Gehry on the Block - Traditional Context or Cutting Edge?

Do we want a Frank Gehry on our block? Or do we want another bland colonial? Or a McMansion? Every situation is unique, but there is one golden rule: Be a good neighbor - if you can.

Choosing the right style for a new addition or improvement often leads to a debate: Whether to design in the same context as the original house, or update in a more contemporary way to better fit our needs and aspirations.

STREETSCAPE:

The streetscape is part of the public domain and it represents a consensus of the residents' acceptable environment. In older established residential areas the sudden appearance of a huge mansion or high-tech structure can be unfair to those who must dwell in the shadows of this new edifice:

I suppose all the old styles were once considered cutting edge, but lifestyles have changed dramatically in the last half century. Remodeling is usually done to make a home more livable and accommodating to these changes. Many fine old homes are the product of deft additions by several generations as their needs changed and building technology advanced. The best were gracefully enlarged or refurbished in the spirit of the original - in part because building techniques had not changed much until recently.

Today most Americans live in suburbs built more or less homogeneously within a time frame. Some of these "burbs" were hastily built and not so beautiful, but they did have consistency. Clever design can incorporate contemporary needs within the old context of the old design vernacular. However this may not satisfy the owner's desire for a break with tradition.

In a new modern subdivision, an overly historical new home may also look out of place:
Since the 1960s we have had the opportunity and materials to build in radically different ways and with any style in any location. After all a man's home is his castle. But there are some boundaries to the castle grounds, and it is good to remember that the whole neighborhood may be impacted by an inappropriate addition.

There are of course exceptions - those who live behind high walls, or in deep forests, or on large estates - may do as they wish without offending:

But for most of us, not only do "good fences make good neighbors" - but so does good design.


This article was originally printed in "Remodeling" magazine published by Hanley Wood - July, 2007

Kitchen or Cabinet Showroom?

When remodeling a kitchen, the tendency is to fill all the walls with cabinets and counters.  Everyone wants more storage and work space, but there are other things that need to happen in a kitchen - in addition to storage and food preparation.
In the 70s and 80s, kitchens became "machines for cooking" - lined with cabinets and counters, they resembled showrooms for kitchen cabinets.  Full of straight lines and hard gleaming surfaces, this type of kitchen demanded constant cleaning and straightening up.  Now the children of baby-boomers are growing older and there is no longer the need to clean up baby food or constantly prepare meals.  Although some homeowners prefer the minimalist kitchen, most families tend to use the space as a hub of activity - for dining, homework, watching TV, paying bills, and just plain interaction with one another.

Designers have noticed this trend and are starting to treat the kitchen more like a home and less like a showroom - decorating with furnishings and design features that befit an important room of the house.  Here are some ideas for avoiding the "storage-box" kitchen:

- Incorporate design elements that bring in a more homey feeling such as box beams, mouldings, and actual light fixtures (instead of holes in the ceiling).

- Reflect the history and interests of the family with artwork and family artifacts, like grandma's hutch. 

- Pantry closets provide for a larger and better array of storage than bunches of cabinets alone.  Avoid the impression that someone sold you as many cabinets as they could fit in the room.

- Add comfortable sitting areas as well as spots for casual perching and chatting.

- Use a variety of counter surfaces - some are best for food prep, others are better for homework or just hanging out with a cup of coffee. 

- The cabinets don't all have to be the same type or color - or even have to match for that matter.
Keep in mind that kitchens are not just for showing off cabinets - they really contribute to making a house a home.


This article was originally printed in "Remodeling" magazine published by Hanley Wood - February, 2007

Visual Scale

Our cities and suburbs are full of smaller, older homes that worked fine for mom and pop - but today they just don't cut it as the "lifestyle centers" our customers are looking for.
It usually comes down to SPACE - we all need more of IT. Room for the SUVs, sportswear, hot tubs, TVs and other toys our parents somehow lived without. The simple solution seems to be to add-on the biggest garages and master suites, and playrooms, and kitchens, and family rooms that we can afford. Space is actually cheap these days, compared to most other commodities. And as long as we're doing it - let's build BIG.

Unfortunately, the result can be as charming as a 4 x 8 sheet of plywood. Our old neighborhoods were built to the scale of a carpenter's reach; and the value of our homes is perceived in part by how well we preserve that legacy. Particularly in the older parts of town, the fabric of the community is maintained by the rhythm of the streetscape; and abrupt changes in the nature or scale of the homes can have a negative impact. Ultimately, this translates into resale value.
When adding space to older homes, it's wise to consider three things:

SIZE - try not to go any higher or wider than the building elements of the existing house. The idea is not to overwhelm, but to enlarge gracefully.

BALANCE - every home needs a central focus, usually the front door or the highest or most important portion.

HARMONY and PROPORTION - keep the windows and eaves and details nearly the same as the existing house, even when bigger, cheaper stuff is available.


