What is Southern Cottages?

Happy New Year!

 

You might wonder what Southern Cottages is and what this blog is about.

Mike McLeod, an architect in North Carolina, owns an architecture firm called Michael R. McLeod Architect, PA.  He has a small side company called Southern Cottages House Plans.  It is there that he sells a few of the house plans he has designed over the years at a fraction of the cost of designing a custom home.  So, potential customers can get house plans that were designed by an architect but at an affordable price.

This is from the Southern Cottages website:

Southern Cottages is a house plan service offering architect designed houses, cottages, and beach houses for a gracious informal lifestyle. The plans are a collection of exciting home designs which blend traditional southern coastal home styling with more contemporary architectural forms and open plan floor layouts.

What you’ll find on this blog are pictures of the SouthernCottages houses, FAQ, customer letters, info on building materials, and other information about architecture, the beach, and houses.

I hope this post has shed some light on this blog.

Here’s to a brilliant new year!

Customer Question: I Need More Information About Your Plans

We recently received a letter asking for more information about our Southern Cottages House Plans.

Island Cottage with Piling Foundation

All of our Southern Cottages House Plans have been designed by a licensed architect.  They are detailed, professional, architectural drawings.  Our construction plan packages are complete and ready to ship.  The house plans we sell include foundation plans, floor plans, building sections, wall details, interior elevations, structural design, and mechanical and electrical layouts. That's everything your contractor needs to build your house the right way.  They will save you many thousands of dollars over custom designed plans and save innumerable hours of time, money, and mistakes by your contractor if he were left on his own.

With our plans, you will be able to get accurate contractor bid prices since all construction items are specified and detailed.  We rarely have questions from a client's contractor and we welcome any questions that might arise.  Plus, we have been complimented on our construction plan quality.  We are confident you will be very happy if you decided to purchase one of our plans and with the outcome of your new home.

For additional information, please read “About the Plans” and “Terms of Sale” on our website.  If you have additional questions feel free to call our office.

Let us help you create a building to serve your needs at www.mcleodarchitect.com. View our architect designed house plans at www.southerncottages.com.

The Value of A Porch

 

A porch can make a world of difference if the sun is shining or if it's a downpour outside. A porch will provide a shaded place to sit, relax and watch the world go by. It's perfect for grilling dinner and spending time with friends and family. If this is your lifestyle, the Shelter Cottage is perfect for you. It has two large porches--plus a deck--available for "outdoor living". It would be perfect at a lake, beach or beautifully wooded lot. Inside you will love the open livingroom/diningroom/kitchen, four bedrooms and extra space. Check it out! All of the Southern Cottages House Plans are designed by an architect to give you style with a comprehensive design at a price you can afford.
 
Let us help you create a building to serve your needs at www.mcleodarchitect.com.
View our architect designed house plans at www.southerncottages.com.

Island Cottage Available on SimCity

SimCity, a popular city-building computer and console video game series, was first published in 1989. Since then, the popluar game has gone through several different editions which have sold worldwide. One of there spinoff games, The Sims, became the best selling PC game in history after selling 6.3 million copies worldwide.

It was recently brought to our attention that one of the Southern Cottages was modeled and made availbale on SimCity. The Island Cottage can be downloaded on Simtropolis from the user onlyplaces4. In his description he says:

[The] Island Cottage is based on an actual building that has been designed by the architect Michael R. McLeod. You can actually buy the plans to have this house built...

Thank you onlyplaces4 for making us a part of the popular SimCity world. View his model of the Island Cottage here. Or check out a few of his pictures below.

He did a pretty good job don't you think? And here are a few pictures of the actual house availabe at Southern Cottages House Plans.

We're on Twitter

Don't forget to follow us on twitter. Just click the button below to subscribe and get up-to-date information on our Southern Cottages, the architecture community, energy saving techniques, and more!

Garage Plans

Looking for a little extra storage space or simply somewhere you can park your vehicles? At Southern Cottages House Plans we offer several different styles of garage plans. Click on any of the pictures below for more information.

The Porches Garage was designed to compliment the Porches Cottage. This plan provides for a studio apartment above a double bay garage.

The Hip Garage was designed to coordinate with the Hip Cottage. Used together on a site, they create a compound of complementary forms and shapes. This plan is for a (2) bay garage.

The Shingle Garage was designed to coordinate with the Shingle Cottage. It also goes well with the Island Cottage. See this example of the shingle garage connected with a breezeway to the Island Cottage. This plan provides for a studio apartment above a (3) bay garage with separate ground entrance.

