The Raised Ranch vs. New England Style Raised Ranch... Whats the difference?

The Raised Ranch vs. New England style Raised Ranch...

So… What is a “Raised Ranch” anyway?

Well the name kind of gives it away, it’s a ranch inspired home that is essentially raised so that more living space can be extended onto the first level, this is not to be confused with a colonial where there is a 1^st and 2^nd floor that is a combined living space. Visualize, if you will, yourself walking up to a home that resembles a colonial you come up the walkway, open the door and find yourself looking up a flight of stairs into the kitchen… you have found yourself in the home of a raised ranch. You walk up the flight of stairs and straight into the kitchen/dining room/ living room you notice for a moment that there is a big open feel to the space. To the left you see a small hallway in which the bedrooms and bathrooms are located. 

If you get the gist of my little illustration the total living area is located on one floor, usually what seems like the second floor. The first floor is most often used as a basement, but is not submerged, in fact there is no actual basement. This area may include the garage, or even be refinished and used for additional living space.

The raised ranch style was born in the Boston area and made is debut around 1945, becoming increasingly popular through the 80's. The raised ranch never really went out of style, but because this model is so cost effective to build they become increasingly popular when the economy has its downturns and/or there is an abundance of buyers looking to get a great bang for the buck.

Over the years a new breed of the raised ranch design has been born, that being what most of America knows as the split-level.  The split level design is widely known across the New England area as the raised ranch, and you will find them anywhere and everywhere in New England. What technically makes them different is that with a split-level home the foundation and basement area is partially submerged leaving room above the ground level to incorporate windows into the basement area. From the entrance as you walk into the home you are given two choices: to walk down a small flight of stairs into the basement level or walk up a small flight of stairs into the living area. The advantages and disadvantages of the split-level versus the raised ranch go hand in hand and just depend on preference. The split-level is less likely equipped with a garage since the basement is partially submerged, the garage may be detached if included in the construction but is not likely with this design. Another advantage to some and disadvantage to others is the fact that there is a basement with a split-level home. Some enjoy the addition of storage space a basement entails and yet others may prefer a finished first floor with the traditional raised ranch style (which are usually built on a slab).

No matter what your preference, or what you want to call it, the raised ranch and the split level style home have one thing in common and that is price! These styles are intended to compact living space by combining the garage, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen, dining and living room within a predefined amount of square footage making it very cost effective for purchasers in any market and financial situation.

Color Basics...

 Color Basics

It is every inspiring designers dream to have big name clients and a working budget into the tens of thousands… but its not as easy as it may seem. There is a great deal information that needs to be understood before any aspiring designer or design enthusiast can effectively design a space.  Color is a very important concept to understand and it serves so many purposes.  Here are some things to keep in mind when choosing your colors. 

Everyone sees color differently:

First things first! The ability to distinguish the different shades of any given color range vary widely depending on the person, each person has a self limiting range of ability to see the differences in shades, hue, and value of colors.

Light can be your friend or your enemy:

Direct and indirect light can not only affect the appearance of your color but also impact the appearance of other colors and objects in the room. Taking into account where your light sources are coming from will help a great deal in deciding which colors to choose. Indirect light can scatter the color onto another surface making that object or surface seem darker or even changing the appearance of the color and even the room all-together.

Know your materials:

Knowing how to match your prints and colors sometimes just isn’t enough.  Have you ever noticed a blue blanket doesn’t completely match the blue accessories in the room? That is because materials absorb color differently, a blue wool throw will almost never exactly match a blue vase. The reason for this is again… light.  Colors react to light differently so knowing what type of light conditions and how the materials and colors will react will ensure that you are able to match aspects in the room that tie the design together.

Not only can color make or break a design concept, but, because humans live in such a visual world it can effect the emotions and feelings of the people in the room. Understanding color and your clients needs, wants, personalities and lifestyles will allow you to customize their space.