Ah, Spring. This time of year I love to sit outside, ignore the housework piling up and dream over magazines of home plans. Plan viewing in my house often brings on lively discussion, debates and laughter. My daughters think they each need a master suite of their own, complete with dressing rooms, private bath, closets…
I just bought a new camera. There’s nothing like learning a new piece of technological wizardry. Some people love it; I am not one of those people. In my defense I must say I’ve recently had to learn all the new appliances and operating systems in our carriage house as my husband – well, let’s…
As promised in yesterday’s post, here is The Check List of questions to ask yourself as you plan and design your new home. ·How many people will live here? Are they permanent or occasional occupants and are there special needs associated with any of them? ·Is this a primary or second home? Considerations such as…
In an earlier post, The Home Design Dilemma: 7 Lessons Learned, I stressed how important it is in knowing yourself, your needs and your wants prior to beginning the design process. In this two part post I’ll go into detail as, if you’re like me, needs and wants are not always readily apparent. I could…
As the weather gets warmer and yet another long winter has come to an end, our attention turns to outdoor living and the spaces we love to inhabit during the warmer days and nights of summer. There is nothing like beautiful blue water to evoke thoughts of SUMMER! Post and beam homes have an inherent…
The decor was not my style. I discovered one of the best, most cost effective and immediate ways to create a totally fresh look was with paint. I also learned the importance of choosing the correct shade of a color. Do you have any idea how many shades of white exist out there in the…
You’ve fallen in love with a rustic barn home; its beautiful timbers, great wood beams, wide board ceilings and heavy plank floors. It has great bones but is just a bit tired looking… and dark! How to spruce it up? Begin by setting a realistic budget. What do you want to accomplish and how much…
People often suggest the need to design a house with the master bedroom on the first floor. You hear things like “someday you may not want or be able to climb stairs”. Possibly, but it may also be true that we could stay in better shape as we age if we are climbing stairs. My…
Yes, even in this economy. I know you’re saying to yourself “Is she nuts?” but please hear me out. I have a point or two that may resonate with some of you non-believers as I, too, would have fit into your category not so long ago. Having just built a new post and beam…
Exterior Do’s & Don’ts Part 2 Do Concern Yourself With Window and Door Placement. While many of us spend time pouring over drawings of our floor plans, picturing where walls will be, how furniture will fit, the layout of the perfect work triangle for the kitchen; this thought process does not necessarily include how…
Here’s a virtual video of my Carriage House. This was created as we finished the design phase at Yankee Barn Homes to help us get a feel for the interior. We’re thrilled with how the 5ft kneewalls give us an intimate feeling of space on the second floor. Enjoy! [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-XhtQp1H34] Want more information about Yankee Barn Homes?…
Planked kitchen ceiling by Yankee Barn Homes One of the beauties of a timber frame home is the gorgeous planked ceiling contrasting with the beams. It really complements what a post and beam house is all about. But the 2 ½” planks used by some builders for second floors leave the homeowner with quite…