Month: April 2018

AROUND HERE: APRIL 2018

Around here we have been…

 

REMINISCING on an entire year with {K}. We met in China in April 2017, and spent two weeks in country before returning home. It is really hard to believe that we have had a full year of adventures with this sweet girl already!

{K} home one full year!

 

Days after meeting {K} in China – April 2017

 

Throughout the year, Angela has interviewed {K} – asking her about her favorite things. It is amazing to look back on these videos and realize how much easier it is for her to communicate with us now. Her looks have changed quite a bit also! If you are interested in the videos you can see them here: 4 months home, 9 months home, and 1 year home.

Easter, April 1st, was the very last holiday that we had yet to spend as a complete family of 7. We had a wonderful celebration.

 

WATCHING the snow melt. Spring weather has finally reached the Midwest! Though the last snowstorm created a muddy mess of things, we couldn’t be more excited to be outside after such a long, cold winter.

 

 



 

RELAXING on our days off. With the warmer weather of Spring, the after school activities and sport camps are beginning to fill the calendar. The days we have to just snuggle up at home are precious. The kids always seem to find new and fun ideas to explore.

 

 

CELEBRATING Craig as he retires from the Fire Department. He has been a volunteer fire fighter for eleven years. We are so proud of him for the selfless sacrifice that he has made through those years. He finished off his duties by coordinating a beautiful memorial service for the firefighters who passed away this past year in the state of Minnesota. It was an incredibly touching program that included a vocal solo from {D}. We found it symbolic that {D} was just a newborn when Craig got accepted into the department and that he was able to help his dad to end his service.

We are absolutely overjoyed that we will be able to spend more time with this incredible man. Wonderful memories are yet to be made!

 

This is just a glimpse at what our family has been up to. If you’d like a closer look, be sure to check out our weekly ‘mini vlogs’ on our YouTube channel ARROW HILL FAMILY. Be well everyone!

THE MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE AMERICAN FOURSQUARE HOME STYLE

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Welcome to another installment in the ELEMENTS OF HOME series. Each month I showcase a different residential style here on the blog. It is my hope that this information will not only teach you a little something about the various styles; but also equip you if are designing or searching for a new house – by allowing you to determine which style(s) suit your lifestyle and preferences the most.

Today I will be over-viewing the American Foursquare home – including the history of the style and what makes it unique.



 

HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN FOURSQUARE STYLE

The American Foursquare style first came into recognition in the late 1890’s and was popular until the 1920’s. It is considered a ‘true American style’ and though it begins during the era when elaborate Victorian homes were popular, it tends to resonate more with elements of the Craftsman/Prairie movement – with more simple detailing and solid craftsmanship.

The essence of the design intent was to create the greatest amount of square footage possible on a standard city lot. This was achieved by utilizing a box like form, which typically included four rooms on the main level plus 4 rooms on a second story. A pyramidal roof, covering a half-story attic space, was a common feature, as was a large front porch.

Though ‘American Foursquare’ is the proper name for this house style, it is also widely known as ‘box house’ , ‘cube house’, or ‘Prairie cube.’

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Because of the simplicity in lines and design, the American Foursquare was also a very popular kit home. In fact, at one point Sears & Roebuck offered some 15 different styles in their catalog. Check out the book  The Houses that Sears Built  for more information on kit houses. (this is an affiliate link)

 

MAIN ELEMENTS OF THE AMERICAN FOURSQUARE STYLE

LOCATION

Though popular throughout the country, the American Foursquare style is most notably concentrated in the Midwest. They were primarily settled in urban areas, on standard city lots, but were also popular in a country setting.

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SIZE

The American Foursquare home is considered to be of ‘medium’ size. Though the original built homes were finished only on the main and second level, most also featured a full unfinished basement and a half-story attic above – which, if finished, could almost double the livable square footage. The homes are typically set a few feet above grade, making them look tall and large.

 

 

The Castleton was one of the many popular kit houses that were offered in the American Foursquare style.

 

EXTERIOR TRADEMARKS

  • BOXY SHAPE: The square footprint/ floor plan of this house style is further accentuated by the flat appearance of the elevations. Large double hung windows, grouped together, is commonly noted.
  • LARGE FRONT PORCH: The front porch is a hallmark that nearly ever home of this style exhibits. It extends the entire face of the front facade, providing shade and an element of ornamentation.
  • PYRAMIDAL ROOF WITH DORMER: Though exceptions exist, most American Foursquare homes feature a pyramidal or hipped roof, with a dormer on the front facade – allowing light into the attic space.

