Mila's Daydreams

: : One of my best friends (and probably one of red.house most frequent readers) is having a baby in a few weeks. She sent over this amazing and creative blog the other day. .Mila's daydreams. started by a mom on maternity leave who decided to get creative while her little daughter was napping. It's absolutely genius! She can do amazing things with blankets, fabric and stuffed animals. See more of what Mila is dreaming about.

New Simple Yet Dramatic Home Design

I just completed a new home design for a client that will be built in "Tapestry at Charlotte's Grove"; a new community in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.  This modern cottage house plan is a classic example of the kind of work I love to do.  Simple yet dramatic in form.  Clean detailing inside and out.  Open and connected spaces.  Efficient in it's use of space and relatively affordable to construct.  Here is a sneak peek at the exteriors.

Look for a variation of this design to be offered soon at  Simply Elegant Home Designs.

Mushroom picking +Sweet Paul

: : mushroom picking is a big "sport" in my family. I say sport because it's about competition. Each family has their own "secret" mushroom picking place in the woods surrounding our Swedish summerhouse. Mushroom picking is something I associate with late summer in Sweden. On rainy days when the weather doesn't allow us to sun tan on the dock or take the kayak out, we head to the woods looking for "gold". Gold to us is chantarelles (kantareller). It's our favorite mushroom, lightly seared in some butter and salt on a piece of bread it's the perfect evening snack. The photo at the top is proof of what a great mushroom year it was this year! And my parents picked another heap of mushrooms just this past weekend.

.Sweet Paul. has a fall issue out (2nd issue) of their new online magazine. Their recipe for creamy mushroom soup and mushroom risotto (photos above) sound delicious. So, if you haven't tried mushroom picking yet I would recommend you to, but make sure you know which mushrooms to pick and which NOT to pick.

happy hunting!

The Erickson Vancouver

These are some preview pictures of a current project I just completed the Interior Design for in the newest luxury development in Vancouver, The Erickson building, situated on the most treasured waterfront location in Vancouver overlooking False Creek. It was designed by the late Arthur Erickson(1924 – 2009), one of the masters architects of our time. 

“Beauty in a home conveys a sense of harmony and wholeness….created with the end experience of the owner in mind”
The Erickson Building Vancouver

 
The Erickson Building Vancouver

 
The Erickson Building Vancouver Dining Room silver leaf ceilings  

 
The Erickson Building Vancouver view from living room Patricia Gray Inc. 

 
The Erickson Building Vancouver looking south across False Creek  
 
  
The Erickson Building Vancouver looking east across David Lam Park 

The Erickson Building Vancouver onyx counter Powder Room

“Powerful design has a lasting and profound impact on the imagination. 
It sparks change, shapes our world and inspires our future.” 
Bottom Photo Credit: Albarosa Simonetti

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Home Design Ideas - Split the Garage!

At Ron Brenner Architects, I am currently working with a client on a new home design to be constructed in Rochester, MN.  Here we have run into a very common dilemma.  What to do with 3 1/2 cars worth of garage?   

If you put all of that garage to the side of the house you get one very wide plan.  If you put all of that garage forward of the house you get one very deep plan.  Many lots cannot accommodate either one of those plan arrangements.  So what I have proposed to do here is to split the garages into two separate structures.  The main two car garage is directly connected to the house via the mudroom zone.  The additional 1 1/2 car garage is placed on the opposite side of the lot; resulting in a nifty little entry court.  See sketches below.

Here you can see a birds eye view of the layout.  Notice the roof between the garage and house is low.  This helps to reduce the mass of the house.  Pulling the garages a bit forward of the front porch creates a nifty little courtyard.

view from street

view approaching courtyard

nice little composition

So when you develop your next house plan - please think about the impact of that garage and look for creative solutions.

Somewhere Over The Rainbow

This song is for a good friend who has just undergone major surgery!
You know who you are...take care and best wishes for a speedy recovery. xoxo
YouTube

In the mood to redecorate

: : something about the beginning of fall always makes me want to redecorate. This year I'm in luck, since our Swedish friends are moving in down the street from us (tjohooo), and they really have no choice but to hire me as their personal decorator (for a small fee of meatballs and tube caviar).

The inspiration above comes from Swedish interior magazine .Elle Interiör. I want the colorful textile lamp cables, love that cool table and adore the 'acorn looking' seating puffs.