Sticker SHOCK after 1st Design Center Visit

irvinehomeowner said:
raisingboys said:
So the standard is thermafoil and not white painted wood? In a $1.x+ new home in The Groves?

That doesn't sound like "luxury" to me.
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"What is luxury?"  It's all relative.  To be clear, buying a new home is a luxury for others, whether it's with thermafoil or not.  Don't be a hater, drive outside your hood and take a breath of humility.  ;)
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I didn't market The Groves in OH as "luxury" homes... TIC did.

If you're buying in the low to high million range... the expectation is more than just thermofoil... but then again... I also expect more than just a 2-car garage and a single downstairs living space at that price.

Humility is for Northpark buyers. :)
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Dig up the marketing for NP, I'm sure it was sold as luxury as well.
I've seen resale there as high as $1.7M range with thermafoil. 

Maybe luxury is truly in the eye of the beholder.  #deepthoughts #cerealboxphilosophy

 
O Hills said:
Dig up the marketing for NP, I'm sure it was sold as luxury as well.
I've seen resale there as high as $1.7M range with thermafoil. 

Maybe luxury is truly in the eye of the beholder.  #deepthoughts #cerealboxphilosophy
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I toured NP when they first opened... I don't recall the word "luxury" being bandied about but I could be wrong.

Actually... thermofoil is a good product in regards to moisture resistance (which kitchens and baths have a lot of) but the old thermofoil of days past has a bad reputation for peeling (not so much now).

In regards to "luxury", real wood tends to go better with that term... but there are some people who think thermofoil is superior and is actually not that much cheaper than wood. Even some "wood" cabinets are really MDF with wood veneers.

Back when I was looking at $1m+ homes in the late 2000s, I don't remember any that was "default" thermofoil... back then, the trend was darker cabinets so all the builders used a dark walnut wood cabinet as their "included" choice (at that time we still liked white and the "upgrade" was either thermofoil white or painted white wood).

Nowadays, I don't see why "luxury" builders would use thermofoil over wood in the kitchen, that's like making the default countertops laminate or 4x4 white tiles. But that's just my non-expert opinion... and that doesn't mean I don't like it (as I said, I prefer white cabinets)... it's just a strange choice because I don't think white painted wood cabinets are that much more expensive than thermofoil yet have more a "cachet" of being "real" wood.
 
Most (all?) builders offer real wood as standard in a light to dark stain.  But, white cabinetry as standard will be thermafoil.  You have to upgrade to get real wood in a white paint or glaze.

There's nothing functionally wrong with thermafoil, just looks and feels cheap to me.  And peeling is always a concern especially near the range and sink.  Personally, I love the look of white cabinetry, really brightens up the kitchen and is classic.  Just a shame that it's so expensive to upgrade to real wood in white.
 
raisingboys said:
"What is luxury?"  It's all relative.  To be clear, buying a new home is a luxury for others, whether it's with thermafoil or not.  Don't be a hater, drive outside your hood and take a breath of humility.  ;)
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c306a46c20498ae3e68e3bc04365556a4b714bd8008c52780f91addc8b9b1767.jpg
 
Thanks for everyones' input re: thermafoil.

Question about the height of the fireplace.

Standard vs. higher?  To me, it's uncomfortable to watch TV with a higher fireplace with a TV on top of the mantle.  But a higher fireplace looks more proportion to the new homes' higher ceilings and creates a longer visual effect.  (Please correct me if I'm wrong)

We don't necessarily have to have a TV in the great room...at least for now while the kids are young.  I wonder if teenagers prefer a TV in the living room and/or when their friends come over? 

Any input appreciated.
 
raisingboys said:
Question about the height of the fireplace.

Standard vs. higher?  To me, it's uncomfortable to watch TV with a higher fireplace with a TV on top of the mantle.  But a higher fireplace looks more proportion to the new homes' higher ceilings and creates a longer visual effect.  (Please correct me if I'm wrong)

We don't necessarily have to have a TV in the great room...at least for now while the kids are young.  I wonder if teenagers prefer a TV in the living room and/or when their friends come over? 

Any input appreciated.
Click to expand...
You'll get some dissenting opinions on this.  But, what is not in dispute is that the proper height to mount a TV for ergonomic viewing is with the middle of the TV at eye level in a normal seated position.  It also provides the viewer with the best picture quality due to off axis degradation inherent in LCD TVs, which is what most TVs are these days.

I actually hate TVs over the fireplace, but understand that it's sometimes the only reasonable location in the great room.  I have deleted the standard fireplace in a previous home and asked for a builder credit, which the builder declined to give.  I still deleted it.  Fireplaces are decorative in SoCal, almost nobody uses them.

If I had to choose a fireplace, and there was no option to delete it, I would probably choose the shorter, wider fireplace, but those are more modern in appearance and can clash with decor.  Love outdoor fireplaces where ppl can hang out, kids can make smores.  Hate indoor fireplaces where they serve no purpose in temperate SoCal.

Can you mount the TV on another wall?
 
OCgasman said:
raisingboys said:
Question about the height of the fireplace.

Standard vs. higher?  To me, it's uncomfortable to watch TV with a higher fireplace with a TV on top of the mantle.  But a higher fireplace looks more proportion to the new homes' higher ceilings and creates a longer visual effect.  (Please correct me if I'm wrong)

We don't necessarily have to have a TV in the great room...at least for now while the kids are young.  I wonder if teenagers prefer a TV in the living room and/or when their friends come over? 

Any input appreciated.
Click to expand...
You'll get some dissenting opinions on this.  But, what is not in dispute is that the proper height to mount a TV for ergonomic viewing is with the middle of the TV at eye level in a normal seated position.  It also provides the viewer with the best picture quality due to off axis degradation inherent in LCD TVs, which is what most TVs are these days.

