We just found out we're moving into a house in about a month: it will be the first time we've lived in a house - not apartment - of our own. This house reminds us a lot of what our place could be, if all things were perfect. Some particular details we're looking to for inspiration:
• 1 Painting the currently dark green shutters white. We really like the subtlety of the white on white in our inspiration house. At the door, on the other hand, we're considering something else.
• 2 One particular side of the house needs some extra privacy. We love this stone wall that adds an architectural element and some material texture. It would be perfect for enclosing a walk around to the back of the house.
• 3 Like this house, ours has dormers and the upper rooms are up in the slanted roof. We love the low, minimalist furnishings used in this bedroom, paired with the classic bones of the house. It seems a perfect way to incorporate our modernist sensibilities into quite a traditional home.
Our inspiration home referenced here is from Martha Stewart. We'll check back in with you when we're all moved in and started on making the house into our home. It'll be fun to see how much our inspiration home comes into play when we're actually settled in.
(Images: Martha Stewart)
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It's a lovely house and there are many things about it that I like, but I keep seeing all of these bedrooms and living rooms with NO window coverings.
How do you sleep without something to block the light? How do you wander around in your undies or watch TV with the neighbors looking in or with a glare? Sure it looks neat, clean, and minimalistic, but it isn't realistic.
Love the way you've honed in on your inspiration and have a solid way to use it in your new home. If only there were more of your type out there!
jeslett, those are pics of other peoples' houses for inspiration only.
The stone wall is lovely but do you have any idea how much a wall like that would cost to build? Or have built? Delivery charges for stone are very high and labor is even higher if you'd need someone else to build it.
Congrats, Regina! I'm closing on a house this month too - the first time in 11 years that I haven't lived in a rented apartment - and I've been combing the archives for inspiration pictures. My only problem is, too many ideas! Not a bad problem to have...
Spanky,
stone is expensive but usually can be found for cheap or even free if you do some looking around. My mom just had a stone wall built with free material from craigslist. Some guy bought way too much stone for a project and had a bunch left over that he didn't want just sitting in his backyard. All she had to do was haul it away in my brothers truck and pay for the actual construction of the wall...
Before I even read the post; Reaaaally? *We* are moving into a house? How exiting! We think it will be crowded, what with all of the AT writers and readers living in one house, but we don't mind since we the ability to...use "I". IIIIIIIIIIIII memememmeme. You. Yours. !!!! (Small Rumplestiltskin-style foot stamping here, followed by exasperated White/Strunk angry face)
Jesus Christ, it's like the BORG is writing for AT.
Morning temper tantrum over, please move on.
that is the sweetest little house i've ever seen. i want one!
Peper - since the home is for me and my husband, I feel perfectly comfortable saying "we".
We're very exited and I appreciate all of your feedback on the inspiration home.
What a cute house!
"How do you sleep without something to block the light? How do you wander around in your undies or watch TV with the neighbors looking in or with a glare?"
Most folks sleep when it's dark...
...and if Mrs Kravitz doesn't like what she's seeing when she peers into my windows - she can simply stop looking.
Some areas will not allow stone walls, I think in California there are limits on the height of them and above a certain point they need to be wood. Might be something to check, where ever you are located.
@Peper, you've got a valid point. OP, I didn't know you have a husband, and why should I know, unless I'm stalking you? On Twitter, you don't really have the space to elaborate and say "my husband and I," but on AT, you do have the space not to make unnecessary unspecific pronouns.
This is such a cute house! I love the wide planks in the bedroom and the great barn out back.
The Designer Insider
I am from the town where this house is in Connecticut (woodbury) , its good to see it on my favorite website. (!!!) :D
I did go a little nuts on this, but the editorial "we" has been terribly abused lately here, so I assumed this was just the most recent in a rash of increasingly silly and contrived "we do x, y, and z!".
So sorry, it's a cute house, happy interior-ing to you and your husband!
I love all three of your inspiration pics - congrats! I vote for glossy lipstick red for your door - I love that look on colonials.
LOVE that bed!!! have fun moving :)
Adorable house - if yours is similar lucky you. Tired of all the ugly over-sized mcmansions. I also get confused by the use of "we" on this site too. Never quite sure who we is :).
(lovely photos, and best of luck with your move - BUT - I can't get over the mental image of old Mrs Kravitz mopping her brow at the sight of bepsf's jewels!)
Great luck to you!!
Thanks, everyone, for the feedback and well wishes. It might (okay, will) take a while, but I can't wait to share some progress updates.
Love the mixed materials - it is something that any homeowner can do to an existing builder grade home to give it character. The batten board siding mixed with clapboard siding is wonderful... it creates a sence of additions over time as the home jogs in and out. That white paint simply beckens for a flag or bunting for the 4th!
Also the blue stone patio with a blocky stone wall - wonderful! Any homeowner, with a strong back, can build a more affordable block wall up to three feet tall and face it with a manufactured stone to get a more affordable garden wall with DYI pricing.
Nothing says "I'm Home" more than a passing thru a white picket fence. But be prepared to spend summers repainting or staining it bi-annually. Perhaps plant a hedge... that meets a short run of 8' of pickets with a fantastic gate would be more maintence free and more eco-friendly too!