Trending Now: Top 5 Popular Designs PBC Clients Are Asking For

Once focused on Craftsman style, granite countertops, and textured walls, today we are seeing our custom home clients move more towards a cleaner and simpler aesthetic.

We all remember it.  Ten years ago seems to have come and gone in the blink of an eye and it feels like it’s been “one sleep” since 2001, but the reality of it is that time moves forward and “popular” is just as it has always been. Once loved and relevant by most is now replaced by newer, cooler, and more aesthetically pleasing.  The overdone McMansions have been replaced by functional, simpler, dare-we-say more “modern” homes.  Instead of seeing the constant of dark wood, bold wall colors, and Tuscan kitchens we are moving more towards interior metals, larger exterior spaces, and lighter colors overall.

1.  MORE METAL

In the late 2010s, we are celebrating the metals.  All of them!  We are mixing them, we are designing staircases around them, we are replacing wood with them, the list goes on.  We LOVE metal and it turns out, our clients do too.  Metals are a great way to modernize the home and make it look cleaner, sleeker, and more current.  We are seeing more clients ask for it in place of wooden pickets inside their homes (and out), we are seeing it replace wider and more traditional wood around the glazing on French Doors, and due to the popularity of the modern farmhouse we are seeing A LOT of steel windows.

2.  CLADDING

/kladiNG/

noun;    a covering or coating on a structure or material.

You’re welcome.  It’s just a big word for wallpaper and faux paint or texture, as seen on this white washed brick fireplace.  Be it paint, paper, or plaster, it is intended to make a wall (or surface) look like it is made of a different material than it actually is.  Although some styles are a trend of the past, they have made their way back and are making their presence known.  Clients are loving the ability to put their own individual stamp on their new custom home and we just happen to know of the best in town.  Texture away!

3.  POOLS

Pools upon pools upon pools!  Although (possibly) an exaggeration, it seems like EVERY client we built for in the last year had a pool on their plans.  A couple of the most in-demand are “plunge pools” and “cocktail pools”.

A plunge pool is more shallow and compact than a traditional backyard pool but it also has a few different goals in mind, like aquatic exercise, physical therapy, and relaxation.

A cocktail pool is very similar to the plunge pool.  The biggest difference between the two is that a cocktail pool tends to be a bit more shallow than the plunge, and typically the cocktail pool has a bench seat around the perimeter with the idea that guests will sit and enjoy a cocktail while relaxing and cooling off with friends.  Either way, we like happy clients.  If it’s a pool that they want, a pool they will get!

4.  SCULLERIES OR LARGE PANTRIES

FINALLY, we have all realized that an overabundance of cabinet space in the kitchen maybe isn’t a necessity.  There are lots of things we all possess that we don’t use every day.  They need a home, and we don’t necessarily have to have a place in our everyday kitchens to store them.  We want amazing pantries, full of shelving and storage, as seen in our Thom’s Creek River House.  Specifically, a scullery or an “overflow kitchen” with secondary cabinetry and plumbing (beverage refrigerator, another sink, an extra dishwasher).  Three cheers to bringing back a scullery!

5.  WIDE PORCHES

We know, we know, this is probably a southern thing.  That said, large porches like this one (seen on our recently built home at Wrightsville Beach) began years ago before the present-day comfort of central air conditioning.  Big, sometimes screened in, the porch was a go-to for southerners. They did not stay inside and suffer miserably in the 100-degree humidity but instead enjoyed wide open porches and southern breezes as a way to cool off.  Fast forward, those large porches are coming back!  Yes, we have the luxury of HVAC, most of which we can adjust from an app on our phone, but we still love a great evening outside on the porch. Although most clients and designers believe that 10 foot porches are comfortable and deep, both agree that 11 and 12 foot porches add more livability, more room to sit within and enjoy the view, and that they add an element of ease and comfort while entertaining.

No matter what is trending in custom homes or how high on the popularity chart your countertop selection is, just make sure that YOU do YOU.  Probably check with Chrissy first.  And consult Jessica at FergusonMaybe ask Jarvis or Dave.  Bottom line, trends change and so do you so most importantly, love where you live!

