The Most Expensive Design Mistake We’re Avoiding at Westward Tudor
Outdoor landscape design plans, saying goodbye to the basement “octopus”, and the importance of thinking five steps ahead.
Big Changes at Wendy’s New Home!
Well, it’s not so new anymore (April 1, 2026 it will be one year).
Today’s post is a real-time update on Westward Tudor and the projects that are active and underway. None of the projects are all that flashy, but they will dramatically change how we use this house — which, as designers, is always where we start.
…ok, ok, maybe the new plant babies are a bit flashy, but more on that towards the end of this post. Here’s a sneak peek:
So What Are We Actually Doing at the House?
If you strip it down to the big picture, we’re doing five main things:
1. Finishing the Basement
We’re turning an unfinished lower level into a real laundry room and family room so the space actually works for our family instead of just storing stuff in a dirty dungeon with a washing machine that doesn’t work!
2. Making the House More Efficient
This one sounds technical, but it’s really about comfort and efficiency.
We’re:
Removing the giant old HVAC system (“the octopus”) that was awkwardly placed in the basement, so we can maximize space and make the home more functional
Replacing an older, less efficient gas furnace, aging AC unit, upgrading to a tankless water heater, and installing a modern, all-electric dual heat pump system
Adding new blown-in insulation in the attic crawl spaces
We’re making a nearly 100-year-old house heat and cool better, more evenly, and more efficiently — while also setting it up for future layout changes.
Instead of one big system trying to push air everywhere, we’ll have better zoning and shorter duct runs so the house performs more intelligently.
The inspiration:
3. Cleaning Up Old-House “Charm”
When you live in a historic home, you inherit layers of history — some charming, some not so much…
We’re:
Removing a nearly 100-year-old chimney that no longer functions (the house has since added a different working one) which means we will need to repair floors, drywall, trim, and paint, where that chimney used to run from attic to basement.
Reworking and resealing the original windows — replacing hardware, adjusting for decades of settling, and adding better seals so they actually function well
Removing more lath and plaster, and replacing with a lime wash in some areas
4. Converting the Attic into a Closet
The attic is becoming my closet.
In an older home with quirky storage, it’s a great way to use vertical space.
I might be more excited for the mirror I purchased to go at the end of the closet (where the green dresser is) than I am for a space where all of my clothes can fit!
5. Landscape + Grounds (Phased Over Time)
We had a full property plan done for the entire one-acre lot — pool, cabana, gardens, the whole vision.
CURRENT LOT:
FINAL DESIGN GOALS:
However, the cost to do it all at once is too much.
Instead, we’re:
Updating front plantings to better reflect our aesthetic and make better sense of the water drainage issues with all of the rain in our area
Installing a very sturdy rod iron fence (rocky terrain + sloped driveway + determined dog = serious engineering)
Adding necessary electrical for gates and future infrastructure
And a fun wicker egg for the kids to play in!
The key is that we have the long-term plan in place, even if we’re phasing it.
The Bigger Theme: Designing Backwards
This is really what ties everything together.
Before moving HVAC, before trenching electrical for gates, before insulating, reframing, or setting fence lines, we stopped and asked:
What do we want this house — and this property — to look like in 2, 5, even 10 years?
Right now, the house isn’t fully aligned with how we want to live in it long term.
The kids don’t share a bathroom. One has an ensuite and walk-in closet; the other has neither.
We eventually want to move upstairs to the larger guest bedroom with a fireplace, but the current primary bathroom is tiny and would need to be bumped out.
Long term, the entire upstairs floor will likely need to be reconfigured.
Outside, it’s similar.
We know where a future pool and cabana would go.
We know where the garden will be long term.
We know how pathways, lighting, and fencing need to support that future plan.
So when walls are open, systems are exposed, and land is being leveled, we’re not just reacting to today’s needs.
We’re thinking about:
Future plumbing
Future electrical
Possible bathroom shifts
Potential layout changes upstairs
Long-term landscape infrastructure
This is why we had full design plans completed for the upstairs and the property as a whole. Not because we’re building all of it now, but because we need to work backwards from where we’re going. It’s far more cost-effective to prepare for change than to redo work later.
MY SON’S ROOM NOW:
NEW LAYOUT ADDS CLOSET + NOOK WITH DESK AND BENCH TO HIS ROOM:
In summary:
Think of design as your long-term roadmap. You wouldn’t start a company without a vision for where it’s headed or what you’re trying to build. You wouldn’t invest time and money without knowing the bigger goal.
The same goes for your home — especially one you plan to sink roots into and evolve over time. The finishes? They’re just the icing.
The real work — the smart work — happens underneath. Systems. Layout. Infrastructure. Planning ahead.
Foundation first. Always. ✨
Curious Who Is Doing What?
At Teal & Scott, we do manage full home construction and design projects, but I want to share who is doing what, and why we set it up this way, especially for newer readers:
Arciform specializes in historic properties, so we had them handle the initial architectural layout and design work, which is especially important given this house is on the historic registry.
Construction is being done by AKOS Construction, who we’ve known for nearly a decade and who also helped with our last home, Treehouse.
Landscape Design plans were built by Blueprint Earth.
My husband and I remain deeply involved in selections and overall direction (sometimes to everyone’s demise), with Teal’s support — who wisely gets to step in as consultant instead of referee. 😉
And yes — our team absolutely could manage all of this. But we made a very intentional choice not to mix:
Marriage
Construction stress
And business dynamics
We all feel good about how we’ve built the team, and how it works for us as a company.
One Thing Before You Go
If you’re new here — HI, HELLO, WELCOME! We’re Teal & Wendy. We share the real process behind designing homes that actually work, not just the pretty after photos (although we love those too!).
And if this post resonated — especially the idea of planning before you spend — our Interactive Living Room Guidebook was just released. It’s a step-by-step, practical resource designed to help you go from stuck to styled without doing things twice.
More Westward Tudor updates soon. Thanks for being here.
