architecture

DARK HOME EXTERIORS: 17 BLACK HOUSES YOU’LL LOVE

by Michel Van Devender April 28, 2022

It seems the black house club continues to expand or at least more are being posted and pinned out there. Either way, it makes me happy to see all of the black house love! I continue to see a mix of both traditional and modern black exteriors taking a walk on the dark side, proving black paint isn’t just for modern homes. There are definitely more examples popping up in and around Charlotte. In my opinion, the more the merrier so please keep them coming! Here are some of my favorites from my recent saves on Instagram. Here’s to living inspired! Happy Friday!

FRIDAY MUSINGS: I WANT TO LIVE IN A GLASS HOUSE

by Michel Van Devender March 4, 2022

Hello again Friday. So nice to see you. I hope everyone out there is safe and well. To say it’s been a horrific and sad couple of weeks would be a vast understatement. I don’t typically write about the state of the world on this platform, but right now, it feels almost impossible to not acknowledge the agonizing pain and suffering people are experiencing. As the continuing and escalating invasion of Ukraine continues, we watch the reports of the devastating effects of war unfold – dehumanization, massive destruction, the separation of families, hunger, displacement and death. It’s all dismal, heavy and overwhelming.

I think it’s pretty normal to feel helpless, at a loss as to what we can do as individuals. Beyond praying for peace, I believe one of the best ways to help is by donating what we can to reputable non-profit organizations who are mobilizing vital aide for the Ukrainian people. Even though it’s difficult to go about life as if everything is normal when we know it’s not and so many are suffering in the world, I do believe it’s also important to stay connected to one another, focus on the good in our own lives, to love boldly and remain hopeful, wherever we are and in whatever way we can. Brene Brown says, “Let’s not look away from the moments of joy and connection in our lives because we feel guilty – the world needs us to put more joy into the world.” Amen!

For us, joy will come this weekend in the way of welcoming our oldest son home from college for his spring break. We cannot wait to see him! We may relish and appreciate the time together a little more. The hugs may be a little longer and a bit tighter. He’s hopefully bringing his girl home with him who we cannot wait to meet. We’re planning to take advantage of the time we have together and this brief stretch of warmer weather hanging outside by the pool.

Most of you come here for the design inspiration or at least I think you do 🙂 so I’m still delivering up some of that today in the way of glass houses. I’m beyond obsessed! And yes, I want to live in a glass house! If you know me, you know I love windows, big ones and lots of them. The natural light and looking out into nature makes me happy. So my ultimate dream house has always been a glass box. I’ve been told this is fish bowl living, and I’ll gladly take it! Place that glass box on ten acres in the middle of the woods, but also close to the conveniences of the city and now you have my unicorn, pie-in-the-sky dream. The odds may be against that specific scenario unfolding, but I’ll keep dreaming!

Hope you have a nice, joy-filled weekend with your people. Sending love and hugs to everyone out there! Stay hopeful!

Top featured image via escuyer.tumblr.com

MICHEL'S HOMES

NEW HOUSE UPDATE: WE HAVE DRYWALL

by Michel Van Devender April 29, 2020

Woohoo… man, do we love drywall! It feels like Christmas over here!!! Framing helps you imagine rooms and get a sense of space, but when the drywall goes up, suddenly it actually feels like a home and a place where you could live. We’re celebrating this milestone construction phase with happy dances and cheers to the drywall team who made this magic happen almost overnight. And, that’s saying a like since we are onsite checking in many times a week. Our next Black House Blue Sky home is really starting to feel like a reality!

MICHEL'S HOMES

THE WAITING GAME OF CONSTRUCTION…

by Michel Van Devender February 17, 2020

February 17, 2020

Oh hi there, I’m over here at our construction site doing a little weather watching and a “no rain please” dance (if there’s such a thing). We’re beginning the third week in February. I think I can count on one hand the number of days we have not had rain in Charlotte this month. In the beginning stages of construction, this stalls the progress. You’re at the mercy of good ole Mother Nature, and it’s a praying and waiting game. So, I’m all pretzeled up crossing my fingers, toes, arms and legs for a stretch of dry weather so we can get this concrete foundation poured! I’m also ready for that red barn back there to go black! Both will be days for celebration!!!

ETC.

