Timber frame homes offer unique challenges during a remodel. What often makes them beautiful and attractive to most homeowners, also makes them challenging for space requirements. Context: The lovely couple that owned this home were struggling with some interesting floor plan challenges that just didn't work for their family. The loved the beautiful timbers and woodwork of their home, but the dramatically sloping ceilings on the second floor, particularly in the bathroom, just didn't work for this 1 1/2 bath home. Needing to use the skylight to approach the toilet was a less then ideal scenario. Although the bathroom footprint was more then adequate, the sloped ceiling only made half of the space useable. Check out the Before/After post on our blog to see the photos of the house pre-renovation. As much as they loved all the wood features in their home, another challenge they had was light. The wood ceiling made everything inside the house darker, even with a fantastic array of south facing windows, there were spaces in the home that felt dark and small. When they contacted us they wanted to know how could they make their brighter and more inviting, were there solutions to the 2nd floor sloped ceiling issues, and if they were going to do all of this work, how could they make their home more comfortable and efficient. A nagging water leak in the upstairs bathroom spurred them into action and here is how we solved their dilemma. Conclusion: First, we added a little dormer to the rear of the house so we could get full headroom in nearly all of the upstairs bathroom! Then we decided to extend that dormer one more timber bay over to create a walk in closet with natural light and plenty of space. Since we were contemplating energy efficiency, we resolved a nagging issue that is present in a lot of timber frame construction, air tightness. Commonly found in timber frame construction, fiberglass insulation is installed in the rafter bays and board ceilings are installed over top. Unfortunately, board ceilings are anything but air tight, and fiberglass insulation needs to be in an airtight cavity for maximum effectiveness. So we were able to solve two issues at the same time for this homeowner. We removed the board ceiling and fiberglass insulation, we dense packed the rafter bays with cellulose insulation, and installed sheetrock in place of the boards. The boards were salvaged for re-use by the homeowner, and the space and light quality was dramatically improved. Some may think that losing the board ceiling took something away from the space, but what you'll see in the pictures is that it highly accentuates the heavy timbers and really makes them stand out in a beautiful way. Now with this added airtightness, better insulation, and brighter space, the homeowner hardly runs their wood stove, and it's so quiet in the space, an added bonus from changing the insulation. It became necessary to also add a sheetrock ceiling to the living room to hide the plumbing from the new bathroom layout above. Changing this ceiling gave the homeowner some real quality lighting that was lacking in the living room before. The brighter ceiling and new lighting layout completely transforms the living room into a space you want to hang out, even though the layout didn't change at all. When the homeowner saw the finished spaces she said "I can't believe this is my house, I want to live in this house" Energy Efficiency: I touched a little on the efficiency above, but like all projects done with Mottram Architecture, we always want to leave you with a little extra. Timber frame construction with board ceilings and fiberglass insulation are notoriously leaky! If you want to know what we think about fiberglass insulation, check our our blog post on Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks. By installing cellulose insulation and covering it with sheetrock we were able to greatly reduce the heat flowing out of this home. It not only improves cashflow it improves the comfort level in the space. Who wants to sit in their living room and feel a draft? Let us remind you, we are not saying cellulose insulation is an air barrier, we use the sheetrock to help with that, but it does significantly reduce the air flow over fiberglass insulation. And when we reduce the airflow, we reduce the heat flow. And when we reduce the heat flow, we reduce the need to re-heat that drafty air from outside. When it comes to energy efficiency the first and best place to start is air infiltration. We greatly reduced the air infiltration with the new insulation, but we also added a hat and warm boots. What I mean by that is, we improved the insulation in the roof, and we installed insulation in the basement. Maybe it's a silly analogy, but when you think about keeping warm, we always start with the hat and boots! With sustainability in mind, the next project will be to add a deck to the front of this house with rain catchment barrels from the metal roof. They are planning to plant a garden in the spring and the rain catchment system will help to irrigate the new garden. Builder: East Shore Builders Photographer: Michael Eric Berube

