West Michgan Chapter of U.S. Green Building Council

Today along with our friend at West Michigan Hybrid Homes we joined the West Michigan Chapter of U.S. Green Building Council. The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is a community of more than 6,900 organizations from every sector of the building industry united by a common purpose: to transform the building marketplace to sustainability. USGBC's more than 80...

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Alliance for Environmental Sustainability

Today along with our friends at West Michigan Hybrid Homes, we became a business member of the Alliance for Environmental Sustainability, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, was founded in 2000 as a vehicle to bring the residential construction industry into the 21st-century. The goal of the founders was to provide training to builders and homebuyers for environmentally friendly, healthy and energy...

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Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association

Yesterday Image Design became a business member of the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association. We traveled with Adam Bearup of West Mighigan Hyrid Homes to there annual membership meeting in Ann Arbor at Leopold Brothers Brewery an organic brewery. The Renewable Energy Association (GLREA) is a non-profit organization that educates, advocates, promotes, and publicly demonstrates renewable energy...

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Kelsey Wood Spec House

The Spec House for Kelsey Wood in Ionia is about to start! We are really excited about this project. We are building on Unit #13, it has a beautiful view of the 3rd hole green and the 4th hole tee on Shadow Ridge golf course. This is a really must see spec house for Ionia. There is a awsome team of people involved with this project. Adam Bearup from West Michigan Hybrid Homes is one of the leading...

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Fall Parade Wins Peoples Choice Awards!

We just found out today from the Home Builders Association of Greater Grand Rapids that our Fall Parade of Homes House with Scott Bronkema Builders won the People’s Choice Award for Best Kitchen, Best Interior Elements, and Best Exterior Elements. The Peoples Choice Awards are designed to honor the outstanding achievements in new home construction, as well as to encourage and generate new ideas...

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Some Interesting Facts

Some interesting facts we hope you consider when making your energy decisions from our friends at Bauer Power.7 Billion Tons of CO2 is emitted into the atmosphere from the United States every year. The average American household emits 15 Tons of CO2 annually, half of which comes from the energy needs of our homes.We burn 400% more gas and coal then we need to because 73% of all power generated from US power plants gets lost in transmission.If every American household (100 million homes) changed...

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Fisk Lake Demo Starts Today!

The Demolition of a existing home on Fisk Lake in East Grand Rapids Michigan took place today. To make way for a 1.9 million dollar spec house by JLR Builders, LLC. This home will have the look and feel as though its allways been there! There will be leaded and stained glass thruout the Home from Pristine Glass Company along with a custom entry door by Clearlite Window Company....

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Sable Lake Remodel Starts!

We have a interesting remodel on Sable Lake in Irons Michigan starting. We will be using ICF's and SIP panels to remodel this cottage. Our clients chose to use West Michigan Hybrid Homes for the contractor for this project after seeing the extensive work they have done with ICF's. You'll be able to see the progress of the remodel from West Michigan Hybrid Homes web-site my chicking on Sable lake above. We hope you will all enjoy watching this remode...

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FQA for a Residential Designer

Many people planning to build a new home or makeover an older home are often surprised when asked if they have plans for their project. While a contractor may be able to draw a simple set of building plans, residential designers are experienced specialists who are trained to use space most efficiently and educated in all the newest trends and products available.They not only design your project from scratch, but also spend time with each client to determine their specific needs, lifestyles, priorities...

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What is Organic Architecture

The term "Organic Architecture" was invented by the great architect, Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959)."So here I stand before you preaching organic architecture: declaring organic architecture to be the modern ideal and the teaching so much needed if we are to see the whole of life, and to now serve the whole of life, holding no traditions essential to the great TRADITION. Nor cherishing any preconceived form fixing upon us either past, present or future, but instead exalting the simple laws of common...

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Frank LLoyd Wrights "Organic Commandmments"

Image Design has long been inspired by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. The "organic commandments" are an integral part of our life....

