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At Bardwell Homes, we look for ways to be intentional and creative. Whether it is creating architecture, selecting finishes, running our business we want to be thoughtful about how we serve.

Viewing a home is a big component when you’re looking to buy. It can be difficult to schedule an in-person visit for every home you find online. Many homes look promising, but how do you know which ones will fit your needs for space, aesthetic, layout, location, etc.

We wanted to find a solution for our clients. We invested in research and production to create a tool that we believe can alleviate the stress of scheduling, in-person timing, and the unknowns of home characteristics.

Introducing Bardwell’s Unique Virtual Tours

Our new virtual tours are unique from other home videos you may have seen before.

Floor Plan

This new tool starts with a clear drawing of the home’s floor plan, providing you with an overview of the layout and visual for the flow of the home.

“Hot spots” on the floor plan drawing at the start of the tour allow you to select which area of the home you’d like to view first. Simply click the burnt orange dot in the room you’d like to explore!

Once you’re in a room, if you’d like to see the overview of the floor plan again for navigation you can simply click the icon in the right sidebar.

720 Degree View

Experience the home more accurately on a virtual setting than you ever have before with a 720 degree view. With our virtual tours, you use your cursor to view every detail of the home! Look at the ceiling, floors, forward and backward with incredible accuracy.

This is the most comprehensive viewing we have ever seen in a virtual tour, and we are excited to provide such an in-depth look for our clients.

Client Control

Oftentimes you see virtual tour videos that walk you through a home at a pre-determined pace. The amazing thing about Bardwell’s new virtual tours are that you are fully in control!

Choose the areas of the home that you want to see and spend as much time in that room as you want. Leave and go back to different areas, see how they all connect, and really get to know the space at your own pace.

You won’t have to pause, rewind or fast forward to get to what you care about. Everyone’s looking for something unique. View the home the way you want.

Surrounding Area Visuals

Another distinctive component of our virtual tours are the exterior tour of the complete lot! When you’re buying a home the surrounding homes, views and other objects matter.

Our tour allows you to see the community a home is present in. See the yard, street surroundings, next door neighbors, community amenities and more.

Other helpful tips

• The bottom left corner provides a navigation to show you which part of the house you are in. Click the different areas to jump from floor to floor or interior to exterior.
• Hover over the icons in the right side bar to see what other options are available to you. These navigations can make your life easier as you try to get the most full picture possible.
• If you start to get overwhelmed, professional photography and floor plan drawings are also available on the homes’ profile! You can always go back to what you know when you need to.

All in all, our new virtual tour system gives you the whole picture. We’re putting it all out there. See what matters to you, at your own pace, on your own time.

Want to see what we’re talking about?

Welcome home.

http://fotoport.fotosold.com/PPL/6417VintageRoseCtBatonRouge70817/index.html

Take your time exploring this recently completed home in Vintage Place! Play with each feature and get to know the space. We can’t wait to show you around!

Veranda is located inside of the larger community of University Club, just minutes away from LSU and downtown Baton Rouge. This traditionally planned community is comprised of 68 lots waiting for homes to be built.

As Veranda’s exclusive homebuilder, Bardwell Homes has a close relationship with the principal architect (Mike Sullivan of Looney Ricks Kiss) and interior designer (HGTV’s Kenneth Brown) of these homes.

Homes in Veranda are designed to match your personal style, and are built with Bardwell’s thoughtful attention to detail.

So how do you go about building a home in Veranda? We’ll walk you through the process step-by-step and show you how simple it is to make yourself at home.

Step 1: Meet with our Realtor

Bardwell’s expert realtor, Heather Kirkpatrick, is the first face you’ll meet. She’s on the team to discuss the community, show you available lots, and explore floor plans. Homes in Veranda range from 2,000 to3,000+ square feet with single and two-story options available.

Step 2: Meet with Bardwell

Now it’s our turn! We’ll work together to personalize your plans. Bardwell offers a selection of amenities and add-ons when building your home. You can share your vision with us and we can show you your options. We’ll approve your final floor plan and sign contracts to get things moving!

Step 3: Plumbing and Appliances

We’ll refer you to two approved Bardwell vendors who will make sure you’re taken care of. Working with our vendors maximizes efficiency and ensures quality. At this step, you’ll make appointments to select plumbing at Coburn’s and appliances at Stanton’s. Be sure to save photos of your selections for later meetings.

Step 4: Design Meeting 1

At this meeting we’ll provide options for you to choose your exterior color palette, garage door, mantel design, interior trim, sink selections and review cabinet design.

How to prepare?

Bring photos and magazine ideas, drive around different neighborhoods, bring paint chips, and pictures of bar area/butler’s pantry (if applicable), kitchen, desk, broom closet and utility room cabinet inspirations you would like to incorporate into your home.