Timber frame homes offer unique challenges during a remodel. What often makes them beautiful and attractive to most homeowners, also makes them challenging for space requirements. Context: The lovely couple that owned this home were struggling with some interesting floor plan challenges that just didn't work for their family. The loved the beautiful timbers and woodwork of their home, but the dramatically sloping ceilings on the second floor, particularly in the bathroom, just didn't work for this 1 1/2 bath home. Needing to use the skylight to approach the toilet was a less then ideal scenario. Although the bathroom footprint was more then adequate, the sloped ceiling only made half of the space useable. Check out the Before/After post on our blog to see the photos of the house pre-renovation. As much as they loved all the wood features in their home, another challenge they had was light. The wood ceiling made everything inside the house darker, even with a fantastic array of south facing windows, there were spaces in the home that felt dark and small. When they contacted us they wanted to know how could they make their brighter and more inviting, were there solutions to the 2nd floor sloped ceiling issues, and if they were going to do all of this work, how could they make their home more comfortable and efficient. A nagging water leak in the upstairs bathroom spurred them into action and here is how we solved their dilemma. Conclusion: First, we added a little dormer to the rear of the house so we could get full headroom in nearly all of the upstairs bathroom! Then we decided to extend that dormer one more timber bay over to create a walk in closet with natural light and plenty of space. Since we were contemplating energy efficiency, we resolved a nagging issue that is present in a lot of timber frame construction, air tightness. Commonly found in timber frame construction, fiberglass insulation is installed in the rafter bays and board ceilings are installed over top. Unfortunately, board ceilings are anything but air tight, and fiberglass insulation needs to be in an airtight cavity for maximum effectiveness. So we were able to solve two issues at the same time for this homeowner. We removed the board ceiling and fiberglass insulation, we dense packed the rafter bays with cellulose insulation, and installed sheetrock in place of the boards. The boards were salvaged for re-use by the homeowner, and the space and light quality was dramatically improved. Some may think that losing the board ceiling took something away from the space, but what you'll see in the pictures is that it highly accentuates the heavy timbers and really makes them stand out in a beautiful way. Now with this added airtightness, better insulation, and brighter space, the homeowner hardly runs their wood stove, and it's so quiet in the space, an added bonus from changing the insulation. It became necessary to also add a sheetrock ceiling to the living room to hide the plumbing from the new bathroom layout above. Changing this ceiling gave the homeowner some real quality lighting that was lacking in the living room before. The brighter ceiling and new lighting layout completely transforms the living room into a space you want to hang out, even though the layout didn't change at all. When the homeowner saw the finished spaces she said "I can't believe this is my house, I want to live in this house" Energy Efficiency: I touched a little on the efficiency above, but like all projects done with Mottram Architecture, we always want to leave you with a little extra. Timber frame construction with board ceilings and fiberglass insulation are notoriously leaky! If you want to know what we think about fiberglass insulation, check our our blog post on Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks. By installing cellulose insulation and covering it with sheetrock we were able to greatly reduce the heat flowing out of this home. It not only improves cashflow it improves the comfort level in the space. Who wants to sit in their living room and feel a draft? Let us remind you, we are not saying cellulose insulation is an air barrier, we use the sheetrock to help with that, but it does significantly reduce the air flow over fiberglass insulation. And when we reduce the airflow, we reduce the heat flow. And when we reduce the heat flow, we reduce the need to re-heat that drafty air from outside. When it comes to energy efficiency the first and best place to start is air infiltration. We greatly reduced the air infiltration with the new insulation, but we also added a hat and warm boots. What I mean by that is, we improved the insulation in the roof, and we installed insulation in the basement. Maybe it's a silly analogy, but when you think about keeping warm, we always start with the hat and boots! With sustainability in mind, the next project will be to add a deck to the front of this house with rain catchment barrels from the metal roof. They are planning to plant a garden in the spring and the rain catchment system will help to irrigate the new garden. Builder: East Shore Builders Photographer: Michael Eric Berube

Pinnacle wood clad windows with Dove Gray and Charcoal Gray exteriors. The project utilizes direct sets, casements, narrow sliding patio doors, all with factory finished clear coat pine interiors Established in 1946, Windsor Windows & Doors offers quality windows and doors for builders, architects and homeowners, with a solution for nearly every application: Pinnacle Wood, Legend Cellular PVC, Next Dimension Vinyl, Bi-fold doors, and WinPac sash replacement kit. Our Pinnacle, Legend, and Next Dimension products are all custom-built. Each product is designed to meet your specific needs, depending on architectural style, regional preference and price point. Windsor is an Energy Star® Partner and our products are NFRC rated, meaning that they meet exacting standards for energy efficiency and durability. You can find Windsor products at select dealers throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada. To find a Windsor dealer near you, please visit the Dealer Locator on our website at http://windsorwindows.com/DealerLocator.page

