If someone walked up to you and gave you a check for a couple million dollars and said its yours to spend on the most burning big idea that you have right this second. You can’t change your mind, or re-evaluate. You can’t weigh the pro’s and con’s or make an “adult” decision about things, you just have to take it RIGHT NOW and work with what you’ve got, what dream would you get to make a reality?
I’d develop a neighborhood (granted I have NO idea how much it actually costs to develop such a place but while we’re living in the world of make believe lets say its right on point.)
We’re in this weird place right now. We’re ready to move, we have a lot and plans (don’t worry, I’ll share all the details soon) but I am struggling with the nature of Southen Utah homes man. They’re all the same. I just want something different. And I don’t want to be the only different house in the hood (cause thats not so great for resale ya know?)
I understand why people use beige and stucco but I don’t understand why.
My neighborhood would be tucked back somewhere beautiful Southern Utah mountains (which wouldn’t be hard, because its beautiful everywhere) with a long road and trees all along the drive.
It would be more like a giant cul-de-sac with 10 or 12 houses than a traditional neighborhood with streets, that way there could be a big park right in the middle. There would be a pool (of course hello desert heat!) and a playground and an awesome community garden and greenhouse. There would be a permanent Watch for Children sign and trees galore.
All of the houses would face the park and they would all be unique. Can you picture a teeny adorable neighborhood with a modern Palm Springs style house next to a colorful Craftsman and an industrial Farmhouse 3 doors down? You know that one house in your favorite neighborhood that is just special? Maybe its not the biggest or the most expensive, but it has some serious soul to it? It would be filled with those. Purposefully eclectic.
Source
It would be the best that every part of the country has to offer. The only thing that wouldn’t be allowed would be beige, cause beige needs to die.
What does your dream neighborhood look like? Do you know someone who has a few mill that wants to develop an adorable neighborhood in Southern Utah and have it blogged about for the world to follow along with? And most importantly, what would your dream be?
Where can I find the original source to these pictures?
They’re linked below the images 😉
YES!!!!!!! It’s the same in our town except EVERY house, unless you’re in the older part of town, is dark brick with a giant garage that comes out front and a hidden front door. Horrible. We have stuck with renovating older homes to keep from moving into those Stepford developments. Good luck on finding your millions!!:)
I did almost exactly this as a drawing project when I was about 12 years old! I’m an architect now 🙂
The only thing my education cautions me to add is, there is a reason regional architecture exists! There are so many simple choices you can make in designing a building (or home!) that will make it work better in a given climate and landscape. I feel like you are the type of person to recognize this, but my training compels me to comment!
If only I had that much money! I would totally partner with this! It would be epic!
Unfortunately- for both of us- I don’t?.
But still- That would be AWESOME!
Sorry. I wold live there though. Seriously.
I’d love to live in a place like Wildwood Park in Winnipeg (Manitoba, Canada). My husband grew up near here: https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/our-communities/souwester/Living-life-on-the-Wild-side-125444303.html. Google images shows a lot of great pics of the area–it’s basically a HUGE park, with houses that face it, and back alleys for the cars. It’s a fabulous design.
This is too funny, this is exactly the development I was thinking of reading this post! I used to babysit in there and my dad lived there for most of his teenage years (my Oma was Wilma BTW). I would live there if I ever moved back! And my Ontario house would pay the premium a couple times over.
I love Southern Utah, we are down there a ton because of my family roots. What you are describing is a huge reason why I love living in Ogden. The homes have soul.. Plus so much to do from playing pickle ball, hiking at the top of almost every street, pools and rivers. Old school 25th street and events the the amphitheater. There are parks everywhere. Major bonus is that housing is super affordable and it’s not Vanilla here at all. Come visit sometime I’ll show you around!
That’s one thing I love living in Cincinnati–so many old homes with so much charm. Charm out the wazoo if you will. Of course like any city, the further out you get in suburbia the more cookie cutter it is, but within the city you can find any kind of cool old home you want. Bungalow, Mid century, Victorian, Tudor, Cape Cod…it’s really great. Our first house was a victorian built in 1916 and it was gorgeous. And cheap. It’s crazy. And there are quite a few neighborhoods like you described where you have a mix styles that are all beautiful in their own right. I think the further east you get the more of these options you have. Our current home isn’t as charming as our other homes (we have a daughter with a wheel chair so accessibility is key and really limits our options) but our yard used to be a nursery, so we DO have the gorgeous old trees. You would actually do great out here with a Addicted to Rehab type of show. Just an idea. 🙂
Mandi- I just have to comment to say I completely agree. I’m a designer in Utah nonetheless and I’ve been complaining for years that sometimes people use so much beige that I feel like I’m going crazy in a beige padded cell!
