Eclectic Homes

Roots of Style: Do You Reside in a Minimalist Traditional House?

Minimalist conventional style began in the 1930s as an affordable reply to the depression. It took shape, massing and information out of earlier styles like Tudor and colonial revival and simplified them. The concept translated well in these decades. The need for housing grew quickly following World War II, and getting homes built rapidly became an economic necessity. Building a house with just enough detail to provide individuality satisfied many buyers and represented their need for a sensible and affordable solution. This trend hasn’t stopped since. Originally homes constructed in the style were often one level with a side gable roof and a single or two gables facing the front as secondary elements. This finally translated into two-story versions, often mimicking similar conventional styles but exhibiting restraint from articulation. Post caps and caps, crown moldings, and door and window trim apply the use of classical detailing, even in a much…

Eclectic Homes

Ten Quick Steps to Sell Your Property

A good deal of the home-selling process is challenging: Plenty of legal documents, title searches, negotiating over cost. Additionally, there are lots of simple steps homeowners can choose to make their home more interesting and marketable. A few of these require a good deal of elbow grease, such as a thorough cleanup, but specialists say they increase the chances of a sale, even in a slow market. Inspection Buyers will want an inspector to check for problems before they close, the Bank Rate site states. By paying for an inspection prior to putting the property on the current market, homeowners can learn about problems before prospective buyers spot them. Repairs Homeowners must make any necessary repairs before the home goes on the market, the MSN website recommends. Many buyers want a home that does not have problems; should they spot damage which has not been fixed, they’ll suspect the house…

Tropical Style

Want an Easy Tropical Oasis? Think Container Plants

I fell in love with beach cottages again on a recent visit to the northwestern shore of Florida. What struck me most about these charming homes was the maintenance that each homeowner put to creating a welcoming entry. Just about any front porch had just one — or even several — container gardens. I was in paradise! Tropicals and succulents were plentiful in these containers, on account of the warmth and humidity in this field. Often they have been used in ways or with plants I hadn’t seen before. I usually find one or two container gardens to picture on vacation, but the photographs of plants within this trip might have actually resisted the photographs of my family. If you are interested in developing a lush tropical look for your outdoor surroundings, a tropical container backyard could give it to you with minimal investment. Here’s some inspiration to your own…

Small Spaces

Let's Toast Small Kitchens Everywhere

As kitchens continue to become complete household centers, people with smaller kitchens may create an inferiority complex. It is a good time to refocus on the benefits of a little kitchen, toasting its own efficiencies. And to discuss some designer suggestions for creating a compact kitchen feel expansive. Jeanne Finnerty Interior Design You will find the U-shape, or galley, design in many older subdivided Victorians and row homes as well as in new city apartments. This design allows for an perfect kitchen work triangle, in which the distance between the 3 main factors (refrigerator, sink, cooker) is optimized, reducing the amount of walking between things during meal preparation. Let’s have a toast. Stephanie Sabbe Having less cabinetry to build out, along with less square footage for flooring, countertops and countertops, means you can get the maximum out of your remodel funding. You may specify your top-choice substances and colors that…

Decorating Guides

Mother-in-Law's Tongue

I grew up in a midcentury modern house that boasted a very large pot of mother-in-law’s tongue, and it took me decades to actually appreciate the plant and possess one. Now, I’ve a nostalgic affection for mother-in-law’s tongue (Sansevieria), but I see how this wonderfully dramatic plant works with many layout designs, and how easy it’s to take care of. I’d recommend it to anyone, even those who prefer a houseplant with a softer appearance. It really can take some serious abuse. I am talking falling-over-and-detaching-from-its-roots neglect, which occurred not just on our walk home from the nursery, but at least five times more till I repotted it in deeper soil. Every time one of the larger spikes fell out of the pot and detached from the base, we just stuffed it back as though nothing had occurred. It is still alive also. You really can not beat a houseplant…

