When you love Football and Interior Design (like me!), this can be the best time of the year! What better way to spruce up your home than to give it a Football Facelift? The real question is, can you actually add a few touches to your home without it looking super tacky? I think so! The key is to keep it light, general and not too heavy on the actual team. For example, if you love the Florida Gators (like I do!) then adding orange and blue touches throughout, with a few key Gator pieces, is enough. Everything doesn’t have to be logo-ish. Know what I mean? Restraint is your friend. Let’s walk through it together! (Make sure your scroll all the way down, the best is saved for last!)
So…you’re thinking about building a detached garage? Oh the possibilities! Workshop, gym, “She Shed”…the options are endless! No matter what your intention is for the space, there are some universal rules I think you should follow, along with a few points to consider.
Let’s jump right in!
1. Coordinate With Your Existing Home
Coordinating the look of your new garage with your existing home is a hard and fast rule. There’s no way around it. You can either MACTH your home with the same materials, or COORDINATE with it using complimentary materials.
A few things to consider:
Using the same exact materials as your original home MAY NOT yield the same results. Brick lots change over time, paint fades, and so on. Unless your home is brand new, the chances that your new materials exactly match you home’s materials are slim. Consider color matching the paint currently, rather than using the original color.
If using a natural material, accept the fact that the new material may not match exactly, but know that it will coordinate well in the grand scheme of things.
If you can’t live with the differences that may arise, consider pulling just one material from the home and using it, alone, on the garage. For example, your home may have brick, siding, some stone, etc. Consider using just the siding alone…or just the brick.
2. Decide What You’ll Use It For
The possibilities here are endless and not limited to just one purpose. A detached garage can be sectioned off into separate areas, designated for different purposes and the garage door bays make this super easy! Maybe one area is set for a gym, while the other areas are for storage, as in our example shown here. (Garage built by Evans Construction & Design) You can add full walls to portion off the areas completely, knee walls for separation or keep it all open.
3. Milk the Storage Possibilities
In addition to the normal garage stuff, you might have tons of stuff to store, so let’s work it into the plan here. Storage trusses open up the attic space without breaking the budget. Storage trusses have a wide-open area in the center, about 12 ft. wide for a truss with a 24-ft. span, and a 2Ă6 floor frame thatâs designed to support the extra weight. If you need more storage space in your garage, storage trusses are a no-brainer. Ask your contractor!
4. Make It a Drive Thru
Whether you’re planning on storing a boat/RV/trailer, or using the space to work in, garage doors that open on both sides are something to consider.
Obviously, it makes parking a trailer infinitely easier…you just pull through! But it also helps in other applications. If you’re planning on any dusty woodworking operations, you canât beat the flow-through ventilation provided by two big garage doors.
As a bonus, if you ever have a backyard get-together, you can open the back garage door and turn your garage into party central. đ
5. Get the Electrical Right & Consider AC
Installing a sub panel and AC are not the sexiest topics, but are really some things to consider.
Air conditioning in a garage may seem like a luxury, but there are a lot of advantages. Honestly, you”ll end up using the space more if you have it designated for anything more than storage. Even gym and workshop areas benefit! AC reduces humidity, which helps keep equipment and tools dry and rust free.
If you want to use your garage for a shop or plan to install air conditioning or other power-hungry appliances or tools, youâll have all the power you need. And itâs more convenient to have the circuit breakers in the garage. If you pop a breaker, you donât have to run to the main panel to reset it. Plus, you can easily add more circuits without having to run wires all the way to the main panel.
Itâll cost you a few hundred dollars more for the load center, circuit breakers and heavy-gauge wire that runs to the main panel. But for convenience and future flexibility, itâs hard to beat a separate panel in the garage.
6. Customize for YOU
Now, this is the fun part! You’ve decided on your purpose(s), designated areas and gotten the structure right. Now it’s time to make the space reflect you! Interior walls don’t have to be boring! Check out how our client finished off the gym walls in his garage below.
Lighting, color, hard materials, window finishes…all the elements of a home come into play here, as well. This is your space, make it look like it!
7. Enjoy!
If you’re interested in building a detached garage in the North Central Florida area, let us know! We’d be happy to help! Evans Construction & Design
Here’s a handy dandy graphic for your Pinterest boards. Save it for later! đ
What exactly does “breaking ground” mean? How do you go from a flat little piece of property to an actual standing structure? Let’s take a look together!
If youâre just joining us, this is the fourth installment of a series documenting the building of our personal dream home. We started off with INSPIRATION, tackled the FLOORPLAN, then discussed LOCATION.  Now, let’s dive into the fun part…BREAKING GROUND.
