Design Ideas - Special Fireplace

I ran across this sculpture installation that really caught my eye.  A really simple fireplace wall composition with one spectacular piece of art.  The glass wheat sculpture is designed by Canlis Glass out of Seattle, Washington.  Check it out.

Simple composition of the fireplace wall.  A contemporary fire box and open display niche sit side by side.  Wheat sculpture centered above.

Lighting is important here as it really emphasizes the overall texture of the glass.

The stems of glass are set into the base of the sculpture; which in this case also serves as the fireplace mantel.

I don't want to know how much this costs.

I would imagine that this unique glass sculpture is cost prohibitive.  But the idea of the fireplace wall can be borrowed.  Keep the composition very simple.  No need for a fancy fireplace surround with expensive stone and and an ornate mantel.  Instead just place one interesting piece of art above.  Beautiful idea.

Larson Brenner Design to be Featured in New Book

An In-Law Apartment I designed a few years ago is to be featured in an upcoming book by Michael Litchfield.  The book is called in-laws, outlaws and granny flats; and is slated to be available in bookstores and online by late February / early March.

the book can be pre-ordered at the taunton store - in-laws-outlaws-and-granny-flats

The book features a number of case studies that illustrate ways in which homeowners are creating in-law suites.  In our case study - called "Billys Place" we converted an existing garage attic space into a beautiful live able one room studio for Grandpa.

We used the volumes created by the shape of the roof and dormers to zone distinct spaces within.

The living, sitting and entry zones lie underneath the main gable.

The kitchen zone is carved into the northern dormer.

The bed zone lies within the southern dormer.

We at Simply Elegant Home Designs have created a couple of Garage / Studio Apartment designs inspired by "Billys Place".  If interested you can check them out with the links below:

Minnetonka Garage Apartment

Marine Garage Apartment

New House Plan Offering - The Excelsior Cottage

Simply Elegant Home Designs is very proud to offer an amazing new house plan - the Excelsior Farmhouse Cottage; designed by Ron Brenner of Larson Brenner Architects.  The design combines elements from traditional farmhouse and contemporary cottage home styles.    

Excelsior Farmhouse Cottage - Front

Excelsior Farmhouse Cottage - Side / Rear

Excelsior Farmhouse Cottage - Living Room

This home plan’s exterior is characterized by this designer’s exquisite attention to scale, proportion, window patterns, materials and all of the details. A beautifully proportioned second story front gable and graceful columns provide a striking entry to the home.  Subtle overhangs with delicate brackets provide interesting shadow lines and help to protect the windows below.

The main floor accommodates kitchen, living and dining areas within its elegant open floor plan. Upstairs the three bedrooms, including the master suite, are neatly placed beneath an interesting roof line.  An above garage bonus room provides ample space for an additional bedroom and family flex areas.

You can visit Excelsior Farmhouse Cottage to learn more about this home design.

Home Design Ideas - Funky Fireplace

You can learn much from studying rooms that you love. Below I have attached a living room picture from a home I designed a few years ago. This turned out to be a very calm and soothing space. I wish I were sitting there now!

A few key points:

• Windows were placed on both of the outside walls of the space. I always try to have natural lighting feeding into a space from more than one direction.
• Fireplace wall design was asymmetrical. Here form followed function. We needed a hideaway for the flat screen on one side, but not both. That left space for a cozy bench on the other side of the fireplace.
• A funky half oval shaped fireplace was used. This adds a very unique detail to an element that is normally very predictable (the rectangular fireplace box).
• Yellow walls with cream trim; natural wood floors and leather - the materials and colors are comforting.
• Dark ebony stained trim is used sparingly to cap off the fireplace and media cabinet and at the stair railing. This adds richness and sophistication to the space.
• Recessed lighting above highlights the details of the composition.

The moral of this story is - if you are looking to remodel a space in your home; find pictures of similar spaces that you love. Then study them to discover what it is about that space that makes it work so well.

Home Design Ideas - Eclectic Kitchen

My better half (Kelley) sent me the kitchen photo below. She loves it and so do I.

