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How To Choose A Vent Hood For Your Range or Cooktop

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We have been installing a lot of vent hoods recently, and I love it! Let’s be honest – it doesn’t matter if you’re a gourmet cook, frequent entertainer or carry-out extraordinaire, the kitchen is where EVERYBODY spends their time. It’s the focal point of the house, and it should reflect that!

So are you looking for a “wow” factor kitchen? Adding a vent hood could do the trick.

While some cooking appliances don’t require an external vent, many cook-tops and ranges do. So how do you pick one? Here are a few things you should consider.

How Much Power Do I Need?

Vent hoods are measured in CFM (Cubic Feet Per Minute). The higher the CFM, the more air the vent can remove. Deciding what CFM level is right for you depends on how much you cook. The more you cook, the more power you will want.

There are differing opinions on this subject. Some say a hood with 350 CFM is fine for most home cooks. Others argue that you need a hood with 1200 CFM if you are a frequent cook or if the food you like to cook (even infrequently) is particularly fragrant.

The GE Monogram Hood I have in my kitchen which is considered a “professional grade” has 650 CFM.

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I’ve been cooking with this hood since 2008, and it has worked perfectly for me. It performs well, looks good, and has heat lamps that can keep foods warm on the warming shelf (shelf sold separately). I still love my range and hood – it is the focal point of my kitchen, and I’ve never looked back on the investment I made to get the look and functionality I wanted.

What Style Do You Like?

There are chimney style hoods, under-cabinet hoods and hood inserts. Here are some examples…

#1 – Chimney Style Hoods (the entire hood and chimney are exposed) can be installed against the wall or over an island.

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#2 – Under Cabinet Style Hoods (only part of the hood is exposed)

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#3 – Hood Insert (hood is hidden inside a cabinet)

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How Do You Want Your Hood Chimney Finished?

When a vent hood is installed against a wall and either under a cabinet or inserted in a cabinet, a “chimney” will be required for the hood to properly vent. Most hoods will require the chimney to go up into the ceiling and then out (to achieve the required vertical run of the vent) instead of out the back of the cabinet (where the chimney can be completely hidden). Here are a few ways to do trim out a hood chimney. I’ve listed these in order of lowest cost solution to highest cost…

#1 – Trim out the chimney above the cabinet with drywall and paint it. This is the most common method of finishing the area around chimney. Unless otherwise specified, this is the standard.

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#2 – Trim out the chimney above the cabinet with cabinet material. This is a clean look because it looks like the cabinet extends to the ceiling. This method is typically less expensive than purchasing an actual cabinet to house the chimney.

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#3 – Hide the chimney inside a cabinet that goes up to the ceiling. This is going to be the most expensive option if you want to completely conceal the hood chimney. It’s pretty but pricey!

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Vent hoods are a functional and fun accessory to your kitchen especially if you’re looking for that “wow” factor. Which style do you like?

Dream Big. Build Smart.


Have Fun with Your Kitchen: How to Choose A Different Color Island

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When choosing the colors for your kitchen, don’t feel compelled to choose the same cabinet and top for the island. Choosing a different colored cabinet or counter top for the kitchen island is on trend!

Here are a few examples of how to use a different base cabinet for the island.

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This is one of my favorite kitchens we’ve done – love the blue island!

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You can also leave the island cabinets the same color throughout the kitchen and choose a contrast color for the island counter-top.

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I decided to choose a different colored counter-top on the island in my home. I love having the light colored top on the island (hides the fingerprints!) and the black granite on the perimeter.

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Is this look too trendy? I say no! But here are a few tips to make sure your kitchen looks on trend for years to come…

Tip #1 – Choose Neutral Colors

When I want to give the island a different look, I’m keenly aware that this kitchen will be around for a long time. So when choosing colors, I try and use colors that will stand the test of time. And timeless doesn’t mean boring. Colored cabinets can act as a neutral when surrounded by other neutrals.

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Tip #2 – Pick One

If you’d like to do something different on the island from the rest of the kitchen, decide to pick a different colored cabinet OR a different colored counter-top. While I have seen both done (and done well!), it definitely stands out more. Choosing one or the other will always look modern and fresh without looking too trendy.

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Tip #3 – Back-splashes Can Make All The Difference

Adding a tile back-splash can pull your kitchen together for a timeless look. Consider one that contrasts with the cabinetry like Renee did in her house.

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Or choose something neutral like this white subway tile…

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Have fun with your kitchen! And remember, we are always here if you need an opinion. We love to give our opinion!

Dream Big. Build Smart.

What We’re Building: Jen’s Week In Review

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I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend! Paul and I hosted his sister and her family from Florida and had a blast showing them around DC. More on that in a bit. But first…

Settlements

We settled this beautiful Langley Model in McLean.

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I love this model, and I loved working with this sweet family. This is the second family this year we’ve build for who send their children to the same preschool as we send our boys. Small world and always fun running into them at drop-off or school events. I’ll miss seeing them at school (kids have graduated!) and around here. But check out their gorgeous new home…

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The Langley Model front porch is the perfect size.

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And we finished this Custom Fairlington in Arlington this week. So pretty…

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This Week On My Blog

Did you see my post this week about Have Fun with Your Kitchen: How to Choose A Different Color Island?

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If you’re looking for ways to design your kitchen with a trend that can stand the test of time, check it out!

And our latest Meet The Team Q&A is about our own Kathi Brown. She keeps us all in line and on track – thank goodness for Kathi!

Falling In Love With My Hometown (All Over Again)

As I mentioned earlier, we had family visiting for Thanksgiving. It’s always fun having visitors who want to sight-see downtown. We spent Wednesday visiting the Capitol and the Law Enforcement Memorial (our brother-in-law has been a police officer for 30 years!).