Gardening and Landscaping

Timeless Summer Furniture: The Adirondack Chair

Yep, it really was Created from the Adirondack Mountains in New York. In 1903, to be exact. Throughout its next 110 decades of life, the Adirondack chair has become an iconic image of summer. It’s interchangeable with front porches, lake home, fire pits, beach cottages and rear decks. Initially these chairs were made from hemlock and came in one color: natural. And while the fundamental elements of the classic stay, there have been some adjustments, alterations and upgrades. You can get modernist Adirondacks, colorful Adirondacks, Shabby Chic–fashion Adirondacks and vinyl Adirondacks. But no matter the details, they all translate as casual, yard-friendly summer laziness. Escapes – Landscape Architecture + Construction These classic Adirondacks in lovely, neutral beige and beige are fulfilling their goal in life: to gather around a fire pit in a forested holiday location. Siemasko + Verbridge Their beachfront cousins in white prefer an ocean view. You can…

Eclectic Homes

Be Prepared With a Household Inventory — and Use It to Declutter Too

You may have heard of, or perhaps created, a house stock before. This record, often used to record belongings for insurance purposes, can also be a really helpful tool if you’re attempting to declutter, prepare for crises, clear area for a remodel or simply get organized. Have a look at these tips to create a comprehensive home inventory and enhance your belongings at exactly the exact same moment. Lauren Leonard Interiors Make Your Inventory Pick your own checklist. The first step in making a house inventory is getting your hands on a comprehensive checklist — one from your insurance business is best. Review the checklist before getting started. TreHus Architects+Interior Designers+Builders Work through your house, room by room. After your checklist, work your way slowly through the entire home — you may want to divvy up the job over several evenings. Document a brief description of each item, just how…

Decorating Guides

10 Ways to Go Coastal Using a Modern Edge

Spending my Fourth of July at the beach, I adored nosily peeking into peoples’ windows as I walked by and discovering their beachy decoration (in the road, of course). While coastal decoration which goes way over the top may be a great way to celebrate your environment, a lot of us are searching for more modern looks that avoid seagull-and whale-theme overload. Here are 10 ways to have a clean, coastal appearance that’s modern and uncluttered — also provides relaxation the moment you let the screen door slam behind you along the way indoors. Barnes Vanze Architects, Inc 1. Glean inspiration from a spartan ship. This kitchen is clean and spare, which lets subtle marine accents such as the chrome pendant lights, deep blue tile backsplash and mild blue modern klismos chairs stand out. Elliott + Elliott Architecture 2. Look to regional architecture for ideas. This beautiful waterfront house’s inspiration…

Coastal Style

Color and Pattern Make a Manhattan Apartment Sing

Transitioning from a blank canvas to highly personalized style often requires time, cooperation and a little elbow grease. This was the case for New Yorker Amanda Barlow, a marketing manager for the United States Council for International Business, who downsized out of a spacious rental in Queens into a 600-square-foot apartment in Manhattan’s East Village neighborhood. The largest challenge: Barlow had more furniture than she knew what to do with. However, with the help of longtime friend and designer Jeanie Engelbach, she strolled through her eclectic bits to make a well-curated, color- and – pattern-happy flat with sprinkles of punk rock. “I feel like this is the happiest space in New York,” she states. “It’s sophisticated, airy and bright. It’s a good balance from my day job.” at a GlanceWho lives here: Amanda BarlowLocation: East Village neighborhood of New YorkSize: Around 600 square feet; 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom Chris A…

Traditional Architecture

Simplicity vs. Simpleness in Architecture — and Why You Should Care

Leonardo da Vinci once said that simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. Simplicity in style calms us somehow inspires us, not only in architecture but also in other forms of design. Apple, as an instance, has refined its products on the years into such a gorgeous simplicity that the goods are very collectibles based on their style. However, what does simplicity mean? Or even better, what does simplicity not imply? Simplicity is not to be confused with simpleness. I am not advocating for nursery rhymes over symphonies, “Sing a Song of Sixpence” over Beethoven’s Ninth. No, simplicity is rather different from simpleness. Simplicity is effortless composition, an orderliness with lyrical attributes — such as in a great painting that has just enough brushstrokes to convey the idea, in which the painter uses just the ideal amount of color, which makes it impossible to envision another stroke or another color without destroying…