Process
One of the neat things about building a home almost anywhere in the US, is that the majority are built using the same standardized building process. One reason is that building codes are typically very similar across the country. Â Another reason is cost, since this process produces a home pretty quickly at a reasonable price. If you ever watch a house being built, you’ll see it goes through the following steps:
Site prep
Foundation
Framing
Installation of windows and doors
Roofing
Siding
Rough electrical and plumbing
Rough HVAC
Insulation
Drywall
Trim
Painting
Finish electrical
Bathroom and kitchen counters and cabinets
Finish plumbing
Carpet and flooring
Finish HVAC
Hookup to water main, or well drilling
Hookup to sewer or installation of a septic system
So, where are we now on this project?
Well, we’ve “cleared and scraped the lot“, which basically means two different subcontractors came in and did their thing. The tree people came in and cut down all the pine tress that were planted many years ago to harvest, took them away and left all the pretty oak trees for us. Then, the site guys came with their big equipment and cleared out and flattened the area we will build on.
Next, the area was “formed up and filled“. This means the house was measured out on the ground (exactly how the floorplan dictates), footings were dug around the perimeter and filled with concrete. Fill dirt was brought in by our fill guy and a stem wall was created to get the house to look nice and tall. Then, any plumbing or electrical that needed to go through the foundation was put in, like drains and floor outlets.
Next, our concrete people came and poured the concrete slab. Pretty exciting! I reminded myself of my own rule, which is “a concrete slab always looks too small”. (See my post on “3 Things That WILL Happen When You Build” here, which includes this one!)
Now, we are “framing“, which means the framing crew builds the walls and roof. This is definitely the most exciting phase, since you start to really “see” the house taking shape. The floor system, walls and roof systems are built, then OSB sheeting is applied to the exterior walls. Â The house is then “wrapped” with a protective barrier, known as house wrap, that prevents water from infiltrating the structure.
So, now we have a real life house! I couldn’t be happier with the progress and how the layout is taking shape. It’s always scary to build a completely new floorplan that’s unlike anything you’ve ever built before. Yet, here we are doing exactly that! I’m excited to see this house start to come together.
Thanks for stopping by and following along with our project! If you’d like to recap, you can find the first 3 installments in this series, “Building Our Dream Home” here, here and here.
Where do ideas come from? Well, not from thin air. Inspiration is a beautiful thing and I LOVE being inspired by great designers. Pinterest fads may come and go, but true design is timeless.
Here’s my completely unscientific, highly opinionated list of the best Interior Design books out there in 2019. Some are new, some are old, but all are truly inspiring and look great on a coffee table. Enjoy!
New York Times bestselling book from interior designer Mark D. Sikes is a celebration of American style today, showcasing chic and accessible ideas for every home. Modern and unfussy, Mark D. Sikesâs interiors are classic takes on California indoor/outdoor living, with natural fibers and crisp coloration, informed and influenced by the fashion world where he began his career.
Tory Burch sees the world in color, inspired by people, places, and ideasâall of which influence her brand, synonymous with print and color. In her first book, she explores what living in color means to her. The book is organized by color, each one brought to life through images of her own collections and travels; how she entertains; style icons; the works of artists, authors, and interior designers she admires; and the advice of business leadersâmany of whom are interviewed within.
Assouline began with an idea and a belief: the first, a notion that beauty, perfected, has meaning that is capable of transforming our lives; and the second, that a bookâartfully crafted and highly considered in its visual contentâcan open our eyes and minds.
In celebration of Ralph Lauren’s 50th anniversary as a global fashion icon, Mr. Lauren has expanded upon his original 2007 book to provide further insight into his evolution, philosophy, processes, and passions as a designer.
Lavishly illustrated in full color, a book of thirty-six spectacular houses and gardensâwhose owners come from the worlds of fashion, music, art, and societyâdrawing on stories from the pages of Vogue and VogueLiving as well as never-before-published images by iconic photographers.
Domino: The Book of Decorating cracks the code to creating a beautiful home, bringing together inspiring rooms, how-to advice and insiders’ secrets from today’s premier tastemakers in an indispensable style manual.
Phoebe Howard, known affectionately as Mrs. Howard to her clients, has a penchant for creating stylish spaces, which has evolved into her own critically acclaimed brand of interior design. Mrs. Howardâs first book features several of her largest design projects and addresses the most common decorating issues and questions her clients and customers ask.