Step 5: Countertops, Electrical Fixtures and Hardware

Time to visit a few more of our wonderful vendors. VisitMichael Paul’s Natural Stone (Stone Fabricator) first to look at inventory including remnants for guest baths and to select stone edging and sinks. Once you’ve made these selections you can make appointments to select countertops, electrical fixtures and hardware.

Step 6: Design Meeting 2

Now it’s time to finalize cabinet plans, interior paint colors and flooring. We’ll also tie together selections made from vendor appointments.

How to prepare?

Bring photos from your vendor appointments, interior paint inspirations and fabric swatches of furniture or drapery.

Step 7: Walk Thru’s

Walk thru #1: Bring electrical selections and think through outlet/charging locations, lamp and furniture placement, locations of TV’s, can placement and speakers.Finalize cabinet dresser placement if applicable.

Walk thru #2: Finalize closet layouts and fencing plans on-site.

Walk thru #3: At the Homeowner Orientation Walk, we will prepare punch list items to be handled before closing.

Walk thru #4: For the final walk, the Superintendent will review details and go over completed punch list.

Step 8: Closing

Time to make it officially YOUR home! After construction is complete, we’ll walk through the closing process and you’ll be off to start life in your new Bardwell home!

If you’re interested in learning about building in Veranda reach out to us! Take the first step. Call Bardwell at (225) 331-6955 – we’d love to get to know you!

Vintage Place is a Bardwell Community inspired by historic neighborhoods and classic American cottages of the 1920s. Located in a growing part of South Baton Rouge, Vintage Place has desirable access to shopping, dining, interstates, and other notable landmarks.

The neighborhood is enviable, to be sure. So how do you land yourself a home in Vintage Place?

Bardwell Homes has a process created to build a home that’s right for you!

The Bardwell Process

Step 1: Discover Vintage Place

If you’re interested in learning more about Vintage Place, set up a meeting with our realtor Heather. Together you can discuss the community, view available lots, and see floor plans to choose from.

Here’s a sneak peek of Vintage Place’s currently available lots:

Once you’ve found a lot you love, you’ll sign your contract and put down your deposit to secure your spot in one of Baton Rouge’s most coveted neighborhoods!

Step 2: Choose From Our 5 Available Home Plans

Match your lot to the home and floor plan that fits all of your needs! We’ve got 5 Bardwell-designed home plans you can choose from.

Each of these plans also have slight variations available based on your preference. Our realtor will also talk through these options with you.

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See all of our homes with detailed floor plans when you visit our Vintage Place community on our website.

Step 3: Customize your Home

Now that you’ve secured your lot and selected your plan it’s time to build the home that’s right for YOU. Choose from elements such as color scheme, tile selection, light fixtures, and more to create a home you love. As the owner, you choose fixtures and design elements (paint color, counters, floors) that match your style and eye. It should truly be your home at the end of this process.

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Step 4: Home Construction

Bardwell handles the building process for you! Don’t stress over contractor management or piece-mailed teams. From foundation to finishes our team gets the job done and communicates with you every step of the way.

Step 5: Walk-Thru’s

You’ll have two standard walk thru’s in the building process. At the Homeowner Orientation Walk, we work together to prepare a punch list of items to be handled before the closing. At the final walk, we review the completed punch list and any additional details to make sure you are nothing less than thrilled with your custom home!

Step 6: Closing

Time to make it officially YOUR home! After construction is complete, we’ll walk through the closing process and you’ll be off to start life in your new Bardwell home!

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If you’re interested in learning about building in Vintage Place, reach out to us! We’d love to take you on a tour of a model home, share potential floor plans and answer any questions you have about the process. Call Bardwell at (225) 331-6955 – we’d love to get to know you!

Kenneth Brown, HGTV designer and interior designer for stars like Zac Efron and Kristen Bell, has worked with Bardwell Homes and homeowners in Veranda at University Club to turn their homes into outward expressions of their personal styles. From paint colors, flooring options and ideal plumbing to lighting fixtures and countertop options, Kenneth shares his 14 design tips for finding the perfect blend of traditional Southern style and modern flair.

Don’t be afraid to mix old with new  

Use a reclaimed beam for a large opening and choose to keep the old paint on it. The patina adds a nice sense of history to the new kitchen cabinets.

Bring back brass

Use unlacquered brass fixtures and hardware in the kitchen set against dark painted cabinetry to bring in a fresh look.

Play with scale

Don’t be afraid to go with a large light fixture, sofa or piece of art in a smaller space. Contrary to what most people would expect, over-scale items open up the room by giving the impression of larger space.

Carve out interesting, multi-functional spaces in your floor plan

Create a beautiful butler’s pantry at the entry to the laundry room. It allows for beautiful storage as well as a space that’s perfect for placing a statement light fixture.

