Tag Archives: exterior design

Arts & Crafts Style Home

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Cooley-Station-012-web - CopyAlthough this look has been around for a long time, the appeal of the Arts &  Crafts style has only grown in recent years. When you’re planning your next home, how about considering this warm and intriguing option?

Let’s begin with color. Arts & Craft architecture brings in rich dark colors to recreate the best of nature. This light and dark brown combination brings in classic colors for the style. In particular, the dark brown pediment echoes the feel of yesterday when the Arts & Crafts style first appeared. Notice how the white trim helps make the darker tones pop and keep the home from feeling too dark.

One way to spot an Arts & Crafts bungalow is by the porch columns. They always grow larger at the bottom, not unlike a tree trunk. The three columns here have that characteristic look.

Adding the rock base also demonstrates an understanding of the Arts & Crafts movement. The goal was a return to hand-crafted materials that take advantage of natural elements. This model, Sunset at Cooley Station, shows how the style can be reinterpreted in today’s new homes.

We invite you to visit this and our other models at Cooley Station. We think you’ll find them inviting and appealing.

The Pleasure of Water

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Legacy Models 053Many thousands of years ago, desert dwellers knew that the presence, sight, sound and feel of water moving helped people cope with the hot dry desert. Today in the Southwest, commercial and residential landscape designs improve when you add water.

The Fulton Homes’ models at Legacy take full advantage of water’s power to soothe and create an inviting ambience. Positioning a fountain in the front courtyard like this one at Legacy draws the summer back a bit and allows visitors to refresh themselves even before entering your home.

Legacy Models 104If you want water to contribute to the comfort of your landscape, the following tips can help you make the best choice for your home.

Stop and look: Does the water’s spray catch the light? Is there a natural place to dip your hand in to catch a bit of moisture? Is the fountain visually appealing? Choose a fountain that you will enjoy looking at every day.

Listen: Make sure you have a chance to hear how your fountain will sound. Does the water sound musical? Is it an inviting background to conversation or quiet time? If your yard experiences traffic noise, a fountain provides a great way to mask and distract the ear. Make sure you choose one that has the right sound for your needs.

Integrate it in the space” Does the fountain match the look and style of your home? Can you incorporate some of the same materials that you already have in your landscape to make a stronger connection? Consider adding rocks, plants, tile and any other elements that will make your fountain seem like an organic part of your yard, not an afterthought.

Follow these suggestions and you will discover the water feature that helps make your desert landscape bloom winter and summer.

 

Accessorizing your Outdoor Areas

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Legacy Models 065 (1)When designing a backyard pool space, often your focus is on the pool itself to the detriment of the rest of the area. This yard, from the O’Connor model at Legacy, shows how some careful attention to the furniture and features of your pool space can turn your yard into an appealing haven for family and friends.

Throughout this yard, clean lines and a contemporary style combine to make this yard clearly the result of a designed approach. The rectangular pool is echoed by the choice of rectangular stones for the hard surfaces. By continuing this same stone at the back of the pool with the raised area that holds the fountains, this yard maintains an inviting consistency.

Legacy Models 060 (1)Take a look at the lounge chairs surrounding the pool. Built for comfort, the blue cushions also add style by mirroring the color of the pool in a darker shade.

The planter shown in the photo to the right combines the sharp lines of every element of this yard with some height and color to break up the generous pool deck. Notice also the dark square next to the furthest lounge chair. Pieces such as these can be moved into various locations as needed, recruited to hold drinks or snacks around the pool.

Altogether, this minimalist approach with its clean lines and limited color palette lends itself to a contemporary approach to your yard. By taking this angle, the outdoor space for this home has the same design aesthetic as the rooms in the home itself. This yard demonstrates that design doesn’t need to stop at the back door.