6.11.2013

::Decorating Dilemmas of Building a House::

Ah, the dilemmas....

On Sunday I got to go to the builder's design center to begin picking out finishes for the new house.
(We had our first of 2 closings today, and the trucks are scheduled to show up by weeks' end! *clap*clap*clap*)

You'd think after 6 months of waiting I'd have everything picked out, no problem.


Annnnd you'd be wrong.

'Cause I change my mind and second guess and get distracted and eat too much ice cream. all.the.time.

Cost is always a factor, so some choices were fairly easy.

Some were pretty hard....I mean, they handed me 2 entire fan decks of paint chips and told me to pick a front door color.

Hello.

Speaking of which, my biggest dilemmas were the front door and the fireplace.

The door I chose first was something like this: 1/2 glass with 3-over-6 panes, 2 flanking full length sidelights with 5 panes:


But after getting home and mulling it over, I decided I wasn't sure I wanted panes in the sidelights, and I  was afraid I wouldn't be able to paint over the muntins in the door....Thought it might look too busy with the style of the other windows (see sketch above).

So I changed it to something more like this, and the flanking sidelights would also be plain glass and stop at the same level as the glass on the door.  Love the etching! 


BTW, our builder rep is awesome...she smiles her beautiful toothy grin everything I hit her with another "So I was thinking maybe we'd go with *this* instead of...."

Here's a door with a similar sidelight to what we'd do. 


But then I really love the long sidelights so I can do treatments like this:


The home has a craftsman feel, but I'm trying to soften the hard lines with a more cottage feel....starting with the front door :)

My other big issue was what to do with the fireplace.  Here's a pic of the model to give you an idea of the room.

The mantel is a pretty prominant feature....I would love to do floor to ceiling stacked stone like this:


But it's wicked expensive, and I haven't picked out kitchen stuff yet, ha!

I also like this more traditional look:


Or this planked look:


 Or even *this* planked look:


So we told the builder to just drywall everything and leave off any brick or stone or mantel.

Yes, they looked at us like we had six heads.  Something I've gotten used to.

I want to leave my options open....I mean, I *could* find some totally awesome old fireplace surround, yeah? And then plank all around it.  Or use Airstone and add a big ole beam or a chippy old salvaged mantelpiece like the stacked stone pic up thar.  Or only stack the airstones to mantel height and plank above....

So...what do you think?

OH, and most important....outside we're doing plain white siding, sand-colored stacked stone accents on the porch posts and on either side of the garage door, a neutral dimensional roof, added a wee window with a window box over the garage, and a washed turquoise front door, regardless of nuntins, windows, etc. :)



13 comments:

Three Birds Inspired said...

Sounds lovely! My house is yellow with cranberry trim and a white door. My front porch furniture is turquoise. I love the colors together and I am "this close" to painting that front door turquoise. "Washed" turquoise will be beautiful!

Pamela M. Steiner said...

Fun, fun, fun! I remember doing that. One bit of advice...and I think you already figured it out by what you've said...don't do anything permanent that can't be changed if you aren't sure that's what you really want...doors can be painted, walls can have different finishes eventually, but things like stone,rock, style of windows, etc., are pretty difficult and expensive to change once done. So I think you are smart to hold off on the fireplace stuff until you are really sure... Washed turquoise sounds lovely...samples?

Kori said...

I SUPER LOVE the first planked look...the horizontal one!!! Stone and all that is pretty, but just think of all the dust and such it catches. No bueno. Honestly, I've never seen the plank thing goin' on over a mantel. Either I don't get out much, or I just don't get in much...to houses with cool mantel surrounds! ;)

Eh. Whatever you choose/create/find will be phenomenal. I just know it.

rebecca @ older and wisor said...

You prolly know that I planked (half planked?) my fireplace to cover up all that brick, so I'm a lil' biased towards that. I think if you could find some reclaimed/old fence stuff and distress it even more with some white paint, it would be oh so cottage chic. Just like you.

Butterfly 8)(8 Bungalow said...

I've done that a few times and it is hard to choose.

You can always plank the fireplace or put the stone on afterwards as DIY.

Planks are medium difficulty to install, but quick as long as one keeps it level.

Lowe's sells a lightweight stacked stone. It looks amazing. They have a video that shows how they install it. It looks medium difficulty to install, maybe easier than planks. Wish I had a place to try it and see.

Best wishes in the picking and closing smoothly.

NanaDiana said...

It's daunting, isn't it? Sometimes it is easier when you don't have so many choices. Love the muntins in the door and sidelights but they are kind of a pain to paint...but love the look.

I don't know about your code there but here you HAVE to have a non-combustible material 12-16" surrounding the fireplace before they will grant the final OK for living inspection. Some areas aren't quite so tough though.

So far, so good- and I love the overall look of the house- how exciting- xo Diana

Julie @ followyourheartwoodworking said...

Wow, you are so fortunate to get to pick and choose what you want! I'm sure you will make it "home" no matter the door type or fireplace surround.

Cassie Bustamante said...

it is going to look fabulous! and you are going to make it your own- even better!

Sue @ A Colourful Canvas said...

Washed turquoise front door...be still my pitter pattering heart. You are living my dream girl! But to be truthful, I'm not sure I could handle all the decision making on a new build. I think you are totally wise to opt for simple drywall. Another Canadian blogger I follow has just completed a new build. She had the very basics installed...just enough to get her mortgage approved. And then after moving in, she finished her kitchen (and I mean SHE did it herself), installed her own flooring, paneled walls etc. Then you really do it the way You want it. As far as the fireplaces go, I'm not a brick or stone all the way to the ceiling gal. I liked the traditional look, but then thought that the crown moulding at the top looked a little weird. I'd probably lean towards something like this: the fireplace and mantel of the 'more traditional look', and everything above the mantel would be beadboard or vertical planking. I'd probably beadboard the entire wall. Oh my gosh, I'm getting overwhelmed and it's not even my home, LOL.

Sue xo

Sharon @ Elizabeth & Co. said...

We've never built a house from scratch. I can only imagine all the decisions. I love all your inspiration photos. What fun!

MimiG said...

I got lost once I saw the stacked stone fireplace. Can you repeat everything you said after that? O.M.G.

Magali@TheLittleWhiteHouse said...

I can't wait to see more of that house. I don't have a newly built house, but in my old house the chimney had been destroyed at some point of its history, so when I redid the living-room, I just asked for drywall where the fireplace was. Last year I found an old mantel for 20 euros (that's right) and now because of your post, I'm thinking maybe planking the drywall would be a great idea...

Melissa@daisymaebelle.com said...

Oh the choices with building! Sounds like you have some great ideas! Life to the full! Melissa

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