are comfortable, light, bright, and functional.

If you’re interested in building your own Modern Barn® we would love to hear from you, contact us to explore the possibilities.

The Modern Barn Room

May 8, 2018 by themodernbarn Leave a Comment

Experience The Modern Barn® Room

The Modern Barn’s signature “Great Room” is the centerpiece of the home.

Its inspiration draws all the way back to the Great Halls of Medieval times.

For Plum Builders, the architecture of The Modern Barn® Room emulates this tradition in a modern way, the traditional elements come from the mass and size of the room.

The barn architecture itself is historical, a gabled form with high walls typically two stories.

The Modern Barn® Room is spacious and cozy and is the place where families gather together.

For many families, this is where they congregate for holidays and family get-togethers.

It’s large enough to accommodate extended family and friend gatherings that are common in the Hamptons.

Our clients smile when they enter The Modern Barn® Room, as a natural reaction to natural light and the open space.

Then, they begin to absorb the details.

The Modern Barn® rooms incorporate three spaces into one: living, dining, and kitchen.

With boundaryless living areas, families can be together in a single space.

The scale of each two-story great room is enormous, marked by cathedral ceilings and oversized retractable doors.

One or two walls are mostly glass bringing the outside in and the inside out.

The size of the room affords abundant space for 14-18 ft long islands, with a back wall, creating a modern galley kitchen.

This is the most popular kitchen layout in modern design. It’s easy to work in and entertain in and socialize with the family.

The oversized barn doors in the great rooms are custom designed for each Modern Barn®.

Grand stairways create statement pieces for the home and are eye-catching focal points upon entry.

Another signature element of a Modern Barn® great room is the placement and scale of windows and glass doors.

The fireplace is the main mass which adds balance to the grandeur space and creates or sets a scale for the furnishings and the people in the space.

The Modern Barn® Room also provides plenty of access to the outdoors, by way of sliding glass walls.

Designed to bring the outside in as much as possible, these elements allow families to connect with nature at all times.

10 Household Organization Tips For the New Year

February 5, 2018 by themodernbarn Leave a Comment

Read Our Tips For Keep Your Household Organized and Looking Great!

If you’re familiar with our designs you’ll have noticed that our clean contemporary aesthetic suits those who keep their living environment uncluttered and organized.

Browse our galleries and you’ll see Pinterest perfect interiors, however, keeping a home this clean and organized can feel like a full-time job.

With a career and a family to keep track of, it’s easy for the clutter to get out of control. After a while, the job seems so big that you don’t know where to start.

It seems overwhelming. But, any organizational expert will tell you to take it one room at a time.

Eventually, everything will be in the right place. There’s no need to get it all done in a day!

The new year offers a great opportunity to get organized. Here are some of the best household organization tips that you should try out.

1. Don’t Let Junk Past the Front Door

The table by the door usually turns into a junk catch-all. You get your mail, you throw it on the table.

Instead, make it a point to keep this area organized. Remind yourself as you walk through the door that the Bloomingdales catalog goes straight in the recycling.

This area should have special spots for everything that belongs there. Keys on the key-holder, mail separated by bills and personal in an organizer. If it doesn’t have a home, it doesn’t belong there.

Getting into this household organization habit will ensure you never lose your keys or important mail again.

2. Purge Before You Buy

When you start organizing your home, you might be tempted to go out and buy household organization accessories. But, the last thing you need right now is more stuff!

Before you do that, go through the house and purge what you don’t need.

You might find you don’t really need a bigger shoe organizer. It wasn’t until you sorted through the mess that you realized you could throw out a few pairs.

3. Try the “Closet Trick”

Trying to organize your bedroom closet can turn into an hours-long fashion show. You promise yourself that you’ll wear that leopard print jumpsuit someday!

But, to really get organized, you have to be ruthless. To keep your closet from overflowing, try the “Closet Trick.”

First, take any clothes that aren’t seasonally appropriate and put them in storage bins. Next, turn all the hangers so they’re facing towards you. Whenever you wear an item, put it back in the closet with the hanger facing away.

After six months, take whatever you didn’t wear and donate it.

4. Maximize Cabinet and Drawer Spaces

When you’re trying to get everything in a drawer, you end up stuffing things on top of each other. Instead, have cabinets and drawers sectioned off so you can see everything.

Buy plastic sectionals for drawers. Every piece in the drawer should get its own spot. Plastic baggies go in one section, chip clips in another.

