Craftsman Homes in Entertainment

WARNING: This is probably the first of many posts on craftsman homes and examples.
I have a huge passion for craftsman design.  It all started back in the late 80s when I was the only teenager watching the TV drama "thirtysomething".  I had no idea what the subtext of the show was but I was fixated on the main couples' (Hope and Michael) continuous renovation of their Craftsman style home.  I was more interested in the changes that were happening to the kitchen than with the characters.  I don't think they ever finished the renovation but their marriage did survive it.  Of course I didn't know theirs was a craftsman back then.  That was way before I went to University to saturate myself in architecture and art history survey courses.

The Steadman's Floorplan

I recently started thinking about that house on the show again and I'm so glad I did because I found some interesting stories about it.  The house used on the show was owned by Donna and Dennis Potts and was actually located in Los Angeles.  The show's story was set in Philadelphia. The Potts were getting ready to refinance their house for their son's first year of college when the location scout for the show came calling and offered them $1500 per day of shooting at their home.
The Steadman's Floorplan above courtesy of www.thirdstory.com.

The Potts' outside their home with their grandkids in 1997

Photo fromPeoplemagazine.
The interiors of the home were shot on a sound stage in LA.  Production Designer Brandy Alexander won two Emmys for Best Art Direction in a series.
Ms. Alexander also did the set for "My So Called Life" starring Claire Danes.  A coffered ceiling was prominently featured in the family living room (sucker for coffered ceilings, right over here).
I will have to rent the DVD collection for these shows to recapture those first warm fuzzies for craftsman design.
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Is 344 Square Feet Too Small a Space to Live In?

Not if you're Gary Chang, an architect living in Hong Kong.  He has taken maximizing a small space to a whole new level.  I've viewed this segment over and over in awe.  It just has to be seen to believe.  He's made 24 rooms fit into one 344 square foot apartment.

This story is from Lloyd Alter's article in the Design + Architecture section of Treehugger.com.  The original article was written by Virginia Gardiner for The New York Times.  All photos by Marcel Lam for The New York Times.


Click Here to See Gary Chang's 24 Room Apartment in 344 Square Feet

Home Office Is the New Corner Office

I've been looking at a lot of new homes lately. One trend I've noticed in the executive level homes are home offices. That's offices, plural. In the last ten years the home office or study has been an important feature in new and existing homes. These days buyers like them so much, they'll take two, or three in some of the executive level products. Studys in floor plans now are in more than one place.   As more professionals prefer to spend less time commuting, working from home can be just as much of a job perk as an office with a view.  His and her options are like status symbols.  Just like his and her baths or his and her closets have been very popular, now we have his and her home offices incorporated into floor plans.

(*) Mark desks and/or office spaces

(*) Mark optional desk area

A friend of mine joked with me as we walked through a model and saw the desk space off the kitchen saying to me, "oh, yeah hon, that's where we're supposed to clip our coupons". It was a joke but I realized that I really did like having a place to keep my coupons and papers that end up accumulating in the kitchen. I went so far as to put an extra counter in my kitchen complete with drawers and extra cabinets, converting an old useless console, for that exact purpose. I dreamed up the project after viewing several new model homes with built in desks in the kitchen.  The old console would not fit the new 52" HDMI we wanted, so modifying the console was necessary.  We rewired the opposite wall and put the new TV across the room to face the kitchen.  Now I get to watch The Barefoot Contessa while I make dinner.
Currently for kitchen consoles, buyers are given the option to build out the extra counter space as a butler's pantry but many are choosing the built in desk option.

My Old Console - Front View

Before Conversion - Back View A of Console

Before Conversion - Back View B of Console

After Conversion - Back View C of Console

After Conversion - Back View D of Console

Kid's studys are also features that are available. Second and third bedrooms surround a common room in an open plan which can flex in its use as kids mature. For young kids flex rooms are labeled "playroom", and as they grow it is used as a game/media room or study. Plans like these allow for parents and kids to have their own space and not fight over what to watch on TV.
Home offices that are enclosed don't necessarily have to be used for work. They can be used as flex space for computers, workout space, retreat for extra privacy or just for owners to stash their extra stuff. Regardless of their final function, the home office is a desirable option in todays home.
The floor plan in this example is Plan 171 fromHighland Homes and was listed at $389,900 in the Crystal Falls subdivision in Leander, Texas as of March 2010.

Mia's Bedroom in "The Princess Diaries 2"

One of my favorite examples of a "dreamy" feature is a plush bedroom like Princess Mia's in "The Princess Diaries 2".  The mix of French country with the modern wood panel in the closet make this suite ultra chic.  This would be any girl's dream.
Snaps to Albert Brenner, Production Designer as well as Peg Cummings and Casey Hallenbeck, Set Decoration.

Bedroom Clip from "The Princess Diaries 2"

A Staging Faux Pas

I receive daily listings of homes on the market.  Most of the time the owners and agents have taken great care to prepare a home for photos and viewings by staging well.  However, every once in a while I do receive an example of what I refer to as a staging DON'T and here is one  of those examples.

