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Modern Farmhouse Plans Now for Sale
Nov 10, 2010
Little did I know when I started designing my own house in 2000 that nine years later people from around North America would be asking to buy the plans. Such has been the case since the house was featured in Fine Homebuilding's Annual Houses Issue in spring 2009. Download the article:
"Rural Landscape, Modern Sensibility" from Fine Homebuilding's Annual Houses Issue, Spring 2009
I wrestled with the idea of selling the plans. Having a home that's unique was important to me. But I kept hearing my own words oft repeated here on the blog: "Design for everyone." My life has been enhanced by the design of this house. It's really nothing fancy, but the attention I put into proportions, flow, and light combined with the use of natural materials has resulted in something worth sharing… apparently. If the design resonates with someone else, I'm happy to provide the means to create it and put their own personal touches on it.
And so the decision was made for me. Licensed rights to construct a single home and one set of reproducible prints are available for purchase. Plans include the house plus detached garage, a foundation/basement plan, attic plan, site plan (for using the passive solar features), elevations, and a window/door schedule. Study plans are not available, however, an extensive online photo album showing every room in the house and many exterior angles may be reviewed upon request. If you want more information on how to buy the house plans for my modern farmhouse, please email me for the details.
Floorplans as illustrated by Martha Garstang Hill in Fine Homebuilding, Spring 2009:
TAGS: floorplans house plans modern farmhouse designed by diane kolak dwelement dwellement home design plans blueprints taunton press fine homebuilding annual houses issue spring 2009 page pg 58 rural landscape modern sensibility energy smart homes december cover
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Changing Colors: September Deal!
Sep 06, 2010
All through September, buy a Color Consultation either online or in-home in the Traverse City area, and get a second room free! Dwelement Color Consultations are good for interiors and exteriors. The first one costs $75, and this month only, the second room is free!
Nature's changing her colors… maybe you should too. Color Consultations give you a complete color scheme that can be applied to walls, floors, ceilings, built-ins, fixtures, fabrics, and finishes. It's a complete color plan for a room with a professional yet personal look. You'll fill out my online questionnaire (or talk with me in person) about your style and preferences. I'll give you the confidence to go for it with colors that express your personal style and make the most of your rooms.
Click here to download a sample eDecor Color Consultation.
Interested in finally getting those colors right? Just email me. —Diane
TAGS: edecor edecorating e decorating e-decorating online color consultations decorating color palette scheme from photos long distance traverse city michigan interior designer decorator
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August Deal: $50 off eDecor Plans!
Aug 27, 2010
Been thinking about working with me to redesign your space? Now is the time. During August 2010, I'm offering a $50 discount on the following eDecor Plans:
Keep It Simple, now $450 (rooms 500 square feet or smaller)
Live Large, now $750 (combo rooms or rooms larger than 500 s.f.)
Spiff It Up, now $350 (cosmetic redesign for kitchens and baths)
Want to see some examples of eDecor Plans that I've designed for other clients? Click here to download actual plans in PDF format.
One of four Inspiration Board pages I created for Helen's Refined Revamp, a kitchen/dining/living room eDecor Plan. Read all about it and see more of the plan here.
To receive the discount, please email me. Questions? There is never an obligation when you contact me. Or check my FAQ page.—Diane
TAGS: edecorating e-decorating edecor discount sale deal room design plans online virtual long-distance decorating diane kolak interior decorator designer
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Celebrating Dwelement's First Year
Aug 13, 2010
{Short & Sweet Friday}
It's already been a year since I started this interior design / edecorating / blogging / budget decor website! One year ago, the business was called Inspired Room Design, I had about 12 Facebook fans, and I was bursting with ideas. Since many of you have discovered the site since that time, I thought it would be fun to run links to some of the best posts from my first month in business, August 2009. Some of this stuff is too good to bury in the archives.
Have a happy weekend, and start it off with some inspiring ideas:
IDEA: Buy vintage home decor.
An interview with the owner of Etsy's The Best Things, and my vintage-loving friend, Kelly Nogoski.
IDEA: Paint your cabinets.
See how Theresa transformed her dated cabinets with a two-tone finish.
IDEA: Let me help you transform your room without buying a thing.
