The First of Many

The first of many Equestrian Country Homes is under way here in Tucson Arizona (actually in Marana & Picture Rocks).

Take a peek at the inspiration photo for the first home, there are many changes in the floor plan already.. but what do you expect from design builders? 

Dream Home Source >> See Pin Here

There isn’t anything revolutionary about the homes that we are rolling out in the Picture Rocks and surrounding areas. But, there is something to say about their charm and appeal.

The mass building era changed the way the Southwest looked at homes, in some ways this was good and in others, not so much. The quality of new homes plummeted while their sales prices continued to sky rocket. The problem? Value. We aren’t just talking resale value, although that is a huge reason for buying and putting equity in a home, we’re more focused on the actual value. What will this place look like in 5 years, 10 even? Will the roof hold up, will the quality of paint set a standard for the extreme weather that Tucson experiences? What is the cost to cool or to heat each home?

 A builder’s concern should be all of these things, because it’s their expertise. Standing by what you’ve built should be a standard. These homes aren’t high end, they aren’t custom, won’t be worth millions, but what they will do is hold their own. They’ll grow in value, and they’ll last for generations. Picture Rocks and the surrounding areas feel like small town America, the homes should be something to be proud of. Giving our neighbors a valuable buy isn’t just a quick need that is filled, they’ll now have an asset, that appreciates year by year rather than depreciating almost immediately. They’ll be able to get financing and refinancing when they need it. It’s the American Dream.

Let's Talk About the Tudors

I'm completely obsessed with interior design, yes, but I am also completely obsessed with architecture and exterior design. Living in Tucson most of that obsession is suppressed because southwestern architecture is so not my idea of beauty. Maybe because I was born in Arizona, grew up between Tucson and Vegas and am now back.. I just can't seem to get on the stucco wagon like everyone else.

Yes, it's quite versatile (bah blah blah) but let me get real with you for a minute. It's a cop-out. A total design cop-out these days, every single commercial and residential building is stucco'd and it's ugly.

Okay, I'm feeling better now that I got that out.

Low ceilings and stucco, that's what we have to show for ourselves here in Tucson, AZ. But to prove some folks have a grasp on architecture and the beauty it holds here are a couple must sees Tucson.

The Benedictine Sanctuary >> Read More

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San Xavier Mission >> Photography by Michael Chiago 

So now you're wondering what this has to do with Tudors. That long winded rant about Tucson and its lack of architectural adventure is a prelude to give you more of an understanding as to why I love design so much.. I was deprived as a child by living here. (Not really.. I tend to get a tad dramatic about this subject.)

But we're not talking about this Tudor... 

...or more recently known as 

Southhampton's Tudor House

The Tudors I am so crazy about are the style of home. The original style stemmed from the era of Henry VIII  in 16th century England and has grown throughout the years in more modern styles and designs. (History also really intrigues me)

What I love most about the style is the detail. In late medieval times the lower story was built with brick, for more esthetic reasons than structural, and the upper stories kept the wood and plaster look to keep the costs low.. brick was a luxury item. Sad to say.. it still is. 

Linenfold Paneling

I learned that Tudor houses actually made the use of an enclosed chimney a common building practice, before that the smoke just escaped through a hole in the ceiling. The detail in medieval architecture is absolutely amazing, it boggles my mind that today detail is virtually non-existent and that's just sad. Look at this linenfold paneling used in the era.. I mean come on!

Also.. I have a thing for pitched roofs. A pitched roof adds such charm to a home and.. attic space. So many homes in the southwest have no attic space. We like to call them “crawl spaces” because that's exactly what they are. There isn't room to walk the entire space because they usually haven't been given complete floors, just a small space allotted for “storage”. The rest is just made up of rafters and insulation, try and balance beam across and you'll probably end up falling into the family room.

Okay back to the Tudor. The pitched roof with thatching just adds another element to the design, it just does it for me. I love it. The homes themselves kind of remind me of gingerbread houses and that's just an obvious appeal.. from the choice of stone and brick exteriors, I just can't get enough of this home style. It's definitely on the list of Gina's Future Homes. Yes, that's plural.

Here are a few modern homes that have a Tudor influence. 

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LOVE THEM!