Contemporary Farmhouse – Durham, NC
Eager to build their dream retirement home themselves, the Owners came prepared with graph paper drawings which the wife, a secondary school art teacher, had modified – from a magazine design – to fit their needs. I worked with them to make the plans “real,” adding wall thicknesses and adjusting the design for accessibility concerns and building code compliance, selecting materials appropriate for their climate and budget, coordinating with a structural engineer, and siting the house on the property.
The compact 2200 square foot design provides airy, open living/dining/kitchen space and a den with adjacent bath which can be used in the future as the master bedroom to make the house one-story livable. The first floor guest room would then become the den. The second floor contains the current master bedroom suite. A light-filled loft is used for a gym and an art studio, as well as access to future livable space over the garage.
Project involvement: Architect of Record design development through construction documents.