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On Thanksgiving Day, we cooked in the morning and then scooted downtown for a bit to walk around the memorials.

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And then on Friday, we had the opportunity to do a tour of the Supreme Court. Our BIL had a connection with someone who serves on the Supreme Court Police, and he gave us the most amazing behind the scenes tour! The cousins played basketball on the “highest court in the land”  (ha!) which sits above the main chamber.

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I was born and raised here, and this was definitely one of the coolest things I’ve ever done in DC. It will be something I will always remember.

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Out To The Country

Our family headed back to Florida on Saturday, so we headed out to Purcellville to cut down our Christmas tree. This is something we do as a family every year, and we always have so much fun! I love Norway Spruce trees, but they’re not easy to find. We stumbled upon Loudoun Nursery, and they have the largest selection of Norway Spruce I’ve seen in this area. And you can pull your car up close to the trees so you don’t have to drag it back to your car.

We found a beautiful Norway Spruce.

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Getting it out of the ground was not easy and figuring out how to get the tree back to the barn for baling was just comical (it ended up on top of the truck).

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But oh how I love it when the tree is up! Worth all the effort – right Paul?

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Have you started decorating for Christmas at your home?

Thanks for stopping by my blog today – it means so much to me. Wishing you a wonderful kick off to the Christmas season this weekend!

Dream Big. Build Smart.

Light, Medium, or Dark: How to Pick a Wood Floor

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Today Sarah is talking about hardwood flooring choices. She went from one extreme to the other when she made her color selections. What should you think about when choosing your hardwood? Please read on…

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I love love LOVE wood floor. More than love, I’m obsessed. When we were selecting finishes for our home, I based our entire design scheme off of our wood floor choice.

Originally, I wanted dark wood floor. Super dark! Oh, it was going to look so rich and so sophisticated. But then I saw a NDI client install a natural, light-toned wood floor with all this amazing variation, and I did a 360.

I had to have that floor!

When selecting your wood floor, you’ve got three options: light, medium, and dark. They are all gorgeous! So, how do you choose? Let’s dive in!

Light-Toned Wood Floors

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Light-toned wood floors are great because you can’t see the dust, dirt, or scratches as easily as a dark-toned floor. They also bring a feeling of lightness and airiness to a room. Light floors make a room feel bright. But, they can also feel more casual than a darker floor.

Medium-Toned Wood Floors

Medium-toned wood floors are the safest choice. Light and dark floors stand out – they make a statement. Medium toned floors just look good. If you don’t want your floors to stand out, go with a medium tone. Medium-tone floors look good with a variety of cabinet colors, furniture, and decorating styles. They’re like the little black dress of the flooring world.

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Dark-Tone Wood Floors

If you want to make a statement, go with dark wood floors. Dark floors are gorgeous – and sophisticated. If you want to evoke a feeling of richness and warmth, go dark. But, just know, these floors will show dust, dirt, and scratches. Make sure you’re okay with that before installing these floors.

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What do you think? What’s your favorite wood floor tone? Team Light, Team Medium, or Team Dark?!

Wood Floor Characteristics: Variation, Smooth, or Textured

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It’s so wonderful that we can get almost any type of floor we want. And also not-so-wonderful because how can we choose which texture or look with so many choices?!

Recently, I wrote about what to think about when selecting a wood tone. But what about texture and variation?

The Extremely Varied Wood Floor

When we were building our home, I originally wanted a super dark, even toned wood floor. But then I saw another client install this light, natural toned wood floor with this amazing variation. I had to have it!

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To me, this varied look to the floor makes it interesting. I love how no two pieces look exactly alike, just like how wood looks in nature. This look is definitely A LOOK. Some people might find the varied boards to be too much. I like it because it’s interesting and the varied boards hide any imperfections (like dog nail scratches).

Jen did something similar at one of our spec homes.

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I love how the multi-tone can look more casual (like in my house) or sophisticated like in Jen’s spec.

But it’s definitely a statement.

Evenly Toned Wood Floors

If you’re just not sure, go with an evenly toned and textured wood floor.

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This type of floor will blend in with your furniture and decor, making it a good backdrop for any look.

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It’s a classic look. Can’t go wrong!

The Textured Wood Floor

A handscraped wood floor will give you a lot of texture and character.

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Like a varied tone floor, a handscrape will hide some imperfections, but it also makes a statement – it will stand out. A handscape floor feels more rustic and traditional.

Which type do you prefer? The varied, even, or textured floor?

What We’re Building: Jen’s (Merry) Week In Review

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It’s two days until Christmas! Only two more days until Christmas! This countdown has been on in our house since the first week of December, and it has been pretty intense for the last few days. It’s innocent, it’s joyful, and I love it.

This Week’s Settlement

Actually, this settlement happened last Friday afternoon but my week in review had already been published so I’m talking about it today! This beautiful Fairlington was built for one of our Investor Clients. Did you know we have an Investor Program designed to help clients who are looking to build a home to flip once it is complete? We have a lot of Investor Clients that come back to us over and over again to build because (1) our homes are beautiful and well designed, (2) our process is efficient and (3) they make money.

Think about that. We build for an investor. They turn around and sell the house after we’re done. They make money. That means there is enough value in the house after we’re done for the client to sell it for profit. Even if you aren’t interested in our Investor Program, you will be interested to learn about the value of our homes and the instant equity our clients have the day they move in. Where can you buy a new home and have thousands of dollars of equity built right in?

OK – back to this beautiful home…

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We’re getting ready to build house #2 for this Investor Client right next door to this house. I’ll keep you posted on that project!

This Week On The Blog

Check out my post about how our team supported Wreaths Across America this year.

