EYA’s architecture team returned from last week’s National Association of Home Builders’ (NAHB) International Builders’ Show with fresh, innovative ideas for our new townhouse and condo designs. Here we’ve compiled just some of the products we found to be the most interesting and/or aesthetically appealing — plus our favorite celebrity sighting, Vanilla Ice.

All right, Stop. Collaborate and Listen. One highlight: We got a picture with Vanilla Ice, host of DIY Network's The Vanilla Ice Project.

We were impressed with the Corian Private Collection in colors like rosemary and thyme. Doesn't exactly look like Corian, does it?

We didn't get a good shot at the show, but Shaw's random-width hardwood floors are a design trend we like.

Kahrs' dark stains on ash wood were beautiful! Kahrs also has a brand new product that's Fair-Trade certified.

The richly colored glass of Kohler's new Whist sink lends a glamorous look to your bathroom.

It's hard to find a cultured a marble vanity top with square basins, as seen in this Foremost vanity. We also liked the innovative drawer designed around the plumbing.

EcoSmart's bioethanal burners are clean burning, don't require a chimney or flue, and don't need an exterior power source (i.e., gas line or electrical socket). Plus they look ultramodern!

Masonite's new West End Collection - our favorite interior doors at the show - feature sharp horizontal embossed lines and graphic elements, meant to appeal to the metropolitan and modern design aesthetics.

Therma-Tru introduced its new operable french door sidelights, a feature you don't see every day, at the show.

Last, but certainly not least, if you are the king of your castle, perhaps you deserve Kohler’s most advanced toilet to date. The Numi’s features include: motion activated lid and seat, advanced bidet function, integrated air dryer, deodorizer, heated seat, floor-level vents to heat your feet, illuminated panels, built-in speakers, and touchpad remote control.

Kohler's Numi: The throne of all thrones (click for larger view)

Also not to be missed, Builder Magazine recently pulled together 13 architects and designers to identify these 20 Housing Trends for Today.

For fans of NCIS, you might have done a double take about half way through the show last night when our Capitol Quarter townhome community was featured as a backdrop to one of the scenes.

Pictured below are the new homes along 3rd Street at I Street SE, which occur at approximately 23:50 in the airing of the CBS hit show.

Capitol Quarter Townhomes as featured on CBS' hit show NCIS February 14, 2012.

We’re pretty excited that the producers found the architecture to be so representative of Capitol Hill’s historic rowhome designs!

Want to get in on the action? Hurry into the Capitol Quarter sales center, where you can score one of the ten remaining homes in the neighborhood. Now selling new townhomes from the upper $700s.

We here at Danziger Design recently completed a project for a dual function room that many homeowners, especially those in townhouses and condos, may find useful. Our client wanted to utilize an extra bedroom as both an office and a guest bedroom. This seems to be a common request. Oftentimes a guest bedroom is needed, but since it is not needed on a regular basis, the room needs to serve some other purpose (e.g., office, sewing room, study).

Concept for an Office-Guest Bedroom Combo by Danziger Design

Here’s what we did… Since this room wasn’t very large, we didn’t want the bed to take up most of the space. We used a sleeper sofa that is perfect for reading or watching tv on a regular basis and can easily be converted to a queen size bed for guests. It’s important to invest in a quality piece that will be comfortable and hold up over time.

We brought a desk into the room and placed it in front of the windows for a lovely view. This provides the perfect spot for a laptop (for either the homeowner or overnight guests). A beautiful three-way lamp and comfortable upholstered chair with nailheads complete the desk area. The room had existing built-in cabinetry that had a dark and outdated look. We brought the built-ins into the 21st century with a light glazed painted finish. The cabinets were then outfitted with organizers including a rod for hanging clothes and shelves for organizing office supplies, etc.

A colorful carpet grounds the furniture and provides a punch of color in the room. A set of tables provides flexible surfaces for beverages, snacks, and reading materials. A fanciful, branchy looking chandelier illustrates that no detail in this room was overlooked. The natural look was repeated in front of the side windows where natural branches provide privacy while still allowing light into the room. The finishing touches included colorful custom pillows and artwork.

We kept the colors and feel of the room gender neutral so anyone would feel comfortable spending time here.

Here are our five tips for creating an office/guest bedroom combo:

1. Provide a comfortable seating area. Decide if a bed, sleeper sofa, daybed or Murphy-style bed best meets your needs. When making any purchases, make sure the scale of the furniture works with the size of the room.

