pretty on the outside.

Mr. Nielsen and I are so lucky. The land we hope to build on (currently his parents' backyard) is right next to a city park, and is wildly beautiful. These beauties, my most favorite, are in my future front yard:

Here's why else we're lucky. Mr. Nielsen's brother is a talented architect, and can design us an amazing house. Not one of those beige mcmansions found in all new suburban developments (not that there's anything wrong with those, well actually, there is, but if you like it, more power to ya) but an energy efficient, unique, modern house that fits the topography and blends well with the landscape. We don't plan on having much say in the outward design of the house, because we trust our architect brother, but we do like looking at houses. Here are pictures of some that Mr. Nielsen (who has refused to contribute to this blog, so I'll just have to do it for him) emailed to me:

[via]

[via]

Here's what we like. Windows. Here's what I like. Natural wood. Here's what Mr. Nielsen likes. The green siding house. Here's what else I like. Copper, like at the Nordic Embassies in Berlin. Let me show you:

I love how the copper turns that turquoise-blue. There are panels of copper surrounding all of the Nordic Embassies. They also use it in some of the interiors. I may have to do a whole post around these buildings and others in Germany, they truly inspired me. (I visited Germany with a school group in October of 2009, it was wonderful!)