Thanks for the inputs. mightyanvil - I'm glad we seem to be on the right track. I feel so much better about it this time around. I know that one can build Shingle Style anywhere, but this will be a very different look for Upstate SC. From our observations, most of the new construction around Greenville is typical neo-traditional, Tuscan, Old World/French, something called "Mountain" or some type of Craftsman derivative. Even though folks talk about how much they love Shingle Style, people don't seem to build it. I know that the gambrel needs some work and the entrance has always been problematic. It would likely be easier if we just had a covered front porch, but we were trying for a balance of outdoor seating areas. We have the screened porch and then the area under the deck will be covered on the lower level. I'm no great sun worshiper being a fair-skinned, blue-eyed blonde with freckles from Celtic heritage (quintuple-whammy for skin cancer), but after all these years hiding from the ferocious sun in TX, I would like to be able to have a place to sit to "warm my bones". By having the front terrace and the back deck, we should be able to have some sun for most of the day. Thank you for the link, the stone & shingles really integrate nicely. I don't want to impose, but are there any general tips you could lead me to for improving the front? Jay - we stalled for quite a while, but I think we're ready to get going, again. I hit my minimum FERS retirement birthday on Mother's Day & DD is graduating from UT-Austin, tomorrow, so there's not much holding in Houston any longer. eventhecatisaboy (what a great screen name; I chuckle every time I see it.) - what a super link. DH was looking over my shoulder as I brought it up and he is really impressed with seeing the pictures. Our problem now, is how to proceed with the architect since our vision is now so different. I'm going to start a new thread for that, but I really need to get my act in gear to head out to Austin. Thanks - Jo Ann

In our small town in Arkansas, builders are building spec houses that are selling well. However, the houses are more modest than in the past, though still nice, and price points are lower. In our second home ski-resort town in Colorado, its a bit different. True, that this is a unique market being a resort and has a mix of second-home owners and full time residents. The high-end spec. homes were in the 4-7.5M range in the boom. High end spec. duplexes in the 2-5 million range and high end condos in the 1.5-2.5 million range were being built in the boom. This inventory is slowly getting absorbed, but with some faily significant price reductions, especially for the condos). Now the few spec residences are at a more modest scale and lower price points. Only a very few of the higher end(now about 1.4-2.4M) spec. homes/duplexes are in the building and/or permitting phases in prime locations. No condos are buing built, but one developer is building a new apartment complex (instead of condos as originally planned) for long-term rentals and a fabuoulous senior center is winding its way through the permitting process. So at least there is some building activitiy. One builder however appears to be having some success with $220,000 to about $350,000 single family homes in a nearby "bedroom" community about 20 miles out. He bought the entire subdivision from the bank after it had been foreclosed and is now building more affordable housing. In the middle of the boom, the city approved several subdivisions in prime (very prime) mountain areas very near the base of the ski-mountain. One of those subdivisions of 62 lots announced that it was 100% "pre-sold" in the fall of 2007, with waiting lists. Prices ranged from about 450,000 for a .15 acre lot to around 1,200,000 for a creekside lot just under an acre. After all the infrastructure was in place, in May of 2010, 51 lots remained unsold and prices were slashed in half. At that time, a local builder was quoted in the paper as saying that this meant that a 3000 sq ft. home on one of the smaller lots could probably be built for just over 1M. Since that time, 4 lots sold to one local long-time investor, for an additional approx 10% off the already prices. This summer another 30% discount off the reduced prices (making it 65% of original asking) was announced. Five lots quickly went under contract, but four (all creekside duplex lots, I think) have already dropped out. A hedge fund bought another smaller, well located subdivision on the golf course from the bank about 6 months ago and cut the prices in half. No sales yet. I think this tells us (1) land prices haven't bottomed out and (2) until they do (and more remaining inventory is absorbed) there probably won't be any significant spec activity.

I think this is a solid point. I think a lot of people assume an island is always for prep. cpartist made a good point about designing her kitchen specifically so that she didn't prep on her island. She'd seen her aging mom struggle and realized that being able to slide food from the prep sink towards the stove would be easier than lifting and moving across an aisle, which was a very thoughtful and intentional design. I've had it both ways (prep sink on same run as stove and across the aisle). I wouldn't say one was better than the other, except that I do have to clean my floors a bit more with it being across the aisle. Regardless, my opinion is that two sinks is better than one in a kitchen for how MY family preps, cooks, and cleans, but not everyone needs that. It's so much easier having kids loading/unloading the dishwashers (yep, plural!) out of the way of the prep and cooking zone. When they are grown and gone, it will definitely be less of an issue.

The thing that I noticed on the dormers that bothers me a little is that the cornice line at the roof does not wrap onto the sides as in Kendrah's photos. I think they may also be a little too close to the main roof's eaves, but that will likely be a minor comment once it is all done. Otherwise I think their overall size is about right. What color will this house and trim be painted? That will make some difference. I think right now the round windows are standing out so much for everyone because they are the only thing with white trim. In either case, I would advise to finish the portico, get the shutters on, and get the painting done before making any drastic changes.