What design feature really delights you?

15 years ago

O.k., so we had fun venting on threedgrad's thread, "What design flaw irritates you?" Got me to thinking, what design feature or features of your house really please you? This thread is also inspired by threedgrad's other recent post about gratitude. So, bring it on, what do you really appreciate about your house?

For me, I'm delighted that I have hardwood floors throughout. Only the master bedroom is carpeted.

I'm fond of my sunroom with its brick floor. It's nothing fancy or large, just a quaint, little space that I enjoy.

I love my front & backyard landscaping, & pond.

I enjoy having a sitting area in my bedroom, which I use every night.

It's nice having a 2nd floor laundry area, though my enthusiasm for that may wane if I ever have a washing machine mal-function!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (54)

Jodi_SoCal
15 years ago
I love what our builder called the Inglenook. We call it the conversation pit. It has built in seating and the fireplace.

{{!gwi}}

Jodi-
bungalow_house
15 years ago
Pretty much everything that I didn't list in the "What design flaw irritates you?" thread. :) Front porch, woodwork, built-in china and linen closets, overall layout, french doors, interior columns, under-eave bedroom closets (which means unusually large closets for a house of this vintage), period-appropriate (but new) kitchen, period-appropriate garden shed that is under construction, small yard (less mowing!).
Related Discussions
Is What You Say You're Selling REALLY What You're Selling?
Q
Comments (2)
thanks bboy: so you are saying that you visually inspect them for known characteristics? is there a better way? that seems like it could get subjective with "taste" or "color" etc. And what about a blueberry bush I have that I know nothing about other than it's a blueberry bush given to me? I should find a list of all known cultivars of blueberries characteristics (i'm presuming this would be very long) and start going down the list doing my best guesses or just sell it as a "blueberry bush unknown" or something else? thanks
...See More
so really, what does it take to become a kitchen designer?
Q
Comments (13)
It takes training in the aesthetics of design, and basic space planning, which is offered from many design schools, yes, but it also takes a great deal of knowledge of construction, local building codes, the intimate knowledge of 5 different cabinet lines's 300 pages of specs and their individual quirks and prices. It takes the ability to learn gracefully from your mistakes, and to be willing to earn almost nothing while you are doing so--and for a good long time after you pass the beginning stage. It takes the abilty to financially be able to absorb those errors that you make, and still be able to be creative enough to show up to work making that Target outfit look like Donna Karan and that peanut butter sandwich taste like a gourmet meal, while you worry if you will have enough gas to put in the car to make it to work for the rest of the week. It takes the ability to absorb the daily slaps in the face that actual creativity in your design will get you when you realize that the client really just wants something that looks like everyone else's kitchen, but maybe with just a different colored granite. It takes the ability to be yelled at by a client, cabinet representative, and installer about different aspects of a project that each wants to blame the other for, and be able to remain calm and find a workable solution for all. It takes the ability to babysit some of the biggest and whiniest "grown" children on the planet who think that just because they want something done, there has to be a way to do it---and at the cheapest possible budget. So, yes, being a KD takes training in art or design, but it also takes abilities as a financial counselor, contractor, engineer, psychologist, marriage counselor, mind reader, and magician, to be able to put it all together and actually be successful long term without going bankrupt first. :~)
...See More
FYI - Delightful video on the history of modern chair design
Q
Comments (1)
I love chairs too so an interesting video. What I would love to do someday is build a doll house but in scale for all the replica pieces that you can get done in a small size.
...See More
What features do I really want in a 30" induction & what's unnecessary
Q
Comments (22)
Some further clarification in answer to your question about how "closely" you need to match pan size to burner size. I'm summarizing years of discussions here; you can search on this topic and gets lots of hits if you want more detailed discussions or discussions about specific brands of ranges and cooktops. Pans smaller than the induction burner diameter: A general rule of thumb here has been that pans will work if they cover at least 60% of the induction burner surface based on its nominal diameter. Some brands publish minimum pan base diameters in their user guides. An example is the LG manual quoted by wdccruise. (You probably already knew about downloading pdf of the guide/manual for any stove or cooktop you are considering but it is helpful to find manuals as specific as the LG one.) We sometimes forget that we have to measure actual pan base diameters; the nominal diameters are always measured across the top of a pan which may not tell you how big or small the base is and it is the base that determines heating with induction.) For stoves and cooktops that mark burners with painted cross-hairs rather than a circle, you may have to check under "specifications" to find out the rated or nominal size. (Can't always tell the size those burners just by looking at them.). Some brands seemingly tune their electronics to require greater coverage of the burner. (I'm recalling some threads from Samsung owners (IIRC) who complained here that their 8" skillets (base diameter) would not work on their stoves' 11" diameter induction burners.) Also, be aware that what works and doesn't can be affected by variations in the amount of magnetic mass of particular pans. For example, posters here have reported that particularly tiny but heavy pans --- such as 3¼" diameter Bialetti stovetop espresso makers and very weighty Demeyere butter warmers --- worked on six-inch diameter induction burners. (IIRC, those reports were for GE and Electrolux induction ranges from several years ago.) OTOH, those tiny Bialetti espresso makers or a stainless measuring cups won't have enough mass to work on most large (say 12" diameter) induction burners. Pans larger than the burner diameter. Generally will work, but how well depends on what you are cooking and, again, you also have to read the manual for the stove or cooktop you are considering. The general rule of thumb here over the years has been that when you want the most even heating of the base, pan bases can overlap by up to an inch or so. OTOH, there are tasks where you don't need perfectly even heating across the base --- boiling a large kettle of water for pasta or lobsters, or deep fat frying, water bath canning, or pressure cooking are examples that come to mind. When you want perfectly even heating in, say, a very large saute pan, you can use it on a smaller diameter induction burner but you have to depend on the pan's construction to conduct heat to areas that lie outside the burner's induction field. Or, you do a lot of stirring to move the food from the less hot areas to the hotter ones. Same story with bridging burners with large roasting pans and big rectangular griddles, too. With those, it is pretty much the same as with gas and radiant electric burners, as well. Do be aware that some stove and cooktop brands (or at least some models) forbid any use of heavy or oversize pots and pans. That's usually thought to be because the company cheaped out on electronics which can't take heat reflected back from the over-size pots' bases or because they tried to cut their production costs by using slightly thinner ceramic-glass tops which won't bear the weight of a large kettle of water. Again, you have to read the manuals/user guides to find out which have those limitations
...See More
chicoryflower
15 years ago
I love the huge windows in my living room. I love the fireplace that takes up almost the whole story and a half wall. I love the red oak floors. It's a modern 1957 house and there are just some really nice IGY touches here and there that are unique to that time.