Take a good tile and make it great

Use master bathroom floor tile as reliable as a basic ceramic tile but cut with a linear pattern. By cutting the ends of the tile at 45 degree angles, a beautiful chevron pattern creates a breathtaking first impression.

Don’t forget the small details

Use interior door trim with an additional 1 x 2 trim that frames the casing and adds a modern punch to a traditional home.

Tailor storage and style in the shower

Rather than carving out a bunch of niches in the master shower, go for a more tailored look by carving out a niche as one long shelf across the shower wall.

Define your entry

Many open plan homes combine the entry, living room and dining room into one space. By adding classic paneling painted white in the entry, the space is defined as a welcoming foyer.

Put a new spin on an old style

In Veranda homes, interior door knobs are an ode to crystal door knobs of the past. Instead of the antique faceted crystal knobs, install simple crystal disc set on a black metal rosette.

Have fun with a “Mush-Room”

An emerging trend in many cities, this extra space is flexible and carefree for families with kids.  The use of bean bags and casual furniture is an added bonus for playing video games, or just hanging out at home with the kids.

Create a cohesive design thread with your color selections

A beautiful, deep paint color on the kitchen cabinets can be echoed throughout the home on all the interior doors. Sometimes it’s these subtle design decisions that make all the difference in tying a home’s design together.

Love your laundry room

Instead of standard depth counters go with extra-extra deep counters to give room for folding and storage. Place a sink between the washer and dryer for better function and install it at a level that makes it easy to bathe the family pet. Complete with open shelves and decorative baskets, this laundry room is a place to enjoy spending time.

Design a dramatic powder room

To create a big impact in a smaller powder bath install a large framed mirror behind a stylish light fixture for extra design impact.

Don’t be afraid to mix furniture styles

The key to a well decorated home is the mix of styles, woods, textures and accessories. The play between a new piece of upholstery set against an old table is what gives a home personality. When you allow your decor to have imperfections, you release the tension in the space which ultimately creates a comfortable, warm and welcoming environment.

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Minutes from LSU and downtown Baton Rouge on Nicholson Drive, Veranda in the prestigious University Club is the perfect place to settle in among new friends and neighbors who share your desire for a traditionally planned community.

As the exclusive home builder in Veranda, Bardwell Homes has a close relationship with Mike Sullivan of Looney Ricks Kiss, the principal architect, and HGTV designer, Kenneth Brown which gives home buyers the freedom to choose from several select home designs whose traditional lines and Southern charm welcome you to celebrate life and build new memories.

For information about homes and sales, call Heather Kirkpatrick from KDK Realty at 225-252-0668.

There are a few things that immediately come to mind when you think of Southern homes: white-painted columns, wide covered porches, large windows for sweeping views, and an emphasis on brick, wood and stone.

While these iconic characteristics are more traditional, Bardwell Homes gives these elements a fresh, modern look by blending classic Southern style with contemporary home design.

“Southern is generally equated with ‘roots,’ and for good reason with rich culture and land,” says Scott Bardwell, owner of Bardwell Homes.  “We have taken what is essentially defined as Southern architecture and updated it to today’s preferences and needs.”

Here are some of the ways Bardwell Homes is bringing the past and the present together with its refined approach to home design.

Connecting Indoors and Out

In the days before air conditioning, the porch made it possible to get through the sweltering Southern summers. It was a gathering place where families and guests alike could catch a breeze and shoot the breeze. Bardwell Homes has captured the timelessness of the porch and uses indoor amenities to modernize this outdoor staple, keeping it at the heart of the Southern home.

“One of the elements that I have really seen transform over the past decade is the porch,” Bardwell says.  “It wasn’t that long ago when it seemed like such a waste to build a porch — why sit outside? Now it seems like everyone is drawn to the rootedness of a porch, but it’s been updated with fans, lighting, speakers, TVs and amenities that bring the living space outside. The combination of updated architecture with porches really brings home the up-to-date experience with a true rooted architectural element.”

In classic Southern architecture, the porch frames outdoor living — letting everyone relax in any condition, whether misty mornings, cheerful sunny days,or even rainy afternoons.

“I think of Southern architecture having deep overhangs, windows with a view to a garden or lawn, muted colors to blend with landscape, classic indigenous materials — slate, brick, wood, copper, etc. — and ample outdoor spaces to enjoy the temperate weather,” Bardwell says.

Connecting Tradition and Technology

The embrace of technology and tradition extends inside the house, as well.

“We have taken many of the traditional home design elements and improved upon them with technology — insulation of walls and windows and doors — and refreshed the look so houses don’t look so aged,” Bardwell says. “And we have added back rooms that function for today’s lifestyles, like the ‘livery’ where the hunters would come in after a hunt and drop off their game for processing. The modern-day equivalent is the drop zone, where we drop off backpacks and cellphones.”

