SLDarch: The rugged Hajar Mountains ring the city while this rocky hillside setting offers great positioning to take in distant city lights set against the shimmering Gulf of Oman. With careful positioning, we were able to preserving the existing mature trees and nestle this home against the rugged desert mountains. Major views orient towards the north guarding against the relentless summer sun while providing massive vista views and open floor plan. Here we have a delightful interplay of open rooms and multi-levels, connected by gentle steps, ramps, stairs and elevator. Main living room has full ceiling skylight with deep geometric webs and reflective glass, allowing spangled sunlight throughout the interior spaces but blocking the excessive solar gain. Ample allocation for art display has been integrated throughout this home as well as a 1500 sf dedicated art gallery and two home office spaces as well as a built-in wood shop. A spiral stair leads to the rooftop aerie for evening star gazing, relaxing and cocktails.

SLDarch: The rugged Hajar Mountains ring the city while this rocky hillside setting offers great positioning to take in distant city lights set against the shimmering Gulf of Oman. With careful positioning, we were able to preserving the existing mature trees and nestle this home against the rugged desert mountains. Major views orient towards the north guarding against the relentless summer sun while providing massive vista views and open floor plan. Here we have a delightful interplay of open rooms and multi-levels, connected by gentle steps, ramps, stairs and elevator. Main living room has full ceiling skylight with deep geometric webs and reflective glass, allowing spangled sunlight throughout the interior spaces but blocking the excessive solar gain. Ample allocation for art display has been integrated throughout this home as well as a 1500 sf dedicated art gallery and two home office spaces as well as a built-in wood shop. A spiral stair leads to the rooftop aerie for evening star gazing, relaxing and cocktails.

The overarching design intent for this 1,455-square-foot West Vine Street condominium was to make the spaces contemporary and functional. The renovation began with an unexpected structural deficiency in the form of a post located in the middle of the living room that was causing a three-inch dip in the floor. It was removed and replaced with steel columns running down through the walls and into a footing pad with a three-foot depth. The main living spaces underwent significant changes; the kitchen was reconfigured to open up a formerly cramped space, and the removal of a wall made room for a cascading island with Cesarstone countertops—a crowning feature. Additionally, an electrical panel was relocated to be able to wrap the refrigerator with a wood veneer frame. Notable materials include eight-inch-wide ‘Esplanade’ French oak plank floors chosen to complement the reclaimed wood-wrapped ceiling beams, which feature a combination of LED downlighting and uplighting. A sleek gas fireplace with horizontal slate surround and paneled wall backing replaced an old wood-burning stove—furthering the design program. Pacheco-Robb Architects dismantled an existing spiral stair and replaced it with a cable-rail system—a nautical nod—which is noteworthy for the way it meets code; by running a contiguous oak banister for the entire length of the stair, they were able to avoid having to add a second railing, which would shrink the already narrow stairwell. Upstairs, a tight bedroom with gabled ceilings was addressed by adding a solar-operated skylight with built-in shade, plus minimalistic furnishings. Structural changes in the master bedroom included eliminating a closest to widen the room, and reconfiguring a bathroom to fit a small walk-in closet in lieu of a long, thin hallway. The formerly unfinished rooftop deck is now accessed via a six-foot door that opens more than 90 degrees. Azek decking was laid over the rubber roof, and two-inch stanchions were located around the rail’s outer edge. By opening the floor plan and streamlining the aesthetic, the place now breathes.

SLDarch: The rugged Hajar Mountains ring the city while this rocky hillside setting offers great positioning to take in distant city lights set against the shimmering Gulf of Oman. With careful positioning, we were able to preserving the existing mature trees and nestle this home against the rugged desert mountains. Major views orient towards the north guarding against the relentless summer sun while providing massive vista views and open floor plan. Here we have a delightful interplay of open rooms and multi-levels, connected by gentle steps, ramps, stairs and elevator. Main living room has full ceiling skylight with deep geometric webs and reflective glass, allowing spangled sunlight throughout the interior spaces but blocking the excessive solar gain. Ample allocation for art display has been integrated throughout this home as well as a 1500 sf dedicated art gallery and two home office spaces as well as a built-in wood shop. A spiral stair leads to the rooftop aerie for evening star gazing, relaxing and cocktails.

