Light the fire...

Light the fire...under the bum of my archetect that is! We singed the papers for our new lot yesterday. I am beyond estatic with the site. It is not to far from our current home, 2 acres, fully treed, hopefully a mountain view from the main and upper level of the home, and a small pond on the back of the property.

I remember driving by these lots about 2 years ago with Rob, we both fell in love with them instantly. We tried to dig up the title info on them but came up empty handed. After putting it on the back burner and figuring someone already had plans in the works for them we put our search on hold. It came down to one random drive through the country, by the lot, to discover a sign with contact info on it...it was meant to be!!!

So as I said, it is time to light the fire under Peter' bum. The home structure will be similar to our home now, just on a larger scale with additional bedrooms for little ones to come if we are lucky enough, and of course a larger kitchen!!!! Can you ever have a kitchen big enoguh...no, if you were wondering the answer.

Here are a few images that I am using for insperation for the next home...

 

Image via Traditional Home

Image via Kitchen Trends

Image via Garden Wed

How am I going to pull all of these and many more ideas together? Not sure yet, but I am looking forward to sharing the journey with you, step by step. I hope you will join me for the ride! Have a great Wednesday!! Mel xoxo

Sarah's House week 3

This week in the Sarah's House episode she focused on the Main Bathroom. A great transformation once again!! She used a fun burst of color with yellow popping up in unexpected locations.

 I love how they painted the under side of the claw foot tub in yellow, not something you would expect to see; it helps pull the entire room together.

 

Image via HGTV.ca

This vanity mirror was quiet the find. Beautiful shape and flanked by the two antique sconces it makes the vanity area that much more.

Image via HGTV.ca

I wanted to show this image since it was on the site, but I will admit that this view is leaving me wanting more, and not in a good way. I wish that there would have been some sort of color added to the walls, not just to the tub and accessories.

 

Image via HGTV.ca

Again, I am wanting more out of this shower. Yes, it is beautiful and classic with the white carrara marble trim, chrome fixtures, and frame less glass enclosure. I just wish that she would have taken the yellow to the next level and incorporated some color into the shower.

Image via HGTV.ca

Sweetness is how I would describe this image. All of the carefully thought out arrangements can make a room, and here is a great example on top of the vanity.

Image via HGTV.ca

Enjoy your Tuesday, I have my fingers crossed as we are putting ink to paper on a special deal I hope to share with you soon! Mel xoxo

The Lantern...

One of my many obsessions right now is the lantern light. I know I am going to have to restrain myself when doing the lighting selection for our own home, if not every room and hallway will have a lantern style light in it. Fortunately we have a few spec homes in the works, so between all of those homes I should get my fix.

Here are a few images that display this style of lighting so well...

Image via Atlanta Home Magazine

Image via Traditional Home

Image via Houzz

Image via Traditional Home

Image via Houzz

Image via Country Living

Image via DecorPad

Image via DecorPad

 

Image via DecorPad

Hope everyone had an amazing weekend filled with lots of fun and laughter. When you are reminding yourself that it is just another Monday...think of what made you smile this past weekend. :) Mel xoxo

Fridays Favorite

Signing a deal, one of my favorite things!!! That is what we did just last night. It is turning out to be a crazy busy year, and I am really excited to share all of this with you, client by client and step by step.

The home we sold yesterday is the west side of an inner city duplex that we are building. Now both sides are sold so we can start the process with out having to worry about making it appealing to the masses. We purchased the lot for the clients that bought the other side of the duplex, they HAD to be on this specific street. Just so happened that there was an empty lot, with drawings, and a development permit in place. While all of that is great and saves us a lot of time the plans were horrid. So I had my work cut out for me.

Here is what the original builder had planned...


And here is what I spent all day yesterday working on, just a rough sketch but it is the starting point. The exterior will be cladded in ledge stone, mahogany siding, and acrylic stucco...


The clients were floored and beyond happy with the new exteriors and revised layouts. It is considered a West Coast Contemporary home, a style we haven't built in a long time, so I am excited to add this to our portfolio...and just wait till you see what I have planed for the interior of the home!!!

Enjoy your weekend!! Mel xoxo

Cheers!!!

I am crazy busy trying to get some sketches done for a clients basement development right now, but I couldn't resist a post on dining rooms. Here are some beautiful images I have found, CHEERS!!!

 
Image via Houzz

 
Image via Architectural Digest

  
Image my own

 
Image via K. Scott
 

 
Image via Traditional Home

 
Image via Traditional Home

Can't believe it is already Thursday, where has the week gone!?!? Make the most of it. Mel xoxo

My starting point...

It all started last year when Rob & I were watching an episode of Restaurant Makeover on the Food Network. The episode had designer Cheryl Torrenueva redecorating a restaurant called De Great Iron Pot. Needless to say all of these transformations are phenomenal, but there was one thing in this space that made me gasp...the lighting fixtures that were used. I HAD to find them and I was on a mission. They were the inspiration  and starting point for my next kitchen, and at that time our next home was not even in the works, but it was love at first sight.