Dave and Kyle, business partners. Photo: Kelly Starbuck Potography

PBC Design + Build (+ Balance)

We all know that new construction isn’t exactly experiencing a lull. And if you live in Southeastern North Carolina, you’ve seen first-hand how “hot” the market continues to be (insert simultaneous knocks-on-wood). Real Estate teams are growing, General Contractors are creating back-logs, and you can’t seem to drive more than a few miles without seeing commercial development.

PBC Design + Build has seen both sides of this economy over the last 21 + years and business partners Dave Spetrino and Kyle Henry have weathered the storm.  They have proven in the meantime, that a great partnership shouldn’t solely be based on intelligence, trust, and a shared vision.  Suffice it to say, through the trials and tribulations of running a business they always seem to be able to laugh (eventually) and to be friends (mostly) all while building beautiful custom homes for wonderful, fun clients.  Keep reading, secret divulging to commence…

Clearly there are a lot of factors that go into a great partnership.  All the obvious qualities like vision, motivation, and common work ethic are important but it is no secret that a great sense of humor and good taste in music can go a long way.  Let’s not forget about differences though, because those can be a huge strength in that solid foundation (no pun intended…get it? Foundation?  Moving on…)  We could go on and on about the generic qualities that successful business partners have in common (or don’t) but instead we give to you a small window into the minds of one of our favorite twosomes…

DAVE VS. KYLE: A quick-answer quiz to the MOST important questions

Birth order?

DS: First

KH: Middle

Middle name?

DS: Arthur

KH: Jeremy

Favorite year of high school?

DS: Either Junior or Senior I suppose.

KH: Senior year.  I finally figured out the system.  Little work and a lot of play…

Toddlers or teenagers?

DS: I hate them all.

KH: Toddlers.  They can’t talk yet.

First job?

DS: Washington Post paperboy.  Age 11.

KH: Giovanni’s (Italian Restaurant in Hickory, NC) bus boy. Age 14.

Sal, Murr, Q, or Joe?

DS:  I don’t know these people.  I know a guy named Sal, he’s a cool guy.

KH: Murr

Go-to drink at a bar?

DS: Diet Coke with ice or a Moscow Mule (but only if it’s in that fancy copper mug)

KH: Pellegrino

Favorite song. EVER.

DS: “Night and Day” Al B. Sure!

KH: “Love is a Rose” Neil Young

I’d absolutely ruin my diet for…

DS: Peppermint milkshake with hot fudge at the bottom of the cup from Baskin

Robbins.

KH: SUGAR

Last time you cried?

DS: Either when they froze Han Solo in “The Empire Strikes Back” or when I thought

E.T. was going to die.

KH: Friday

Cinema, theatre, or live music?

DS: Cinema

KH: Live Music

Charleston or Savannah?

DS: Savannah

KH: Charleston

Favorite EVER custom home detail?

DS: I’m a sucker for great light fixtures and I love seeing brick work on interior walls.

KH: I love modern architecture.  We have several recent modern homes. I appreciate the designs of all of them.

Best quality about Kyle?

DS: Crazy smart.

Best quality about Dave?

KH: He is “in it” for all the right reasons.  He never quits.

It looks like Paula Abdul said it best in ’88,  clearly opposites do attract.  As a senior in high school, Dave was entering his seventh year in the workforce and Kyle was signing up for his seventh semester of shop class.  From two different locations, completely different family dynamics, and opposite academic paths these two have managed to create a lasting and functional business partnership, some pretty nice custom homes, and a dang cool place to work.

In conclusion, a common work ethic and (mostly) questionable sense of humor can really take you places!  Cheers to PBC’s “perfect match.”

PBC, Mentesana Family Recognized by Historic Wilmington Foundation

PBC Design + Build along with two of our favorite repeat clients, Sal and Beth Mentesana, were invited by Historic Wilmington Foundation last month to be recognized at their annual Preservation Awards Ceremony.  At a reception in St. James Parish Hall, The Mentesana’s downtown Fifth Avenue home was identified by this year’s awards committee members as being one that “beautifully fit” with the surrounding area in the category of Appropriate New Construction.

