Author: Fattle
Portico
December 13, 2018
A portico consists of a pair of columns that support a roof, creating a covered porch, entrance or walkway. “Portico” is an Italian word, but the style originated in ancient Greece, where porticoes and colonnades were popular gathering places. RTA Studio Residential Architects Columns were tapered in ancient Greece, which is currently considered classical style. […]
Garden Tour: Formal French Design on Lake Minnetonka
December 9, 2018
When homeowners that love to entertain purchased this house on Lake Minnetonka, Minnesota, the house and grounds needed a complete renovation. They desired to enjoy the yard with their kids and guests and create better views of the lake. “The yard was very woodsy and was jeopardized by junky invasive species,” says landscape architect Meg […]
Replace vs. Restore: The Fantastic Window Debate
December 7, 2018
Generally, it is preferable to retain old windows and mend them up for energy efficiency — it prevents material from entering landfills, can save yourself money and preserves a specific charm that new windows might not have. However there are drawbacks too. Experts: On the House in Progress blog, homeowner Aaron (a pseudonym) does a […]
California Mediterranean in Los Angeles
December 5, 2018
Interior designer Darci Goodman had some wooing to do if it came to the Long Beach, California, remodel. Her customers, a couple with three children, were confident in her work, but the husband had convincing. “I think he saw dollar signs in the beginning,” Goodman says. “But following the first pair of tiles in the […]
18 Winners from the Architect's Toolbox
December 2, 2018
Over the past several months I have been working on an assortment of posts that identify and describe different tools that architects and other designers use when designing a house. These tools (proportion, layers, relations, happy accidents and more) can help create a house that’s more than an easy shelter — a house that fills […]
'Soft Modern' Style Offers Best of Both Worlds
November 29, 2018
Defined by right lines, neutral colors and minimal ornamentation, modern style can split a bunch in two. Some adopt the style and can’t envision their environments with no. Others believe it cold and need nothing to do with it. A modern aesthetic can even define a lifestyle, with its strict no-clutter policy. That is the […]
Charming, Rustic Lakefront Cabin at Minnesota
November 27, 2018
What is new is old — very literally in the case of the charming cabin. The owners bought the property with the intent of tearing it down, but after meeting with four unique builders and using plans drawn up three times, they fought the idea. They then met with Lands End Development and eventually found […]
Garden Design Essentials: Texture
November 23, 2018
At least 2 of those senses come into play when you bring texture to the landscape: touchand sight. Marjorie Elliott Bevlin composed in Design Through Discovery: The Elements and Principles, “Textures are so much part of our environment we generally take them for granted.” Nothing can be truer in the outdoor world. Everything from sleek, […]
How to Attract Birds to Your Garden
November 19, 2018
Our feathered friends are much like us — they simply want a place where they feel at home. Here are a couple of suggestions to create your house a welcoming place for birds to shake a tail feather throughout the seasons. Be ready year-round, since migrating birds may discover your spot a destination destination if […]
So That Your Style Is: French Country
November 17, 2018
What it is: Just like it sounds, French country style springs from the gentle hills and valleys of rural France. It’s an unstudied, collected approach, constructed on firmly entrenched regional customs and on cherished objects handed down through generations. Simple and sincere yet effortlessly elegant, it satisfies the soul as far as the eye. Why […]