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INTERIOR SPACES

The first floor of a traditionally built American Foursquare home usually contains an entry foyer (often with the stairs to the second floor), a living room, dining room, and kitchen. The second floor in the larger models has four bedrooms and a bath.  Some smaller sized homes have 3 bedrooms and a bath. These interiors were so efficiently planned that minimal space was used as hallways or accessory spaces. Even today, the original Foursquare’s maintain the intent of their original floor plans – with perhaps a rear one story addition to accommodate a larger kitchen, and/or the finishing of the attic or basement space.

The interior styling is simple and handcrafted – with a focus on natural light, and finely crafted woodwork. Because every room in the home is essentially a ‘corner room’ – they receive light from two directions. Built-ins such as bookcases and window seats were popular enhancements; those building planbook or kit houses could order room-dividing colonnades and kitchen cabinets to accentuate the interior rooms.

 

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COLOR SCHEME

Because the popularity of the American Foursquare spanned many years, it is hard to summarize the paint colors most commonly used – as the taste shifted tremendously during this time frame. The one thing that is consistent throughout is the basic nature of coloring utilized. Foursquare’s are meant to be simple and classic, not showy. Where Queen Anne Victorian homes of built in the same timeframe were adorned with multiple colors to accentuate each and every detail, the American Foursquare featured a refined look – utilizing only two to three main colors. Generally, more muted, ‘earthy’ and grayed colors were the most popular.

A typical two color scheme included the body of the home is painted one color, with the trim and other details painted another, possibly contrasting shade. For a Foursquare home, the trim is most commonly lighter than the body paint choice. When the roof was composed of a colorful asphalt product, it was sometimes used as a cue for the color scheme – oftentimes homeowners would match the roof with their trim color, for example.

For a more comprehensive look at the colors of an American Foursquare home, consider reading the book Bungalow Colors by Robert Schweitzer. (this is an affiliate link)

 

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NOTABLE AMERICAN FOURSQUARE HOUSES

Hillrose | winner of the 1916 Sears Competition| popular kit house that costed $2,000 to build in 1916. A reproduction was $1 million to build in 2016!

 

G.C. Stockman House| 1907 Ladies Home Journal article | Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

 

D.C Passive House | 2011 | New construction designed to look like a classic American Foursquare, with energy saving techniques

 

INSPIRING AMERICAN FOURSQUARE STYLE HOMES FROM AROUND THE WEB

These classic homes showcase the American Foursquare style well. Take a closer look!

 

Left to Right: 1 | 2 | 3

*** side note: My husband and I were fortunate enough to own and live in a 1904 American Foursquare, and absolutely loved it’s simplicity and practicality. They truly are classic homes.***

I hope you have enjoyed learning a bit more about the American Foursquare style. Curious which residential style will be featured next month? Stay tuned!

And be sure to check out the previously showcased styles here.

 

 

TRENDING IN HOME DESIGN & DECOR: INTERIOR WALL CLADDING

While historically it may have been implemented for it’s ease of installation, cost effectiveness and as a durable finish, interior wall cladding is becoming a popular design choice with modern day homeowners as they seek for something other than standard drywall.

Cladding is available in a variety of styles and materials, each with it’s own aesthetic. Read about the most popular styles, the common materials used to create them, and a few important installation tips.

 



 

CLADDING  VARIATIONS

There are many cladding options available for today’s homeowner. I have compiled a list of what I consider to be the five most popular varieties, complete with a sketch of what each application looks like in cross section and a photo of the actual material used in a space.

BOARD + BATTEN

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Made with a series of boards overlaid with strips of 1x materials over the seams/joints. Plywood can be used in lieu of boards, for a more simple application. Some DIYers prefer to add the 1x strips directly to the wall at a chair rail height, and use paint to achieve the look of paneling.

 

BEADBOARD

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When factory produced mill-work became available in the Victorian Era, beadboard was a popular choice to clad the walls (and ceilings) of utility spaces such as bathrooms and pantries. These strips of wood are milled with joints that fit together to form one continuous wall covering.