When Sal and Beth first moved to the area from Pennsylvania, they started out in Brunswick Forest. They chose the community for the golf course and atmosphere, and they chose their builder (ahem) for several other reasons (including Dave’s “part-visionary and part-sanity checker” qualities).  Although they liked their neighborhood, The Mentesanas found themselves living their lives in downtown Wilmington and enjoying Wrightsville Beach.  Beth spends time volunteering at the Bellamy Mansion and loves introducing art to fifth graders at the Cameron Art Museum, so downtown is where they knew they wanted to be, as Beth says “it is diverse, eclectic, and alive!”

Lot purchase, consult, design, and construction were completed by the end of October, 2018 and The Mentesanas moved into their downtown dream home.  Fitting everything they wanted onto a narrow downtown lot was challenging but doable, and fitting in with the area was definitely a priority.  Among the elements that they love most about their new home are it’s setting; their lot sits next to Bicentennial Park and is nestled beneath beautiful old trees.  They absolutely love the Italianate style of their home, the many windows, and it’s “shotgun” design- 22 feet wide by 100 feet deep.  Sal and Beth continue to receive compliments on the beauty of their home and friends can’t believe that PBC was able to build in such a narrow space AND include a driveway with a two-car detached garage!

As The Mentesanas continue to enjoy their new custom home, they say that the ultimate compliment is receiving this award.  As their design + build team, we must say that we agree!

 

Who’s Up For a Parade?

Just as the weather warms up, the flowers are in full bloom, and the beaches begin to crowd, #teamPBC finds themselves in the annual Parade of Homes deadline crunch.  Put on by the Cape Fear Home Builders Association, in conjunction with a bunch of great local sponsors, is our own Wilmington new-home beauty pageant.  This year, PBC Design + Build is proud to have entered FIVE of our current projects as part of the over SEVENTY beautiful new construction properties that are competing in the 2019 Parade of Homes.

The Wilmington Parade of Homes takes place April 27 + 28 and May 4 + 5, from 12 to 5 o’clock PM.  This year, our properties are located from Wrightsville Beach to Brunswick County.  They will each have an awesome, knowledgeable, and helpful PBC team member on site to show the property, answer any questions and even provide paint color information!

Join us…

Start your tour off in the beautiful land of Brunswick County at our Sauthier II model home, 3042 Catesville Circle.  Coming in at a little over 2700 square feet with three bedrooms and three bathrooms, The Sauthier II is located in the Cape Fear National neighborhood of Brunswick Forest with gorgeous views of the golf course.


Next, hop over to RiverLights, a great community located right along the Cape Fear River.  Take a walk through one of our units in RiverView Townes at 17 Hobie Run and experience the best of luxury townhome living!  Did we mention the balconies?!


Make sure to check out our Thoms’s Creek River House while in the neighborhood at 106 Trawlers Way.  Located in the newest “boutique” section of RiverLights, Hamp’s Landing, this waterfront home boasts 3,748 square feet and is among only 18 other homesites!


Next on the list is located in the Tidal Walk community at 7717 Dunewalk Court. The third building in our Dunewalk Townes project (a former GOLD winner in the 2018 Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builders Association Parade of Homes), this townhome comes in at 2300 square feet with three bedrooms, two and a half baths, and views of the Intracoastal Waterway.


The last stop on the PBC 2019 Parade of Homes tour is a custom home located on South Harbor Island in Wrightsville Beach.  At 7 Myrtle Court, you can find over 3500 square feet with six bedrooms, five bathrooms, and a beautiful saltwater pool…all in the most desirable neighborhood on the island!


Amongst our competition are some other beautiful homes on the tour, find the full list at wilmingtonparadeofhomes.com.  We hope you’ll spend the next couple of weekends experiencing the wonderful end-products of a team full of passion, work ethic, and loyalty.  

Relax, take it all in, and enjoy every detail!

(especially ours!)

It’s Tri-Time at Riverlights!

