Monday, May 23 2022 - Welcome
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Black House Blue Sky
A creative lifestyle blog by Michel McClamrock Van Devender.
  • THE GOODS
    • THE GOODS

      YOU CAN NOW SHOP OUR CUSTOM DESIGNED +…

  • OUR HOUSES
    • OUR HOUSES

      THE HOME EDIT: PAIRING DOWN + LIVING WITH…

      OUR HOUSES

      HOME TOUR: OUR MODERN BLACK HOUSE NEW BUILD…

      OUR HOUSES

      NOTE CHANDELIER: UNIQUE LIGHTING FOR THE HOME

      OUR HOUSES

      OUR MODERN BUILD: STYLE

      OUR HOUSES

      NEW HOUSE UPDATE: WE HAVE DRYWALL

  • INTERIOR + EXTERIOR
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      FRIDAY MUSINGS: I WANT TO LIVE IN A…

      INTERIOR + EXTERIOR

      SUMMER IS COMING: THE BEST IN SWIMMING POOL…

      INTERIOR + EXTERIOR

      FRIDAY MUSINGS: NEW HOUSE 2.0

      INTERIOR + EXTERIOR

      BLACK KITCHEN CABINETS: DESIGN TREND OR NEW CLASSIC?

      INTERIOR + EXTERIOR

      KEEPING IT INTERESTING: MAKING A STATEMENT WITH YOUR…

  • STYLE + FASHION
    • STYLE + FASHION

      ALL THAT SPARKLES: HOW TO ADD PRETTY SEQUINS…

      STYLE + FASHION

      I HAVE A BIG STYLE CRUSH: ERIN WASSON…

      STYLE + FASHION

      21 FAUX FUR COATS THAT WILL ALWAYS BE…

      STYLE + FASHION

      I HAVE A BIG STYLE CRUSH: JENNA LYONS…

      STYLE + FASHION

      EASY, EFFORTLESS STYLE: ENTER THE MAXI DRESS

  • FOOD + DRINK
    • FOOD + DRINK

      SIMPLE ONE POT HOMEMADE TOMATO SOUP

      FOOD + DRINK

      NOT GONNA LIE, IT’S THE BEST CARROT CAKE…

      FOOD + DRINK

      THE BEST TURKEY BURGER RECIPE FROM BLUE APRON

      FOOD + DRINK

      OUR FAVORITE HALLOWEEN DINNER: HOW TO MAKE MUMMY…

      FOOD + DRINK

      A SUPER EASY PEACH CRUMBLE WITH GRANOLA TOPPING…

  • TRAVEL
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      A STYLISH STAY IN MONTAUK, NEW YORK

      TRAVEL

      A STYLISH STAY IN NEW YORK CITY: ACE…

      TRAVEL

      STAY IN STYLE: NEW ORLEANS

      TRAVEL

      TRAVEL FINDS: A STUNNING NEW YORK CITY MODERN…

      TRAVEL

      GET OUT OF TOWN: HIGH POINT NC FURNITURE…

  • LIFE + ETC.
    • LIFE + ETC.

      HOW TO MAKE EASY NATURAL EASTER EGG DYES

      LIFE + ETC.

      OUT OF INSTAGRAM JAIL: RELEASE DATE 3-24-2022

      LIFE + ETC.

      INSTAGRAM JAIL: WHY I’M OKAY WITH MY DISABLED…

      LIFE + ETC.

      SKIN CANCER: WHEN YOU LEARN YOU HAVE MELANOMA

      LIFE + ETC.

      DIY: HOW TO PAINT LEATHER + VINYL WITH…

interior design

WARM, MINIMAL INTERIORS: SPACES I’M LOVING RIGHT NOW

by Michel Van Devender January 2, 2022

We’re craving some warm, minimal interiors right now – the clean, uncomplicated. I have to admit I’m one of those people who’s ready to take the tree down on Christmas Day evening following all of the holiday festivities. Due to a lack of energy and in consideration of my sweet holiday-loving family, I resist the urge. However; it does come down promptly on December 26, and heads straight out to the curb for pick-up.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE Christmas. We usually get a tree Thanksgiving weekend, decking the halls and singing “fa-la-la-la-la” all the way through Christmas Day. The day after though, I’m ready for it all to go, put away and ready for a clean slate, to begin anew.