BLACK HOUSE BLUE SKY: THE INSPIRATION BEHIND MY WEBSITE

by Michel Van Devender January 16, 2020

Black House Obsessed

Welcome to Black House Blue Sky! Hi, I’m Michel, and I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve always had a fascination with black. Whether it’s the little, wardrobe-staple black dress or the stars magically dancing in the pitch black sky, I love the depth, mystery, neutrality, versatility and grounding effect of black. For years, nordic design publications have featured black houses, painted out of function (and probably form for their beauty – imagine a black house contrasted against the white snow) to attract and absorb heat in a frigid climate. If you’re interested in venturing down a rabbit hole, you can find endless examples on Pinterest.

In recent years, more and more dark-hued exteriors have been popping up all over the U.S., many of which are black – soft black, dark black and every shade in between. My design love for the black exterior runs deep as I opted for black on my own house, never second guessing or looking back. Black also tends to work well on many different house styles as you’ll see in the images below. When contrasted with a clear blue sky and a lush green landscape, it’s my idea of design perfection. So, love them or hate them, I think they are a classic and are here to stay!

Why A Blog?

When I first had the thought of doing a blog, it was rooted in a desire to inspire others by sharing all of my creative loves and passions, in one place, documenting the unfolding journey. I really didn’t know how this would happen, or what exactly it would look like. What I did know from the onset is that it would be my sincere hope to inspire and help others, creatively or otherwise. I wanted the blog to be image driven, reflecting my lifestyle and my love for design and all things beautiful, juxtaposed with authentic copy, telling the story of my life – the good, the bad, the real and the untidy, emotionally frayed parts too.

I’m A Quirky, Hot Mess

If you ever look at my photographs and graphics and think she must have it all together, I do NOT! Please know that most all of my images are edited to reflect my aesthetic and are part of my artist expression. On a really good day when I don’t feel like I’m going crazy, I’m still a clumsy, quirky, hot mess. I’m an analytical over thinker. I sometimes have a difficult time focusing and completing whatever task is at hand. I’m introverted and have social anxiety. I’m also capable, positive, curious, resourceful and creative.

On occasion, I do some pretty amazing things! I’m a mom of three, mind-blowingly wonderful boys and a wife to the sweetest, most patient guy. I’m always a parent and wife in training, trying to navigate and learn as I go. I love my people fiercely and tirelessly. I may be an over sharer… guess we’ll see. Through it all, I’m literally just trying to figure out what and who I’m being called to be.

Putting Myself Out There

The almost year-long process of creating Black House Blue Sky has been challenging. There have been so many steps – missteps, sidesteps, steps forwards, steps backwards. There have been starts, stops, detours and struggles along the way. All those months ago when I naively and enthusiastically set out to construct and build this creative idea I had for the blog, I knew absolutely nothing about setting up a website, a blog and had not written anything consistently outside of an email in years…. hello ginormous, steep learning curve.

I’ve always prided myself in being up for a good challenge, but bringing this idea to life triggered a paralyzing fear of failure, judgment and the “I’m not good enough” feeling. The putting myself “out there” has been a road block to my forward movement and progress. I’ve felt like a solo act on an empty stage delivering a bad rendition of an unintelligible soliloquy, with a spotlight illuminating my scars and the parts of myself that have been hidden from sight. There have been too many days than I’d like to admit that I’ve been sidelined, wrestling with bouts of self doubt.

Admittedly, like many, I’m my own worst enemy and a skillful master of constructing a critical and irrational narrative in my head. And then, there’s that caught-off-guard moment when I realized that constructing the blog is not the hard part. Eureka moment! The hard part for me is getting to the place where I’m comfortable letting go and putting myself out there, exposed for others to see.

The Real Work

Through all of this, I’ve been working to intentionally counter the relentless shit- show conversation I’ve been having with a big dose of self love, compassion, positive reframing and prayer. This experience has pushed me to get curious and honest about my fear of judgment and failure… and my perfectionism, facing and embracing that dark, shadow side. There’s freedom in learning to love all of our parts.

Believe me, this isn’t my first rodeo, and I’ve been here before. Slipping back into old, toxic patterns and behaviors happens. That’s what makes us human. I mean, I’ve read all the books before (special thanks to Brene Brown) and done a lot of previous work.

Honestly, the letting go of perfectionism is not the easiest nor quickest work, but I know it’s worth the ongoing investment. I’m worth the investment. It is also an ongoing process that takes time and patience. I do know for sure that perfectionism has never served me well. It inhibits me from being who I am, from being seen and from living fully into the imperfect human God created me to be, beautiful wounds, scars, messiness and all.

I’m also working on having some freaking grace for myself. Grace to make mistakes, to not have all the answers and to zig and zag on this journey. Aren’t we all deserving of that? After all, each and every one of us is a work in progress – exploring, floundering and faltering, trying to figure out our place in the world as a beloved child of God.

