Architects Have Great Tools - Exterior Color Studies

At Ron Brenner Architects we have been working on a series of color studies for a client of ours.
I have included a number of the studies below.  The client has selected a medium gray for the base body color; however I also did a couple of non-gray variations.  The black roof is a given on all schemes.  Which one would you choose?

scheme 1 - all white horizontal clapboard siding

scheme 2 - gray board and batten siding, rusty corrugated metal inside porch and in 'link" area

scheme 3 - dark gray board and batten body color with white clapboard inside the porch and in link area

scheme 4 - gray board and batten body color with dark plum inside the porch and in the link area

scheme 5 - gray board and batten body color with white clapboard inside the porch and in the link area

scheme 6 - gray board and batten body color with dark gray shakes inside the porch and  in the link area

scheme 7 - gray board and batten body color with white shakes inside the porch and in the link area

home garden designs pictures.

home garden designs pictures.

Slovakia home designs.

Slovakia modern homes, exterior home designs.

Italian home designs.

Italian home designs.

stylish home designs.

stylish home designs.

Warm Air Rises

I received a question the other day pertaining to the image below.

"How much does it cost to heat a space like this?"

Great room view looking across dining, kitchen and living room.  The house plan can be purchased through Simply Elegant Home Designs at Hudson Simple Cottage House Plan   

Unfortunately there is no good way to answer this question.  There are simply too many variables involved; however I can give you one big generality.  Warm Air Rises and Cool Air Sinks - In the image above warm air will tend to rise towards the peak of the vaulted space.  Therefore, in warm climate regions high ceilings tend to be sought after because you don't want the heat near your body.  Conversely, in cold climate regions ceilings tend to be lower where you want to contain as much of the warmth as possible.

Warm Air Rises - Is one of the basic rules you should consider when designing an energy efficient house.  To me energy efficiency is the most important aspect to Green Design.  For more of my Green Design thoughts you might check out the following:
keep it simple 
top 10 green things to do

Modern home designs interior.

 modern interior bedroom design.

 modern interior sitting room design.

 modern kitchen design.

 modern living room design.

modern sitting room design idea.

12 Advent Calendar Ideas for Craft this Christmas!

Advent Calendar is THE way for count down until Christmas! There are some terrific ideas in this post for crafting your very own Advent Calendar. I love the little surprises tucked for every day, it makes waiting for Christmas so much more fun and exciting.

Easy Advent Calendar craft. Tiny gift bags and scrap booking supplies is all you need to make this modern elegant table centerpiece/decoration.

Love this adorable birdhouse Advent Calendar. I would be thriller every morning just pulling out the little cubbies :)

Cute, inexpensive and clever craft idea! Stash your surprises in this matchbox Christmas Tree. Let each kid make their own unique one :)

Beautiful uber stylish! Pick an ornament each day till Christmas to decorate your tree. You can even hang jewelry and mementos.

Repurpose a ladder into an Advent Calendar. Sew little bags and tie them with ribbons for a clever crafty Advent Calendar idea.

The simplicity of picking a present each day is so fun. Don't mark the day, enjoy the random draw each morning!

Advent Calendar cube cubby. This is a perfect way to decorate mantel for Christmas. Little reminders of the season and holiday cheer!

Great way to decorate small space. Tie a ribbon and hang vintage cards spelling 'CHRISTMAS' and matching decorations. Love how it ends with the Christmas tree right below.

This is my favourite, a beautiful Advent Calendar made of felt and gingham stars! Easy sew for someone crafty or just use 'no-stitch' fabric glue.

Easy Advent Calendar idea,ready in no time! Small cloth bags, ribbon and tack pins is all you need. Put it up on a wall or board. Cheat: Use glue instead of stitch and pop a bead to sinch the ribbon.

Wool and felt are the perfect fabric for winter. These felt mittens strung together is an awesome idea! You could even make some out of old sweaters or single/out-grown gloves. Shabby chic!

Paste a paper cut out Christmas tree on a door or wall. Use lots of sticky glue dots (removable) and pop the gifts on it. Instant colorful and fun Advent Calendar!

Can't wait till Christmas! Having an Advent Calendar will surely make the wait a little more bearable :) Enjoy every day of December with a little surprise for you loved ones, kids specially love Advent Calendar! Enjoy the Holiday season everyone!!

small modern home exterior designs.

small modern home exterior designs.