ID 3311: Jeff Seal Homes of Distinction

Jeff Seal Homes of Distinction

Melissa Spoth

Texas Tech University

As we gathered around the wooden framework that would soon become a beautiful castle-like home, our materials class waited anxiously to meet with designer and architect Jeff Seal. The house had a grand driveway, helix-shaped chimneys, and ornate towers, which left me amazed that there was a market for Tudor-style architecture in Lubbock, Texas. Though this style can be difficult to pull off, Jeff Seal did a beautiful job along with his assistant designers, Abby and Emily. Our field trip to see Jeff Seal’s homes the class a glimpse into the glamorous side of residential design and taught us all the meticulous details that must be paid attention to when building a home.

As mentioned previously, the first home our class toured was a Tudor-style castle in The Falls. Abby and Emily explained all of the design elements used and the process they took to get there. Jeff creates a theme throughout his homes by repeating motifs, such as having Tudor-style arches in various areas. The motif even finds its way into his custom-built cabinetry in the kitchen, which helps to keep the design consistent. Speaking of which, Jeff also takes pride in originality and caters to his clients by having several custom-built pieces of furniture and architecture. He does not neglect ceilings, and rather he sees them as a way to further integrate his design goals. For example, he created grand, vaulted ceilings in the study of the home that will beautifully showcase his many levels of bookshelves. Though it was fun to see a home still in the construction process, the next home we saw gave us an even better insight into Jeff’s talents.

The next home we toured was a Mediterranean style home nearby. It was vastly different from the previous home, proving that designers have to be ready to work with anything their clients ask for. Keeping with the Mediterranean theme, this house incorporated a larger use of tile than wood like the last one. Jeff also demonstrated his ceiling design skills in this house. It seemed that every single room had a different ceiling height and ceiling design. I found an interesting one to be in the guest bedroom, which had a tiered ceiling in the shape of an upside-down wedding cake. It certainly reinforced the sense of height and scale in the room. Overall, this was an equally beautiful home that Jeff built.

As far as Jeff’s design process goes, he believes in a design firm that handles all aspects of design from start to finish. Therefore, his team handles architectural construction, interior design, and even landscape design. With Abby and Emily’s help, this is exactly what he achieves and is what makes his business so successful. Jeff explained that cutting out the middle man leads to less confusion, and it is easier to understand the vision as a whole.

I also found it quite helpful to hear from Abby and Emily’s perspectives as former Texas Tech interior design students. They explained that working for Jeff has provided greater opportunities for them than they would have received if they chose to work at large design firms in other cities. Though staying in Lubbock can be seen as a downside, they get hands on experience with Jeff, and learn what it is like to work with clients in the real world. Hearing from Abby and Emily has made me reconsider where I decide to get my internship and do post-graduate work.

Overall, the field trip to see Jeff Seal Homes of Distinction was a great learning opportunity. Not only did I get to see extremely ornate and beautiful houses, but I got to learn about how residential design works in the real world. Hopefully one day when I make enough money, I can move into one of Jeff’s homes because I know they will be built with both quality and beauty in mind.