This might sound hokey, but . . . that's how I felt when about our architect's first sketch of our house exterior.

My DH! Although he probably wouldn't want to be considered an "item".

: )

Holy crap, that looks like the fusion granite I wanted SOOOO bad! It was about $$200 a sq ft tho! :( It's gorgeous CP!

mrs pete: can we see a pic of the exterior you saw?

cp that slab is gorgeous!

omelet: love it <3

I only WISH I could find stone that spoke to me the way cp's does to her. I walked an entire stone warehouse today and saw nothing - NOTHING - that I'd be willing to spend $$ on. Called my DH and said if these are my choices, I'll happily do Formica.

No fun unless you show a pic with the feature! What a great post Mrs. P.

i love this transom and want to include this look in my house.

Queen Anne Shingle Style Beach House · More Info

cpartist I LOVE your slab!!!! Wow the colors!!! Love love love! For me, I think the thing that I immediately said "that's it" was some of our tile I bought for backsplashes.

I saw the exterior while watching Fixer Upper. Here's the original house -- not that it's bad, but it's not anything special:

CP, that is a beautiful stone.

Red, I also like that transom!

black leathered granite countertops and my house plan ....i loved the plan from the first time i saw it, 17 years before it was built many other plans came and went, but this one stayed.....

cpartist, that stone is like a fairytale, I love it!

Holy crap, that looks like the fusion granite I wanted SOOOO bad! It was about $$200 a sq ft tho! :( It's gorgeous CP!

Thank you! It's very similar to the fusion granites I've seen. Price is expensive but not $200 a square foot! Stones like this definitely become the showpiece of the kitchen and I can't wait to caress it in my new kitchen. (Yes I know that sounds strange, but even though I at first hesitated because it's so green and busy, I knew I had to have it.)

Thank you chicagoans, Laurel, lookintomyeyes and mrspete.

mrspete, I remember that episode. I agree it's beautifully done.

ILoveRed, I wanted transoms but can't have it all. :)

This might sound hokey, but . . . that's how I felt when about our architect's first sketch of our house exterior.

Now that's a good architect!

Wonderful stone, cp!

Mrs Pete, that is gorgeous! But where are all of the people who are on here freaking out about how much they hate painted brick? :) Or maybe that is on the Decor forum...but every time I recommend painting a tired old brick house some lovely color scheme like yours, people come out of the woodwork screaming about not painting brick. Sometimes it is absolutely the right choice.

There were many, many things I fell in love with at first sight and immediately incorporated into my home. I saw an article about Christopher Peacock's own kitchen, fell in love with his island, and boom-that's what my island looks like! Of course, my island is not an actual Peacock island (otherwise I'd only HAVE an island, there'd be no budget left for the rest of the cabs, lol) but sure looks pretty darn close!

It seems like everything that was 'love at first sight' cost me money! The galvanized vintage/industrial-look ceiling fan in the kitchen was 3 times what I ever paid for a ceiling fan. Same for the Kohler Memoirs toilet in the powder room. The funky little antique corner sink was a bargain, but the adjustable bridge faucet needed to make it work took my breath away.

The antique 5 panel doors were a bargain (10 matching doors for $10 each), and I did pretty well on antique glass door knobs and matching Art Deco backplates. I have a number of antique lighting fixtures that were bargains as well, at least compared to new reproductions. I skim ebay and craigslist looking for things that speak to me.

nini I'd be one of the people freaking out about painting brick!! Sometimes it can look better - I absolutely agree. But for those of us from northern climates, the freeze/thaw is brutal and as awful as it is to have to scrape and repaint wood clapboard, brick is 100x worse. In Chicago, even the best paint job will only look good for a couple of years - that's a very expensive line item on house upkeep. Brick is a no/low maintenance product and painting it totally defeats that purpose. Finding a way to alter trim colors, or roof color or landscaping to make a less than attractive brick look more attractive is always a better option from a maintenance perspective.

It wasn't the first rendition from our architect but when he emailed me a subsequent version it jumped off the screen despite the fact that I told him no hip roof, not ever not never!! Thank goodness he knew when to ignore me!

And this ceiling detail had me at hello. It's similar to our entry layout so that connection was immediate. But it's the combination of beams, white paint and somewhat rustic wood that I love and will copy as much as I can with simpler profile casing and no wainscot.

But with a front door like this

but every time I recommend painting a tired old brick house some lovely color scheme like yours, people come out of the woodwork screaming about not painting brick.

