Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Casual English Manor











It's not every day that we start from scratch on a home, but in this client's situation, they had recently moved into a new home...and due to busy schedules and a lack of design direction, this house had yet to be turned into a home!  Now this family is a dynamic group...full of energy, loads of hobbies and interests...and they desired their home to reflect who they are...after our first meeting, we knew exactly what direction we wanted to go to transform this home from empty and echo-y, to warm and inviting...
"Before"




We took the family's love for all things outdoors and blended it with their overall classic aesthetic to create a "casual english manor"...






Our first order of business was to strengthen the focal point of the room, the fireplace.  We also needed to work out a furniture plan that was both functional and welcoming and took advantage of an irregular space.  Then the crowning touch was the addition of the ceiling beams to add warmth, architectual interest and a little wow!!




We were able to include seating for 6-8 without crowding the space!  The woven shades in the windows repeat the darker wood tones of the rich beams, which pull out the chocolate undertones in the lighter oak flooring.  The "beam" mantel was created by our contractor.






In the eat-in kitchen, an updated light fixture, new table, window shades, a few personal pieces and a smartly-tailored valance pull the space from lonely to welcoming!




Around the corner in the new dining room, the stage has been set for grand dinner parties, or cozy family gatherings...









According to these clients, AsterHouse "nailed it"...their home perfectly reflects

them and the way they live and function there...what greater compliment could you ask for??!!!

Thanks to all of our clients for the amazing priviledge of working in your most precious, sacred, private spaces...your homes!!






 

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Thursday, August 9, 2012

A spec sneak...


This summer has been a whirlwind of activity around here!!  We have had multiple large projects in production…which simply means a lot of details to keep up with and lots of car time…driving from project to project to check in on progress, double check stain colors and answer questions from contractors!!  It is a little similar to a pregnancy…waiting, anticipating, preparing, waiting, wondering, excited, and finally, with little say on the timing...(haha...the nature of constructions!!) the thrilling reveal!!!


Not unlike a pregnancy, there is a lot happening before any noticeable changes take place…take our current spec home, for instance…the contractor hired us to bring a fresh look to his project…our challenge was to bring some updated finishes to a home that needed to appeal to the majority of buyers, since this was not a custom build.


So we started here…way back at the beginning...











Original floorplan



with a floorplan…reviewing the layout, the traffic flow, the storage options…we tweaked it…(no mudroom?? must have!!)…and then we moved on to visualizing and presenting a design concept…


"...inspired by a modern mountain retreat. A comfortable mix of traditional designs with contemporary clean lines and updated finishes, along with a fresh color palette that is inviting and compatible with any design style, truly sets this home apart." -listing details per AHD


...and then added the details that would take our inspiration and make it the home of someone's dreams!!!!












And here is a sneak at the spec house progress….













We are thrilled with the outcome!!  It looks awesome!!!

And the builder is pleased to say this one is now sold!!

Final pictures to come!!

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