Posts Tagged ‘dream house’
The “How To” of Home Gyms
A number of the houses I have designed have included home gyms. There are a number of considerations to keep in mind when designing a home gym. First and foremost would be sound. I think it’s best to place the home gym on the lowest floor of the house to reduce the noise transmission from…
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 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 MorePassive Solar Design – Free Energy
Today, we awoke to a freak snowstorm here in Raleigh, North Carolina. I say “freak” because any snow is a rare occurrence in this part of the country. Snow in January is a novel concept in the southeast. Everything, and I mean everything was closed. We were crippled by Mother Nature. When the flakes stopped…
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 MoreArchitectural Proportion – The Golden Mean
It’s almost impossible to discuss composition and architectural proportion without referring to the golden mean, also called the golden section. Readers of Dan Brown’s mega-bestseller The Da Vinci Code may recall the description of that formula in the book. As a brief refresher, the golden mean is the original organizing and proportioning method or formula…
Read MoreHomebuilding – Real Material Samples Are a Must
In homebuilding, picking out the right materials can be a little tricky. I talked yesterday about the value of painting out larger samples of your wall and trim paint selections to verify that the colors were right. The same principles applies to the other materials you plan to use. Don’t pick bricks from a photo…
Read MoreHouse Design – Choose Your House Numbers to Complement the Design
In a high-end community where I have designed nearly one hundred houses, there are fairly strict house design guidelines. Covenants and restrictions are a necessary element in maintaining a level of quality, and thus, maintaining property values. No one is happy if a lime green house ends up next door. Design restrictions offer some limits,…
Read MoreWhat Should Your Dream House Be?
Do you have a clear vision of the perfect house for you and your family? If you are like most people, your vision of your dream house is actually an idea without much in the way of concrete details. It may consist of mental images of houses you admire or remember. You may have merely a…
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