Things that make you go hmmmm...12

 

Another window seat detail that probably looks better on the inside than on the outside.  In most cases, non-angular bay window seats should be internal...a great traditional solution is to flank an internal window seat with closets...a timeless, beautiful detail.

Things that make you go hmmmm...11

This bay window is too large when compared to the rest of the house. Stacked bays seldom look good except when they are found on a much larger house.

Find the Genuine Architectural Patterns...3

The material and color palette makes this house really looks great. Only two materials are used...concrete and wood...concrete for the foundation and wood for the siding and trim. A contrasting paint scheme helps to make the details of the house come alive.

Find the Genuine Architectural Patterns...3

Shed dormers are a great way to add second floor space to a smaller scale house. Notice hoe the roof wraps around the walls of the gable. It's also a great help to keep the materials and details consistent.

Find the Genuine Architectural Patterns...3

A believable detail is the focus here. Concrete blocks stopped just under the floor...used for structural support and nothing more...honesty of materials and purpose is what makes this house look so good!

Find the Genuine Architectural Patterns...3

Here's a great example of an approachable entry. Just enough roof to protect the front door and visitors from the weather.

Find the Genuine Architectural Patterns...3

Most garages in this neighborhood are detached and accessible from a shared alley. I wouldn't normally endorse front load garages, but this one seems to fit in better than most...and it's detached! Note the careful attention to detail including proper scale, matching materials and a beautiful single door. It even looks like their may be a living space under the roof framing...well done!

Places - Serenbe

New Urbanist Towns are often knocked by critics (mostly McMansion builders) as unrealistic pipe dreams of those pining for the good old days...people looking backwards instead of toward the future.

I couldn't disagree more.  These places have to be seen as models for the future...a real way (in so many ways) to someday reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and all of the negative things that come along for the ride.

It is true, for now, that most New Urbanist Towns are playgrounds for the rich, but great concepts often take time to really catch on with the majority.

Places - Serenbe

Not something I would recommend in a cold climate like mine (the porch ceiling, which is the bedroom floor might get a little chilly in winter), but I love the way the porch in the top photo is built right into the house.  The column spacing is right on as well as the beam detail, exposed roof rafters and window composition.  Take a look at the front walk...very nice!

The bottom photo shows how a house with simlar elements can look completely different with the help of a creative architect or designer.  Notice how the gables have a purpose (the roof form creates the bedroom space) and are not merely stuck on a roof for decoration or the dreaded "street appeal".

Places - Serenbe

Just like the photographs I posted yesterday, the homes are on the smaller side (compared to American standards) but light years ahead when it comes to good design.  Most homes have usable front porches close to the street for interacting with neighbors.  The thing I like best is the attention paid to the details.  It's like the architects actually took some time to design for the climate, local materials and community...imagine that!

Places - Serenbe

For the most part these New Urbanist Towns are 100% new but designed to function like small towns of the past.  Houses built close to one another ideally within walking distance to almost everything you would normally drive to while living in a typical American suburb.

Places - Serenbe

This week I'm going to post some photos from a place I visited just south of Atlanta called Serenbe.  The top photo is one of the first things you see upon entering the community...the horse barn.

The bottom photo is of one of the shops in the small downtown area.  Many of the shops have living spaces located "over the store".

Things that make you go hmmmm...10

Here's another stone faux pas...wow, so much perceived weight over such a large opening...they must have used magic stones (or better yet, magic structure)!  At least the stone wasn't brought all the way down to the top of the garage door...which is beautiful, by the way!

Things that make you go hmmmm...9

(in an Irish accent) Ah, yes, the stone entry!...just like you've come across a cozy cottage after a long walk through the forest.

Fake stone's relatively low cost and ease of installation (almost anyone can do it...probably part of the problem) leads to lots of "things that make you go hmmmm" moments.  If everyone would just take a look at real stone walls they could avoid the following "things" and make the final product look much more genuine...that is the idea, right?  Here are four:

Lower stones should be the largest, then more or less, they should get smaller as they go up...common sense if they were real stone.

Corner stones should be larger that stones in the middle of a wall...they would have been used to lock the corners in place.

Keystones should be placed in the middle of arches with slightly smaller stones making up the balance of the arch.

Stones should be "stuck on" as though they really would have to rely on their neighbors to stay in place...locked together.

All of these methods can be accomplished using fake stone...the architect or builder just has to do a little planning.

Things that make you go hmmmm...8

This one doesn't need much explanation...whatever third floor space is behind that looming front facing gable should have been placed somewhere else.  Nothing, in my opinion, is that valuable.

Things that make you go hmmmm...7

There are lots of McMansion-esque things going on here, but I'm going to concentrate on just one.  The infamous Palladian window detail.  It's commonly butchered because very few people take the time to go back and see how it was originally done...once you see how simple it is to do right, you'll start to understand why Palladio (he didn't actually invent the window form, but I'll save that for another post) is constantly turning over six feet under.

Below is a drawing taken from Mary Anne Cusato's wonderful book, Get Your House Right...a must read for architects and builders.

Things that make you go hmmmm...6

This one is a little hard to see...it's those miniature can lights installed in the soffit that unfortunately light the face of the building.  So what's wrong with that, right?  An exterior lighting principle:

Public buildings are the only structures that should be lit on the exterior, mainly for presentation...think banks, city halls, libraries, etc...residential structures look best at night when lit from within...think "warm glow".

Interior Paneled Doorways...

Interior paneled doorways in deep room transitions can be found in many High Style homes found in Williamsburg.  When in the closed position (pictured partially below) the wall, now exposed, was paneled to mimic the door but painted to match the trim so as not steal the thunder of its stained twin.

Interior Shutters...

Here's another interior tied together beautifully with warmly painted wood paneling covering every vertical surface.  Notic how the side walls are angled out toward the room to flood the room with natural light.

I'm just guessing here, but maybe interior wood shutters were favored as window treatments to reduce the possiblity of fires caused by the regular use of candles as a light source.

Interior Shutters...

Here are some interior shutters that carry the color and materials of the wainscoting up to the ceiling for a unified look.  The construction (in the photo below) of the shutter pocket is relatively simple...the window casing protrudes out just enough to cover the edge of the open shutter.  When closed, the pocket surface at windows are plain while door panels tend to be paneled...which you'll see in an upcoming post.