In our last post, we laid out a comprehensive list of the reasons that a Bellevue Home performs at a higher level. In this post, we'd like to discuss how our design philosophy leads to the beauty and character of the Bellevue Home.
Point #1: When you are searching for a home, quality is what you are seeking, not quantity.
At Bellevue, we believe that people shouldn't settle for a house with square footage but no soul. Not only is a house that is "too big" more costly to decorate, operate and maintain; it also tends to have a lower level of quality throughout, because much of the construction budget has gone into creating raw space rather than enjoyable space. Our objective is to create a home whose size is "just right" and to lavish attention on the materials and details that transform a mere house into a true home.
Point #2: In home design, "the fundamental things apply".
We are big fans of the movie "Casablanca", and thinking of design calls to mind the lyrics of the movie's key song:
You must remember this
A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh.
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by.
A kiss is just a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh.
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by.
In designing your home, certain fundamental guidelines should apply. Among these are:
- Take maximum advantage of the homesite's setting, including its orientation relative to the sun and the pros and cons of the the building lot.
- Create rooms that flow into one another while remaining distinct from one another.
- Create outdoor "rooms" as well, using the layout of the house and landscaping to enclose portions of the side and rear yards.
- Strive for rhythm and harmony on all four sides of the house, not just the front facade.
- Remember that "simplicity is the ultimate sophistication." (Leonardo DaVinci gave us that one, and it reminds us to avoid using lots of unnecessary variety--in roof lines, siding types, added "frills"--as a substitute for good design.)
Point #3: "Better ingredients = better pizza".
Perhaps we shouldn't reference a pizza commercial in discussing our homes, but we think that this statement (for Papa John's Pizza, by the way) captures a simple truth about creating character in a home--better materials make for a better home. Our eyes and our hands can sense when a material has real substance, so fiber-cement siding beats vinyl, solid-core doors beat hollow-core doors, and real wood windows, with real glazing bars, beat vinyl windows with the grills encased in the glass.
Point #4: A home with character is built from the ground up, detail by detail.
Making a house into a home is requires a multitude of small choices that flow out of a commitment to get the details right. Almost by definition, there are too many of these details to list here, but some we are particularly enamored of include...
- Windows that are "bigger than they have to be", to maximize natural light inside
- Working wood shutters attached with visible hardware
- True window sills on the exterior, and solid wood casings around the windows's interior
- Custom stain-grade fir front door with Baldwin lockset
- An old-fashioned "skirtboard" around the entire perimeter of the house
- Copper flashing in roof valleys and around the chimney
- 10' ceilings in our primary living areas
- Rounded interior corners with chamfers
- Plenty of nooks and crannies for display of special items
* * * * *
There you have it--a four-point primer on how Bellevue creates beauty and character in our homes. While it is often challenging to write about beauty and character, it is usually quickly recognized when seen in real life. So we invite you to visit us at Oak Park for living example of our philosophy in action.