Big Bath Little Details

I really like how they utilized some subtle accents in this bath. They take the white pebble mosaic from the shower floor and carry it through as a border in the rest of the bath - nice. Also, I’m not usually a fan of tile base in a bath but this I thought was badass – the tiny line of pebbles in the tall base.

Two more things I’m all over in this bath. The built-in warming drawer (usually seen in the kitchen and to keep food warm) instead of the towel (bar) warmer and if you look close you can see they used a wall mounted faucet and filler for the tub. Little things. Different things. Creative things.

photos via House Beautiful

Old Building New Home

I like the idea of taking buildings or structures not often thought of as homes, and turn them into homes. This was a sweet idea in a super cool space. It's an former general store in Argentina. The designer did such an amazing job salvaging a lot of original materials from the store and transforming the rest of the space into something livable.

In the top picture, you'll see an iron railing and cable in the foreground. That's the set of stairs in the photo above which originally lead to the cellar. It is now converted into an office. A vision and a little inspiration can go a long way.

Photos via Design Sponge

Old Barn Library Hayloft

This is an original barn hayloft converted into a library. It is a sweet open space with a really cool color contrast and a great collaboration of rustic materials with modern finishes. A nice touch with the sleek horizontal metal cables serving as the railing, and I like how the dark beams against the white walls give a the room solid depth.

This I thought was a cool shot of the original barn flooring. Old school and crafty. Each step utilizes a different thickness and the risers run both horizontally and vertically. I’m a sucker for small, custom details.

Photos by Stacy Bass via Rosemary Hallgarten's Blog

Coastal Farmhouse Cottage

This place is bad ass not only because it has water on both sides but it also really makes a statement with the crisp simplicity of some of the exterior details. They call it Faraway and it's located on the island of Captiva, Florida. Clean lines and sweet color contrast. If you were to take away the exposed rafter tales and the rust colored metal roof you'd still have a cool little coastal cottage but they took this place a step further. They brought some Farmhouse style down to this tropical island. I thinks it's genius.

(photos by Tim Capaldi)

Friday Architecture

To cap off a weeks worth of posts on architecture/building relationships, I thought I'd end on this note. A good architect knows how to take existing components and create something truly unique. So how do you take it to another level? You need more than just mechanics, and there is no way to build with just one craftsman. The architect/builder relationship plays such an important role in the ability to identify solid resources, gather the necessary parts and build something that matters.

photo via WanderingPics.com

Builder/Architect Collaboration

Earlier this year, we partnered with the Michigan Design Center in an event called Buy, Sell or Stay. It was an opportunity to show the public available real estate in the area and how you could utilize properties based on your particular lifestyle. Our task was to partner with an architect (Patrick Dyke Collaborative), take an existing home that was for sale in the area and detail what could be done within a predetermined budget. It was a great experience and really showcased to the audience how the two parties (builder and architect) worked together to put out an economical and state of the art product. The collaboration hinged on communication and an understanding of ideas and experiences. It was also a nice little way to show people out there how a builder and architect can work together from the ground up.

photo via Just Luxe

Historical Architectural Styles

Ruard Veltman Architecture is a firm based in Charlotte, NC. They have a great sense of style and understanding of their project. All are great qualities you want from your architect. And they are an architecture firm that is still doing all of their work by hand. I love it. I've come across their work various times while researching ideas, and they have a great range on classic historical styles from english craftsman to dutch farmhouse.

photos via Ruard Veltman Architecture