It's a relatively large house - I really like the square footage (we have a big family and used to live in a tiny house).
terezosa / terriks
15 years ago
I love my bathroom set up with walk-in doorless shower - no glass to clean. It's in a separate room with the toilet, so that the vanity/sink area doesn't get fogged up mirrors. We also have a huge walk-in closet with an island in the middle with an ironing on top and baskets for sorting laundry below.
THOR, Son of ODIN
15 years ago
-- Front porch
-- Wood and stone surfaces
-- Ceiling height variation
-- Deep window sills
-- Under-cabinet kitchen lighting
-- Laundry chute
-- Skylight

-Lena
johnmari
15 years ago
Wide old pine floors, gaps and all. Wraparound porch (even if it's too narrow to really do anything with!). Living room bay window. Beefy moldings, even if they need to be stripped of about 19 layers of gloppy paint. :-) The original Eastlake front door with wavy glass, beautifully detailed knobs and twist doorbell; there is a second one in the cellar waiting to be restored and returned to its original location on the side porch. New fence and shed in backyard, and an actual driveway - woowoo!
ttodd
15 years ago
I love all of the original features of our house:

11 stained glass windows (here are some):

These transoms are above 3 of our office & LR windows:

Staircase landing:

{{!gwi}}

The old (albeit not hooked up fireplace):

{{!gwi}}

Leaded glass foyer door:

{{!gwi}}

Paneled entry & spandrals:

{{!gwi}}

My roses:

This outdoor alcove w/ lilacs on one side and an 8'+ azeala on the other that grew into each other over top of the stone bench. Honeysuckle covers both. Just a great secret place to sit.:

My MBR alcove:

My front porch in need of repair:

After all that I'm ready to move into a much simpler old stone cottage because this house is a real PIA to clean! Hope it sells quick!!!!
susieq07
15 years ago
Love everything about our last build home, built by a lady builder, and the best as far as we are concerned!! who worked with us in design, and with all the features we needed for our comfort & enjoyment in this is our retirement home.
stinky-gardener
Original Author
15 years ago
Wow, it's fun to learn about what people enjoy about their houses! What each person treasures, & how they view & live in their homes, is so personal, so unique. It's uplifting to read these responses! I can feel the positive energy bouncing off my monitor!
nhb22
15 years ago
I enjoy my study...the room that I live in.

