Grove House: Exterior Inspiration

 I’ve always loved white houses with black shutters, they appear timeless to me, and never seem to go out of style. For the design of Grove House, this was the exterior I wanted to create. Defining the exact architectural style was a bit more tricky, since I’m drawn to both farmhouse and cape cod style homes. So our architect helped us create a hybrid of the two.

The house will actually be single story, but with dormers that will give the appearance of a second floor. And it will have long extended porches on both the front and back of the house.

We’ve decided on a gray slate tile roof to accent the white cement siding and black shutters. I think it will provide enough contrast and not compete with the other colors.

The studio will have small porches at both entrances. As I mentioned in an earlier post, there will be a Dutch door for the front entrance and French doors at the back, extending out into the gardens. I hope they create a warm welcome for visitors.

The process of designing the home has actually been easier than I thought it would be. I think it’s because I’ve spent years tearing out magazine spreads, bookmarking images (before Pinterest)…learning what really appeals to me and how we want to live in our new place.
Putting the plan into action might be a different story. Fortunately, I’m married to the guy who builds stuff for a living. Love him to pieces and wouldn’t want to do it without him.

Images: 1. Style Me Pretty 2. Haus Bau 3. The Ripple of Hope
4. Country Living 5. Spitzmiller & Norris