Vertical bed by cornerstoneclosets.com

2. Outfit the room with a desk and comfortable chair for working. When possible, placing the desk near the window provides a pleasant place to work with natural light during the day.

3. Storage is key! Assess your storage needs. You want to make certain your guests have a place for their clothing, suitcase, etc. You also want to make sure you have sufficient office storage, as well as a place to stash your office work before guests arrive.

4. Lighting is important! You want to have overall room lighting and task lighting (at the desk, by the bedside for reading). Dimmers will allow for different lighting needs.

5. Plan the details. This includes room color, rug, and accessories such as pillows, sheets and blankets.

These are a few dual purpose pieces we love:

Coast Living Table Desk by Stanley Furniture

Cleo Bed by Vanguard

Bachelor Chest by Hickory White Furniture

One last word of advice. Try out your guest bedroom as if you were the guest. Is it comfortable? Is there ample storage? Is it inviting? If you can answer yes to these questions, you’re ready to extend invites to your guests!

This post was written by EYA’s exclusive guest blogger, Danziger Design, a Bethesda-based interior design firm. If you’re looking for professional design services, check out their portfolio of beautiful work and give them a call at 301-365-3300!

Today’s garbage disposals are designed to devour all types of food waste and, according to a recent study, they offer an environmentally friendly alternative to throwing food in the garbage can.  Yet many of us are reluctant to use them.

We recommend you read up on your particular model before sending food down the drain, but know that waste like chicken bones, coffee grounds and fruit rinds are fair game for most new disposals. Here’s an interesting list of other waste that we had no idea would be disposer-friendly.

InSinkErator’s tips for using your disposal include:

• Don’t pour oils or grease down the drain! They can clog and damage the sewer system. Instead collect fats in a container, then throw the container in the trash.
• Don’t try to grind large amounts of food waste at one time.
• Do use cold water when using a disposer. Using hot water wastes energy.
• Do run water down the drain for several seconds after grinding is complete to flush waste and keep debris from settling in the plumbing system.
• Do save and grind used lemons and other citrus fruit peels to freshen up your disposer, naturally.

Interested in being green? Using your disposal is also likely to help the environment.

According to a recent study, commissioned by the manufacturer of InSinkErator food disposal systems and performed by independent research group PE International, disposing of food down the garbage disposal is always preferable — from an environmental perspective — to throwing these items in the trash.  The EPA reports that in 2010 33 million tons of food waste was thrown away, making food the single largest component of municipal solid waste reaching landfills and incinerators.

So what?, you ask. Food quickly rots in landfills and becomes a significant source of methane, a very potent greenhouse gas. (Some landfills are now harvesting methane in states like California, but this is not the norm.)

The chart below from Environmental Building News identifies the study results with regard to each waste disposal method’s impact on global warming. Composting is most often going to be the “best” method of food disposal, but if your choice is simply between the garbage can or garbage disposal, your disposal will win every time. (Again, just make sure the waste is approved for your particular model.)

Global Warming Potential of Food Waste Scenarios per 100 kg waste (annual household average). (Source: PE International)

Our in-house architecture team is at the National Association of Home Builders’ International Builders’ Show in Orlando this week looking for inspiration for our future townhouse and condo designs.

By far the prettiest booth they saw Thursday was Marretti’s floating staircases. We aren’t sure these will appear in our homes any time soon, but we did find them to be very good looking. Have you seen similar staircases installed in the DC area?  If so, leave us a comment here or on our related Facebook post. Then stay tuned for more pics next week when our team returns from Orlando.

Marretti's hanging staircase display at NAHB's 2012 International Builders' Show.

A Marretti floating glass staircase

A Marretti floating wood staircase

Do you ever wonder who’s behind our townhomes?

EYA is celebrating 20 years in business this year and we thought it was time to introduce some of the folks who make it all possible!

First up is Brad Hofford. If you’re an original owner at Old Town Commons, Clarendon Park or Centerpointe (to name a few), chances are you already know Brad. He, like each of our construction managers, is very visible on the job and interacts with many of our homeowners. Meet Brad.

Brad Hofford

Current role: Senior Construction Manager at Old Town Commons

First role: Senior Project Manager

At EYA for: 17 years

Education/Training: Virginia Tech, BS in Building Construction

Brad (on the right) accepting his PROs Award for Best Production Manager of 2011 (61-120 townhouse units/yr).

What makes EYA unique or special compared to your work experience elsewhere?

