Posts Tagged ‘Design’
Define Space in Open Floor Plan
Sick of Open Floor Plans? Try These 5 Tricks to Separate Your Space I find the trend toward an open floor plan is changing a bit these days,” says William J. Hirsch Jr., an architect and author of ” Designing Your Perfect House.” “People seem to be looking for more definition of the rooms, although they…
Read MoreHow to Make Your House Your Home
Recently, a client of mine sent me this nice photograph. Her note simply said, “The beauty of the sun in my kitchen.” This photo and note pleased me more than I can describe. She and I had been working hard to design a large home that denied its size and felt small and cottage-like. An…
Read MoreColors: Cool Greys Versus Warm Greys
Just yesterday, I was meeting with a client and the subject of the color grey came up. We were looking at stone and what mortar color we should use with various colors of stone. You might automatically think of mortar as being grey. But there are many shades of mortar and many shades of grey.…
Read MoreYour Front Door and Entrance Is Important
We all know how important first impressions can be. Our opinion of something or someone is formed quickly upon our first encounter. That’s one reason you should pay attention to the design of your front door, entrance, and the entire arrival and entry experience when designing your house. You won’t get a second chance. So…
Read MoreIs Your Perfect House Modernist or Traditional?
In the world of residential architecture, there has been a long-running debate about architectural style. Is it incorrect for architects to be designing traditional houses even though the majority of the public wants them? Should new houses be modern and unadorned with decoration or else be deemed inferior and not good architecture? As you might…
Read MoreMake a Standard Refrigerator Look Like a Built-in
It seems that kitchen design continues to trend in the upscale direction. People are looking for better cabinets, granite or solid surface countertops, and professional looking appliances. One of the icons of the upscale kitchen is the Sub Zero refrigerator. The name Sub Zero has come to symbolize not just a high end kitchen. Having…
Read MoreGood House Forms Can Catch Your Eye
Have you ever been walking or driving along and had your attention grabbed by a house? It happens to me a lot. Maybe that’s because I’m an architect. But I think it happens to everyone. There is something about a good house form that can really catch your eye. You might not know exactly what…
Read MoreBirth of Building Green
The birth of “Building Green” arguably happened in Austin, Texas in the 1970’s. There’s a good article in Ecohome about Austin’s sustainable building program and their continuing progress. But the trigger for Austin may not have been what you might have guessed. Here is the first paragraph of the article by Jeffery Lee: Austin, Texas…
Read MoreGarage Doors – Make Them a Feature and Not a Problem
Garage doors are often one of the ugliest features on the exterior of a house. There are now quite a few “carriage house“ type doors to choose from that look much better than the traditional flat or raised panel doors. But those special doors come at a significant cost increase. There are other solutions you…
Read MoreBathroom Tiles – Do Your Tiles Come in Special Shapes?
Make sure the bathroom tiles you select come with the special shapes you’ll need to create a complete, quality installation. Most people don’t think about how their bathroom tile will be installed. They make their selections based on the color and style of the tile and what decorative tiles or accents are available and compatible…
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