Berkshire Estate: Family Room + Patio

Outdoor patios of yesteryear use to be the last space to be designed in a home.  Most people would buy a matching patio set (usually made of wrought iron), add an outdoor umbrella and call it good.

Today's patios are more like outdoor family spaces, with soft weather resistant fabrics,

 pillows, sofas, end tables, etc.  Take a look at the

BERKSHIRE'S FAMILY ROOM + PATIO,

and how similar the indoor/outdoor spaces are!

The fire pit was custom built by the same concrete company that made all the counter tops.  

You can also buy similar fire pits at Restoration Hardware. 

Recognize the brick on the fireplace? It's the same brick we used on the exterior.  Using the brick was a great way to add a sense of age to the newly built space as well as consistency to the home. 

We needed a  16x16 rug in the family room, so Flor tile came to our rescue again! 

Tomorrow we'll wrap up the remaining spaces, including the guest suite, 

the 2nd kitchen and family room, and a couple more bathrooms.

Whew! Almost done with the Berkshire Estate, then on to Canyon Crest!

{Interior Design by Brooke Jones Designs, Photography by Jylare Smith}

Berkshire Estate: Exterior + Pool

This week I'll be revealing the 

BERKSHIRE ESTATE.

The client wanted a home that reflected her personal taste and lifestyle.

When she couldn't find a home on the market that fit her needs, she decided it was time to build. 

And build she did!  The client is an amazing interior designer on her own but 

with a job on this scale, she called me in for reinforcements. 

Both of our personal aesthetics are clean, clean, clean, 

so it working with her was a natural fit!

We decided the term for her style of home was 

MODERN CRAFTSMAN,

 as we couldn't go too contemporary in a neighborhood surrounded by ginormous 

Tuscan villas. We received our inspiration from East coast style homes: Cape Cod, Shaker, etc.

We then mixed it all up with natural materials, like stone and wood, to make it more 

fitting for the Rocky Mountains, and here's what we got! Take a gander at the

BERKSHIRE EXTERIOR + POOL.

Out of every detail in this home, the exterior lanterns just may be my favorite element. Did you know white exterior lights are impossible to find?? Which makes no sense to me, considering how popular white trim is for exteriors... Anyway, we looked into manufacturing our own lights but when the quotes came back ($$ CHA-CHING!!$$), we decided a little DIY was in order. We found lanterns where we liked the shape, spray painted the oil rubbed bronze out white, replaced the dated yellow seeded glass with clear panels and topped it off with a round clear light bulb. We did this for every. lantern. on. the exterior. 

Good thing they turned out so gosh darn beautiful! 

(P.S. Exterior lighting manufacturers: 

HIRE ME TO DESIGN NEW STYLES FOR YOU! I'll make you rich, I tell ya.)

Now on to Paradise, a.k.a.

THE BERKSHIRE BACKYARD:

It's hard to show scale from these shots but the striped lounge chairs are kid-size.

How fun is that?

Stay tuned... we'll be heading inside tomorrow!

{Exterior material selection + poolside design by Brooke Jones Design, 

Photography by Jylare Smith}

Front Door Paint Color Inspirations

We've all done it.  We've sat and stared at the a bright or/and saturated paint sample and thought, "could I pull of this beautiful color in a room?" Then we decide we can't, so we sigh and walk away.  Those colors need not be ignored anymore! Instead, why not PAINT YOUR FRONT DOOR a fun expected color? It's a great way to brighten  up your exterior and get that dash of bold color we all desire! Take a look at these fun choices:

Sigh... If only I didn't rent. That Tiffany blue door would be mine.

Do you have a fun colored front door? If not, what color would you choose?

{images via Pinterest & Apartment Therapy}