The upstairs den for the adult kids, but where I have now set up a wrapping station.

Our bonus room, called the "barracks" because it is a huge, long room and now houses three beds, like Goldilocks.

My hardwood floors. Have them everywhere but the "barracks." That room has carpet.

My front and back porches because of their design and views.

Our foyer and front doors.

Our many round columns.

I could go on and on.... LOL
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
15 years ago
A large kitchen with two doors in it, one leading to a large walk-in pantry and one to the laundry room.

The house is built on a hill with gorgeous views, no near neighbors and massive rock outcroppings close to the house.

My antique roses.

The atmosphere in it. Almost everyone has commented on the warmth and lightness and peaceful atmosphere of this house.

The way the house flows, another feature often mentioned.

Excellent access to the outdoors, seven doors/French doors/sliding doors in all.

The large quantity of good art, mostly oil paintings but also some watercolors and drawings, about a third done by my husband.

My rugs, mostly oriental.

The way light shines into the house.

A large deck overlooking wild hills with no houses and large paved area with covering of wooden beams and beautiful view (we got married there).
User
15 years ago
I love the character of my little old house. I love its original hardwood floors, the arches leading to the front door and front porch, the front porch itself, the gables, the archway leading from the living to dining rooms, the small, cozy size of the rooms, the upstairs attic-converted bedroom with its quirky angles and nooks. Truly, I find the house to be much more of a delight than an inconvenience. I knew when I bought it several years ago that I was going to have to make some sacrifices and adjustments, and while I may complain about the things that really are flaws, the benefits of the charm and character far outweigh anything I complain about.
threedgrad
15 years ago
In my 1926 bungalow in Wisconsin there were hardwood floors throughout, oak doors and windows, real plaster walls with coved ceilings in living and dining rooms, unique arches, and a laundry chute - that was the best.
mimi_2006
15 years ago
I love my...
hardwood floors
wide front porch
built in buffet in dining room
walk in shower with no door
inside safe room (storm shelter)
and one silly little thing that makes me smile when I pass it - my pantry door that has frosted glass and says "Pantry"

There are others but those come to mind first :-)
michelle_zone4
15 years ago
We live in an old farm house with out some of the fabulous features of older homes, but there is still much to love. Nice big kitchen with lots of cabinets, built ins in the dining area, large rooms, lots of closets and storage and all the views of my gardens. Plus I have the most fabulous garden shed I could want.
igloochic
15 years ago
The charm of a victorian home, in any condition, always shines through. They knew how to live...lots of "rooms" verses one big open pit like we seem to like now (ok that's a personal opinion, but rooms are a favorite design feature). That being said...I live in a 1980's townhouse LOL

In the townhouse, since remodeling, I love some silly things..

The stainless steel countertop in the kitchen. It's so functional! The push button garbage disposal...gad I love that...no reaching over the dishes to turn it on. The built in dish drain board on the stainless.

Dimmers on ALL overhead lighting. I will never again have non dimable lights!

I adore the textures on our walls. From gold to amber to yellow and green, and the way our antique poster wall turned out as well as the crazy monkey's on DS's walls...I love the textures.

The transformation of my orange oak wall in the library from horrible to fablous.
{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

I really paid attention to texture in this design more than I have in the past...I'm learning how important texture is in design one room at a time.

Oh and my crocodile walls in the shower LOL I do love the shower, but then it's predecessor was a 2'6" x 2' 6" box...who wouldn't love a few extra feet LOL
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
15 years ago
A huge walk in closet, gas fireplace, lots of windows (with no sills to dust!) a huge storage area in the basement, lighting above the kitchen cabinets, hardwoods of course and the best part: the main floor is elevated in the back because of the basement. I love having a second floor screened in porch and having great views along the backside of the house.

I get to see all the wildlife, like the neighbors pig who came to visit yesterday! I had to throw this in....
{{gwi:203783}}
arleneb
15 years ago
In my 2001 house: The light. The 2001 house replaced a 1929 house that we remodeled several times -- it felt like a cave to me. The new one had wonderful light and wonderful views of the lake.

