Why no "traditional interior" houses in the Phoenix area? (Scottsdale: wood floors, appointed) - Arizona (AZ) - City-Data Forum

HX_Guy · 12-07-2009, 05:11 PM

By "traditional interior" I mean houses with wood window and door casing...with big wood baseboards...with wainscoting.

I don't know what it is but there is something about the look that I really like and out here in Phoenix, it seems you can only get this by buying a historic home, pre-1940s.
I thought this was the case throughout the US (that they no longer built homes like this) but I've seen many shows on TV, like House Hunters, where they show new build tract homes that have these features.

We're actually planning a master suite remodel and am planning on going this route...we already put wood crown mouldings in and want to do a dark wood tile with 4" or 6" baseboards and also have the wood trim installed on the windows.

Some examples of what I'm talking about...

Moderator cut: no copyrighted images allowed

cmist · 12-07-2009, 05:27 PM

This is a GREAT question. When I went looking at homes in Raleigh, NC some time ago the NORM was to see paneled wainscoting, crown molding and baseboards, window trim, etc. Almost every home looked like that even at the 150K price range. It really gives an upscale feel with some simple details.

Its kind of crazy too because even when you up the ante out here and pay huge sums of money, it seems all you get is extra niches and pot shelves (aka dust collectors), fancier floors and maybe bigger windows. Interior details like that never did catch on out here for some reason. My guess is because builders didn't HAVE to dress them up to sell them. People paid exorbitant amounts of money for the most cheaply outfitted homes so why bother with the details?

43north87west · 12-07-2009, 05:47 PM

Very interesting question; I've noticed that myself.

As cmist already mentioned, back East, details like this are a lot more common, even in smaller, recently-built homes. I grew up with crown moldings and oak floors. When I lived in Virginia, almost all of the new construction had at least some of these details. The wood floors are a nice addition as well. I lived in a massive arts and crafts home in the Midwest, which was probably the pinnacle of details, from leaded, stained glass, to massive moldings and huge baseboards. Back then, everything was hand cut, hand finished, and apparently, built to last a few hundred years. The details were virtually endless.

Having said that, I like the architecture of the desert southwest. The simple pueblo style homes have always appealed to me, for whatever reason. After Colonial style overdose, it's nice to see some earth tones and tile floors. No matter where I am, I don't like wall to wall carpeting. Give me tile, stone, or wood, any day.

asufan · 12-07-2009, 06:24 PM

1. It's way too expensive. I bid out some Andersen wood windows for a customer in Scottsdale...price tag was $40,000 above comparable aluminum.

2. Lack of skilled craftsman. Although there's probably plenty of skilled trim carpenters available now, Phoenix has been dependent on the non-skilled labor force for as long as I can remember. The most you ever see is 5 1/4 baseboards. Not a whole lot of cool woodwork in our homes.

3. Phoenix is newer, and the traditional style is not popular here. You're more likely to see no baseboard or casing at all (Santa Fe style) than you are to see wainscoating, dentil molding, etc. Unless you're building a custom, the options just are not there for a traditional style, as the market is not that great for it.

cmist · 12-07-2009, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 43north87west

Very interesting question; I've noticed that myself.

As cmist already mentioned, back East, details like this are a lot more common, even in smaller, recently-built homes. I grew up with crown moldings and oak floors. When I lived in Virginia, almost all of the new construction had at least some of these details. The wood floors are a nice addition as well. I lived in a massive arts and crafts home in the Midwest, which was probably the pinnacle of details, from leaded, stained glass, to massive moldings and huge baseboards. Back then, everything was hand cut, hand finished, and apparently, built to last a few hundred years. The details were virtually endless.

Having said that, I like the architecture of the desert southwest. The simple pueblo style homes have always appealed to me, for whatever reason. After Colonial style overdose, it's nice to see some earth tones and tile floors. No matter where I am, I don't like wall to wall carpeting. Give me tile, stone, or wood, any day.

I can agree with that too. If only we were a city full of simple pueblos, I would love it. I guess to use your term, I'm on stucco/tile roof overdose.