Timber frame homes offer unique challenges during a remodel. What often makes them beautiful and attractive to most homeowners, also makes them challenging for space requirements. Context: The lovely couple that owned this home were struggling with some interesting floor plan challenges that just didn't work for their family. The loved the beautiful timbers and woodwork of their home, but the dramatically sloping ceilings on the second floor, particularly in the bathroom, just didn't work for this 1 1/2 bath home. Needing to use the skylight to approach the toilet was a less then ideal scenario. Although the bathroom footprint was more then adequate, the sloped ceiling only made half of the space useable. Check out the Before/After post on our blog to see the photos of the house pre-renovation. As much as they loved all the wood features in their home, another challenge they had was light. The wood ceiling made everything inside the house darker, even with a fantastic array of south facing windows, there were spaces in the home that felt dark and small. When they contacted us they wanted to know how could they make their brighter and more inviting, were there solutions to the 2nd floor sloped ceiling issues, and if they were going to do all of this work, how could they make their home more comfortable and efficient. A nagging water leak in the upstairs bathroom spurred them into action and here is how we solved their dilemma. Conclusion: First, we added a little dormer to the rear of the house so we could get full headroom in nearly all of the upstairs bathroom! Then we decided to extend that dormer one more timber bay over to create a walk in closet with natural light and plenty of space. Since we were contemplating energy efficiency, we resolved a nagging issue that is present in a lot of timber frame construction, air tightness. Commonly found in timber frame construction, fiberglass insulation is installed in the rafter bays and board ceilings are installed over top. Unfortunately, board ceilings are anything but air tight, and fiberglass insulation needs to be in an airtight cavity for maximum effectiveness. So we were able to solve two issues at the same time for this homeowner. We removed the board ceiling and fiberglass insulation, we dense packed the rafter bays with cellulose insulation, and installed sheetrock in place of the boards. The boards were salvaged for re-use by the homeowner, and the space and light quality was dramatically improved. Some may think that losing the board ceiling took something away from the space, but what you'll see in the pictures is that it highly accentuates the heavy timbers and really makes them stand out in a beautiful way. Now with this added airtightness, better insulation, and brighter space, the homeowner hardly runs their wood stove, and it's so quiet in the space, an added bonus from changing the insulation. It became necessary to also add a sheetrock ceiling to the living room to hide the plumbing from the new bathroom layout above. Changing this ceiling gave the homeowner some real quality lighting that was lacking in the living room before. The brighter ceiling and new lighting layout completely transforms the living room into a space you want to hang out, even though the layout didn't change at all. When the homeowner saw the finished spaces she said "I can't believe this is my house, I want to live in this house" Energy Efficiency: I touched a little on the efficiency above, but like all projects done with Mottram Architecture, we always want to leave you with a little extra. Timber frame construction with board ceilings and fiberglass insulation are notoriously leaky! If you want to know what we think about fiberglass insulation, check our our blog post on Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks. By installing cellulose insulation and covering it with sheetrock we were able to greatly reduce the heat flowing out of this home. It not only improves cashflow it improves the comfort level in the space. Who wants to sit in their living room and feel a draft? Let us remind you, we are not saying cellulose insulation is an air barrier, we use the sheetrock to help with that, but it does significantly reduce the air flow over fiberglass insulation. And when we reduce the airflow, we reduce the heat flow. And when we reduce the heat flow, we reduce the need to re-heat that drafty air from outside. When it comes to energy efficiency the first and best place to start is air infiltration. We greatly reduced the air infiltration with the new insulation, but we also added a hat and warm boots. What I mean by that is, we improved the insulation in the roof, and we installed insulation in the basement. Maybe it's a silly analogy, but when you think about keeping warm, we always start with the hat and boots! With sustainability in mind, the next project will be to add a deck to the front of this house with rain catchment barrels from the metal roof. They are planning to plant a garden in the spring and the rain catchment system will help to irrigate the new garden. Builder: East Shore Builders Photographer: Michael Eric Berube

Timber frame homes offer unique challenges during a remodel. What often makes them beautiful and attractive to most homeowners, also makes them challenging for space requirements. Context: The lovely couple that owned this home were struggling with some interesting floor plan challenges that just didn't work for their family. The loved the beautiful timbers and woodwork of their home, but the dramatically sloping ceilings on the second floor, particularly in the bathroom, just didn't work for this 1 1/2 bath home. Needing to use the skylight to approach the toilet was a less then ideal scenario. Although the bathroom footprint was more then adequate, the sloped ceiling only made half of the space useable. Check out the Before/After post on our blog to see the photos of the house pre-renovation. As much as they loved all the wood features in their home, another challenge they had was light. The wood ceiling made everything inside the house darker, even with a fantastic array of south facing windows, there were spaces in the home that felt dark and small. When they contacted us they wanted to know how could they make their brighter and more inviting, were there solutions to the 2nd floor sloped ceiling issues, and if they were going to do all of this work, how could they make their home more comfortable and efficient. A nagging water leak in the upstairs bathroom spurred them into action and here is how we solved their dilemma. Conclusion: First, we added a little dormer to the rear of the house so we could get full headroom in nearly all of the upstairs bathroom! Then we decided to extend that dormer one more timber bay over to create a walk in closet with natural light and plenty of space. Since we were contemplating energy efficiency, we resolved a nagging issue that is present in a lot of timber frame construction, air tightness. Commonly found in timber frame construction, fiberglass insulation is installed in the rafter bays and board ceilings are installed over top. Unfortunately, board ceilings are anything but air tight, and fiberglass insulation needs to be in an airtight cavity for maximum effectiveness. So we were able to solve two issues at the same time for this homeowner. We removed the board ceiling and fiberglass insulation, we dense packed the rafter bays with cellulose insulation, and installed sheetrock in place of the boards. The boards were salvaged for re-use by the homeowner, and the space and light quality was dramatically improved. Some may think that losing the board ceiling took something away from the space, but what you'll see in the pictures is that it highly accentuates the heavy timbers and really makes them stand out in a beautiful way. Now with this added airtightness, better insulation, and brighter space, the homeowner hardly runs their wood stove, and it's so quiet in the space, an added bonus from changing the insulation. It became necessary to also add a sheetrock ceiling to the living room to hide the plumbing from the new bathroom layout above. Changing this ceiling gave the homeowner some real quality lighting that was lacking in the living room before. The brighter ceiling and new lighting layout completely transforms the living room into a space you want to hang out, even though the layout didn't change at all. When the homeowner saw the finished spaces she said "I can't believe this is my house, I want to live in this house" Energy Efficiency: I touched a little on the efficiency above, but like all projects done with Mottram Architecture, we always want to leave you with a little extra. Timber frame construction with board ceilings and fiberglass insulation are notoriously leaky! If you want to know what we think about fiberglass insulation, check our our blog post on Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks. By installing cellulose insulation and covering it with sheetrock we were able to greatly reduce the heat flowing out of this home. It not only improves cashflow it improves the comfort level in the space. Who wants to sit in their living room and feel a draft? Let us remind you, we are not saying cellulose insulation is an air barrier, we use the sheetrock to help with that, but it does significantly reduce the air flow over fiberglass insulation. And when we reduce the airflow, we reduce the heat flow. And when we reduce the heat flow, we reduce the need to re-heat that drafty air from outside. When it comes to energy efficiency the first and best place to start is air infiltration. We greatly reduced the air infiltration with the new insulation, but we also added a hat and warm boots. What I mean by that is, we improved the insulation in the roof, and we installed insulation in the basement. Maybe it's a silly analogy, but when you think about keeping warm, we always start with the hat and boots! With sustainability in mind, the next project will be to add a deck to the front of this house with rain catchment barrels from the metal roof. They are planning to plant a garden in the spring and the rain catchment system will help to irrigate the new garden. Builder: East Shore Builders Photographer: Michael Eric Berube

