Our Builders' Top 10 Favorite Products of 2018

by Katie Gregory and Rachel Lyon, Home Product Blogger and Editorial Director for The House Designers®

When builders choose products, they do so knowing their choices should appeal to buyers and help make great names for themselves for future business. That's why you'll find so many beautiful and functional innovations among their favorites! This year, a number of products that address practical and aesthetic needs inside and out attracted attention—take a look and see if you'd like to specify any for yourself!

Natural Wood Garage Doors with Modern Flair

If you love organic architecture, you know how well natural materials and simplified modern style pair. Clopay® Garage Doors expanded the Reserve® Wood Collection to include lovely options for this movement, and you'll find a variety of door designs to fit different aesthetics. Want simple cladding, windows, or metal accent strip? The choice is yours! You can also choose your wood species and stain color, and even mix and match to achieve the best look for your house.

Model: Clopay® Reserve® Wood Collection Modern Series | Contact for a Quote

An Accessible Locking Mechanism for Hung Windows

Homeowners love the look of single and double hung windows, but they can be difficult to operate due to the lock on the checkrail. That's why the new Lift Lock from Marvin® Windows is such a great advancement! This hardware keeps the lock within reach whether the height of the window or its position behind a counter makes reaching it more difficult. Simply lift the handle to unlock the mechanism and lift the sash, too. It locks when closed and comes in two styles and 10 finishes!

Model: Marvin® Ultimate Double Hung Next Generation Window with Lift Lock Hardware | Contact for a Quote

Modern Stone Available in a Neutral Palette

Eldorado Stone often updates its popular veneers with new colors, and that's how Cumulus was introduced to Vantage30 this year! This versatile light gray tone adds a gentle, cool vibe to the space, so it's perfect for light and bright aesthetics that need a neutral backdrop. If, on the other hand, you need a warmer palette, check out White Elm—this subtle option was featured in the 2018 Idea House from This Old House, where its clean, linear pattern and soft sandy cast was perfect.

Model: Eldorado Stone Vantage30 in Cumulus | Contact for a Quote

Realistic Top and End Caps for Wood-Look Beams

Want to add beauty into your design, but don’t want to additional expense of adding structural supports? You’ll love that woodgrain beams from Fypon® now offer beam mantels in two grain styles, Hand Hewn and Rough Sawn, that allow you to personalize your design. These are perfect if you want a mantel, floating shelves, or to make your own unique conversation starter. Lightweight synthetic beams are easy to install, allow you to pick the perfect rough or refined profile, and you can stain or paint them to the color you want. They really open up the design possibilities!

Model: Fypon® Woodgrain Beams | Contact for a Quote

Solar-Powered Skylights with Your Choice of Blinds

Solar-Powered Skylights with Factory-Installed Blinds

The value of skylights can go well beyond daylighting potential—they can also provide fresh air and diffuse or block the sun at your command! VELUX® offers this functionality in an eco-friendly solar-powered package that requires no wiring. A built-in solar panel charges each skylight's battery so it's ready to go when you are, and a rain sensor triggers the system to close when the weather turns. Want the convenience of autonomous operation that optimizes your indoor environment? VELUX Active is a great addition to your smart home!

Model: VELUX® Solar Powered "Fresh Air" Skylights | Contact for a Quote

Gorgeous Siding with Extreme Staying Power

If you need siding that delivers beauty with durability, check out the variety available from TruExterior®. The Craftsman Collection offers a number of styles suitable for homes ranging from charmingly rustic, to neat and traditional, to crisp and modern. Better yet, they all resist insects and moisture, with virtually no expansion or contraction with humidity or temperature changes. This is no-fuss siding—it comes pre-primed, cuts don't need to be sealed, it's suitable for ground contact, and it even makes a cool interior accent if you like!

Model: TruExterior® Custom Channel Siding | Contact for a Quote

Outdoor Lighting for Every Design Aesthetic

Whether to light the way to the door on dark nights or to help extend the hours of a backyard party, outdoor lighting is an important part of a home's exterior. Need some ideas? Lamps Plus has a wide selection, so check them out if you're in the market for wall, post, ceiling, or hanging lights that match your architecture. You'll also find stylish security and landscape lighting! The possibilities for outdoor lighting design are sizable, so see what you can find to elevate your deck, lanai, or even just your front porch!

Model: Franklin Iron Works™ Framed Slate 12" High Bronze 3-Light Outdoor Wall Light from Lamps Plus | $99.99 per Fixture

Sleek and Versatile Bathroom Fixtures

Bathroom design can go in any direction—because it's a totally separate space, you're free to get creative! Most homeowners like a crisp, clean vibe, and that's where transitional fixtures shine. The new Stryke™ Bathroom Collection from Delta® takes elements of contemporary and traditional style and merges them into a whole suite of lavatory and bathing faucets and accessories. To lean modern, choose a stainless or chrome finish. Want to go more bold or elegant? Try matte black or champagne bronze. You'll love the look!

Model: Delta® Stryke™ Widespread Faucet in Chrome Finish | $442.75 MSRP

Shutters That Are Durable and Easily Operated

Get the best of classic looks and modern technology with these Hunter Douglas® Palm Beach™ Polysatin™ shutters! Not only are they made with a tough UV-resistant material and guaranteed never to crack, fade, warp, chip, peel, or discolor, but they are also available with PowerView® Motorization. You can control your shutters through an app or with your voice when connected to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. This is perfect for hard-to-reach windows and works with numerous whole-home automation systems!

Model: Hunter Douglas® Palm Beach™ Polysatin™ Shutters with PowerView® Motorization | Contact for a Quote

Panelization for a Quality Build That Saves Time

Did you know that any house plan from The House Designers can be fabricated in a manufacturing facility before being shipped to your site? Fabrik-International takes blueprints and turns them into panelized floors and walls, and they supply the roof trusses, too! Building this way requires substantially less time, minimizing costs associated with site management, maintenance, and insurance. Any builder can build with this simplified method, and the house can go up in just a couple days with a crane and a small crew!

Model: Fabrik-International Panelized Home Under Construction | Contact for a Quote

Our Builders' Top 10 Favorite Products of 2018

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