Stacking shelves can go in your cabinets. That way you don’t have to stack your soup bowls and your dessert bowls all on top of each other. You can maximize the vertical space.

5. Store Things According to Importance

This rule goes for the kitchen, the closet, or any other part of the house.

Keep the items you use most often at eye level. That way when you go to look for it, it pops right out at you.

Store items that you use less often below eye level. Items you hardly use but still need go above eye level. That way you won’t constantly be reaching for the stepping stool.

6. Don’t Forget Your Bathroom

The bathroom is a space that’s often overlooked when it comes to organizing. You can use drawer and medicine cabinet organizers to keep everything in check. But, don’t forget that lots of bathroom products have expiration dates.

Most makeup and skin creams expire in about a year. Medications have a short shelf life too. Make a bathroom purge a regular habit.

We design our Modern Barn bathrooms to have a spa-like feel, in order to keep them looking this streamlined we build in plenty of drawer space.

7. Keep a Wastebasket in Every Room

That might seem like its own kind of clutter. Actually, you’re training yourself and your family to toss out the trash before they leave a room.

It should become as natural as turning off the lights.

It can also serve as a reminder to toss knick-knacks right when you realize you don’t need them. Sure, the main trash can might only be a few rooms away, but having a wastebasket right there will encourage you to get rid of it now.

8. Get a Stylish Toy Chest

Even if you’re totally organized, it’s hard to make your kids play along. Their toys can end up taking over the whole house.

You might not be able to make them always put their toys away. But, you can be prepared for a quick living room clean up before last-minute visitors.

Find a stylish chest or an ottoman with storage that is designated to only hold toys. When you only have a few minutes to tidy up you can throw the rogue toys in there.

When a favorite toy goes missing, you know the first place to look!

9. Put Your Organization on Display

One way to keep household organization more fun is to make it look like a design choice.

For the kitchen, you could put up a pretty pegboard to hang pots, pans, and utensils. That gives you a great reason to put each piece back where it belongs every time.

You can put dry goods in glass or vacuum sealed containers. It keeps your food fresh, and you no longer have to look at messy bags and boxes.

10. Take Out 20 Minutes a Day

It’s easy to do a household organization overhaul during a long weekend. It’s a lot harder to maintain it.

That’s why you need a plan of action.

Pick out a 20-minute window that’s convenient for you. Find a time that’s usually consistently free so you can develop a routine.

Now set your cell phone timer for 20 minutes and get to organizing. Race against the clock to try to put away as many things as you can.

You can even enlist your kids and try to turn it into a fun game. It’s a win-win. You get help cleaning, while they learn good habits.

Household Organization: The Takeaway

Remember, if you do a little organization each day, your home will never turn into a full-blown disaster. But if it does (life happens!), now you know how to fix it.

Looking for more articles like this one? Check out our blog for more useful home and family tips.

What are the Best Home Automation Devices?

January 30, 2018 by themodernbarn Leave a Comment

A brief guide to some of the Best Home Automation Devices on the Market.

What if walking into your home was like stepping into the future?

It may sound like something out of Star Trek. However, home automation devices can add ease and convenience to almost every part of your life.

There are so many automation devices now that consumers have trouble deciding which to buy. Read on or bookmark this post to save our list of some of the best home automation devices.

How to Find the Best Home Automation Devices

Home automation devices automate some of the functions of your daily appliances. These are also known as smart devices.

The best home automation devices for you depends on what your needs are. For instance, someone who travels a lot may want to automate things like their exterior and air conditioning.

Someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen might want to automate things like music and alarms. Those who enjoy rest and relaxation may enjoy being able to automate their bedroom lights.

Read on to discover how to find the best home automation devices for your own needs.

Nest Thermostats

We install Nest Thermostats in our custom homes, the device keeps you comfortable when you’re home. It automatically turns itself down when you’re away. With proven energy-saving features, control from your phone, laptop or smartwatch. The device is a sleek minimalist design which will not detract from the aesthetic of your decor.

Amazon Echo and Dot

The Amazon Echo and Dot devices offer a variety of home automation features. They are also some of the most affordable ways to explore the world of automation.

The Amazon device can play music via voice commands. This music can be from your own collection or music that is available via Amazon Music. Some of Amazon’s music is free to stream, but much more is available through a subscription service.

You can configure your Echo or Dot to interact with some of your other devices. This allows you to make phone calls with a simple voice command.

These devices allow you to set alarms for yourself and to create things like recipes and shopping lists. And they will connect to other speakers around your house, giving you additional portability and power for the sound.