Timber frame homes offer unique challenges during a remodel. What often makes them beautiful and attractive to most homeowners, also makes them challenging for space requirements. Context: The lovely couple that owned this home were struggling with some interesting floor plan challenges that just didn't work for their family. The loved the beautiful timbers and woodwork of their home, but the dramatically sloping ceilings on the second floor, particularly in the bathroom, just didn't work for this 1 1/2 bath home. Needing to use the skylight to approach the toilet was a less then ideal scenario. Although the bathroom footprint was more then adequate, the sloped ceiling only made half of the space useable. Check out the Before/After post on our blog to see the photos of the house pre-renovation. As much as they loved all the wood features in their home, another challenge they had was light. The wood ceiling made everything inside the house darker, even with a fantastic array of south facing windows, there were spaces in the home that felt dark and small. When they contacted us they wanted to know how could they make their brighter and more inviting, were there solutions to the 2nd floor sloped ceiling issues, and if they were going to do all of this work, how could they make their home more comfortable and efficient. A nagging water leak in the upstairs bathroom spurred them into action and here is how we solved their dilemma. Conclusion: First, we added a little dormer to the rear of the house so we could get full headroom in nearly all of the upstairs bathroom! Then we decided to extend that dormer one more timber bay over to create a walk in closet with natural light and plenty of space. Since we were contemplating energy efficiency, we resolved a nagging issue that is present in a lot of timber frame construction, air tightness. Commonly found in timber frame construction, fiberglass insulation is installed in the rafter bays and board ceilings are installed over top. Unfortunately, board ceilings are anything but air tight, and fiberglass insulation needs to be in an airtight cavity for maximum effectiveness. So we were able to solve two issues at the same time for this homeowner. We removed the board ceiling and fiberglass insulation, we dense packed the rafter bays with cellulose insulation, and installed sheetrock in place of the boards. The boards were salvaged for re-use by the homeowner, and the space and light quality was dramatically improved. Some may think that losing the board ceiling took something away from the space, but what you'll see in the pictures is that it highly accentuates the heavy timbers and really makes them stand out in a beautiful way. Now with this added airtightness, better insulation, and brighter space, the homeowner hardly runs their wood stove, and it's so quiet in the space, an added bonus from changing the insulation. It became necessary to also add a sheetrock ceiling to the living room to hide the plumbing from the new bathroom layout above. Changing this ceiling gave the homeowner some real quality lighting that was lacking in the living room before. The brighter ceiling and new lighting layout completely transforms the living room into a space you want to hang out, even though the layout didn't change at all. When the homeowner saw the finished spaces she said "I can't believe this is my house, I want to live in this house" Energy Efficiency: I touched a little on the efficiency above, but like all projects done with Mottram Architecture, we always want to leave you with a little extra. Timber frame construction with board ceilings and fiberglass insulation are notoriously leaky! If you want to know what we think about fiberglass insulation, check our our blog post on Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks. By installing cellulose insulation and covering it with sheetrock we were able to greatly reduce the heat flowing out of this home. It not only improves cashflow it improves the comfort level in the space. Who wants to sit in their living room and feel a draft? Let us remind you, we are not saying cellulose insulation is an air barrier, we use the sheetrock to help with that, but it does significantly reduce the air flow over fiberglass insulation. And when we reduce the airflow, we reduce the heat flow. And when we reduce the heat flow, we reduce the need to re-heat that drafty air from outside. When it comes to energy efficiency the first and best place to start is air infiltration. We greatly reduced the air infiltration with the new insulation, but we also added a hat and warm boots. What I mean by that is, we improved the insulation in the roof, and we installed insulation in the basement. Maybe it's a silly analogy, but when you think about keeping warm, we always start with the hat and boots! With sustainability in mind, the next project will be to add a deck to the front of this house with rain catchment barrels from the metal roof. They are planning to plant a garden in the spring and the rain catchment system will help to irrigate the new garden. Builder: East Shore Builders Photographer: Michael Eric Berube Michael Eric Berube, Maine Virtual Home Tours