Photo credit Michael Moran. The design for this client’s “dream house on the water” capitalizes on every opportunity to incorporate views of the Long Island Sound within the home. The placement and expanse of the fir windows and sliding doors underscore the water’s proximity. The interior gathering space spills out onto the raised outdoor deck and lap pool overlooking the seawall. Reducing the house’s carbon footprint is another priority, accomplished by generating renewable energy on site. The precise angle of the house on the property is calculated for optimal solar energy production by the rooftop photovoltaic panels and a geothermal system installed under the driveway provides heating and cooling for the house. Due to the fact that the site is located on a floodplain, the ground floor of the house is raised and no basement is allowed. This presents a challenge in terms of carving out enough storage space in the main house that one might normally relegate to a basement. Rooms are efficiently sized and serve multiple functions and storage is built-in wherever possible.

To step foot through the enormous front door is to immediately feel like you’re getting to know these homeowners. It was integral to Cluck’s vision that we incorporate the energy and personality of the clients and their family, and to build them a home in which they could fully be themselves. They wanted a modern farmhouse that would be at home in both their Park Road neighborhood or in their hometown of Long Island, New York. Through the many different variations presented in the Design Process, the team navigated an incredibly thin and long plot of land (68’W x 1,000’L) as well as a 40’ elevation change from the street to the lowest point in the property. This modern twist on a traditional form used cypress and mill-finished steel for the exterior, and incorporated large sliding doors that pocket completely into the wall to create a seamless indoor/outdoor living space. Speaking of outdoors, great efforts were made to preserve the feelings of being among the trees, and to camouflage the six-car garage into the landscape. This garage, dubbed The Moto Dojo, includes a green roof, a rooftop deck, a full living room, kitchen, and bathroom, and a gym (hence the latter half of the name). Solar panels line the flat roof portion as well, to power their house and their electric cars. Thoughtful details carry throughout the interior of the house as well. A 20’ canyon runs through the center of the home, separating the kitchen, family, and dining room from the office space and outdoor transition. The 10’ x 5’ door and custom-built steel and beech staircase add a dramatic flair to the entrance, as well as the three skylights above the stairwell. — Completed 2022

SLDarch: The rugged Hajar Mountains ring the city while this rocky hillside setting offers great positioning to take in distant city lights set against the shimmering Gulf of Oman. With careful positioning, we were able to preserving the existing mature trees and nestle this home against the rugged desert mountains. Major views orient towards the north guarding against the relentless summer sun while providing massive vista views and open floor plan. Here we have a delightful interplay of open rooms and multi-levels, connected by gentle steps, ramps, stairs and elevator. Main living room has full ceiling skylight with deep geometric webs and reflective glass, allowing spangled sunlight throughout the interior spaces but blocking the excessive solar gain. Ample allocation for art display has been integrated throughout this home as well as a 1500 sf dedicated art gallery and two home office spaces as well as a built-in wood shop. A spiral stair leads to the rooftop aerie for evening star gazing, relaxing and cocktails.

SLDarch: The rugged Hajar Mountains ring the city while this rocky hillside setting offers great positioning to take in distant city lights set against the shimmering Gulf of Oman. With careful positioning, we were able to preserving the existing mature trees and nestle this home against the rugged desert mountains. Major views orient towards the north guarding against the relentless summer sun while providing massive vista views and open floor plan. Here we have a delightful interplay of open rooms and multi-levels, connected by gentle steps, ramps, stairs and elevator. Main living room has full ceiling skylight with deep geometric webs and reflective glass, allowing spangled sunlight throughout the interior spaces but blocking the excessive solar gain. Ample allocation for art display has been integrated throughout this home as well as a 1500 sf dedicated art gallery and two home office spaces as well as a built-in wood shop. A spiral stair leads to the rooftop aerie for evening star gazing, relaxing and cocktails.