“That tech in our pockets and purses has even shaped what we find appealing,” says Kenneth Brown, a well-known designer who works with Bardwell. “Consumers are selecting materials that have a cleaner appeal to them. Even the trends in color palette reflects that aesthetic. There’s no way you interact with something like that without it somehow finding its way into your day to day design decisions.”

Embracing a Cleaner, Simpler Vision

Architect Mike Sullivan of Looney Ricks Kiss in Baton Rouge says Bardwell Homes is hitting the right notes with an emphasis on simplicity while mixing the best of the old and the new.

“One of the trends in the Baton Rouge residential marketplace is one of an ‘edited Southern vernacular,’ ” Sullivan says. “Meaning the traditional and regional forms such as roof, porch, proportions, materials and the overall massing is still in keeping with the architecture of the area, but the details have been edited and in some cases interpreted for a cleaner and simpler appearance. The celebration of doors and windows with high contrast colors such as black, dark bronze or in some cases even a hint of red are also becoming synonymous with this trend.”

Sullivan cites a “new Southern farmhouse” that his firm recently designed for Bardwell Development as a good example.

“We used the regional forms of a Southern farmhouse, along with the white painted board and batten wood siding and the high-contrast window details to create a modern but edited Southern house,” Sullivan  says. “This philosophy continued on the interior as well in the finishes and trim details.”

When first-time visitors stroll through the new Bardwell Homes development Veranda at University Club in South Baton Rouge, they quickly understand that the signature, luxury development is a unique place to call home — even if they can’t quite put their finger on why that is.

“What we hear is ‘I don’t know, it just feels right,’” says Scott Bardwell, owner of Bardwell Homes.

It’s the sort of reaction Bardwell loves to see, and it’s not something that happens by chance. The community, and the homes within it, are thoughtfully designed with careful attention to both function and aesthetics.

For example, homes are styled to reflect traditional Southern architecture and situated around common green spaces, while pedestrians are given priority over vehicles, creating a welcoming and usable streetscape for families. The result is a custom community where the various pieces work in harmony to create a functional and welcoming landscape that residents love to call home.

“As a builder, details matter. There are a lot of things that go into that level of streetscape detail that translate into the architecture,” Bardwell says. “We’re actually building communities. To do that you have to slow down, you have to think and you have to execute.”

While these factors play a considerable role in quality of life, many homeowners fail to ask the right questions when determining whether a community is the right fit for their family.

Are the Streets Planned for People or for Cars?

When considering a new community, Bardwell suggests taking a look down one of the streets to see whether garages or porches are more visible. In many communities, the view will be dominated by massive garages.

“This is a key indicator to us,” Bardwell says. “We like to build homes for people, not cars.”

Bardwell says a community optimized for humans instead of automobiles will have sidewalks where residents can walk along the street, doors and windows that are visible from the street, and porches that are visually more prominent than garages. Garages that are well-integrated into the overall home design are a good indicator the builders have given proper thought to the primary purpose of the home and its contribution to the character of the overall community.

What Are the Community Restrictions?

When selecting a community, it’s important to understand the rules and regulations that homeowners must follow.

Take some time to investigate whether residents can build or do whatever they want with their homes or whether the neighborhood imposes some sort of consistency on structures and the lots on which they are built. But don’t stop there; it’s also key to determine whether these rules are properly enforced. It’s a step that will pay off over the long run.

“This is often overlooked but very critical, because it keeps values steady and creates a clear, definable community vision,” Bardwell says.

What Are the Community Amenities?

Luxury communities these days offer much more than just the homes themselves. Whether it’s the town square, restaurants and boutique office space at Village at Magnolia Square; the easy access to a top-notch community park in Highland Court; or the convenient access to retail shopping and restaurants at Long Farm, intentionally designed communities offer residents more options than ever before.

Sidewalks, green spaces and community pools can all play a significant role in the overall experience, creating a more livable space and a sense of community. The community’s overall location in the surrounding area, including its distance to shopping, restaurants and parks, is another important consideration.

Do the Builders Have a Good Reputation for Quality?

Choosing a professional builder with an eye for design is critical because each home site presents unique challenges and opportunities that can make or break the overall living experience. The relative location of the sun to parts of the home, the topography of the site and the character of the surrounding properties should all play a role in the final design of the home. In fact, Bardwell encourages clients to avoid picking a house plan before selecting a lot, opting instead to create a custom home based on the lot they choose.

“A lot of people will pick the house they want to build first, then choose the lot they want to put it on,” Bardwell says. “That’s great, but if the house has a front porch and it faces west, you’re never going to sit on the front porch. Let’s think through some of these things we need to accommodate. When you focus on the details in advance, you come up with a better workable, livable product.”