As a new year signals a fresh start, it is also the time when I start thinking about purging and organizing. It’s my version of spring cleaning in the winter. I’m thinking about how to pair down, declutter and simplify our spaces. Being a person who is deeply affected by my physical and spatial environment, there’s always a fine line between the contents and layers of a home and then feeling like there’s too much stuff, and I’m suffocating. I’m kind of the pendulum swings from one extreme to the other kind of person too! I’m constantly trying to strike a balance, but sometimes you just don’t know you’ve gone too far, in either direction, until you’ve gone too far. 

Perhaps it’s also a metaphor for what I’m feeling in terms of our lives. How can we reevaluate our priorities? What we do with our time. Are we doing too much? Perhaps too much of the wrong things?  Who are spending our time with? Are we focusing on the important things? The things that really matter? How can we be more purposeful and intentional? What stays? And what can go? There’s always things that are complicating and cluttering, in our spaces, as well as in our lives. No New Year’s resolutions here, but we do always set some intentions for where we’d like to focus our energy. So here we are, evaluating it all.

Below are some minimal spaces I’m loving right now. When I look at these interiors, I feel a sense of calm, peace and order. What about you? How are you affected by your home and physical space? Are you too feeling a need for the uncomplicated and minimal, editing and revising a little here and there? 

Over the next several weeks, I’ll be home in tweaking and decluttering mode. Here’s to fresh starts and new beginnings and creating spaces and lives where we can learn, grow and thrive in whatever season of life we’re in! Happy New Year friends!

🖤💙,

via livingagency.com
via clear-glass.tumblr.com
via awanaystories.com
via Instagram @estt_living
via awelltraveledwoman.tumblr.com
via tomdelavan.com
via blog.thedpages.com
via vintage-london-rose.blogspot.com
via blog.thedpages.com
via we-are-scout.com
via mikelirastorza.com
via miloandmittzy.com
via nytimes.com
via mydomaine.com
via camillestyles.com
via bobedre.dk
via sfgirlbybay.com
via leanneford.com
via nordicdesign.ca
via vitasumarte.com
via hello-hello.fr
via homestolove.com.au
via thedesignchaser.com
via remodelista.com
via bobedre.dk
via thepoetryofmaterialthings.tumblr.com

Top featured image via Instagram @helloblogzine

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SCULPTURAL STAIR DESIGN: 21 BEAUTIFUL SPIRAL STAIRCASES

by Michel Van Devender October 25, 2021

Spiral staircases give me all the good feels. As a little girl, I have the fondest memories of my aunt and uncle’s modern house in my hometown of Concord, North Carolina. I spent many weekends there with my brother and cousin. My uncle was an artist and designed and built the coolest 70s contemporary house. It had large, oversized windows and sat back in the woods. There was a spiral staircase in the two-story entry that lead to his art studio. 

Since then, I’ve been dreaming of a spiral staircase. I’m thinking I may need to design an entire house around placing one of these functional, sculptural structures inside or outside of my home. I also have thoughts of adding a second story to our pool house, utilizing a white or black spiral staircase. Or perhaps, we’ll stack another shipping container on the one we already have in our backyard and finish off as a creative space, including a spiral staircase on the exterior to connect the upper and lower floors. 

Outside of their beauty, they are especially brilliant in providing a space-saving solution for reaching your second floor. Now, I’m not going to say they’re the best for high traffic spaces as the narrow passage generally only accommodates one person at a time. They can also be tricky for moving furniture and other large items from one floor to another. Those are minor details in my opinion, and I’m sure I could be creative with solutions.

And when I get to the point where I’m ready to incorporate a spiral staircase in one of my designs, how will I even begin to choose a direction? There are some really great examples out there. I’ll definitely start here with these images for inspiration. Which is your favorite?