 

SHIPLAP

Photo by Bekah Russom on Unsplash

Made popular by Chip and Joanna, Shiplap is a decorative cladding treatment where horizontally laid boards interlock. An optional ‘nickel gap’ milled on the top edge of the boards creates a shadow line that highlights the individual boards. The lines of this cladding style are clean and simple, making this a popular choice for traditional and modern homes alike.

 

V-GROOVE

Photo by Hutomo Abrianto on Unsplash

This cladding was most popularly used in Colonial-era homes and is created by boards that are milled with chamfered (or right angle cut) edges on both sides, which form a ‘v’ when the boards are combined. V-groove cladding is readily available in a variety of wood and synthetic materials.

 

PLANKS

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Generally, this cladding technique is created by applying salvaged boards of various sizes and colors onto a wall in a collage format. Reclaimed barn wood and shipping palettes are common materials utilized. DIYers love this cladding style for feature walls – to give their spaces a rustic and handmade look.

 

POPULAR MATERIALS

These cladding options are typically available in three different materials: wood/plywood, salvaged wood, and MDF. Your decision to choose one material over another may be based on a variety of factors including ease of installation/finishing, the size of your project budget, and the space you will be using the cladding in.

 

WOOD / PLYWOOD

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A wide variety of wood species are utilized to create the cladding material, from budget friendly pine to stunning cedar and redwood. Because wood expands and contracts over time, it important that space is left between boards during installation. Wood is very durable, but can be heavier than other material choices. Plywood sheets with grooves cut to create the appearance of planking are lightweight, easy to install, and very budget friendly.

 

SALVAGED WOOD

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This material can be gathered from a variety of sources – from old barns to factory floors – and has rustic charm and character. You will want to be sure that salvaged wood has been properly cleaned and dried – to avoid pesky, unwanted insects from being ushered into your space.

Companies such as Plank + Mill offer a salvaged wood product that has been cleaned, kiln dried, and planed thin before being applied to and adhesive backing. These ‘peel and stick’ products are ready to be installed directly on your walls with ease.

 

MDF

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Medium density fibreboard is becoming a more popular material choice as natural resources become scarce. It is made up of approximately 80% wood fibre material, and a mixture of glue, water, and wax.

This material can be quite budget friendly and is available in a wide variety of sizes and even 4’x8′ sheet applications. It’s downfall is that it can not be used where moisture is a possibility, as it acts like a sponge to soak up water – eventually swelling and crumbling apart. Though there are some companies who offer a water resistant MDF material, it is not readily available.

 

TIPS FOR INSTALLATION

DIRECTION MATTERS

Generally speaking, vertically laid material will give the illusion of height – while horizontal boards make small spaces seem larger. Keep that in mind when making selections for your space.

 

KEEP IT SIMPLE

Add character, not clutter. When determining what style of cladding to use be mindful that multiple styles may not look great together. A vertical beadboard wall will clash with a horizontal shiplap wall nearby, for example. Experts caution that while one style per space is encouraged, a maximum of two styles should be used in each space. A maximum of three styles throughout the entire house is also recommended.

 

START LEVEL

When installing cladding in plank form, it is vitally important that the first board/plank installed in plumb and level.  You may want to have an extra pair of eyes and hands available to help guide that first piece into place. Failing to take the extra time upfront can cause big problems during the rest of the process.

 

 



MY THOUGHTS ON THIS HOME DESIGN TREND

I am a texture lover, and interior wall cladding adds a depth that plastering or basic paint is not able to accomplish. The bonus of this trend is that it is fairly DIY friendly, and forgiving. Part of the charm of interior cladding is that it reminds us of older, historic homes – where perfection is not expected.

The exterior of our cottage will feature both standard lap siding and board + batten applications. I imagine we will also use a few accent spots of cladding on the interior, as a way to tie the inside and outside of the house together as a cohesive design.

 

 

THOUGHTS ON PERSPECTIVE

I began this week feeling out of sorts

The weather was yucky, the kids had cabin fever (as did the parents for that matter), and I was working feverishly on getting the plan set for Arrow Hill Cottage fine tuned and ready to submit to local contractors for bids. Just all around a stressful time.

