I am SO excited to start revealing this project! It was a true labor of love, and took two years to bring to fruition. Our team touched every inch of this house from the exterior finishes to every last piece of silverware in the kitchen drawers, and we could not be more proud of the outcome!
Photography by Amy Bartlam
Project Scope: We took down the original house on this site and built back a 4.5 thousand square foot Smart Home.
Overall Vibe: Warm minimalism with organic materials and a European influence.
How it's Used: Our clients are in their early sixties and have adult children and grandchildren. This is their dream home, where they hope to retire, and they were very collaborative throughout the process but also trusted us to push design limits. They were not afraid of going bold or using materials in new ways or being pushed past their comfort zone and that level of bravery and trust is evident in the final outcome of the home. They also desired a high level of functionality to keep their lives simple, and that drove a lot of the design decisions, as well.
The Entry + Stairway
The house has a lot to say from a style stand-point, and all of that starts at the entry. We knew we were having a big glass front door moment, and wanted to keep the space simple and open, so we opted for sleek furniture with big impact. The large mirror bounces light around and I LOVE the console table -- it's the perfect size, the finish on the wood has character and texture, and it even has secret doors on either side for hidden storage. We styled it with the big branches to bring life into the space. Color comes from the art and rug, so it's all very warm and neutral with some pops of green and blue that play off the beautiful potted fern tree that sits under the stairs.
The sconces going up the walls in the stair way are some of my favorite lighting in the house (along with the flush mounts in the upstairs hallway). They are seemingly small design details, but make such a huge impact. We spent a ton of time choosing the light in this space because it needed to look good viewed from below and from straight-on. This one is so sleek and modern, and plays well with the sconces and flush mounts that share the same space.
The stairs were one of the biggest challenges during construction. We knew we wanted a very open, minimal staircase that felt both substantial and airy, and drew floating wood treads centrally-supported on a steel beam with a sleek handrail. Once we landed on the correct size for each tread, we had to figure out the placement of each spindle. Two on each tread would have been ideal aesthetically, but because of building code requirements, we ended up alternating two and three spindles, spaced evenly and topped them with a squared-off handrail. All of these elements were custom and took months to plan and execute, but this space really sets the tone for the entire home so it was worth it to get it 1000% right!
The Laundry Room
The laundry is right off the entry and connects the house to the garage. Since this is a space that will have heavy traffic and can be seen from the main entrance, we knew it needed to be beautiful and highly functional. It needed to house cleaning supplies, a washer and dryer, a sink, extra storage, a bench, and place for shoes and bags, and we only had one wall work with in the narrow room. We used every inch we could and played with height as well!
The washer/dryer and sink area is flanked by tall cabinets on each side, but upper cabinets above would be both hard to reach and make the space feel tight. Instead, we designed two ten-foot-long open shelves to add a decorative element, with a few baskets for texture and additional storage. A hanging rod for clothes below them adds function. The dark counters played off against the warm cabinetry well and gave lots of contrast in the space.
On the floor, we did a custom color of a patterned tile that reads pretty neutral. The backsplash behind the sink is a small-scale handmade Zellige tile that we opted not to grout to reinforce the organic texture and old-world feel. In the locker section, we added vertical planks -- a design detail found throughout the house. The result is a space that is classic and neutral but is has a ton of texture and warmth. For a small, hardworking room, it turned out really special!
The Art Bath
A small but mighty space, this bath is one of the most important rooms in the house. Our client is passionate about crochet, so we designed a whole room for her yarn, other art supplies, and space to create. Just off the entry, the art room wasn't camera-ready when we shot the rest of the house but the bath was just too good to leave out! Her favorite color is pink, and since most of the home is pretty neutral, we decided to go for it in this space!
Originally, we planned to choose a white quartz for the floating sink, but I spotted this gorgeous stone while we were shopping for slabs and I asked the client to trust us. The slab was in pieces, but our fabricator was able to locate a large-enough bit to make the counter top and the slab backsplash. We had already chosen the the floor tile, which looks like it is broken into pieces, and the counters worked perfectly with it -- I love it when that happens!
Since the floor tile is busier, we went simpler in the shower with a textured subway tile in a vertical stack that's modern and playful. Storage wasn't needed in here, so we designed a floating vanity in the same white Oak that is found throughout the house. Now since we were really committed to the pink theme, I asked our client again to trust us and chose Calamine by Farrow & Ball for the walls to create a very pink bathroom. She didn't hesitate it and it truly made the space complete.
We'll be revealing more of this amazing home each Friday for the next couple of weeks, so stay tuned for all of the eye candy and design details! And if you are interested in learning if our team is right for your upcoming project, please get in touch by filling out our design inquiry.
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