Curb Monitoring Device

The Curb energy monitoring device is one of the more passive devices on this list. However, it can also save you a large amount of money over the long term.

You install these devices inside your power breaker. From there, it will monitor all of your energy use and provide the info via a convenient app.

Monitoring your power consumption can help you adjust things like temperature, which leads to big savings. And the device and app can help you control other smart devices in your home, adding instant convenience.

Lifx Color 1000

One of the most popular home automation services is the ability to control your interior lights. Lifx takes this to the next level by also letting you control the color of your lights.

The different colors allow you to easily add festive lights to a variety of different occasions. And the app lets you control the use of these lights without having to rely on a separate hub.

Some experts find Lifx more vibrant than their nearest competitor Hue. And the lights themselves are more efficient, helping you save money as you enjoy them year round.

Logitech Harmony Elite

Being able to remotely control different devices is very convenient. However, users sometimes have difficulty using voice commands to control these devices.

Logitech provides a simple answer to this. They offer a special remote control that interacts with a wide variety of devices.

The Logitech Harmony Elite allows you to control the TV and stereo like a standard universal remote. It also interacts with the Harmony Hub it comes with to control different Bluetooth and infrared devices throughout your house.

Overall, Logitech offers the convenience of remote control without the inconvenience of using vocal commands that may not be recognized.

Samsung SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit

Most home automation devices interact with only one thing. However, this Samsung kit lets you connect multiple compatible devices for true automation.

The kit comes with a control hub as well as two multipurpose sensors, a motion sensor, and a special SmartThings outlet.

The sensors are designed to connect to other smart devices. This includes things like cameras and lights as well as thermostats and door locks.

There are new smart devices every day. This kit helps future proof your home for automation. For added convenience, you can connect it to an Amazon Alexa and control everything with your voice.

Belkin WeMo Switch

Many home automation devices are designed to be used with various smart devices. However, the Belkin WeMo Switch offers convenient control for anything that plugs into an outlet.

The device is basically an electrical outlet that has wi-fi. This lets you easily turn off and on any devices that are plugged into the outlet.

This simple device gives you quick control of things like humidifiers and coffeemakers. It is also good for irons or anything else located in another room that you want to control without even having to get up.

LG Smart Security Wireless System

Some consumers shy away from automation devices because they cost more than traditional devices. However, the LG Smart Security Wireless System is an affordable investment in home security.

Traditional home security cameras require you to sign up for expensive annual security plans. This LG system allows you to buy as many cameras as you want and monitor live feeds via the wallet-friendly ADT Canopy service.

Whether you are watching your home on vacation or simply adding to your home’s value, the LG Smart Security Wireless System is one of the best home automation devices you can buy.

The Bottom Line

The best home automation devices can make you feel like you are living in the future. Others may end up feeling like a waste of your time and your money.

It’s important to be honest about your particular automation needs and desires. This keeps you from buying something you don’t need and ensures your purchase provides maximum value.

Use our guide to figure out which automation devices will be the best possible fit in your home. The best devices are an investment in your personal happiness as well as the value of your home.

How to Build an Energy Efficient Home

January 22, 2018 by themodernbarn 1 Comment

How to Build an Energy Efficient Home: 8 Tips You Must Know

Going green can sound a little intimidating to some homeowners. With so many eco-friendly options to choose from, it can be hard to know where to begin. Here are eight green suggestions on how to build an energy efficient home.

This goes for people already settled into their home as well as those working on building one. We’ve also included a few basic tips and habits that will help you reduce your footprint and consumption.

No matter if you are moving in or breaking ground, you can help the environment with simple, effective changes.

You just need a little push in the right direction.

1. Get on the Roof

Is the roof over your head just providing shelter or making a difference?

Use it to make your home more energy efficient with the help of solar panels.

Solar panels take in energy from the sun to fuel the electrical systems inside the house. They bask in as much light as they can from the roof, then distribute the energy they consume.

Solar panels can cost a bit to install. But they are worth every penny in the long run.

2. Work on Your Windows

When thinking about how to build an energy efficient home, consider upgrading your windows.

As windows age, so do their molding.

Old molding cracks the insulation, meaning more air is getting out and coming into your home. Such a change in the regular flow of things can cause havoc with your HVAC.

Keep everything under control with upgraded windows.

Some are even meant to work better in certain weather conditions.

For New York weather, for example, look for windows that insulate heat to stay inside the home. It can ease your heating system’s workload, saving a significant amount of energy and money.