Architect: Michelle Penn, AIA This barn home is modeled after an existing Nebraska barn in Lancaster County. Heating is by passive solar design, supplemented by a geothermal radiant floor system. Cooling will rely on a whole house fan and a passive air flow system. The passive system is created with the cupola, windows, transoms and passive venting for cooling, rather than a forced air system. Here you can see the underside of the gambrel roof and the ladder leading up to the cupola. The stair & guard railing was created using goat fencing. Photo Credits: Jackson Studios

The overarching design intent for this 1,455-square-foot West Vine Street condominium was to make the spaces contemporary and functional. The renovation began with an unexpected structural deficiency in the form of a post located in the middle of the living room that was causing a three-inch dip in the floor. It was removed and replaced with steel columns running down through the walls and into a footing pad with a three-foot depth. The main living spaces underwent significant changes; the kitchen was reconfigured to open up a formerly cramped space, and the removal of a wall made room for a cascading island with Cesarstone countertops—a crowning feature. Additionally, an electrical panel was relocated to be able to wrap the refrigerator with a wood veneer frame. Notable materials include eight-inch-wide ‘Esplanade’ French oak plank floors chosen to complement the reclaimed wood-wrapped ceiling beams, which feature a combination of LED downlighting and uplighting. A sleek gas fireplace with horizontal slate surround and paneled wall backing replaced an old wood-burning stove—furthering the design program. Pacheco-Robb Architects dismantled an existing spiral stair and replaced it with a cable-rail system—a nautical nod—which is noteworthy for the way it meets code; by running a contiguous oak banister for the entire length of the stair, they were able to avoid having to add a second railing, which would shrink the already narrow stairwell. Upstairs, a tight bedroom with gabled ceilings was addressed by adding a solar-operated skylight with built-in shade, plus minimalistic furnishings. Structural changes in the master bedroom included eliminating a closest to widen the room, and reconfiguring a bathroom to fit a small walk-in closet in lieu of a long, thin hallway. The formerly unfinished rooftop deck is now accessed via a six-foot door that opens more than 90 degrees. Azek decking was laid over the rubber roof, and two-inch stanchions were located around the rail’s outer edge. By opening the floor plan and streamlining the aesthetic, the place now breathes.

SLDarch: The rugged Hajar Mountains ring the city while this rocky hillside setting offers great positioning to take in distant city lights set against the shimmering Gulf of Oman. With careful positioning, we were able to preserving the existing mature trees and nestle this home against the rugged desert mountains. Major views orient towards the north guarding against the relentless summer sun while providing massive vista views and open floor plan. Here we have a delightful interplay of open rooms and multi-levels, connected by gentle steps, ramps, stairs and elevator. Main living room has full ceiling skylight with deep geometric webs and reflective glass, allowing spangled sunlight throughout the interior spaces but blocking the excessive solar gain. Ample allocation for art display has been integrated throughout this home as well as a 1500 sf dedicated art gallery and two home office spaces as well as a built-in wood shop. A spiral stair leads to the rooftop aerie for evening star gazing, relaxing and cocktails.

Photo credit Michael Moran. The design for this client’s “dream house on the water” capitalizes on every opportunity to incorporate views of the Long Island Sound within the home. The placement and expanse of the fir windows and sliding doors underscore the water’s proximity. The interior gathering space spills out onto the raised outdoor deck and lap pool overlooking the seawall. Reducing the house’s carbon footprint is another priority, accomplished by generating renewable energy on site. The precise angle of the house on the property is calculated for optimal solar energy production by the rooftop photovoltaic panels and a geothermal system installed under the driveway provides heating and cooling for the house. Due to the fact that the site is located on a floodplain, the ground floor of the house is raised and no basement is allowed. This presents a challenge in terms of carving out enough storage space in the main house that one might normally relegate to a basement. Rooms are efficiently sized and serve multiple functions and storage is built-in wherever possible.