What do we like more than a cold beer at the end of a busy week here at PBC and RiverView Townes?  A cold beer at the end of a race, of course!  And if that race is a triathlon, in none other than RiverLights, we’ll take three!  Swim, bike, run…yes?!  Get ready for the Cape Fear 16!

 

PBC Design + Build is partnering with RiverLights Marina Village, in conjunction with SetUp Events to provide a fun and fairly unique race in a beautiful community.  Sunday, April 14th is the day to compete in our Cape Fear 16 Triathlon in RiverLights.  Catering to everyone from the avid triathlete to the amateur runner, we like to think this race accommodates anyone that wants to burn a few calories, check out a gorgeous neighborhood and socialize with some great people, all while enjoying the beautiful views along the Cape Fear River.

 

This specific triathlon will consist of a 1K swim, 20K bike, and 5K run.  There will be three different race options, all centered around the traditional triathlon events.  Participants can choose between racing in all three events (relay teams included), two of their choice, or decide to do just one.  Unlike a traditional triathlon, there will be no “transitions” as each event will have a thirty to forty-five-minute rest between segments…perfect for catching your breath, perusing the neighborhood, or maybe grabbing a quick nap!  For a complete breakdown of competition and award details, check out the official race page.

 

If you’ve been wondering how to get motivated and back in shape before summer, we’ve got YOU! Sign up for the race NOW, pick up your packet THE DAY BEFORE at RiverView Townes (free pre-race high fives from Casey), and join us for a sunny SUNDAY in April.  See you there!

Kids Making It, Timber Framing Goes Up

We here at PBC love a great project, especially when it involves one of our favorite local non-profit organizations.  Kids Making It is a youth woodworking program that teaches valuable vocational, entrepreneurial and life skills to at-risk, low income, and disadvantaged kids.  At KMI they strive to keep local kids in school, out of trouble, and on a path to a successful future.  It is an amazing organization that is all heart, and one that we are proud to have been involved with for several years.  Now, on to the project…

When Jimmy Pierce, founder and executive director of KMI, came to PBC with a specific need (more space) and general idea of what he wanted we knew that we had to be a part of it.  As with all of our projects, the addition to the current Kids Making It building started as a design-build consultation.  We called upon our friend and amazing architect Rob Romero to sit down with us, along with Jimmy and KMI program director, Andy Crowther to discuss the possibilities.  The specific focus was on creating a space that KMI could use as they continued to grow their organization.  Jimmy and Andy wanted a place where they could train the students in new trades and take the wood-working that they had already learned a step further.  They needed open and they needed BIG.  That’s where the timber framing came in.

Timber framing is a style of building construction that uses heavy timber frames as opposed to more slender lumber.  It is post and beam construction, built like furniture using wood joinery to hold the framing in place.  This type of construction has been around for hundreds of years but isn’t used as commonly as it once was due to the high cost of materials and specialized tradespeople that it requires.  That’s where Atlantic Barn and Timber Company came in, they heard about the need and answered the call.  Very graciously, they offered to erect the timber framing for free.  And just like that the materials and equipment arrived, the frames were assembled, stood up, and secured in place…all on that little corner of 7thand Castle Street.

As construction moves along at KMI, we look forward to all of the other great aspects that Romero has worked into the floor plan- a storefront, concrete stem walls, upper decks, and even a garage bay.  At 2,257 square feet, the first floor will be the home to the new storefront, a large (class)room, and a storage bay for donated materials.  The second floor of the addition will measure 1,982 square feet and offer an open space, offices, a full bathroom, conference room, and aforementioned decks overlooking the front and the rear of the building.

PBC Design + Build is beyond proud to be a part of such a wonderful project, and we consider ourselves very fortunate to be able to aid in KMI’s mission.  WE CAN’T WAIT to see the finished product and perhaps even more so, all of the smiling faces that come as a result!

David Spetrino, Building Insights in the Greater Wilmington Business Journal

What better way to end one great year and ring in the next than with a Q & A from the founder of PBC, the face of our company, the most recent former president of the Wilmington-Cape Fear Home Builder’s Association… our own Dave Spetrino!