All of the following were in the 2001 house and are going into the current build:

My Vacuflo central vac system. Oh, my, I'd never EVER go back to a conventional one!!

The exact same leaded glass front door.

The glass block walk in shower.

The large kitchen that absorbed as many helpers as I could stuff in there!! Lots of pots and pan drawers.

The Toto toilets and washlet.

Built in vanity -- last one was in the bedroom, new one will be in my dressing room.

And new to the current build: Huge covered deck running the length of the house, overlooking a "holler" and ridges in the distance.

I'm looking forward to having the laundry room in the master suite area -- no more lugging things back and forth. I think I'll like this!!

Again, we have windows everywhere and wonderful light coming in . . . sadly, no more light reflected off the lake, but lots of it, nonetheless.

And eventually, our two daughters and their families will live next door instead of 8 hours away. That's my absolute favorite design feature! The side door -- called the kids' door -- even has lockers for the grandkids' stuff! Woo hoo!!

Arlene
patty_cakes
15 years ago
Ttodd, I think I would trade my brand new house for the PIA cleaning! It's gorgeous, kitty and puppy too.

First of all, I feel blessed to have *my* house.

Arched entryways.

Stone/brick exterior.

Small 'vestibule-like' entries into bedrooms.

My choice of light fixtures.

Wall-mounted light fixtures.

Furniture style vanities.

Wood floors downstairs.

Eight foot iron/solid wood, stained front door.

All walk-in closets in bedrooms.

Two linen closets.

Large entryway.

Diagonal Black Absolute/Creama Marfil marble in entryway.

Large breakfast area.

Arched window in DR.

Lots of windows.

Wrought Iron/stained wood staircase.

Taking a chance and choosing a mocha color paint for trim and mouldings rather than the usual white. It's gorgeous! Also the warm tan wall that goes so well.

And the biggest design feature is using neutral colors w/ black thruout. It's a house I could live in forever. ;o)
hoosiergirl
15 years ago
Stinky-gardener, we have a 2nd floor laundry room as well (which I absolutely LOVE), and you can get a shut-off valve for your washing machine which takes the worry out of having it up there! My husband installed ours and it was very easy. It's worth *every penny* to me! I attached a link to the one we bought.

As for what design features delight me, we're now living in our dream home, and while it isn't perfect, it's as perfect as I think we could ever come! I love the peace and quiet of being in the country almost completely surrounded by trees and a creek at the back. I love our big porch where we de-stress at the end of the day during the warmer months. I love my laundry room which sits between the master and kids' bath and has pass-throughs from each for the dirty clothes -- HEAVEN! I love the large and well-used family room where we all hang out. I love all the extra storage we got by not letting any space go unused. Not really a design feature, but I love our geothermal, or ground source heat pump, heating system since our heating bills are so low. I could go on and on! I love our new home!

Here is a link that might be useful: Washing machine valve shutoff kit
indygo
15 years ago
This is really nice to think about because I'm usually thinking about things I want to change! I love our hardwood floors as well. Love the long 'cottage style' windows and the deck looking over the back yard. I love the fact that our bedroom is on the first floor. I love the periwinkle blue adirondack chairs around the firepit in the yard. I love our white redbud tree and the smell of the linden tree when it blooms, and I love our flowering crabapple trees and dogwood. (I think I'm looking forward to spring!)
moonkat99
15 years ago
I just have to add more, since this is such a lovely, feel-good, & inspirational thread :)

Outside: My fruit trees - fresh pears, peaches, apples & plums - each one with their own season. Also, fresh flowers for bouquets almost all year round :). The arbor & seat in the back yard. The fountains, the bird feeders, & all of the critters that enjoy my yard as well.

Inside, Old Features: The old, narrow slat oak flooring. The 2 small attic rooms, with T&G walls & ceilings. The wood & glass cupboard doors in the pantry. The T&G wainscoting in the kitchen (both a blessing & a curse, since I chose to work it into the new kitchen - not an easy task!) Solid wood doors throughout. French doors leading to the garden from the MB.

Inside, New Features: The recycled glass & concrete counter in the bath. Almost everything in my kitchen, which makes me smile every single time I work in it :) My new (recycled) Front Door with its round leaded glass window.

Overall: The charm & warmth that this house just exudes, flaws & all :)
stinky-gardener
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, hoosier girl! What a revelation! I never new such a device existed. I definitely will get one installed!

