Why waste the multiple canvases-in-waiting that are ceilings when you can use them to attractively display structural elements of brick, wood, and combinations thereof?
And there’s no need to waste the underside of a roof, either, when you can show off the seldom seen sight of clay tiles from below.
And while you’re at it, why waste stair risers?
Waste not, want not, as they say.
That ceiling brick-work has a certain, shall we say, polyurethane look to it, though I wouldn’t swear one way or t’other…
The staircase is quite handsome. I also like the breezeway, though this being Arizona I wonder for how much of the year it would be useful. When I was a child, we would go somewhere regularly where you would see the underside of Spanish roofing tile- but I can’t remember where that was. It actually is quite interesting, and I suspect my kid self would have loved this house; hallways to run down, mysterious doors to try, odd corners everywhere- and ponies!
@paradox: I doubted the realness of the brick too. But I have to say, I was so busy imagining one busting loose and falling on my head that I missed the freaky statues at first.
I have to add that I don’t know who is going to get up there and dust the ledges and window sills in the living room, but it’s not going to be me.
Actually, there are a lot of nice elements in this house. Some elements just make you wonder. For example, you don’t often see a Moravian Star hanging out of season (photo 20), unless they just like Christmas and want to keep something up year-round that a lot of people won’t recognize.
@Frodo: Freaky statues? The only statues I see are in Pics 3 & 9 and neither set looks particularly creepy to me. Am I missing something?
I’m thinking the owners don’t know from Moravian Stars. They just like the cool 3D glass star light style that’s really popular as a decorating element.
As far as dusting… Likeliest option, it’s The Help’s problem. However, there are lots of nifty housework gadgets that can help, best being a microfiber duster with a telescoping handle. They can reach a good 10-12′ I think. You can get similar doo-dads for changing high up light bulbs and that takes a lot more finessed that dusting.
Ditto on the “nice elements.” What I like best is the all-around use of materials. They’re warm and earthy and give the sense they’ve been there a lot longer than they have been without being overly “distressed” (house was built in 2001). The sole exception IMO are the kitchen cabinets; the distressing is better than some I’ve seen but still too obvious. In general, though, this place looks as homey and comfortable as it does elegant, and that’s a pretty difficult result to achieve.