Stock Up and Save? – Part Deux

Part 2

Okay, so we are extremely picky.  We admit it.  Every stock house plan we looked at, we wanted to change something.  Too much square footage, too little.  Too cookie cutter, too crazy.  Too Presidential, too Hee Haw.  The list went on and on.  That’s when we started seeking the services of a residential designer.  Rusty and I have a definite draw to the Craftsman / Arts & Crafts / Bungalow aesthetic so this is where we started our search.

Our Googling led us to Lynn Taylor of Taylor Made Plans in Nashville.  We were definitely drawn to her portfolio which included homes where we could see our family living, playing, and entertaining.  We loved the historic detail of her plans as well as her straightforward approach to design.  I remember Lynn saying at our first meeting that she would think about how our family was going to live in and utilize each space.  While Rusty could talk to Lynn about detail, I could count on her making suggestions to help make our house a home.

After our first meeting with Lynn, we knew she was the right choice to design our abode.  I was a little freaked out when she refused to take any samples of house plans that “came close.”  She was literally designing our home from scratch which made me very uneasy.  Of course, I trusted our instincts and Lynn’s ability…as well as the 18-page document we handed her complete with room-by-room suggestions and pictures;-).  And off we went on our design experience…

HINDSIGHT IS 20/20:  If you decide to go with a residential designer, be prepared.  I think Rusty and I could have been more prepared for that first meeting.  We had an idea of how many square feet we wanted but we had not yet finalized the room sizes we desired.  Had we pegged our room sizes prior to meeting with Lynn, we would have realized that our original square footage request would have given us Oompa-Loompa sized rooms;-)

A Woman Without a Nose

“A house without a porch is like a woman without a nose.” – Erik Hanson from “Erik’s Bungalow Manifesto” as referenced in Bungalow Details: Exterior by Jane Powell & Linda Svendsen

A Bungalow That Speaks...

When building or searching for a new home, there are certain items that are deal breakers.  These are different for every family.  For some it may be the number of bedrooms.  Others may be sticklers on the lot size, neighborhood, or ceiling height.  Everyone has different preferences shaped by our experiences, likes/dislikes, and budget.

One of my deal breakers is a front porch.  To me, a front porch says, “Welcome!”  Better yet, a side porch says, “Welcome, friends!”  No need to say it on a mat, post a sign, or paste it across the door.  The architecture speaks for you.

Smart homes are in…you can’t get smarter than a home that talks.

Want to find out more about the history of the front porch?  Check out The Porch Project for a fun, interactive porch experience!