The Village on the Bluff Wins Urban Guild Award

The Village on the Bluff’s team of architects and designer were recognized by the Urban Guild with a Merit Award for Middle Missing Housing! When David Kim let me know that he, Bruce Tolar, and John Anderson were going to receive the award, I was elated for our them and also for the Town of Thunderbolt.

The town’s overlay district is allowing more creative development to transpire. The overlay district allows for more common sense development that, if designed correctly, keeps you out of the variance cycle that kills so many real estate projects (and so, so many brain cells!).

The awards were given out in November in the absolute stunning new urban community of Habersham, South Carolina. The community was designed by Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co., one of my grad school day idols. I was able to attend the day’s celebration including a walking tour by many of the architects, builders of adus, and the developer. It was an amazing opportunity and a perfect day to engage and recharge my batteries.

Read all about it in the Public Square, a CNU Journal.

Village on the Bluff - First Looks & Open House

I did a big thing. I developed the Village on the Bluff in Thunderbolt, GA. That is really funny to read right now for many reasons…

Ineterior courtyard at the Village on the Bluff

I’m ELATED to write that the Village is finally ready for its big photo op. Our press release goes out TODAY. The ribbon cutting is Tuesday. And I’ve got 3 more cottages to finalize before photos in 5 hours. No bigs.

The ribbon cutting will be at 2 PM Tuesday, March 7th at the Village, 2919 River Drive Thunderbolt GA 31404. Both flats and cottages will be open for viewing afterwards until 7:30 PM. Overflow parking is at Tubby’s, 2 doors down.

ALSO, we are doing a 2 week stint in the Village Store with Vintage Vend, a Savannah-based pop up market. This begins March 6th. Please come and SHOP with us and help us test out this potential full time retail tenant.

THANK YOU to all of you who have encouraged and helped me over the years. The Town USED to be notorious for being difficult to work with so I an INCREDIBLY proud that this project came to fruition.

Special thanks to my Mom for being a saint, holding her tongue, and not calling me a diva (at least to my face).

Village Store will host our first retail guest, Vintage Vend, starting March 6th.

Consulting Services Now Available

After much consideration and research, I have added consulting to my resume. I will work alongside with your builder or contractor to make sure your vision is realized.

Please contact me for my daily and half daily fee schedule.

Excited for this next step! Thanks, ya’ll!

Laurie AKA LdV

Get thee a clawfoot tub!

You need this. Did you already hear me say this? Oh wait, YES YOU DID!!!

You can get these babies for free (sometimes) and then call the best tub guy in town, Happy, to refinish it for you (PM me for his info).

This baby was behind a friend’s renovation project. Sadly, he was not a believer in the powerful transforming and healing powers of a CFT. However, he gave it to me so I am eternally grateful! ) so he gave it to me! Thanks, Brent!

Here we are after the very sweaty Duke’s Dad and Happy got her into position in the new Master Bath. Isn’t she great!?! I wanted to leave that rustic feel to her and Happy knew just what I wanted. Supremely happy with Happy. He’s a hardworking champ!

Rubba-dub-dub!

Here she is after the GREAT TEAM from American Plumbing went above and beyond to help me get a shower in the new bathroom! They went off site and took the hardware off another old tub and put it onto this ole’ girl! Seriously nicest guys ever - thanks Terrence and Mr. Bryan!

All in all, if you want a CFT DO IT! The nostalgia, charm, and TUB SOAKin is well worth it. Enjoy!

On the cusp

I have been dreaming about this kind of house for a very long time. After the carriage house in Tbolt was complete, I knew I would always and forever need LOFTY ceilings with lots of light. My new project on Isle of Hope will offer that lofty feel but with a Lowcountry twist.

Here are some quick photos of the house going up… Some of my favorite features include the wraparound porches, mudroom, pantry, big party shower, and flexible living spaces.

More to come but here’s a little happy for your Friday…

NOW for something completely DIFFERENT

I started another renovation in Thunderbolt with my neighbor, DC. He is allowing me to ‘take the reins” while he manages the money-side of things which is a DREAM COME TRUE for me.

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The house is unusual in that the original potion of the house was built around 1940. The house was added onto in the 1960’s I believe…..because the AMAZING TERRAZZO FLOORING we found the plush green carpet in the bedrooms and living room!

I spy…..TERRAZZO!!!

Finalizing the budget but should be underway in early February turning this current 2 bedroom 2 bath home into a 3 bedroom, 3 bath home with big bonus room and party kitchen!

The plan is to go as a nightly rental and have a mid century vibe to the house — the floors certainly speak to that style!

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The trees and existing landscaping will allow us a great big entertaining space and we are a stone’s throw to the neighborhood fishing pier.

I have yet to do a mid century house so I’m very excited to get going!

More to come!

HEAD-ing up the progress....

Onward we go! After a couple weeks of planning and slowing down due to the holidays we are back on track! Last weekend Duke’s Dad and I got the doors from Pembroke (pronounced “brook,” not “BROKE”), I finished cleaning out the drywall, and he ripped up subfloor in the kitchen so the tile would be the same height in the kitchen as newly found hardwoods in living room.

The physicality of the work is A LOT! I feel like I have some minor nerve damage from 3-4 hours of pulling nails — what a weenie!

Luckily for Duke’s Dad, his friend, Micha was able to come down from Asheville to help for a couple weeks. Micha paired with TT have made a big impact this week — headers have been installed where new windows and doors are going. A new exterior door is hung (major victory for me to see!), and outside openings are blocked off w playwood. I feel so lucky and happy that this GREAT PROGRESS is being made by a lively and fun group…

That and the DENIM-looking tile is down in the kitchen!