www.theleadersrealty.com/1909sharon, 1909 Sharon Lane A, Austin, TX 78703, 3 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,207 Sqft, $799,900, Live the downtown Austin lifestyle! Sleek Modern Design! Luxury Tarrytown condo nestled among the trees with deck and fenced yard. Light and bright condo with lots of windows, open floor plan, 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,207 sqft, 2 car carport, Bosch appliances (gas range, microwave, dishwasher), Rinnai tankless water heater, 5" white oak wood floors, large walk-in master closet, double sink vanities, recessed lighting, deco tile backsplash, Tpo roofing, 2x6 exterior walls, 3 cm Silestone quartz counters, dual zoned hvac (16 SEER), Milgard commercial windows and slider door, European style Grohe fixtures, stone wall with cedar privacy fence, professional landscaping, custom metal railing, custom painted cabinets, custom metal framing on front large windows, custom metal downspouts, spray foam insulation, siding and cmu wall, stained concrete floors, and center island with sink. Party wall constructed with 2 x 4” lumber filled with spray foam insulation with 1” airspace (vibration reducing element) on both sides of each unit. 2 layers of 5/8” fire wall + 3 layers of 5/8” sheetrock. Great location close to downtown Austin, Town Lake, Lake Austin, Westenfield park, Eilers park, Hula Hut, Deep Eddy, & more! Schools: Acclaimed Casis Elementary, O Henry Middle & Austin High School. For Showings Contact: Kristee Leonard, Broker, The Leaders Realty, 512-695-5144

I was initially contacted by the builder and architect working on this Modern European Cottage to review the property and home design before construction began. Once the clients and I had the opportunity to meet and discuss what their visions were for the property, I started working on their wish list of items, which included a custom concrete pool, concrete spa, patios/walkways, custom fencing, and wood structures. One of the largest challenges was that this property had a 30% (or less) hardcover surface requirement for the city location. With the lot size and square footage of the home I had limits to how much hardcover we could add to property. So, I had to get creative. We presented to the city the usage of the Live Green Roof plantings that would reduce the hardcover calculations for the site. Also, if we kept space between the Laurel Sandstones walkways, using them as steppers and planting groundcover or lawn between the stones that would also reduce the hard surface calculations. We continued that theme with the back patio as well. The client’s esthetic leaned towards the minimal style, so by adding greenery between stones work esthetically. I chose the Laurel Tumbled Sandstone for the charm and character and thought it would lend well to the old world feel of this Modern European Cottage. We installed it on all the stone walkways, steppers, and patios around the home and pool. I had several meetings with the client to discuss/review perennials, shrubs, and tree selections. Plant color and texture of the planting material were equally important to the clients when choosing. We grouped the plantings together and did not over-mix varieties of plants. Ultimately, we chose a variety of styles from natural groups of plantings to a touch of formal style, which all work cohesively together. The custom fence design and installation was designed to create a cottage “country” feel. They gave us inspiration of a country style fence that you may find on a farm to keep the animals inside. We took those photos and ideas and elevated the design. We used a combination of cedar wood and sandwich the galvanized mesh between it. The fence also creates a space for the clients two dogs to roam freely around their property. We installed sod on the inside of the fence to the home and seeded the remaining areas with a Low Gro Fescue grass seed with a straw blanket for protection. The minimal European style custom concrete pool was designed to be lined up in view from the porch and inside the home. The client requested the lawn around the edge of the pool, which helped reduce the hardcover calculations. The concrete spa is open year around. Benches are on all four sides of the spa to create enough seating for the whole family to use at the same time. Mortared field stone on the exterior of the spa mimics the stone on the exterior of the home. The spa equipment is installed in the lower level of the home to protect it from the cold winter weather. Between the garage and the home’s entry is a pea rock sitting area and is viewed from several windows. I wanted it to be a quiet escape from the rest of the house with the minimal design. The Skyline Locust tree planted in the center of the space creates a canopy and softens the side of garage wall from the window views. The client will be installing a small water feature along the garage for serene noise ambience. The client had very thoughtful design ideas styles, and our collaborations all came together and worked well to create the landscape design/installation. The result was everything they had dreamed of and more for their Modern European Cottage home and property.

www.theleadersrealty.com/1909sharon, 1909 Sharon Lane A, Austin, TX 78703, 3 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,207 Sqft, $799,900, Live the downtown Austin lifestyle! Sleek Modern Design! Luxury Tarrytown condo nestled among the trees with deck and fenced yard. Light and bright condo with lots of windows, open floor plan, 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,207 sqft, 2 car carport, Bosch appliances (gas range, microwave, dishwasher), Rinnai tankless water heater, 5" white oak wood floors, large walk-in master closet, double sink vanities, recessed lighting, deco tile backsplash, Tpo roofing, 2x6 exterior walls, 3 cm Silestone quartz counters, dual zoned hvac (16 SEER), Milgard commercial windows and slider door, European style Grohe fixtures, stone wall with cedar privacy fence, professional landscaping, custom metal railing, custom painted cabinets, custom metal framing on front large windows, custom metal downspouts, spray foam insulation, siding and cmu wall, stained concrete floors, and center island with sink. Party wall constructed with 2 x 4” lumber filled with spray foam insulation with 1” airspace (vibration reducing element) on both sides of each unit. 2 layers of 5/8” fire wall + 3 layers of 5/8” sheetrock. Great location close to downtown Austin, Town Lake, Lake Austin, Westenfield park, Eilers park, Hula Hut, Deep Eddy, & more! Schools: Acclaimed Casis Elementary, O Henry Middle & Austin High School. For Showings Contact: Kristee Leonard, Broker, The Leaders Realty, 512-695-5144