100 Views!

We were excited to learn that a few of our videos on the Southern Cottage's YouTube Channel reached over 100 views! We consider this a great success considereing these are some of the first videos we have ever made. Thank you for viewing our videos and we hope to get some new ones up withthin the coming month. Until then, here is a video we enjoyed viewing here at the office. Makes us want to head to the beach and start building with sand! Enjoy...

List of videos made by Southern Cottage's YouTube Channel:

• How to Draw a Floor Plan, Part 1 - Tools and Materials
• How to Draw a Floor Plan, Part 2 - Creating a Bubble Diagram
• How to Draw a Floor Plan, Part 3 - Adding Detail
• The Porches Cottages
• The Island Cottage
• Michael R. McLeod, Architect, P.A. Projects

Out on the Porch - by Patrick Joseph Hubauer

I came across a poem the other day and it reminded me of one of our pictures of the Island Cottage porch.

Out on the Porch

Come sit with me out on the porch in early morn,
And watch a new day struggle to be born.
A tinge of orange upon horizon's breast
And stars now tired--flicker low and rest.

Look through dark leaves to lighter skies in space,
At patterns that resemble finest lace.
So quiet hear the beating of our hearts
As slowly day arrives--and night departs.

The moon now pale high in the sky,
Watch morning birds as they begin to fly.
Tranquility abounds, air crystal clear,
A moment stopped in time, devoid of fear.

To feel the warmth of rising sun,
Another day for us begun.
Reach out your hand for me to hold.
Together, watch this day unfold.

--Written by Patrick Joseph Hubauer

The porch pictured above is from the Island Cottage plan. The Island Cottage house plan is a playful, coastal cottage getaway which could feel at home anywhere there is a view. With its wrap-around porches, roof decks and roof-top observation loft, it is the embodiment of a style we might call "Island Victorian".

Complaints, Comments, Compliments

We would love any feedback you might have regarding any of our posts. Please don't forget to leave a comment and let us know what you think! Thanks for checking in with us.

New Renderings - Check them out!

Keenen Altic, our graphics technician, has been very busy updating some of the renderings on our Southern Cottages House Plans website. Here are some of his most recent completed houses.

The Grand Gazebo Cottage is a contemporary adaptation of a grand southern mansion. The wrap-around porch is ideal for hot southern climates. The gazebo elements provide opportunity for entertaining and capturing that special view or sunset. The observation loft is the crowning glory of this exuberant structure enabling a spectacular view.

The Shingle Cottage balcony plan has many special features including skylights over the stair, baths and dressing area, an open central stair well, a laundry chute/hamper, vaulted ceilings in upstairs bedrooms, large walk-in closets at all bedrooms, interior columns at living room, built-in storage cabinets and TV/sound system cabinets in the family room, large "table" island in the kitchen, many full height windows with transom windows above and palladian windows at upstairs bedrooms with easy balcony access.

The Hip Cottage plan is compact, yet has all the features that make for comfortable living including a separate laundry room, large closets and kitchen opening into the living spaces. Front and rear porches extend the living space to the exterior. A special feature of this design is the clerestory light well above the kitchen and living areas. Light from the clerestory bathes the vaulted ceilings and rooms below to create a cheery mood. Large overhangs protect the interior from direct sunlight.

The Hip Cottage with wrap around porch plan is similar to the hip cottage above. This plan also includes a separate laundry room, large closets and kitchen opening into the living spaces. A major difference in this plan is the wrap around porches that also extend the living space to the exterior. This plan also features the clerestory light well above the kitchen and living areas. And don't forget the large overhangs that help protect the interior from direct sunlight.

Keenen did a great job on the renderings. Which one is your favorite?

The Problem With Stairs

This picture may be a little extreme, but at the end of the day, have you ever felt like you've been climbing stairs like these in your 2 or 3 story home?

Stairs are a struggle when you need to move in large furniture or simply a car load of groceries. But they can also become more difficult to handle when getting older. How nice would it be to have your own private elevator to take you up and down the levels of your home? Southern Cottages House Plans offers several plans that incorporate a personal elevator into the design. The cottages below all feature an elevator.

Winds Cottage - The Winds Cottage is a contemporary adaptation of southern coastal elements put together in a new and exciting way.

Porches Cottage - The Porches Cottage is ideal for a streetscape lot in a beach house community or anywhere large, covered porches are desirable. The "inverted living area" floor plan maximizes views.