2016

At The Office

The week before Christmas at NDI is always filled with preparation for the last weeks of the year, figuring out what subcontractors will be working through the holidays (almost all of them), and how we can maximize the schedule while working around the days that will be missed in observance of Christmas and New Years. It is also filled with gifts being delivered to the office and calls and messages to and from clients wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

But this year, the highlight of this week was seeing Kyle and his family out at their almost completed home.

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Dad, his wife Renee, Adam and I drove down to the house on Tuesday morning. We talked to Kyle about moving dates (3rd week in Jan!), a few last minute details on the house and holiday plans.

This year has been filled with so many blessings, but the one thing that will always standout is meeting Kyle and his family. It has been such an honor to get to know them. And I am so proud of Dad for having the vision of this project and the generosity to make it happen. I am also proud our team for building such a beautiful home (more pictures coming soon!).

It’s hard for me to find the right words to explain the impact this project has had on me. It might be my most favorite home we’ve ever built.

Thank you for stopping by my blog today! This will likely be my last post of 2016 (I think!) so I’d like to take this time to tell you how much it means to me that read my words. I’m still always caught off guard when I meet someone for the first time and they tell me they are a regular reader. There is a lot “out there” to choose from so THANK YOU!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a blessed 2017! Here is a picture of my Family Room – we are decorated and ready for SANTA!

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Dream Big. Build Smart.

What We’ve Built: Jen’s Year In Review

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Happy New Year friends! I hope you had a blessed holiday enjoyed with family and friends. See some of my favorite moments of the holiday below. But first, I thought it would be fun to review some of my most read blog posts from 2016. Your favorite topics vary but one thing is for sure, you all love to see what we’re building!

NDI Gives Back: Wounded Vet Project

As part of our NDI Gives Back program, we began construction on a new home for a wounded veteran and his family. This has been such a special project for us and our readers have been very interested as well because my posts about Kyle and his family have been some of the most popular.

You can check out posts HERE and HERE to learn about Kyle and his family and why this project is so important to us.

And 2 weeks from today, on Friday, January 20, 2017, we will be handing over the keys to Kyle, his wife Alyssa and their sweet family. I cannot wait.

A Peek Inside Our Finished Homes

In 2016, we started a Q&A series with our clients who invited us to come in and photograph their NDI homes after they moved in. I loved these posts because of the authentic advice and feedback from our clients. It is so very helpful to anyone considering this process.

Check out posts HERE and HERE to hear what our clients have to say about their NDI homes and the process of building.

Renee’s Beautiful Vienna Model

Renee built her NDI home a little more than a year ago. It is so beautiful and elegant we just had to show you.

Check out the post HERE to hear about Renee’s experience building her NDI home. You can also click HERE to view a complete tour of Renee’s Vienna Model.

Behind The Scenes

Other popular posts were about our team (see some of our Meet The Team posts HERE and HERE) and about our family. Especially my post about our Sunday Family Dinner tradition and what it’s like Working With Family.

Spending Sunday evenings with Adam & Amanda and the kids (and Dad when he’s in town!) has become one of my favorite traditions. I’m hosting this coming Sunday and I’m planning to try a new recipe for pulled pork. It slow cooks in the oven (nothing like the smell of something yummy cooking in the oven!) and I think it will be delish! I’ll report back to you if it turns out well (or if it doesn’t).

A Family Christmas

Christmas was a blur. In fact, I realized on 1/1 that we didn’t get one picture with the kids from Christmas. Ugh. But we had such a wonderful season. We spent time with family and friends, had some out of town visitors and even crossed a few things off of our Christmas bucket list!

One of the highlights of the season was getting the family together for a night out with Dad. It was the weekend before Christmas and such an awesome (kid free!) evening. My sister was in town with her husband and her SIL. Adam & Amanda joined us too!

And look at this picture of Dad & Renee – pure joy!

I took some time off between Christmas and New Years which was so good. I was able to unplug (mostly) for a few days while Paul and I took the boys skiing. This has become a tradition of ours and we look forward to it every year.

I haven’t skied since the boys were born but I want to get back into it. I have become somewhat of a chicken as I have gotten older. What is that about? Regardless, I want to be out there on the slopes once the boys get their skis under them (although sitting on the couch by the fire is nice too!) so I see a lesson or two in my future. Hoping that will relieve some of my fear.

But this year, we had just a little snow so there wasn’t much skiing. We did get to go tubing and make a snow angel or two.

And of course we had lots of hot cocoa!

Love those boys.

Thank you for stopping by blog today! It means so much to me that you take the time to read my words. Do you have a topic you’d like me to cover in 2017? Leave a comment below or email me HERE. I’d love to hear from you!

Best to you and yours in 2017. Who knows, perhaps this is the year you decide to build with NDI. I’d love to talk to you about what makes us different and in my opinion, awesome.

Dream Big. Build Smart.

What We’re Building: Jen’s Week In Review

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The frozen tundra in which we’ve been living for the last week seems to be thawing. No wait, just kidding!

We are back in full swing with a lot happening this week…

Langley Model Update

We are making great progress at our new model! Tile went down this week. I’m totally crushing on this “wood” tile in the main level bathroom.

This look is so popular right now and we have a beautiful selection that is NDIncluded!

We went with a classic octagon tile in the buddy bath.

I love this tile! I actually have it in my house and almost 10 years later, I still love it.

Next up, cabinets and hardwood!

Design Center Remodel

We are in the process of installing flooring at our new Design Center. We wanted to show you several different selections of hardwood and tile in actual rooms. We chose a number of different styles to display and we can’t wait to show you the new showroom. Until then, here is a sneak peek!

This Week’s PC Meetings

We are getting ready to start two new projects! The first is a Clarendon Model in the Town of Vienna. The Clarendon Model is one of my favorites! What I wouldn’t do with all of the flex space in the house. Here are a few pictures of a recently completed Clarendon Model.