Image via Westchester Magazine

After endless hours of searching on the Internet I had pretty much given up, then last week the show was on again, so I decided to contact Cheryl directly. To be honest, I wasn't expecting a response, but low and behold in my in-box was a great note from her with the information regarding the said light that has cost me endless hours of sleep.

 

Image via HERE

If you love it as much as I do, click the link above for information. Hope everyone has an amazing Wednesday, I know I am still doing the happy dance over the light, LOL! Mel xoxo

Sarah's House week 2

This week in the second episode of Sarah's House on HGTV Canada she focused on the master & main bedroom. Beautiful transformations once again, especially the master bedroom.

Stunning, serene, calm; that is how I would describe this master bedroom. One thing I admire Sarah for is her knack at fabric selections. She always hits the nail on the head and this room is proof.

Image via HGTV.ca

The way that the chair rail follows the height on the 2 side walls breaks the taller wall up nicely, you are not entering the room with a big splash of color right in your face. I also love how there are 2 separate curtain rods for the windows rather than one large one.

Image via HGTV.ca

The following images are from the main bedroom in the home. A lot of the items found were fantastic flea market finds. How I would love to find a flea market that had such wonderful items, I would need a semi-truck to get it all home!!!

Image via HGTV.ca

When a room is large enough and it allows for a perfect little area like this take advantage of it! How warm and inviting would a sitting area be for guest, complete with ample pillows and sconces for reading light.

Image via HGTV.ca

Enjoy your Tuesday!!! Mel xoxo

ROYGBV and then some

It is rainy and cold here today so I thought I would bring some color to all of you, through the kitchen! There is so much more than just white, come and take a look...

 

Image via Home Improvement

Image my own

 

Image via Country Living

 

Image via Houzz

Image via Better Homes & Garden

Image via Houzz

Image via Kitchen & Bath

Enjoy your Monday and I hope the sun is shining for you! Mel xoxo

Fridays Favorite

Today I am going to post my top secret all time best chocolate chip cookie recipe for Fridays Favorite, shhhh. I love making them with Weston, his eyes get so big and every time we add something he asks if he can eat it yet and lick the beater. I have such great memories of making cookies with my mom, the wait to get those 2 silver beaters coated in raw cookie dough always made me smile. Share a smile with someone you love today and enjoy these yummy cookies that have become a staple in my home.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 2.5 dozen

3/4 C. unsalted butter, room temperature

1 C. golden brown sugar, packed

1/4 C. sugar

1 egg, room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C. all purpose flour

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream together butter and sugars until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla extract and blend together. Sift together flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Mix dry and wet ingredients together. Once blended stir in chocolate chips.

Place on parchment paper lined baking sheets and bake for 9 min. or until the edges get golden brown. Do not over bake and let cool if you can!

To get all of the cookies in perfect form I use a medium sizes ice cream scooper. It works great and I am less tempted to eat the cookie dough off my hands!

Weston was so happy when we were finally done mixing it all up. The beater kept him highly entertained and by the time he was done there was cookie dough all over his precious face and even in his hair.

I would have shared a final image with you, but they seem to have all been gobbled up by little boys and one big boy as well...I might have had my fair share too. 

Enjoy your weekend! Mel xoxo

Burst of color...

So I have been known to be a Tanoholic in the past, not in the tanning bed sense, but with my color plate. I wanted to prove that I can work with color...and for these clients it was A LOT of color. The images below are from an inner city home we built a while back in a great area called Scarboro. I find our inner city clients tend to think outside of the box more so than the suburban clients. It is always a challenge to design a great unique home with the restrictions that come along with an inner city infill home. It is a challenge I love taking on and hopefully we will get the opportunity again and again.

Here is the view when you are coming down the stairwell from the second level.

The kitchen was built-on site and finished with a cream color lacquer for the the perimeter, topped with a honed brown antique granite, and a great orange glass mosaic tile back splash. The island is a burst of color that most do not expect. In place of granite we used a maple butcher block, the client is a huge baker so we wanted to keep that in mind when selecting materials.

 A close up of the island. Simple design with shaker style panel doors, venetian bronze knobs and half moon pulls, and a simple plinth detail at the base. The island is painted with Pratt & Lambert Bittersweet, such a fun color!!

We incorporated the burst of color from the island into the backsplash with pumpkin color glass mosaic tile.

All image my own

The one thing I need to do is get back to the home and shoot it with proper lighting and with the great furniture that they have added. I love image of a lived in warm home and trust me, this home has it!

Enjoy your Thursday, hard to believe the week is almost over! Mel xoxo

A bit of green & the time has come!

The process is now in motion for the next home. We put the offer in yesterday on the lot, well, 2 actually, but that is another story.

 

We also met with our architect and went over the plans. I asked him if they would be ready by Friday and I just got the same blank stare Rob seems to give me...a lot. If you don't ask you don't get I always say!! I am so excited to share all of this with you, besides our own home we have 3 pre-sales and a spec home already in the books for the year. All will be VERY different from one another so it should be a fun filled crazy busy year!! Hope you enjoy the ride.

 

And in honor of St. Patricks day (I am so far from being Irish it isn't funny, but I can try) here are a few images with a tad bit o' green.

 

Image from Houzz

Image from Country Living

Image from Houzz

Enjoy your Hump Day! Mel xoxo