Cozy Home

“I want my home to be cozy, a warm inviting family house.”  I often hear that when meeting clients for the first time. When you hear the word “cozy” what image pops into your mind? I think about homes I have designed on paper and then visited built and moved in to see them full of life with children  running around and laughing. I also think about a house I have never visited but have looked at enough it seems as if I have.

Carl Larsson Dining Room from the Carl Larsson website

One day I will go but until then here are pictures and paintings of Carl Larsson’s work and his home that inspired him. A renowned Swedish nineteenth century painter. His wife was also a designer and designed many of the fabrics from curtains to table linens. I enjoy this house so much for 3 reasons:

1. It is beautiful and comfortable in both in the pictures and the paintings,
2. The watercolor paintings are stunning and tell a story of life at that time of  a happy family in a happy home. I am drawn to paintings of everyday life.  
3. I like the fact that this house was far from the normal of the day as they surrounded themselves with color, textiles, and furniture that made them comfortable. This house is timeless as comfortable now as it was over 100 years ago.

CARL LARSSON, painting "Till en liten vira" (Getting ready for a little game), 1901. National Museum, Stockholm

Here is a link to the official website! Enjoy! http://www.clg.se/encarl.aspx

Here is a quote from the website:

The stark colours of the dining room may not seem all that remarkable to us now, but writers and critics of the time were merciless when it came to the ”raw” colours and the simple chairs that the Larssons had ordered from carpenter Arnbom in Sundborn. A conventional dining room at the end of the 19th century ought to have dark furniture and make a dignified impression.

Carl Larsson Dining Room

 

Renovation Inspiration as seen in KC Star!

Here is a link to an article I wrote that is in today’s Kansas City Star:  Drawing Board | Thoughtful additions to an existing home

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/07/3350614/drawing-board-thoughtful-additions.html

Living Room Featured in Kansas City Star's House and Home

Homeowner’s Chart of Highs and Lows!

 I love this chart by David Lupberger. There are many highs and unfortunately some lows when building a custom or how I like to think of it being a handmade home. This is a very realistic chart every homeowner should keep handy to help understand why some site visits are fun and exciting and others not so much.

Homeowner’s Emotional Roller Coaster by David Lupberger

The design stage is always fun because anything is possible and seeing the possibilities hopefully will take your breath away. When the construction drawings are done,  you want to get started. YESTERDAY! You are excited to begin but it takes time to price an accurate and complete estimate so the bidding and contract stage can seem to drag. You want to start! Today.

 The first time you actually walk through your freshly framed home is a moment you won’t forget. You have imagined this space for months maybe years and now you are standing there. It isn’t done or nearly complete just framed and but you can SEE it for the first time. Framing can be fast. A large skilled crew can work magically fast. Too fast sometimes! It makes other stages painfully slow and while I hesitate to say unexciting to not offend my favorite electricians or HVAC team it just isn’t as readily apparent what has happened in a day”s time. Yes you will appreciate your cozy comfortable well lit home for years to come.

 Add in a schedule delay due to weather or sequencing or life and the finishes can be a slow process. You have seen it and now you want to live it!  Did I mention framing is fast? Too fast! Anything handmade takes time! Your custom dream home will be done but allow it time and watch the chart. Also feel free to speak up! Asking questions will help you understand where on the chart you are. Soon you will be living in your handmade home!

 

Next Time I Want An Architect: A Homeowner’s View

Visiting a home for the first time to learn about what changes an owner is thinking about is always exciting. Is it a new addition? A renovation or reconfiguration? I enjoy learning about the proposed changes and ask many questions. Sometimes spaces need changed because they are too small or too dark or just don’t work. Maybe the space they need doesn’t exist yet.  Or the space is there but doesn’t fit how they live, too formal and unused while the causal space they need and use everyday is too small. Perhaps the home was built without thinking about a great view.