Shelter Cottage - The Shelter Cottage has a large, sheltering roof and ample covered outdoor living spaces. The linear plan allows for views both front and back from most all rooms making it light and airy.

Peaks Cottage - "Rooms in the roof" and a cascading, sheltering roofline give this house a distinctive appearance.

What's Your View?

Ocean View

Waterway View

Lake View

Mountain view

The House Plans below make the most of special views and vistas for that special beach cottage overlooking the ocean, coastal waterway, lake or hills. With features such as roof decks, windowed cupolas or "widows watch", "rooms-in-the-roof" and elevated, covered porches, our "house plans with a view " can capture that special visual appeal that made you love your lot in the first place.

The Island Cottage House Plan is a playful, coastal cottage getaway. With it's wrap around porch, roof decks and roof-top observation loft, we'll call it "Island Victorian".

The Winds Cottage is a contemporary adaptation of southern coastal elements put together in a new and exciting way.

The Porches Cottage is ideal for a streetscape lot in a coastal house community or anywhere large, covered porches are desirable. The "inverted living area" floor plan maximizes views.

The Shelter Cottage has a large, sheltering roof and outdoor living spaces. The linear plan allows for views both front and back from most all rooms making it a light and airy beach house.

"Rooms in the roof" and a cascading, sheltering roofline give this coastal house a distinctive appearance.

The Lookout Cottage is a magnificent coastal home with roof decks, balconies and a rooftop observation platform perfect for overlooking surrounding trees and rooftops.

(ocean, waterway, lake and mountain view pictures found on google images)

How to Draw a Floor Plan

A few months ago we posted a three part video on our YouTube channel titled "How to Draw a Floor Plan". Architect Michael R. McLeod takes the viewers through the beginning steps of drawing a floor plan. The process of creating and drawing a floorplan can be really fun and easier than you think.

How to Draw a Floor Plan

Part 1 - Tools and Materials - This video focusses on some the tools and materials needed to start drawing your design.

How to Draw a Floor Plan

Part 2 - Creating a Bubble Diagram - This video discusses the process of creating a bubble diagram, a technique used to scale and organize your living spaces.

How to Draw a Floor Plan

Part 3 - Adding Detail - This video goes over adding detail to your floorplan.

Pleasent Outdoor Living on the Wrap Around Porch

Weekend Weather Forecast for Hampstead, NC

Looks like it is going to be a warm weekend here in Hampstead, North Carolina. There may even be a chance for scattered thunderstorms on Saturday. Most people would agree these conditions make for a perfect evening to sit in their rocking chairs, enjoy a cold lemonade and take in the views from their wrap around porch.

Our selection of house plans with Wrap Around Porches are designed to enable you to enjoy the outdoor views and breezes. Wrap Around Porches are a great asset to a house because they extend the living space to the exterior, they shelter and protect the windows and doors from water damage and they shade the exterior walls and windows reducing heat gain and thereby reducing energy costs. You can also screen-in a portion of the porch for pleasant outdoor dining.

The Island Cottage House Plan is a playful, coastal cottage getaway. With it's wrap around porch, roof decks and roof-top observation loft, it's a great coastal house plan.

The Plantation Cottage draws upon the southern, coastal, low country vernacular and features large, wrap-around porches and a full basement.

The Country Cottage has all the amenities of a larger house designed in a compact space. Its wrap-around porch extends the living space to the outdoors.

The Mountain Cottage is a variation of the Island Cottage and illustrates one of the many customization's of this versatile plan. Its wrap-around porch is a key element in its design.

The Lookout Cottage is a magnificent treehouse with roof decks, balconies and a rooftop observation platform perfect for overlooking trees and rooftops to see the coastline.

The Nags Head Cottage draws upon the characteristics of the historic, rugged, beachfront cottages found along the coast of Nags Head, NC. The wrap around porches protect the walls and window and door openings while also providing shade from the heat.

New Video!

We recently added a new video to our YouTube Channel. This video feature some of the projects completed by Michael R. McLeod, Architect, PA. You can find a complete list of his completed projects at http://www.mcleodarchitect.com/.

We would love any feedback you may have for us regarding and of our projects. Thanks for checking out our blog!

The Island Cottage

Last month on our blog we featured the Porches Cottage, a design ideal for a streetscape lot in a beach house community or anywhere large, covered porches are desirable. If you missed our post on the Porches Cottage you can can get caught up to speed by clicking here, or watch the feature video on our youtube channel here.