🖤💙,

via bisca.co.uk
via lalalovelythings.com
via interiordesign.net
via blog.bloglovin.com
via remodelista.com
via Instagram @thelocalproject
via Instagram @dklifestyles
via Instagram @lagalerie.interieure
via pragmaticmom.com
via indoorsoutdoors.tumblr.com
via Instagram @reallivingmag
via Instagram @flackstudio
via eclecticlivinghome.wordpress.com
via hometalk.com
via www.cotemaison.fr
via deco.lepetitflorilege.com
via decoholic.org
via milkdecoration.com
via hugomompo.com
via cotemaison.fr
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round mirror in the home of marie olsson nylander. eclectic home.

WELL ROUNDED: HOW TO DECORATE WITH A ROUND MIRROR

by Michel Van Devender October 8, 2021

In our design book, mirrors are always a good decorating idea! They are brilliant in creating the illusion of more space, expanding a room well beyond its square footage. This is especially helpful in smaller, more intimate spaces; however, they work equally as well in larger areas. Mirrors also reflect and bounce light. At our house, we’re always looking to amplify our lighting. And really, who doesn’t also need to check their reflection in a mirror every now and again?

If you’re thinking about a mirror for your room, you’ll want to consider the different shapes available. Why not skip the traditional square and rectangle mirror in lieu of a round version? These literally come in all sizes and finishes, creating the opportunity for a round mirror moment for your interior. You can use a round mirror in most any place you’d be considering a rectangle or square one. The soft, curved shape of the round helps break and balance the angular lines of your room and furniture. Varying shapes in your room always helps mix things up and create visual interest. Round mirrors also tend to be a bit more modern than other shapes, although I do have several vintage mirrors that I’ve collected over the years that I wouldn’t call modern.

So, if you’re adding mirrors to your wall decor (and I think you most definitely should!), consider a round one. I actually think they’re a must have! And while you’re at it, get creative and play around with the scale in your space. Here are some of our favorite round mirror rooms showing the different ways they can be used. Hope you love the inspiration! Thank you for the visit!

🖤💙,

P.S.

If you like this post, you may also enjoy some of our other decorating idea posts… 

NOTE CHANDELIER: UNIQUE LIGHTING FOR THE HOME

WRITING ON THE WALL: CREATING UNIQUE ART IN YOUR HOME

DIY: HOW TO PAINT LEATHER AND VINYL WITH STUNNING RESULTS

round mirror in modern black and white living room
via myscandinavianhome.com
round mirror in neutral modern decor dining room
via Instagram @myscandanavianhome
surf shack pacific northwest home of kendra smoot. round mirror in neutral living room.
via jennikayne.com
via Pinterest - Milk Design
via Black House Blue Sky
via eye-swoon.com
via Pinterest - 2Modern
via anthropologie.com
via casaclaudia.abril.com
via remodelista.com

Top featured image via trendland.com

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WRITING ON THE WALL: CREATING UNIQUE ART IN YOUR HOME

by Michel Van Devender October 1, 2021

We live by the belief that there's no better place for experimentation + creativity than your home. It's our little lab + playground for all things creative - design, art, music, etc., etc.! -Black House Blue Sky

Looking for a fun, imaginative way to personalize and inject soul into your home? How about writing or drawing on your walls? Did I hear a gasp? Just to clarify, not all of your walls (unless that’s your jam), but designating one wall or a small area in your home. 

Many of you may cringe when I mention writing or drawing on your walls. I know, I know, there’s definitely a risk associated with this. What if you make a mistake? What if you don’t like it? I’ve always been one of those people who operates with the attitude if it doesn’t work, I’ll just paint over it! Nothing is truly permanent, right? After all, I’ve repainted rooms multiple times when I couldn’t get the color exactly the shade or depth I envisioned in my mind. It’s all part of the creativity and experimentation of design.

