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Absolute Living

SEPTEMBER 2020

BUILDING THE DREAM WITH HOSS HOMES

TIPS TO GET THE WHOLE FAMILY MOVING AT HOME

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK Q&A SESSION WITH SOME OF THE AREAâ€™S BEST INTERIOR DESIGNERS AND DECORATORS

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CONTENTS September/2020

Photography By Gabrielle Cheikh Noel

BUILDING THE DREAM WITH HOSS HOMES

TIPS TO GET THE WHOLE FAMILY MOVING AT HOME

From the Absolute Living family to yours!

IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK Q & A session with some of the area's best interior designers and decorators Volume 14. Issue 08. (#153

@absolutelivingmagazine

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Absolute Living

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TIPS to Get the Whole Family Moving at Home

ith many families stuck at home juggling working remotely, homeschooling and trying to keep everyone happy and healthy, it can be easy to let an otherwise active lifestyle fall by the wayside. Regardless of age, being physically active provides numerous health benefits. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity for adults each week, and 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for kids between the ages of 6-17 each day. Finding ways to move daily can help everyone in the family maintain their health â€“ and prevent them from going stir crazy. Although prioritizing activity in a quarantined environment might be one of the last things on your mind, parents who model healthy behaviors can inspire their kids to do the same.

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When you sweat during family activities, don’t forget to stay hydrated. An option like Propel Flavored Electrolyte Water can help parents replace electrolytes lost in sweat. With zero calories, no sugar, and nine fruit flavors, it can help keep you hydrated and moving at home or outdoors. Consider these tips to keep the whole family motivated and moving – you might be surprised to find that exercise can be fun. Go for a walk or bike ride. Incorporating walks or bike rides into your family’s daily routine can help get everyone moving as well as create quality bonding time. If your family is more on the adventurous side, consider venturing outside your neighborhood to find new trails or rougher terrain to explore nature while getting active. While your annual family vacation might’ve been canceled, there are likely hidden trails within a short drive from home. Take a virtual class. Many fitness instructors and gyms are sharing free classes online designed for the whole family. Simply connect a streaming device to your television and search for virtual classes that

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are geared toward getting families moving, regardless of fitness level. Fitness instructors and studios are also sharing a variety of workouts – from family yoga to dance cardio in various time increments – on social media that you can find by searching various fitness-related hashtags. Play a family game. Playing games together is an old-fashioned way to get the whole family moving and having fun. An activity as simple as tag or racing around the house, or even a game that requires some equipment such as soccer or basketball, can get everyone’s heart rate up. You can even create a fitness deck or activity dice to turn working out into a fun game. Build your own obstacle course. Set out hoops, pillows, rope, ladders, cardboard boxes and other items you find around the house to create a fun and challenging obstacle course either indoors or out. This can be easily adapted to varying levels of difficulty to meet each family member’s level. Don’t forget a stopwatch to see who can complete the course the quickest. Get your family moving and find more hydration tips at propelwater.com.

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By Susan Salaz

Building

the Dream

with

Hoss Homes

Photography By Gabrielle Cheikh Noel | Artwork By Eduardo PeĂąa

For 45 years, Hoss Homes has been creating custom homes that are anything but customary. Steve Hoss, along with his sons Nigel and Colin, have found success blending experience, enthusiasm and an eye for detailâ€”resulting in stunning, state-of-the-art homes across Central Indiana that they are proud to put their name on. (promotional content)

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Steve Hoss started out in construction as a teenager, learning the insand-outs of the industry as a frame carpenter. He launched his own home contracting company in 1975, back when plans were drawn up in pencil and deals were sealed with a handshake. His sons followed suit after college, Colin as a tile setter and Nigel also in carpentry, both eventually joining their dad in the family business. “We know what it’s like to swing a hammer and cut a piece of wood,” says Nigel. “We are hands on. We like the details, and we like the challenges.” Today, Hoss Homes has grown into one of the most sought-after homebuilders in the area, and although the houses they build nowadays are bigger and bolder than ever, the company remains small and family oriented, and rooted in the values that the Hoss family operates on in their own homes: honesty, integrity, and trustworthiness. By industry standards, Hoss Homes stands out in many ways. Perhaps most remarkably, their artisan approach to home building focuses on ensuring that home designs connect to the terrain they are built upon. Nigel explains that a house should be designed to fit the property, and that the orientation to the landscape is important, but is an aspect often overlooked by developers. “When you design a custom home you want to take into consideration how the outdoor space is going to interact with the indoor space.” The artisan approach also takes the residing family into consideration, connecting their lifestyle to the home. The Hoss family realizes how sacred the spaces within the walls of our homes are, and they want to create an environment reflective of the dwellers and their individual needs. A well thought out plan, tailored to specific needs and wants, can have a profound impact, not only changing how you interact with your home and within your home, but also aiding in the comfort, happiness and success of the inhabitants. With the client always in mind, the team at Hoss Homes uses their collective expertise to scrutinize every detail. In a year that has had many intrusions on regular life, they understand how to create custom spaces that will suit your family now and in years to come. Home offices, kid studies and homework spaces; butler pantries, kitchen prep areas and wine rooms; along with a larger focus on home entertainment spaces, outdoor living and outdoor kitchen spaces are just some of the design trends that have emerged from the world we are living in now. Hoss Homes is able to present all of the latest trends a home can offer, but curates every detail to fit each homeowner exclusively. The technology available in the construction industry today is another major asset and a real game changer when it comes to custom home building, allowing families to walk through their new home virtually before even breaking ground. Plans that Steve once drew up in pencil are now created