Farm House Renovation

 I recently met with a prospective client who wanted to buy and modify a home to take advantage of a stunning lake view and provide more room for family and entertaining. A master bath needed enlarged also. During the course of tour and asking questions, I discovered that they had renovated the home they currently live in. This time they wanted to use an architect. I asked why and they kindly sent me an email explaining it better than I can on why hire an architect.

 Although we love our home and our addition, we

really wish we had used an architect to be the project coordinator rather

than a builder/contractor.  We had a few issues that probably would not

have appeared had we used an architect.  There

 was really no one to hold the builder accountable except for us and by the

 end of the project we were weary.  There were also a few things written

 into the bid/contract that were not completed the way he promised. 

At the end of the day our goal was to get more space and we did.  We

doubled our living space which made a huge difference for our

family….teenagers + additional space = quality of life!  But we have

learned some lessons.  Projects are difficult.  It is super hard to work

full time and coordinate a remodeling project.  In the future, we really

want the finished product to look like what we were promised on the front

end. He also used the lowest grade of doors and hardware – this

is not something that we specified in the contract.  We just did not know

to ask for those types of things We like nice touches such as good hardware and solid doors and would

maybe compromise in other areas to have these types of things.  We also

like the idea of something being customized especially for us and our

lifestyle.  Space is still important but the quality of the space is more

important to us at this stage in our lives.

Looking for the Cane in the Corner

Miracle on 34^th Street is one of my favorite holiday movies. Christmas, Santa, NYC, great coats and a dream about a house! Does it get any better? Add in an apartment that has a view of the Macy’s Day Parade. Wow! I grew up in the suburbs so I always dreamed the opposite, an apartment in a high-rise with a view, a doorman, a butler and maybe a chance to play in THE park. The butler was actually from watching Family Affair!

 I am not sure how many times I have seen this movie but it is always still exciting to see her run in the house and find the cane. It is a sign that her dream came true. It is her house. It was meant to be.

Sign of a "Dream House"

 Wouldn’t it be great if all houses had a sign that this was the perfect choice? Often they do, with a great location, perfect floor plan a kitchen that works well, a spacious yard and a price that fits. Sometimes that sign can be elusive. There are more questions than answers: it might work if we add a family room? It could work if the kitchen was redone? Would it be perfect with a master suite? If it only had a bigger garage with mudroom!

 I am often called by prospective clients who are deciding whether to buy a home that requires a renovation either small or whole home to make it work. Sometimes it is an easy answer, “Yes you have enough space to reconfigure the kitchen and it will work. Let’s design it!” Other times it is complicated and needs thoughtful design drawings to see if makes sense. If they already own the house, love the neighborhood, and the addition will make their home function better, the fee to develop a design makes sense too. You never know until you see the possibilities.

Sometimes the answer to buy or not hinges on what can be added or changed. I always recommend that clients step back and dream about what their perfect home would be and make a list. How far is the list from what is there? Our neighborhood is filled with well-built homes over 50 years old from another era long before jetted tubs, SUV’s and backpacks. Compared to new houses with tall ceilings, open plans and three car garages it can be tricky to transform these existing homes to compete with a new home. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense.

 When dreaming about the home if the “perfect list” is very extensive it may not make sense. The second step would be where is the perfect house and is that where you want to live? Prioritize what are the most important spaces or features you need. Also create a list of why you are considering the home to buy, what features drew you to it? Comparing the lists side by side might give you the answers you need. With lists in hand, that cane just might appear in a corner to let you know this home is for you!

Big Day For Dining Rooms!

Today is THE DAY for dining rooms across the country: Thanksgiving!  Table leaves will be added, chairs gathered and a feast delivered. The room will be readied for a place to share a meal with friends and family and say Thank You for the year that was and for the year to come.

 As a residential architect, when designing a new home or renovating an existing home, dining room design is discussed in detail. Is a formal dining room for entertaining desired or maybe or a large kitchen with ample table space? Table space in the kitchen and table space in a dining room? Space at the kitchen island for eating and a breakfast table? Many questions and the answers are sometimes hard to figure out.  It takes careful thought to figure out what works well for you and your family? There isn’t a right and wrong just what makes sense for you. If a dining room will be used than let’s build it! If the existing room hasn’t been used or is used once a year, then let’s figure out why. Too small? Not inviting? Not needed? Kitchen more comfortable?

