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mentinio

Design Dilemma! Please help us choose one!

mentinio
last year

Hello, we are just finalizing our house plans for our waterfront property. We are struggling to decide the look (roof line/gables) for the back of our home (waterfront side). Attached are some pictures of the Renders we received. The first three pics, is option 1 and the last 2 pics is option 2. Again, focusing on the roof/gables. Please provide your thoughts, suggestions? Thank you !!






Comments (26)

  • PRO
    Mark Bischak, Architect
    last year
    last modified: last year

    Why are the roof pitches different? Did a draftsman design this?

    mentinio thanked Mark Bischak, Architect
  • PRO
    Patricia Colwell Consulting
    last year

    IMO too many gables are just too many .IMO the very last pic is the right one keep it simple always a better choice for roof design this is a modern house no need for multiple useless gables.

  • chispa
    last year

    Not loving either of them.

    If I have to make a choice from just these two, then it would be option 2.

    What is the room to the left? If it is a living area, maybe you could add windows/transoms above to fill in some of that large/empty gable space above the sliders.

  • mentinio
    Original Author
    last year

    Yes draftsman designed this. Someone else is doing our renders, She tried doing the two large roof pitches, however it affected the pillars and upper center window. Here is a photo of it with two large roof lines.

  • mentinio
    Original Author
    last year



  • mentinio
    Original Author
    last year

    And yes, we live in Northern Ontario, our winters are long 5-6 months, and where our water front property is , we do get some wind from the west side.

  • 3onthetree
    last year

    The 1st option (differing pitch) are an afterthought. The 2nd is better (continue gable out), but not so good with scale. The eating (?) area roof should not be trying to mimic the gable since it appears to be detached. I'm not even sure about the adjacencies requiring 2 separate roofs and no stair to grade, all in a polar climate. And usually, I find that the successful waterfront properties also approach the "backside" with the same design fervor and money as the front elevation.

  • houssaon
    last year

    I am going to be the odd man out here. I think option 1 gives you better protection from the sun and rain. I like that the two porch pitches match.

  • mentinio
    Original Author
    last year

    The gable on the left (the larger one) is deck off our Master bedroom. The one on the right is our guest room/extra room. What about if we closed the right one in as a sun room? This was a an exterior pic we like that we are trying to closely replicate.


  • mentinio
    Original Author
    last year

    I'm also requesting to see what the house would look like if we just kept the continuous gable out off our master bedroom. And leave the separate roof out on the other side.

  • cpartist
    last year

    One is just bad. Really bad.

    Two is better but not right yet. The area on our right just looks like it's disjointed and has no relation to the actual house.

  • Melissa L
    last year

    The concept is cool and i love all the windows facing the lake, but I wonder if you able to hire an architect to create something that is aesthetically coherent, functional, and gives you those views. Small cost, big payoff.

  • Jo- lee Rose
    last year

    I'm sorry but the house is top heavy. Way too much focus on the gables and not enough balance on the bottom...they protrude out too much snd make where most of the living and entertaining would be look shrunken, and probably dark with a lack of connection to the outside. Keep looking!

  • WestCoast Hopeful
    last year

    Is this even realistic in Ontario? Where is a screened in area that will protect you from bugs?

  • btydrvn
    last year

    It appears that the proposed upper deck may greatly reduce the views of the lake… from inside …and the roofs are so high they will not provide much protection from rain ..which usually comes with wind..

  • res2architect
    last year

    There will be very large moment (twisting) forces where the posts meet the roof gables and at the apex. Perhaps it’s possible with welded steel but very expensive.
    Hire a design professional

  • dan1888
    last year

    What direction is this side facing?

  • ptreckel
    last year

    Do you really want a wide fireplace blocking your view of the lake? If it were my home, I would place the fireplace/mass to the side.

  • mentinio
    Original Author
    last year


    Maybe something like this would work? Found this on a website, with similar idea to our plan. Does it look less heavy?

    The fireplace was put in as an example, however we do not have one in our plan, as we agree it blocks view of lake.


  • PRO
    Mark Bischak, Architect
    last year

    Good architectural design is created not 'found'. It is lake front, it is special, do something special. Find a competent local architect and do it right.

  • mentinio
    Original Author
    last year

    Additional renders provided. Thoughts on these ones?




  • btydrvn
    last year

    Scale wise… I would want the roof area over the deck…lowered more… it is too high to protect you from the elements and the lower roof would be more interesting architecturally if it didn’t line up with the rest of the roof…an interior floor plan would influence any decisions on the exterior but it would take a huge interior space to justify that much height inside

  • chispa
    last year
    last modified: last year

    I don't think anyone asked what the interior layout of this house is?

    Is it an upside down plan, with living areas upstairs and bedrooms downstairs?

    All that expensive outdoor space for 3 months of use? And how is it accessed from inside?

  • Seabornman
    last year

    These are very nice renderings, but they are very misleading. The porch structure will need to be much thicker and sloped. The floor thickness needs to extend into the house. The open roof will collapse without beams and cross support. You're not in the Mediterranean: interior and exterior elevation can't be the same. The picture you posted of an existing house look you're trying to replicate shows how reality will affect this design.

  • PRO
    Mark Bischak, Architect
    last year
    last modified: last year

    Of all the ones posted to choose from, none of them are worth choosing.

    I often hesitate commenting on a house's exterior when I have a suspicion the interior is horrific or the unseen parts of the house are hideous. I feel like making a positive comment without knowing all the facts is akin to aiding and abetting.