The next project is one I’m really excited about! It is a Complete Custom (I’m talking design on a napkin custom) to be built in Great Falls. This what we started with…

And this is what we’re building.

I can’t wait to see this beautiful plan become a home!

Thank you for stopping by my blog today! I hope you and your family enjoy a restful (and for some long) weekend!

Dream Big. Build Smart.


What We’re Building: Jen’s Week In Review

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Happy Friday! I hope you have had a productive week – we’ve been busy around here.

Vet House Complete!

We have completed the new NDI home for Kyle and his family! I’m so proud of this beautiful home.

Check out my blog posts from this week to see more finished pictures of the home and turning over the keys to Kyle and Alyssa!

New Fairlington Starting In Vienna

We are getting ready to start a Fairlington Model in the Town of Vienna. I love this house. It has great space and so many pretty details.

Mud Room Built-ins

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And so much more…

This Week’s Settlements

We also finished two client homes this week! The first was a Vienna Model in Falls Church. This client was so happy which makes us happy! At the settlement on Wednesday, she was talking about all the NDI Team Members who helped them through the process. She mentioned every single team member she had worked with by name and how they had helped. She also told me that once she met with Renee, she knew she had found her builder because Renee made her feel so comfortable about the process. Finding the right builder is not only about the house but also about the people. Check out this post to learn more about Renee.

We will post pictures next week of the Chesterbrook Craftsman Model we closed today! This is a home we built for one of our Investor Clients and it’s the third home we’ve built for him. Can’t wait to show it to you! More pictures coming soon, but here’s a sneak peek!

Key West

Paul and I scooted down to Key West last weekend. We love Key West – in fact, it’s one of the things I miss most about living in South FL (Paul and I lived there in the late 90’s when we first got married) because you can get to Key West by car in about three hours. But now that we are in VA, it’s about a three hour flight and so very worth it.

Now I feel like I’m sitting here waiting for winter to hit northern Virginia. Who knows, maybe we’ll make it to spring without a major snow event? That would be good for me.

And it would be good for all of the homes we’re building!

Thank you for stopping by my blog today. Wishing you a wonderfully restful weekend!

Dream Big. Build Smart.

What’s Trending: To Care Or Not To Care

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It seems like every January, “the list” comes out. You know the one. What’s hot, what’s not. It doesn’t matter if the lists are about fashion or home design, they blow in with the New Year and if you’re not careful, they can seriously mess with your head (and your wardrobe budget!).

I recently saw a list about what interior design trends are on the way out in 2017. And there were a few items on that list I was surprised to see.

The Color Gray

Wait what? No way. No way. I’m here to tell you that gray is not on its way out. You cannot go wrong with gray – it goes with everything and like our other color favorite (white), gray is a classic and will always be in.

Don’t believe the hype. Gray is cool.

Sliding Barn Doors

I’m not buying this one either. We are just seeing these become mainstream. Does that all of the sudden make them not cool? Adding a sliding barn door (or two) to a cased opening is an easy DIY project. There are so many styles to choose from and applications where they just make sense.

And I just love them.

Shiplap Walls

Seriously? Using Shiplap boards on interior walls is STILL COOL (not to mention, what would Chip & Joanna Gaines do without their beloved shiplap)!

This guy’s in trouble – he has shiplap AND a sliding door!

Don’t get me wrong, I love being on trend. And whether I’m considering what to wear or what to build, I want to be current. But I also like what I like and if that means not paying attention to the talking heads out there, so be it! Have you fallen in love with something but you think it might be “too” trendy? Go small. Find a small way to incorporate it into your overall design.

What To Believe

Believe in your decisions. If you have found a style you love, run with it. There are so many opinions out there right now (about EVERYTHING) and if you are not careful, it is easy to get sucked into thinking you’ve made the wrong design choices. Don’t worry about it! Your home and however you choose to design it will be beautiful.

Dream Big. Build Smart. 

What We’re Building: Jen’s Week In Review

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Happy Friday! We’re wrapping up a busy week here at NDI and we have a special event this weekend you should check out!

Pop-Up Open House Sat & Sun

We’re showing this recently completed Fairlington Model in Falls Church THIS weekend only!

What I love about this particular house is that everything you will see on the first and second floor is STANDARD! Actually, for our base price, you get everything you see PLUS some new features we’ve added like 9′ Walls on all levels, ceramic shower floors, and much more! I hope you will check it out – you can get details by clicking HERE.

Chesterbrook Craftsman

We just finished this beautiful Chesterbrook Craftsman and I wanted to show you a few pictures…

This model has become one of our favorites!

This Week On The Blog

Did you see my other posts this week? Ever wonder about what’s hot and what’s not in home design? Check out this post about my thoughts on trends…it isn’t what you think.

The NDI Gives Back Foundation is getting ready to launch a new scholarship program! Check out my post about why we think encouraging young people to get into the construction industry is critical!

Design Center Update

Our suppliers are beginning to move in their selections into our Design Center and it is starting to look like a “real” selection center (HA!).

The KraftMaid cabinet display is going in today! I REALLY can’t wait for this remodel to be done. It is going to be beautiful and it has been a GREAT reminder why we don’t do remodels.

Kitchen Cabinet Hardware for the Langley Model

I picked out this hardware (the one in the middle) for the Langley Model Kitchen and Butler’s Pantry. I like it because it isn’t shiny brushed nickel and it’s a little industrial with the exposed screw heads. I usually do Oil Rubbed Bronze hardware in our spec homes but because I chose a darker gray cabinet in the kitchen, I wanted something lighter that will standout from the cabinet. What do you think?

Thank you for stopping by my blog today! I hope you have a warm and cozy weekend!

