Maison HV's B.P.B. Hill Country Project

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK ALOT LIKE MOVE-IN

2008-12-02T08:31:00.000-08:00

Still on track for 2 months ahead of schedule and in by Christmas! Carpet in bedrooms went down yesterday and the final buff and seal on the stained concrete floors scheduled shortly! The low-profile rainwater collection tank went in last week and looks fantastic. The kitchen is so gorgeous -- can't wait to take pictures for the "final reveal"!

GORGEOUS (AFFORDABLE) GRANITE

2008-11-07T05:24:00.000-08:00

Granite was installed yesterday in the kitchen, utility, and bathrooms and it's gorgeous! We've worked with the same granite people for 3 years now and they never cease to impress with their unbelievably fast turnaround and incredible work ethic and professionalism.

We made our final selection on the granite on Tuesday and it was installed yesterday. If you're even considering granite or tile from Home Depot, call us first.

LET THERE BE LIGHT (SHOPPING)!

2008-10-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

Finishing up the lighting selections today. The dining room and foyer lights are fantastico!

Tomorrow we set off for the antique-packed warehouses of Gonzales, Texas in search of the perfect, dramatic front door!

Paint! Paint! Paint!

2008-09-26T12:36:00.000-07:00

Paint has been selected, crown moulding is going up and looks like we might be 2 months ahead of scheduled! Fingers crossed!

Ahead of schedule!

2008-09-02T09:56:00.000-07:00

Things have been grooving! We are ahead of schedule! The house is rocked, the roof is on, and insulation goes in this week. The floors have been stained (a gorgeous buckskin), kitchen and bath cabinets selected. We met this weekend to discuss layout of the front auto-court and pathways. Next up is a trip to Gonzales to find the perfect, antique front door.

Time Flies!

2008-05-28T11:02:00.000-07:00

Holy cow! Time has certainly flown since our last post because things have been moving and grooving! We've had a digital camera malfunction, but hope to have photos up soon. After pouring over plans for the home, the perfect layout was selected and - ta dah! - the slab has been poured and the house is being framed out as we type. We're doing concrete floors, so extra care must be taken to protect, and while a grass fire on the property next door threatened a, shall we say, "smoky effect", thanks to quick response by the builder, neighbors, and the fantastic Henly Volunteer Fire Department/Hays County ESD 6 that light caramel we're hoping for won't be burned!

Lots more updates to come including our approach to making this house "golden years" ready.

(Great) Staging Works - 4 Offers and Sold in 31 Days!

2008-03-17T12:10:00.001-07:00

We thought progress on this project would be a little delayed because the new owners wanted to sell their home in Dallas before beginning construction on their new home, and given the housing market we tried to be realistic. But to help move things along, we went to Dallas, staged their home there, and 5 days later they had their first offer. They ultimately had 4 offers on their Dallas house (a sign was never even placed in the yard) and 31 days later the house was sold and they were in Dripping Springs in temporary housing.

Things are moving briskly now -- indeed, we went over new house plans this morning -- so more frequent updates are on their way!

Attack of the Mulcher (A Very Short Film)

2008-02-13T18:04:00.000-08:00

Cedar clearing is going mulchers a'blazing!

Cedar Clearing Or A Healthy Ashe Kickin'

2008-02-06T09:14:00.000-08:00

Cedar, or more specifically Ashe Juniper, is native to Texas and let's just say this native has certainly made itself at home in the Hill Country (some have been spotted grasping television remote controls, chatting on their cell, and ordering pizza). As a seriously drought-tolerant species, it has been able to thrive during the past years of drought. While ranchers are typically not a fan, the Ashe Juniper is actually beneficial for erosion control and the older growth cedar even has a somewhat majestically gnarled quality.

Our goal in preparing this property for the new owners is to remove the cedars from the perimeter of the gorgeous live oaks that are being choked out be new growth, while preserving the clusters of older growth cedar. We met with cedar clearing companies with varying approaches to the project, but ultimately went with the one we believe will exercise the most care with regard to the live oaks, and any new live oaks trying to get a foothold, and the best "eye" for preserving the older growth.

The cleared cedar will be mulched and spread and, once it's had a chance to settle in and begin to decompose, we'll mix in native grasses.

Cactus Exposed! (Or Every Fire Has a Silver Lining)

2008-02-04T15:22:00.000-08:00

We will return to our previously scheduled BPB Hill Country Project updates, but just a brief note about the upside of a fire burning off all the grass on your property. In addition to having what is promised to be gorgeous green grass this spring, with all the cacti now exposed (and a little charred), Melanie can tackle this prickly problem head on (despite how painful that sounds). Always trying to stay chemical free, the cacti are being dug up versus sprayed with a poison. The grassfire also revealed loads of critter holes, just a reminder that are we are not alone and another reason to avoid utilizing toxic sprays. Next, we'll tackle the archenemy of the mower - rocks!

Our New Favorite Color: Fire Engine Red

2008-01-30T12:46:00.000-08:00

And bright yellow, as well! As many know, brush fires ripped through the Hill Country yesterday. In the path, was Maison HV co-founder Melanie's home just outside Dripping Springs. Thanks to the brave and tireless firefighters of Dripping Springs, Henly, Driftwood, Buda, Oak Hill, Manchaca, Fredericksburg, and La Grange (just to name a few, we're sure) her home was completely spared. Fire licked as close as 18 inches from some parts of the home, but other than acres of burnt grass (which promises to be a thick, glorious green this spring), some crispy sages, and a few charred fence posts, no damage was done to the things that matter most -- her family, her dogs, and those precious pieces of physical family memories.

There are absolutely no adequate words to fully express our entire family's gratitude to those men and women who fought the fire and saved her family home yesterday.

God Bless You.

Cedar Fervor!

2008-01-28T08:34:00.000-08:00

What do you do with a drunken sailor early in the morning?

Not our problem.

What do you do with 20 acres of cedar early in the project?

Our problem.

But no matter what the problem, we always like to start with a little inspiration. Coming up, we'll be discussing our approach to clearing cedar but, in the meantime, we created some project fervor by clearing away the cedar from the live oaks near the entrance to the property. Hidden behind all that cedar, we had no idea that the "entrance tree" would be so inspiring indeed.

Click on image for a larger version.

It's the Final Countdown!

2008-01-23T09:19:00.000-08:00

The B.P.B. Hill Country Project will officially begin in less than two days. The new owners close on the property on Friday and the project will be off and running. Follow Maison Home Vision as we transform a cedar-covered 20 acre parcel of land in the beautiful Texas Hill Country. The project will include building and decorating a "healthy" custom home designed for the owners' "golden years" needs, clearing the property and landscaping in an environmentally-sensitive way, and, as entree to it all, creating a gorgeous gated entrance.

Pictures, posts, and tales from the front lines on their way!