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Anyone who has built a home knows that the number of decisions that need to be made during the planning and building process is staggering. The big decisions—like floor plan, windows, kitchen cabinets and flooring—alone can be tough to make, but it’s the hundreds of minute decisions—doorknobs, doorbells, baseboard trim, and grout color—that can make some people scream “never again.” F Well, apparently home building is a process not unlike childbirth for one West Carmel couple. Last summer Doug and Laura Cole, and their three children, moved into the third house that the two have built together. Somehow they managed to keep their wits about them enough to forget—or possibly even eliminate—the pain of homebuilding. F “It truly was a painless process,” says Laura. read more

When Pamela and Jeff Greenwalt were planning the kitchen during the construction phase of a Carmel home they were building, they were thinking about family, friends and the future. read more

The reputation of the Cottage Home neighborhood, which consists of about 160 houses a stone’s throw from Indianapolis’ downtown skyscrapers, is on the rebound. The working-class enclave just east of Interstate-65 and north of Michigan Street has experienced a resurgence in recent years—thanks especially to dedicated homeowners working together to restore individual residences and preserve the neighborhood’s sense of unity. read more

Any complete kitchen remodel requires a call to the experts, so Connie Crannell’s first call was to her daughter-in-law. As a skilled interior designer, Lynn Crannell coupled her design talents with her personal relationship and knowledge of her mother-in-law’s needs, to help create Connie’s dream kitchen. read more

Step into the home that Evan and Jennifer Lurie share with their two young children, and your eye is drawn to Jorge Santos’ painting “Sunday Afternoon,” which dominates the entry hallway. “Other people’s first impression of the house is my welcome home every night,” says Evan, a former Hollywood stuntman who now owns an art gallery in Carmel. “When I come home, I love that the first thing I see is this surrealist painting, which is both whimsical and full of activity.” read more

Usually, it’s not a good sign if you drive by a prospective home with your Realtor and she looks at you like you’re crazy when you tell her you want to go inside and take a look. But fortunately at the time, our 40-something, single homebuyer, Lynn, was paying attention to other signs when she came upon a 1950s limestone ranch in Arden. “It was at a time when I was looking for simplicity and some clarity in my life,” says Lynn. “And this home called to me.”  read more

For most, designing a new kitchen is an endeavor undertaken once or twice, perhaps even a handful of times in a lifetime. Yet for Rob Klein, custom kitchen designer and owner of Conceptual Kitchens, it’s an everyday thing to create desirable and functional cooking, eating and living spaces. When the time had come for Rob as a designer and a client to become one in the same, the job was tougher than expected. read more

Just as an artist creates a masterpiece, your home is your canvas.  You can stand before it, your mind racing with ideas, knowing that you have the freedom to create anything your heart desires.  The realm of possibilities is virtually limitless.  If you need a little inspiration, consider the world of contemporary furniture.  Step into a home designed with a contemporary flair, you’ll experience something that’s not only clean and sophisticated, but inspiring, orderly and soothing at the same time.  In today’s world of clutter and fast-paced living, the contemporary design gives a welcome refuge from the wild.  But what exactly is contemporary? read more

When a retired couple acquired a three-room log cabin in the midst of a private country club, they intended to make it the center of their new Hamilton County home. Tackling the renovation while expanding the space was difficult, though. Few architects were willing to undertake the challenge of restoring the log cabin plus the additions the homeowners hoped for.  read more

For most of us, our big meal on the fourth Thursday in November shares the same basic components: turkey, some form of potatoes, stuffing, gravy and pumpkin pie. For some, that and a parade or football game on TV is all that is needed for the perfect Thanksgiving celebration. Others may need to take it up a notch or two, following in the footsteps of their mothers and grandmothers by bringing out the inherited china, polished silver and cherished family recipes. read more

An antique wood mantel, a barn red stove and an exposed Edison bulb hanging lazily over a copper sink set the stage perfectly for the farmhouse-style kitchen of Kerry and Tamara Wagoner of Zionsville. It’s the heart of their newly remodeled home, a 1959 ranch they turned further back in time to resemble a nineteenth century two-story farmhouse. Its charming ambience is centered in the rustic, eclectic, time-honored kitchen. read more

There’s an ocean of incredible design ideas and functional features out today that keep the clean in the bathroom but certainly move far beyond the simple. Gone are the days when a separate tub and shower were considered a luxury. We’ve moved on to themed rooms with decadent marbles and granites, rich woods, and enough square footage to accommodate a respectable party.   read more

When you were a kid, chances are giving your own personal touch to your bedroom meant taping a poster or two to your walls. Sometimes placement was tricky because you had to pay attention to the imaginary line that divided the room and its contents between you and your sibling. read more