Dream Big. Build Smart.

Should You Pick The Same Finishes For All Your Bathrooms?

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This is a great question, and (for once) I don’t really have a strong opinion one way or another. I think it really comes down to your tastes and your threshold for making decisions. Many of our homes have five full bathrooms standard in the plan. Add a finished bathroom in the basement and now you’re talking about selecting for six full bathrooms. Yikes, that’s a lot of tile, vanities, and counter-tops and for some, choosing for that many bathrooms might make your head spin.

Luckily, we are here to support you as you make these selections but you also might be okay selecting some of the same selections for every bathroom. When Sarah Bagley built her NDI home, she did that for a couple of her bathrooms. She wanted to keep it simple!

When Renee built her home, she decided to do every bathroom a little be different…

When we build a new Model Home, we like to show different selections throughout the house so potential NDI clients can see what we can do. Here are a few of my favorite bathrooms…

Clients often wonder if they should coordinate their selections so there is a cohesive color palette throughout the house. I personally don’t think that is a critical component of overall design. I think choosing a cohesive style that conveys a consistent vibe (modern, traditional, farmhouse, etc.) is more important than going matchy matchy (blog post to come!).

So if making a lot of decisions drives you crazy, choose similar selections for all the bathrooms (an easy way to mix it up is using a different listello in each bath). Do you have a higher threshold for decisions? Pick different selections for some or all of your bathrooms. Remember, these are just guidelines to help you navigate what can be the complicated process of making selections. Whatever you choose will be beautiful and I know you will love it!

Still not confident? Give me a call (800-406-8555), I love expressing my opinion!

Dream Big. Build Smart.

What We’re Building: Jen’s Week In Review

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Where did this week go? Seriously – with the excitement of the Super Bowl (such a great game and I’m not even an NFL fan – GO HOKIES!) and everything going on with the Design Center, it has flown by. Here’s what’s happening…

Design Center Update

We have new cabinets in the kitchen and I think they look amazing! This is one of the new paint colors – Pebble Grey on the Lyndale Maple door style.

This small kitchen will serve as storage for marketing supplies. It will also have a small beverage frig and a sink!

I was going back and forth on what top to use. Definitely quartz. Definitely white. I thought at first Carrara Grigio because it looks and sounds like White Carrara marble (I just realized my nails match the cabinet – winning).

But after looking at this sample and a sample of Calacutta Vincenza quartz…

…I think I’m going with Calacutta Vincenza. It’s a bit hard to tell in the picture but it’s “whiter” and brighter than the Carrara Grigio. I can’t wait to see it installed!

We also got the front door painted! We chose Williamsburg – love the way the blue looks with the brick.

And the new rails and pickets were installed. Starting in 2017, turned rails & iron pickets are standard* in our Traditional homes and the square rails & pickets are standard* in our Craftsman homes (*for contracts signed with new specs only).

I think both are GREAT additions to our standard features!

Washington Gas Delays

Utility companies are a necessary evil for us all. And this week, we’re experiencing something I’ve never seen before with a utility company. The contractor WG uses for trenching the gas lines, NPL, is on some sort of hiatus. We haven’t been able to figure out exactly what is going on but we’ve been informed that no trenching will occur before February 20. None. At all.

What?????

So that means anyone expecting gas lines this month will likely not get them until next month. IF, they actually get back to work on 2/20. We will continue to monitor the situation and I’ll keep you updated as we get more information.

On The Blog This Week

On Tuesday, I answered the question – Should You Pick The Same Finishes For All Your Bathrooms – while I don’t have a strong opinion on this (other than PICK WHAT YOU LOVE!), I do offer some advice on making selections for your home. Check it out!

On Thursday, we posted a new Team Q& A! Have you met Brenda Landes? She’s our VP of Finance & Administration (responsible for our money and our people!) and she’s awesome! “B” (as we fondly call her), has worked with us since 1992 – I hope you’ll take a few minutes to get to know her!

My First Field Trip

OK – not ever but in a LONG time. The boys have been going on these fun field trips since they started preschool. This week I chaperoned for the first time. We took the kids on a walking field trip to an assisted living home. The kids sang songs to some of the residents.

We sang “My God Is So Big” and “Jesus Loves Me”. The kids then passed out Valentines – how cute!

And then the residents sang “He’s Got The Whole World” back to the kids. I was in tears by now. Serious tears! So touched by the kindness of these kids and the pure joy they brought to these seniors. We all enjoyed it.

Especially this guy…

Thank you for stopping by my blog today! Did you hear it is going to be in the 60’s again over the weekend? I think that calls for a cookout. A cookout in February? Yes please!

Dream Big. Build Smart.

 

This Backsplash Is Killing Me

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I remember when Paul and I built our home (almost 10 years ago!). The decisions. Oh, the decisions! What starts off as a fun and exciting process (selecting!), by the end feels like a trip to the dentist. As a self-proclaimed quick decision-maker (I can pick out a Christmas tree like a champ!), I’ve always prided myself with the ability to make good, decisive decisions.

But when it came down to deciding on the backsplash for our home. I couldn’t do it. I was spent. Done. So I didn’t. For like 3 years.

And now I have one final decision to make for our Langley Model in Falls Church. One.

It’s the backsplash and it is killing me.

I first thought I’d do something completely different than we have done before. I was thinking these pretty herringbone Cararra Marble tiles would be so perfect!

Especially with the gray cabinets –

Just yesterday, I went from confirming this selection to second-guessing this selection (it happens to me too!).

By the end of the day, I was sending in my final answer! And it wasn’t the herringbone.

I’m going with good ol’ white subway tile. I love it. It’s not marble but the new owners won’t have to worry about having marble tile in their kitchen (oh the stains!) and I think white subway will always be on trend – it’s a classic.

