Southern Studio Interior Design

Day 7: Happy Homes

We have heard enough about the dismal housing market in the past few years and now we’re seeing optimism that the market is starting to recover. The recent downturn has changed how we think about our homes….more remodeling, multi-functional rooms, and efficiently using our space. In High Point last week, Gale Steves, former editor of Home Magazine, gave a thought-provoking presentation on designing homes for the way we really live (sounds simple enough).

Since I spend a tremendous amount of time working on new construction and remodeling projects, this is a topic that is near and dear to my heart. The “bigger is better” McMansions are a thing of the past and are being replaced with functional and efficient spaces. Notice I said nothing about compromising beauty or comfort; they’ll never go out of style.

I thought I’d share a few interesting facts from Gale’s presentation:

• Did you know that the average master bathroom has tripled in size over the last 15 years?
• Did you know that the average home has five televisions? For the record, my house is average.
• Did you know that the average woman has 50 pairs of shoes? I’m not saying a word about my closet.

It’s the perfect time for the release of Gale’s new book, Right-Sizing Your Home. The book actually goes on sale tomorrow, but we were fortunate to get an early release! It is filled with practical advice on how to maximize space and re-think the way we use our homes.

It was an absolute pleasure to meet Gale (I’ll save us all from the not-so-flattering photo of me with Gale). Each page I turn in her book has me thinking “outside the box” in new and creative ways.

Thank you, Gale, for being today’s inspiration from High Point! From my happy home to yours….good night.

This past week I received one of those e-mails….a reminder of the incredibly personal connection we have with our homes.

I opened the e-mail and the note began. ”It’s hard to express how I feel….my heart is smiling. I am thrilled. I woke up at 4:30 this morning, couldn’t sleep so excited over the house. It felt like Christmas when we were children.  Thanks for taking a project close to my heart.”

The note was written by a client who took on a major project with personal meaning for her entire family.  30 years ago her parents built a home in Ocean Isle Beach. For years, it served as a gathering place for her five siblings and extended family…so many memories of carefree summers at the beach. After the death of her parents, she and her husband (a very patient man) accepted the challenge of renovating the home so the family memories could continue for the next generation.

The kitchen before (oh, if these walls could talk)….

The kitchen today….

It always bothered Corinne’s mother that the staircase was not installed as originally planned 30 years ago.  We remedied the problem by reversing the staircase; yes, it was rotated and moved. It allowed the living room to be opened to the kitchen with a convenient pass-thru. Here’s the living room before….

And now…

The exterior of the home before…

And now…

As with every successful project, it takes a team of professionals to make it happen!  For this project, the contractor who worked incredible magic was Jeff Sanderson (and his Construction Manager, Dino Viscosi) with Whitney Blair. The cabinetry was custom-made by a true craftsman, Kirk Riffel, with Creative Cabinetry.

Corinne, it was absolutely my pleasure to play a small role in such a meaningful project. Your parents are proud!