Living Room/Family Room/Rear Deck

This residential project was designed for a new restricted development with regulations on materials, size, and maintaining the natural woods. Our clients simply asked for a single floor living space, acceptable for entertaining, with a lower level for grown children to come home to occasionally. Lifestyle and tastes are fairly traditional and they wanted their new house to have a sort of tailored, timeless flavor, while maximizing views of the natural surroundings.

While some conceptual thoughts surfaced early and room arrangements were worked on before the lot was purchased, the house was designed for this site only, to take advantage of the views from the individual rooms, and the way the sun falls on the lot year round. The development restrictions that came with the lot, though not unreasonable, made it a challenge to maintain the character of the existing lot and preserve both the fall of the land and as many trees as possible. Because it was a corner lot, there were major setbacks on two sides which further reduced the possibilities.

It soon became apparent that there was really only one spot on the lot where a walk-out would fit without disturbing too much of the site. The result is a staggered plan that moves in and out around major trees, and stretches from one setback line to the other. When one corner of the house had to be clipped off at an angle to fit within the setbacks, other corners were likewise beveled on what otherwise was a series of rectangular rooms. This corner clipping created room-wide "bays" which also provided panoramic views of the lot from the major spaces. Because a couple of corners came so close to the setback lines and nearby street, the idea of transom windows emerged, to provide the much desired light while maintaining privacy within. The band of transoms inspired an updated version of the Prairie Style house common around the turn of the century. This became the basis for the designs of both the wall-to-wall windows on the private sides of the house and the horizontal bands of stone over brick, with stucco above. The roof took on a simple, low-sloped hip design, with wide overhangs also common to Prairie houses, except for the Sun Room roof which was tipped upward to let in year round sunlight.

Because the owners preferred separate rooms for separate activities, rather than the more open floor plans typical today, interior walls were punctuated with framed openings that both mimic the exterior transoms and expand views and light from one room to another. Here they are able to live entirely on one floor, while corridors, door hardware and access are all planned for the possibility of wheelchair use. The kitchen, complete with an old fashioned butler's pantry, is specially designed to serve the owner's cooking and baking talents, and includes a door out to the rear deck overlooking the natural surroundings. This deck ties the sun room and kitchen, via a meandering stair, to the patio outside the office and family room on the lower level.

The house incorporates a rich palette of turn-of-the-century colors - rust, light and dark greens, soft yellows and golds with black accents. Most of the furnishings were existing, with newly purchased contemporary pieces selected to complement, rather than overpower, the owners' traditional values. The result is a house that is immediately comfortable with its surroundings, as if it had been there for a long time.

Cost
N/A

Size
5,500 s.f.

Owner
Dr. Mrs. James R. Dolan

Consultants
 

Interior Design
Olson Interiors
South Haven, Michigan

Landscape
Larry L. Harris
Kalamazoo, Michigan

General Contractor
Blok Builders, Inc.
Portage, Michigan