Materials : November 2012

Jeff Seal is an architect from Lubbock, Texas. Upon graduating from Texas Tech University, he worked in Dallas. When he returned to Lubbock, he started his own company, Jeff Seal Homes of Distinction. His team consists of two Interior Designers who both graduated from Texas Tech University as well. They specialize in high-end custom homes. Our class had the privilege to tour some of his homes that were in the process of being built.

The field trip to the Jeff Seal Homes began with a tour of a Gothic Tudor style home. The walls had been built and the inside was under construction. The front façade of this two-story home looked like a castle with a ton of chimneys. The design of the home featured many Gothic Tudor style elements such as the pointed arches and the exquisite design of the home office ceiling. It was set on a huge lot with a large back yard. The fence was short, so they build a row of columns and foliage to provide privacy for the pool. The design of the home had so many great design elements that made the home flow smoothly. The placement of rooms and designated areas maximized the potential of this home. I really liked the lay out of this home. Our next stop on this field trip was just down the street.

The second home that we toured was large and luxurious as the precious. It was under construction as well. Jeff Seal and his designers designed this house for two families with two master bedrooms. The front door opened to two staircases and featured beautiful high ceilings. The dining room had high ceilings with large, painted crown moldings. We learned that he moldings were intricately painted before they were hung since they were up so high. I loved walking down the hallway because the doors had rounded panels. The theatre and game room was under ground, which I thought was so cool! There were still so many more features to be seen.

Another beautiful part of the design was the ceilings. The designs ranged from cutouts and circular panels. The materials in this home were just as beautiful as it was large. The shower in one of the master bedrooms had onyx tiles. You can tell that Jeff Seal and his team put a lot of effort into the interior materials of this home. The kitchen tile floors were inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello! Before we left the house, the team told us that the house also included tennis and basketball court and a pool. The home is intended for a family and two grandparents. There were some parts of the house that were common and some that were more private, which I thought was a great idea. This was such a beautiful house to tour; our next stop was out the back door.

We walked out of the back door and got to see the back yard, and the site of the pool and sports court. Jeff Seal and his team concluded the field trip with some advice about what we could do in our futures in Interior Design. We also got to ask questions about the homes, their designs, and about what goes into the interior of a home. It was such an informative trip and we got to see the fine materials first hand. It was awesome to find out that his interior designers had graduated from the same program that I am attending. I realized that working for a residential design firm would be a great opportunity, and it would give you the opportunity to work more hands on with the clients. This trip made me want to consider working for a residential firm. I had a great time touring these homes and learned so much about the interior materials that make up a home. Here are some pictures that I snapped!