Dave recently spent time answering some questions for the Greater Wilmington Business Journal. Find out why not knowing everything, and admitting it, is an important part of custom home building.

 

Designer Stud-Signing

What does Team PBC like even better than a party or a stud-signing?  A stud-signing party for one of our very own, obviously!  We recently came together, along with their family and friends, to celebrate and initiate the construction of Rick and Chrissy Bonney’s new custom home.  During an afternoon of loved ones, laughs, and the obligatory coastal oysters, we took to the studs of our favorite interior designer’s new home to write our well wishes and to learn just what inspired this latest and greatest new space.

Having lived in downtown Wilmington for twenty years, it didn’t take much for Rick and Chrissy to decide that is where they’d like to stay.  They settled on a quaint, tucked away lot on the north side.  Loving the location, unique energy, and history, The Bonneys look forward to watching the neighborhood continue to grow.

As the exciting process of design began, Chrissy called upon her favorite style, Mid-century Modern. Rick and Chrissy had a lot of fun planning the details of the elevations as they came up with the exterior design of their new home… historic bungalow with a touch of modern infusion.

As Chrissy tackled the inside of the house, she wanted to make sure they utilized every inch of the home to it’s fullest potential as she created a space that was easy to entertain in.  She took a handful of PBC’s custom downtown homes from throughout the years, pulled her favorite details, and started playing with those.  As construction moves forward and they really start to see everything come together, both of The Bonneys anticipate what exactly they look forward to most.  Rick cannot wait to have a large cook’s kitchen with a gas top range and Chrissy is most excited about the smaller details she has put into their new space like rustic wood accents and black and gold fixtures throughout.

Putting our own marks on a beautiful new custom home was a super fun experience but I think we can all agree, PBC can’t wait to see Chrissy’s “marks” on the final product.  She definitely said it best when she told us “It already feels like home and I love that!”  Here’s to many more memories, in a beautiful new space, surrounded by friends and family.

 

 

Renovation Retirement : 17 Years at PBC

 

PBC Design + Build recently celebrated some pretty important people with a fun Sunday afternoon at local favorite Palate Bottle Shop and Reserve.  For years, our office family has been blessed to work with Libby and Maureen Beccarino. These two have been a rock star team providing updated, beautiful spaces to some amazing clients throughout Southeastern North Carolina.  Although known to most as the PBC Renovations Division, they have been so much more to us over the years!

Upon their much-deserved retirement, below is a list of reasons why PBC Design + Build would not have been the same without Team Beccarino…

  • Kyle would never have gotten that first “punch-out job” back in 2002, eventually leaving Dave without a business partner, lonely, and sad.
  • Several plants would have lost their lives over the years, causing periods of oxygen depletion in the office and much slower work production.
  • Bar tabs at company events would have been lower. That said, there is no party like a Beccarino party!
  • Dave or Kyle would have been forced to answer to “Mr. Plantation”.
  • Angela and Libby wouldn’t be nearly as close as they are if it wasn’t for all that quality time spent resetting Lib’s passwords.
  • Maureen may never have received her unofficial title of “Saint” had she not BOTH lived with Libby AND worked with him.
  • Downtown would be missing some beautiful new homes, revitalization, and existing home renovations.
  • Things would have been quieter, laughs would have been fewer, and overall our company just wouldn’t have been the same.

Cheers to the years! We will miss Libby and Maureen tremendously in the day-to-day operations but we know that the friendships won’t end there.  What a wonderful career they have spent building custom homes, performing beautiful renovations,  meeting great friends, and creating happy clients.  Bon Voyage!

Houzz TV: Meet the Builder

You may have caught Dave Spetrino, president of PBC Design+Build, in the latest episode of “My Houzz,” when skateboarder Tony Hawk enlists his help for a special renovation. We talked with Dave to learn more about his building philosophy, where he finds inspiration and his favorite parts of the My Houzz renovation – check out what he had to say below.

What is your building philosophy?

Some days it feels like the world is against you when you’re designing, budgeting and then constructing a home. I know it’s not rocket science or brain surgery but for most clients, what we do for them is about the most money and effort they’ll ever expend. It’s a worthy challenge.

