Thank you so much for sharing. I have to admit looking at those pictures made me giggle a little because I was thinking if someone told me to decorate a beach house I'd probably do things very similar to this. I'd go crazy with colors and fishy stuff. I'm not saying that would be a good thing just saying that's probably what I'd end up with : )
I love looking at homes that are so different from my own.
There are things I like about the spare bedrooms but they all remind me of nurseries without the nursery furniture.

Thanks, Judith. I had to come take another look. I'm still struck by this pricing, much lower than in our area. Oceanfront 4-bedroom in the 600-1M range?!

Secret passageway, wonderful woodwork, and I love the palette of the room with the softer aqua and lime green. Though some of the choices are different than I'd make and there are way too many decorative accessories for me, I really enjoy looking.

Thanks again for posting. I know it takes time and effort. Very kind of you to share!

Thanks for sharing judithva. I like the house but the drapes are awful and the colors and color combinations are terrible. Way too much "stuff" everywhere. Too bad the decorator screwed up such a nice house.

Mtn, I'm in the general vicinity & D.C. is a 3 hour drive for us.

While this is certainly waterfront, as far as this being "oceanfront," I am not sure that it is. Could be on the Chesapeake Bay, but again, I'm not familiar with bayfront property in Chesapeake either. I hope Judith can provide more location details. I'm curious, Tidewater native that I am!

I don't love a lot of the decor choices, but it's a lovely house. Thanks for posting it. Great woodwork.

Different home:
I think this was the Breast Cancer house. Bright wall color was a bit much....
Front living room:

Kitchen...it was small for the money I thought, but again beach community so these houses still went for alot of money.

Most people did not care for the seperate sinks...

Bedroom, they used the plantation blinds for privacy:

Another home:

a ceiling detail:

Yet another home:

tv detail:

another home:

detail of wine pull out from under stairs:

Wall detail:

woodwork detail:

I like the house. The wood work is very nice and the layout seems to flow well.

I agree with the others-the window treatments are aweful and why would they make holes in that pretty woodwork? The decor is dated and there is too much stuff everywhere but maybe the decorater was limited to target and lazyboy? Not a big fan of the paint colors- I like the green in the kitchen and fun colors in the spare bedroom. I would have preferred this house empty with all the rooms painted white, just a blank canvas.

The kitchen and bathroom choices seem dated to me which is a pity. mtnrdredux is right, you hang out here long enough and you are hard to please. I guess I was already that way since we ended up building a house bc we couldn't find anythign we liked.

I have a feeling this is from the "homearama" that took place in a community called "East Beach" this past fall, which is located in the Ocean View section of Norfolk, VA (about 15 minutes away from where I live, but I didn't attend the show!)

Ocean View is situated on the Chesapeake Bay. It is beautiful, but has suffered over the last two decades & is being rejuvenated. Existing houses are being fixed up, new ones are being built, & there is an effort underway to address crime. It's an area on the upswing, & is considered desirable, especially "East Beach," but it's "transitional" status may be why the prices are lower than other watefront communities. Of course, the hope is values will increase...

Very beautiful houses with some very "interesting" decor and strong wall colors, but I think I understand this is targeting a different demographic from the beautifully decorated eye candy you photographed and indulged us with in the past. I think it also says a lot about the economy.

It's pretty, I think if we all had a friend with this house/decor we would be very complimentary (and really mean it). However, in my mind an award winner it is not. It is very lacking in creativity and a little too generic. I do really like the bones of the house though.
I think I like the Breast Cancer house better. Except, don't like those double all in one Costco vanities side by side with that small open bit in-between. They should have sprung for a custom top all across and little drawers or cubbies in that odd gape.

Thank you for posting. I love seeing these decorator showhouses that offer a peek into homes in regions other than my own. I've always lived in New England and this forum has opened my eyes to how diverse homes and decorating are across the country.

I loved the woodwork in the first home. The built-in cabinets that round a corner viewed from the kitchen/breakfast room were a favorite feature. I have a spot where I'd like to do something like that.

I will echo the comment that spending time here on the forum does tend to raise the bar when it comes to being wowed. I've seen and learned so much here in the past few years!

Patricia43, interesting that you gather "this is targeting a different demographic..." Not really.