As the holiday season quickly closes in, so follows the flood of vibrant crimson poinsettias that will soon decorate nearly every store and home.  This year an amazing array of colors and varieties is available to choose from for even the most discerning poinsettia enthusiast.  Those looking for something other than the traditional red poinsettia will be thrilled to discover colors ranging from soft pale pink and peach to bold plum and magenta —and many more. read more

Plenty of people are
thinking pink this year. read more

Art collectors love to buy multiples of objects they adore, until a collection takes over a house. read more

Even if you’re pushing 100, it’s not too late to reinvent yourself. This spring, a team of talented and dedicated designers did just that to an English Tudor on North Washington Boulevard that was built in 1914. The 5-bedroom, 6-bathroom home was transformed inside and out to mark the centennial year for the St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild. With a fresh face and bountiful gardens on the exterior, the Guild’s 2007 Decorators’ Show House opened its doors to inspire visitors with fabulous decor packed into every room of this three-story gem. Proceeds from the event added to the over $9 million that the Guild has already raised to date to benefit Wishard Health Services. If you missed your chance to tour the Show House, or would like to get a behind-the-scenes view, we invite you to take a peek. read more

Even though he usually eats his lunch standing at the end of his kitchen island, and he admits that he is not much of a cook, David Fritts says having a nice kitchen in his Fishers home was important to him. “Notice that the cooktop is very clean. It’s from lack of use,” he laughs. The entire space is very clean in terms of design without being stark. It was this warm, contemporary feel that David was looking for when he met with Kristin Okeley from Kitchens By Design to bring his vision to life. “This kitchen was designed for a young, hip, energetic man with an appreciation for sleek modern lines, natural materials, interesting detail and high function,” says Okeley. read more

For many people the word “wallpaper” can conjure up some pretty unpleasant memories. read more

If “location, location, location!” is the rule of thumb for home buying then “stage it, stage it, stage it!” may soon become the rule for home selling. The need to create a competitive edge for a home and sell it quickly has spawned an entire industry of home staging professionals, who work from the knowledge that buyers make the decision to purchase within minutes of entering a home. Home stagers are the unbiased third party that can look at a home through the eyes of prospective buyers and see what the seller may unconsciously overlook. read more

Talented and celebrated individuals in the worlds of fashion, interior design, art and architecture have gathered together to share a slice of their spectacular vision centered around one common theme—the dining room table. read more

There’s a quiet revolution taking place in kitchens across the country. Backsplashes, which used to sit silently against walls, are beginning to resonate with design elements and flashy materials that command attention. New material choices and design ideas continue to fuel the revolution. read more

“I admired his beautiful plants and I took a cutting from one,” says Freeman, and the rest is history. read more

Tucked quietly away in the enclave of architecturally diverse and splendid homes known as Golden Hill is an elegant, European style manor which at one time was owned by William Ball, a second-generation member of the family well known in this part of the country as benefactors of Ball State University and throughout the world for their innovation in home canning jars. read more

Watching the swallows swoop through the red barn behind the house, Beth recalled summer days spent at her family’s homestead farm in west-central Indiana.  She grew up in the hamlet not far down the country road, even attending a two-room school there until it closed; she spent many afternoons playing in the fields that surround the 1870s farmhouse that’s now a family retreat. read more

Images of Edward Scissorhands’ massive sheers frantically creating animal shapes in the back yards of suburbia seemed odd when the movie was released in the late-eighties.  However, the topiaries have gone to the birds.  Animal shapes have become a trend in landscapes across America as a way for homeowners to express their own personal style.  While animal-shaped topiaries have been gaining popularity, the classic three-ball, ball and corkscrew topiary shapes remain as popular as ever. read more

When Diane Smith of Carmel set out to remodel her kitchen, she wanted a space that would be not only functional, which was her priority, but something she would still like years from now. read more

We all love to eat the traditional fried chicken and biscuits with apple butter, and maybe enjoy the occasional beer while watching the race or listening to it on the radio in our back yards every Memorial Day weekend.  It’s a time-honored Indy tradition and it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.  But just in case you’re ready to inject some new life into the old standard, we’ve pulled together a team of experts to share their tips on how your parties can be pumped up without necessarily reinventing the wheel. read more

In an average, north side Indianapolis suburban yard, Kay Kingsley has created a landscape of texture, color and form. read more

Selecting new drapery for your windows can be just as stressful as going to your favorite salon for a haircut.  You explain to the stylist that you want a trendy new hairstyle, maybe something that matches your personality.  It isn’t until the final snip of the scissors, when you’re spun around to face the mirror, that you see the new you.  Just as a new hairstyle transforms your face, drapery can revamp an entire room, whether it’s fun and flirty, bold and colorful or formal and perfectly coiffed. read more