The worst culprits are your south facing windows that are exposed to indirect solar heat all day. East facing windows cause the most gain in the mornings and west facing in the afternoon and early evening. There is good news. Covering your windows with custom fit energy efficient shades not only give you privacy, but can also significantly reduce the solar heat gain in your home. One of the most energy efficient shades is Hunter Douglas’s Architella with its unique construction of a cell within a cell lowering your heat gain to 15%. We work with clients in the Central Indiana Area. Contact us today to get started on your project. 317-273-8343

www.theleadersrealty.com/1909sharon, 1909 Sharon Lane A, Austin, TX 78703, 3 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,207 Sqft, $799,900, Live the downtown Austin lifestyle! Sleek Modern Design! Luxury Tarrytown condo nestled among the trees with deck and fenced yard. Light and bright condo with lots of windows, open floor plan, 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,207 sqft, 2 car carport, Bosch appliances (gas range, microwave, dishwasher), Rinnai tankless water heater, 5" white oak wood floors, large walk-in master closet, double sink vanities, recessed lighting, deco tile backsplash, Tpo roofing, 2x6 exterior walls, 3 cm Silestone quartz counters, dual zoned hvac (16 SEER), Milgard commercial windows and slider door, European style Grohe fixtures, stone wall with cedar privacy fence, professional landscaping, custom metal railing, custom painted cabinets, custom metal framing on front large windows, custom metal downspouts, spray foam insulation, siding and cmu wall, stained concrete floors, and center island with sink. Party wall constructed with 2 x 4” lumber filled with spray foam insulation with 1” airspace (vibration reducing element) on both sides of each unit. 2 layers of 5/8” fire wall + 3 layers of 5/8” sheetrock. Great location close to downtown Austin, Town Lake, Lake Austin, Westenfield park, Eilers park, Hula Hut, Deep Eddy, & more! Schools: Acclaimed Casis Elementary, O Henry Middle & Austin High School. For Showings Contact: Kristee Leonard, Broker, The Leaders Realty, 512-695-5144

www.theleadersrealty.com/1909sharon, 1909 Sharon Lane A, Austin, TX 78703, 3 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,207 Sqft, $799,900, Live the downtown Austin lifestyle! Sleek Modern Design! Luxury Tarrytown condo nestled among the trees with deck and fenced yard. Light and bright condo with lots of windows, open floor plan, 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,207 sqft, 2 car carport, Bosch appliances (gas range, microwave, dishwasher), Rinnai tankless water heater, 5" white oak wood floors, large walk-in master closet, double sink vanities, recessed lighting, deco tile backsplash, Tpo roofing, 2x6 exterior walls, 3 cm Silestone quartz counters, dual zoned hvac (16 SEER), Milgard commercial windows and slider door, European style Grohe fixtures, stone wall with cedar privacy fence, professional landscaping, custom metal railing, custom painted cabinets, custom metal framing on front large windows, custom metal downspouts, spray foam insulation, siding and cmu wall, stained concrete floors, and center island with sink. Party wall constructed with 2 x 4” lumber filled with spray foam insulation with 1” airspace (vibration reducing element) on both sides of each unit. 2 layers of 5/8” fire wall + 3 layers of 5/8” sheetrock. Great location close to downtown Austin, Town Lake, Lake Austin, Westenfield park, Eilers park, Hula Hut, Deep Eddy, & more! Schools: Acclaimed Casis Elementary, O Henry Middle & Austin High School. For Showings Contact: Kristee Leonard, Broker, The Leaders Realty, 512-695-5144

I was initially contacted by the builder and architect working on this Modern European Cottage to review the property and home design before construction began. Once the clients and I had the opportunity to meet and discuss what their visions were for the property, I started working on their wish list of items, which included a custom concrete pool, concrete spa, patios/walkways, custom fencing, and wood structures. One of the largest challenges was that this property had a 30% (or less) hardcover surface requirement for the city location. With the lot size and square footage of the home I had limits to how much hardcover we could add to property. So, I had to get creative. We presented to the city the usage of the Live Green Roof plantings that would reduce the hardcover calculations for the site. Also, if we kept space between the Laurel Sandstones walkways, using them as steppers and planting groundcover or lawn between the stones that would also reduce the hard surface calculations. We continued that theme with the back patio as well. The client’s esthetic leaned towards the minimal style, so by adding greenery between stones work esthetically. I chose the Laurel Tumbled Sandstone for the charm and character and thought it would lend well to the old world feel of this Modern European Cottage. We installed it on all the stone walkways, steppers, and patios around the home and pool. I had several meetings with the client to discuss/review perennials, shrubs, and tree selections. Plant color and texture of the planting material were equally important to the clients when choosing. We grouped the plantings together and did not over-mix varieties of plants. Ultimately, we chose a variety of styles from natural groups of plantings to a touch of formal style, which all work cohesively together. The custom fence design and installation was designed to create a cottage “country” feel. They gave us inspiration of a country style fence that you may find on a farm to keep the animals inside. We took those photos and ideas and elevated the design. We used a combination of cedar wood and sandwich the galvanized mesh between it. The fence also creates a space for the clients two dogs to roam freely around their property. We installed sod on the inside of the fence to the home and seeded the remaining areas with a Low Gro Fescue grass seed with a straw blanket for protection. The minimal European style custom concrete pool was designed to be lined up in view from the porch and inside the home. The client requested the lawn around the edge of the pool, which helped reduce the hardcover calculations. The concrete spa is open year around. Benches are on all four sides of the spa to create enough seating for the whole family to use at the same time. Mortared field stone on the exterior of the spa mimics the stone on the exterior of the home. The spa equipment is installed in the lower level of the home to protect it from the cold winter weather. Between the garage and the home’s entry is a pea rock sitting area and is viewed from several windows. I wanted it to be a quiet escape from the rest of the house with the minimal design. The Skyline Locust tree planted in the center of the space creates a canopy and softens the side of garage wall from the window views. The client will be installing a small water feature along the garage for serene noise ambience. The client had very thoughtful design ideas styles, and our collaborations all came together and worked well to create the landscape design/installation. The result was everything they had dreamed of and more for their Modern European Cottage home and property.