And I’m going to try it with light gray grout. With a tile like this (edges are clean so the grout won’t bleed) it works to go with a color that is darker than the actual tile. The grout won’t be as susceptible to staining and it will look GREAT with the gray cabinets.

Looking for a more contemporary look? Glass subway tiles are gorgeous ($$$ but gorgeous).

There are a BAZILLION choices out there for backsplashes. We’ve added quite a few selections to our new Design Center (which is still under construction – ghhrrr!). Come back tomorrow and I’ll show some of my favorite backsplash combinations.

Dream Big. Build Smart.

Don’t Let The Backsplash Win!

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When I went to select the backsplash for our new Langley Model, I was having a hard time deciding what to pick. Not because I couldn’t find anything I loved, but because I was looking for something “different.” We have done a lot of model homes, and we have shown some beautiful selections. I wanted this home to be a little different. And in a lot of ways it was different. So in the end, I decided I didn’t need to go rogue on the backsplash. In the end, I chose good ol’ fashion white subway tile.

But as I was looking, I found some really awesome combinations I thought you’d like to see! Maybe it will help you in your own selections.

I love this combination, and I think you will too. The mini gray subways have a crackled, glass finish. So pretty!

Selections Shown Above: Pebble Gray Cabinet with Calacutta Vincenza Quartz Top, Backsplash is Dove Gray Brick Pattern Mosaic (KS141)

The next combination is really cool – it is a random mosaic tile that goes GREAT with gray cabinets and white quartz tops.

Selections Shown Above: Pebble Gray cabinet with Calacutta Vincenza Quartz top. Backsplash is Artic Storm Interlocking (KS118).

I love this combination too (my goodness – so much goes with gray and white!). The different textures in this tile work so well together!

This next tile is brand new – it is a take off of the old Chicago brick.

Selections Shown Above: Pebble Gray cabinet with Calacutta Vincenza Quartz top. Backsplash is Chicago 4×8 South Side (KS100).

We have three different colors to choose from. I think this one would work great in a kitchen (the other two would go awesome in a bar area). I love the Chicago stamp (I love Chicago too!)…

So pretty.

And this next one is a spin on subway tile – I love the texture!

Selections Shown Above: Pebble Gray cabinet with Calacutta Vincenza Quartz top. Backsplash is Cobsa Crackle 3×6 White (KS102).

Now this combination might be my favorite so far, and if I was doing granite in the kitchen at the Langley Model, this is what I would choose. You know how I feel about the Gray Loft cabinet finish and don’t get me started on White Diamonds granite. Pair it with this backsplash – so good!

Selections Shown Above: Gray Loft cabinet with White Diamonds granite. Backsplash is Artic Storm Interlocking (KS118).

Yes, please!

Are you looking for a backsplash for your wetbar? I love these stacked stone options! Because when I think about a wetbar, I think warm and cozy. And that’s what I see here.

Selections Shown Above: Maple Cabinet with Brown Suede Granite top. Backsplash is Autumn Lilac (ET624)

And here’s a backsplash shown two ways:

Selections Shown Above: Maple Cabinet with Brown Suede Granite. Backsplash is Tuscany Scabas Splitface 1×2 Mosaic (Non-groutable)

I love the texture of this stone. And by just changing out the cabinet to off-white, you get an entirely different look!

Selections Shown Above: Biscotti Maple Cabinet with Brown Suede Granite. Backsplash is Tuscany Scabas Splitface 1×2 Mosaic (Non-groutable)

So don’t let the backsplash win! There are so many great options (these are just a few of my favorites), and we’d love to help you find the perfect selection for your home!

What do you think?

Dream Big. Build Smart.


What We’re Building: Jen’s Week In Review

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Hello! Thank you for stopping by my Week In Review! Let’s get to it –

Pop-Up Open House 2/18 & 2/19

We will be showing our Clarendon Model this weekend in Arlington. Come see the fabulous customization we’ve done for this client – it is gorgeous! And compared to the Fairlington Model we showed a few weeks ago, this home has lots of options! Come see what we can do for you!

Click HERE for more information about this weekend’s event!

This Week’s Settlement

We settled this pretty Potomac Model this morning. The Potomac Model is in our archive models so we don’t actively market it anymore but we still build one every so often. This one sits on a nice corner in Vienna!

This home is 4 bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms. And it has the most beautiful foyer…

And a great kitchen!

Butler’s Pantry is included!

And I love seeing our new Nest thermostats! So cool!

Wishing this family so much happiness as they get settled (they told me this morning they are looking for another lot so they can do it again!).

Design Center Update

The counter tops were installed this week. We chose Calacutta Vincenza quartz tops which pairs beautifully with the Pebble Gray Cabinets.

On The Blog This Week!

Even I have trouble making decisions sometimes! Earlier this week, I shared my struggle with choosing a backsplash for our new Langley Model (it isn’t what is shown here). Check it out HERE.

But out of that struggle (and yes I struggled!) came some really pretty kitchen combinations I think you’ll love! I’ve also included all of the color selections in this post so it is a good one! Check it out HERE.

I’m A Valentine Baby

Well not exactly but my birthday is the day after. My grandmother always called me her Special Little Valentine which always made me smile (still does!). My boys SPOILED me this year with lots of hugs, kisses and special gifts. Nathan and Andrew went to one of those paint your pottery places and made these sweet gems for me.

Andrew made me a dolphin because who doesn’t love dolphins!

Nate made me a dog because that is all we are talking about in our house these days. Yes – we are looking to rescue a dog soon. Lord help us!

And it is going to be a GIRL dog which is why Nate made this a GIRL dog.

I will treasure these!

And Paul did not disappoint! He knows I love David Yurman so he bought me a new cross necklace.