This month we created another youtube video to feature a Southern Cottage classic, the Island Cottage.

The Island Cottage house plan is a playful coastal cottage getaway with wrap around porch, roof decks and roof-top observation loft. The plans are available in several different foundation arrangements and sizes such as the standard crawlspace foundation, piling foundation or basement foundation. For more information on this popular cottage design please visit our website or get comfy, pull out a bag of popcorn and enjoy our youtube premiere of The Island Cottage.

Once playing click on video again to view in larger format.

Legend of the Widow's Walks

If you have visited our Southern Cottages House Plans site, you may have noticed a few of our cottages featuring the popular widows walk. But have you ever wondered why they call it a widows walk? You may be surprised where this architectural detail actually originated from.

You may be familiar with the most common legend of the widows walk. It goes something like this:

"The faithful and dedicated wife, performing her daily circumambulations on the cold and lonely widow's walk: The next sail to top the horizon may well carry her husband, gone to sea these many years. But not today. the sun sets, bring to a close her lonely vigil for this day. Perhaps, though, the much anticipated vision will appear tomorrow and if not tomorrow, the next day."

Recently we read an article from the Fisherman's Voice titled Widow's Walk which discusses the evolution of this popular architectural detail. The author, Tom Seymour, believes that the legend of the widows walk may be nothing more than a "sentiment-laden myth". Here is a summary of his article and his idea of where the widow's walk originated.

Originally, widows walks served as an access point in the roof located near the chimney. Back when houses were generally heated by wood, the residents ran the risk of chimney fires. The widow's walk provided a quick and safe route up to the chimney in which water or sand could then be poured downed the chimney to douse the fire.

The actual appearance of the widows walk has gone through a lengthy evolution. On most colonial structures the widow's walk was nothing more then a simple hatch opening to the roof. At this point in time the widow's walk was strictly used for practicality and lacked any aesthetic appeal.

When the New England economy had begun to improve in the late 1800's, and budgets for building increased, more stylized and ornate widow's walk started to become the trend. These newly altered widow's walks were generally fully enclosed with windows that were able to open to allow for ventilation during the warm summer months. They also provided a great place for people to have their afternoon tea or evening cocktail while enjoying the view.

In the late 19th century after the advances of highly stylized widow's walk came about, the legend of the lonely wife waiting for her captains safe return from sea came about as well. Since then this has became the most popular origin of this popular architectural detail found in many historic homes, and homes still being built today.

The modern version of the widow's walk can regularly be seen in seaside towns. Since the price of ocean views comes at a premium, many have chosen to build a little farther back from the shoreline, and still take in the ocean view a top the widow's walk.

Our Widows Walk House Plan Designs incorporate a roof-top windowed cupola or "widows walk", which we refer to as an observation loft, accessed via spiral stair from the second story hallway. This observation loft is a great place to glimpse a distant view, to survey the landscape or to find a special place to read a book or to work on a project in your personal studio.

Island Cottage

Mountain Cottage

Southern Cottages on YouTube!

At Southern Cottages we are breaking into the world of web videos. You may have noticed one of our first videos featuring the Island Cottage. And there are plenty more on the way! You can stay up to date with whats going on at Southern Cottages House Plans by subscribing to our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/southerncottages.

Until we get some more videos uploaded to our channel here are a few YouTube videos you might find of interest.

Looking for some furniture for you new place? How about this chair that can go from seating one to sixteen with a simple pull at each end. The chair, from the company Flexible Love, is made from recycled paper and recycled wood waste and can hold up to 4,224 pounds. Leave us a comment and let us know if you have room for one of these in your living room!

To view this video larger click here

To view this video larger click here

Porches Cottage

The Porches Cottages is just one of the many cottage plans offered on Southern Cottages House Plans. This style of cottage is ideal for a streetscape lot in a beach house community or anywhere large, covered porches are desirable. Views are afforded front to back from nearly all rooms even if adjacent houses are close together on a crowded waterfront site.

This plan is available in four different styles: the Standard Crawlspace Foundation, the Standard Piling Foundation, the Side Garage Entrance, Piling Foundation, with Elevator, and the Roof Deck, Piling Foundation, with Elevator. Please click on any of these styles and you will be directed to additional pictures and information on each variation.

Recently at Southern Cottages we started to get our feet wet with making videos. This is one of of our first videos which features the Porches Cottage. This video can also be viewed on our YouTube page in a higher quality, just click on the video. Hope you enjoy, and please let us know what you think!