The 2018 Christmas season is over but we're still in a bit of a daze over the awesome Las Vegas Christmas decorations we saw last week! That's right - Las Vegas, Nevada - probably the last place most people think of at Christmas time. But the big resorts on the Las Vegas strip have some incredibly-talented designers (and very deep pockets), and came up with world-class … [Read more...]
This Modern Home is Really Just a Simple Barn with a Lean-To (and Spectacular Water Views)
Maybe you're not a fan of contemporary design, maybe you prefer simple, traditional buildings. Or maybe your tastes do run to modern? Either way works in this project, it has a little of both. And if you don’t immediately fall in love with this delightful little modern custom home by Heliotrope Architects, then you’re just not paying attention. At just 2,284 square feet, the … [Read more...]
The Renovation of this Pretty Colonial Revival Home Goes Just Far Enough without Overdoing It
There are dozens of little touches in the renovation of this pretty colonial revival home that make it special! Built in 1910, it's a great example of one of the many variations of the Colonial Revival style (there's another shot of the outside of the house at the end of this post). It's the inside of this home that we really fell in love with, though. Someone with great taste … [Read more...]
Quaint Low Country Cottage with Porches Everywhere
When you're in the lowcounty you might find yourself in Beaufort, North Carolina or maybe Beaufort, South Carolina. Either way, it's good to know that the one in North Carolina is pronounced "BOH-fort" and the one in South Carolina, where this quaint low country cottage sits, is pronounced "be-YOO-fort". The real estate listing for this home says it was built in 1875 and has … [Read more...]
Check Out These 9 Beautiful Stairways in Savannah, Georgia
There was SO much to do and see on our trip to Savannah, Georgia this summer – we’re going to have to go back to see everything we missed! Everywhere we went in the Historic District, we couldn’t help but notice unique, beautiful stairways, outside and inside. Savannah’s location and climate meant builders had to raise homes up off the ground, so the streets are lined with … [Read more...]
12 Delightfully Tiny Gingerbread Houses (Updated!)
Someday we're going to head down to the National Gingerbread House Competition in Asheville, NC but until then, we're all smiles while we enjoy these 12 wonderful itsy-bitsy tiny gingerbread houses! Find the directions for building this beautiful "winter scene" house at Goodies by Anna Carrie Stephens This house and others in the cooking pages of the New York … [Read more...]
House Number Three
Some of you know that Karen and I recently moved from our family home of 26 years to an empty-nester home. Like the experiences of many of you, our move was a bit of a long and winding road, including a two-month stopover in an apartment between homes. We’ve owned three homes together including this latest (and maybe, last) one. We’ve given a lot of ourselves to the homes … [Read more...]
Nicely Renovated Basic Blue Historic Colonial Home
When the words "historic home" or "historic district" show up in a home description, we can't help but take a look. Glad we did on this one in Bentonville, Arkansas. On the outside, it's a very nice basic blue historic Colonial home but on the inside, a few contemporary touches have been added to accent the 1863 interior. KAREN: Just needs a flag to be perfect … [Read more...]
What is an “Open Concept” Floor Plan?
It seems like almost everyone on those HGTV shows wants an "open concept" floor plan, doesn't it? “Open concept” sounds like a new idea, but is it? What is an "open concept" floor plan, anyway - and how is it different from a floor plan that isn't "open"? You all know by now that a lot of my Architecture articles start with a little history background...so here we go! The … [Read more...]
Tiny Cottage in Virginia is Big on Charm
Warm Springs Virginia is a very small mountain town, near the border with West Virginia. This tiny cottage (only 970 square feet!) caught our eye when we saw it come up for sale and we wanted to share it with you. KAREN : love how the gate "picture frames" the house in this photo! RICH: lots of wood - floors, walls, ceiling...everywhere you look KAREN: makes me … [Read more...]