It’s so pretty and it makes me smile!!

43 feels pretty darn good! It’s hard to say the number but I imagine Mom and Dad have a harder time believing they have two daughters in their 40’s and a son approaching. HA – always look at the bright side!

Thank you for stopping by my blog today. I hope you enjoy another unseasonably warm weekend! We will!

Dream Big. Build Smart.

How I Designed My Master Bath

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When Paul and I built our home in 2008, I had some definite ideas about how I wanted my bathroom to look. I knew I didn’t want a traditional vanity but rather two separate sinks that “looked” more like furniture. I also wanted a big shower and an enclosed commode. This is the inspiration picture I found during the planning stages of our house…

I loved the retro looking tile and the dark cabinetry and blue paint! I’m definitely drawn to blue when it comes to decorating. It soothes me.

Working from an inspiration picture can help guide your decisions. Find something you love and replicate (or copy but replicate sounds better doesn’t it!). So here is what we ended up with…

I love these furniture looking vanities. Kraftmaid makes some really nice vanities in furniture style.

And I love my big shower! And the glass isn’t dirty – the shower was just used!

Instead of listello tile, we opted for this simple chair rail. I love how it looks with the subway tile.

And Paul insisted on this vertical shower system. I thought it was overkill, but can I tell you something? I haven’t showered without it in the nine years we’ve lived in the house. Not once. I love it and can highly recommend. Thank you Paul!

Enclosed commode room – check!

Back to my inspiration picture –

The floor tile is called Octagon Dot. I was so close to going with the black dot (as shown in the inspiration picture) but at the last minute, I decided to got with the white, and I’ve never looked back!

I used the black dot in the boys bathroom so I get my black dot fix in there!

And I didn’t go with a blue blue paint color. Instead, I found a blueish gray. The color is Duron (now Sherwin Williams) Mineral Deposit.

I love it because in some light it looks blue and in some light it’s more gray.

Now let’s talk about the built in shelves. Here is the inspiration picture I used for it.

I had to dig this picture out of my house binder. I put this binder together as we were building our house – it has every plan, fixture, etc….we put in our house.

Including the inspiration for the shelves we built in our bath.

And here is how the built-ins turned out. Love love love!

The shelves are great for storage and want to know a little secret? I tuck a bunch of stuff behind the wall so it’s easy for me to grab, but you can’t see the clutter. Can’t stand the clutter!

After all these years, I still love my bathroom. It’s my oasis (most of the time).

Have fun finding your inspiration!

Dream Big. Build Smart.

What We’re Building: Jen’s Week In Review

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Holy Springtime! I was born and raised in Virginia and I’ve never experienced a February like this! Amazing weather! Here’s what is happening around here…

This Week’s PC Meeting

We are getting ready to start a Berkshire Model in North Arlington. We have built a lot of Berkshires over the years. In fact, when we first released the Berkshire over 15 years ago it actually looked like this…

And the floor plan was a little different too!

In 2009, we decided it needed a little update. We changed the elevation…

And updated the floor plans.

By moving the Laundry Room upstairs, we were able to create a Mud Room leading into the house from the garage. Every family needs a drop zone! We also redesigned the bathrooms.

Here is a Berkshire Model we finished up last year – such an improvement over the old design.

Clarendon Model Nearly Complete

We are building a beautiful Clarendon Model in North Arlington. We showed it last weekend (thanks to everyone who came out!). In case you missed it, here is a sneak peek (more photos coming soon!).

Langley Model Update

We are still waiting for Washington Gas to run the lines to the house (WE MADE APPLICATION IN SEPTEMBER) but they are still not operating on all cylinders. So frustrating. We are doing what we can without it but there will be a day very soon when we can’t do any more work until we have all utilities installed (i.e. we can’t install the hardwood flooring until the house is conditioned). Until then, here are a few pictures from this week…

Loving this quartz…

On The Blog This Week!

Did you see my post this week about how I designed my Master Bathroom? Check it out HERE.

I’ve also become quite the Meal Prepper. By spending a few extra minutes on a meal, I save hours (literally!). Check out the post HERE.

Meet Katie

When I mentioned getting a dog in my post last week, I seriously never thought it would happen THE NEXT DAY. But it did! We welcomed Katie on Saturday – she is soooooo sweet!

Thank you for stopping by my blog today! Enjoy this gorgeous weather while it lasts!

Dream Big. Build Smart.

The Master Bath of My Dreams! How Sarah Designed Her Master Bathroom.

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I’ve always dreamed of having a spacious, spa like Master Bathroom with a vanity. Oh, a vanity! I’ve always, always, ALWAYS dreamed of a vanity. Even when I was a little girl I loved doing my hair and makeup, and I wished I had a special place to get ready.

In our old house, we had two small bathrooms. The shower I used was one of those old, yucky plastic showers that closely resembled a shower you might see on a ship. Not a nice cruise ship. Like a sailboat. The bathroom not only was yucky but lacked storage and had zero counter space. And whenever I’d use my blow dryer and someone else used the toaster, I’d blow a fuse.

Nice!

So not spa like!

When we were building our home (a Penrose Model), Dan and I both wanted to prioritize the bathroom. Like Jen, we wanted space, functionality, and privacy (well, we have three young kids…so privacy…at a minimum! Jen, can you build be a SheShed?!). Of course, I also wanted it to feel luxurious.

Want to see how I designed my bathroom? Come on in!

My Master Bath! Come on in!

The Tile

I opted to use the same tile on the floor, in the shower, and around the tub. I picked this tile because as Dan and I were making our selections, Jen was finishing up one of her latest spec homes, a Clarendon Model in Falls Church. I fell in love with the Master Bathroom. She picked tile in the color Snow and a glass listello for the shower and tub surround. As soon as I walked into that bathroom, I texted her, and I said I loved that tile so much that I wanted to lick it!

