DETAILED DESIGN: 5 UNIQUE IDEAS TO ADD CHARACTER TO YOUR HOME

DETAILED DESIGN: 5 UNIQUE IDEAS TO ADD CHARACTER TO YOUR HOME

The great thing about going to design school with so many people, is that you never know where each of you is going to end up, but you know you’ll constantly be inspired by your peers. Such is the case with Amber Horch, one of the girls who graduated from my Alma Mater. But more than that, we were neighbors and our apartments were best friends and we used to get up to all kinds of antics and shenanigans. She’s basically just an awesome person. Anyway, even back then I knew Amber was crazy talented and that no matter where she went, she’d do well.

I was right. Not only did Amber renovate her first home so well, it became a top hit on Pinterest, she’s also done several Parade Homes for the Idaho Falls region over the years.  I’ve seen and loved them all, but I have to say, this year’s home takes the cake. She used so many cool techniques to make the home feel unique without feeling contrived. I personally pinned five things that she did that I WILL incorporate into my next house. So here are my top take-aways, in no particular order.

1. STYLE YOUR STAIRS

Amber designed this custom railing for the stairs that match the railing on the exterior of the building. I’m in love with it. It’s so different than the standards posts you see, and more unique than even the customized railings you see. This is something that’s a little more intense design-wise, and will take time coordinating with a professional, but I think the results are so worth it!

2. CUSTOMIZE YOUR CARPET

I LOVE this carpet so much I’ve literally been scouring the internet for something similar to pin to my personal dream house board. It’s so subtle, but so different at the same time. We see berbers and shags and cut pile in other houses, but they’re always SOLID. No variation, no pizzazz. I just love that this carpet provides a neutral background, but also has variation.

3. TURN YOUR TILE

I’ve ALWAYS been a fan of herringbone. I’ve been teaching my 2-year old daughter patterns, and herringbone and houndstooth are the first ones she’s learned  (yes I’m THAT mom, sue me). And we’ve all seen herringbone floors out of brick or wood, and they’re gorgeous. But just look at the herringbone backsplash in this kitchen! It’s like the cherry on top of the already gorgeous sundae of a kitchen.  Some people will do an accent square of herringbone above their stove, but I love how Amber just went for it and did the entire backsplash in it.

And before we leave the topic of tile, I HAVE to mention the Master Bath Shower. I mean…guys. Look at this perfection! Quit it.

She said they got the thin pencil mold tile at Lowe’s and she drew up where she wanted them, and voila. You have an amazing detail that makes a huge impact, for not that much more material. This is a must-do in my next home as well. (can you tell I love her style? I mean, if I lived in Idaho, I’d probably just do whatever I could to buy this house!)

4. MIX AND MATCH YOUR MILLWORK

Let’s go back to the kitchen for a minute, because we have to talk about her approach to mixing colors. I’ve seen lots of kitchens that use two tones of wood for their cabinetry, and some I LOVE and some I hate. THIS I love. I’ve long been a fan of using a lighter color for your uppers, and a darker color for your base cabinets. It feels lighter on top and more grounded on bottom. But then Amber threw in a stained natural wood on top of it. The island could easily be a found piece of furniture that was spruced up and had a countertop added to it. I think it adds so much interest and depth.

And it helps that she tied it in by using the same wood on the stove vent hood.

5. LOOK UP

I couldn’t think of a cute acronym for this one, but basically, don’t forget about your ceilings! I design ceilings all the time, and it’s one of those things that you don’t notice, unless it’s been paid attention to. And boy did Amber pay attention. From the coffers in the living room:

To the double tray in the family room

To the awesome detail in the master bedroom (notice how it mimics the shower tile pattern in the master bath? Genius!)

Some of these features have to be done pre-construction, but coffers can be surface applied after the fact, and tray ceilings can be impersonated by simply taking some case moulding and creating a cool shape on your ceiling. Then you can paint the inside a contrasting or complementary color to up the ante.

So there you have it! My take on Amber’s 2014 Parade Home. It was built by Guardian Homes in Idaho, and I think it’s safe to say they do a stellar job. Her husband is a partner for the company, so they built Amber’s actual house too. And I can vouch for how amazing THAT turned out. But that’ll have to be a post for another day. I can only handle so much pretty in one day before the drool starts puddling on my desk and that’s just super embarrassing.

But just for good measure, if you want to see the rest of the pretty pictures (trust me, you DO! I didn’t even touch the cute nursery and kids bedroom!) you can see Amber’s story on her blog here. And be sure to check out her portfolio. The girl’s ah-mah-zing. Can I take a little credit? I tutored her for like 2 semesters! Let’s pretend I had something to do with her awesomeness? Kay? Kay.