In our modern houses, I’ve really grown to love white walls and the blank canvas they provide for creativity and artwork. In my previous life, every room in our house was different, either painted a color or wall papered in various patterns (This Old House of Mine). A different form of creativity for sure. I still love seeing those homes out there, but personally evolved into loving mostly white walls, or at least for now! The white wall is the perfect place to put your paint and/or markers and imagination to work.

When we were planning and designing the spaces for our new house, I knew I wanted to designate a wall where we could write and draw. Our side entry mudroom ended up being the perfect spot. It’s a small area we frequent as we come and go in and out our side door, the place where we drop our belongings in cabinets and place our shoes in bins. It’s been a fun family project, each of us adding to the wall. Whether it’s an inspirational quote or phrase, a doodle or sketch, we’ve all contributed a little something. It is still a work in progress that will continue to evolve over time, as the wall art grows, and we fill in the gaps. And, when I walk in our side door, seeing the wall just makes me happy!

Honestly, there’s nothing quite like handing your kids some permanent markers and letting them have at it, with your blessing! This actually makes me laugh as we spent so many years trying to keep our sons from writing and drawing on our interior walls. I may even recall having to repaint a wall after one of our little guys went to town with a box of his beloved Crayolas. And now, here we are many years later embracing this form of wall art.

So if you’re looking for a creative alternative for your walls, writing or drawing could be a fun way to infuse a different type of art to a room or space. Whether you love writing, drawing or graffiti, you can adapt to suit your interior style and make it personal to you and your family. The below inspiration includes some great examples of how this can be done successfully. 

What do you think? Yay or nay on this one?

🖤💙,

P.S.

If you have young children who do not understand the concept of writing or drawing here, but not here, this may NOT be a good idea. Your littles could end up writing and drawing on all of the walls in your home!

Inspiration

via bobedre.dk
via eclecticliving.files.wordpress.com
via blackhousebluesky.com
via jeffreyharrisdesign.blogspot.com
via digsdigs.com
via simpleblueprint.typepad.com
via nytimes.com
via abigailahern.wordpress.com
via i894.photobucket.com
via archdaily.com
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OUR HOUSES

NOTE CHANDELIER: UNIQUE LIGHTING FOR THE HOME

by Michel Van Devender August 16, 2021

Scribble a note, write a love letter, paint a picture, create a poem, compose the lyrics, save a memory...

Ahh… the note chandelier. Anyone else good at skipping the thinking-through part before making a selection and purchase? You know the step where you consider the assembly. Even after all these years of design work, yep, I’m still guilty. Of course, I’ve done this many times with Ikea purchases. And, I think this chandelier deserves to be placed in the same category as Ikea furniture!

Thanks to Pinterest inspiration (see below), the note chandelier has been calling my name for years. With our new house, I finally answered the call. I excitedly clicked the purchase button, never, not even once, giving any thought to the installation part. I never considered all of the small pieces, and there are many… the 50+ steel arms, the same number of clips that all require adjustment. Oh, and all of the pieces of paper have to be attached to all of those clips. I would say I thought it might arrive as pictured, completely put together, but honestly, I didn’t think about anything but how cool the light fixture looks… sigh. 

As I’m putting this sucker together, I’m also now wondering how I will change the light bulb and dust the fixture. Hmmmm… the light bulb is now blocked by all of the steel arms. I’m sure dust will collect on all of these notes too. Oh well! Let this be problem solving and trouble shooting for another day. First, I have to complete the tedious process of getting this fixture together! If and when I finish, I’m sure I’m going to love it! And, I’m definitely looking forward to checking this one off of my to-do list!

🖤💙,

P.S.

If you’re interested in other projects we’ve been working on lately in our new house, check out DIY: HOW TO PAINT LEATHER + VINYL WITH STUNNING RESULTS.