This article was originally printed in "Remodeling" magazine published by Hanley Wood - December, 2006

Entry Introductions

Archeologists might someday attribute the decline of a once-great civilization to the overabundance of typical suburban builder homes - featuring peculiar two story grand entryways, that were never used.
Of course this is a joke, but there is certainly no shortage of pasted-on two-story entry facades in our culture, stemming from the discovery of this cheap eye-catcher sometime in the seventies. Providing neither shelter or shade, they have no historical counterpart short of Hadrian's villa, but perhaps fill the need for an icon denoting "front door." We have lost sight of other more gracious ways to enter a home.
We abandoned our love for the front porch as we embraced the automobile and air conditioning. The front garden disappeared when Mom went to work, leaving no real use for picket fences or garden gates. Nonetheless these can be interesting and engaging visual features on the front of a home to distinguish the entrance and provide a nostalgic and endearing welcome. Landscaping should project toward the street, not just hide the bottom of the house.
Today most folks enter into houses through the garage or some back door, which is fine, but not delightful. Builders often fail to provide a useful walkway or anywhere to park at the front of the house, so visitors pull up to the garage doors for their first impression. This is a common problem and providing a small turnaround or pull-off space for cars at the front yard can often solve it. Adding an inviting walkway, gates, lamp-posts, arbors, trellises etc. goes a long way toward giving the home personality. Even if it's only for the trick-or-treaters and the UPS man, the proper entry introduction can make a huge statement in an ordinary subdivision.



This article was originally printed in "Remodeling" magazine published by Hanley Wood - October, 2006

Window Needs

Sometimes the inside and outside of a home demand different window proportions, here are some ways to satisfy both requirements.

 

Suppose you are asked to add two wings to a beautiful old classical home.  Typical of older houses this one needs a new kitchen and a first floor master suite.  Because the best view is in the rear - the bedroom suite would have closets in the front, and the kitchen wing might have the counters and sink facing the street. Small functional windows would be fine, but the rigid aesthetics of the classical design demand that you keep true to the historic proportions of those old, high double hung windows.

 

An up-to-date floor plan doesn't always fit a historic facade. However, there are ways to have a well-proportioned window on the outside, while seeing only the necessary part (or no window at all) on the inside:

 

The old builder's trick is to simply wall up the window on the inside - putting a black panel or black sheet plastic (vapor barrier works great) behind the glass.  From the outside it just looks like a dark room.  This works best if you use windows which allow access to the inner sash from the exterior.  Otherwise, it's darn hard to wash the inside of the window glass.

 

If the window needs to be in a closet, nothing says you can't just use a blackout shade on the inside, and simply allow the clothes to hang across the window.   Raise the shade for spring cleaning.

 

Occasionally there needs to be a kitchen or bathroom counter behind a low slung window. Aligning the muntins or meeting rail with the counter or backsplash edge allows you to use a variation of the dark room trick.  Paint the back of the cabinets black or hang dark plastic sheeting behind them to make the covered part of the window look much like the upper part when viewed from the outside.  On the inside, the counter lines up with a muntin or rail and looks perfectly proper.  With a double hung window, the upper or lower sash can slide behind the cabinet and function normally.

 

Of course, you could always install closed shutters with window trim only - but it has a somewhat forlorn feeling to it - as if nobody's home, or someone's hiding.  Better to have actual real windows, even if they're not used.

This article was originally printed in "Remodeling" magazine published by Hanley Wood - April, 2007

Kitchen Cross Traffic

Although we can't completely avoid cross traffic or keep it out of the kitchen, it is possible to organize the flow to reduce interference with the work area.  When remodeling a kitchen, fixing the traffic problems could be much more important than the style of the cabinet doors.

In the 1950s and onward, homes began to have attached garages and generally lost the front and back porches.  Family and friends once came in through the front door and suffused through the living area - but with the car being used for most trips, that traffic now comes in through the kitchen.  Often it goes right through the food prep. work area.  Many builders took the opportunity to insert the stairs right next to the kitchen to keep things compact.  A central kitchen table further interferes with the work triangle.

A few deft changes could improve the situation considerably by channeling the traffic to flow past the work zone.  They should also help to define the areas used for cruising through or hanging out.  It's best to keep these separate from the room needed  by the cook and bottle-washer; even if it takes a pickle-shaped island.  Sometimes adding walls and arched openings can help accomplish this while adding a sense of classical organization to the space.  Opening up stair walls for railings and adding windows will visually improve the feeling of spaciousness and of reduced congestion.

This article was originally printed in "Remodeling" magazine published by Hanley Wood - August, 2006

Emphasize The Windows

Whether for a spec remodeling or a private commission, adding the right emphasis at the windows always adds to the curb appeal, resale value, and customer satisfaction.

	Starter House:
	. Here's the typical 50s starter house built for the postwar boom. It's the classic Cape Cod / Bungalow / Box. . It looks inexpensive because it was meant to be. . Details and construction were kept as simple as possible. . Appearance lacks focus, interest & character.

	Window Bump-out:
	. The existing windows can be removed and re-mounted up to a foot from the wall - creating shelf or plant space at interior. . Adds shadows and textural interior at exterior . Requires little structural change. Existing headers remain. . Generally an inexpensive enhancement. If carefully done, the drywall and interior trim can remain.

The Bay Window:
. Relatively easy improvement. Package window assemblies are available. . Not much structural work required. Window manufacturers sell support brackets or wire cable hangers. . Always insulate the seat ledge and roof. . Enlarges the apparent space of the interior.

Dormers:
. Dormers are just another form of window bump-out. A little harder to build, they probably have the biggest impact. . Keep dormers looking plausible, even if there's only attic trusses behind them. Proportion to look as if there is a second story. Also, low slope roofs generally don't work well with dormers. If there were a living space up there, the roof would have been built more steeply.

Emphasis:

. Although windows have the greatest potential for enhancing a home's appearance, the front door should still retain its importance on the facade. Adding a roof or porch will restore focus and balance. . Shutters, trim and flower boxes are all more than decoration. Properly used they add texture, interest, and harmony to the buildings appearance. Think of them as design elements that allow you to compose the picture to create more interest and importance.

This article was originally printed in "Remodeling" magazine published by Hanley Wood - June, 2006