What DLM said, and also another reason. I really have no problem if someone paints a 1960's-70's tract house with no distinguishing features. Where I wind up being one of the folks who "scream" is when someone wants to paint an old (pre WWII) house where the brickwork is an integral part of the look of the house and adds to the character of the old house.

The IKEA butcher block was true love, and the more beaten up it is, the better I like it. The Benjamin Moore Color Stories series got me at hello. And I still like my commercial vinyl, which has no real pattern, just a mottled look like wet concrete. The Mirage hardwood floors are darn good, too. I'm going to use the same things in my next house.

Stones like this definitely become the showpiece of the kitchen and I
can't wait to caress it in my new kitchen. (Yes I know that sounds
strange, but even though I at first hesitated because it's so green and
busy, I knew I had to have it.)

I'd say keep the cabinets around it -- and the light fixtures too -- very simple so it can be "the star". It's lovely.

Mrs Pete, that is gorgeous! But where are all of the people who are on
here freaking out about how much they hate painted brick? :)

Since this house doesn't yet exist, we can opt for a light-colored brick. Might not be as light as true whitewashed brick. The house on the next corner from us is a cream-colored brick (not painted, just a light brick), and I could be happy with that.

DLM, that's a great entryway and would totally fit the "feel" of the house we're building. My mom has an arched door (single, not double), and when she replaced it, it was big bucks -- had to be custom made. It's a lovely door though. I say this in case you waiver on your "this door instead".

Thinking of things that just speak to you, I just remembered: I have a set of flowered plates (used) that were a gift from my grandmother. They wouldn't fit into my house now, but I have them carefully packed away. Things you instantly "must have" don't have to be big and expensive.

And another thing: Handmade Celtic dragon tiles and Celtic drawer pulls. When I saw them, I knew I had to have them -- the only question was, for the kitchen or the master bath?

No going back on the door - it's in production!

I'd say keep the cabinets around it -- and the light fixtures too -- very simple so it can be "the star". It's lovely.

Thank you. And also the backsplash too. No the stone is the star. In fact I originally wanted to use a hickory floor throughout my house but felt it might compete too much with the granite so switched to a white oak.

Bambi. I was two. We were at the drive-in. I still love deer and put up with them in the garden because of Bambi...and then Rudolph : )

House items...probably the brick fireplace in our farmhouse. It's one of the reasons I want to remodel our farmhouse, just to use that fireplace!

Oh, and Belle de Crecy gallica roses. They are absolutely beautiful. They change color and look like something you would imagine a fairytale rose would look like.

Other favorite, Celsiana damask rose...because it also changes from pink to light pink to almost white. And both bushes have roses in all the shades at the same time, as they open on different days.

Mushcreek - I would love to see a pic of your vintage galvanized ceiling fan!!

Our vintage clawfoot tub with original, pristine finish and original "bulb" faucets with porcelain hot/cold/shower handles. We found them on Craigslist for $250, and took a chance on driving for two hours on the seller's word that it was as good as the photos and that she wouldn't sell it out from under us. Luckily, she was honest. Our builder absolutely could not understand why we would put a "dated" (his word) tub in a new house, but it was part of my vision for The Cabbage from day one, and every time I walk into the bathroom I love it even more -- a hot bath and a glass (or two) of wine is heaven.

Missi- Not actually vintage, but 'vintage-looking'. Ironically, it is by the Modern Fan Company. I like the way it goes with our tin ceiling.

The architect. Or maybe the client. The future Mrs. Architectrunnerguy saw me and thought "I want him to design a house for me someday" while I'm thinking "I have to design a house for her someday"....to date it's been three!

Three houses. It's a good thing she hasn't changed her mind about which architect she wants to design her house. ;)

(MrsPete, did you see this thread? http://ths.gardenweb.com/discussions/3948042/mrspete-did-you-use-the-tabarka-tile?n=2)

My Rainforest Green "marble" slabs for my countertops. I was pretty sure I wanted RFG and then I found 2 gorgeous slabs and I was convinced. I am having them installed later this month. I will post a pic.

To go along with that - I have been looking at kitchen faucets and reviews for weeks now. Last night I came across a Delta Champagne Bronze faucet and I knew it was what I wanted! Little concerned about mixing the bronze with stainless (appliances), but hey - anything goes right?! Now just shopping price and where to purchase it. Very excited!