A New Beginning

So in more ways than one, I begin anew… a new blog, new work, renewed thoughts and patterns. This blog has been almost a year in the making from conception to this date, finally clicking the WordPress “enabled” red button. I’m incredibly thankful for this day and for the many people who have supported and cheered me on during this process. They have all showed up and been there at the exact moment I needed the encouragement. I’m literally doing a little, happy, celebratory dance over here! Hope you’ll join me as I begin this great, new adventure, learning and growing as I go forth into the unknown!!!

Some of My Favorite Black Houses

Photography credits in order of appearance: Unknown via Small House Bliss; Felix Michaud via Uncrate; Kalle Sanner via @est_living; Unknown via Design Milk; Philip Fics via Lonny; Met Wotkjaer via Stylejuicer; Unknown via @surfcollectivenyc; Andrew Hamilton via 500px; Ben Hosking via @est_living; Unknown via Joli Joli Design; Ed Reeve via ArchDaily; Unknown via Bloglovin’

TRAVEL

WHERE TO STAY: AUTOCAMP YOSEMITE

by Michel Van Devender October 31, 2019

Travel + Lodging – A Space

Oh, travel and lodging… I could write an entire blog post about how where we stay plays a big role in our travel experience. Honestly, it can make or break a trip for me. In the early days of our marriage, it was a point of contention for my husband and me. We would arrive somewhere and need to switch rooms or even hotels. And, by the way, it was not him! I so clearly remember when my husband and I were dating, and we travelled to Atlanta, GA, to see David Gray in concert (and wow, what a concert it was!). I was in charge of the concert tickets and my husband’s task was to secure the hotel. Easy, right? Well, what an experience it ended up being, in the process learning so much about the other! The room reeked of stale cigarette smoke, and there were soiled and stained textiles in most areas of the room… bedding, carpet, drapes, even the walls. Yuck…it was a stomach-churning kind of disgusting! This is a rather drastic example as we’ve also switched hotel rooms for lesser offenses. My husband could probably rattle off the list, recounting each instance with vivid detail. Spouses are always good like that, right?!

Interior Environments

Over time though, I’ve come to recognize that I am a person who is deeply affected by the spaces where I live and spend time. It’s indeed a real thing. There is a rather large body of research out there that has been conducted by behavioral scientists on how our interior spaces have a significant affect on how humans think, feel and behave. We are impacted, even if we aren’t consciously aware, by our surroundings. There’s also a continuum so some people are more sensitive to their environments than others. Where would you fall on the spectrum? I would fall in the “keenly aware” category. For me, it’s everything about a space – lighting (both natural and artificial), spatial layout, furnishings, textiles, colors, even the smell of the space. I have an awareness around this and try to plan as much as I can, especially when traveling. Out of necessity and the thoughtful, kind regard for those around me, I’ve also learned to be flexible when my surroundings are not working for me (and spend as much time outside of the space as possible!).

Our Yosemite Stay

Securing lodging in and near national parks can sometimes be tricky. Accommodations inside the parks are usually more limited and get booked pretty far in advance. Since our AutoCamp, Santa Barbara, visit several years back I had been following their social media accounts. Once they announced their plans to build a sister property outside of Yosemite, I hoped a visit was on our travel horizon. The property is located about thirty-five minutes outside of Yosemite in the historic town of Mariposa. I followed the progress and crossed my fingers that they’d be ready for visitors well before our summer visit. They officially opened in the spring and in plenty of time to work through any grand opening kinks before our July arrival. And indeed, we enjoyed a stylish, comfortable and relaxing stay! Thank you AutoCamp Yosemite! Now, if we can figure how to get to your other two properties, AutoCamp Russian Creek and AutoCamp Cape Cod! (recently announced as the first East Coast location and opening in the fall of 2020).

Lodging Style

We initially thought we’d stay in a beloved AirStream (as I’m obsessed with these metal bullet campers); however, with our middle and youngest sons being older and bigger, we decided we might be a little more comfortable in one of the modern cabins. That was definitely a good call… still small and cozy with a little extra room to move around.

Our Little Black Cabin

The Club House

Okay, in few words, I could live here! With its clean, modern, warm and dreamy interiors and exterior, I felt right at home hanging here. The clubhouse is comprised of a beverage bar, event spaces, a camp store and indoor/outdoor gathering spaces, including a pool.

A Look Around the AutoCamp

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