Sunrooms

According to Houzz, one of the top 25 home trends for 2016 is having a sunroom.  A sunroom gives you a place to sit and relax while being bathed in sunshine.  It's a special retreat in your own home.  It's a get-a-way from the norms of life.  It's a happy place when it's too hot or too cold to go outside.

If you are planning on building a home this year and want a sunroom, consider the following:

Side of the Grand Island Cottage.

The Grand Island Cottage will give you a generous place to enjoy the sun. At 12'-4" wide by 37'-5" long, the sunroom gives you a great place for relaxing or a casual place to entertain.  It features windows which are interrupted only by the fireplace.  It also includes doors which connect it to the front and rear porches of the house.

Rear of the Porches Cottage with Roof Deck.

Another option to consider is the Porches Cottage with Roof Deck.  Called a Flexroom in our on-line plan, the room features three large, double windows to bathe the room in light.  This sunroom includes space for a mini-kitchen, bar, or built-ins and measures 12'-10" wide by 27'-8" long. It is located on the rear of the home, which is especially great if that's the direction of your view.

Front left side of the Country Cottage

For those who desire a something a little different, the 3,565 sf Country Cottage features an L-shaped sunroom with windows into the living spaces.  The light-filled sunroom will bring sunshine even further into your home!  In addition to this, the wall-to-wall windows provide a view on two sides of the house.

Rear of the Hip Cottage with Attached Garage.

If you are looking for a smaller home, the Hip Cottage with Attached Garage has an 11'-0" by 11'-0" sunroom in the rear.  This sunroom is lined with windows on two sides, as well, and also includes windows through to the living room.  It is a cozy place to sit, relax and take time for yourself.


For more information about any of the homes mentioned here, including additional pictures, please visit our website.  If you didn't see anything that appealed to you in this post, most of our home plans include screened porches which can easily be changed into a sunroom.

Plantation Cottage Video

We recently added a new video to our YouTube Channel.



See the interior and exterior of the Plantation Cottage with pictures from a built home!  If you like what you see, this house plan is available for purchase on our website:  www.southerncottages.com.

Thanks for checking out our blog!

Let us help you create a building to serve your needs at www.mcleodarchitectpa.com.

View our architect designed house plans at www.southerncottages.com.

Home Trend for 2015: Small Houses

According to articles on the internet, like this one from The Fiscal Times or this one from Slate, the small home is making a come-back.  Whether you're an empty-nester looking to downsize or a young couple looking for your first home, people are looking for smaller homes and smaller mortgages.

 

At 1,260 square feet, our Hip Cottage fits the bill for being small.  Yet, it still has everything you need!  Inside of this house you get two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an open concept living & dining room, good sized kitchen, laundry room, front porch, rear screened porch, plus storage.

If 1,260 sf is too small for you, the Hip Cottage comes in a few different sizes: 

• 1,423 sf which includes a wrap around porch; 
• 1,545 sf with an attached garage; 
• and 2,497 sf with a basement.

What's great about our house plans is that 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.mcleodarchitectpa.com.

View our architect designed house plans at www.southerncottages.com.

What To Do When The Cost of Home Construction is More Than Your Budget

Image courtesy of ponsulak at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You have been waiting years to build your own home.  You have found the perfect house plan.  You have financing in place and are ready to begin.  The only problem now is that contractors have given you bid prices that are more expensive than you had imagined!

Generally, the trade-offs to lower the costs of home construction involve using less expensive products, such as vinyl windows vs. clad windows and vinyl siding vs. wood shingles; and even composite shingle roofing vs. metal roofing.  The amount of ceramic tile surfaces, granite counter tops, pricey fixtures and appliances can dramatically add to the costs as well.  Let the builders know that you need to be in a certain price range so that they won't assume that you are expecting the most expensive finishes.

Second, if you haven't already done this, take your house plans to another contractor.  You will find that the prices you receive will vary wildly - don't ask why - but this is our experience. Some builders add bucks to their bid if something is a little different or unusual - while others see it as an interesting challenge and something that they want to be a part of.  If you need advice on finding a good contractor, our post "Selecting Your General Contractor" can help you out.

Third, if you are in no rush to get your house completed, you can always wait to build in the hope that the costs of construction will go down in time.  You could wait a few years if the economy is high.  Or you might wait until the "off season" of construction (usually winter) with the idea that contractors will not be as busy during that time and will give you lower numbers so they can get the job.