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In order to sustain competent tradesmen within the construction industry, Steve, Nigel and Colin Hoss volunteer in various projects to aid in the education of the labor force. Nigel is a current board member and past president of the Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis.

using computer-generated models. When designing a home, it might be easy for the builder to see the perspectives and understand how it will all come together, but it can be difficult to convey that to a client or the average person without proper models. Computer-aided renderings bring ease to the process, and help clients see the finished product before committing to a final design. The overall theme of the house, stonework, window orientation, room layout and even paint colors can be tested and reworked using this technology, before a shovel is even put in the ground. Building a custom home is a big commitment. Nigel Hoss jokes that the relationship between the client and the builder is almost like a marriage: “We have to get along, make hard financial decisions, and then find out who is sleeping in what bedroom.” He understands how personal the process is for the homeowners, and says, “We take it personally too. We approach what we do as if we were going to live there. There is a lot of thought that goes into the planning and the overall construction of each house. The materials we choose and the way we do things are always done with the same high standards we would have in our own home.” Hoss Homes melds this personal integrity into their business by carefully choosing the materials they incorporate, the processes they use, and the people they work with. On many of their projects, for instance, they work closely with prominent home designer Gary Nance. They highly value their subcontractors and tradesmen, some of whom have been working with Hoss Homes for more than 25 years, and each is chosen because of their high level of quality and service. “There are certain structural features we refuse to waiver on,” says Nigel. Great care is put into the engineering of the building by using steel reinforcement flooring loads, cast iron piping, and hot water recirculation lines, for example. You may never see the inner-workings of your home, hidden behind the pretty painted walls, but the structure and mechanics are some of the most important parts, and Hoss Homes goes well beyond meeting codes to make sure they are building homes—and dreams—that will last.

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By Susan Salaz

If These Walls Could Talk Q&A Session with Some of the Areaâ€™s Best Interior Designers and Decorators

Homes are more than the brick and mortar buildings we hang our hats in. They are our safe space, our comfort zone, and the foundation we build our memories upon. Each home tells the story of the people that share their lives there, and whether they are old, new, modern or modest, every home should be lived in and loved. This month, we caught up with several local interior designers and decorators to find out more about their stories. We asked them what they love, where they find inspiration, and how they use talent and expertise to help families imagine dreams into details and tell their own tales within their homes. If you are contemplating redecorating a room, you want to start a remodel project large or small, or if you are ready to draw up the plans for your own dream home, consider these amazing, and close to home, designers. From trendy to traditional, they each bring a unique vision to the design board, but they all agree that as much as they love building and curating beautiful spaces, establishing meaningful relationships with their clients is the most rewarding part of the job.

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Whittney Parkinson Design What’s the best part of your job? I love that every day and every client is so vastly different. I stopped working on commercial design a year ago because I find so much more reward working closely with families to achieve their dream homes, and the personal connection that comes from creating for them. I obsess over architecture and design, so it has never actually felt like a job to me, and for that I am very grateful! What do you like better… Carpet or Rugs? Rugs Curtains or Shades? Curtains Bold colors or subdued hues? Subdued Modern or Rustic? Modern Minimal or Ornate? Both, together! Process or Results? Process Let’s talk about favorites... Favorite color? My mind works in paint colors, ha! Farrow and Ball-De Nimes right now. Favorite texture? A classic Sisal Favorite pattern? I can’t quit a good stripe. Favorite thing to display? My family and collected art. Favorite room in your house? My dining room. The Italian in me loves a big family dinner surrounding a round table.

Whittney Parkinson, the daughter of an architect and an interior designer, holds a degree in Interior Architecture. Naturally, she prefers to be heavily involved in the architectural process from the start and tends to do the majority of her own plans in-house.

What new design trends are you most excited about right now? I try to refrain from engaging in trends or even saying the word really. Trends are intended to be temporary and it’s been a goal of mine these past few years to only create what I feel will sustain for my clients and have an ageless quality. Web: whittneyparkinsondesign IG: @WhittneyParkinson

How would you define your design style? I certainly feel it’s transitional in nature. I use a lot of traditional European elements in my work purposely, juxtaposed with clean lines, so I’ve been told my style leans Modern English, as well. Where do you look to find inspiration? Traveling really fills up my creative tank, but when I can’t, it’s books. My coffee table book collection is out of control. I love referencing older design and studying those elements that feel timeless.