A fireplace above the tub in the Master Bath? A gorgeous Kitchen with stone hood? Custom doggy door? This home in Alachua, Florida has it all! Really! From matte black plumbing to bamboo flooring, this chic and modern farm-fresh home is outstanding. Let’s take a look!
If you’ve been in the market for plumbing fixtures lately, you’ve likely seen the newest and most beautiful finish out…”Luxe Gold” by Brizo. It will stop you in your tracks!
It stands out in a sea of Brushed Nickel, Chrome, Oil Rubbed Bronze and (now) Matte Black. It’s the perfect warm-gold.  It’s not bright brass from the 80s, not even close. They have everything you need for your Kitchen or Bath.
Here’s just a very small sampling…
So, let’s say you’ve decided to use this lovely combination in your home. Amazing! But… you need some things to coordinate with it. Knobs…lights…mirrors… What goes with this gorgeous finish? Brizo makes a few things to coordinate but not much….like one light…seriously.
What coordinates?
You can MIX the finish with other finishes…maybe matte black? That’s a valid option. Â But, let’s look at what will actually coordinate with Luxe Gold from other brands. Here are a few of my favorites. Don’t worry, all the links are down below at the bottom of the post.
But wait…
Is This The Same As Delta’s Champagne Bronze?
Before we dive into each of these items above( links are below) let’s address a mistake I almost made.
Is Brizo’s “Luxe Gold” finish interchangeable with Delta’s “Champagne Bronze”? I mean Delta OWNS Brizo…they look similar…they’re probably the same right?
No…no they’re not.
Brizo’s Luxe Gold is lighter, less “gold-y”. Delta’s Champagne Bronze is deeper and would mix easily with standard brass options. (Maybe we’ll cover that in the future!) But for now, let’s stick with
So let’s breakdown that Cheat Sheet. Scroll down for the all the links below!
So now we have a BUNCH of options to coordinate with the amazing Brizo Luxe Gold line. Here is a handy dandy Cheat Sheet for you, with links, along with one perfectly formatted for your Pinterest page.
“Location, location, location!” You’ve heard it a million times before and it really holds true. Where you build is just as important as what you build.
When we considered rebuilding for ourselves, location was the prime determining factor. We loved the neighborhood we lived in and didn’t want to stray too far from it. Since there were no remaining lots for sale, we decided to stay put. But…one night while out running, a little red FOR SALE BY OWNER sign popped up that wasn’t there the evening before. I called right there, made an offer and took the sign down (shh). I ran home, told my husband and we gave the deposit the next day. Sometimes things just work out! Now we are starting the process of rebuilding just down the road!
If youâre just joining us, this is the third  installment of a year long series documenting the building of our personal dream home. We started off with INSPIRATION ( here), then tackled FLOORPLANS (here). Now let’s dive into LOCATION.
Overhead shot of our new property
So, if where you build is just as important as what you build, how do you decide? Here are a few tips!
When looking at properties, consider the following:
The size of the lot and closeness of neighbors
Slope/flatness of land
Direction the lot faces (Where will the sun be?)
Natural surroundings (forest, field, water, etc.)
Trees (Remember â tall, old trees canât just be planted)
The style of other houses in the neighborhood
Access to resources (Will you need a well? Septic tank? New power, phone or cable hookups?)
Our new lot
Talk to a Professional! Although it is not necessary, having a professional such as a contractor look at the property you are interested in may save your some headaches down the line.
Once you find a lot you are interested in, research the property.
Find information on the zoning, wetlands, septic connections, energy code, etc. These all affect what you can do. For example, zoning can affect the required setback distance from the street, the height of your house, and whether or not you can build an in-law suite.
Is the lot in a historic district? If so, there may be additional requirements or restrictions on how your home must look and what materials it must be built with.
Look into home values in the surrounding neighborhood. You may not want to build a $2 million house in a much less expensive area.
Speak to the neighbors. This is one of the best ways to find out if the area is a good fit for your family
What is the school district?
Keep all of these things in mind, do your research and enjoy!
How much does it actually cost to hire a designer? Well, it depends. It depends on what you’re looking for, the size of your project, who you are actually hiring and how pleasant you are to work with (it’s true).
The term “Interior Designer” is often used by decorators, furniture store salespeople, stagers and even stylish friends. Knowing what you’re actually getting can be tricky and you might need to do a bit of research. Searching the ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) website for designers in your area is a good place to start.
So, what are the different types of designers and what do they offer?