Architect: Michelle Penn, AIA This barn home is modeled after an existing Nebraska barn in Lancaster County. Heating is by passive solar design, supplemented by a geothermal radiant floor system. Cooling will rely on a whole house fan and a passive air flow system. The passive system is created with the cupola, windows, transoms and passive venting for cooling, rather than a forced air system. Here you can see the inside of the cupola. The ladder leads down to the access platform below that you can see in another picture. The silver piece on the wall is actually a fold-down seat. From there you can sit and birdwatch! The silver backing is to reflect daylight down to the lowest level. All the windows are operable to create a chimney effect. They are part of the passive cooling system of the home. The paint is Devoe Industrial Enamel White High Gloss DevGuard 4308-0100. Photo Credits: Jackson Studios

This magnificent custom 4,200 sq ft timber frame Adirondack style home, with guest house and pool, enjoys complete privacy at the end of a rustic mountain road on 16 acres. Outfitted with robust, modern, eco-friendly solar systems and technology, the 4-bedroom, 3.5 bathroom main house features a wraparound porch and balcony, an open floor plan with oak and black walnut floors, rough Tuscan plaster walls, wood beams and French doors throughout. The spacious Timberpeg great room addition with loft balcony, cathedral ceilings and floor to ceiling rough-hewn stone fireplace, opens onto a patio sitting area enclosed by rustic walls cut from the property''s stone. Adjacent to the great room, an exceptional screened porch with fireplace looks over spectacular views of expansive lawns and the Catskill Mountains beyond. The Tuscan-inspired kitchen has an Italian tile and limestone farm sink, 6-burner Wolf range and custom extractor hood. The Master suite features a timbered balcony, steam shower and Jacuzzi tub. Opening onto the porch, a private main floor guest suite shares the outstanding views that define this exclusive property. Full basement with radiant floors, and roughed out for 5 th bedroom suite/bathroom and game room, provides additional storage. The property also features high-efficiency Buderus boiler, EV car charging port, rooftop solarvoltaic panels, back-up generator, driveway basketball court, 2-car garage, and space for a tennis court. A chalet-style post and beam 2-bedroom, 1-bath guesthouse completes this distinctive estate, with dining and sitting room, kitchenette, a natural form solar-heated pool with propane heat backup, free-form stone patio, spa whirlpool, waterfall, weeping rock wall, and cedar log pergola.

The overarching design intent for this 1,455-square-foot West Vine Street condominium was to make the spaces contemporary and functional. The renovation began with an unexpected structural deficiency in the form of a post located in the middle of the living room that was causing a three-inch dip in the floor. It was removed and replaced with steel columns running down through the walls and into a footing pad with a three-foot depth. The main living spaces underwent significant changes; the kitchen was reconfigured to open up a formerly cramped space, and the removal of a wall made room for a cascading island with Cesarstone countertops—a crowning feature. Additionally, an electrical panel was relocated to be able to wrap the refrigerator with a wood veneer frame. Notable materials include eight-inch-wide ‘Esplanade’ French oak plank floors chosen to complement the reclaimed wood-wrapped ceiling beams, which feature a combination of LED downlighting and uplighting. A sleek gas fireplace with horizontal slate surround and paneled wall backing replaced an old wood-burning stove—furthering the design program. Pacheco-Robb Architects dismantled an existing spiral stair and replaced it with a cable-rail system—a nautical nod—which is noteworthy for the way it meets code; by running a contiguous oak banister for the entire length of the stair, they were able to avoid having to add a second railing, which would shrink the already narrow stairwell. Upstairs, a tight bedroom with gabled ceilings was addressed by adding a solar-operated skylight with built-in shade, plus minimalistic furnishings. Structural changes in the master bedroom included eliminating a closest to widen the room, and reconfiguring a bathroom to fit a small walk-in closet in lieu of a long, thin hallway. The formerly unfinished rooftop deck is now accessed via a six-foot door that opens more than 90 degrees. Azek decking was laid over the rubber roof, and two-inch stanchions were located around the rail’s outer edge. By opening the floor plan and streamlining the aesthetic, the place now breathes.