The last thing you might do (and it's usually the last resort) is have your home plans revised.  It will cost more money up front to have the alterations done, and you will have to sacrifice some of the things on your "want list", but in the end you will lower the cost of construction.

Good luck and let us know if you have any questions we can help you with!  

Stacey

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. 

Grassy Green Paint Colors

You want to paint your room green, but you're not sure what color is the best one.  You know you like the color of the grass outside because it's lush, pretty and inviting.  But how will you know what the right choice of green is?  There are so many different colors of green!  What will keep you from making the wrong decision?

I'm going to help you out with my selection of four colors that are pretty, inviting and hopefully fit the bill for lush.  These grassy green paint colors are from Sherwin Williams and you can use them to enjoy that refreshing green color inside your home.  I'm showing you the paint color, plus a picture of a room painted with it.  

SW 6718 Overt Green

 

In southeastern North Carolina, where we're located, one of the typical grasses available is centipede.  Overt Green is a nice yellow-green color, similar to the look of centipede grass.  It is also a bold color so it's perfect for an accent wall, as pictured below.

Contemporary Bedroom by Austin Interior Designers & Decorators Panache Interiors

Although beautiful, the picture is slightly misleading about the color of this paint: the lamp light gives the wall a yellowish color.   If you look at the wall near the window on the left you can see the true color of the paint.  So, here's a lesson in paint and the type of light bulbs you're using: the color of your light bulbs can have a dramatic effect on the perceived color of your room.  Different types of bulbs give off different colors.  This in turn can make your paint or furnishings look different at your house than in the store.  Or even from one room to the next.  Home Depot usually has a light bulb display next to their bulbs.  If you haven't taken the time to look at it, it's worth the 5 minutes it takes to review.


SW 6732 Organic Green

 

A name that includes "organic" portrays an idea of fresh, all-natural, beneficial, and healthy. In my opinion, this color is bright and cheerful.  What could be more beneficial and healthy than that?  What I like about Organic Green is that it's a "clear" color.  By that I mean that it hasn't been lightened too much, nor has it been darkened too much.  It's a nice medium color of green.

Picture from Fred Smith Company

In the picture, even though there are lighter spots and darker spots the color remains bright and clear.  By painting all of the walls one color you are surrounded in a consistent hue.  I have to say that this room is refreshing to me.  Using white trim and cabinetry adds to the overall feel of the room, contributing to the alluring color.


SW 6725 Pickle

When I think of pickles I imagine the zesty flavor of a pickled cucumber.  This color is very similar to Organic Green, but to me, it has some zest to it!  It's not quite as bright, but it's still beautiful.  I think Pickle is one of those colors that is very much like the color of grass and any number of green plants growing outside.

Eclectic Bedroom by Los Gatos Interior Designers & Decorators Design Theory Interiors of California, Inc

The room above has been decorated with items that are white, black and a slightly different green that are brought together in a cohesive and beautiful way.  Even though this green is darker than the rest on my list so far, there are a greater number of white elements in the room.  It keeps the atmosphere light yet still incorporates darker items that do not dim the space.


SW6733 Grasshopper

Many things come to mind with the word "grasshopper".  But the fact of the matter is that this is a very good candidate for a color reminiscent of the turf outside. It looks like one of those beautiful dark green lawns you see sometimes.  This color is the darkest green on my list; it's light enough to match the color of grass and foliage, but it's also not going to make you feel like you're in a dungeon. 

Picture from Pinterest

This picture has a darker atmosphere, almost opposite of the one painted with Pickle, yet it still works well.  Instead of lighter accents, it has natural wood trim, dark floor and a smoky blue ceiling.  The wall color does not overwhelm the space, yet it still brings in the lush color of grass. The paint color invites you into the space.

So, what will help you know if you're making the right or wrong decision with a paint color?  The best indicator is this: go to the paint store, get the color chips for the colors you're interested in and take them home.  Hold them up to your furniture, the floor, and pictures on the wall.  You can even tape them to the wall and then stand back to see if you like the way the color interacts with your belongings and the light in your room.  Make your decision based on this action.  If the color isn't quite right, go to the next one.

The four colors that I have suggested are all lush, pretty, and inviting.  They show how beautiful and refreshing the color of a lawn can be inside a home.  If you're looking to make a bold statement in your room while also bringing a touch of the outdoors to the inside of your home, using one of these colors will help you accomplish your goal. 

Do you agree?  Let me know.

Stacey

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.