Lessons from a Grand Home

One of the wonderful things about writing Willow Decor is the opportunity to get to know Architects, builders and other designers. Like any master skill, if you look closely and listen to these talented individuals you can learn an amazing amount. Master architect, Tom Catalano of Catalano Architects, was kind enough to send some photos of a house he recently finished. While the house clearly exceeds the price range most of us can afford, reflecting more closely on the design, we can learn a great deal about how to add details and features into our own more modest homes, for a stunning effect. Here is the exterior of the home. Of course it is beautiful, but interesting things to note are the the roof lines and the use of multiple materials. Stone, cedar siding and wood accents and doors are featured prominently. Additionally notice the curved roof lines, copper roofing and copper accents. The cobblestone driveway also adds to the wonderful feeling outside. In your own home try to assess if you can add any one of these features to your existing exterior. A new wood door or cobblestone edging along your driveway or walkway can instantly elevate your exterior.

Of course some things are difficult and expensive to change once in your home- like banisters. But take a look at this entry. The iron spindles add a such a lovely accent to space. Also notice all the mouldings in this area. They are so beautiful. The addition of moldings is another way to add grandness to your spaces.

The gorgeous living room has all the architectural features to make it a showplace: limestone fireplace, curved large windows, beautiful mouldings. Here the mouldings have been painted a soft seafoam, rather than white and become more prominent in the room. Paint is great tool to use to call more attention to a wonderful feature in your room - who could forget the black painted mantel from the movie It's Complicated (photo link here)?

The dining room color echos the living room colors and provides a beautiful flow. Also notice the light fixtures. I love sconces in a dining room. They provide ambient light that can really help create a spectacular atmosphere. Also notice how the beautiful windows are not covered with heavy draperies, but allow the light to flood the room.

Thea kitchen is an area where details abound: the ceilings are coffered, the cabinets have all the extras, not even the tile was overlooked.Notice the detailed inlay on the cabinet crown moulding and the extended sides of the cabinets. Also of note it is the wood wall moulding which highlights the arched opening into the breakfast/dining area.

I imagine that wall moulding was used to off set this moulding detail entering the family room. The wood trim around the stove hood is interesting. Here is a close up of the tile design. Although the center piece is most likely expensive, the tiles that are not embellished are generally more affordable. Adding decorative tiles in strategic places, can give you an expensive, beautiful look for a reasonable cost. This can be done in your current tiled space, by carefully removing specific tiles and replacing the opened area with something more dramatic. Another doorway with wall moulding that looks into the breakfast/dining area. I really love the raised fireplace. So cozy in the winter. Notice the color of the kitchen ties in nicely with the color of brick. Off the entry, which you can see through the doorway is the library. Who wouldn't love to be surrounded by such fabulous wood and furnishings? Notice the ceiling - a deeper russet than the kitchen. Painting a ceiling in this tone really envelopes you in the room. (Have you noticed I am really into painted ceilings lately?)
Wonderful marble bath with wall mounted faucet.
This house has it all, including a to-die-for mudroom. The beadboard walls are so inviting. I love the branch like pulls. Also notice the floor; the slate is set on the diagonal which will make the space seem larger, and then edged horizontally, interesting details!
Here a back stairway brings you to the second floor. I suspect it is off the mudroom due to beadboard walls. I love beadboard in a newer home. It adds a nice touch by adding depth and a sense of age.
This is an entry to seating area -not sure which floor it is on, but I included it to show the wall moulding detail. It is interesting to me how well the rosettes mimic the kitchen backsplash tile. I love when details of one room are echoed in a different way in another room and this is a great example. Stunning!
The master bedroom is tranquil and beautiful - again gorgeous windows and french doors to private patio flood the room with light. The leather headboard provides a nice balance to the stunning wood ceiling.

Finally the opulent master bath. So much space and light - a dream with private make up area, separate sinks and glorious soaking tub! Small glass shelves dividing the vanity spaces provide privacy and openness at the same time.

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This house is an exceptional example of classic home design. Though we may never be able to live in such a home, there are many small elements we can take from this and use in our own spaces. Take a fresh look at your room. Can you add some crown moulding, paint the ceiling or the mantel, add some tile? Outdoors can you edge the walkway with cobblestones or create a pebble path in the garden? Small changes can bring big impact. Let me know if any of this inspires you!

