Modern or contemporary furniture and home design is in vogue once again. The strong, simplified lines of this look have a lot to offer. I occasionally meet with clients who like a more modern feel, but they also love traditional European design and wonder how to marry the two looks. One couple I am working with want a home that is clearly European Country on the exterior, but want the interior to reflect a more streamlined aesthetic. To achieve this we simplified the outside by sticking to just one material (stucco) and keeping the roofline shapes the same (hip roofs). We also made interior details, such as trim work and paint, a more streamlined, simple palette. Sounds easy, but not always easy to achieve. The key is in keeping the detailing simple with less excessive trim work, maybe no mantel over the fireplace and simplified hardware and light fixtures. When these details are less pronounced, floor patterns and colors tend to take center stage. Changing flooring materials from one room to another can also lend to this effect. The fact is that true European Country lends itself extremely well to a more streamlined look—afterall, being in the country is all about relaxing and uncluttering oneself from hectic city life.
This is another home I did where the streamlined European Country approach lends itself well to modern furnishings.
The outdoor room for this same home--a sophisticated look that goes easily with a contemporary aesthetic.
If you haven’t seen Nancy Meyers’ new movie It’s Complicated, you really need to. Even if you’re not a fan of Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin, you should see it just for the sets. Like other Meyers films Something’s Gotta Give and The Holiday, the setting in this new flick is a feast for the eyes. The design of her home, her bakery and even her garden are so well done, it becomes a character almost unto itself. I routinely have clients that ask me to view certain movies or TV shows so that I can take in the backdrop, and these Meyers movies are some of the most referenced. Meyers, a home décor-junkie in her own right, gives so much attention to detail, sweating over whether or not a particular character might actually own a certain book on the bookshelf, what color a lampshade should be or whether to have marble or granite countertops in a character’s kitchen. And while some film critics bemoan her over-the-top approach to beautiful sets, the result is a wonderful reference for all who are looking for inspiration–whether for your entire house or just a room or two.
You'll love the design of the sets in this new movie.
This is a Spanish style ranch home set in Santa Barbara on a lush lot near the coast.
The kitchen Streep's character wants to remodel in the movie. A very French flair, as she plays a pastry chef who studied in Paris.
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I’m proud to say that a home I designed for a client in Greenwich, Conn., is the cover story of the December Traditional Home. As you’ll see from the article, this home turned out beautifully, and it was a great partnership between me and the client (I mentioned this project in a previous post when I talked about working with an architect long distance). For this couple, finding an architect who could translate authentic French design into a home that works for today’s American lifestyle was a top priority. They had worked with another architect on a custom design but just couldn’t get there. After touring my home in Tulsa, they decided that was the look and feel they were after. This home turned out pretty large–yet it retains a cozy, livable atmosphere equally well suited for entertaining large groups or for small family gatherings. Probably my favorite aspect of this design is how it truly replicates the types of homes I have viewed in the French countryside, with extra-thick exterior walls, courtyards and lots of light coming in. hope you enjoy reading the article (the holiday decorating is lovely) and find some inspiration for your next decorating, remodel or new home project. Happy holidays to you and your family, and the very best to you in 2010.
Check out the December 2009 Traditional Home to see a project I designed for a client in Connecticut.
The kitchen is connected to the great room, making entertaining elegant yet relaxed and enjoyable.
This outdoor room is one of the client's favorite features.
Steel windows, like th ones shown here on this home, are impressive and will last forever. But clients who have these on their wish list need to prepare for the pricetag.
We all have a dream home sketched out somewhere in our mind–or at least some key details and amenities are outlined on an imaginary list for that “someday” home. When new clients come to me with this dream home in mind, we begin to explore how those dreams might take shape. Of course they want it all–including heated floors, steel windows and a slate roof. Early on I try to assess such expensive features and present it to the client in an estimated cost-per-square-foot scenario. Such assessments can be tricky, since I don’t want to assume that a client can or cannot afford this dream home they are finally sketching out. The true reality check doesn’t come around until the job is bid by a general contractor, of course, at which time a client may look at me and wonder why I designed something they couldn’t afford? And at the same token I might wonder why they asked for it if they couldn’t afford it! For most clients there are compromises along the way that provide the cost savings they need while still giving way to the dream home they’ve always imagined. I advise anyone looking to build or remodel their home to do some independent research early on to get a general feel for the price tag on what they want in a new home. After running the numbers, a pair of good slippers might be preferable to those heated floors.
