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MOSS’ Community Relations team is always looking for different ways to make a difference. Most community outreach events occur in conjunction with the school year so our summer is a challenge for our team to find sponsorship options.

Beginning a few years ago, we began to look into supporting local area swim teams — what a great way to help community families and to encourage staying healthy and active over the summer. Plus, being in the water during these incredibly HOT days makes everything better! 

For 2018, we expanded our support to several different teams, and are so glad we did. We want to wish all the swimmers at the following community pools a successful July and to most of all, be safe in the water: Pinecrest Piranhas (Herndon), Stratford Sharks (Alexandria), and the Water Wizards of Kings Ridge (Fairfax). 

If you’d like to learn more about MOSS and our community relations efforts, please contact our Community Relations Manager, Jenn Zschunke, at jzschunke@mossbuildinganddesign.com. For a free estimate for your home remodeling needs or to learn more about MOSS, contact us. 

Kitchen backsplashes have morphed from the practical designs of old to statement pieces in your kitchen. Backsplashes are meant to protect walls from spills and are now a way to express your design style.

Backsplashes are comprised of a variety of materials (glass, tile, wood, metal, and stone) and take on many different design styles, from the classic subway tile to a more intricate basketweave or herringbone pattern. Our favorite kitchen backsplash styles, designed by Moss Building & Design, highlight the range of options you have when remodeling your kitchen.

Backsplash Wows Behind Gas Ranges

This gorgeous kitchen backsplash in Oakton, Virginia, is the main focal point of the room. Behind the Wolf Pro-Style Gas Range, the backsplash is made of a beautiful pattern of interlocking white and brown Hirsch glass tile mosaic.

For a tile close-up, see below.

Glass Backsplashes Accentuate Modern Kitchens

In this contemporary-style Arlington, Virginia, kitchen, the dark and light interlocking glass tile backsplash beautifully complements the darker maple-chocolate cabinets and Whitney from Cambria countertops.

Another example of glass tile appears in this Fairfax, Virginia, kitchen. The Moscato Glass tile from Mosaic Tile runs horizontally around the kitchen with a ⅓-offset pattern, while a colorful Linea Glass Mosaic accent tile makes the backsplash wall stand out with vertical tile running behind the range up to the ceiling.

This very bright, fresh, and white McLean, Virginia, kitchen remodel also features ⅓-offset glass tile. The pattern gives a modern feel to the traditional subway-style look by moving the offset placement a third of the way instead of halfway through the tile.

Traditional Travertine Is A Long-Lasting Favorite

You can’t go wrong with a traditional look. This McLean, Virginia, kitchen in a traditional white design has a classy and polished pearl-toned Travertine backsplash to match the cabinets. The ming-green basketweave-patterned accent feature behind the range adds a nice pop of color. The blue-green accent creates a soothing atmosphere while you cook.

According to the National Association of the Remodeling Industry, mixing unique colors and patterns (including basketweave) into your kitchen remodel is very trendy for 2018.

This Herndon, Virginia, remodel also goes the traditional route in the Dore Royal Tumbled Travertine used throughout the kitchen. The backsplash above the range matches the rest of the horizontal bricks between the cabinets. An oiled bronze-colored tile frames the accent with four Fleur De Lis decorative squares in the corners.

Stone Makes A Statement

If glass and Travertine aren’t your design style, up your backsplash game with a very unique stone look. In this rustic Reston, Virginia kitchen, the homeowners opted to make their backsplash a whole accent wall with beautiful natural stone.

Natural Stone In Bold Patterns Shows Personality

For a more colorful look, this Centreville, Virginia, home used a combination of Mosaic Tile natural stone Centaur brick as the main tile pattern and an Oracle Braids accent border.

For more inspiration and to find your kitchen backsplash style, check out these 45 Kitchen Backsplashes on HGTV and browse our Ideabook on Houzz.

Interested in learning more about a home remodel of your own? Email MOSS at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com or call us at 703.961.7707.

Are you experiencing low water pressure? What about random coughing fits in your home?

Believe it or not, these could be signs that your home heating and cooling system needs maintenance right away. Here’s a list of more common warning signs from Moss Building & Design in Northern Virginia:

Your air conditioner isn’t working.

There’s nothing worse than sweltering heat in the middle of July and no air conditioning in your home. It could be a simple fix like plugging it in again or troubleshooting the thermostat.

However, it could be a bigger problem. What if there’s a faulty part? Did an outdoor critter chew through the wires? Is the air filter clogged? Did the circuit breaker trip after a summer storm? Is your garden too close to the unit?

If your A/C unit is having problems this summer, it may need some maintenance from a MOSS professional in Northern Virginia.