The last homearama Judith posted pics of took place in Suffolk, VA, about 40 miles away from this one. The houses were situated on the Nansemond & James Rivers in a town mostly built up around peanut farming. Very nice town, Suffolk, but not regarded as a magnet for upscale house hunters. Hard to believe, but quaint little Suffolk has one of the highest crime rates in this region! Go figure.

Both housing developments are similarly priced, both have water on their side (literally & figuratively) & each are part of a larger community trying to address its share of problems.

Thanks for posting. I was struck by the formality in the first house. Very nice but it didn't seem beachy to me at all. The wall colors were a nod to the beach but that's about it. The rest of the decor looks like it belongs in a house in a suburb of Atlanta.

Stinky Gardener, I was alluding to houses that she posted back in the 2005-2006-2007 time period. Perhaps you were too, but the economy has changed drastically since then.

I am seriously disliking these homes and the decor, which does surprise me. The colors, wt's, accessories, fixtures, overall decorating, and the general lack of quality in anything outside of the house itself. Something so simple as a chandelier/lantern- it could be great but it it's not (the lines and the shades).

Stinky-that is the exact location that you mentioned where the homes are, good sleuthing :)

Again, I can't speak for the designers, but I think the overall theme for the area was beach-inspired, with the key-word being "inspired". All the homes just had a touch of "beach".

I have quite a few more, but my photobucket is giving me grief for some reason...

View from back of house on to skinny street to show houses on the opposite side:

Stinky-that is the exact location that you mentioned where the homes are, good sleuthing :)

Again, I can't speak for the designers, but I think the overall theme for the area was beach-inspired, with the key-word being "inspired". All the homes just had a touch of "beach".

I have quite a few more, but my photobucket is giving me grief for some reason...

View from back of house on to skinny street to show houses on the opposite side:

Loved the photos and the woodwork! While I might not decorate my own home in those colors I always enjoy seeing how someone else pulls things together.

Anyone have an idea where I might find the clock in the very first photo? It resembles a large cream colored pocket watch. In the second set of photos you can see that it's actually oval. I checked Target's web site but didn't happen to see it there.

Oh, good, Judith! So glad I didn't ramble on about Ocean View for no good reason. I didn't research it, I just remembered the show house was there this past fall & it dawned on me that your photos looked like East Beach houses.

Awww...I always love a stepping stone path! Cute pic of the side yard & street. A postage stamp sized yard like that would be nice!

Oh gosh, I don't like words on walls (or "artwork," etc.!). Ugh, Virginia Breeze? Puh-leeze! Eeek! Cringe.

That door underneath the words is so adorable though, & I always love a plantation shutter!

Judith, two questions, HOW ARE YOU and when do we get to see pictures of your re-model? It's been such a long time since you've posted anywhere~the last time I saw your posts were on the 'smaller homes' forum. I sure have missed all your beautiful vignettes and tablescapes!

Thank you for posting pictures of these lovely homes, but none can hold a candle to what I remember of your lovely home!! If you haven't seen Judith's home and her creativity, you're really missing something!

And what happened to your blog? I was so excited when you started it.

I also remember you were having health issues, and am hoping all is well and you are on your way to recovery and good health.

Welcome back Judith! ;o)

Patty cakes,
Aw you are so sweet! Thanks for the welcome back. Unfortunately my cancer returned back in Dec. 2011 with a vengeance. So I spent pretty much 2012 going thru chemo, sick as a dog, major surgery...hospitalized 4 times, well you get the idea. I think the only way for me to get skinny is losing important body parts LOL. ( got to keep a sense of humor)

My reno went completely on hold. But I'm rolling with the punches :) I'm finally feeling better, I hope to start on doing my own wood working on the house. My bucket list is different than most, doing my own wood work is at the top of it. Ah, the simple things....

Glad you are feeling better these days Judith! Throw away the list & savor each day as it unfolds. Sounds like you are... & whatever project you apply your talent & creativity to will result in something beautiful. Sending you a hug, & Peace be with you!

Thank you so much for posting all these pictures. I sooooo enjoyed them!