Here are a few observations:

• No upper cabinets - most of the storage is below counter height. I suspect there may be a pantry around the corner or pantry cabinets out of view.
• Eliminating the upper cabinets allows plenty of glass
• I like the mix of old and new. Actually its mostly new but a rather ornate crown molding and the carrera marble counters add a touch of traditional and soften the hard lines.
• All of that counter space allows room for accessories to decorate the space. This starts to feel like another room rather than a kitchen.

Home Design Ideas - Floating Stair

Here is another nice home design idea - a floating stair. The residential design world tends to do things the same way over and over while commercial building design tends to be more experimental. Below is an example of an interesting floating stair that would be well suited to any contemporary / modern house plan.

The stair is supported be a series of steel stringers which span from floor to landing. By holding the bottom of the riser above the tread one gains the illusion of "floating". The flat wood paneling at the interior wall and the commercial grade "storefront" window system beyond add to the modern aesthetic.

So when you working with your Architect on the design of your new home, ask him / her to think about the details in a unique way. It is the details that will make your home truly special.

Custom Architect Designed House Plans Discounted

Folks are pretty familiar with the fact that we offer some pretty good Architect Designed House Plans at Simply Elegant Home Designs. In fact all of our plans are Architect designed. But it is less known that we also offer Custom Home Design Services. We are trying to spread the good word. For this reason we are offering during the month of August a 30% discount from our normal rates for Custom Architect Designed House Plans. Now you can work with us to design a one of a kind home tailored to your needs and your building site at rates that we have never before offered.

For information on our custom home design package please click "Custom Home Design". Then give us a call. We are ready to help.

This offer will only be valid for the month of August - and it is first come first serve so you should act quickly.

Rambler Redux

I ran across some photos of a 1970's era rambler that was for sale in the San Francisco area. This reminds me that there is an awful lot of housing product that can be re-inspired.

I have seen so many try to turn a contemporary rambler into an arts and crafts home or some other more decorative architectural style. In this case the remodeling does not try to make the house into something that it is not. They simply build on the strengths of the design. Below are some pictures of the renovation.

nice fresh exterior

cabinets are a little traditional, but the overall aesthetic is still contemporary

simple space with contemporary furnishings. the dark wood floors contrasted with the light walls adds drama

Compare this house to so many 1950's through 1970's ramblers that you have seen. It makes you realize there is much potential in those old homes.

Design Ideas - Make Your Island Special!

This is the first in a new series that I will be starting called "Design Ideas". What I would like to do is illustrate little design ideas that can help to make your home special. So here goes.

The photo below is a Kitchen in a home that I designed at Larson Brenner Architects. This unique house plan - The Lakeland Cape Cod - is currently available for purchase at Simply Elegant Home Designs.

It is a pretty simple kitchen layout but a few things make it special.

• The kitchen cabinetry composition beyond is kept simple and clean. A soffit with crown molding connects the upper cabinets to the ceiling.
• A "mantle" was designed for the range, which serves as a counterpoint to the fireplace mantel on the other side of the room (not seen in photo).
• Under cabinet lighting provides highlights for the tile back splash and counters.
• An upper cabinet extends down to the counter and is fitted with glass to display the china.
• A solid walnut butcher block on the island top adds warmth and richness. This contrasts with the honed granite kitchen counters beyond.
• A special leg detail was designed for the island corners. The leg detail was also adapted for the stairway newel posts.
• Unique eclectic light fixtures hang above the island; highlighting the wood and help to emphasize that the island is the focal point of the room.

All in all a very simple yet elegant kitchen design. This illustrates that attention to the details can make all the difference.

Nice Space, Good House Design

I ran across this photo of a nice modern bedroom space and thought I would pass it on along with a couple of thoughts.

• Obviously the design is all about the connection with the outdoors. Floor to ceiling glass with a patio directly outside bleed the definition between outside and inside. If it was my design I might have extended the roof line outward to create a covered patio zone. This would have created a transitional space between inside and outside.
• The room is nearly void of detail. Why distract from the view?
• A very simple palette of material and color. The decorating takes a back seat to the outdoors.

So what's the moral to this story? If you have a beautiful yard take advantage of it. Spend more money on glass and patio / porch space and spend less by keeping the interiors more minimal.

PS - you can see more photos of this home at http://www.househomedesign.com/residential-home-design/luxury-residence-in-bridgehampton

Custom Architect Designed House Plans for $10K?