How It's Going

My Note Chandelier Inspiration

via ilovebokkie.blogspot.com
via coolchicstylefashion.com
via apartment34.com
via thekitchn.com
via luciemoreau.fr
via italianbark.com
via thekitchn.com
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I COULD LIVE HERE: LEANNE FORD’S STUDIO SHED

by Michel Van Devender May 21, 2021

Ahhhh…. a creative space… it has been top of mind for me, especially since COVID. Short of moving to my own apartment, which I have threatened to do by the way… #momoftheyear, it seems like a more realistic and economical option. I imagine this magical, mystical place where I’m all alone, can hear my thoughts and feel inspired to make and create. In this place that only exists in my mind, there are no dirty dishes, no empty food wrappers, no soiled, smelly shoes, no worn clothes scattered on the floor. Absolutely none of this. Only beautiful, collected and created things.

For the past seven years, we’ve lived in modern homes with open floor plans and multi-functional, efficient spaces. We’ve intentionally designed our new homes with the goal of using the square footage, with very little wasted space. And in case you didn’t know, that’s code for nowhere to go to get away from everyone! It seemed like a great idea until the pandemic, and I’m sure when life is back to all the people leaving for work and school, it will be fine again. But for now, I cannot stop dreaming of my very own DETACHED studio space. 

As if I’m destined for torture, I’m scrolling on the Domino website and find a recent feature where Leanne Ford shares the process of converting her Pennsylvania henhouse shed into a dreamy rustic pottery studio and creative space. I. Am. In. Love! I would actually live in your shed Leanne and am available to move in right away. Just add a cute little vintage daybed with a French mattress. I think it would fit the decor nicely, don’t you? The gorgeous images have me transported, in fairy-tale fashion, to a studio paradise. As I read through the story, it just got better. Much of the materials used for the rehab project were found in the home’s basement and shed – french doors, terracotta tiles, a bar cart, vintage art, etc. I mean, what the luck! In the older, historic homes I’ve owned, there was nothing so cool and usable left behind. 

Leanne goes on to say, you can convert a shed used for storage into a place you’d want to hang in a matter of a weekend. Hmmmm… I’m not so sure about that, but I guess she hasn’t seen our container shed or have the dilemma of figuring out where to then store all of the necessary and practical items in said shed. Albeit, her shed looked to be chock-full of actual junk and required a big clean out and extensive clean-up. I’m sure she also has other storage options. 

I do love the Fords, their enviable style and how they make everything DIY look so chic. Who else, but Leanne Ford, can clean a filthy shed in a top to bottom all white outfit? For more details on the renovation process, check out Domino’s full story and the Ford’s video. Endless and lovely Leanne Ford inspiration can be found on her Instagram account – @leannefordinteriors and her website – leanneford.com.

💙🖤,

•All photography by Erin Kelly for Domino.

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SOFT, BOLD LANTERN LIGHTING WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE

by Michel Van Devender May 14, 2021

I will forever love lanterns, especially the dramatic, oversized variety. Illuminated, they cast the most perfect soft, amber glow over the space they grace, reminiscent of the full moon. They come in different shapes, sizes and price ranges. I think the lantern is a pretty impactful, dynamic light fixture for the money. It provides a lot of design bang for your buck! My absolute favorite lantern is made by Noguchi, albeit on the higher end in terms of pricing. They call theirs “light sculptures,” and they are pretty magical! For the most part though, there’s an abundant, reasonably priced selection of lanterns online, just a google search away. One resource I like is Hay. Their rice paper shades range from $25-$65 (you’ll need to add a light cord set). IKEA has a super cheap version. 

I actually purchased a gigantic lantern for our new house from the Finnish Design Shop, spec’d for our pool house. I received it before I realized the garage door would open over where the lantern would hang… sigh and ugh on this design mishap. So I still have a lantern with no home. I paid almost the cost of the lantern in shipping so returning it wouldn’t have been the most cost effective. I actually still have it and am hanging onto it with hopes of finding a spot for it. Or perhaps it’ll find a home in my next house! While I’m working on that, here are some of my favorite spaces with Japenese-inspired lantern lights.