This magnificent custom 4,200 sq ft timber frame Adirondack style home, with guest house and pool, enjoys complete privacy at the end of a rustic mountain road on 16 acres. Outfitted with robust, modern, eco-friendly solar systems and technology, the 4-bedroom, 3.5 bathroom main house features a wraparound porch and balcony, an open floor plan with oak and black walnut floors, rough Tuscan plaster walls, wood beams and French doors throughout. The spacious Timberpeg great room addition with loft balcony, cathedral ceilings and floor to ceiling rough-hewn stone fireplace, opens onto a patio sitting area enclosed by rustic walls cut from the property''s stone. Adjacent to the great room, an exceptional screened porch with fireplace looks over spectacular views of expansive lawns and the Catskill Mountains beyond. The Tuscan-inspired kitchen has an Italian tile and limestone farm sink, 6-burner Wolf range and custom extractor hood. The Master suite features a timbered balcony, steam shower and Jacuzzi tub. Opening onto the porch, a private main floor guest suite shares the outstanding views that define this exclusive property. Full basement with radiant floors, and roughed out for 5 th bedroom suite/bathroom and game room, provides additional storage. The property also features high-efficiency Buderus boiler, EV car charging port, rooftop solarvoltaic panels, back-up generator, driveway basketball court, 2-car garage, and space for a tennis court. A chalet-style post and beam 2-bedroom, 1-bath guesthouse completes this distinctive estate, with dining and sitting room, kitchenette, a natural form solar-heated pool with propane heat backup, free-form stone patio, spa whirlpool, waterfall, weeping rock wall, and cedar log pergola.

This magnificent custom 4,200 sq ft timber frame Adirondack style home, with guest house and pool, enjoys complete privacy at the end of a rustic mountain road on 16 acres. Outfitted with robust, modern, eco-friendly solar systems and technology, the 4-bedroom, 3.5 bathroom main house features a wraparound porch and balcony, an open floor plan with oak and black walnut floors, rough Tuscan plaster walls, wood beams and French doors throughout. The spacious Timberpeg great room addition with loft balcony, cathedral ceilings and floor to ceiling rough-hewn stone fireplace, opens onto a patio sitting area enclosed by rustic walls cut from the property''s stone. Adjacent to the great room, an exceptional screened porch with fireplace looks over spectacular views of expansive lawns and the Catskill Mountains beyond. The Tuscan-inspired kitchen has an Italian tile and limestone farm sink, 6-burner Wolf range and custom extractor hood. The Master suite features a timbered balcony, steam shower and Jacuzzi tub. Opening onto the porch, a private main floor guest suite shares the outstanding views that define this exclusive property. Full basement with radiant floors, and roughed out for 5 th bedroom suite/bathroom and game room, provides additional storage. The property also features high-efficiency Buderus boiler, EV car charging port, rooftop solarvoltaic panels, back-up generator, driveway basketball court, 2-car garage, and space for a tennis court. A chalet-style post and beam 2-bedroom, 1-bath guesthouse completes this distinctive estate, with dining and sitting room, kitchenette, a natural form solar-heated pool with propane heat backup, free-form stone patio, spa whirlpool, waterfall, weeping rock wall, and cedar log pergola.

Woodwerd
Inspiration for a large contemporary open concept family room remodel in Austin with gray walls

This magnificent custom 4,200 sq ft timber frame Adirondack style home, with guest house and pool, enjoys complete privacy at the end of a rustic mountain road on 16 acres. Outfitted with robust, modern, eco-friendly solar systems and technology, the 4-bedroom, 3.5 bathroom main house features a wraparound porch and balcony, an open floor plan with oak and black walnut floors, rough Tuscan plaster walls, wood beams and French doors throughout. The spacious Timberpeg great room addition with loft balcony, cathedral ceilings and floor to ceiling rough-hewn stone fireplace, opens onto a patio sitting area enclosed by rustic walls cut from the property''s stone. Adjacent to the great room, an exceptional screened porch with fireplace looks over spectacular views of expansive lawns and the Catskill Mountains beyond. The Tuscan-inspired kitchen has an Italian tile and limestone farm sink, 6-burner Wolf range and custom extractor hood. The Master suite features a timbered balcony, steam shower and Jacuzzi tub. Opening onto the porch, a private main floor guest suite shares the outstanding views that define this exclusive property. Full basement with radiant floors, and roughed out for 5 th bedroom suite/bathroom and game room, provides additional storage. The property also features high-efficiency Buderus boiler, EV car charging port, rooftop solarvoltaic panels, back-up generator, driveway basketball court, 2-car garage, and space for a tennis court. A chalet-style post and beam 2-bedroom, 1-bath guesthouse completes this distinctive estate, with dining and sitting room, kitchenette, a natural form solar-heated pool with propane heat backup, free-form stone patio, spa whirlpool, waterfall, weeping rock wall, and cedar log pergola.