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Today more than ever, my clients want a home that is customized for their specific needs. Details both large and small make a home more personal and thus more of a comforting retreat for every member of the family. Clients typically come to me with a scrapbook full of magazine clippings showcasing ideas they like. They’ll even ask me to watch a particular movie just to show a home they found inspiring. More than anything, clients want features that fit the way they live. For example, a family I worked for in Wisconsin needed indoor activities for their kids during the harsh winters there, and so we added an indoor basketball court, a media room and a golf simulator/ workout room all in the basement! One client who is an avid sportsman took his multiple-car garage to a whole new level, complete with gathering area for his friends (fireplace included), a bathroom, and storage areas for his golf, ski and hunting equipment. Travel provides another source of inspiration for clients. Whether it’s an outdoor shower they used while in Mexico or the spa-like bath at a luxury hotel, travel amenities play big into what clients can envision for their new home. If you’re planning a new home or a remodel in the future, keep a notebook of ideas to share with your architect. These visual aids will help him or her translate them into a home you will cherish.
A large-scale remodel I did for a client in Virginia a few years back, with some wonderful courtyards and outdoor areas on the rear elevation.
Another photo of the rear elevation. This home was truly transformed and the homeowner now enjoys a great view of his backyard from the extensive decks.
Just like any other type of long-distance relationship, working with an out-of-town architect depends on good communication. I work with clients all over the nation on a regular basis. Many of them I’ve never met nor did I visit their site. How is this possible? Technology and trust. Technological advances first gave us the fax machine and overnight shipping, which allowed us to communicate and share ideas, sketches, magazine clippings the client had accumulated, etc. Next it was the cell phone and today it’s email that allows the quick exchange of client photos, construction drawings, renderings, 3-D modeling and a host of other communications between us. And because of the Internet, clients are much more involved in the research that goes into planning a home, and thus more sophisticated about building techniques and materials. This is not to say that clients don’t fly in to meet with me (they often do), and I likewise will sometimes make site visits when needed. Through my many years of both design and construction experience, I’ve had the opportunity to work through just about every challenge out there. My clients trust this experience and my judgment regarding the design decisions that must be made when building or remodeling a home. When looking for an architect on your next project, put reputation and experience ahead of proximity on the list of priorities.
A home I designed for a client in Connecticut. Look for it in the December issue of Traditional Home--the photos are so beautiful.
A great family home, complete with wonderful outdoor areas. I am so pleased with how it turned out.
Building a new home or remodeling an existing one is a big undertaking, no doubt about it. Homeowners can easily get overwhelmed with the amount of decisions involved, and are looking to the professionals involved to help guide them in making the right choices. As both an architect and a builder, I’ve seen the gamut of nerve-wracking scenarios that can be costly (or at least unsightly) if not dealt with correctly. A typical new home involves roughly 2,000 decisions–large and small–and a good architect and interior designer will make about 1,990 of them for you. If questions are left unanswered in the construction drawings, you leave it up to the subcontractors to make the decisions, and they typically don’t have a grasp of the bigger design picture that could be affected. Good construction plans should have a system for all the details–from stucco color to wood floor choices, types of interior doors, woodwork design and finishes, lighting, countertop surfaces, etc.–that provides the homeowner some peace of mind that every decision has been well though out by a professional who has designed hundreds or thousands of homes. No one loves a good subcontractor or supplier more than me, but don’t let him make your design decisions.
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The front elevation of an Italian-inspired home I recently designed.
Last fall my wife Susan and I traveled to Italy–Florence to be exact. While there, I took over 600 photos in just two weeks if that tells you anything about how much I love this area. One particular residence caught my eye during a day trip outside the city. I was drawn to the roofline of this home and knew it could translate well here. Not long after this trip, I was asked to design a custom home for clients who had also traveled to this region and wanted the feel of authentic Italian architecture. You can see from this front elevation how much I drew on the inspiration of that grand home outside Florence. Translating homes that are often hundreds of years old into architecture that works for modern living is one of the things I love best about my work. This home will begin construction later this year, and I look forward to seeing the translation come to life.
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A chimney pot works well as a finishing detail on this outdoor fireplace.
Bishop chimney pot looks great on this Mediterranean style home.
So many people are extending their living spaces to the outdoors with pergolas, outdoor rooms, kitchens and outdoor fireplaces. My chimney pots work equally well on these fireplaces and add a detail that really puts the finishing touch on this element. I wanted to share these great recent photos with you– taken of an outdoor room on a custom home I designed several years ago. I hope you’re inspired to create your own outdoor space. –Jack
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I recently asked former clients to share photos of their Jack Arnold home with us—and the response has been fantastic. I’m glad to know how proud people are of their home and hope that many more stories and photos will continue to be shared. You can now begin viewing some of those photos in our new homeowner scrapbook on my website: www.jackarnold.com. I’m also excited that my blog is now designed to allow comments from my readers. At the office, we constantly get requests for addresses and contact information of former clients so that potential clients can learn more, drive by the home—even take a tour! For privacy reasons, we do not give that information out. But here at my blog, you are welcome to share this information about your home with others if you so choose—it’s completely up to you. We hope that by opening up a dialogue about how you selected plans, your construction process and final results, others will be inspired and educated as they proceed in the journey toward building their new home. We look forward to your comments–my goal is to post blogs a couple of times a month here. Tell me what’s on your mind and I may just create a post about that topic! Thanks for reading…Jack.
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