Ink and Reverie #2 - Finding Reality in a Dream

It's Tuesday, which means...

...time.

Today, Wallace and I thought we'd start where any store should, at the beginning.

For me the client, the start of the whole thing obviously began WAY before the architect and I ever met...to say I've been dreaming about this house for my whole life would perhaps be a bit of a stretch, I think it's fair to say I've been hatching and plotting about this thing for more than just a few minutes...or years;)

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As designers, I think we all fantasize about starting from scratch...building something from the ground up that truly reflects our vision, our style and our voice...



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I of course, am no different and the fact that this all actually seems to be happening, well it's totally a 'unicorns shitting rainbows' sort of event for your truly.


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Trouble is, like with everything in life, sometimes your dreams are just that...life can be a very different and sometimes harsh reality.



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And when it comes to designing a home, 'life's ugly reality' often takes the form of things like GFA (gross floor area,) total square footage, budgets, lot setbacks, height restrictions, building codes etc. etc.

Let me back-up a minute and explain.

Way back in August, Wallace and I decided to set aside Thursday mornings as our meeting day.

After a few of these brainstorms, we really began to get at what it was I wanted...what my 'reverie' for this project really was.

Wallace took my grand ideas/very looooong wish list and plotted it all out in some early layout concepts.

On August 30th, he presented this...

...which PS, signaled my ideal dream house scenario...to me, this plan was 'happiness in a field full of wild spring flowers' love joy...

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Only trouble, I couldn't have it...not in that form anyways.

Note that pesky 48' width measurement...the lot this pretty is going on is only 50'...doesn't leave much room for you know, getting to the back yard.

The square footage was an issue as well...1760 on the main floor means a house that was itching towards a total of 4000 sq feet as a whole and well, mama can't afford that sort of business when the cost of building is let's say $300-400/sq foot...with the finishes I know I'll want that is.

Also, there's the increasingly annoying set back and coverage stipulations...according to the zoning by-laws in my area, my house can be a maximum of 2900 sq feet and needs 4' clearance on either side...and that's if I have a built in garage...those side set-backs and square foot measurements diminsh if I choose to forgoe a house for my car.

*** editorial note/PS, when I say 'my' and 'I' ...I really mean 'our' and 'we'...this is not just 'my' house;) ***

So, the reality of it was, the initial dream concept as it stood, couldn't happen...not in that exact form anyways.

Cue early design #2...you know...the one that totally can happen...the one that sticks to all the rules...the one that makes all the by-law people happy but PS, doesn't excite yours truly the client...not in the same way dreamboat #1 did anyways.

...no offence Wallace;)

So...what happened next...well, a lot of meetings that's for sure....I think we've had about 10 since these initial layouts were presented...at least...there's also been a large consumption of coffee...and plenty of times I had wished our chats were in the evening so I could have guzzled some vino instead.

Thankfully, we've moved forward and are now well within the design development phase.

I don't want to give away the golden egg before we've met the handsome chicken but I will tell you that concept #1 is what we've moved forward with...with some (but as few as possible) reality adjustments of course.

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I'll take you through the long and windy road of layout evolution next week.

For now, hop on over to wjbdesigns and read all about how Wallace viewed this early dream vs reality battle...if you ask me, I totally give round one/early concept development' to team reverie;)

xo

The Dream House Diaries #11- The Mainfloor Layout and its Details

Good day my friends.

It truly is here at casa Bijou because this sweet little nugget...

...is killing sleep training.

On night two, he literally whimpered for one minute, rolled over and proceeded to sleep 11 hours.

I'm utterly amazed.  

I've been through this process with two other babies and never has it been even close to this easy.

To say I feel blessed with this kid doesn't even come close to cutting it...he's just a gem among gems.

And because he's now a sleeper...

(PS...public service announcement....I got help on the whole training thing from a Sleep Doula...if you have a baby that doesn't sleep, you NEED to find one of these people in your area- they are a total god send and worth every single penny!)

...I feel like I might just get back enough brain power to blog more regularly and focus on things like...

We're making a whole lot of progress on the dream house front.

For one, we officially took possession of the lot and are busily working away on the existing structure so that we can rent it out while finishing off the design and permit process of the new place.

Our budget for said 'mini-reno' is $2000 and trust me when I tell you, with this place, that's not alot of cash to get 'er done as it were.

We're hoping to have all of the work done by Monday so stay tuned for some before and afters on that front.  I'm even hoping to semi-furnish the place with stuff from the POD on our driveway so we'll see how that goes.

And on the new house design front, we are making HUGE progess on the main floor layout.

My architect extraordinaire Wallace of wjb designs...

...is rocking the face off of the design process.

Unlike most firms that would give you a meeting here and there, Wallace indulges me at least once a week with design meeting fun...we sit over coffee and pour though ideas/inspiration/materials etc. for hours and hours.

It's already been the most amazing process and I can't wait to see what comes next.

Sir Wallace is truly making the house that's been stuck in my dreams come to life and I couldn't be more grateful.

I opened up my email yesterday to see round two of the main floor layout in my inbox and let me tell you...

I AM IN LOVE!!!

The lost is 50' wide, which is pretty standard in our hood...unless you have 2 mill to spend on lots alone and get a double spot.

And because of side set back zoning  rules, our abode can max out at around 44' in width...because I really have my heart set on a center hall plan, we've decided to situate the house sideways on the lot so that the front entrance will be on the east side.

From the drawings, you can see the covered, pillared porch on the right...that will lead people from the front yard to the side and the main entrance.

Once inside, they'll be greeted by a long and hopefully semi-grand entrance, with doors like these bad boys...

The hallway of double doors will take everyone from room to room with formal spaces up front and the more relaxed, family spaces to the rear.

This is obviously not an open concept/great room scheme...I really want something more formal and traditional in feel...I've done the 'open' thing and with 4 kids and well, I'm ready for doors that I can close at will.

Some other things that have been officially decided on....

1. I want the hallway to almost be like a room in itself...

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With floors like these...

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2.  There will be many fireplaces on the main floor...the kitchen one is at the top of my list...love the idea of this sort of business...

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3. All the doors you see on the plan that lead outside will be of the French variety...much like these...

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...I'll happily take some Juliette balconies as well;)

4. There will be a 'breezeway' between the kitchen and family room...

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... that will lead out to a courtyard...

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5. The staircase will have one of these guys above...

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6.  The office will be manly.

To date, my husband has requested only three things out of this house:

a. a garburator

b. a built in ironing board

c. central vac

...as you can tell by the list, he's 'domesticated' ;)

Though this list reflects the sum total of his wish list, I'd like to do more...so...as much as I'd love to be selfish and do this...

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...I'm instead going to be making this sort of thing happen for him avec the front office...

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I'm planning on paneling all the walls and lacquering them in a charcoal grey, that's hopefully going to be colour matched to the sofa that's currently in our living room...it's going to be built into the bookcases sort of like this...

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7. The outside will be white stucco with this guy...

...and Tom Ford's abode...

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...serving as inspiration.

And I think that about sums up the decision making front for now.

Stay tuned for the upstairs layout coming next week.

xo