You don’t have warm water.

After you’ve been doing yardwork or were out at your kid’s soccer tournament all day, a shower sounds great — until you don’t have any hot water.

This is likely a boiler problem, which requires HVAC maintenance (or repair or replacement, depending on how bad the problem is).

Other common signs of boiler problems include the following:

• The pilot light keeps going out.
• You hear banging or kettling, which sounds like a stovetop kettle going off.
• You lose water pressure in the shower and faucets.
• You have thermostat issues, such as less accurate readings, misread temperature settings, and an HVAC system that turns on and off by itself.
• The boiler is leaking or dripping.
• The radiator isn’t hot.

You have a high heating or cooling bill.

Opening a bill is never fun, especially when it’s way higher than you thought it was going to be. What gives?!

Turns out, it could be a lack of HVAC maintenance that caused your bill to skyrocket. Not caring for your home heating and cooling system can lead to weak or damaged insulation, leaky ductwork, an out-of-date furnace, thermostat issues, and faulty window ventilation.

When these parts don’t work well, heat and cool air escape from your home, which means you turn it up (thinking that it’s not enough) and your money flies out of your wallet.

Your allergies are so bad.

You might notice that this year’s allergies are worse than ever. It could be due to the increase of pollen or ragweed in your area, but it could also be because the air filter isn’t working.

An air filter is meant to catch microscopic allergens and pathogens, which are particles of triggering germs that you cannot see. If the air filter is too full or ripped, these allergens escape and worsen your symptoms.

This is worse if you live in a home with excess dust, hair, smoke, or pet dander. Sorry, pups!

To stop sneezing and rubbing your watery eyes, replace the air filter and call a professional for regular HVAC maintenance.

When it comes to keeping your home clean and your family happy and healthy, HVAC maintenance should be taken seriously. If you don’t put effort toward this semiannual chore, appliances will break, bills will skyrocket, and allergies will worsen.

Put it on your refrigerator, garage door, or family corkboard! If you need help with this chore, call Moss Building & Design in Northern Virginia at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com for information on our HVAC Service Agreements.

This uniquely built, round house in Oakton, Virginia, presented design challenges that the MOSS team adeptly navigated with a modern touch to make it more updated and usable for the homeowners. Modern updates can be seen throughout the house with the use of gray and white paint, new hardwood flooring, the creation of ensuite bathrooms, and a general opening up of dead space.

MOSS’ team of interior designers, project managers, and skilled carpenters completely reconfigured the living areas and applied new paint and flooring throughout the house in a renovation timeline of only seven months. This room, for example, was transformed from drab living space to a fabulous guest room ensuite bathroom.

The exterior of the home also went through a transition from its original dark brown color to white with James Hardie siding. A new roof was also installed.

Living Room Remodel

The living room was given a much-needed face lift with replacement floor-to-ceiling windows, featuring stunning 17-foot by 5-foot pieces of glass; new, modern wide-plank hardwood floor; and an updated staircase. The existing frame of the circular staircase was kept in place, but the MOSS team installed new treads and rails to give it a fresh look. An updated orb light fixture and the removal of brick and wood paneling ornamentation completed the remodel.

Kitchen Remodel

The kitchen layout was completely reconfigured, and the homeowner and MOSS team didn’t shy away from moving and removing walls. To open up the space, the team took out a large stone cooktop island, changed the location of the staircase that descends into the living room, and removed a wall between the living and dining rooms. The homeowner chose to mix light and dark colors with classic white Stonebridge by Hampshire, semi-custom cabinets, a unique wood range hood, and a dark wood island. Stainless steel appliances and orb light fixtures complement the modern look.

Master Bathroom Remodel

Another hallmark of this remodel is the master bath. The rectangular, white Wyndham Collection acrylic, freestanding soaking tub is eye-catching along with the vertical brick-pattern Travertini tile that extends from the shower and onto the entire wall behind the tub. Similar to the kitchen, this room blends light and dark colors beautifully with Kraftmaid Cabinetry for a blended look.

See more of this fabulous, whole-house transformation by visiting our photo gallery on Houzz. Then, check out another stunning Before and After profile of a McLean, VA remodeled home.

Want to learn more about a home remodel of your own? Don’t hesitate to contact us at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com.

If you think completing an entire home remodel is daunting, this remodel completed by Moss Building & Design, Northern Virginia’s top remodeler, will have you awestruck.

This uniquely built, round house in Oakton, Virginia, presented design challenges that the MOSS team adeptly navigated with a modern touch to make it more updated and usable for the homeowners. Modern updates can be seen throughout the house with the use of gray and white paint, new hardwood flooring, the creation of ensuite bathrooms, and a general opening up of dead space.

