Ed Mattox, President, Kipling Homes, Shorewood, Ill.

www.lutron.com

Lutron provides unlimited freedom to adjust the intensity of virtually every kind of lighting. Lutron's focus on product innovations, technology, quality, and customer service has made it a worldwide leader in lighting controls, offering more than 10,000 products to satisfy any project.

IN MY OWN WORDS

"In a 10,000-square-foot house, turning on and off all the lights is a chore. Lutron gives builders the ability to control them all and set up the scenes throughout the house with the push of one button from a central location. If I come in late, I can hit a transmitter in the car, and the lights in the pathway, porch or wherever are preprogrammed to come on."

www.heatilator.com

Heatilator has introduced its Icon Series of direct vent gas fireplaces. The new Icon 60 and Icon 100 strike a balance between homeowners' desire for grand fireplaces common in the past and the latest direct-vent technology available today. The Icon 60 features an opening height of 32 inches and has a true brick-to-brick opening width of 29 inches. The Icon 100 has a height of 33 inches and a width of 45 inches. Both produce generous amounts of heat and use a sealed combustion chamber to preserve indoor air quality and prevent negative air pressure issues. In addition, the clean face design of the Icon Series helps mimic the appearance of a masonry fireplace.

IN MY OWN WORDS

"I've always liked the Heatilator brand, which was one of the pioneers of pre-fabricated fireboxes. Now, they make one of the largest pre-fabricated fireboxes that looks like real stone, so when you install the finished face, the inside looks like a real masonry fireplace."

www.ge.com

GE Monogram professional ranges and cooktops offer a patented dual-flame heat on all burners to provide a full spectrum of heat intensities — from an ultra-low 140-degree simmer to an intense 17,000-BTU setting.

Monogram professional dual-fuel ranges are available in 48-inch, 36-inch and 30-inch widths; professional gas cooktops, in 48-inch and 36-inch widths. All models offer a choice of burner-grill-griddle configurations, fuel types (natural gas or liquid propane) and backsplash options.

IN MY OWN WORDS

"GE Monogram appliances are well-made products. The professional range, in particular, competes very well with Viking and Thermador. It has a more economical cost, looks as good and offers practically everything that the designer stoves feature."

www.weathershield.com

Weather Shield's Legacy Series casement windows combine the elegance and warmth of natural wood with next-generation energy efficiency and durability. Low-E glass comes standard, yet there are also plenty of specialty glazings, including tinted, spandrel, rain, evergreen, obscure and tempered. The exterior is finished in a virtually maintenance-free aluminum clad in five standard colors: Painter's White, Hartford Green, Western Adobe, Desert Tan or Cameo; and six designer colors: Obsidian, Sunbeam Yellow, Boysenberry, Mist Grey, Brick Red, or Woodland Green. Additionally, Weather Shield can create a custom color to precisely match exterior details.

IN MY OWN WORDS

"I like Weather Shield casement windows and also Weather Shield's casement doors. They have the simulated divided light on both the inside and the outside. It is actually a large piece of glass, but the grill is permanently fixed to the inside and the outside of the window. It provides a nice look, operates well, and is energy efficient with low-E glass."

www.floorguard.com

Floorguard Platinum, a protective and decorative floor system for concrete, is a unique combination of thermo-plastics and ceramic wear granules. Its professional, seamless, one-piece appearance is more attractive than concrete, yet it enhances and strengthens the concrete surface. Floorguard resists chemicals, such as road salt, gasoline and motor oil, and does not absorb oils since it is non-porous. Its non-slip surface resists chipping, pealing and cracking, while cleaning up easily. Available in several designer colors, Floorguard Platinum has a lifetime warranty.

IN MY OWN WORDS

"Floorguard Platinum goes on concrete like a syrup and then hardens, sealing the surface and putting color into it. It looks like granite, but nothing seeps through it, nor will anything stain it, including oil or gasoline. It always looks like a brand new floor. This is a much better option, with multiple colors to choose from, and now it is becoming affordable."