I love designing houses – with an absolute PASSION. And to be able to design a home for my family has been very special; But the stress of knowing that it will ultimately be our pocketbook that will be paying for this design? That has taken a bit of the excitement away. This is real life, and we are just average people who need to work within a realistic and manageable budget. Essentially, every decision that I make while fine-tuning the design of the cottage has to be filtered through the bottom line of what it will cost.

 

And, this week, the filter took away some of the design elements I was really looking forward to implementing 

 

I have been working on these rooms for months now – first as lines on paper, and eventually through 3D visualization. I have written about how 3D modeling can give you a fresh perspective on a space; And this week, I got a new perspective on LIFE as well.

This same week has brought severe darkness to a couple of my friends whom I know through the adoption community.

One, a mother of ten, whose husband has been diagnosed with terminal stage 4 brain cancer, with an estimated 6-18 months to live.  Another whose sweet six year old daughter is on life support with a grim prognosis- her little body fighting.

And through it all, both of these ladies have remained SO very faithful to God. Singing His praises and relying on Him for peace, comfort, and guidance. I have so much to learn from them.

While I was fretting about how many windows the living room in my brand new home might have, what type of beautiful flooring I might choose, or which contractor is most qualified to get the job done – these women are wondering how much longer they will have their loved one here on Earth.

 

This thought hit me like a punch to the gut. Perspective.

 

Life is always changing and there is no person who can plan their life into perfection. Each of us is dealt circumstances that stretch and shape us. We experience unexpected happy moments and find that some dreams will never be realized. And through it all, we take each day as they come – one at a time.

This process of designing, and eventually building our family home is a blessing. Truly, it is a dream that we have been chasing for many years. But even this we need to take one day at a time. There will be days that will be more difficult than others, and I want to be mindful always to remember that this process is something we have wished for.

I wish to remain grateful in this journey.

SATURDAY SKETCHBOOK: FIREPLACE IDEAS

 

My husband and I have lived in 3 old houses over the course of our marriage – a 1905 farmhouse, a 1904 American Foursquare, and a 1920’s farmhouse. And although each of these houses have had their own share of character items, not a single one has had a fireplace.

We love the ambiance that a fireplace can add to the spaces it serves, and so for Arrow Hill Cottage we are working one into the design. For ease and safety reasons we are going to be utilizing a gas insert unit. I’m thinking something simple and not too large – maybe a model similar to this.

I have a feeling the firebox insert will be the easy decision to make. The more complicated endeavor will be determining what the fireplace surround should look like! Initially, I had designed in bookcases on either side of the fireplace; but ultimately decided that a larger bedroom closet, and a broom closet were more important for the function of the house; And so the fireplace itself will be positioned on a wall in our living room and serve as a stand-alone feature piece.

I have been tinkering around in Sketchup with a few different options of how to finish the surround, and thought it might be fun to share with you today and take a poll about which is everyone’s favorite. All four options include a chunky wood mantle, which we hope to have milled out of a tree that will need to be removed from our property for the construction of the house. I’ve intentionally left the top of the mantle bare, so that your eye can focus on the fireplace itself – but you’d better believe I will have a TON of fun changing out the decorations to dress it up!

I am sharing multiple images of each fireplace option, so that you can see how it relates to the spaces around it.



OPTION 1: WHITE BRICK + SIMPLE SHIPLAP

 

 

This is a really clean look, and pretty straightforward. It is also probably the most cost effective of all the options. If I have one concern about this option, it would be that it may be TOO white – and wouldn’t stand out enough as a focal point in a room that has all white walls and a white ceiling.

 

OPTION 2: STONE WITH BOARD AND BATTEN

 

 

The exterior of the cottage utilizes a bit of cultured stone on the porch column bases, as well as board and batten siding on the gable ends. I thought it might be nice to connect these element to the interior by using the same stone and paneling technique on the fireplace.

 

OPTION 3: CLASSIC WITH TILE

 

 

This is the fireplace finish that first comes to mind when I think about a historic home. It is clean, simple, and stately without much fuss. We have friends who had their tile laid in a herringbone pattern, which gave their fireplace a more contemporary feel and looks great! The portion above the mantle could be accented with a different color of paint, perhaps a bright pop of something dramatic.

 



 

OPTION 4: ALL STONE

 

This option has me a bit worried about the budget – as stone is not cheap! I do like the ‘cottage feel’ that it seems to give the space though! And it definitely draws your eye toward the fireplace as a focal point.

