Von Löwen Designs

Situated modesty, just a few minutes from the Canadian border on the vast 65,000-mile shoreline of Lake of the Woods in Warroad, Minnesota, resides Marvin Lumber & Cedar Company and Wm. S. Marvin Training and Visitor Center. Famous for it’s wildlife, pristine wilderness, and ‘Northern Lights,’ the northernmost county in the United States is well worth a visit.

And for all you motorheads out there, be sure to check out ‘The Shed’ while you’re in the neighborhood. Located right across the highway from Marvin’s Visitor Center, The Shed, owned by Bob Marvin, is home to over 50 rare and vintage cars, including a 1967 Yenko Camaro, two Smokey Yunick Hemi Z-28’s, a Shelby GT 500 autographed by Carroll Shelby, and a 1960 Convertible Corvette with serial number one. Sweet! The Shed isn’t really a business per se, but does allow visitors – you can give Loralee a call to let them know your coming (218.386.2485) or just look for the ol’ black truck out front.

Now where was I, oh yea’. . . back to windows and doors. . .

Founded in 1912 by George G. Marvin, Marvin Windows and Doors continue to be a premier manufacturer of made-to-order wood and clad wood windows and doors worldwide. With a long history of product innovations, industry firsts and commitment to their community as well as sustainability, The Marvin story is both epic and heroic.

Marvin was one of the first window and door manufacturers to implement low-emission coatings and dual-pane glass to their entire product line. Offering many products that meet or exceed NRFC requirements and ENERGY STAR guidelines in all four climate zones. Marvin continues to forge ahead with innovations like ‘Ultrex’ by Integrity – a recycled material that requires 39 percent less energy to produce than vinyl, made from ‘pultruded’ fiberglass that is 500 times less heat conductive than aluminum (increasing energy-efficiency). Ultrex is ultra tough and strong (this stuff is used to build bridges and impervious to temperature variations between -30°F to 350°F) – promising a very long life cycle, and is totally inert – keeping off gassing to an absolute zero.

With claims of utilizing 8,500 tons of packaging and logging waste a year to heat their facility, and a reworked plumbing system that saves 600 gallons of water every single day – would be considered pretty green by most. And recycling 800 tons of aluminum, 300 tons of cardboard, 100 tons of plastic, 90 tons of paper and thousands of gallons of solvents – sure helps prove Marvin’s point. But selling 14,000 tons of wood shavings for animal bedding, and even recycling old truck tires for rubber and asphalt additives, on top of everything else – prove Marvin’s dedication is truly all inclusive and heartfelt. When it’s all said and done, Marvin recycles over 24,000 tons of material annually.

No matter if you want your next windows or doors to express a fresh new look, an authentic replication, greater energy-efficiency or a low-maintenance alternative, homeowners should have little difficulty finding just the right replacement to meet their needs. Offering countless design options, a great selection of hardware, custom sizing, and made to order flexibliity, Marvin is a valued choice to satisfy just about any requirement for your next remodeling or home improvement project invovling windows and doors.

Be sure to check out Marvin on YouTube to learn even more about their products and related information.

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, so before you leave be sure to visit Von Löwen Designs to view an assortment of refreshing examples in kitchen and bath design concepts, refined palette and interior finishes, and sustainable yet chic, green remodeling ideas that may encourage and inspire your next remodel or home improvement project.

With the ever increasing awareness of the green movement and realization of the actual environmental impact of their purchasing decisions, a developing number of homeowners are turning to metal roofing as an Earth friendly alternative to traditional roofing materials. Metal roofing is growing in popularity every year, and a significant portion of that growth is due to their many green attributes. Metal roofing materials are virtually 100 percent recyclable, making them a very sensible choice from an environmental standpoint, with many systems now available coated with infrared reflective ‘cool roof’ finishes, which reflect much of the sun’s infrared radiation offering significant energy savings as well.

Of course, the environmental benefits of metal roofing are only one part of the big picture. Benefits, such as Class A fire resistance, extremely light in weight, allowing a majority of installations to be applied directly over the existing roof, excellent wind resistance, and overall durability, promise homeowners that this is literally the last roof they will ever need to buy.

Custom-Bilt Metals offers a very nice assortment of practical roofing applications including their standing seam panels, which are offered in a variety of styles with more than two-dozen cool roof colour options. Some very aesthetic copper shingles, steel shingles, aluminum shakes and even an intergated solar option available called FusionSolar.

FusionSolar, is a more affordable rooftop solar power generation system integrated within a standing seam metal roof. A thin film solar laminate, FusionSolar is bonded directly to the roof panels in the factory and has been tested to withstand winds of 160 mph. The flexibility and durability of the laminate makes it ideal for metal roofs, where expansion, contraction and curving are considerations. No roof penetrations are required, allowing the panels to blend in naturally, and because the material is lightweight, no additional structural support is required. A turnkey solution, FusionSolar delivers design simplicity, achieves lower installation costs and qualifies for tax incentives.

Prospective customers receive a customized return on investment (ROI) report to help determine payback period and to understand how much total power consumption is offset by generating clean, renewable and dependable electric power. Offering a lower cost-per-watt than roof-mounted polycrystalline panels, FusionSolar will pay for itself in 10 years or less.

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, so before you leave be sure to visit Von Löwen Designs to view an assortment of refreshing examples in kitchen and bath design concepts, refined palette and interior finishes, and sustainable yet chic, green remodeling ideas that may encourage and inspire your next remodel or home improvement project.