HAVEN
The contractor had warned the homeowners about the number of decisions they’d need to make. As the homeowner said, “Anybody who has 1,001 decisions to make can easily make poor decisions simply because they may not even know the right questions to ask.” They were overwhelmed — they had a vision for a forever home that would be their haven in the country, but they needed help making it a reality. They wanted to make sure they didn’t make decisions they’d regret forever.
IN THE COUNTRY
After helping the homeowners establish a clear plan that ensured their vision would come to life and their home would support them long-term, I worked with the contractor to make the building process as smooth as possible.
When issues popped up, we collaborated to find the solution that would be functional and aesthetically pleasing.
The Journey
The homeowners have a home they love that acts as home base between travels, supports their hobbies, and allows for aging in place.
The Outcome
Plan Review
Kitchen Design
Furniture Plan
Fixture and Finish Selections
Furniture, Furnishings, and Window Treatment Selections
Construction Guidance
The Services
THE STORY
When I first met the homeowners, they had just begun construction on their custom new-build home. I was immediately struck by their energy, enthusiasm, and sense of adventure. No quiet, staid retirement for these two! Instead, they spent their time exploring new hobbies, learning new musical instruments, studying new languages, and traveling the world.
They had a solid idea of their style and what sort of layout their home needed to have. After purchasing a set of plans that generally fit the bill, they and their contractor set out to make the customizations they wanted. As construction began, the contractor warned them about the thousands of decisions they would need to make. They realized that the sheer number of decisions alone could be overwhelming--and that they could easily make a mistake because they didn’t know all the options or even the right questions to ask to find out what options they had.
They knew they needed someone to guide them through the process and wanted someone to push them to be a bit bolder in some of their choices. Working with a designer who had a clear, organized process was also important to them.
The first step after our initial consultation was to take a deep dive into their lifestyle and how they needed their home to function. I asked detailed questions not just about how they lived now, but also how they saw their lives changing in the future. They told me they wanted a “haven in the country” that would serve as their home base during their travels. It needed to be a place where they could sit and gaze out at the idyllic landscape, house (and read) their ever-expanding library of books, experiment with new recipes, practice new instruments, and display cherished art. They had adopted a dog who was every bit as energetic as they were, so making sure her needs were accommodated was also important.
Once I had a clear understanding of the requirements, it was time for me to review the plans and the changes that had already been made. Life can be unpredictable and you never know if someone may need a wheelchair or walker at some point, so I made sure the stairs were wide enough to add a lift, and the doorways weren’t too narrow for easy navigation, and grab bars could be installed in the master bathroom. The overall layout was just about right. I designed the built-ins and redesigned the kitchen.