 

What do you think? Which fireplace option is your favorite? If you have any real-life personal experience about fireplaces – whether it is something not to do, or something you have done and love – please let us know by commenting to this post or on one of our social media locations!

Have a great Saturday everyone!

 

SPRING DECORATING IDEAS: DESIGN INSPIRATION FROM INSTAGRAM

The calendar says that Spring has officially begun. The weather, however, is painting an entirely different picture. My area of the country is expected to experience record breaking snowfall this coming weekend – we’re talking FEET of snow. I don’t like that idea. Not even a little bit.

As a way to distract my mind, I took to Instagram to find the signs of Spring via home decor. I just love all the creativity I found, and I have to admit that looking at all the Spring pictures did the trick. Now, if I could just walk into one of these scenes over the next couple of weeks and not have to live the reality – that would be great!

Enjoy the decorating inspiration, friends!

 

@tracey_hiebert

Bunnies! And vintage suitcases! And chippy paint! So many lovely things in one little corner – and the textures are the icing on the decor’ cake!

 

 

@thelesliestyle

Have you ever seen a more ‘springy’ room? I’m pretty sure I haven’t! You guys seriously have to check out Leslie’s IG feed and blog. This house is pure magic – every square inch of it. The transformation of this room in particular was enough to make me a follower!

 

 

@grayapplemarket

The trellis pattern of these rustic window frames remind me of garden gates. They are for sale, and I can guarantee that if I lived closer I would be visiting the shop and taking a few of these beauties home with me!

 

 

@hollyshobby

Tulips are one of the first signs of Spring, and this decor set up has me dreaming of the new life that the season is sure to bring.

 

 

@the_pleaseant_farmhouse

Oh, how I could use a moment on this amazing porch. So in love with all of the greenery. And that swing? Yes please!

 

 

@onethousandoaks

Guess what guys? This beautiful print is available for free on One Thousand Oak’s blog. Click HERE to grab one – I’m going to! Thanks for the little reminder, Jaclyn!

SATURDAY SKETCHBOOK: MORE SIMPLIFYING?

This week has been a busy one complete with my birthday, the kids starting school after Spring break, yucky weather, and the planning of a luau themed Father/daughter dance. In the midst of it all, we received a cost estimate for the building of Arrow Hill Cottage.

The estimate was higher than we thought/ hoped it might be. I want to be completely transparent with this process for all of you. Designing a house and having it built is going to be full of ups and downs, and in documenting them I hope to encourage anyone who is following a similar path.

 

I want my readers to understand that the process is not a straight path from point A to point B, but that each step will eventually lead to a final finished home. 

 

Craig and I are not complicated people, we have said all along that we want our house to be simple. Big enough for now, when we are raising 5 growing children under it’s roof – but not so large that it becomes a burden when we are empty-nesters.

When we first got the dollar figure, I will admit that we were a bit flustered once again. Not long ago, when we were told VERY preliminary costs to build, I had done a huge reduction in the size and complication of the design. We thought that these bold moves would get the number down to a more comfortable level. And surely, they did reduce the overall cost – just not enough.

 

Even though the bank may loan us the full amount that this contractor is estimating, we aren’t comfortable with what that would mean in terms of monthly payments.

 

We do not intend to be house poor. When you have a family, there are so many situations needing monetary attention that could potentially arise. If all of our monthly income is tied up in a house, it would  definitely add more stress during those times.

And so, we are at a cross roads once again. I am taking a look at the design to see where we could save and have identified a couple of areas that could be revised to be more cost effective if need-be. We will also be taking a close look at this post, and heeding our own advice. Even though we are friends with our preferred contractor, it is important to get second (and maybe third) opinions/quotes on cost.

 

In the end, I am confident we will be living in the house of our dreams – but that house might be a little different than what we had first imagined going into the process. And that is okay.

5 REASONS THE HOME DESIGN PROCESS SHOULD INCLUDE 3D MODELING

I have written before that I wholeheartedly believe that homes should be designed in both plan (2D) form and in the third dimension. Years ago architects and designers – in order to understand all aspects of space- would make physical 3d models. Physical models involve a considerable amount of time and attention to detail, and any little change to the design can add hours to the process. For that reason, designers would create rough models while working on concepts and save the detailed models for the very end stages of design.

