painted front doors

I have been thinking A LOT lately about the exterior of our home. Its probably the coming of warmer weather or the gray light of spring but my attention has really been drawn to outside projects. From thinking about our front yard to dreaming about re-painting our house, my mind is definitely on the run. This week the fixation has been on our front door. Its currently teal and I hate it. The door is in pretty rough shape - painted probably a million times - so in the long run I am not sure it will be worth saving. In the short run, however, I could definitely re-paint it and not be so diligent to strip, sand, etc. I have to work with my baby poop colored exterior for the time being as well as a red brick patio so I can't do anything too cool tone like a pure gray. I am thinking something in the blue family - no shock here. Most likely something mid-tone to dark although I do like a lighter sage color as well. Check out my inspiration images below and happy first day of spring!

from top left - via Leah Richardson - via Farrow & Ball - via London Front Door - via Houzz - via London Front Door - via The Creative Exchange - design by Leanne Thornton - home of Aerin Lauder via Quintessence -  source unknown - via Faith Hope Love

designer feature: bill ingram

Bill Ingram is a well recognized architect and designer working out of Birmingham, Alabama. His work is distinctively Southern and classic with a focus on elegant simplicity. Founded in 1995 and since expanding to include two additional designers, Bill Ingram's work has appeared in numerous publications including most recently being named by Veranda magazine as ADAC Southeast Architect of the Year. Personally, I love his finish selections and careful attention to architectural elements such as windows, doors and stairwells. 

This personal lake house of Bill Ingram is pretty stunning. It has maybe one of my favorite entries ever - love the mix of wall textures, color and doors - and the kitchen island is a crazy craftsmanship. 

Another personal home of Ingram, this 1400 square foot cottage has great texture both inside and out. I love the use of space making rooms cozy yet still open and bright.

This room actually has really low ceilings but you would never know it. A great example of how to mix materials and styles. 

For more examples of Bill Ingram's work check out his website. 

Images by Bill Ingram Architect - Southern Living - Mark D. Sikes

antique home style

A couple of weekends ago, I spent my whole Sunday morning discovering Antique Home Style. Dedicated to "how to live in and enjoy older homes", the website archives vintage home designs and has a focus on cataloging old house plans. I spend a lot of my time dreaming about and drawing floor plans so to find such an amazing collection of historic plans was more than just a little exciting for me. It might sound obvious but I think its worth stating - good floor plans make for well designed homes. There are no hard rules for creating a floor plan that works well but it should have good flow between spaces, appropriate and proportional room sizes, thoughtful consideration of natural light and views out and above all be representative of the way the inhabitants live (to read more about floor plans see this post). Historic homes often times need updating and some reconfiguring to fit with modern day lifestyles but I, generally, find they are much more attuned to how people use and experience space than the majority of new construction. Below are a few of my favorite historic plans with a lot more available on my Pinterest Design|Private board. Have a good Monday everyone!

1922 Colonial Ray H. Bennett Lumber Company 

1923 The Collingwood

1928 The Cranford