I Must Confess

I have been keeping a secret, but I wanted to wait until it was all wrapped up before sharing my big news! Now that all the details have come to a close, I am thrilled to share that I bought a new lot in Inlet Beach, Florida. I am going to design and build my dream home that will eventually be our permanent residence. I am so in love with the beautiful and quaint little beach towns along 30A in the panhandle of Florida, and I can’t wait to make it my home!

It would be my joy to invite you to come along on the journey, from conception to design, architectural drawings to build, and finally, the interior installation. 

 As I’ve developed my style and dreams for this labor of love, I have been influenced by my travels. Morocco, Paris, Provence, Italy, Turkey, Ireland, and Japan have all played a significant role in developing the design ideas for this home.

I want this home to be sustainable to the best of my ability. It is a massive priority to protect the environment, conserve energy and water, and build a healthy, toxin-free home. I will be using as many reclaimed materials as possible with a modern, minimalist approach. 

There will be tadelakt baths (Morocco, Turkey) limewash walls (Italy and France), concrete stairs and warm, reclaimed woods (France), stone (Ireland), with a touch of Wabi-Sabi (Japan). Where possible, I’ll be mixing organic, sustainable, and natural materials, with modern, minimalism, and of course, a bit of cottage charm. 

Whenever I begin a project, I like to put together an inspiration board. I usually ask my clients a series of questions to determine how they would like the finished product to look and feel. I want to know what is important to them about the home, as well as any essentials to create their very own dream home. Since this is my home, I am taking myself through the same process and creating inspiration boards for specific areas in the house that are crucial to the overall look and feel. Here are just a few things I’m excited about!

The Tadelakt Bath

Tadelakt is a waterproof plaster surface used in Moroccan architecture to make baths, sinks, water vessels, interior and exterior walls, ceilings, roofs, and floors. It is made from lime plaster, which is rammed, polished, and treated with soap to make it waterproof and water-repellant. (Wikipedia)

 

Concrete Interior Stairs

Simple, clean, and modern with that wabi-sabi element of perfect imperfection. Plus, it’s environmentally friendly. What’s not to love!

 

Limewash Walls (Remodelista)

Limewash is an ancient house staple dating back to Roman times. You can make limewash from limestone that has been crushed, burned, and mixed with water to make lime putty. Next, aged and thin it with water, then color it with natural pigments. Limewash surfaces appear mottled and matte with a chalky texture, like suede. It lends depth and luminosity to flat walls.

 

Reclaimed and Limed French Oak Floors

Every time I see these floors, I think of the magical beauty of Paris! It has always been a happy and inspiring place for me, and having that everyday reminder is complete JOY!

 

Reclaimed Wood Shelves and Beams

 

Fireplace

The heart of the home deserves to be the center of attention as it conjures up all kinds of cozy feels. The cool stone concrete works as a perfect combination between cool and warm! Just right for the beach, don’t you think?

 

Kitchen

 

Uncomplicated, clean, and unfitted, with a modern minimalist twist. That is how I like it!

 

Along the way, there will be a few surprises as well as video tutorials, how-to guides, and much more. We’ll be launching a new newsletter directly related to the Inlet Beach lot, so be sure to sign up so you can follow along on this journey from start to finish.

Join the newsletter

As you can see, we are still in the dirt stage. But in the coming months, I will be discussing all aspects of the concept/design/build process. So if you have ever dreamed of designing and building your dream home, tune in! I will be responding to any questions you may have about the process. I can’t wait to share all of my knowledge with all of you!

Love,

V