Straight-up professional Interior Designers you work with directly in your home
The most expensive option, but also the most comprehensive. This scenario has a licensed Interior Designer meet you in your home, work up a plan of action and handle everything. Professional Interior Designers are equipped to handle any design project you have. Furnishing a room, providing new home selections, built-in designs, simple updates, they’ll handle it all. You can (typically) expect an overall budget, allowances, floorpan, concept board, material selections, and final plan before anything is finalized. Know the fancy boards you see in movies with samples attached…you’re getting them, yippee! Once you agree on everything, the designer will typically place the orders, receive the merchandise, coordinate any subcontractors, deliver and install all items, and set the room up completely. Everything is handled and you can enjoy the space! You can expect to pay either a flat fee or an hourly rate, depending on the designer. Speaking for myself, I prefer charging a flat fee, so that everyone knows what the project will cost upfront, but each designer is different.
Depending on the scope of work and size of your project, you can usually expect to spend around 20-25% of the overall budget for the project plus 20% on top of any items ordered and delivered by the designer. It might sound pricey, but ordering, receiving and delivering these items entails a lot of work and liability. This 20-25% range is true for a variety of project types and is a good rule of thumb. When you get into new home selections or remodeling, the fee can go up from there. Plumbing, lighting, paint, cabinetry, etc are very detailed and take time. The fee will reflect that. A typical new home selection will run around $5,000 and remodeling projects will fall back into the 20-25% of the project range.
TIP: Offer to have the items sent directly to you and hold them there until installation day and forgo the upcharge. Personally, I often offer this to my clients and it saves us both! Win-win!
New to the game, this is an efficient and cost effective way to design a space. It sounds a little crazy… handling everything online without the designer even seeing your space… but it really isn’t. Trained designers can easily work off a plan, dimensions, photo and a budget. This set up typically goes like this for a room design. You provide the designer with an overall budget, a few inspirational photos, brands you like and a floorpan with photos of the space. The designer comes back to you with a concept board, to make sure you are both on the same page. Once approved, you move into the actual selections for the space and the designer provides a rendering of the room with the items, right where they’ll go. The process typically goes for 10 days or so and you go back and forth until you are completely happy with each and every item. The designer keeps the budget and preferences in mind throughout. In the end you receive a final package with a furniture plan, final design board, a shopping list with direct links to order, and set up instructions.
You can typically plan to pay between $500-$1,000 for a comprehensive room design, which is really a great deal. Personally, I LOVE providing online design to my clients, locally or from a distance. In fact, my first year offering online services, I completed 50+ rooms in 3 countries and loved every minute of it! You can work with a designer directly (me! me! right here!) or through a design website like Laurel & Wolf (me, me, here too!)
TIP: Find a designer with a large portfolio online that you already like and you’re halfway there!
This can really be hit or miss and it totally depends on the store.
Best case scenario is with a great store like Koontz Furniture in Florida. Stores like Koontz have top tier, professional Interior Designers who also work on their sales floor and offer design services as part of the furniture selection process. What? It’s true! If you’re looking for help picking out a room full of new items, this is a great way to go. You can get professional design services and end up not paying anything more than you would have paid for the furniture from their store. Let that sink in for a bit. You end up paying nothing. Â Often, you can also hire these designers to help you with more than just the furniture, for an additional fee. They, then , charge a design fee and help you with whatever you need; paint, cabinets, flooring and furniture, too.
Worst case scenario has you working with a “Decorator” in a dark, dingy chain furniture store who’s really just trying to sell you what they have. Is that middle aged man in a short sleeved button up and tie trying to sell you on the hottest trend? Run!  The truth is you don’t know until you do a bit of research. Furniture stores can be an absolute treasure trove of talent, or not.
TIP: Find a store with brands you like, set a budget and see what they can do for you.
Your stylish friend who claims to be a decorator
We all have one. She’s well dressed, trendy and “knows” decorating. She just can’t let you spend money on a designer, because she can help you for free! Tread lightly here. If it’s few accessories you’re looking for, by all means go together to TJMaxx and have a fun afternoon. If it’s paint colors, furniture pieces, overall design of a room, please use a trained professional. When she’s in over her head, she probably won’t tell you and your room (and friendship) will suffer. Expect to pay nothing or little to nothing.
As I initially said, it all really depends. If you’re looking to spruce up your space with a few touches with a designer online, it can be $99. If you’re looking for a traditional room design and implementation, I’d say around $2,000+. If you’re looking for a whole home design, $5000+. It all depends and part of it depends on you!
Next week, we’ll break down what should you expect from a professional, licensed Interior Designer.
What do you think about these fees? Does this fit with your experience? I’d love to here about it below đ
