Although we designed our Argyle, Texas home and selected all the finishes, we hired another contractor to build it since we were living a ways away and could not oversee the day to day construction ourselves. We came out once or twice a month to visit. We had to trust that the project was being managed well in the interim. When we finally arrived on scene, there was still a significant amount of work to be completed. Derek put on both his architect and project managers' hats

Every home I have ever lived in has had carpet in the bedrooms. I always assumed that was the norm. However, as I explore the world of design I find it interesting how strongly some people feel about carpet. Carpet in a bedroom provides warmth and noise absorption (especially on a second story room). It can make a bedroom feel cozier than a solid surface floor. The downside is it also can harbor dust and dirt and synthetic fibers can emit chemicals. Carpet can range from very

We have always liked the look of white windows and white trim. On our own home we like the crisp pop of color against the brick and the dark gray exterior paint. In the interior we like the symmetry of the white windows and the cabinetry and wood trim throughout the house. This wasn't the norm, at least here in North Texas, when we spec'd all white for our home. Most of the homes in our area have tan window frames. As we are currently picking out the window package for our sp

One aspect of building a spec home (i.e. building on speculation that there will be a buyer interested down the road, versus building for a specific client) that is exciting is making all the selections for the finishes for a potential unknown client. This mean exploring current design trends and balancing them with traditional and timeless design classics. This week I am introducing a new weekly blog theme called This or That Thursday where I will share a couple of design id

Spring has sprung here in North Texas and everything has turned green again. Our high school freshmen are doing a wildflower project in their Biology class and it's been fun to see the wildflowers that have popped up on our Belle Cote lot. Check out the cleared lot in this video: Even more exciting than the wildflowers are the completed floor plan and elevation for the home to be constructed. The property has been surveyed (almost every tree will remain!) and we are finalizin