(all photos property of Catalano Architects - do not copy without permission)

Kitchen Styles

It is believed by abounding that the kitchen is the best activated allowance in the home. It is a abode area families and accompany accumulate about to barbecue on home fabricated aliment and authority conversation. If you are cerebration about afterlight your kitchen, accede what will be the best amount able and add the best amount to your space. Here are a few account to advice you with your kitchen design.

Planning a kitchen acclimate should not be a rushed process. If your kitchen is a baby space, attending at means to expand. If the dining allowance is abstracted from the kitchen, you may appetite to beating bottomward a bank to aggrandize the space. Abounding buyers on the bazaar today adopt an accessible attic plan. If you are planning to annihilate a bank in your kitchen remodel, argue an electrician first: there could be apart base in your bank that, if not taken affliction of properly, could aftereffect in added costs forth the way.

After planning your remodel, it is time to amend your kitchen appliances. One of the best accepted styles in kitchen accessories accessible on the bazaar today is stainless animate accessories that are Energy Star compliant. Savvy homeowners adopt the avant-garde accomplishment of stainless steel. Acquirement analogous accessories to accomplish a added adamant attending in the space. Accessories that are Energy Star adjustable will additionally add amount to your space. As America continues to go green, this baby detail will both add amount to your kitchen and save you money in the continued run.

Once you accept absitively on what appearance you ambition to accomplish in your kitchen you may adjudge to amend your cabinetry. If your cabinets are in acceptable action but you still appetite an adapted look, advance in new chiffonier hardware. Whether you adjudge to architecture a rustic Old World accomplishment or a automated avant-garde design, there is kitchen chiffonier accouterments accessible to complete the attending you are after. Chiffonier pulls are accessible in an arrangement of finishes including glassy nickel, oil rubbed bronze, stainless animate and aged black, to name a few.

You can alike acquirement a kitchen faucet to bout the accomplishment of your chiffonier hardware. Kohler has revolutionized kitchen faucets and their accessories over the years, accumulation aerial affection action with categorical design. A beautifully crafted kitchen faucet can accommodate an added blow of structural architecture to your kitchen that will be accepted for years to come.

As you plan your kitchen design, it is important not to balloon some of the abate capacity such as the debris can. A bargain debris can could be an atrocity and breach up the breeze of the design. You accept a few options aback it comes to accumulation this call into your design: adumbrate it or advertise it. If amplitude provides, you can install a hidden debris can central a cabinet. If this advantage is not sufficient, acquirement a chargeless continuing trashcan that matches the décor of your space. To lower the accident of overextension bacilli in the space, advance in a touch-free debris can. This will acquiesce you and your ancestors to abandon debris after affecting any attenuated surfaces.

For a complete kitchen remodel, install new attic and countertops. There are abounding options accessible to accommodated your needs. Whether you are attractive to go blooming while all-around a ample ancestors or amend to a chichi avant-garde architecture with aerial end finishes, there are options to accomplish your needs.

After planning out your kitchen architecture and configuring your budget, it is now time to get started. Remember to advance in affection accessories to add amount to your space. You could calmly bifold the amount of your kitchen and get aback a aerial acknowledgment by planning out your kitchen acclimate anxiously and thoughtfully.

the home design in South Africa

Maison is the home design in South Africa was designed by van der Merwe Miszewski Architects. The Maison site is located between the road into Franschhoek and the Berg river, in the heart of the Franschhoek Valley. On the site of this building there are two structures, a barn from the 18th century and a 1920’s house. The house project involved the reuse of the barn, that is more or less centrally located on the site and is surrounded by several magnificent and ancient Oak trees. The barn and its trees become the subject of a home design, both in the programmatic and structural senses. The barn itself was repaired and inhabited to form the heart of the home design; the living room, dining room and kitchen spaces. The long facades are covered with verandas, one open and planted and the other covered over, replacing an existing lean-to structure.

Two additional wings of accommodation have been placed adjacent to the barn (at the ’short ends’) – containing bedrooms, bathrooms etc – creating an enclosed external space, the WERF. The WERF (in 2 areas, separated by a level change, an arbour and a water feature) provides private open space and motorcar access. The barn structure is retained as the significant built form by keeping the new adjacent structures low, with flat roofs. The primary form of the house consists of walls in the landscape – providing both habitable space as well as an ordering device for external farm space. Openings in the walls are punctured and can be closed by external shutters. Panoramic view windows (also with shutters), are located at the ends of the accommodation wings, looking out over the vineyards. A long pool separates the barn from the vineyards which, together with new paddocks, surround the house design. The owners collaborated closely with the architects on the home design, and particularly so with regard to internal fit out and furniture design.