So how much does good home design cost?

To have an Architect tailor a home design specifically for you and your building site it can cost quite a bit. Full service Architectural fees can cost anywhere from 8% to 15% of the construction cost of your home. As an example a $400,000 home could run from $32,000 to $60,000 in architectural fees.

Many clients however do not have the budget to accommodate those kinds of fees. So are there any alternatives to this approach?

• You can spend countless hours searching through pre-designed house plans trying to find one that fits your needs.
• You can try to find a residential designer that has lower rates (but you might sacrifice on design quality and creativity).
• You can find a Residential Architect that has created a special package of services to provide a home design tailored for you and your site for around $10,000. This is exactly what we have done at Simply Elegant Home Designs.

We call this the $10k home design solution. We believe that anyone that is going to invest several hundred thousand dollars on a new home ought to have high quality design available to them; and that $10,000 is a reasonable investment that nearly everyone should be able to justify. Through our experiences working directly with many individual clients and builders we have identified the most important elements in the design process and what needs to be communicated in the drawings. We have taken our understanding of these most important elements and incorporated them (leaving out the fluff) into our $10K home design solution. Below is a brief summary of that package:

• Program Review - This begins with a meeting where we discuss your building program in detail; your list of space needs, important adjacencies, interior and exterior aesthetic goals, views, site orientation and other site issues. Ideally we meet at your building site so we can get a feeling for the lay of the land together. Then we take what we learn and summarize it into our Building Program document. This serves as our guide for beginning the design of your home. For an example of a completed Building Program see the following link: Sample Building Program

• Schematic Design - This is where we look at preliminary design solutions for your project. We will look at plan and exterior image sketches which describe possible options for the layout of your new home. After meeting with you to review the options we then refine them into one cohesive design that meets your needs. For an example of a completed schematic design see the following link: Sample Schematic Design

• Construction Documents - This is where we put all the detailed pieces together which explains to the contractor the elements of the house so they can complete the bids and begin construction. As we prepare the construction documents we provide you with updated plans that are increasingly more detailed. This helps to ensure your complete understanding of the project. In the end we provide you with a concise set of plans, elevations, sections and specifications which together describe the project to your contractor. This is what they will build your home from. For an example of completed construction documents see the following link: Sample Construction Documents

The $10K Home Design Solution may not work for everyone. Because the fee is limited to this modest amount there are limits to building size and complexity of the design. To find out if this is the right solution for you give us a call at Simply Elegant Home Designs. Or call a good Residential Architect of your own choosing to see if they have a similar package available.

Architects Have Great Tools!

Every once in a while I like to give you an example of the tools we use in this business called Architecture. Things have come a long way since the old pencil and straight edge days. Now we perform all of our designs "virtually" using 3 dimensional computer programs. These programs allow an Architect to understand and communicate a design better.

Below is an example of a design for a client that has been completed. But we are trying to get a better feeling for a potential color scheme. In this case my client had a few color schemes in mind. So I did a series of studies using "Sketchup" - one of our 3d modeling tools. This is a great way of testing a color scheme before you get committed to it.

These studies helped my client get comfortable (excited even) with her color choices.

So don't just use those little paint chip cards to make your final selections. Get your colored pencils out and test the scheme on one of your house elevations. Or better yet have your design professional test the color scheme using a 3d modeling tool like I do.

Design Value - Rustic Cottage House Plan

It's been a while since my last posting. Been busy over the holidays. Also, I have been working on a couple of new interesting projects. I thought I'd give you a sneak peek at one of them. The project incorporated a modified design process in order to save time and money.

The design below is a rustic retreat to be constructed on lake property in Tennessee. The client found a plan that was originally designed by John Tee Architect. The plan did not meet all of their family's needs, but represented a pretty good starting point. So they purchased the plan and commissioned a major reworking of the design. I worked in Association with a plan customization company named Architectural Overflow to perform the re-design. The images below reflect our work.

lake side elevation

side elevation

If you are interested in finding the most possible value in Design then this might be a good approach to consider. Find a plan that works reasonably well, purchase the plan, then have a good residential Architect adapt the design to truly reflect your needs and your site. What this really does is gives you a good starting point in the design process and saves time and $$$ exploring concepts that might not work well for you.