3. Take a Look at Your HVAC

Speaking of your heating unit, it may be time to upgrade to something eco-friendly.

Here are a couple new technologies changing how traditional HVAC units operate:

Hydronic Heating

Hydronic heating uses conduction, convection, and radiation to power the heat in your house.

It pumps water through pipes in the building. This water then goes through a heat exchanger, which changes the liquid to a gas. This gas is then pumped out into the room, creating a warm climate.

Absorption

Absorption heating is all about natural gas.

The process works similar to pumps used in hydronic heating, except the power driving the radiation is a natural heat exchange.

Absorption pumps use a water-ammonia solution to pick up the Earth’s heat.

They then transfer it into your home during the winter. In the summer, the ammonia works to cool your home as well.

4. Change the Lighting

If it’s too much effort to swap out your HVAC unit, at least try to change the lights.

Incandescent light bulbs take up more energy than you might think.

Instead of opting for these outdated fixtures, use LED or CFL bulbs instead. These bulbs are made with energy efficiency in mind. They tend to be stronger and last longer, all while cutting your energy consumption significantly.

It’s a win-win any way you look at it – not to mention, they are a beautiful addition to any room.

5. Upgrade Your Appliances

Another way to understand how to build an energy efficient home is to learn how much energy appliances use.

Try to build your home with the latest models of refrigerators, ovens, and microwaves available. Don’t forget to upgrade your washer and dryer too.

Most new appliances on the market are made to work better than before with less energy than before.

They don’t have to be top-of-the-line, big expenses, either.

Simply check the Energy Star rating of that double-door fridge you already fell in love with. Or, read some Consumer Reports to see how a certain appliance performed in someone else’s home!

6. Watch Your Water Use

The thing about appliances isn’t just how much electricity they use.

Many of them go overboard on water heating and waste. Pay particular attention to these two things when choosing your dishwasher and laundry machine.

But, day-to-day water habits play a role in how to build an energy efficient home, too.

Turn the sink off while you brush your teeth. Scrub all the dirty dishes with soap then rinse them off, instead of leaving the water on the entire time.

Also, be mindful of the time you spend in the shower every day and how many baths you take.

These might seem like insignificant changes, but they add up.

7. Plant More Trees

Sometimes, understanding how to build an energy efficient home has less to do with the house itself and more with the landscape.

Plant more trees and shrubs around the yard.

These will offset the energy you use inside.

One way the balance is achieved is through shading. Shading casts a shadow over certain areas of your

home to help windows and HVAC systems do their job with less energy. It works in the summer as well as the winter.

Windbreaks are another benefit of better landscaping.

They reduce the speed of wind that hits your home. Sure, your foundation isn’t going anywhere, but the lower the speed, the better insulated everything will be.

8. Get Used to Little Eco-Friendly Habits

It’s never too late to think about how to build an energy efficient home.

Even if you’re all moved in and set in your ways, you can make many simple changes all around the house.

Here are a few to consider:

Swap Paper for Cloth

One of the easiest ways to go green is to stop buying napkins and paper towels.

Buy a set of kitchen cloths and rags instead!

They’re the reusable solution to all your messy situations. Use them to wipe the counters and appliances. Keep a few nice ones for the table.

You’ll have to wash these regularly. But with enough on-hand, even the laundry loads will be less waste than the paper you’d go through otherwise.

Put a Stop to Plastic Bags

After getting rid of paper comes plastic.

Stop accumulating all the plastic bags you’ll never use again!

Buy reusable bags to take to the grocery store. Get a cute tote to take to the mall. Explain you’re doing

your eco-friendly duty at the register.

Keep a few in your car so you’re always eco-friendly whenever you shop.

Upcycle, Upcycle, Upcycle

Although cutting down on paper and plastic will offset your waste, these habits won’t end everything you throw away.

You can upcycle some other things, though.

Think of how to use old glass containers as cute jars or even candle holders. Turn an old piece of furniture into an upgraded decor piece with a little DIY project.

The possibilities are endless, you just have to look at your home with an eco-friendly perspective.

How to Build an Energy Efficient Home: Get to Work!

These green solutions only work if you do.

Put a halt on some of your building projects and go back to the drawing board if you still have time. If you’re already settled in your dream home, you can still try some of the things on this list.

Don’t forget to come back and let us know how your results turn out!

If you enjoyed this article you also might find our post on Sustainable Design a great resource when considering your approach for your new home build.