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10 Easy Ways to Be Earth-Friendly in Your Own Home

1. Use ceiling fans in the summer and winter. By reversing the direction of the blades, warm air is pushed down, helping to keep rooms warm in winter.2. Buy ENERGY STAR®-rated appliances. Compared to a 1990 model, an ENERGY STAR-qualified refrigerator would save enough electricity to light a home for more than four-and-a-half months.3. Repair leaky fixtures: one drop per second from a leaky faucet can waste as much as 10 gallons of water each week.4. Install low-flow showerheads, faucets, and toilets...

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What is Lifetime Design?

Lifetime Design ( universal design, barrier free) is a set of specification that, when applied to a home plan, will create a home that can be lived in and visited by persons with mobility limitations. As a past chair of the lifetime design committee at our local home builders association we set up these basic design criteria for making your home lifetime design.Accessible entrances and main floor doorways must be at least 36 inches wide with at least one zero step entrance.Main floor hallways must...

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Architectural Influences

The organic architecture of E. Fay Jones, Frank LLoyd Wright where all early influences in my life thanks to my Uncle Marshall Purvis who studied under E. Fay Jones at the University of Arkansas's school of architecture. Although my uncle never became an architect due to a automobile accident his senior year in collage which left him a quadriplegic he remained friends with Jones and was very active...

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Benefits of Insulated Concrete Forms

As Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) gain in popularity with builders and architects. Homeowner need to know more about there benefits. Listed below are some impressive homeowner benefits of ICFs that you should know about :Strength: ICF walls benefit from concrete's inherent structural qualities, particularly important in regions affected by severe weather. A reinforced concrete monolithic concrete wall offers far superior strength and safety when compared to wood construction.Lower Utility Bills:...

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Green Building and Green Design

Image Design, LLC is proud to be working on several Green Designed homes and remodels all of which are using ECO-Block insulated concrete forms (ICFs) for the walls and structural insulated panels (SIPs) for the roofs. We proud to be working with West Michigan premier ICF builders West Michigan Hybrid Homes. Green building and Green Design ( is fast becoming the way to build here in Michigan. What is "green building"? Green Building is the industry buzz word for environmentally friendly, responsible,...

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New Developments

Image Design, LLC is working with developers on several interesting new residential developments. One in Ionia called Kelsey Woods a 31 site development on Shadow Ridge golf course. 15 of the lot are on the course and the other 16 lot are wooded and extremely nice. I think its one of Ionia nicest new developments. Another development were working on is in the Traverse City area on the Leelanau peninsula...

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2006 Fall Parade of Homes

2006 Fall Parade of homes was a success we had two homes on the parade this time. Our Craftsman Style was with Arlington Homes, LLC and our Prairie Style was with Scott Bronkema Builders again. We are proud to have provide architectural design services to these two talented builders. Our parade house with Scott Bronkema builders is entered in the People's Choice Awards this program gives the public...

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Favorite Web Blog

Check out my favorite web blog PrairieMod its about Modern Prairie Style homes. It's PrairieMod's self-described mission to show that the ideas and ideals expressed over a century ago by the Prairie School and in the case of what Frank Lloyd Wright refined and matured over his 70 year career, can and should be studied, experienced and adopted for our modern world. Those notions of craftsmanship,...

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2006 Spring Parade of Homes

The 2006 Spring Parade of Homes was a success with Scott Bronkema Builders. We had people from all over the state come to see this Prairie Style home. Almost everyone had great comments with a large number saying this was there favorite parade house. The home won the SMC awards for Best kitchen design $250,001 to $300,000 and Best site harmony $250,001 to $300,000.The home sat on a narrow site with...

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Image Designs new Web Blog

Welcome too Image Design, LLC new web blog. This is a place for Image Design client and friends to view and post comments about our work. We are currently working on a website to show all of our services and work. So if you would like more information on our firm please email u...

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