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Tiffany Skilling Interiors always so honored that they’ve chosen us to help them make the house their home through our designs. What do you like better… Carpet or Rugs? Rugs Curtains or Shades? Both! When layered they create a lot of depth in a space. Bold colors or subdued hues? Both, I love when they are in the same design and compliment each other. Modern or Rustic? Modern Minimal or Ornate? It depends on the client and design, but I often incorporate at least a small ornate element in each space. Process or Results? I would say both, but the process is so fun. I love collaborating with our clients and always being pleasantly surprised how the story behind the process turns out the most beautiful results. Let’s talk about favorites... Favorite color? I have two: blue and green Favorite texture? I am a sucker for a good vintage rattan piece! Favorite pattern? Greek key Favorite thing to display? Art—I love designing gallery walls. Favorite room in your house? My living room. It has a beautiful original carved limestone fireplace.

Tiffany Skilling creates spaces from start to finish as an Interior Designer, working closely with clients, architects and contractors to design the interior of a space—including layout and cabinetry, as well as providing all of the finish selections and furnishings.

What new design trends are you most excited about right now? It’s funny I actually don’t follow design trends! All of our clients are so different and we want to tell their unique story and provide them with timeless, complex, curated designs. Web: tiffanyskillinginteriors.com IG: @tiffanyskillinginteriors

How would you define your design style? Curated eclectic. Our recipe for design is a little bit of heirloom antiques, vintage finds, and new pieces, layered with unique textures and patterns from wall coverings to textiles to tile. Where do you look to find inspiration? Design magazines, travel, antiquing, and architecture. What’s the best part of your job? Developing relationships with our clients. We are

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Kara Grider Design for styling, and I might be the only person that reads them too. What’s the best part of your job? I love the creative outlet in this—it doesn’t feel like a job. I also love meeting new people. The relationships I have been able to develop with some of my clients have been irreplaceable. What do you like better… Carpet or Rugs? Rugs Curtains or Shades? I’m on a big Roman shade kick right now, but truthfully a combination would be my favorite. Bold colors or subdued hues? Subdued hues. I like a calm, serene feeling room. Modern or Rustic? Modern Minimal or Ornate? Minimal—less is more. Process or Results? This might be a tie for me. There is nothing better than to see everything complete. A good before-and-after shot is my jive, but I thoroughly enjoy the process and couldn’t get that after shot without it.

Kara Grider is an Interior Decorator with a Ph.D. in Physical Therapy, two sets of twins, and a passion for creativity. She recently began incorporating more detailed design into her business, working with a custom home builder and on remodeling projects. How would you define your design style? My style is full of layers, it is intentional, and I also really appreciate the imperfect. I want homes to be aesthetically pleasing but also durable and functional. I love modern clean lines, traditional bones, and adding in another style to jazz things up. Where do you look to find inspiration? Social media like Pinterest and Instagram because it is so accessible. I also like good home design books. There are some neat coffee table books that I use

Let’s talk about favorites... Favorite color? Green Favorite texture? Woven, like rattan or a basket weave. Favorite pattern? I like a good stripe, it’s safe, it’s clean. I also like Aztec prints and mud cloth. Favorite thing to display? Artwork that means something and is a conversation starter. Favorite room in your house? Our home office. It is full of texture and family heirlooms, our grandparents diplomas hang on the brick wall. Design with meaning is important to me and this room sure represents that. What new design trends are you most excited about right now? Metal mixing, whether in hardware, lighting, accessories, or plumbing. I love the dimension it can bring to a space and the flexibility you have with selections. Some of my favorites are satin brass with polished nickel or matte black with vintage brass. Web: karagriderdesign.com IG: @karagriderdesign

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MBK Design social media, magazines, design books, people, fashion and nature. I also find inspiration every time I travel to my little hometown in Kentucky. My dad collects things and antiques, so I find inspiration while shopping his unique finds. What’s the best part of your job? Interior design is storytelling and each project is something new. Starting a project and seeing that vision come to life is the best. It is also rewarding knowing you have created a beautiful interior that the client loves and will enjoy for years to come. What do you like better… Carpet or Rugs? Rugs Curtains or Shades? Both—I love layering draperies over soft shades Bold colors or subdued hues? Subdued hues Modern or Rustic? Is modern-rustic a choice? Minimal or Ornate? Minimal Process or Results? Process Let’s talk about favorites... Favorite color? Blue Favorite texture? Anything natural Favorite pattern? Tribal and geometric Favorite thing to display? In my own home I display antique crocks from my dad Favorite room in your house? My kitchen

Michele Koken, who specializes in new construction projects, has been in the design industry for 18 years—since graduating from Ball State University with a degree in Interior Design. She goes well beyond specifying furniture and selecting accessories, working closely with architects and other professionals to plan and design specific interior spaces. How would you define your design style? I love a mix of styles when done correctly, but if I had to pick just one I would say an updated traditional style. I love mixing old and new elements, but keep a basis of classic and timeless design.

What new design trends are you most excited about right now? I really love that mixing old and new is on trend. I have been doing this for years since I grew up with antiques. Layering vintage pieces in with new adds history and personality in more modern styles. I am also a huge fan of the natural earth tone palettes and texture on texture looks right now. Have you seen the gorgeous Sherpa and boucle fabrics on chairs? I absolutely love it! Web: mbkinteriordesign.com (launching soon) IG: @mbkdesign_indy

Where do you look to find inspiration? Inspiration is everywhere for me. It comes from travel,

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