Farm House Kitchen: Ample Table space in large Kitchen, Door by table leads to screen porch

When designing a great home on a tight budget I look at the square footage and see how to make the most out of it. One trick to make a smaller house feel spacious is to have a space for a dining table part of the kitchen. It can create more causal dining.  Potentially it will be used more often. Families with young children enjoy having table space nearby for homework and projects or a place to sit and talk before a meal or while it is prepared. 

Another trick is, if a dining room is the answer, make the room special by having it different than adjacent rooms. Make it a room to celebrate in! Candles and special dishes.  It can be away from other rooms that tend to be open and flowing to contrast and feel contained, cozy but still adjacent to the kitchen. The contrast of the rooms will make a dining a special experience.  In addition to special china that might used, I often have clients that have antique dining room furniture that they enjoy and want enough space to comfortably use. I always design the room size for all the tables leaves in! Even if it happens once or twice a year, plan for it to be comfortable. Also plan for table leaf and dish storage when they are not being used. Consider built-in cabinets if you don’t have the furniture yet.

A table by nature makes a room focused in the center. Lighting is centered on the table. The chairs around the table make the room function differently from a kitchen where all the walls are in play for cabinets and counters. Or a family room where the walls are used for fireplaces, furniture and TV’s. A dining room can have dish storage and display in breakfronts, china cabinets or hutches which will require wall space. A dining room can also have additional unused wall space that makes it the perfect place for windows. If a screen porch is desired, I will look at the dining area for a potential place to add doors to the porch. It makes entertaining even easier by having additional dining space on the porch.  Often in Kansas City, we can sneak in another beautiful fall day before winter and have a sunny almost warm Thanksgiving Day. Today is the perfect day to say thanks, another sunny 65 degrees Thanksgiving Day! Happy Thanksgiving!

Home Inspiration

After years of designing homes, I never fail to be inspired by my clients! I recently met with a client who carefully put together an image board of how she envisions her future home.  I was speechless. I have had clients hand me scrap books filled with pictures, bankers boxes with post-it noted books, binders sorted by rooms, journals with quotes and even once a model built to scale complete with furniture. This board is perfect. It tells the story of exactly what she is thinking.

Home Inspiration board carefully created by a client

Although it might be tempting to save everything and post it online to Pin Interest, being able to have the actual images pinned to the card board allow a discussion picture by picture of why it was selected. I have hovered over computer screens and looked at tiny pictures on phones so often lately it is a joy to see the real picture! It will also give us a chance to explain to bidding contractors potentially building the house an idea of what is desired that drawings and specifications can’t as quickly explain.

Reviewing each picture allows the home story to unfold. Of all the kitchen pictures each was selected for different reasons, one the island, one the cabinet style, and yet another displays the storage shelves. If there are many similar pictures it can mean a certain style or detail is desired while one picture may mean  “I want this exact feature!” The screen porches featured on the board although different homes both feature a beautiful stone fireplace.

It is easy for me to stare at the board and instantly get a feeling of what needs to happen for her home dream to come true. I was stuck the other day trying to figure a design solution that made sense and it was great to glance at the board for inspiration. Plus a secret is when you have client work this hard to gather pictures and show you what they like it makes the architect work even harder to assure that the home will be wonderful.

It is a round of inspiration for all to enjoy!

Screen Porch Before and After

Screen porch before during and after!

Everyone loves screen porches plus before and after pictures! This screen porch was a great addition to a charming home. Fortunately this home was part of a development of seven Williamsburg styled homes that included a shared formal garden. Beautiful formal garden, let me repeat! It is a gift to have a home that is adjacent to a garden and has views of the garden. This home had one window facing the garden in their family room. The family room was cozy but not large enough for their family to comfortably watch TV or have enough space for a table to do homework or play board games. Most importantly the family room did not have a connection to the garden view.