I would love to know the name of the hardwood flooring in the first home. Would you have any idea? We have had a slow leak of a hot water heater that has turned into a disaster. We have to replace all the hardwood floors in our house. I haven't picked out hardwoods in twenty years! The ones we have presently are the very traditional 2-1/4 inch wide slats. I don't think they even make that width anymore. I'm trying to get with it and embrace the wider widths and the hand scrapped more rustic look. I have shopped a bit out in the market place, but I am overwhelmed!

Thank you again for taking the time to post the pictures. I think most all the homes are lovely.

Thanks for the photos and glad you are feeling better, judithva.

I guess I am jaded, too, because I am tired of the same old stuff and find myself attracted to a cleaner,more contemporary look.

Leaving decorating aside, the home seems to be very pricey for what's isn't included. I have a Highland Home here in TX, where the homes won for best design a few years ago.

The homes are *standard* brick(please take note of the design)and stone, and yards are not postage stamp size. After coming from CA, I couldn't believe how much bang you get for your buck. This home is under $400K.

Here is a link that might be useful: Highland Home

Oh Patty, don't drive those of us on the coasts crazy, will you? I know most of the cost here is land, and part of it is labor, but 400k is nothing here. When we decided to add on a conservatory (ok, it is teak, and custom and all that), we were first quoted 300k, for an 18x24 structure!! There is a lot of ripping off that goes into these numbers.

I was reading a book about contracting and the author was asking some contractors about how they bid on jobs. The answer? "We think of highest number we could possibly imagine. Then we double it.". I think we have used this gentleman ....

Really, Mtn? Granted, the midwest is cheaper than the east or west coast, but I wouldn't go so far to say that 400k is "nothing!" People buy & sell entire houses for 400k or considerably less, every day of the week on the east coast! While you may have spent a fraction of that to merely add on a conservatory, your situation is not typical and you know it.

Patty cakes, like mtnrdredux mentioned, a lot of the cost is that these homes are practically on the beach, in fact one is and it was going for a lot of money, beach property is big bucks in the Hampton Roads area. You are definitely paying for the property in this situation.

Pup whipped, sorry, no I don't know what brand of wood was used. In one of the upper pics at the beginning of this thread has a " sign" with the decorators phone number, I can't enlarge the pic big enough to read it for you because I am on my small iPad right now.

Make sense, as similar areas(minus the beach)applies here for areas know as Hill Country. It's usually land with many trees, hills, AND on a lake or river river. There are houses in the million dollar range, but what's included is beyond one's imagination, and the exteriors again are stone and brick, just more of it, and usually a good chunk of property.

M'dux, having seen the gorgeous pictures of your home, and property, it would probably be a $750K-$850Kto property here, nut i'm no real estate pro. But of course in CA, it could be two, that's the upside. ;o)

No, of course --- 400k is not nothing! I havent looked for a while but i think the US median is like 150k, and median income is like 50k ... so 400k is a lot.

I am just saying that those of us in overpriced areas really wince when we here how much more reasonable things are elsewhere. (which is exactly what patty cakes was saying). When i say 400 k is nothing here, i mean it.

A household employee of ours looked at a house locally that was just under 400k. It was very cute. But the kitchen was a pullman (ie, a u shape, with the sink ahead, the fridge to the right and stove to the left. That was it). Upstairs, there were two bedrooms, though you had to walk through one to get to the other, an my DH could not stand up in either one. There was one bath. The setting was pretty, but the backyard just had a deck and a deep ravine. For various reasons, there was no possibility to build up or out. It sold for IIRC, $389K.

I know all the reasons, but prima facie, you sometimes have to wonder!

As for my home, well, let's not go there!

Mtn, I know a lot of people might think you have the easy route as far as contractors...well any work being done. Because you have Money! I know you actually have it harder as in people getting dollars signs in their eyes. I cannot imagine the difficulty you must have finding trust worthy non rip-offs but with a good reputation. It's hard enough for us peanuts. That is why I have learned to do a lot of things myself. But it's wearing.

I may be out of the fold since my location is the Rockies. When first looking at the photos, all I could see was "white". The overall house was dismissed. Going back, now all I see is the amount of doodads placed everywhere. They are too small and too many, more like fill ins. I love some of the unique furniture, but it doesn't feel like it belongs with the overwhelming "white" nor a style for the homes. Layout of furniture doesn't do it for me either. There was so much more that could have brought these homes to another level into the beach scheme.