🖤💙,

 

Serena Miitnik-Miller via instagram.com
via lightlocations.com
Annette O"Brien via instagram.com
via bloglovin.com
via dwell.com
via finnishdesignshop.com
via thenordroom.com
via improvisedlife.com
via remodelista.com
Annette O'Brien via instagram.com
via themodhemian.com
via leanneford.com
via sfgirlbybay.com
via lamaisonjolie.com.au
via finnishdesignshop.com
Nora via instagram.com
via architecturaldigest.com
via theglobalvilla.com
via stuff.co.nz
Caroline Feiffer via remodelista.com
Leanne Ford Interiors via instagram.com
via colinking.com
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via lizmarieblog.com

CHEERS TO A NEW YEAR: THE BEST HOME BARS

by Michel Van Devender January 1, 2021

hApPy NeW yEaR!

I’m not sure about you guys, but we’re grateful over here to have made it through this roller coaster of a year with its turbulent ride of big highs and low lows. It has certainly been a year of change, shifting and reprioritizing, individually and collectively. We’ve felt all the feelings, literally all along the spectrum, from day-to-day, minute-to-minute. Allowing ourselves to feel, process and grieve has been incredibly important and healing. Acknowledging and wrestling with the negative emotions allows us to move to the other side, through what’s necessary to learn, transform, grow and see the transit nature of it all. 

There is no doubt the struggles have been real, and at times, ugly… like the ugliest, or at least at our house! Despite this, we have found the positives and gifts in this season for our family. For some though, the pain and trauma is enormous, and there isn’t a silver lining. We see and know these people. Supporting where we all are as individuals and holding an enormous amount of compassion, grace and love for others and ourselves is a beautiful antidote to it all. So as we move through and forward into a new year, our hearts are filled with hope! May we not forget any goodness we’ve garnered from this year and carry this forward into the days ahead. May we also focus on being instruments of love and healing in our homes, our communities and in the world.

If you are a reader who enjoys a cocktail (or two!) from time to time, here are some of my favorite well styled bars! Cheers to you, your family and to an extraordinarily bright 2021!!!

🖤💙,

 

via jonnyvaliant.com
via sfgirlbybay.com
via blackhousebluesky.com
via skullandoars.tumblr.com
via sfgirlbybay.com
via domino.com
via linenandlavendar.net
via camillestyles.com
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STYLE + FASHION

I HAVE A BIG STYLE CRUSH: JENNA LYONS EDITION

by Michel Van Devender December 14, 2020

The crushing all started way back in 2009/2010… way before her HBO reality/documentary show, “Stylish with Jenna Lyons,” hit the airwaves. If you didn’t already know, Jenna Lyons is actually the woman who made J. Crew cool. She was responsible for adding a little personality and a lot of twist to a mainstream, otherwise bland brand… yawn. After her departure I might add, J. Crew, you’re right back there.

Jenna’s no one-trick pony either. She really caught my attention when I discovered we share a love for interior design. Her Brooklyn townhouse was widely featured in various design publications. Who could possibly forget her ink black painted bedroom and adjoining bathroom walls? Inspired by her walk on the dark side, I (along with droves of other people), painted my bedroom, obviously, black! Several years ago, Jenna renovated and designed a very different, but equally as covetable SoHo apartment. Some of my favorite features are the green hallway, the brass kitchen cabinets, the pink living room sofa and that over-the-top opulent marble bathroom (insert drooling emoji).

Her epitomize style is one part prep, one part funk, one part classic, one part trendy with a gracious side of quirky. Jenna is a tall walking study in contrasts, and she always manages to pull it off – and together. She successfully projects this oh so effortless chic. Ms. Lyons’ style encompasses more than just her clothes and home decor though, it’s also an attitude and personality. It’s the entire package – the glasses, the long legs, her shoe collection, her sense of humor, the honesty with a side of F-bombs and her seemingly kind heart. It’s all of this that makes her so darn lovable and enviable. 

Anyone else been a long time crushing on Jenna Lyons? 