With any project you’re committed to delivering on quality, schedule and budget – all equally important components to a successful project, but never willing to cooperate with one another in reality.

At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself: Is this “place” better because of our hard work? Does it feel good? Are our clients smiling? Am I smiling? Do I deserve a milkshake? As long as the answer continues to be yes, I’ll continue to show up the next day.

Where’s the most unexpected place you’ve found inspiration?

Travel has been a tremendous benefit. I can’t go anywhere without seeing something within the built environment – from any country or century – that doesn’t have an effect on me.

What trend are you most excited about right now?

I’m not much of a ‘gadget guy’ but I am continually impressed with what technology, mobile apps and intuitive features are doing for home building right now. The benefits of technology and the speed with which they are being implemented into construction will continue to benefit our clients, and it’s only getting better and better with time.

The whole point of custom home building is to allow your client to set their dreams in your hands and then trust you to deliver. It’s a serious role to take on and the ability to translate that information into something tangible is an art.

It’s more than features or finishes, what our clients are really asking us for is to guide them, use our knowledge to help them make good decisions, and prevent them from missing an opportunity to do something great.

What do you geek out on when it comes to design/construction?

I am such a sucker for light fixtures. I think they’re the hardest detail to commit to – it’s probably why I push a lot of clients to concealed or can lights and then limit the number of decorative fixtures to the most compelling places within a home to keep them from feeling overwhelmed.

You can set the entire ‘vibe’ of a home with a sconce or chandelier – a light fixture can create a conversation or set the mood as soon as you walk into a space. Light is powerful, and that mode of delivery cannot be understated.

What is one of your design secrets/ tricks?

There are always a couple of “cheats” where we seem to get more from a design without having to put too much of our budget toward a feature. This usually comes from our designer who will choose a special element within the design and celebrate it. Sometimes it’s well defined symmetry or an interior connection that extends to the exterior. Other times it’s just the use of a detail that has meaning to our owners.

Basically, the secret is just being thoughtful about how your client may better appreciate a space well after you’ve moved on to the next project. That’s really the best way to leave your ‘mark.’

What’s your favorite building or space in the world?

Maybe it’s my lust for travel or a nostalgia of sorts but I love train stations. New, old, repurposed into a museum, I can’t get enough of these iconic buildings. The ceiling heights, ornamentation, the elegant organization of moving people from space to space within a building, I’m continually transported in both space and time!

Going to Omaha? Visit the Durham. Going to Paris? Don’t miss the Orsay!

What did you enjoy most about this particular project?

We loved meeting the family. They were amazing in all the right ways.

They trusted this specific process (move out and don’t ask questions!) and they were genuinely grateful and truly overwhelmed at the reveal.

Kerry’s reaction was the best! It was the moment where “it all came together.” It is an amazing feeling to make a difference in someone’s life and the joy from Kerry permeated to everything. It really is unlike anything we’ve ever done before professionally and it felt good to be a part of that happiness.

But don’t get me wrong, meeting Tony Hawk was incredible! He is so cool. Did I mention Tony and I are friends?

What is your favorite element in the space from this project?

There are some really cool features within Brad and Kerry’s home that became the ‘bookends’ for the renovation. In many ways the farm table became the centerpiece for the whole house – not just as a piece of furniture but in what it represented to the family as the centerpiece for the way they live.

Also, the ability to re-purpose some of the existing elements. The reclaimed wood and the sliding barn doors within the new living room. I love seeing ‘something old and something new’ in such a personal project like this.

Chrissy Bonney, our Interior Designer at PBC, was completely in tune with Kerry’s vibe. The family spends a lot of time together and the house was somewhat disjointed; an open concept was introduced to allow the main living area flow easily into the kitchen.

When you’re not designing, where can you be found?

I really enjoy being on the move, traveling and exploring new places. A lot of our adventures start with the need to see a historical building or even a compelling neighborhood. It’s not just to experience the architecture, I love seeing how other communities (or cultures) live, manage or adapt to their environment

 

Houzz TV: Meet the Builder