Not that I wouldn't take one if it handed to me. I do like board and batten. The mountains are probably too instilled in my vision skewing the overall vision.

The curtains look like someone hung their dresses up there and need to put them back on hangers in the closet.

What bothers me about the window treatments in the very first picture is that they put the hardware directly onto and into the molding and trim above the window. That trim is forever scarred now. That just makes me mad.

Judithva, thank you very much anyway. Maybe I will start a thread asking people to tell me what floor to get. There was a time years ago when I enjoyed picking out new stuff for the home.....now, it's a bit tortureous for me. I've not changed anything in twenty years. I like to say my hair style is stuck in the 70's, and my home style is stuck in the 90's. HA!

Thanks!

That's funny pup! Thanks for the house tour Judith - it was a fun trip on a Saturday monring in my pjs!

Thank you so much for posting these. I've been wanting to go look at some new houses just to see what they're using now (floors, countertops, etc.).

Does anyone know what the kitchen granite is in the Breast Cancer house?

Technicolor---- I thought the same thing about the window treatments :-)

That style is more succrssful when the fabric is heavier or there is less drape (or swag) of the top edge of the curtain.

Judith, I'm sorry to hear of your health struggles. I had followed your decorating and reno for a "few" years and one becomes invested in people they've never met! So glad that you're feeling better!

Thanks for the photos, I'm always interested in seeing others' visions, whether I applaud their choices or not. I did like that apple green and the trim was inspiring. I must be ready for spring!

Love all the white and soft cool colors exactly like my home,here in the deep hot south, hate the curtains especially on the 1st. one in DR, they look like rags and hang like rags and hate any curtains pooling on the floor like dusters,to be stepped on or kicked around, sloppy look! would never live there homes are way to close for me!

I like the lobster and turtle fabric on the window treatments, but not the style.

Judithnva, I did not know of your health challenges. Healing vibes to you.

Judith, in spite of all our opinions, thank you for taking the time to post the pictures. I have a feeling since many of us have been on decorating forums for years, and now blogs, we see so much that our expectation are *extremely* high, and we're become harder to please.

Please don't let that stop you from posting more eye candy, like you're home. Maybe the 'befores' for those who have never seen it??? ;o)

Judith! LOVE seeing you post (someone let me know you had a post here!) I KNOW that area, having lived on the Peninsula for 11 yrs. Virginia Beach (on the other side of the Bridges) IS a very different place!

I also remember that the 'decorators' they use there are mostly 'builder's wives' and daughters and it is ALL about price-points! Builders have a different mind-set. The builder that DH worked for on the Peninsula always would get upset and say 'that destroys the price points'! He had to spend the least amount to build so he could profit, BUT his wife 'the decorator' would love to SPEND. Weird combination, but the houses always LOOK LIKE they are pieced together with different what they deem will 'SELL' features. Very different thinking than Custom home building with Architect drawn plans. They have a certain amount of house styles they can purchase such as the 'Southern Living' homes collection, etc. And because the street they are built on is a collection of all different builders, they have to be cohesive in some way or the houses will just not ever look like they belong that 'close' to one another.

I was surprised with all the reactions of your photos of some that do not even know the area, nor the people who live in this area. My DH worked on the Port Warwick (Virginia) project and that was built on former C*ra*ck town (bad connotation for it but reality) and DH had to chase dr*ug peddlers on bikes out of the development as they tried to talk to the workers while they were building! His experience with being a Drill Instructor in the Marines really came in handy! He built a lot of homes there in a set back small town layout with housing above the shops and professional offices in the center. But the AREA in that lower part of town (South NN on the Peninsula) perked up with all new positive projects and people and a new shopping small town environment set back off the road was built across the street even. We spent a couple of years going in and out of that development and went to all the events there, what a transformation!

The world and LIFE is about constant change and adapting. New replaces old, new becomes old and gets run down... the economy for builders devastated that area a few years ago and that is why we left the area and decided it was time to find our 'retirement, forever house'. I am glad to see that the builders are doing a 'come back' in the area! I love Chesapeake with its country setting and trees. We lived there when we first moved to the state, then we ventured up to the Peninsula when DH started working for a large builder in that area.