 

Designers today have the benefit of technology on their side. Specialized software allows us to work in the third dimension through the entire design process. There are many 3D programs available for use, each with their own set of advantages. I personally use Sketchup, which I find to be extremely user friendly and powerful at the same time. One of the major bonuses of this program is that it is available FREE for personal use! In the future, I plan to offer tutorials here on the website – teaching easy steps to get started using Sketchup! In the meantime, I am offering the top five benefits of implementing 3D modeling during the home design process.

 



 

1: UNDERSTANDING THE FLOOR PLAN

Many people struggle to make sense of floor plans. Because we naturally don’t see walls cut through, or view furniture from above, a floor plan is difficult for the mind to process. It literally feels like a second language to some. Designers are trained to read these documents – but because their clients are not, frustration can arise when using a floor plan as a point of discussion.

standard floor plan view of Arrow Hill Cottage

 

By adding the third dimension, we are able to more fully understand how walls relate to one another, and also determine sight lines from one room to the next.  This is not only helpful for the designer, but also for the client that they may be sharing the information with.

three dimensional floor plan

 

2: ADDITION OF DEPTH + DIMENSION 

Construction documents are very useful for the crew who will ultimately build the house – these people are used to reading and understanding a plan set, and know how to transfer the information into a three dimensional built form. But the average person who sees a two dimensional drawing can not bring their mind to see beyond the flat image.

This is the front of Arrow Hill Cottage, as seen in a flat elevation drawing. From this view, it appears that the cottage is very long, and without depth.

 

Seeing the same design in three dimensional form gives you additional information – and as you can see, the garage is actually pulled back from the face of the porch by nearly 30′, giving it much less importance and prominence than what the elevation drawing would have you believe.

 

In this instance, the 3D model combined the information from BOTH the floor plan and the elevation into one image, making it easier to understand.

 

3: SCALE COMPARISON

Have you ever been in a space and found it to be either uncomfortably large or so small that it was not functional? The scale of a space is an important element that can be overlooked easily when working only in 2D.

Volume can only fully be understood with the addition of the third dimension. When designing in 3D you can easily determine the differences of how a room would look and feel with a flat ceiling versus a ceiling with a vault. In rooms with sloped ceilings, it is considerably easier to understand the amount of headroom available. Consider our boy’s bedroom design. This is a very unique space with a ceiling that slopes from 11 feet in the center, all the way down to the floor. In order to determine where to place the boy’s beds so that they wouldn’t knock their heads on the ceiling in the middle of the night, I turned to 3D modeling.

 

Once the Sketchup model of their room was complete, I was able to show these images to the boys – and they could literally imagine themselves IN the room. Huge smiles all around! It is really comforting to know that after all the work, they will enjoy the final product.

 



 

4: PRECISION IN PROBLEM SOLVING

There are many little details that can be missed when working only with two dimensional drawings. I find that adding the third dimension is especially helpful when I am fine tuning the design. For example, When I was looking at the cubbies in our future mudroom, I wasn’t sure which height would work best for the individual shelves and hooks. I measured items in our existing home to get a general idea of what would be most functional, but when I put those dimensions into the 3D model, I realized that the heights of the shelves competed with the height of the nearby trim, creating an awkward look.

With a bit of tweaking to the dimensions, the design is now visually appealing.

 

 

 

5: VISUALIZING THE FINISH PRODUCT SELECTIONS

Many of today’s 3D modeling programs, including Sketchup, have the capability to render in a semi-realistic way. Designers can add material selections, such as wood floors or a subway tile back splash. They also offer the ability to add furnishings and accessories.  These extra capabilities allow designers to create views of what the final product may look like, before the builder ever lifts a hammer.

When designing the living room of the cottage, I could tell that the space would benefit from the use of a sectional sofa. I was able to use Sketchup to find an amazing couch that fit perfectly. When the time comes to furnish the room, I can simply purchase the exact piece that I used in the design, or find an item with similar dimensions. Retailers are beginning to see this as a benefit, and have begun offering their furniture in three dimensional form, for designers to use in their mock ups – with the hope that their clients will purchase the exact pieces once they visualize how they could look in the room.

 

If these five reasons have convinced you that adding 3D modeling to your home design process is beneficial, I hope you will join me in the future as I share tutorials on how YOU can get started.  And, as always, if you need help in visualizing the space you can ask for a Makeover Takeover!