www.theleadersrealty.com/1909sharon, 1909 Sharon Lane A, Austin, TX 78703, 3 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,207 Sqft, $799,900, Live the downtown Austin lifestyle! Sleek Modern Design! Luxury Tarrytown condo nestled among the trees with deck and fenced yard. Light and bright condo with lots of windows, open floor plan, 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,207 sqft, 2 car carport, Bosch appliances (gas range, microwave, dishwasher), Rinnai tankless water heater, 5" white oak wood floors, large walk-in master closet, double sink vanities, recessed lighting, deco tile backsplash, Tpo roofing, 2x6 exterior walls, 3 cm Silestone quartz counters, dual zoned hvac (16 SEER), Milgard commercial windows and slider door, European style Grohe fixtures, stone wall with cedar privacy fence, professional landscaping, custom metal railing, custom painted cabinets, custom metal framing on front large windows, custom metal downspouts, spray foam insulation, siding and cmu wall, stained concrete floors, and center island with sink. Party wall constructed with 2 x 4” lumber filled with spray foam insulation with 1” airspace (vibration reducing element) on both sides of each unit. 2 layers of 5/8” fire wall + 3 layers of 5/8” sheetrock. Great location close to downtown Austin, Town Lake, Lake Austin, Westenfield park, Eilers park, Hula Hut, Deep Eddy, & more! Schools: Acclaimed Casis Elementary, O Henry Middle & Austin High School. For Showings Contact: Kristee Leonard, Broker, The Leaders Realty, 512-695-5144

www.theleadersrealty.com/1909sharon, 1909 Sharon Lane A, Austin, TX 78703, 3 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,207 Sqft, $799,900, Live the downtown Austin lifestyle! Sleek Modern Design! Luxury Tarrytown condo nestled among the trees with deck and fenced yard. Light and bright condo with lots of windows, open floor plan, 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,207 sqft, 2 car carport, Bosch appliances (gas range, microwave, dishwasher), Rinnai tankless water heater, 5" white oak wood floors, large walk-in master closet, double sink vanities, recessed lighting, deco tile backsplash, Tpo roofing, 2x6 exterior walls, 3 cm Silestone quartz counters, dual zoned hvac (16 SEER), Milgard commercial windows and slider door, European style Grohe fixtures, stone wall with cedar privacy fence, professional landscaping, custom metal railing, custom painted cabinets, custom metal framing on front large windows, custom metal downspouts, spray foam insulation, siding and cmu wall, stained concrete floors, and center island with sink. Party wall constructed with 2 x 4” lumber filled with spray foam insulation with 1” airspace (vibration reducing element) on both sides of each unit. 2 layers of 5/8” fire wall + 3 layers of 5/8” sheetrock. Great location close to downtown Austin, Town Lake, Lake Austin, Westenfield park, Eilers park, Hula Hut, Deep Eddy, & more! Schools: Acclaimed Casis Elementary, O Henry Middle & Austin High School. For Showings Contact: Kristee Leonard, Broker, The Leaders Realty, 512-695-5144

www.theleadersrealty.com/1909sharon, 1909 Sharon Lane A, Austin, TX 78703, 3 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,207 Sqft, $799,900, Live the downtown Austin lifestyle! Sleek Modern Design! Luxury Tarrytown condo nestled among the trees with deck and fenced yard. Light and bright condo with lots of windows, open floor plan, 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,207 sqft, 2 car carport, Bosch appliances (gas range, microwave, dishwasher), Rinnai tankless water heater, 5" white oak wood floors, large walk-in master closet, double sink vanities, recessed lighting, deco tile backsplash, Tpo roofing, 2x6 exterior walls, 3 cm Silestone quartz counters, dual zoned hvac (16 SEER), Milgard commercial windows and slider door, European style Grohe fixtures, stone wall with cedar privacy fence, professional landscaping, custom metal railing, custom painted cabinets, custom metal framing on front large windows, custom metal downspouts, spray foam insulation, siding and cmu wall, stained concrete floors, and center island with sink. Party wall constructed with 2 x 4” lumber filled with spray foam insulation with 1” airspace (vibration reducing element) on both sides of each unit. 2 layers of 5/8” fire wall + 3 layers of 5/8” sheetrock. Great location close to downtown Austin, Town Lake, Lake Austin, Westenfield park, Eilers park, Hula Hut, Deep Eddy, & more! Schools: Acclaimed Casis Elementary, O Henry Middle & Austin High School. For Showings Contact: Kristee Leonard, Broker, The Leaders Realty, 512-695-5144