I closed on another renovation project with my neighbor December 31st (we start bidding next week) and had a disappointment with the small house community I’ve been wanting to build (CHIN UP!) so I was not at the work site as much as I wanted to be this week but did get to shop vac and clean up the site some (I love a sparkling clean site!).

ONWARD!

Addicted to Demolition!

LOVE the sound of flooring popping up as I scrape it! SERIOUSLY ADDICTED. Nothing else to report as plumbers and electricians do their thing. We have filled up one dumpster already and getting the exterior of the Mustard Pancake all planned out — new windows have been ordered and now we debate on how to get the most bang for the buck with a VERY SMALL BUDGET.

This is seriously a big test of my budgeting skills. This house is going to need EVERYTHING - updating electrical, adding full bath, renovating one bath, redoing hardwoods, redoing drywall, adding skim coat to ceiling, new kitchen, windows, deck, doors, and ROOF. If we can stay under 50k I am going to be incredibly proud of our team! This is the SMALLEST budget I’ve ever worked with on a house that is in need of the most work!!

Duke’s Dad at the Mustard Pancake

Day 16

Scribbles!

I have been a scribbler for a long time. I’m no true artist BUT scribbling lets me get ideas out on paper and help me explain what I see a project becoming…

Earliest scribbles of the Mustard Pancake

Even if I pen for just a short while, I notice I start seeing what I am looking for exhibited in other homes. Take for instance these scribbled columns and the big gable (above). When I took Tondee for a walk in Parkside I couldn’t help but get inspired when I saw these textured and chunky columns…

One of my very favorite bungalows in Parkside neighborhood

More Parkside inspiration for Ze Pancake!

When Duke’s Dad and I sat down at Larry’s to grab some breakfast yesterday (my way of bribing him to help me pick up my new doors w his trailer!) I picked up my pen and just started scribbling on my placemat. I suppose it helped me translate what he was saying about options for affordable metal siding (ala Austin, TX) and getting creative with textures and materials…..

The Mustard Pancake all scribbled up

Artist or not, if you have ideas, just try and get ‘em down on paper somehow. I noticed my scribbles end up having more in common the more and more I scratch them out. Those patterns help reiterate what I want to see aesthetically and helps me develop my plan.

Happy scribbling!

The Mustard Pancake - a Renovation!

Oh boy! My arms are already sore and its only been two days of slinging a hammer. Yes, I am a pipsqueak BUT I do like my demo time. It’s kinda like winter, a time to strip down the layers and get to the meat of what’s ailing you in order to build back. Oh, so deep, meaningful, and (slightly?) annoying, but TRUE!

The Mustard Pancake is ready for a full on FACELIFT, but we are not going to stop there! We are gonna give this ole’ gal the full on WORKS. We’re talking inner-workings, plugs for the hair, an eye-lift, skinlift, and permanant eyeliner and lipstick! Meaning, you will not recognize this 1938 Doll in a couple months.

The Mustard Pancake! She has absolutely NO facial features but we’re going to change that!

So far, I’ve been pleasantly surprised to discover that we indeed DO have hardwoods under layers on linoleum. I was FOOLED to thinking it was gone somehow. Everything else is just garbage done poorly and cheaply. The windows are awful and the crawlspace has been covered up giving way to 40% humidity underneath the bathroom (note to self: never hire the handyman for this house who created a termite highway of EARTH TO WOOD DIRECT CONTACT!!!).

Tondee says, “Just say NO to faux-floating-floors, FOOL!”

FEAR NOT, I have a plan!

I have been inspired by JH Interior Design for some time - mainly the small home she renovated for her family. The loft in her farmhouse inspired my new house design at Thunderbolt & Isle of Hope and the big front porch is what pushed me to realize that the Mustard Pancake could actually shine by adding a bit of farmhouse flare and some depth to the front facade (i.e. add a deep porch that wraps around!).

Inspired by JH Interior Design Oregon Farmhouse

Day 1 - we got flooring up and stacked and Day 2 demo began on bathroom. Day 2 was quite hysterical when I thought I’d cut the water off the the refrigerator and low and behold, it was NOT CUT off and I had to repeatedly run buckets of water outside while my friend, TT, came over to cut the water to the house w an oversized wrench. OMG - water everywhere!

What do we have here? Linoleum and more linoleum. Will give you an update on how my heat gun, utility knife, and scrapers work out for me here in an upcoming post.

Thank goodness for the buckets! A good lesson in why its important to always carrying a big ole’ wrench with you!

Behold: Yes, I will find a recessed medicine cabinet for this bathroom right after I finish demo-ing this gross vinyl flooring and eliminate these cheap aluminum windows!

Long days ahead but hearing the horses whinny and neigh across the street is already worth it! Not to mention the trails with views like this!!!

Views on the marsh trail near my new project Tondee has found wonderful things on the trail including friends to romp with and things to ROLL IN!

More updates to come! I’ll be posting more images on Facebook soon! Cheers!

You Need This in Your Life →

What is it about a claw foot tub? Is it the promise of soothing bubbles and the supportive lip of the tub’s edge for your weary head — where you can unwind and slough off the day? Or is it ( I dare say!) a place to celebrate your small victories, the little daily triumphs like, say, getting all your errands done and washing the dog?!? YES, the tub can be !!both of these things and that’s why I like to celebrate these vintage beauties by finding, refinishing, and installing them in my new builds and cottage renovations. Contact me to find out more about how you can get a beauty like this one into your life!

Savannah Busy Bee

Hi! My old blog is still live. Until I smoosh it over here, please visit Savannah Busy Bee where it lives. Many thanks! - LdV