SF Cribs: The places behind the clothes

Originally Posted by StephenHero

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Columned Greek temple porticoes, Spanish villa balconies, and art deco windows don't work for you?
Also, the awful McTan color goes atrociously with the white. WTF are those little guard posts out front? Couldn't they put their electrical box somewhere else?

There are real Mansions in NJ, they exist in places like Colts Neck.

Originally Posted by StephenHero

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-high square footage @ low building cost per square feet.
-cheap materials
-kitschy architectural elements (sometimes contradictorily eclectic)
-marketed by builders using nostalgic pastel watercolors
-usually in cheapest available suburban lot
-nominal landscaping
-in a subdivision with three or more of the following words:

hills
estates
quail
creek
woods
trail
-shire
oak
cedar
forest
lake


There are large houses that I don't call McMansions because they are built with quality materials, even if I don't like the style. If you're building @ under $150-200/sq. foot in most areas you likely have a McMansion.

thank you for this.

Originally Posted by StephenHero

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-high square footage @ low building cost per square feet.

Mansion (all of these by Robert Stern)

I really like this one.

Originally Posted by GQgeek

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I really like this one.

Really? B/c to me, that doesn't say quiet elegance. To me it says Ina-Gartenesque "look at me look at me! I have a big house in the Hamptons"

Originally Posted by StephenHero

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Note the large expanses of beige siding with very few windows. I find a hallmark of McMansions is one properly finished area (e.g. the front) and extremely bland sides and back. This is a particularly egregious example, though, as it appears proper consideration was not given to any angle.

Originally Posted by username79

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Note the large expanses of beige siding with very few windows. I find a hallmark of McMansions is one properly finished area (e.g. the front) and extremely bland sides and back. This is a particularly egregious example, though, as it appears proper consideration was not given to any angle.

Along those lines, McMansions tend to be boxes (or an assembly of boxes). Modern mansions tend to have architectural interest in their foot print.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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Along those lines, McMansions tend to be boxes (or an assembly of boxes). Modern mansions tend to have architectural interest in their foot print.

Wait, aren't you building a 5000 sq. ft. mcmansion?

Originally Posted by GQgeek

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Wait, aren't you building a 5000 sq. ft. mcmansion?

Um, not according to the last two pages.

Originally Posted by kwilkinson

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Really? B/c to me, that doesn't say quiet elegance. To me it says Ina-Gartenesque "look at me look at me! I have a big house in the Hamptons"

I'm not overly concerned about those things. I could definitely live there.

Originally Posted by Piobaire

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Along those lines, McMansions tend to be boxes (or an assembly of boxes). Modern mansions tend to have architectural interest in their foot print.
Which is funny, because the can't even get that right. Notice this box sticking out of the side on this one which I assume is a closet of some sorts. All these builders start with the overall form, then move walls until they get everything to fit inside. And then when it doesn't, no worries, just stick a ******* four foot box onto the exterior. Under no circumstances will they allow themselves to make the rest of the rooms along that facade bigger so the exterior fits together coherently. The nearest neighbors can't even see the back of the house's ugliness because the curvature of the earth is in the way so they let it pass.

Wow there are some beautiful homes in this thread (the McMansions not included!).

I actually just found this forum (again) because I was doing a search about cardigans, and noticed that I had signed up for an account here a couple of years ago but never posted. I figured now is as good a time as any to start using SF.

A little about me, before I post the pictures of my place. I'm 22 and a draftsman/designer for a high end custom homebuilder in Calgary, AB. I love all aspects of design including fashion (obviously considering I signed up here) but I'm still a bit of a fashion noob, and looking to learn more.

Here's is my condo, 950sq.ft. 2 bed 2 bath, it's a work in progress even though (or maybe because) it's only 5 years old. I've got a new custom sofa on order to replace the sectional in the Living Room and the sectional will move into the office and I'll be selling the brown leather couch. I'm trying to slowly get rid of my the Ikea furniture I still have and move upmarket, but I have other projects going at the same time.

I've recently replaced the faucets and shower controls in both bathrooms and repainted. In the near future I would like to add crown moulding throughout and replace the fridge and stove with better looking and better quality ones, and possibly have the kitchen sprayed to match the cream trim.

Living Room from the front door:

Kitchen:

Dining Room:

Office/Guest Room:


Master Bedroom:

Originally Posted by username79

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Note the large expanses of beige siding with very few windows. I find a hallmark of McMansions is one properly finished area (e.g. the front) and extremely bland sides and back. This is a particularly egregious example, though, as it appears proper consideration was not given to any angle.

That's because one of the big indicators of mcmansionland is that all of the houses are too big for their lots. In a lot of these developments, the houses are as close together as they are in urban chicago lots--no point in having lots of windows that just look onto your neighbor's beige vinyl siding.

I would much rather have a usable yard...

Nice condo, Brandon. Whereabouts in Calgary are you located??

Originally Posted by RedScarf7

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Nice condo, Brandon. Whereabouts in Calgary are you located??

Thanks RedScarf, I'm in the SW, Marda Loop. Are you in Calgary?