A friend of the family lives in this newer home where the garage door is decorated to the hilt with weird buckles and clasps designed to fake you out as if it opens up like some old style coach door, but then when he pulls into the driveway it rolls up like any other door. I know they paid extra for that so it actually cracks me up since it doesnt look remotely real. Besides, how often do you stand in your driveway looking at your garage door?

There is also this trend with stacked rocks on the front of homes where it looks nice head on, but when you see it from the side, you can see they are no more than an inch deep and just glued on to stucco. Or there is another trend with iron rebars sticking out over some circular recess over the front door. I know its supposed to look southwest, but to me its an eyesore.

I think I'm gonna take some pictures of all of this and get some opinions from you guys.

I think there may be more energy exerted into the exterior facades here whereas other places put more details into the living space.

asufan · 12-07-2009, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmist

I can agree with that too. If only we were a city full of simple pueblos, I would love it. I guess to use your term, I'm on stucco/tile roof overdose.

A friend of the family lives in this newer home where the garage door is decorated to the hilt with weird buckles and clasps designed to fake you out as if it opens up like some old style coach door, but then when he pulls into the driveway it rolls up like any other door. I know they paid extra for that so it actually cracks me up since it doesnt look remotely real.

There is also this trend with stacked rocks on the front of homes where it looks nice head on, but when you see it from the side, you can see they are no more than an inch deep and just glued on to stucco. Or there is another trend with iron rebars sticking out over some circular recess over the front door. I know its supposed to look southwest, but to me its an eyesore.

I think I'm gonna take some pictures of all of this and get some opinions from you guys.

I think there may be more energy exerted into the exterior facades here whereas other places put more details into the living space.

People on the East coast put some cheap looking materials on the outside too. Wood roof shakes as a siding?

HX_Guy · 12-07-2009, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmist

I think there may be more energy exerted into the exterior facades here whereas other places put more details into the living space.

Yes! I think that's what it is and to me, it doesn't make any sense. It's not like you live out on the street and admire your house from the outside in. The inside needs to be nicer than the outside.

I was actually pretty hopeful when I went out to Verrado as I heard the houses were build like old Craftsman style houses...with porches and a garage in the back...which they were, but once you got inside, they looked like any other tract home out here. I was way disappointed, I hoped they followed through inside but they didn't.

cmist · 12-07-2009, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HX_Guy

Yes! I think that's what it is and to me, it doesn't make any sense. It's not like you live out on the street and admire your house from the outside in. The inside needs to be nicer than the outside.

I was actually pretty hopeful when I went out to Verrado as I heard the houses were build like old Craftsman style houses...with porches and a garage in the back...which they were, but once you got inside, they looked like any other tract home out here. I was way disappointed, I hoped they followed through inside but they didn't.

I feel exactly the same! The incredible outside builds up all this hope that you are about to walk into something really amazing, and its a huge disappointment when you walk in and see something that feels exactly like what you already have, (except probably sitting on a smaller lot than what you have now).

asufan · 12-07-2009, 06:48 PM

One thing that I did to help achieve this look was I increased the size of the base and casing, and bought wood plantation shutters for the main living areas and master bedroom. The wood shutters cost a hell of a lot of money, and I know I would never recover the investment in a resale, but it looks really sharp in a stark white as a contrast to the wall color with a 2-tone paint scheme. The casing around the shutters make the windows look a lot more expensive than they are. It sure looks better than wood blinds. With as much as shutters cost, you can imagine how much it would be to have that look throughout the whole house standard. We're talking Scottsdale prices in Verrado, and no one would buy. TW Lewis has wood window sills standard. That's as far as they are willing to go.

HX_Guy · 12-07-2009, 07:00 PM

We did wood shutters on many of the windows in the house too and I love how they came out.

Also did crown mouldings in the master bedroom/bath and a spare bedroom plus bigger baseboard in the spare bedroom which also has shutters, it's my favorite room in the house. I'll have to take some pictures and post them up.