GrandView Residence
The Williams House was designed for a couple of empty nesters who wanted a house that would be comfortable for two but could accommodate visits by extended family as well. The budget was restricted by the near onset of retirement and the site, while it had tremendous potential, was also challenging due to its rugged character and eastern exposure which meant afternoon shade and an early sunset.
By combining everything that could be combined into multi-purpose spaces and then dividing the spaces that remained into separate zones we were able to accomplish all of our goals. The multi-purpose rooms were very space efficient and therefore cost effective. The separate zones could be manipulated to work with the steep terrain, mature trees, and natural rock outcroppings. We were able to place windows on more than one wall in most spaces and therefore maximize the available daylight.
The separate zones included a private zone containing the Master Bedroom, Bath, and Library and a public zone containing the Living, Dining, and Kitchen areas in a single Great Room large enough to hold a party without feeling crowded. A lower floor under the Great Room contains a Guest Bedroom, Guest Bath, and Den/Guest Bedroom for overnight guests.
The neighborhood covenants required a 2400 square foot minimum house size. We accomplished our goals in less than 2600 square feet, and the client constantly receives complements regarding how large and gracious the house feels. By not building more house than was necessary the client was able to afford lush woodland landscaping as a part of the project.