🖤💙,

Jenna's Fashion Sense

via thepinkclutchblog.com
via flashcocopop.tumblr.com
via Instagram @jennalyonsnyc
via Instagram @jennalyonsnyc
via harpersbazaar.com
via Instagram @lambermcguiredesign
via thepinkclutchblogspot.com
via vogue.co.uk
via lefashion.com
via wwd.com
via elle.com
via harpersbazaar.com
via lefashion.com
via thecut.com
via glamour.com
via gq.com
via glamour.com

Jenna's Homes

Brooklyn Brownstone

Brownstone images via sukio.com

Soho Loft

Loft images via katieconsiders.com

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OUR HOUSES

HOME TOUR: 5TH STREET

by Michel Van Devender April 28, 2020

Hello and welcome to our modern black home! Thank you for stopping by… I feel so honored you’re here! I frequently have people inquire about our house, curious about how it came to be and interested in a tour of the interior spaces. I’m thrilled and excited to share the story and to give you a tour here on the blog!

Location

Our house is located in a historic, urban neighborhood called Elizabeth in Charlotte, North Carolina. Elizabeth is our city’s second oldest street car neighborhood. It features an eclectic mix of house styles, including Colonial Revival, Tutor Revival and Craftsman, with a strong representation of the Bungalow style. In Elizabeth, there have been scarce examples of modern architecture up until recent years. As you might imagine, our modern black house is a bit of a juxtaposition to the more traditional, historic surroundings; however, by architectural design, it intentionally relates to the neighborhood through scale and some of its design features.

Our Old Old House

Prior to designing and building our modern house, we lived on the same street, five houses down, in a 1920s Colonial Revival that we spent nearly six years meticulously renovating. If you’re a person who loves home projects, you know what happens when a renovation is complete… that’s right, it is time for new adventure! AND, just as much as I love design, I love change and a new project! 

When we started considering what our next move would be, we knew we desired a house more modern than the ones we’d lived in previously. I absolutely love the character and stories of historic homes, having lived in and renovated several before… the old creaking wood floors, the perfect patina of the burnished brass door hardware, the beautiful, single pane wavy glass windows and the multiple layers of paint that add a certain depth and texture to the walls. On the other hand, we were equally as well versed in the old house challenges – the small, segmented, sometimes dark rooms, the tiny closets and lack of storage and the old house energy consumption (yikes, we had paid those bills for many years!). We dreamed of a more open floor plan with lots of natural light. We wanted a house where you couldn’t stand at the windows in the winter and feel the cold air rushing into the house. And, we wanted closets and storage!

For The Love Of Modern

My husband and I have always loved modern architecture with its signature clean lines, open floor plans and large windows that bathe the interior in natural light (give me all of the natural light please!). For several years, we had toured many of these architectural stunners in our city through a local modern home tour called the Mad About Modern Home Tour. It is a rare opportunity to step beyond the front door of some of Charlotte’s coolest modern homes and see how people live in these spaces. Some are original, some are renovated, and they are all uniquely different and equally as interesting. We fell head over heels in love with the midcentury modern style! We were starry eyed and full of hopes of purchasing our very own midcentury house to renovate. Over the course of a year, we spent much of our free time searching the MLS for new listings. We were obsessed! There were nearly a half-dozen that came onto the real estate market in our area during this time that we had the chance to view. We quickly learned we’re not the only ones who adore these modern gems! It was a competitive market as the mid-century modern house had become a popular and highly sought after style of home in Charlotte. We made offers on at least three of these houses,  but at the end of the day, we came up empty handed. 

Change of Plans

Clearly the stars and timing weren’t aligning for a midcentury modern move so we were back to the drawing board. We decided to take a much needed break from looking at houses when an opportunity to purchase a house on our current street unfolded. It wasn’t exactly what we had in mind. The small brick cottage was badly rundown and had sat empty for several years after the owner, a sweet and adorable lady in her 90s, Ms. Harriet, had passed away. She was a well-known and beloved Elizabeth resident who had grown up as a child in the very same house she lived in up until a couple of months before her death. It was most certainly not the modern house we were dreaming of, but it was cute, and we loved the story of the house. 

