IF you were building what you are hoping will be your forever house, for permanent fixtures, would you select traditional pieces or what is currently fashionable?
Would you totally customize to your own taste or would you have re-sale in the back of your mind.
I would go traditional with a twist... ... with instant hot water heaters, solar panels on the roof, grey water system for landscape irrigation a fabulous kitchen with granite counters, cabinets to the ceiling and toe kick vacuums, and floor pedals to turn on the water faucet. Transome windowns over inner doors and ceiling fans in every room.
Posts: 4226 | Location: SF | Registered: Feb 27, 2008
Practical traditional with maybe a unique bathroom, but not one in a current trend and unlike the current trend, I'd opt for Formica countertops. Maybe some kind of stone with lots of movement for an island or something, but when granite goes out of style, how will people ever get rid of the stuff? Ya can't lift it! Maybe I have commitment issues when it comes to countertops.
Christie
Posts: 3608 | Location: West TN, Zone 7a | Registered: Jan 05, 2007
when granite goes out of style, how will people ever get rid of the stuff? Ya can't lift it! Maybe I have commitment issues when it comes to countertops.
My granite ain't going out of style with me. I'll like it till the end. Will the next person? I dunno. I'll let that be their problem.
I lean toward mostly tradional and classic, but if I could afford it, I would use more stone in my dream house...either in flooring or as a decorative accent wall.
when granite goes out of style, how will people ever get rid of the stuff? Ya can't lift it! Maybe I have commitment issues when it comes to countertops.
They will put an ad out that says 'mail in your granite in this envelope and in a few weeks you will receive a check'! LOL
Mary Ruth *****We don't see things as they are, we see things as WE are! ***** (Anaias Nin)***** http://pinterest.com/mary_ruth/
Posts: 8528 | Location: East Space Coast, Florida zone 9B | Registered: Feb 11, 2003
But I think the "dream" is for a log cabin, and with that said it would be quite custom. Sometimes we've felt like the square peg trying to get into the round hole with function and decor. And we have had to pass up beautiful pieces because of it.
I like Wendek's idea of using as many ecologically sustainable ideas as possible.
I'm not sure what would be considered permanent fixtures as everything can be changed for a price. However, if I were building a new house, I would buy the highest quality finishes I could afford in the simplest style I could find.
Traditional, all the way! I tend to be a period person...I like my home to either be of a period, or a reproduction of a period. Contemporary doesn't suit my mind set. So, if I could build a dream house it would be a traditional based on an architectural style from the past. There would be no granite, but there would probably be marble. There would be nothing "trendy", but there would be modern versions of plumbing fixtures and appliances...the things that make life easier. I have no desire to live in the past, just to create a feeling of tradition and history.
**Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...it's about learning to dance in the rain**
Posts: 3567 | Location: Here, by the grace of God... | Registered: Jan 24, 2006
It would depend on my current mood in each room. For one thing, I could never furnish a house in one fell swoop. I like to shop for furniture, BUT it has to be for a particular piece. I can't go with a list like I would to the grocery store.
I would do fairly traditional but most definitely custom.
I like Wendek's ideas of solar panels, instant hot water, grey water for landscaping.
Never been crazy about the granite countertop...I like the idea of recycled glass..would have to see it in person.
Radiant heating for sure... Lots of built-in, lots of closets for storage...
very comfortable..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself also in the Lord and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Posts: 914 | Location: Longing for the beach | Registered: Jan 06, 2004
My parents bought their first house when they had been married for about 18 years. It was in the early 50's. The house had been built in the early 20's. It had a enormous gas furnace that had been converted from being a coal burning one. Can't remember whether the house had circulating hot water or steam heat but it was WONDERFUL. It also had instant hot water. My mother had it replaced with what we know now as a traditional water heater.
At the moment we have an 80 gallon instant recovery water heater. I may investigate getting the immediate hot water system as I'm here mostly by myself and it is really a waste to have 80 gallons of hot water always on tap when it is so seldom needed.
If I was designing and building from the ground up, I would design a "temple front" Greek Revival based on homes I've seen in Salem and Nantucket. I would make the interior as close to an authentic historical home as possible,incorporating the heat registers and outlets into the architectural details, so they would be camouflaged.The kitchen and baths would have all the modern conveniences made out of traditional materials as local to the building site as possible.
This way whoever lived there would have a home whose interior reflected its exterior, cohesive and homogenous
Posts: 1486 | Location: Morristown | Registered: Jun 12, 2010
Neither traditional nor trendy. I would go with my own tastes, and not think about resale.
********************************************* We need to internalize this idea of excellence. Not many folks spend a lot of time trying to be excellent. Barack Obama
Most likely, if I had the opportunity, I'd custom-build a modernist home, like the Case Study homes, only updated, with very clean lines, a blurring of outdoors/indoors with large window walls, flat roof and centered around an courtyard or atrium. This is where the choice of lot is absolutely key.
Here's my dream Case Study home in LA:This message has been edited. Last edited by: aychihuahua,
I would try to be ecologically responsible, but use traditional, simple fixtures. It would be my taste completely! If it was my forever house, I wouldn't care what anyone else thought.
