Build-n-Share #35 - We Have A Plan!

We have a plan!

BUILD-N-SHARE #35

H

ello!

Archy Tech here again with another case from the Build-n-Share files. Just after the new year, a couple came into the office looking for a new home. Ned Flanders and Edna Crabapple (the names sounded familiar somehow, even though their faces were not) were moving to Newcrest from Springfield in another state. They had no idea of the style of house they wanted but they did have a footprint for the house. The only other specifications were that the house have three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, a dine-in kitchen, somewhere to park their car, and a budget of ยง125,000. A music room would be nice, but one of the bedrooms could be used for that.

I was happy to take on the job, even with so little to go on. Ned and Edna seemed oddly mismatched. Ned was cheerful and eager to agree with anything you or his wife said. Edna was bubbly and assertive, but gave me little direction. With so many options available, I decided I needed a course of action. After the couple had left, I called my assistant, Rose Waters, back into the office. I knew she had chatted them up before they were shown in for their consultation, and if anyone could find out the lowdown on someone, it would be Rose.

“So what did you think of our new clients?” I ventured.

“Funny, aren’t they?” Rose giggled. “You’d never have thought those two would marry each other.”

“Probably haven’t been married too long,” I offered.

Rose gave me the stink eye. “If you want to know more about them, boss, just ask me! You don’t have to beat around the bush.”

“Okay, Rose. Just spill.”

“Well, they both have been married before. Ned’s first wife, Maude, was killed in a freak accident when a souvenir t-shirt shot out of an air gun at a baseball game, hit her square on, propelling her over the rail at the top of the stadium seats. Ned stays very cheerful on the surface, but I think there are feelings there that run deep. He likes to cook—especially to grill on the barbecue—and garden. He seems pretty conservative, although he will surprise you. Did you notice how buff he is?”

“I couldn’t tell anything, Rose. He had on a bulky green sweater.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “You don’t notice a thing!”

“Okay, okay! So I’m a block of wood. Go on.”

“Anyway, so he seems really fit. He must work out a lot. As far as his business, he started a store in Springfield which sells items like scissors and things made for left-handed people. It’s called the Leftorium. He just opened a branch in Windenburg, which is why he and Edna want to move to our area.”

“And what about Edna?”

“Edna is not at all like Ned. She talks a lot, but she was a harder nut to crack. I know she was married to a Mr. Crabapple at some point, but I don’t know how long ago. The marriage apparently ended in a nasty divorce.

She seems ambivalent about men, though she was triumphant in explaining how she had ‘bagged Ned’ — her words, not mine. And boy did she watch me closely anytime I spoke to Ned! As you know, she is an elementary school teacher and has gotten a job with the Windenburg school district, which is why they don’t want to live in Windenburg. She also is no stranger to alcohol. At least she claims to be quite the mixologist.

Funny, though. Ned seems like the last person to imbibe. I guess their love for music brought them together.

Edna plays the piano, and believe it or not, Ned really lets loose on the guitar!”

“You found out quite a lot!” I said to Rose.

“Oh not really,” she replied modestly. As she went to leave, she turned and said, “You know, they reminded

me of a couple you might see on one of those really old TV sitcoms they run on the TVLand channel. You know, like Father Knows Best or The Jetsons.”

Now it was my turn to roll my eyes. Rose knows that I remember when those shows were new and not “really old”. Sigh…

But Rose had given me an inspiration. What this mismatched couple needed was a mid-century style suburban house accented with the bold complementary colors typical of the era, turquoise and red-orange.

If I could harmonize the color scheme, perhaps Ned and Edna could find a way to start a life together despite their differences.

When they left my office, Ned and Edna seemed genuinely relieved that I could help them. Let’s take a walk-through of what I came up with.

Casa Flanders

EXTERIOR

EXTERIOR

LET’S GO INSIDE!

➚ FRONT DOOR

➘ FOYER

FOYER

LIVING ROOM

LIVING ROOM

UPPER LANDING SMALL BAR

DINE-IN KITCHEN

KITCHEN/DOOR TO CARPORT

MAIN HALLWAY

WORKBENCH/FUTURE LAUNDRY AREA/DOOR TO PATIO

MASTER BEDROOM

MASTER BEDROOM

MASTER BEDROOM

MASTER BATHROOM

GUEST BEDROOM

➚ GUEST BEDROOM

➘ GUEST BATHROOM

MUSIC ROOM (FUTURE THIRD BEDROOM)

MUSIC ROOM

MUSIC ROOM

UPPER LEVEL OFFICE

OFFICE

OFFICE WORKOUT STATION

➚ OFFICE

➘ OFFICE BATHROOM

➚ CARPORT

➘ PATIO

PATIO/POOL

LANDSCAPING/VEGETABLE GARDEN

TOP DOWN VIEW

UPPER LEVEL

OFFICE

PATIO

MASTER BEDROOM

WORK AREA

CARPORT

DINE-IN KITCHEN

GUEST BEDROOM

HALLWAY

LIVING ROOM/BAR

MUSIC ROOM

Ned and Edna were thrilled when they finally took possession of their new house. “You’re a magician!”

Edna exclaimed as we went through the front door for the final walk-through. Ned just grinned and uttered “Diddly!” from time to time.

Back at the office, I told Rose that she could expect a bonus in her next paycheck.

“Oh, boss, that’s not necessary,” she said. And then without missing a beat, she continued, “How much will it be?”

We both broke out laughing, because we both knew that I would be lost without her! ❦