Midcentury modern what? It didn’t take long for us to pivot and dream a new vision, seeing great design potential in the house. Loving our urban neighborhood, we jumped at the chance to purchase the house. I spent time developing these grand plans of keeping some part of the original house, updating it with something new out the back. I was warned by our architects and builder this might not be possible, but I ran with my idea and envisioned how we could take some part of the original cottage and pair it with a modern addition… the perfect marriage of the old and the new, contrasting styles. I love a great juxtaposition. It would be a cool, eclectic mix! I even had a vision board and Pinterest examples of how this had been successfully done with other houses. I was feeling stoked, inspired and raring to get started on this new project. 

The Reality

Unfortunately, the nay-sayers were right! Our excitement was quickly and disappointingly deflated. I’m often reminded – there’s the dream, and then there’s the reality! As we moved forward in the design process, we learned that there were several, rather large, obstacles in moving forward in this conceived direction with our newly purchased cottage. The first being that the original house was in substandard condition, having sat for years in need of major repairs. The brick on one side as well as on the back of the house was mostly gone, remnants of brick strewn all over the ground. The ceiling in the house was caving in due to a water leak that started in the attic and went undetected for several weeks while the house sat empty. The second, and most difficult obstacle to overcome, was the house was sitting on the current property line. Long story short, there are rules around how much you can add onto a house when this is the case without having to adhere to the property setbacks (i.e. move the house). The original footprint of 1200 sq. ft. would not accommodate our family of five, including three growing boys. Even if it did, renovating the original house would not make sense and would be cost prohibitive. We went back and forth. Ultimately though, after meeting with our architects, talking to our builder and looking at our options, including the financial implications, we came to the unfortunate conclusion that the house would have to be torn down. There was no part we could save. A bit of neighborhood history would disappear. Sadly, this is not unheard of in older neighborhoods. After years of disrepair, houses can reach the point where they simply cannot be salvaged.

Modern Construction

Since using part of the original house was no longer an option, we knew we would be building a new house. For us, this meant revisiting our dream of a modern house for our family. We quickly got excited about the idea of a clean slate and a new construction project. Yay, a new project! And, I was even more excited about the design/build process. From the architectural phase to the construction phase to the interior design phase, I loved every, single, last part of building our modern house! Even the crazy, things never go as planned, the problem solving, the collaboration, the quick and endless decision-making. Even the sh#* show part of it as construction is messy… that too! I loved dreaming a vision, the infinite planning, weighing the selections, and making the design decisions, each and every one of them. Routine visits to the construction site, watching the vision unfold, seeing the end product and moving into the house to make it into our family home. This is my kind of creative fun! And, NO, I’m certainly not going to lie to you and say that it was all rainbows and sunshine either, because it was not. However, I liken building a house to birthing a child in that you forget about the unpleasant parts of it, and the end result makes it so worth any temporary discomfort or pain! 

Our Modern House

It took nearly ten months from start to finish to design and build our current home. Designing and creating this modern black house was a dream come true for our family! It was rewarding and inspiring to collaborate with such a talented and creative group of people who tirelessly and passionately worked together to see a vision to fruition. We couldn’t be happier with the end result and have so much gratitude for our family home and the memories we are making here. As we move forward on the construction of our next black house, there will be many parts and pieces of this house we’ll be carrying with us to our new home. I hope you enjoy the tour! 

🖤💙,

P.S.

The images below are staged! Camera angles are planned and are forgiving. Our house does NOT look like this on a daily basis! Please know if you walked into our home right now you would find our beds unmade, clothes randomly scattered on the floor, clean laundry folded on our sofa (it sometimes sits there for several days), dirty dishes in the sink, toys and art supplies strewn all over the house, a weeks worth of mail and papers stacked on our kitchen island, etc., etc. On this very day, our front and back yards look like an explosion of outdoor kids’ stuff. Such is living a real, beautiful life!

 

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