I am so HAPPY to see you posting and out and about! I really MISS seeing your posts and photos! I also miss hooking up with you for events such as POH and Homaramas there in your area. :( Go to your blog... check out...you have almost 100,000 hits!

One word about the 'advertising' in the show houses, kind of a PITN to view but I know they are necessary. I also noticed the plastic covering the rug, but the house was sold. I remember DH having a bad time (with all the rain and cloudy days they had to work in and the MUD on construction sites with that RED clay!!!) He would have to stand guard to make sure no one came in! One time he was called to another house, a worker stepped into the house, and left a spot on a few places on the carpet in TWO rooms! The carpet was cleaned, BUT, the builder cannot sell the house with a 'NEW' carpet once it has been cleaned! Some new buyers will accept and sign off on a 'spot' clean, but most will say 'I WANT NEW' as on the contract. Of course Model homes are always walked through but that is understood at time of sale. We had purchased a model home in one of the first developments DH built with 38 homes. The white (upgrade) Berber carpet was clean... but we were told it was cleaned and not new. No big deal for me since it was flawless. We knew we would replace it with hardwood flooring anyway (which we did do).

We are all spoiled by Pinterest, the photos are wonderful, but you and I know that a photo is set up and IRL the furniture might not be in those exact places that the set up for the photo was taken with. Styling and staging is different than decorating and walking through the spaces.

Thank you so much for posting these photos, I saved the ones from the last time you posted photos and review them now and then. In this collection, I love the shallow Coffered ceiling molding in one of the rooms. I appreciate the angle you took the photos at so I could see the detail!

I remember when I moved up to that area about 14 yrs ago, and NO ONE was building with lots of trim so as not to show that the house came that way! I mean you could order it as special and paid dearly for trim work. And Parade of Homes houses were just an example of what the builder could do or was capable of, they do not represent the whole of the builder houses in the area. And the price of a POH reflects all the 'trim packages and upgrades' in place and the amount of detail to also reflect the level the other houses built on that little neighborhood street they get built on.

Thank you again for taking the time to POST these PHOTOS for us to see and experience what is going on in another part of the country from where we live and how markets are so different depending on where we live. :) GREAT to see you posting!!!

I really didn't care for those homes...seemed way too small for all the stuff in them. Granted, the mill work was lovely, but the ceilings seemed overkill in such small spaces.

My very first thought when I saw the first curtains was "oooh!! I like that!" Then I looked at how they were attached thru the millwork and didn't like that part. But I did like the casual look of them.

It's funny, but I am thinking of painting my craft room/office in pink & green with white trim. Not NEARLY as bold as that room-take it down to about 1/10th of that saturation-but it was good to see it so I can get an idea of how it might work.

My favorite place was the last one-that gave me the beachy vibe. I absolutely hated the first kitchen-way too much wasted space, and no seperation from the living quarters. The sounds of cooking, cleaning, etc would compete with the TV watching and the noise would make me bonkers.

Welcome back Judith. Having going thu chemo with my MIL, I can imagine how your last year has been. Continued healing thoughts to you.

Judith, I like your pics, but I'm so happy just to see you posting again like old times.

Hope this is one of many.

Jim

Judith, thank you for posting. I am sorry to hear of your struggles with cancer. I know that you are a high-energy person with a very artistic but pragmatic individual who loves all things beautiful and vivacious and if they are not, you can make them so. Your attitude has served you well and prayers from here go out for you and your extended family.

Thank you for taking the time to post these pictures. I really enjoy looking at them. I like to see how different parts of the country decorate. Thanks again!

Judith, I hope you get to post more!

Love the woodwork and general structures and finishes. I don't like the color choices, words on the walls and hate the drapes in the first house. To me those non-functional panels look like the too-small inoperable shutters popular in the 80's on home exteriors. And the saggy look reminds me of a dishtowel hung on a hook.

Thanks for sharing. For that price range I was surprised to see areas the builder cut corners, but when you said 'beach area' that kinda explained it all!
My biggest pet peeve......the bathrooms where they took the 4" backsplash of the granite up to, and on top of, the tilework of the shower surround!