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Valley Cottage Idea Home 2003
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Valley Cottage Idea Home 2003
(ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2003)
What could top last year's Idea Home?
Why, two homes, of course.
We started with houses on the drawing board in Overland Park, Kansas (metro Kansas City), and Apple Valley, Minnesota (outside the Twin Cities). Then, editors toured model homes and met with local design pros. We hashed over where to put tables and couches, moved a door here, a window there, till everything was just right. And here they are: an elegant Arts and Crafts two-story and a charming farmhouse, full of ideas you can work into your home!
Then, like Goldilocks, we poured over plans, checked out products, tromped through models. We tweaked the plans until they were just right. And here they are: a charming country farmhouse and an elegant Arts and Crafts two-story. Both brim with dozens of ideas you can incorporate into your own building, remodeling or decorating project.
In this neotraditional neighborhood, homes are a bit closer to the street, encouraging neighbors to gather on front porches.
Farmhouse charm makes this Idea Home near the Twin Cities as refreshing as a trip to the country. Designed by Cottagewood Partners, L.L.C., and architect Ron Brenner, the 3,285-square-foot two-story blends a contemporary floor plan with traditional details. "The combination of those elements is the key," project manager Jim Kirkland says.
Relaxed and inviting is how Suzanne Schumann from Traditions, our interior design team, describes the Valley Cottage interior: "It's friendly, not formal." To get the look, she mixed fabrics and styles, such as the rattan chair and upholstered pieces in the living room. The dining table encourages easy conversations. "A round table is a great shape," Suzanne says, "especially in a square space."
