Entry for the Interior Decorators contest, I used The Cedar Estate as the base template. Built with the default texture pack and a lightweight shader was used to boost saturation and vibrancy for photos.

Addons used:

Fabric
Optifine
Fancy Skies
Sildur’s Enhanced Default v1.11
WorldEdit

This is my first interior and first contemporary build which became an opportunity to learn interior design feng shui as well as creating interesting layouts while being functional. Previously, I only ever built fantasy exteriors in Creative and I was going to leave the landscape completely empty, but it seemed like a good place to show off some exterior work that I’m more comfortable with.

~Steve’s Story~

Steve Abner grew up with an appreciation for the greatest generation as he was raised by his grandparents. To honor their memory, he restores American classics, ranging from antique radios, to classic cars, and now with his latest project of restoring an earlier 1930’s single engine biplane in his New Hampshire backyard. Steve's children and the neighborhood kids often find themselves pretending to be fighter pilots of a bygone era while the plane sits dormant in the grass. Although Steve dreams of simpler times, he does enjoy the comforts of modernity and the convenience that accompanies. Steve’s house is a reflection of himself, rustic on the outside but screams of style on the inside. His kitchen has the all the modern necessities you would find in the typical middle-class American home with wood herringbone flooring sprawling across much of the downstairs. The dining room is very representative of the rest of the house, clean, neat, orderly, and everything in its proper place.

While his kids wait for dinner to be made, they are found feeding the fish in the aquarium, pouring themselves soda from the bar, or setting the table. The dining room and much of the downstairs has an open layout with an integrated shelving and bookcase unit under the stairs and a built-in radio cabinet near side entryway. Heading upstairs, the home features raised ceilings throughout the interior and even the hallway is no exception. The hallway has built-in cabinetry as the house does not feature linen closets except in the office loft. There are two bedrooms and a loft that has been made into an office for Steve to work and play on his computer when time permits. The office also features attic access which houses a collection of antiques and relics of the past, packed and stacked carefully to preserve keepsakes and treasures.

Steve keeps himself busy with projects during his free time being quite the Renaissance Man, with a background in mechanical engineering, electronics, and carpentry. Steve’s first major project was working on the Cedar house as it’s been fondly called by the neighborhood; the difference from when Steve purchased his home to now is drastic, going from barren white drywall to a place he could call his home. One of the many quality of life improvements he made was in the downstairs bathroom, a laundry chute which allows dirty clothing to be thrown down, dropping into a hamper in the basement. Steve also built basement access from within the house so he doesn't need to trudge outside when weather is not favorable simply to do laundry. The basement is your typical basement, storage racks and cabinets, a washer and dryer, a punching bag, and some extra wine/beer/soda barrels as reserves for the bar upstairs. The garage is where Steve spends much of his free time, working on his ’57 Chevy, the vintage GMC truck parked in the driveway, or using his garage as a mechanics shop to clean and restore parts for the decadent biplane in the backyard. The garage is also a place for Steve to just relax after a hard day’s work by unwinding with his billiards table in the upstairs...though he may want to take some time to install railing as it’s an accident waiting to happen….

1930's Biplane

The 1930's biplane that Steve is working to restore. Much of the plane is intact and has been restored, but Steve still has work left to do in order to get the wings built and attached. Uncut lumber has been brought over from the local lumberyard, fortunately, Steve has the necessary tools to plane the wood and shape it to specification.

1941 GMC

This 1941 GMC truck is in pristine condition. Steve purchased the truck cab and the bed of the truck as two separate parts from different sellers. He spent a great deal of time getting the truck to the condition it's in now.

1957 Chevy

The '57 Chevy is Steve's first vehicle restoration, he stuck with the classic seafoam green color that really makes it feel as though it's the original paint from the factory floor.

Historical Well

This well has been in Steve's yard since purchasing the house, he think it dates back to the late 18th century, post American revolution. Although Steve has little use for a well in his contemporary home, he keeps the well in good condition as an appreciation for it's history and craftsmanship, always ensuring there's water for the birds.

Swing

A side project of Steve's when he first moved into the house and was taking a break from the interior remodel. The swing used to sit in the frontyard but with the overgrowth of vegetation on the side of the garage and the shade of the large trees made it a homey addition to the side of the lot.

Rose Bush Trellis

There are two rose bush trellis structures in the yard, one of which runs between the house and garage, the other runs between the dining room window and the edge of the property. This addition allows some privacy in the yard and makes it feel like a secret garden lies beyond the arches.

Tool Shed

The tool shed attached to the back of the garage was built to facilitate the restoration of the biplane that's grown accustom to its backyard runway. Hopefully the plane can maneuver between the yard and trees once it's ready for flight!

Sunroom

The sunroom houses beets and a refreshing hot tub that's powered by a wood fired furnace. Not the most advanced hot tub in the neighborhood, but it keeps the kids busy with gathering wood for fuel.

Kitchen

The Kitchen features white cabinetry and wood herringbone flooring. This location also plays host to many gatherings and is a very trafficked area with the backdoor leading to the sunroom and garden.

Dining Room

The dining room occupies the East side of the residence with a cathedral ceiling and a spruce table to contrast the light colored chairs and earth tones of the room.

Dining Room/Office Loft

Pictured here is the chandelier which hangs below the loft overlooking the dining room.

Bar

The bar serves as a place for Steve to socialize with guests when he hosts and also as a place for his kids to play bartender for Steve, they're becoming mixology experts and their Daiquiri blend is phenomenal!

Family Room

The family room is a cozy place for Steve and his family to unwind and talk about life in front of a warm fire. There are throw pillows on each couch so everyone can find a comfy locale.

Stair Shelving Unit

This shelving and bookcase unit was built specifically for Steve. He used to try to read in his office but would find himself distracted by his computer all too much so he opted to install the bookcase away from television screens and monitors where he could keep his mind focusing on one task, reading.

Hallway

The hallway has a thermostat and built-in shelving units on either side holding linens, flannels, and other household amenities with ease of access for both bedrooms and the office loft.

Master Bedroom

Steve's room is recognizable with his two poster canopy bed right next to Pete, the family parrot. Steve let's Pete fly around his room and hide in the trees that are nearly to the point of becoming too unruly for a bedroom.

Office Loft

The office loft is Steve's office/video gaming room/his own second room. The room notably features a glass trophy case, helmets of characters from some of his favorite movies and video games, as well as Jolly Roger flags adorning the walls. Steve grew up in as small coastal town in Maine and would dream of sailing the seas as a pirate, unfortunately, maritime law caught up with his dream before he could form a crew.

Attic

The attic is largely barren, much of it covered in fiberglass insulation with a joists running between the rafters to support both the roof and those willing to balance the wooden beams. Near the back of the attic, towards the backyard, Steve holds many mementos and relics of the past.

Basement

Pictured here is the hot water heater, a chest freezer, and a small work bench for fixing household electronics. Steve is currently working on an antique clock which is sitting on the tabletop.

Garage

The garage is where Steve spends much of his free time, working on his ’57 Chevy, the vintage GMC truck parked in the driveway, or using his garage as a mechanics shop to clean and restore parts for the decadent biplane in the backyard.

Garage Loft

The garage is also a place for Steve to just relax after a hard day’s work by unwinding with his billiards table in the loft.

Happy 4th of July!

Uncle Sam has hidden his hat somewhere in the house, see if you can find it!