I'm carefully reading & enjoying each of these posts so much!
daisyadair
15 years ago
I love having six bedrooms. Even with just two kids home, we still use and need every one of them. We have two fireplaces, one up and one down. Our house has many gables and in front has two dormer windows, with window seats on the inside of them. There are a lot of quirky details in the house that make it unique. In our upstairs gameroom, you go up two steps, and then on the other side of it you go down two steps to my husbands office. We have these small windows between our top kitchen cabinets and countertop. Our staircase is split at the landing and goes down to our kitchen on one side and the entryway on the other side. Downstairs, we have little alcove areas that lead to the two downstairs bedrooms so that the bedrooms aren't coming directly off the living room. Our breakfast room is big enough for a huge dining room table in it. Lastly, our backyard is terraced with a little stone staircase to the lower level.
polkadots
15 years ago
This is a nice thread to read. It's so good to think about the positives since many of us spend a lot of time thinking about what we want to change.

I love my hardwood floors - they are my favorite part of the house. I also love the layout upstairs - the master is sort of separate from the kids bedrooms which are tucked away and stay nice and quiet. I am grateful to have a first floor office that isn't in the front of the house so it doesn't have to stay front door presentable at all times. We also really enjoy our screened porch and good sized yard.

Thanks for an interesting thread.
southernheart
15 years ago
I am enjoying hearing about and seeing your favorite features abput your homes. I think that our favorite design feature in our home is the opening we made (ourselves!) between our family room and our living room.

I have a modest, one-story traditional (about 1800 sf), and the living room felt like wasted space as we hardly ever used it and couldn't even see it. The family room is to the rear of the living room in our layout, and were separated by a long wall. We made a new 5' doorway between both rooms, and it was like adding 400 sf to our layout in the way that our house feels now. If I stand in one corner of the family room I can see all the way into the dining room on the other side of the living room. It gave us the feeling of much more "visual" space and also allowed us to use both rooms at the same time, which is great for entertaining.

Here are a few photos from last Christmas that show the "view" from a few different vantage points. I wish that these were a bit clearer, but it gives you an idea of how it's opened up our space and made it more useful.

View from FR into LR and Entry:

View from FR through LR into DR:

View from LR into FR:
amysrq
15 years ago
Warmth!

There are lots of things I like about my new house, but as I sit here in my first snow storm since moving from Florida, I am really grateful we decided to give up the old-house aesthetic and go with new construction. This house is LEED certified and ultra efficient...all the best in insulation and heating, including a humidifier. No drafts. No cold floors. The temperature remains consistent...no waiting for the heat to kick on. And my skin is in good shape because the air is not dry.

So, even though I love the woodwork, all the windows, the three-season porch, the killer laundry room, the cherry floors throughout, and other things I had designed into the "basic plan", I am most grateful to be comfortable. 'Cause I am a wimp when it comes to cold and I never thought I could live up here. But, here I am! :)
pam14
15 years ago
I love our windows in the kitchen nook area where we can sit and watch the birds at the feeders.

Also, I love having an attached garage that leads into the mudroom, and then into the kitchen.
clax66
15 years ago
Oh, what a feel good thread:)

I first fell in love with my house when I walked through the big front porch. And I saw the stained glass windows. And the quarter sawn oak floors. The crown moulding. The curving staircase with the cushioned window seat and the old storage cupboard on the second floor.

I - now - love the period appropriate kitchen and 2nd floor bathroom.

I love where my house is located; near the boardwalk and parks and amenities and the small town feel of this kid and pet friendly place in the big city.
emmachas_gw Shaffer
15 years ago
In the home we built in 1995, I loved the beaded board ceiling in the kitchen, trayed to hide a HVAC run, and painted white. Loved the 11' ceilings. Loved the many large windows and French doors that made the beauty of the lake a part of the house. But what I miss most is the wonderful peaceful feeling that wrapped its arms around me every time I walked in the door. Can't wait to build again on the same lake---gotta recapture that peace!
pbrisjar
15 years ago
ttodd: I have serious house envy...