I actually hate TVs over the fireplace, but understand that it's sometimes the only reasonable location in the great room.  I have deleted the standard fireplace in a previous home and asked for a builder credit, which the builder declined to give.  I still deleted it.  Fireplaces are decorative in SoCal, almost nobody uses them.

If I had to choose a fireplace, and there was no option to delete it, I would probably choose the shorter, wider fireplace, but those are more modern in appearance and can clash with decor.  Love outdoor fireplaces where ppl can hang out, kids can make smores.  Hate indoor fireplaces where they serve no purpose in temperate SoCal.

Can you mount the TV on another wall?
Click to expand...

I've always wanted a TV over the fireplace, but you raise some concerns I hadn't considered.  #thanksalot
 
O Hills said:
OCgasman said:
raisingboys said:
Question about the height of the fireplace.

Standard vs. higher?  To me, it's uncomfortable to watch TV with a higher fireplace with a TV on top of the mantle.  But a higher fireplace looks more proportion to the new homes' higher ceilings and creates a longer visual effect.  (Please correct me if I'm wrong)

We don't necessarily have to have a TV in the great room...at least for now while the kids are young.  I wonder if teenagers prefer a TV in the living room and/or when their friends come over? 

Any input appreciated.
Click to expand...
You'll get some dissenting opinions on this.  But, what is not in dispute is that the proper height to mount a TV for ergonomic viewing is with the middle of the TV at eye level in a normal seated position.  It also provides the viewer with the best picture quality due to off axis degradation inherent in LCD TVs, which is what most TVs are these days.

I actually hate TVs over the fireplace, but understand that it's sometimes the only reasonable location in the great room.  I have deleted the standard fireplace in a previous home and asked for a builder credit, which the builder declined to give.  I still deleted it.  Fireplaces are decorative in SoCal, almost nobody uses them.

If I had to choose a fireplace, and there was no option to delete it, I would probably choose the shorter, wider fireplace, but those are more modern in appearance and can clash with decor.  Love outdoor fireplaces where ppl can hang out, kids can make smores.  Hate indoor fireplaces where they serve no purpose in temperate SoCal.

Can you mount the TV on another wall?
Click to expand...

I've always wanted a TV over the fireplace, but you raise some concerns I hadn't considered.  #thanksalot
Click to expand...

TVs never belong above a fireplace.  You can always tell a noob when you walk into their place and see a TV above the fireplace.  Electronics love the heat yo!
 
test said:
O Hills said:
OCgasman said:
raisingboys said:
Question about the height of the fireplace.

Standard vs. higher?  To me, it's uncomfortable to watch TV with a higher fireplace with a TV on top of the mantle.  But a higher fireplace looks more proportion to the new homes' higher ceilings and creates a longer visual effect.  (Please correct me if I'm wrong)

We don't necessarily have to have a TV in the great room...at least for now while the kids are young.  I wonder if teenagers prefer a TV in the living room and/or when their friends come over? 

Any input appreciated.
Click to expand...
You'll get some dissenting opinions on this.  But, what is not in dispute is that the proper height to mount a TV for ergonomic viewing is with the middle of the TV at eye level in a normal seated position.  It also provides the viewer with the best picture quality due to off axis degradation inherent in LCD TVs, which is what most TVs are these days.

I actually hate TVs over the fireplace, but understand that it's sometimes the only reasonable location in the great room.  I have deleted the standard fireplace in a previous home and asked for a builder credit, which the builder declined to give.  I still deleted it.  Fireplaces are decorative in SoCal, almost nobody uses them.

If I had to choose a fireplace, and there was no option to delete it, I would probably choose the shorter, wider fireplace, but those are more modern in appearance and can clash with decor.  Love outdoor fireplaces where ppl can hang out, kids can make smores.  Hate indoor fireplaces where they serve no purpose in temperate SoCal.

Can you mount the TV on another wall?
Click to expand...

I've always wanted a TV over the fireplace, but you raise some concerns I hadn't considered.  #thanksalot
Click to expand...

TVs never belong above a fireplace.  You can always tell a noob when you walk into their place and see a TV above the fireplace.  Electronics love the heat yo!
Click to expand...

I guess that could be a problem if you actually use the fireplace and have an older constructed home.  (Like a relic in NP  ;) )
But in new construction, fireplaces are really just gas appliances that vent out several feet beneath where you'd hang the TV.
So, I could be wrong, but I dont think you'd get heat damage to your TV above the fireplace in a newly constructed home.
 
Good post Test. Can you dig up one with Hospital bed to justify the high TV viewing angle above the firebox. Those hospital recliners have all kinds of plugs for gadgets and even a button for the wife to bring beer and pizza.
 
You guys are awesome!  This is definitely a great way to help make decisions, with a variety of viewpoints offered.

Make baby #3 OR get a dog?  Just kidding!  Neither please.  ;D
 
The other problem with an above fireplace only mount is no flexibility. I can wall mount our TV but I prefer it on a console because:

1. It has drawers and shelves for my cable box, PS3, BRs and remotes.
2. I didn't have to mount my soundbar.
3. It hides the cables/cords.
4. The console looks nice. :)
5. It can hold up to an 80" TV without having to remount.

Where do you put all that stuff? On your fireplace mantle (and some don't even have a mantle)?

Even with the wall mounted TV in our master, I had to buy a small shelf unit to put all the accoutrements (French spelling? :) ) on.
 
here is our tv, 70 inch vizio. 4 ft 4inches off of the floor. the front of the couch is 12 ft away from the  TV so we dont have to look up since we are far enough away from the tv

25s92sx.jpg
 
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