We’re Building A House!
I shared on instagram today that we are starting the process of building a home. This is something I’ve always wanted to do, we were just waiting for the right time and the right lot. Recently all of the pieces quickly fell into place and we are off and running!
Whenever I share this news I seem to get similar questions, so I thought I would answer them below.
Where?
We’ll be staying in our precious neighborhood. We love this little pocket of East Dallas and have such an incredible community here. We’re just moving around the corner and up a few streets to a slightly larger lot on a pretty tree-lined street.
When?
We purchased the lot in April and started meetings with our architects and builder shortly thereafter. We still have a long time to go - we still need to demo the old home that currently sits on the property and finish plans. Best guest is that we start framing end of this year and then it’s about an 18 month build - IF we don’t hit any road bumps along the way (and there are always road bumps). I would love if we could be in by the start of school for the Fall 2027 school year.
Who?
We are thrilled to be working with Maurie & Mark of M.Gray Architecture on the plans. We have loved our process with them so much - I could truly watch them work all day long; they are incredibly talented. For the build, we are using Blake Marable of Marable Homes. Blake has been so helpful as we navigate this process, giving us advice from the beginning as we looked at lots. He builds stunning, detailed homes and we can’t wait to break ground. Both the Grays and Marables live in our neighborhood and I’m so happy we get to work with people who know special place this area is.
For interiors, we are using a designer I have long idolized, Collins Interiors. I cannot wait to have a punchy, colorful, live-able home made for casual entertaining. Cynthia and her team are the perfect fit for this project. I can barely sleep thinking about what we can do in this space!
Why?
We purchased our current home in May of 2020 after we realized we needed more space for Alex who was working from home for the foreseeable future (pandemic times, eh). It was a spec house, so while it was new, we did not have any say in the building process. This home has been perfect for our stage of life with two smaller kids - when we moved here we had an 18 month old and a 4 year old! It’s crazy to think how much they have grown in this home. I love that this house is open and I can see and hear my kids from most places. I love what we have done with the decor (done by The Loveliest Home) and will be sad when we move. But, we are ready for a home that allows us to entertain a bit more and have more separated spaces. Plus, I have always wanted to build a house exactly how I want it and I’m so grateful we are able to do so.
Will you stay in your current house while you build?
YES. I do not think this would be near as much fun if we were rushing to sell our current home and live in a rental for 2 years. We are fortunate we can stay put while working on the new house. If you’re interested in buying our current house (preferably with some of its furnishings) in 2027, let me know! :)
Will you keep your same aesthetic?
For the most part. I am definitely embracing a more traditional floor plan on this home, less open concept. I will always love traditional interiors and a mix of new and antique furniture. I do want to use a bit more color in the new home with more saturated tones, and, of course, keeping my love of pattern and prints. I have a very good idea of what I want for the first floor - I actually drew it out for Al one night when we first started (he thought I was nuts). The outside, however, was harder for me to envision. I knew what I liked and didn’t like, but I had a hard time picturing anything specific. When The Grays showed us the sketch of the exterior, I cried! It is perfect and really sealed the deal that this is all meant to be.
Building is so overwhelming! How are you feeling?
Right before we made an offer, Al asked me if I was ready to handle most of the build process. I showed him my pinterest and instagram save pages and told him, “I’ve been training for this for 20 years.” While some people shudder at the idea of picking every detail down to the last hinge, I literally can’t sleep at night because I’m so excited. And, it may not shock any of you, I DO have opinions on hinges!
I love our current home so much and it has suited us so well for this chapter of our lives. But I’m ready to design one made just for our family - with space for all of our collections and a layout that works for our next phase of having older kiddos. It’s going to be so fun and I can’t wait to share along the way!
xx,
Katie