www.theleadersrealty.com/1909sharon, 1909 Sharon Lane A, Austin, TX 78703, 3 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,207 Sqft, $799,900, Live the downtown Austin lifestyle! Sleek Modern Design! Luxury Tarrytown condo nestled among the trees with deck and fenced yard. Light and bright condo with lots of windows, open floor plan, 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,207 sqft, 2 car carport, Bosch appliances (gas range, microwave, dishwasher), Rinnai tankless water heater, 5" white oak wood floors, large walk-in master closet, double sink vanities, recessed lighting, deco tile backsplash, Tpo roofing, 2x6 exterior walls, 3 cm Silestone quartz counters, dual zoned hvac (16 SEER), Milgard commercial windows and slider door, European style Grohe fixtures, stone wall with cedar privacy fence, professional landscaping, custom metal railing, custom painted cabinets, custom metal framing on front large windows, custom metal downspouts, spray foam insulation, siding and cmu wall, stained concrete floors, and center island with sink. Party wall constructed with 2 x 4” lumber filled with spray foam insulation with 1” airspace (vibration reducing element) on both sides of each unit. 2 layers of 5/8” fire wall + 3 layers of 5/8” sheetrock. Great location close to downtown Austin, Town Lake, Lake Austin, Westenfield park, Eilers park, Hula Hut, Deep Eddy, & more! Schools: Acclaimed Casis Elementary, O Henry Middle & Austin High School. For Showings Contact: Kristee Leonard, Broker, The Leaders Realty, 512-695-5144

www.theleadersrealty.com/1909sharon, 1909 Sharon Lane A, Austin, TX 78703, 3 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,207 Sqft, $799,900, Live the downtown Austin lifestyle! Sleek Modern Design! Luxury Tarrytown condo nestled among the trees with deck and fenced yard. Light and bright condo with lots of windows, open floor plan, 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,207 sqft, 2 car carport, Bosch appliances (gas range, microwave, dishwasher), Rinnai tankless water heater, 5" white oak wood floors, large walk-in master closet, double sink vanities, recessed lighting, deco tile backsplash, Tpo roofing, 2x6 exterior walls, 3 cm Silestone quartz counters, dual zoned hvac (16 SEER), Milgard commercial windows and slider door, European style Grohe fixtures, stone wall with cedar privacy fence, professional landscaping, custom metal railing, custom painted cabinets, custom metal framing on front large windows, custom metal downspouts, spray foam insulation, siding and cmu wall, stained concrete floors, and center island with sink. Party wall constructed with 2 x 4” lumber filled with spray foam insulation with 1” airspace (vibration reducing element) on both sides of each unit. 2 layers of 5/8” fire wall + 3 layers of 5/8” sheetrock. Great location close to downtown Austin, Town Lake, Lake Austin, Westenfield park, Eilers park, Hula Hut, Deep Eddy, & more! Schools: Acclaimed Casis Elementary, O Henry Middle & Austin High School. For Showings Contact: Kristee Leonard, Broker, The Leaders Realty, 512-695-5144

www.theleadersrealty.com/1909sharon, 1909 Sharon Lane A, Austin, TX 78703, 3 Beds, 2.5 Baths, 2,207 Sqft, $799,900, Live the downtown Austin lifestyle! Sleek Modern Design! Luxury Tarrytown condo nestled among the trees with deck and fenced yard. Light and bright condo with lots of windows, open floor plan, 3 beds, 2.5 baths, 2,207 sqft, 2 car carport, Bosch appliances (gas range, microwave, dishwasher), Rinnai tankless water heater, 5" white oak wood floors, large walk-in master closet, double sink vanities, recessed lighting, deco tile backsplash, Tpo roofing, 2x6 exterior walls, 3 cm Silestone quartz counters, dual zoned hvac (16 SEER), Milgard commercial windows and slider door, European style Grohe fixtures, stone wall with cedar privacy fence, professional landscaping, custom metal railing, custom painted cabinets, custom metal framing on front large windows, custom metal downspouts, spray foam insulation, siding and cmu wall, stained concrete floors, and center island with sink. Party wall constructed with 2 x 4” lumber filled with spray foam insulation with 1” airspace (vibration reducing element) on both sides of each unit. 2 layers of 5/8” fire wall + 3 layers of 5/8” sheetrock. Great location close to downtown Austin, Town Lake, Lake Austin, Westenfield park, Eilers park, Hula Hut, Deep Eddy, & more! Schools: Acclaimed Casis Elementary, O Henry Middle & Austin High School. For Showings Contact: Kristee Leonard, Broker, The Leaders Realty, 512-695-5144