A staging DON'T

In this photo of a master bedroom, owners have chosen to display their marlin on a prominent wall.  This is an automatic No No in my opinion.  When staging a home, it's best to remove all evidence of outside interests. Now if this particular home were located near the ocean it would make more sense to display the marlin.  This home is a lakefront home on a man made lake.  Artwork with a boating theme would have been more appropriate.  This marlin just looks out of place in the room.  The room looks more like a lodge than a seaside home.
When staging a home it's best to remove signs of the current owners interests, political affiliations, religious affiliations, occupation, team sports references, etc. etc.   Better to have a clean slate for any potential buyers viewing the house.
The marlin aside, this is actually a very nice room.  Beautiful wood floors and window frames with the wooden beams plus the many large windows and natural lighting make it an ideal retreat.  It reminds me of a Bed and Breakfast I once visited in Estes Park, CO, The Taharaa Mountain Lodge.

The Stetson Suite at The Taharaa Lodge

Other than removing the marlin the only other thing I would have changed in this photo is the position of the area rug.  It would have looked better out in front of the bed.  I can guess why it is under the bed.  Most likely the current owners experience some movement when they get in and out of bed if the wood floors are too slick under the bed frame.  But the rug looks awkward.  One solution would be to cut slip proof drawer liners down to size to keep the bed from sliding, then, reposition the area rug in front of the hope chest.  A darker rug color in maroon or green would have been my first choice to complement the bed's leather head and footboards.  But in this case the color of the rug does not take appeal away from the room.
When staging a house it's good to have a guideline, like a hotel room, to decide what stays and what goes.  Hotel rooms are minimally furnished and decorated.  They don't lean towards any particular personality type.  Instead they keep things simple and try to appeal to everyone.  A potential buyer should feel the same way walking into an open house as they do walking into a hotel room.  Ready to sit down, relax and not feel they are intruding in someone's home.  This way they can start imagining themselves in the space and get that much closer to making an offer.

Jennifer Aniston's Home Featured in Architectural Digest

The March 2010 issue of Architectural Digest featured a photo spread of Jennifer Aniston's Beverly Hills home.  The home, built in 1970 and designed by architect Harold W. Levitt, was recently renovated by Aniston and her architect Stephen Shadley.  The home took two years to complete and was a true labor of love for Aniston.  According to the article the home was owned and occupied when Aniston discovered it.  But after much negotiation she managed to convince the owner to sell.  The original front doors were kept in the design, a feature that pulled Aniston immediately to the home.
The final outcome exudes a tranquil Zen meets luxurious La Vegas penthouse.  This is the ultimate in bachelorette pads which are often highlighted with the shabby chic side of decor in design magazines.  My hat is off to Aniston for taking such a bold approach to her home.  It really makes a statement in luxury, comfort and exotic elegance.  A frequent hostess to her circle of friends, this is definitely a home you'd want to stay in on a Saturday night.

AD March 2010 Jennifer Aniston Cover

Photos courtesy of  jenniferanistonsource.com,jenniferanistonphotos.net and Architectural Digest.

What Ever Happened to Barbie's Dreamhouse?

It's always eluded me.  When I was a little girl I desperately wanted the Barbie Dreamhouse from Mattel.  It was the biggest house Barbie had.  I never got the Dreamhouse.  I did get the Barbie Townhouse one Christmas, the best Christmas ever, and Barbie finally had a pink palace where she could live and entertain in the style to which she was accustomed.  I recently did a search for the Dreamhouse and discovered they no longer manufacture the original.  Mattel has actually combined the two products and renamed the one, “Dream Townhouse”, and it is a dream.  It has what made the original townhouse a joy to possess.  The pink elevator, three levels, pink color scheme, and some additional upgrades and renovations.  Barbie’s new Dream Townhouse now has an outdoor jacuzzi, a widescreen HDTV and WiFi, since Barbie’s laptop was left out on her coffee table.

photo courtesy of Toyrus.com

I think if Barbie could speak for herself she’d make no secret of her wish for a larger bedroom to accommodate a queensize bed.  Barbie is still sleeping in a twin bed and has to fit her Louboutin collection in a single armoire.  She would most likely hire an architect to come out and redesign her townhouse to include a California Closet, a home office and an outdoor living room.  Afterall, Barbie has the same wants and needs as the rest of the homeowners in the U.S.
According to Ashley Whittenberger of Interiority Complex in Austin, here is a list of what home buyers want in their next home.
(Excerpt from “What Home Buyers Want and How You Can Make it Happen: Interiority Complex takes an in-depth look at a recent survey on home buyer preferences.”)

• Large kitchens with an island.
• Energy-efficient appliances and high-efficiency insulation and windows. (These were the most sought-after “green” features from buyers.)
• Home office or study
• Main-floor master suite
• Outdoor living room
• Ceiling fans
• Master suite soaker tubs and oversize showers with seating areas
• Stone and brick exteriors
• Community landscaping with walking paths and playgrounds.

After reviewing the list I was happy to see I had 6.5 of the items on the list.  Barbie’s Dream Townhouse had .5 out of the 9 items on the list.  Now when I’m living better than Barbie, something’s wrong.  Mattel needs to re-work their house plans for our girl.
I may have thought I was settling for my townhouse when I was seven but now as I compare my house to Barbie’s I think even she’d have to ask me, “who’s got the Dreamhouse now?”
Ashley Whittenberger is the Principal and Chief Decorating Officer of Interiority Complex.  You can visit Interiority Complex, access the free article archive of design prescriptions or learn more about the home staging and creative design therapy at www.interioritycomplex.com.  Ashley lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, son, two dogs, and two cats, and she is proud that she has learned to successfully live and thrive with her compulsive and chronic rearranging and re-designing disorders.