Design Challenge for a 2000 SF House Plan

Lately I have been getting inquiries for modestly sized new home designs that feature main floor master bedrooms. A search of the web reveals a gazillion main floor master bedroom plans - but most are massive or ugly or both. So I decided this might be a good opportunity to design a new plan fitting this unique need, and to illustrate for you a little bit of the design process at the same time. So let's get started.

The design process I use typically involves the following phases:

• Programming
• Schematic Design
• Design Development
• Construction Documents

Today we will start with Programming. Programming really means just identifying a list of functional needs and qualities that you would like to see in your home. I'll start with a list that reflects the kinds of requests I have been receiving.

• Modest plan size - as close to 2000 square foot as possible.
• Open floor plan - Living, Dining and Kitchen spaces very connected with each other.
• Mudroom with space for hanging coats and sitting for putting shoes on.
• Laundry space should be on the main floor.
• A main floor master bedroom with walk in closet and bath. The bath should have a walk in shower, but not necessarily a tub (the days of the jacuzzi tub seem to be over).
• Spaces that are functional, but not over sized.
• A reasonable sized entry porch.
• A screen porch with spaces for eating and sitting.
• A main floor powder room.
• Possibly a den or away room - if space allows.
• An attached 2 car garage - possibly with some additional storage space.
• 2 additional bedrooms on a second floor.
• A shared bathroom for the 2 upstairs bedrooms.
• A basement that could allow future expansion space.
• Beautiful home but not overly complex. Should be reasonably economical to construct. The house plan should be simple, yet unique.

That's a pretty good list for now. But I wanted to leave room for your thoughts. So please feel free to comment. Did I miss anything? Throw your 2 cents in.

Next posting I will update the program with your relevant comments - and we'll see some initial design thoughts.

How to design a bay window!

I have had many clients in the past tell me they want a bay window. Sometimes I have been a bit reluctant to the idea because I have seen so many bad examples. The image below is a very typical example of the contemporary application of the bay. To me this just looks like they cut a hole in the wall and slapped on the window unit. It just doesn't look integrated.

Don't do this!

On the other hand my recent trip to the Napa Valley area reminded me that the bay window can be a beautiful design element when properly integrated with the architecture of the house plan. Here are a few examples on mostly craftsman style houses - all discovered in the town of Napa.

Square box bay instead of the typical angled sides. Simple shed roof with exposed rafter tails and supporting brackets. Shingle siding wraps the box out.

Here the bay walls simply extend up until they meet the roof overhang, which is deep enough to receive them. The continuous trim above the windows and the cedar shingles also help to integrate the bay properly with the house. The brackets below help to give the bay a sense of support.

Here is an angled bay window fitting below a square gabled form. This gable integrates with the house in much stronger way than our "don't do this example". Also note the small window below the bay. This completes the composition and reinforces the idea that the bay was not an afterthought.

My favorite bay window example in Napa. You can tell the designer spent a lot of time studying the form and detail to properly integrate with the house. Beautifully executed!

Simple,Unique, Small House Plans Cottage, Craftsman and Modern Home Plans

Old simple house plans - design inspiration

I posted an article the other day on gaining inspiration from old houses. Below is another great example - a bungalow that I stumbled upon near Forestville, California. It is so simple yet so well done. Why aren't builders and designers creating more homes like this anymore? Has the idea of doing a modest, simple and well detailed home escaped them? There must be a niche for this kind of house plan, but perhaps it's a lost art.

So here is the brilliant idea:

• keep the overall form and roof line very simple - this costs less to build
• use nice deep overhangs - this protects the walls, windows and doors from the elements
• create a good composition of windows - here picture windows are combined with double hungs and centered between the porch columns and the wall surfaces
• use minimal ornamentation - the window grid patterns and the exposed rafter tails are pretty much the extent of it here
• create a focal point - the simple shed dormer with louvers and the stair that is "captured" with side walls helps to create a center line and create focus on the entry
• give the house a base - the white clapboard siding provides a platform for the house to sit on and it contrasts nicely with the red shingle siding.

Simple,Unique, Small House Plans Cottage, Craftsman and Modern Home Plans

New Dutch Colonial House Plan Unveiled!