MOSS’ team of interior designers, project managers, and skilled carpenters completely reconfigured the living areas and applied new paint and flooring throughout the house in a renovation timeline of only seven months. This room, for example, was transformed from drab living space to a fabulous guest room ensuite bathroom.

The exterior of the home also went through a transition from its original dark brown color to white with James Hardie siding. A new roof was also installed.

Living Room Remodel

The living room was given a much-needed face lift with replacement floor-to-ceiling windows, featuring stunning 17-foot by 5-foot pieces of glass; new, modern wide-plank hardwood floor; and an updated staircase. The existing frame of the circular staircase was kept in place, but the MOSS team installed new treads and rails to give it a fresh look. An updated orb light fixture and the removal of brick and wood paneling ornamentation completed the remodel.

Kitchen Remodel

The kitchen layout was completely reconfigured, and the homeowner and MOSS team didn’t shy away from moving and removing walls. To open up the space, the team took out a large stone cooktop island, changed the location of the staircase that descends into the living room, and removed a wall between the living and dining rooms. The homeowner chose to mix light and dark colors with classic white Stonebridge by Hampshire, semi-custom cabinets, a unique wood range hood, and a dark wood island. Stainless steel appliances and orb light fixtures complement the modern look.

Master Bathroom Remodel

Another hallmark of this remodel is the master bath. The rectangular, white Wyndham Collection acrylic, freestanding soaking tub is eye-catching along with the vertical brick-pattern Travertini tile that extends from the shower and onto the entire wall behind the tub. Similar to the kitchen, this room blends light and dark colors beautifully with Kraftmaid Cabinetry for a blended look.

See more of this fabulous, whole-house transformation by visiting our photo gallery on Houzz. Then, check out another stunning Before and After profile of a McLean, VA remodeled home.

Want to learn more about a home remodel of your own? Don’t hesitate to contact us at 703.961.7707 or email us at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com.

Floors. Walls. Backsplashes.

What do they have in common? These days, more than you can imagine.

At Moss Building & Design, we’re always keeping a finger on the pulse of design trends in home remodeling, and one thing that we’ve noticed is the use of tile that looks like wood. Whether it’s porcelain or LVT (luxury vinyl tile), the wood-look trend is everywhere these days. 

Using Porcelain Tile In Your Remodel

In this gorgeous bathroom in Vienna, Virginia, our client truly embraced this trend for their floors and shower walls. Using porcelain tile that looks incredibly like hardwood, the design and use of this tile showcases our client’s taste and decor style. It stunningly creates a calming, almost outdoorsy backdrop feeling for anyone who uses the bathroom or shower.

Remodeling With Luxury Vinyl Tile (LVT)

Another trend that’s being used a great deal, especially on floors that are heavily used, is Luxury Vinyl Tile, better known as LVT. Coming in a range of colors, this tile bears a striking resemblance to hardwood and is incredibly durable.

In addition, it’s affordable. If you think about your family and kitchen, an LVT floor is an option to consider, as it’s impervious to water damage unlike actual hardwood flooring. 

Tile Size & Shape Options

The great part about choosing a wood-like tile, whether porcelain or LVT, is that options vary. Choose panel shapes, single vinyl sheets, or parquet sized pieces. Installation is relatively simple, and within a few days, you have an entirely new look to your remodel. 

Educate Yourself Before Remodeling

Wood-look flooring burst onto the scene with a force, but remember that not all tile is created equal. Knowing what you want for your floor, walls, or backsplash is wonderful, but if you need more ideas and are interested in seeing options, here’s a good article.

It dives into the details involved with the range of options on today’s market. Take the time to educate yourself and really understand the choices available. 

Interested in learning more about a home remodel of your own? Email MOSS at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com or call us at 703.961.7707.

At Moss Building & Design, we strive to work with our clients’ personal tastes to design the remodel of their dreams. Additionally, we constantly study up to stay on top of design trends. One trend that we’ve seen a lot of lately is faux brick in backsplashes and other walls.

Many ways to implement this trend exist, from grout choice to wallpaper, so we thought we’d deep-dive into this trend and share how to achieve this chic look.

Use Dark Grout To Create Contrast

This MOSS kitchen remodel in McLean, Virginia, is a fantastic example of utilizing the faux brick trend. Our designer helped our client choose a standard white subway tile but used grey grout to make the grout lines more prominent and to bring out the shape of the individual tiles.

By installing the tiles all the way to the ceiling, the faux brick look is fully achieved. 