The family decided to enlarge the family room and add a screen porch. The beauty of a screen porch is that screen doors aren’t needed between home and porch. This allows on nice days the porch to be part of the house with the doors wide open! It becomes another room blurring the line between inside and outside. I like to use a set of double sliding doors that allow an opening of between four and even up to eight feet of a “doorway”. The two sets of doors slide open which saves space that the traditional swinging doors use.

Family room before and after

Sliding doors! Ugh? I often hear that from clients the first time I mention using sliding doors over French swinging glass patio doors! Sliding doors have come a long way from their overused, filmed and poor hardware days of the seventies. If you haven’t had the chance to see new sliding doors in action stop by a window and door showroom and take them for a test drive.  Yes they slide easily, Yes they save room by saving the swing space, Yes you can easily leave them open just a tad for fresh air. Door manufacturers have attractive wood clad sliders available in the French Door Style with a tall wood section below the glass “bottom rail” in contrast to the old metal sliding doors. There are beautiful doors out there!

The location of the porch overlooks the garden and faces south. Southern light is desired as it is sunny throughout the day. It is easy to shade in the summer and nice to have in the winter.

My tips for a screen porch: consider sliding FRENCH doors, think about the view and enjoy the southern sunshine!

Squirrel’s Happy Halloween Home

Happy Halloween! I couldn’t resist.  A fun celebration of my 20th post!

A perfect custom home! He got a jump start on carving!  My kids will  happily carve windows (eyes) too! Maybe even skylights also! He might not like the fireplace (candle) though! Enjoy!

Squirrel's Happy Halloween Home

 

 

What is home? Is your story waiting to be built?

As a residential architect, it is always exciting when a client reveals pictures of what their dream home will be. For me, it is similar to unwrapping a gift with the anticipation of what could it be possibly be? Tearing off the ribbon, ripping the paper, opening the box and squealing with delight! Wow what a great way to start a project! But in reality it is a quiet moment for me as is the client opens the box and spreads the contents on the table, carefully explaining why they like each book (often post-it note flagged), picture, or dog-eared magazine. Sometimes there are even floor plans sketched on graph paper. I listen. There is always a story. Each house I design has a unique story to tell. Discovering the story is what makes it interesting for me to design a custom home.

Cottage Sketch Lawrence Kansas

My clients want their story built! It has been imagined for years. Dreamt about, worried about, money saved for the day they start their story. I listen carefully. Sometimes it is really hard for a client to explain what they like so we go through pictures and talk. Sometimes they are nervous as they haven’t shared their story yet. Worried it might not make sense or they can’t afford their dream.  Sometimes it is hours as they are excited to share everything they have collected sometimes for years. They are happy and releaved to turn it over and have it start to be realized Lots of pictures are reviewed, in order to narrow down and start a dialogue. Together we work to explain and understand the house in their head.  I need all the information I can so design it and draw it explaining in detail it to someone who will build it.  One day they will walk through it calling it home.

 I have heard many plan ideas, seen hundreds of pictures, but the stories of how clients envision their homes not in rooms but in feeling are always intriguing. Home is different to everyone but the same in many ways. Many of the ideas are not a room or space or detail or color…but a feeling which trust me it is the hardest to design for but the most rewarding when it happens.  Some of my favorite stories are:

A restful house that recharges me,

Space to be surrounded by what I like and collect. It makes me happy to see it everyday,  

A welcoming house that my kids’ friends will be happy to hang out at,

I want to feel on vacation everyday,

I want to hear the screen door slam when they run in and out playing in the yard. It has a tree swing near the future flower garden.  I can hear them while I am reading on the screen porch,

I need a place that inspires me so I can create my art,

I want well organized spaces so I can spend time more playing or relaxing,

I want a home that our families will want to visit for the holidays and feel comfortable,

and my all time favorite…

A place that friends will visit to take a break from their busy lives to recharge and reconnect with nature.

What is your home story?