The only thing I love about our house that was here before me (other than Hubby of course) is the huge outdoor patio. I'm talking 500+ sqft huge. While not roofed, it does have an arbor that helps filter out the worst of the sun - especially when the wisteria is in bloom/leaf. Speaking of, I love the wisteria, too (purple is my favorite color). We'll actually be taking over this space when we add on a great room but have every intention of replacing it with an even nicer patio (and full outdoor kitchen) eventually. Saving the wisteria is high priority as well.
From Wisteria

Other than that, I love many of the things we've done so far - especially the hardwood floor and our mega sink.
acountryfarm
15 years ago
I have so many things I love in my new home. However, by far the thing that makes my heart soar are the columns & 3/4 walls to separate space.
We could not change the ceiling height in this total gut & reno, so this is what I came up with to make it feel warm, inviting, & spacious.
moonkat99
15 years ago
a countryfarm - can I move in with you?

I don't really care WHERE that house is - I LOVE it!
newdawn1895
15 years ago
I live in a Victorian cottage built in 1895.

I love the porch
Hardwood floors
Transoms above every window and door (almost)
The long cabinets in the kitchen (for tons of sets of dishes)
The ornate fireplace (even though it is non working)
Just the charater of the house inside and out

Although I have a love/hate relationship with this house. But when I love it I really love it. And when I hate it, well, you know. lol

tttodd that's your room I was talking about above, I simply love it. With the white dresser, just gorgeous.
neetsiepie
15 years ago
The cove ceiling and south facing bay window in the living room. The way the light floods that room makes my day.

The real pine wainscotting and brick in the family room. The mullioned slider doors leading out to the deck. The red pine ceiling in there, too.

The hardwood floors (uncovered under all the carpeting).

The big deck and backyard with my roses, fruit trees, and 'themed' areas.

The skylight in the guest bath that we uncovered during our reno.

The dark oak panelling and semi-built in bookcases in the area we call the library.

The original art-deco style light fixture in the hallway.

Having an actual door bell!
Sueb20
15 years ago
As so many others have said, love the hardwood floors.

I love the stone walls and stairs we have added outside.

And our huge hemlocks around the perimeter of our small backyard, which prevents us from having to see our neighbors' small backyards!

Love the wood trim in my living room.

And while I "ranted" about the small rooms in the Design Flaw category, I love the room we added two years ago: it's a kitchen/family room/mudroom combo. I don't have a pic of the whole space, but here's my little mudroom.
stinky-gardener
Original Author
15 years ago
Sueb, that's a beautiful mudroom! The door w/the transom over it is stunning. The well-crafted stone wall & stairs appear as though they've been there for a very long time! Can see why you're enjoying these additions!
laxsupermom
15 years ago
Design features that I love are the ones that sold my house.

-Big Windows
-High Ceilings, inexplicably the kitchen had a drop ceiling, but we ripped that out this year
-Storage, the first door I opened inside the house was the 4'x8' walk in front closet and I thought 'all my shoes will fit in here!'
-itty, bitty lawn for mowing, but great big wooded yard for enjoying
eal51
15 years ago
This is our third house in 34 years. Moved in March 05. It is our "dream house", a typical New England 4 bedroom colonial built in 1996. Never thought we would get to where we are. Even though the boys, three of them, are moving out, we decided to upsize instead of downsize.

Best features:
White oak hard wood floors on the entire first level.
Huge kitchen with island
Windows - windows - windows!!!!!!
Open floor plan
Multi-level deck
Second level laundry room - with shut off valve!!
The views!!!!
8 acres of land - I only maintain 2 of them. Talk about peace & quiet!
Master suite with walk-in closet - never had that before!
The stone landscaping (walls & walkway) we had put in
The pond-less waterfall in the front yard - great place to sit and read in the warmer weather!
Hugh family room that is open to the kitchen - great for family gatherings and parties!!!!!!
Archways instead of doorways.
Storage - storage - storage!!!!!
4 bathrooms
Turned the formal living room (not us for sure)into the wife's piano room - she finally has her grand piano.

And I'm sure I missed a lot.

Enjoy the journey.
eal51 in western CT
parma42
15 years ago
I have commented on many of the homes seen in this post before, but had never seen southernheart's.

You have an absolutely lovely home!
ttodd
15 years ago
Oh my gosh - so many wonderful homes and features! As I scrolled through I wanted to comment on some but as I kept reading and looking at pictures I don't think that I'd have enough time to comment on every single one as they are all so wonderful!

