Archive for June 2011
Welcome Home – Oak Meadow
One of our latest custom homes built in Fitchburg’s Oak Meadow neighborhood has 3272 sq. ft. of finished living space. We hosted an Open House here during the recent Madison Parade of Homes. Many guests touring the Capitol Heights parade homes in Fitchburg visited us and commented on the efficient use of space and beautiful details throughout the home. Check out some of our favorite features:
Welcome to Sawtooth Dr. in Fitchburg!
Downstairs features an open floor plan with a vaulted ceiling in the family room.
The focal point is an inviting fireplace…
…with a striking combination of natural stone and brick.
Tray ceiling in the master bedroom adds architectural interest and ambiance.
Natural light from obscured glass highlights tile work in the master bath.
Close up of color, shapes and texture.
Handy built-in cabinets in the finished basement.
Guests also commented on the hand-scraped acacia wood floors and amish made cabinets in the kitchen, office, bathrooms and basement. The insulated 4+ car garage has plenty of room for an indoor workshop, the basement is wired for 5.1 surround sound, AND it’s incredibly energy efficient. The crowning touch is the 13 acre park next door…but we can hardly take credit for that, right? Thank you for visiting!
5 Things We Love About the Not-So-Big House
What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “Not-So-Big House”?
While a Not-So-Big House might be small or affordable, it’s much more than that. The Not-So-Big House is actually a design philosophy – a revolution, really. It teaches that your home should be the best (rather than the biggest) that you can afford. Here are five things WE as Madison area custom home builders love about the Not-So-Big House and use regularly when designing our floor plans:
1. Bigger is not necessarily better. We emphasize lifestyle over square footage and a sense of home over sheer size. A house that is beautiful and that inspires you is more delightful than one that is merely “big”.
2. Allow your budget and your lifestyle to inspire you. What is your daily life like? What do you value? What sort of design would simplify or complement your way of life? Once you identify what you want for your home, you can take the money you have available and make it work for you in the most powerful way possible.
3. Build a little smaller so you have a budget for the details. Again, Not-So-Big doesn’t necessarily mean small. Usually it means utilizing space and flow so your home is about a third smaller than you thought it needed to be. Use the money you would have spent on unnecessary square footage and use it to create handy, exceptional or just plain beautiful details in your home.
4. Build smart. Use storage, lighting, color, furniture arrangement, built-ins and the floor plan itself to make a smaller home fit your needs. Create adaptable spaces that are useful for a variety of functions. Avoid duplicating functions that you’ve already covered elsewhere in your floor plan.
5. Create a home with care, quality and craftsmanship. A well-thought out home with a floor plan that inspires and complements your lifestyle will be appreciated for generations.
Next time we’ll show you how we applied these Not-So-Big design inspirations in two of our recent custom home projects. Visit us again soon!