Simply Elegant Home Designs has just made the "Tonka Dutch Colonial" house plan available for purchase. The home was designed by Larson Brenner in Stillwater, Minnesota. Larson Brenner; who has been featured in a number of National and Regional publications has gained a reputation for designing charming and functional modestly sized homes. You can obtain more information on this house plan by visiting the following link:

Tonka Dutch Colonial House Plans

Simple,Unique, Small House Plans Cottage, Craftsman and Modern Home Plans

Revit House Plans

It's taken me a while but I am really convinced that Building Information Modeling (BIM) is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Traditionally buildings have been drawn using 2 dimensional CAD technology - or by hand drafting. But with BIM you create a 3 dimensional "virtual" model of the building. In order to communicate the design to client and contractors you then generate various views from the model (plans, elevations, sections, etc). I'll show you an example of how this works below.

Here you can see an axonometric view of the 3 dimensional model of this house plan. The model was created using REVIT software, by Autodesk.

Now I have "sliced" a view from overhead looking down onto the plan. What is great here is you can see the relationships between the various elements (windows, doors, trim and even furniture) so that you can better evaluate the design.

Here is another sliced view, but this time from a side. You can see the roof, ceilings and the decorative trusses.

The section below is just another "slice" taken from the model. The walls, floors roof and ceiling profiles are all in precisely the correct position. To make it into a construction drawing you just need to add the pertinent detailed information.

Here the virtual model has been exported into Google Sketchup, which is a great design tool. In this case all I did was added the materials, colors and a little entourage. Isn't this a better way to convey the interior design concept?

All images above are of the "Hudson Cottage" house plan which is available for sale at Simply Elegant Home Designs.

It takes a while to learn and become efficient at BIM. But in the end I am convinced it is a better way to understand your design, a better way to communicate the design and a better way to assemble the construction drawings.

Afraid of Color?

apartment therapy - an interior design blog is having their fifth annual contest called "Room for Color 2009". In October they are looking for the most colorful, beautiful room on the planet.

It's a good idea because adding color is one of the most affordable ways of changing a rooms character. But many of the folks are afraid of using color. Well as you can see from the examples below some of these folks really are not afraid at all.

photos courtesy of apartment therapy

You can see more entries at Room for Color. Check it out - you'll find lots of ideas. Some bold and crazy; and some simple yet sophisticated.

Simple,Unique, Small House Plans Cottage, Craftsman and Modern Home Plans

Housing Industry Needs to Reinvent

The housing industry (builders and designers) is in dire need of a new system / approach to building. I'll list a few reasons here:

• Construction costs and land / development costs have gotten out of control in recent years.
• The housing bubble has dramatically dropped the value of our homes.
• The fact right now is that you cannot build a new home inexpensive enough to compete with the glut of existing homes on the market.
• If we are seeing an economic recovery it's a small one - and the job market is not expected to improve for several years.
• New buyers are having difficulty getting loans or do not qualify for enough loan to build the kind of house they might have a few years ago.
• Home buyers are becoming much more aware of "value".
• Home buyers are increasingly environmentally conscious.
• Home buyers are more "hip" and expect good design and construction quality.

So what the people want is a really cool, sustainable, well constructed cheap house. Is anyone out there providing that? Or is this an impossible combination?

Indeed, times are tough and it is truly a time of survival of the fittest in the housing market. The housing industry needs to pull their collective head out of the sand and adapt. I believe that the industry needs to look at things fresh and perhaps create an entirely new business model.

In looking for new ideas I have looked to old ones. What about the old days when a fellow purchased a house from Sears Roebuck Company? The house was shipped to them and they built it themselves, or had local tradespeople construct it. Why did that business model go away? One reason I think is because people stopped being handy. They no longer had the skills to put anything together as complicated as a stick framed house. Even if they could it would take forever; and banks don't like that.

Enter a new system devised in Germany called HIB. HIB is a building block system that goes together like Lego's. They say that the simplicity and speed of putting the system together makes it an ideal candidate for an owner built project. The company also touts the product's insulating capabilities, sustainability and economy.

Sounds too good to be true honestly. But I am inviting a company representative in to discuss the product further. I'll let you know what I find out.