Products to Boost Curb Appeal

These products are eminently useful. They all provide benefits your residents will be seeking. But just because they serve a purpose doesn’t mean they can’t also increase your community’s curb appeal, such as beautifully designed lighting. With these products, form meets function! Laser Cut Collection from Moz Designs Finding durable materials that allow intricate texture…

Laser Cut_FlintstonesThese products are eminently useful. They all provide benefits your residents will be seeking. But just because they serve a purpose doesn’t mean they can’t also increase your community’s curb appeal, such as beautifully designed lighting. With these products, form meets function!

Laser Cut Collection from Moz Designs

Finding durable materials that allow intricate texture and artistry is often a challenge. The new Laser Cut collection of aluminum panels created by Moz Designs can be applied in a variety of creative and functional ways. The recycled aluminum material ensures durability and resists rust.

The Laser Cut collection can be utilized as an interior partition or an exterior feature wall. The designs come in 10 patterns, which can be customized to control light flow. Options include reflective natural metal and bold patterns, which can be tailored with colors and grains like gradients, metallics, neutrals and powder coatings. Finishes can also be customized and include polycoat matte, polycoat gloss, and exterior or powder coatings.

sonneman-light-800x600Sonneman Lighting Design

Renters have a lot of choices these days, so it’s important for a community to set itself apart in order to attract new residents. Different rentals often share similar fixtures: stainless-steel appliances, wood flooring and the all-too-ubiquitous domed ceiling light. While most would-be renters wouldn’t count out a prospective apartment due to outdated or mundane lighting, a creative lighting fixture can set an apartment community apart from its competitors and increase the perceived taste level and value of the unit.

Sonneman, a unique lighting design company, has been offering modern and unconventional lighting solutions since the 1960s. From sconces to pendants, Sonneman’s designs feature striking geometric shapes and contemporary finishes that add a touch of uniqueness to a usually-overlooked fixture.

Its newest addition, the Haro 16-inch pendant, embodies Sonneman’s aesthetic with its clean lines, distinctive shape and innovative light distribution. The circular LED pendant radiates light from within, creating an unconventional effect. Available in satin black, bright aluminum and textured white finishes, the Haro light also has an electronic low-voltage dimmer, which saves energy as well as adding potential for customization.

Tesla’s Solar RoofTesla-tuscan-roof

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk has announced his company’s planned acquisition of SolarCity, a leading solar equipment supplier, which will enable Tesla to deploy a new technology: solar roof tiles.

Unlike the typical solar cell panels that mount atop a roof, Tesla’s solar roof tiles integrate seamlessly with existing shingles, creating a uniform surface that is indistinguishable from a non-solar roof.

Property managers and operators will be able to outfit the roofs of their buildings with sturdy solar tiles that are completely invisible from the street, thanks to a color louver film on the outer layer of the tile. A high-efficiency solar cell derives energy from sunlight, even in hot climates. The tempered glass layer protects the solar roof tiles from weather damage or breakage.

Made from durable quartz, the solar roof tiles come in four finishes: Tuscan, smooth, textured and slate.

15368961394_888b74417b_oDero Bike Racks

Offering bike parking and transit solutions, Dero Bike Racks showcase a vertical bike storage product that maximizes space efficiency for building owners, facilities managers, architects and contractors. The 21-year-old company also offers its Fixit public repair stands and pumps complete with a tool kit, allowing for basic bike repairs like changing a flat tire or adjusting brakes. Most of the Dero products are made from steel, a fully recyclable material, and offer safety features such as a u-style lock and thick tube construction that make it very difficult to sever with a pipe cutter. Dero Bike Racks’ low maintenance and slick designs also encourage owners and managers to invest in bike storage and promote biking. The racks can be used in bike rooms at residential communities, outside commercial storefronts, on college campuses or even for single-family homes.

MediameshMediamesh

Cambridge, Mass.-based GKD, a leading technical weaver of metal fabrics, offers GKDMetalFabrics Mediamesh®, a stainless-steel wire mesh interwoven with LED lights that can transform any building. Ideal for large signage uses, Mediamesh can cover four times the surface area of traditional billboards while using as much as 80 percent less electricity, and is made of recyclable materials. Mediamesh also has as much as 60 percent transparency, offering natural daylighting and ventilation, along with resistance to weather and temperature.

dryerWhirlpool Ventless Dryer

The leading appliance manufacturer has unveiled its True Ventless Heat Pump Dryer, set to come out later this year or in early 2017. The dryer comes in a space-saving model ideal for multifamily communities where units are smaller, while still providing a full-size capacity. Its ventless design also doesn’t require a wall output, making it easier to install in more places. Furthermore, the appliance is energy efficient, with built-in sensors that read incoming and outgoing air to avoid overdrying and a heat pump that converts moisture so there’s no need to vent externally. The ventless heat pump technology regenerates energy during the drying cycle for reduced energy consumption, also providing the flexibility of an optional heater for faster drying.

Standard & Custom Community Entrance SignSignage_20160513_171901

Working with Loysen + Kreuthmeier Architects, Pittsburgh-based Standard & Custom fabricated a corten steel sign for the city’s Southside Slopes neighborhood. The sign is meant to change color subtly as the steel develops rust over time. Unlike conventional sign styles, the sparse design of this sign is three dimensional, lending it depth and structural integrity. Etched corten steel signs can be used to welcome residents and guests to apartment communities. Standard & Custom offers customization options to best communicate a community’s brand and aesthetic. Browse the multifaceted custom fabricator’s website to see a range of visually compelling architectural products that will distinguish your community from the competition.

Originally appearing in the December 2016 issue of MHN.