Anyway- I’m a longtime fan. Thanks for all the inspiration you give. Best – Ashley
We moved into a neighborhood very much like what you described and while we’ve lived here for over a year now, I still sometimes get teary-eyed when I go out for a walk and think, “How did we get so dang lucky to live in such a rad place?” Our backyard backs on to a park with walking paths and lots of green space and a pond where ducks come to live in the fall. And each house is SO different. I told my husband we have to become best friends with everyone in the neighborhood so they’ll invite us into their houses so I can creep on them (the houses, not the people). Anyway, if you ever decide to move to Provo….
As Rem Koolhaas proclaimed: “…imagine an explosion of beige.”
Mandi, with or without $1mil, perhaps you could find some like-minded friends in Southern Utah who’d be interested in developing a co-housing project. They are like the co-ops of the past, but often more relaxed and more sustainability-oriented than the typical HOAs. Often designed around central common spaces (often both a park/large garden and shared community building), they can be designed to whatever specs the homeowners agree to (eclectic architecture, cottage-style, modern farmhouse, etc.). Homeowners own their actual home, but share in the ownership, cost, and upkeep of the common land and buildings. In the co-housing development my professor lived in (on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia), they had a common kitchen building where once a week one of the families was responsible for cooking dinner for all the families in the little neighborhood (could be 40-50 people in any given week). You’d only be responsible for cooking for everyone once or twice a year so, but every week there would be a great get-together. Sounds very socialist for Utah, but it sounds amazing to me (I live in SLC).
I too am so sick of these cookie cutter neighborhoods where every house looks the same. While the houses in my 1970’s neighborhood came from probably only 6 different floor plans, they used different paint, different brick and different features on the outsides, such as different shapes of windows, different styles of front porches, some with support beams, etc… Even if they were the same floor plan inside, they didn’t look cookie cutter on the outside.
I would love to see the type of neighborhood you’re talking about! That would be the ideal neighborhood to me however, with the common areas like a pool, greenhouse and such, I take it that it would be an HOA and I would never, in a million years, live in one and have people tell me what I can and can’t do with my own property. The concept on the houses is great, though!
I also think that beige needs to die but also this all white and all grey, as well! I’m sick of seeing all of them everywhere! Why does everyone need to follow so much? I just don’t understand it.
There is a neighborhood such as this in Farmington. The houses are all different styles and colors. It is really cute. I don’t know about shared green space but it is quite a relief from the beige/brick/stucco of utah.
I would totally buy a house in this neighborhood because it sounds amazing!
(I am being serious, I really would!)
I would just die if you found a way to make this happen and I could move my little family in!
Hey beautiful girl .First saw you on Nate’s show and have followed you every since. I love what you do keep it up.
Just to let you know here in Australia Melbourne the homes in our neighbourhood are mostly different, not to matchy, matchy ,I love that. However with the newer developments(estates)they seems to be more matching 9 or so homes stuck next to each other which was not common here. I hate it – I too like our homes to be a little individual and as long as they are well maintained and loved it adds to the personality of the neighbourhood.
Cheers from your girl in Australia (Artemis)
Melbourne was voted the most liveable city in the world now six years in a row, it really is a wonderful place to live. However because we are so great everyone wants to come here and thus the homes that are now being built one on top of the other and side to side.
We built our house 13 years ago in a culdesac. We were the first ones to get started, so I think we had an advantage, there were no other houses we had to “match”. I told my architect I didn’t want one speck of stucco, I only wanted red brick and a little siding for the dormers and cupola. So, low and behold, the rest of the neighbors did that too except one, they went with beige and brown everything, but it all looks okay. If you start your house before anyone else, then they will feel compelled to follow suit with you!
There is a neighborhood JUST like that in enterprise! 🙂 well kinda but REALLY close.
Your Southern Utah area has a great tradition of pioneer homes that draw on New England architecture, often with local materials. It’s made me sad to see that tradition left in the dust with monochromic housing developments taking over the landscape. I would much prefer the houses you chose. Thanks.
oooh, I love this idea! Our current neighborhood (and the neighborhood I grew up with) had a range of 3-4 different layouts with similar style and I’m always craving a little something different. We’re in the process of buying a house in an area that has a little more variety and we’re so excited to make our mark.
check out Immaculate homes in st. george. They are awesome! I was the same way…. I HATE, HATE, DOUBLE HATE this dang brown on brown on brown with a touch of red brick wall (barf!) anyways they are great! I bought from them, I didn’t build but I know Kyle is awesome to work with.
The Fallbrook neighborhood in Lincoln, NE is exactly what you described. It is like a small town but still in Lincoln. And all of the houses are different and eclectic but it WORKS! There is one small cafe, a few small businesses, an elementary school, and a YMCA.
I’m a St. George local and I agree 100% we desperately need this neighborhood!! We are in the market for buying in the next year or two so if your dream becomes reality puh-lease contact me! But really! This would solve my housing dilemma here in the stg! So I’m really giving you my info [email protected]