occinteriordesign

Space Raters

Hi everyone Rebecca and McKenna here!
          Today we are rating Bungalow7 which are great new single family detached homes currently being built in Costa Mesa, California by Taylor Morrison with the interiors being designed by Within Designs. Right now they have two models available to tour; both have two bedrooms and are the same square footage, but were designed for very different target market groups. We loved both spaces, as they were very “hip” and yet we felt they appealed to a broad spectrum of people. Over all, they had many fantastic qualities! The very first thing we saw, even before the door was opened, was also one of the best areas of the homes. The absolutely lovely front porch area came equipped with upscale stainless steel GE appliances, trendy outdoor fireplaces, and comfortable yet casual patio seating. They were very welcoming and we were excited to open the doors and see what else Bungalow7 had to offer.

 

 

 

 

  Cozy-yet-chic sitting areas greet each guest

The first home we toured was called urban chic and it was very mid-century modern. The door opened up on a mezzanine level, and to the right we saw a sunken sitting room (we came down several steps to enter the space). The mid-century chic feel was immediate because of the level change, and also in the exposed brick wall that had been painted over with white paint. The ground floor powder room had a very urbane, subway-mosaic tiled wall that we loved because of the chic gun-metal grey and metallic colors.

Mid-century modern style has been updated for a clean, contemporary look.

Bold mosaics and hip green make this bathroom the star of the space.

          One downside to this home was that the garage entered the home on the ground level, but the kitchen was on the second, with the bedrooms all the way up on the third, making for some heavy grocery lugging up a flight of stairs. But the silver lining was that they widened the staircase to create more space and they used an incredible carpet that was very thick and comfortable to walk on. On the second level, in the kitchen the cabinetry and wood flooring were a dark wood, which looked elegant next to the quartz countertops and grey tone on the walls.  In the master bedroom upstairs, the sliding closet doors were made from frosted glass. Rebecca thought they looked like shower doors, but admitted they did add to the very sleek look of the space.

A funky, yet sweet bulletin board keeps school work organized

          The second space we viewed was more casual eclectic beach feel that appealed to a small family. The coolest thing about the family room was how personalized it was for a family of three. Backpacks hung in personalized hooks, and the darker and more durable sofa and carpeting seemed like they could withstand some messy kids. The eclectic space was humorous, from the mustache painting hung up the stairwell, to the naked light bulb chandelier in the kitchen. The best part of this space was the child’s room. This space was little girl heaven, from the picket fence painted on the wall, to the very purple bedspread, yet the small bathroom was not overly done. We appreciated the neutral tiles and classic countertops, as they were something a little girl could grow up with.

Modern neutrals give this bathroom longevity- it can be reimagined almost as many times at the teenager who will use it!
           








  Unfortunately, this home entered into a very cramped family room, but luckily the other area s of the home had higher ceilings so the space didn’t feel as small. In this home we noticed there was not as much space for storage, and there wasn’t a garage which we thought was unwise because there was no extra parking elsewhere in the community. On the bright side, the master bedroom had two closets, which is useful, except the larger closet was connected to the full bath, and we feared for mildew. Also, the master suite bathroom window looked directly into the neighbor’s laundry because the homes are so close together. The one thing we did enjoy about this home was the technology they had placed inside the spaces, they had control switches to change recessed speaker volume, the fans and the lights.

            In the end we felt that these homes could be hit or miss depending on the lot you choose and knowing how much space you need. Overall in the end it was the interior design and materials that won us over and not the actual space.

Metal Mosaic, like in contemporary space powder room:

http://products.daltile.com/series.cfm?series=407&item=6292&look=metallic

Hexagonal Marble Tile, like in Eclectic master bath

 http://products.daltile.com/seriesdetailStone.cfm?item=6445&series=425&item=6445&

 

Outdoor Sofa, similar to beach house patio

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/torrey-all-weather-wicker-coffee-table-ottoman/?pkey=clounging-furniture-outdoor&cm_src=lounging-furniture-outdoor||NoFacet-_-NoFacet-_--_-

 

And Finally, Gas Appliance

http://products.geappliances.com/ApplProducts/Dispatcher?REQUEST=SpecPage&Sku=JGB650EEFES