Brick Veneer

Installing brick veneer is another popular way to achieve the look of vintage exposed brick walls. These steps are very similar to installing regular backsplash, and the look is truly authentic. Check out this brick veneer wall and the steps involved, courtesy of Dengarden.

Faux Brick Paneling 

Another do-it-yourself method for updating your backsplash is to utilize faux brick paneling. The steps include cutting the paneling to cover your current backsplash and then, in many cases, whitewashing the paneling to give it the look and feel of white painted brick.

It’s a stunning transformation that really adds to any farmhouse chic renovation. Check out the steps and an example image courtesy of Remodelaholic. 

Faux Brick Wallpaper

The final, and most temporary way, to update your kitchen backsplash, is to utilize faux brick wallpaper. Yes, the peel-and-stick kind! Easy to install and inexpensive (and also, easy to remove, which is a huge plus), faux brick wallpaper is found at many online retailers. 

So many options are available to achieve the faux brick trend. If you’d like to learn more about this trend or about a home remodel, don’t hesitate to contact us at Hello@mossbuildinganddesign.com or at 703.961.7707. 

Many homeowners don’t know a lot about HVAC, and that’s OK! Moss Building & Design in Northern Virginia offers special heating and cooling services to help you out, and we’re breaking down the importance of this necessity in your home.

Avoid safety issues and home damage.

Properly functioning control panels, safety devices, and other HVAC components are essential for every heating and cooling appliance. The only way to ensure everything is in check is through regular HVAC maintenance, testing, and inspection from Moss Building & Design in Northern Virginia.

Save money on your monthly energy bill.

If you want to save money on your monthly home energy bill, it’s best to invest in proper maintenance and care, especially because most HVAC problems don’t occur suddenly. They develop slowly over a period of time, such as corrosion in the boiler or a super clogged air filter.

This is especially important during the summer. For example, as an air conditioner wears down from use, it consumes more energy as it cools your home. Maintenance slows the aging process and helps the system retain most of its energy efficiency.

If you keep up with HVAC maintenance each year, your air conditioner should only lose around 5 percent of its efficiency over its entire service life, rather than lose 5 percent every year.

Abide by state and city inspection rules.

More improvements are being made to residential HVAC regulations, especially boilers. The Boiler Safety Compliance Division of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry “enforces and oversees the provisions of the Boiler and Pressure Vessel Safety Act.

The primary objective is to protect life and property through regular inspections of boiler and pressure vessel equipment and to ensure compliance with state laws, rules and regulations governing the construction, installation, operation, maintenance, and repair of boilers and pressure vessels.”

Regular HVAC maintenance of boilers ensures that you abide by state (and city) inspection, operation, repair, and other regulations, which keeps your family safe and healthy and your home warm.

Extend the life of your heating and cooling equipment.

Regular HVAC maintenance doesn’t mean only scheduling a professional for a maintenance visit or sign up for a maintenance agreement (though, it is helpful). Regular HVAC maintenance also means performing do-it-yourself tasks to keep your heating and cooling equipment running efficiently in-between visits.

Here are a few tips on performing DIY maintenance tasks for your home HVAC system:

• Run it often. Run your appliances every week in order to keep each component from going rusty. It’s especially important to perform this routine during the summer, so cold-weather appliances (like your heater and ductwork) are ready for winter.

• Look for warning signs. Pay special attention to unfamiliar, odd noises and marks around your heating and cooling equipment. This helps you identify any possible problems with the equipment, so you can schedule timely repair.

• Check the ventilation. If your heating and/or cooling equipment is in a closed, compact area, keep it as clutter-free as possible. HVAC equipment needs a lot of ventilation to work in its best condition, and you can help by keeping it clean and clear.

By extending the life of your equipment, you’ll spend less on repairs and replacement parts, which means more money to spend on your dream home!

If you’re looking to learn more about the benefits of regular HVAC maintenance, sign up for MOSS’ new HVAC Service Agreement.

To see how Moss Building & Design can help create your dream addition, contact us at 703.961.7707 or Hello@MossBuildingandDesign.com.

With graduation season winding down and Father’s Day approaching fast, I’ve found myself thinking about grads and dads a lot. What do both have in common?

Their love of the outdoors and eating pizza, of course! If you’re looking for the perfect gift for the graduate, dad, or father figure in your life, think about an outdoor pizza oven or fire pit to really light up their summer plans.

Designing Your Outdoor Space

Think about where you want to establish a cooking or fire pit space in your backyard. A little remodeling may be necessary, particularly if you don’t want to build a pizza oven base yourself.

All sorts of structures, from simple to elaborate, should be considered, depending on your interests and budget. This more involved design from Houzz creates a dedicated outdoor kitchen and seating space for your family and guests.