One question though: what is LEED certified?
southernheart
15 years ago
Parma, thank you...you made my week with your kind comment! :) This is our "expensive" time of life right now with kids going to college and trying to save more for retirement at the same time, so we've slowed down on some of the things we'd love to do to our home, and that can be frustrating. Your comment warmed my heart...I'll try to share a few more photos soon!
madeyna
15 years ago
My pull out spice racks in the kitchen and the huge covered deck across the front of the house. Its nice to be out there having a quit talk with my husband or just enjoying a cup of coffee on the porch swing while watching my horses grazing near by.
rmkitchen
15 years ago
stinky-gardener -- as others have already said, Thank You for the encouragement to think of the things we like! Too often I find myself thinking of the "what I'd do differently ...".

We have an eleven year-old not-even-tofu-more-bland-than-that spec house, but in it, I love:
-the hardwood floors (we had installed throughout the house -- I esp. LOVE having wood treads on the main stair!)
-the abundant natural light
-mouldings! (we had crown, chair, panel mouldings and baseboard installed)
-smooth plaster walls / ceilings (the house had that icky knockdown which makes my skin crawl so we had everything plastered -- I LOVE it!)
-low-E windows / insulation (in a [Rocky Mtn] house twice the size of our previous mild weather house [San Francisco] our heating / cooling costs are about half what they were in CA!)
-"great room" -- our kitchen and family room are one big area and I just love it, I love the interaction between the spaces and not just because of keeping an eye on the littles: even after they've gone to bed there's such a nice connection for us in the spaces
-separate w.c. in the master bath: we love that the toilet / bidet is separate (in its own closet)
-the people I love most in this world live here ....
stinky-gardener
Original Author
15 years ago
"The people I love most in the world live here..."

Awww, rmk, how sweet!

ALL these posts have been so delightful to read. Thanks for sharing, everybody! Happy Holidays!
cliff_and_joann
15 years ago
We're DIY's , I'm never at a loss to come up with another project. The design feature that delights me the most is that we put in two sets of French doors and windows along the entire back of our house...The latest window we put in was about 4 or 5 years ago. It's in our family room and overlooks our ponds and gardens. We bumped out the room 3 feet x 10 feet and installed this big window. The side walls (the part that's 3 feet deep) has windows as well. It's a wonderful display window, that really opened up the family room to the outside world.

Cliff did the entire instillation himself, it took him 4 months, as it was very involved. Our sofa and two end tables fits in the opening (we often say, "do you realize we're sitting outside the house?" Anyhow we very much enjoy the view, my hubby is an avid gardener, he just loves being outside and working in the garden...He's probably the only man in America that calls up his wife and says "what are you doing, and I say, I'm going out to weed...and he says, "Nooo..I want to do that!" :)
Anyhow we love viewing the fish from inside the house.

These photos are from this August.
arleneb
15 years ago
Joann, all I can say is WOW!! What a beautiful and peaceful spot! You did GOOD!!

If Cliff runs out of weeds at your house, send him over to me. I always have enough to share!

Arlene
brutuses
15 years ago
Joann, I just copied your photo's and sent them to DH with a note asking if our new yard could look like that. I'm not sure I want to hear the response. He's not into gardening. He likes building, but hates fooling in the dirt. When we had a vegetable garden, his job was to go pick the fruit and veggies, that's it. LOL

Boy, could I use your husband for weeding!!
cooperbailey
15 years ago
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
My teeny tiny front porch- I did the painter cloth curtains thanks to peeps here and I very much enjoyed sitting there and reading this summer.
Two sets of french doors with wavy glass leading into the side porch or family room from the LR.The french doors flank the FP in the living room.
The 6 foot archway from living room into dining room.
The original windows and doors and glass door knobs through out.
Original oak floor with walnut strips outlining the LR and DR.
The light that fills the house.
The deep sound of the buoy bell in the wind, that my Dad brought me from Cape Cod the year before he died.
The firepit and birdfeeders in the back yard.
The racetracks in the grass from Cooper and Bailey. Awaiting reseeding in the spring.
My weeping cherry tree and climbing roses in the front, making my house look more like a cottage than colonial revival.
The Australian sage that attracts the hummingbirds and the purple coneflower that the golfinches gorge themselves on.
My beautiful kitchen that my DH put in for me,he did it all DIY but the granite. I can't believe its mine.
My lovely family sound asleep upstairs, a fire in the fireplace, Cooper and Bailey snoozing at my feet and the wind gusting outside my door. so warm and cozy inside.
powermuffin
15 years ago
I love the period details of my 100 year old house, especially the enclosed front porch, original kitchen cabinets, the size of the windows, and the stripped and stained wood trim.
Diane