Highfield Taking Shape for the Spring Parade of Homes!

The Highfield is taking shape! This masterpiece will be featured in the Kalamazoo Parade of Homes June 8-16, so mark your calendars and don't miss the opportunity to take your own private tour of this lakeside retreat! Until then, we can all swoon over these progress photos that give a glimpse of what the final product will be like...

 Front Exterior

 Rear Exterior

 Beautiful landscape and hardscape surrounding the waterfront side of this home

 Hard at work on the hardscape - but not a bad view during the work day, right?

 Staircase

 Master Bathroom

 Master Bathroom Shower

 View from the balcony of the master bedroom - yes, please!

 Kitchen

 Dining Room

 Living Room

 One of the greatest features of this home - the boat bar!  Bottom's Up!

Lower level with sunken living room

Built by Falcon Custom Homes, Interiors by Ashley Cole Design, Landscaping by Alfresco Landscapes, Boat Bar by Carlson Design with Visbeen Associates.

To see more photos, please visit our facebook page!

Detroit Home Design Award Winners!

We took home two awards from the Detroit Home Design Awards this month!

1st Place - New Model Home
Built by Falcon Homes, Interiors by Gallery Interiors

3rd Place - Small Remodel (less than 1,000 square feet)
Carlton
Built by Jeff Segard, Interiors by Donna Cohen
[Check out our previous blog post showing the before and after photos of this remodel - it was a doosie!]

To view all of the Detroit Home Design Award winners, check out the spring issue of Detroit Home Magazine on our website.

Finishing Up Show Season At Home!


It's already time for our last trade show this show season, and we are finishing it up at home in Grand Rapids! We will be at the Cottage & Lakefront Living Show at the DeVos Place, which starts tomorrow. The show runs through Sunday with the following hours....

Friday, March 23..............3:00pm - 9:00pm
Saturday, March 24.........10:00am - 9:00pm
Sunday, March 25.............11:00am - 5:00pm

Wayne will be doing his presentation on Waterfront Design: Challenges & Opportunities on Saturday from 2:00pm - 3:00pm and will be sketching LIVE at the booth Friday, Saturday morning and Sunday, so don't miss your opportunity to learn from a pro!

We look forward to seeing you there and having a great final show of 2012!


A little inspiration from HH Richardson

There have been so many before us that have inspired the generations that follow. From leaders and revolutionaries like Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi, to artists like Leonardo Da Vinci and Michaelangelo. From builders and titans like Henry Ford and Bill Gates, to scientists and thinkers like Albert Einstein and Aristotle, heroes and icons like Mother Teresa and Neil Armstrong, they all have left a lasting impact on the world.

So who inspires us in our trade here at Visbeen Associates? What architectural titans have paved the way for the design work you see us creating? We will be starting this series on our blog to give you a little glimpse into the pioneers that have inspired us to create what we do, day in and day out.

Today's inspiration? Henry Hobson Richardson.

Considered to be one of the three "recognized trinity of American Architecture," along with Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright, H.H. Richardson popularized the late Victorian style of architecture named after him called Richardsonian Romanesque. He studied at Harvard College, Tulane University and École des Beaux Arts in Paris. He was only the second US citizen to attend the École's architectural division and he developed a very unique and highly personal idiom once he returned to the US, adapting in particular the Romanesque style of Southern France. He was famous for designing massive stone buildings with semicircular, wide "Roman" arches over arcades and doorways and patterned masonry arches over windows.

The first building where the Richardsonian Romanesque style was used by Richardson was the New York State Asylum for the Insane (now called the HH Richardson Complex) in Buffalo, NY (1869)

One of his most acclaimed works that solidified his national reputation - Trinity Church in Boston, MA (1872)

Austin Hall at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA (1881)

Here are a few VAI designs that were inspired by Richardson's work...

We entered a competition for designing the expansion of Woburn Public Library, originally designed by HH Richardson in 1876. David & Jonathan Lorenz in our office submitted this concept for the competition.

This retail/work/live building was a conceptual design for downtown Holland.

Some of the buildings we designed in the original master planning for the campus of Cornerstone University had Richardsonian Romanesque qualities to them.

We have designed a number of bridges with stone masonry details and arches reminiscent of the wide Roman arches used in Richardson's designs.

This concept was for the entry gatehouse at Indian Trail Club in Franklin Lakes, NJ.




Source & Image Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Hobson_Richardson

Lake Home & Cabin Show - Chicago


Are you going to be in the Chicago area this weekend? Stop by and see us at the Lake Home & Cabin Show at the Schaumberg Convention Center in Schaumberg, IL! We will have a booth there exhibiting among builders, realtors, landscapers, product displays, publications, sporting gear, outdoor equipment, marine items and more - there will be something there for everyone! Wayne will be sketching LIVE in our booth as well as presenting on Waterfront Design Friday, March 16 at 5:00pm and Saturday, March 17 at 11:00am on the Cabin Life Stage.

The show starts tomorrow and runs through Sunday with the following hours...
Friday, March 16....................2:00pm - 8:00pm
Saturday, March 17................10:00am - 6:00pm
Sunday, March 18...................10:00am - 4:00pm

We look forward to a great show!

Image Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rcktmanil/2589812354/sizes/o/in/photostream/

Room Guide: Gourmet Kitchens, Part 2

We are continuing our room guide from last month with a few more beautiful gourmet kitchens and some design tips on how these looks were achieved...