I’ve obviously been here long enough to reflect on the fact that I have a great job.  The excitement that drives a person to get to work and take control of so many moving parts and people is tremendous, but very few can make a career out of it and enjoy it as much as I do. A few of the things that set EYA apart: Never a dull moment, with interesting design characteristics that put a distinct signature on our product; involvement in making important decisions; interfacing with good quality people; and being part of the Big Picture.

Do you have any interesting / impressive job site stories?

I also solely managed and completed Clarendon Park three to four months ahead of schedule. On the interesting side, I built a townhouse for a U.S. Senator, which included a weekly visit with his entourage.

What’s your best piece of advice when it comes to work?

Be extremely firm, but always fair.

What element(s) of an EYA home would you like to recreate in your own home?

Our attention to detail is impeccable. I applied that same level of detail when I built my own home in 2005.

Let’s say you have a second home. Where and what would it be?

Not picky but near water… (Stream, river, ocean).

Do you have a special place you like to vacation?

Warm weather, for sure… Standing in a stream fishing, a river kayaking, and the ocean sunbathing.

What are you personal interests / hobbies?

Kayaking, fishing, harmonica, woodworking.

What’s your favorite coffee/food joint in the neighborhood where you’re now working?

I just came off a job at Mosaic District in Fairfax, where it was definitely Panera @ 5:30 AM for my morning coffee.

Stay tuned next month for another EYA employee profile!

True to our prediction, Townhomes at Mosaic District is proving to be one of the hottest “smart living” destinations to open in the Greater Washington Area this year. We have sold 21 townhomes since opening the sales center last month, which equates to one townhouse sold per day! We only have seven remaining homes for 2012 delivery, all of which are Aster models, and continue to also sell townhomes that will deliver in 2013.

In related news, a significant amount of retail space will soon be turned over to retailers to complete their interior fit-outs in advance of the planned Fall 2012 opening.  On its Facebook page, Mosaic District indicates that Angelika Film Center is aiming for a September 15 open date. We’re certainly excited about the opportunity to shop, dine and catch a movie just outside our front door in less than 12 months!

Townhomes at Mosaic District’s two models will open in approximately 60 days, but we recommend visiting our sales center soon if you want in on this up-and-coming neighborhood. We are open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 2951 Eskridge Road in Fairfax.

Vertical construction and sales commenced last month. 21 homes sold to date - which equates to 1 per day!

Retail signage - like this one for Target - is going up.

The outdoor movie screen is being installed at Angelika Film Center, slated to open on/about September 15.

All photos courtesy of Mosaic District’s Facebook page. Don’t forget to ‘like’ the Townhomes at Mosaic District Facebook page for all the latest news and information on this exciting community!

Set your alarm early this Saturday for the Old Town Boutique District’s 8th annual Warehouse Sale, where over 20 Old Town boutiques will offer select wares at 70 to 80 percent off retail prices. Goods include clothes, shoes, jewelry, housewares, gifts, and baby items.

The sale has become quite popular since it started in 2005, with three times as many vendors now participating and approximately 1,000 shoppers in recent years.  The most determined of bargain searchers line up early with cups of coffee in hand hoping to be one of the first approximately 150 shoppers let into the sale. If you arrive when there’s a line, have no fear, there is lots of indoor waiting room.

Want to get a headstart? The Boutique District is giving away 4 early entry tickets. To enter, “like” the district on Facebook, then fill out the entry form.

Old Town Boutique District Sale

9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

George Washington Masonic Memorial

101 Callahan Drive, Alexandria

Tucked into the cozy brick-lined streets of Old Town Alexandria, the Old Town Boutique District features 28 unique shops showcasing one-of-a-kind items and hard-to-find brands.  It is located within walking distance of EYA’s luxury townhomes and condos now selling at Old Town Commons and the waterfront residences EYA will be begin selling and constructing at The Oronoco later this year.

Neighborhood Restaurant Group — the team behind local hotspots Birch&Barley, Churchkey and Buzz, to name a few — recently announced more details around the brewery, tasting room and 200-seat restaurant going in at the Boilermaker Shops down the street from EYA’s Capitol Quarter townhouses. Read all the exciting details in this Washington Post piece. You may have to wait another year until the first brews are served, but we’re sure it will be worth the wait.

The Boilermaker Shops slated to open in Fall 2012. (Rendering via CapitolRiverFront.org)

In the meantime, the Boilermakers Shops is expecting the following to open this Fall: Austin Grill Express, brb – be right burger, Buzz, Huey’s 24/7 Diner and Willie’s Brew & Que (by Xavier Cervera, who’s behind several Capitol Hill haunts including Lola and Molly Malone’s)

It’s not too late to be an early adopter in this up-and-coming Capitol Hill neighborhood. Visit our Sales Center at 1020 4th Street SE to learn more about the few townhomes we have remaining.