My inspiration! Jen’s spec model in Falls Church.

HA!

Have you ever felt that passionately about tile? Then that’s the tile for you!

I love it because it’s light colored (we only have one window in there – more on that later.) and feels like a spa. So serene and soft. But it’s also neutral.

The Shower

Anyone who visits our house laughs when they see our shower. Yep. It’s pretty big, bigger than the Penrose floor plan (we enlarged it). After years of showering on ship-size showers, we wanted a big, BIG shower. And that’s what we got! I love the rain head and the two other separate shower heads. It feels so nice! I also love how big its because I have three kids, and I can put them all in there to shower at once. #winning

LOVE my shower!

The Tub

In addition to dreaming of a vanity and a big shower (I have a lot bathroom dreams!), I wanted a soaking tub. I teach group fitness classes and work out a lot, so I’ve got a lot of achy muscles. Plus, remember how I have three kids?!

I wanted a big, comfy, soaking tub, and we also opted for the jets. I love this tub. I don’t get to use it as often as I’d like (did I mention I had three kids?!). But whenever I do, I just soak it up! I get my Epsom salts going, some lavender oil….ahhh….

The Vanity

According to me, the key to a happy marriage is either 1) separate bathrooms or 2) separate vanities. Our bathroom is big enough to accommodate a nice long vanity with two sinks and a makeup/hair doing area. That makeup area isn’t in the original drawings. We took a few feet out of Dan’s closet (Sorry, I’m not sorry, Dan!) to create that area. On our plans, I specified I needed two sets of outlets there. I want to be able to plug in my hair dryer, make up mirror, flat iron, etc…

I also have a long, skinny drawer under the makeup are for my, well, makeup stuff. And do you like my chair?! It’s a ghost chair I got on Amazon. I love it. It’s comfortable and easy to clean and can withstand the humidity of the bathroom.

The Window

This window wasn’t in the original plans. The only window in the original plans is the window in the commode room. Jen and the team worked with me to get another window in the bathroom. We talked about swapping the tub and vanity areas, but I expressed how important that vanity was to me, so we found another way.

This is why I loved working with NDI: they listened to what was important to me, and they got me what I wanted. We all searched around on Houzz and came across the idea of putting the window above my vanity area. The team pointed out that I couldn’t put a mirror there if we put in a window, but I told them that was fine with me because I wanted a moveable mirror I could pull close to me for makeup application. (The team learned a lot about my grooming habits while making this bathroom! Thanks, Team!)

I love how it turned out, and everyday I’m glad we put in that window!

I’m so happy with my bathroom. I’d still love to add more decor, like something really pretty over the tub. What do you think? A piece of art? Or a pretty sunburst mirror? It’s a big wall, so it’s got to be substantial! I’m all ears!

Sarah’s Home Office

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I love my job because everyday is different. I do some of this, I do some of that. Some of my work I do “in the field” (meaning out and about looking at our homes under construction), some I do at the Design Center, some I do in our corporate office. And some I do at home.

In our old house, I had a teeny tiny home office that doubled as my closet. There wasn’t enough room in our Master Bedroom for my clothes and Dan’s clothes, so we moved all my stuff into my dressing room/home office. I’ve always had a job that required some sort of work-at-home, so when we were building our house, I wanted a home office.

We are fortunate to have the extra space, so the extra room in our basement serves as JUST my office. I love that, and everyday when I walk in here, I’m so grateful. It’s a HUGE room with HUGE windows. We added those. Our original plan only had one set of windows, but since we have a walk out, we wanted to take full advantage and let in all the light. Everyday I’m glad we added those windows.

We carpeted our basement, including this office. Since we have three kids and a dog, we knew they would trash the carpet at some point (which is why we opted for the standard carpet). And trash it they did – in my office. My sweet middle child somehow got into RIT dye. You know, the very, very staining dye used for clothes? I don’t even know why I had it or where he found it. But he got into it and sprinkled it all over my office carpet. Did I mention it was BLUE dye?!

So sad. So ugly.

I lived with it for over a year. And then various other “accidents” occurred on this carpet. I’ll spare you the details. But let’s just say it smelled and looked awful.

A few months ago, Dan and I decided it was high time to replace the carpet. We thought about going with the same floor we have upstairs, and I also considered a luxury vinyl plank. I decided against using the same floor we have upstairs because I felt like doing something different down in my office. I strongly considered that luxury vinyl plank. I love the color and look – it’s beautiful. And the durability can’t be beat. But in the end, I went with engineered wood in a dark stain.

Why? A few reasons. This room would make an excellent guest room, in-law suite, or au pair suite. If we decided to sell the house, another family might not love that the upstairs is wood and the basement bedroom is a different material, especially vinyl. I like vinyl. But other people don’t. So I wanted it to be appealing to lots of people.

I ended up with an engineered wood in the color smoke. This floor is a STANDARD NDI option for you! If you’re not a fan of the stain, no worries. It comes in other colors. We have it installed in a couple other shades at our Design Center.

So, how do I like it?

I LOVE it!

I was a little worried that the dark was a bold choice. And if this room didn’t get as much light, it probably wouldn’t have been great. But this room is so big and so drenched in light, it works. I love how it grounds the room, and I love how my white desk pops against the floor.

Since it’s dark, does my Labrador’s hair show up all over the floor? Yep, it does. But I’m okay with that. I just vacuum up.

If you’re building a home, and you’d really love to have hardwoods everywhere but it’s not in your budget right now, just go for the carpet. It’s something you can change out later after someone spills wine or a kid tracks in muddy shoes.

I’m glad we waited and did the floors later. I love my office! Now, if only my kids couldn’t find me down here! Ha!

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