See how Ellen and I worked together in Traverse City to bring her fireplace out of hiding.
IDEA: Decorate with your garden.
A beautiful and long-lasting combination from the shady side of the house.
IDEA: Learn how to mix vintage and modern furniture.
See how I did it in my guestroom.
IDEA: Reduce chemical usage in your home.
These two inexpensive ingredients will replace multiple commercial cleaners.
IDEA: Discover my favorite resource for home decor fabrics at huge discounts.
You'll want to reupholster everything!
IDEA: Make a clever Mondrian-inspired message board.
And add some artful color to your room.
IDEA: Have fun with a trend. But don't spend much on it!
Equestrian is still in… in fact, it's even more in than it was last year. And I still love my Look-for-Less equine accessory.
Thanks for following me during this first year of business. The biggest compliment you can give me is to refer me to a friend or share my blog or Facebook page. Stay tuned for many more ideas! —Diane
TAGS: edecor edecorating e-decorating dwelement home design diane kolak interior design traverse city northern michigan home design blog budget decorating
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Announcing Dwelement's New Curb Appeal Design Service!
Aug 11, 2010
I'd been thinking for a while about putting a twist on my eDecor Plans and offering a service for home exteriors. And then the incentive I needed came along in the form of an email from Angela in Houston, Texas. She stumbled upon my site and wondered if I'd be willing to work some design magic on her corner-lot bungalow. She sent a photo with this first email, and I thought to myself, "How hard could this be?" The place already had a lot of built-in charm and the benefit of a beautiful lot. So I said yes.
The process went quite the same as it would for an interior room: Angela and Dan took my design questionnaire, sent photos of the house and neighborhood, and sent some photos of houses she admired both in her neighborhood and from online sources. Then my work began.
I decided that a hand-drawn sketch of each street side of the house was the best way to approach this project. After drawing the suggested architectural changes, I applied three different color schemes to the drawings. I also designed a loose landscape plan and made some suggestions for trees, shrubs, and flowers native to Texas. (Native gardening has been a passion of mine for 10 years now.) Then I put together an Inspiration Board just like I do for rooms, but this one included suggestions for materials, hardware, outdoor furniture and accessories. The eDecor Plan, as always, included a To=Do List to help Angela and Dan accomplish all of the projects as their schedule allowed. For their convenience, I also included some local sources where they could get quotes for some of the jobs that would require professional help, like stamped concrete.
Here are a few visual highlights of the first Dwelement eDecor Plan for Exteriors. Click to enlarge these photos, or to get the full-screen effect and play with all the live shopping links, download the complete plan.
The graphic above shows three spreads from the eDecor Plan. I did a hand drawing to illustrate the architectural changes, then colorized it three different ways to give Angela and Dan options. Then I mailed them 8-by-11-inch samples of all the paints so they could see them for real (not distorted by a computer screen).
This is the landscaping plan. While it's not as detailed as what you might get from a landscape designer, it shows the basics of placement, proportion, and color. I included several suggestions for plants native to their area, links to two local nurseries that specialize in native Texas plants, and some inspiration images of landscaping styles they can imitate.
And here's the Inspiration Board that shows the materials, hardware, and small touches that will make the house look beautiful. I included a few splurges (like the mailbox) but also gave tips on how to make $3 flower planters look custom.
Dan and Angela were really happy with the results. She says: "We are beyond-thrilled! We love it. I love the way you showcased the front entrance with the different siding and color. And your idea to camouflage that weird roofline on the side of the house with the standing seam metal is just brilliant! The fence layout with the additional walkway is exactly what I wanted but just didn't know how to say it or plan it. And on top of it all everything seems so accessible and easy to implement. The to-do list is very helpful and gives us just the direction we need. We are very happy!"
I'd love to make you happy, too. Indoors or out, how can I help? —Diane
Download Dwelement's first eDecor Plan for Exteriors.
Want to improve the curb appeal of your own home? I can give you do-able ideas that maximize the impact on a minimal budget. Plans are $400 for as many as two sides of your home. Find more information or order here. Or just email me.
TAGS: curb appeal makeover house home exterior color consultation design plan edecorating e-decorating architectural advice landscaping plans online virtual renovation improve curb appeal
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