Life within walking distance means having a place to exercise near your townhouse or condominium. While not exhaustive (pun intended!), here is a list of places to workout in your neighborhood.

Chancellor’s Row

(Edgewood & Brookland)

Met Branch Trail: Follow it south towards the Capitol Building for an off-road trail, or north towards Silver Spring for an on-road experience. From Chancellor’s Row, hop on the trail at 8th Street NE. (.2 miles walking)

Dance Place: Adult dance classes. Begin anytime, no semester/series scheduling. 3225 8th Street NE (.3 miles walking)

Excel Movement Studios: Pilates mat and apparatus classes + workshops (w/ complimentary mat class Feb 16). 3407 8th Street NE (.3 miles walking)

Northeast TaeKwonDo: Adult and Children TaeKwonDo Classes (w/ complimentary introductory class). 3520 12th Street NE (.7 miles walking)

The Trinity Center : Fitness center with cardio equipment, weight machines, free weights, classes, pool, spa, basketball court, tennis courts, walking track and locker rooms. 125 Michigan Avenue NE (.8 miles walking)

Turkey Thicket Recreation & Aquatic Center: This FREE premier recreation site in Ward 5 offers a gym, playground, tennis and basketball courts, baseball field, and swimming pools. 1100 Michigan Avenue NE. (.8 miles walking)

(We know some residents hope to see a yoga studio go in at the Monroe Street Market or 901 Monroe developments, but in the meantime the nearest yoga studio we’re aware of is 1.5 miles away at Yoga District Bloomingdale)

Capitol Quarter

(Capitol Hill / Southeast DC)

Results Gym: Full-service gym with $199 enrollment fee waived through 1/31/12. 315 G Street SE (.2 miles walking)

Garfield Park Tennis Courts: Two neighborhood tennis courts are located across the street from Results Gym (.2 miles walking)

The Yards Park/Anacostia Riverwalk: World-class green space with a walking/jogging/biking path along the Anacostia River. (.3 miles walking)

Elite Fitness Bootcamp: Morning and evening bootcamp classes at The Yards Park. Corner of 4th & Water Streets SE (.3 miles walking)

Trapeze School New York: Indoor and outdoor trapeze classes. 4th St SE and Tingey St (.3 miles walking)

Capitol Hill Arts Workshop: Pilates, yoga and classes, with next session starting in early February 2012. 545 7th Street SE (.5 miles walking distance)

Capitol Hill Yoga: Yoga and pilates classes + workshops, with 2nd class free for new students. 641 Pennsylvania Avenue SE (.7 miles walking)

Townhomes and Condominiums at Old Town Commons

(Old Town Alexandria)

Outlaw Crossfit: Strength and conditioning program, with 25% off discount for military, fire and law enforcement. 727 North Henry Street (.1 miles walking)

FitOne Personal Training: Boutique personal training studio + power circuit and bootcamp classes. 814 North St. Asaph Street (.2 miles walking)

Sport & Health Gym: Full service gym with locker rooms. 209 Madison Street (.4 miles walking)

Pure Prana Yoga: Yoga, T’ai Chi, Pilates and Meditation classes + workshops. 100 South Patrick Street (.6 miles walking)

Mount Vernon Trail: Walk, Run or Bike along the Potomac River. (.7 miles walking)

Snap Fitness: 24/7, no-membership-required fitness club with cardio and fitness equipment. 1315 King Street (.8 miles walking)

Townhomes at Mosaic District

(Merrifield & Falls Church)

Coming soon: On-Site Fitness Center and Pool

XSport Fitness: 24/7 full-service fitness club with spa.  8190 Strawberry Lane, Falls Church (.1 mile walking — the sidewalks and roads aren’t yet completed!)

Four Seasons Tennis Club: Tennis facility offering court time, lessons, clinics and camps. 3010 Williams Drive, Fairfax (.1 mile walking)

Gold’s Gym: Full-service fitness club. 2982 Gallows Road, Falls Church (<.5 miles walking)

Crossfit Fairfax:  Strength and conditioning program, with family membership discounts and 25% off discount for full-time students, senior citizens, military, fire and law enforcement. 2799-G Merrilee Drive, Merrifield (.8 miles walking)

Jefferson District Park & Golf Course: 9-hole public golf course, tennis and basketball courts. 7900 Lee Highway, Falls Church (1.5 miles)