Inverness
This kitchen is much more than just a place to prepare meals. The large island, with seating for four and views of both the lake and the woods, provides the ideal spot for impromptu get-togethers. Each element in the dazzling kitchen was chosen for elegance and ease. The island is topped with Cambrian Cream sandstone providing unbeatale looks and easy clean up. While select appliances are paneled to match the cabinets, others stand out with a bold splash of Viking blue. Rather than a traditional backsplash, all-over tiles lend a satisfying visual texture and pull together the home's color palette as they sparkle with blues and greens.
-Excerpts from Grand Rapids Magazine,
Design Home 2009,
written by Brenda Cooke

Kearney Hill
Situated at one end of the home, with access to the centrally located living area, this kitchen gives the wide-open spaces feel of an old farmhouse. Clean, white board and batten ceilings and built-in cabinetry balance the rich walnut-stain of the floor. Expansive counters provide ample preparation space, with a sink at each end. Tiles line the back wall bringing a splash of color to the room, while large windows line every wall, taking advantage of bright natural light and gorgeous lake views. Ideal for entertaining, the island features barstool seating and a nearby serving hutch provides a wine cooler, icemaker and additional sink. Beautiful stained glass china cabinets are backlit to enhance displays, and custom-designed appliance paneling adds to the elegance of the space.

Wainsborough
Design inspirations drawn from Western mountain residences and Heritage Hill lend distinctive, textured character to this home' gracious kitchen. Having a kitchen that feels more like a gathering space, with furniture-like characteristics, was important to the homeowners. Raised-panel, hand-finished cabinetry - mirroring the dining bay and music room - have inset doors. Lower perimeter cabinets - distressed alder with Tuscan glaze - are complemented by cream-hued, mullioned glass upper units echoing the home's retro transom windows. An appealing argyle backsplash offers visual interest, and the large island, topped by ivory, black, and deep coppery gold-tone granite, which complements the cabinets - serves as the kitchen's focal point. The island offers custom-designed features including a pull-out bookshelf for the homeowners' collection of cookbooks, as well as a pull-out table for extra seating. Panels conceal the kitchen's commercial-grade, state-of-the-art appliances.
-Excerpts from Grand Rapids Magazine,
Design Home 2007,
written by Wade Rouse

Clareville
Attention to detail combined with the artful incorporation of modern appliances make the Clareville kitchen a perfect example of beauty and functionality working flawlessly together. This room manages to be cozy and inviting, while still providing ample space for entertaining large parties. Exquisite granite surfaces serve as prep areas as well as extra seating. Appliances are flush within the design of custom cabinetry. Quaint meets sophisticated in an oval porthole window surrounded by a diamond-tiled backdrop. In contrast with the neutral tones of the walls and cabinetry, the center island and craftsman-style oven hood are stained in a warm cherry. Adjacent to the circular island seating is the formal dining table, allowing the kitchen and dining areas to function as one large gathering space. Large windows surround the room, supplying natural light and beautiful lake views during dinner.

Muirfield
Inspiration for this impressive and spacious kitchen came from the client's desire for a beautiful, comfortable place to cook, spend time with family, and entertain. With a penchant for the past, and a need for all that modern technology and kitchen trends have to offer, the client's every requirement was met in this design. Intricate woodwork dominates the scene. No detail was overlooked, evidenced by hand-carved pilasters and delicate motifs gracing heavy ceiling beams. Arched pelmets accommodate valances and soften windows without compromising the exterior structure. The room is centrally located, making it the perfect place from which to run the home, entertain guests and gather as a family. Despite the large parameters (16'x20'), a smart layout and old-world detailing allow this country-style kitchen to maintain a homey feel. Adjacent to this space is the formal dining room. The client expressed frustration with layouts that inhibit access between the two. Subsequently, a pass-through buffet was designed to oblige effortless service at meal times. In order to keep the opening optional, custom doors were added to hide all evidence of this novelty when closed.


Vendor Spotlight: Bekins

Looking for new appliances, home automation, or home theater products? Look no further than Bekins, Inc. Since 1982, they have been a full service retail store in Grand Haven that offers patrons a custom, personal experience. Their knowledgeable staff professionals are trained to match the best product to customer needs through live interaction and displays. Their custom approach is displayed in services and products like...

Appliances
Bekins offers a wide range of appliance brands at amazing prices. From Maytag and Whirlpool to Viking and Sub-Zero, they have something for every budget. Appliances like dishwashers are hooked up and ready to run in the showroom to display how silently each operates. Their service staff is highly-trained and specialized in order to personally install and service every appliance sold.

Here are a few Visbeen Associates' designs featuring Bekins appliances...

Legacy Woods

Westchester

Carlton Shores

Cypress Pointe

Sinclaire

Home Automation
Home automation systems can help you take control of your entire home - remotely, but setting up this system can seem like a daunting task. This is why the Bekins' team simplifes the entire process for you and works with you individually and personally to get to know exactly what you want before customizing and installing the system for you.

Home Theater
"Wow" your guests and delight your family with a professionally installed home theater system, whether you are looking to transform your current home media center or planning to create a new one.

Cooking School
Get the most out of your kitchen appliances with a variety of fun and informal cooking classes designed to make you a better cook. From culinary novices to seasoned professionals, the Real Cool Cooking School at Bekins has something for everyone. Lead by New York trained chef, Tom Reinhart, these classes teach cooking techniques ranging from the fundamentals of cooking to specialty classes in fresh pasta and ravioli, tapas and artisan breads.


For more information on these products, services and more, please visit Bekins' website - www.realcoolstore.com - or their showroom - 735 Washington Ave, Grand Haven, MI.