Earlier this year, I shared in our newsletter that I was presented with the unique opportunity to work with a builder (our builder, to be exact!) to design a new colonial spec home that his company will complete this spring. It is a first for me, and already I have learned so much! Specifically, how truly fluid construction timelines can be and what an art it is to manage so many trades at once. Like our home, this house will take almost as long to complete, but I was pleased to get started before the foundation was even poured!

With four bedrooms and two full baths (plus powder room), this lovely center hall colonial with a separate dining room and breakfast nook will allow for many opportunities to add charm and classic details. While it has been a couple of months of work, I wanted to start by sharing over the next few blogs in this series the design elements that will elevate this houses’ style and the selections that we’ve made (many of them budget-friendly) to attract a variety of buyers.


My design process started with the exterior and selecting a siding color that would wow any potential future owner when paired with the correct trim details and roof material. The builder and I settled on blue right away, but selecting the right shade was tricky.

While we considered a traditional and bright option like Heritage Blue, we ultimately decided on a darker navy, Marine Blue. The outcome is a stylish home paired with a galvalume metal roof and bright white porch posts and rails.

Although the siding has yet to be delivered and installed, it is exciting to visualize what it could look like against these bright white windows and the beautiful front door. I always try to incorporate contrast in every design plan, and against these lighter elements, the deep blue we selected will truly stand out.

While the exterior details are not yet final, I am sharing the builder’s rendering of the proposed exterior. It’s very exciting! Stay tuned for the best part of the job so far – selecting kitchen cabinet colors and finishes!

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