With over 1,900 exhibitors and more than 103,000 building industry professionals in attendance, the 2007 International Builders’ Show provided builders, designers and homeowners alike with an up-close look at the hottest trends in home construction.  Simply referred to as “The Big Show” by those in the home building and design industry, the 63rd annual show in Orlando, Florida drew visitors from nearly 100 countries and proved to be the most spectacular Show to date. read more

Despite its lack of walls, your back yard is an extension of your home.  And just as the floors in your kitchen or family room, what is underfoot is an important component.  Extending your living space to the outdoors often means stepping out your back door onto a deck or patio that is not only inviting and pleasing, but low maintenance as well.  Today, homeowners are in luck.  With so many new products on the market and multitudes of vendors out there vying for their share of the decking home-improvement industry, creating the deck of your dreams is easier than ever. read more

Long gone are the days when lettuce and deli meat had to hang out on the same shelf in the refrigerator.  It seems that everything in today’s society is divided into custom categories.  Coffee isn’t coffee; but cappuccino, latte or macchiato.  Restaurants aren’t restaurants; but cafes, bistros and grilles.  Now refrigerators aren’t refrigerators.  They are customized to fit the varying needs of multiple consumers. read more

One of the best blooms in the spring garden is the peony—a big-headed, old-fashion, fragrant floozy of a flower. read more

Stepping across the threshold of the Bossung house, right away you notice that the dining room table has been replaced by a pool table.  This is no ordinary family, and this is no ordinary house.  read more

Antiques Roadshow appraiser puts us in touch with savvy collecting tips read more

American furniture manufacturers say the eco-friendly trend is a relatively new concept in the United States.  Keeping the environment in mind through the process of foresting the wood and manufacturing and marketing the product is a challenge. Industry experts say most Americans have been inadvertently ignorant about the cost to the earth for the comforts of home.  However, in the last few years they’ve seen a real growth in the eco-friendly market, in terms of what is available and the public’s response. read more

When someone who loves to throw big themed bashes in his home for 400 to 500 guests tells you he spent a recent New Year’s Eve filling in surface nail holes on the trim around his home’s doorways, it makes you wonder.  Well this particular homeowner, Joe Everhart, explains, “that’s just how I like to relax.” read more

It’s always a dilemma when restoring an old, historically-accurate home.  How to handle the kitchen?  Everybody wants an up-to-date, fully functional kitchen with all the conveniences and amenities that are included in new homes as a matter of course.  But when restoring a gracious and beautiful old home, you don’t want the kitchen to look like a thoughtlessly modern addition that stands out jarringly from the rest of the home’s historical integrity. read more

Our story begins in 1971 in a greenhouse in Ames, Iowa.  Enter newlywed Karen Licht, who was looking for a gift for her husband, Denny, who was about to graduate from Iowa State.  Karen knew he loved the orchids that had been part of her corsage on their wedding day, so she purchased a purple cattleya orchid to celebrate another milestone in the couple’s lives. read more

People are drawn to a good soaking.  Although the walkout shower has stolen the limelight over the past decade with the plethora of designer showerheads and stunning new ceramic and granite backdrops, the current trends and innovations indulge those seeking the serenity of the ultimate bathing experience.  This year’s National Kitchen and Bath Show continued to ignite the bathtub and whirlpool industry with dramatic innovations in style and technical advances for bathers who prefer to be immersed.  Regardless of the latest advancements, consumers still begin their search for the best bathtub with the basic four variations. read more

History tells us that wallpaper’s popularity dates back to Renaissance Europe when the elite of society covered their walls in tapestries, but the emerging gentry had to resort to large sheets of paper hung on walls that featured scenes similar to those depicted on tapestries.  In more recent years however, the emergence of faux paint finishes seemed to upstage wall coverings as the variety of faux techniques expanded along with the expertise of professional artists.  But the tides may be turning again.  Wall covering manufacturers are introducing such an array of magnificent materials and styles, that resurgence in popularity seems imminent.  With so many great options, it’s worth taking the time to look around.  Here’s just a peek at what you’ll see. read more

Searching far and wide, the Housetrends staff has worked to uncover some of the country’s most inspiring kitchens.  Once reserved for experienced chefs, extravagant kitchens are now becoming more commonplace in homes of every size and style.  These lavish culinary spaces have quickly evolved over time into the nucleus of the home and are the areas where we spend most of our time.  Like all great spaces, a well-designed kitchen should capture our imagination and indulge our senses with their exquisite designs, appliances and materials.  read more