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Collection by Zach Edelson
Editor’s Pick

A Renovation Reconnects a House to its Louisiana Landscape

A modern makeover puts a Baton Rouge home in touch with its picturesque surroundings.

In a historic area of Baton Rouge, a growing family sought to expand their home and reconnect it to its beautiful natural surroundings. The original house, built in a traditional style, offered poor visual and physical access to the property’s numerous amenities: a pond, chicken coops, garden, a large oak tree, and extensive open landscape. The family asked the designers and builders of +one design & construction for easier movement between indoors and outdoors while crafting an open interior with contemporary features and comforts. Lastly, as the family frequently hosts guests for grilling and socializing, the renovation would have to entail a new outdoor kitchen and patio.

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The house’s entrance reveals some of its new floor-to-ceiling windows, many of which double as sliding doors for easy access to the exterior. Privacy was not an issue for the property, though certain rooms are outfitted with curtains.
The house’s entrance reveals some of its new floor-to-ceiling windows, many of which double as sliding doors for easy access to the exterior. Privacy was not an issue for the property, though certain rooms are outfitted with curtains.
The concrete directional pavers, which begin outside the main entrance, continue through the kitchen and outside to the patio. The kitchen rear wall was totally removed to make way for floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors that facilitate movement from the interior to the outdoor cooking and entertainment area.
The concrete directional pavers, which begin outside the main entrance, continue through the kitchen and outside to the patio. The kitchen rear wall was totally removed to make way for floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors that facilitate movement from the interior to the outdoor cooking and entertainment area.
The motif of stone directional pavers culminates in these concrete benches, ideal for hosting and relaxing. When cooking, the residents can easily walk over to a nearby garden for vegetables, or chicken coup for eggs. The large ipe-clad addition on the right is the master bedroom, also equipped with sliding doors for easy outdoor access.
The motif of stone directional pavers culminates in these concrete benches, ideal for hosting and relaxing. When cooking, the residents can easily walk over to a nearby garden for vegetables, or chicken coup for eggs. The large ipe-clad addition on the right is the master bedroom, also equipped with sliding doors for easy outdoor access.
Nestled in between the master bedroom addition and the master bathroom is an outdoor shower. Just as with the kitchen and patio, floor-to-ceiling glazing and continuous concrete pavers blur the barrier between interior and exterior.
Nestled in between the master bedroom addition and the master bathroom is an outdoor shower. Just as with the kitchen and patio, floor-to-ceiling glazing and continuous concrete pavers blur the barrier between interior and exterior.
The shower offers a multisensory experience: the architect described how clients can take hot showers in the rain or simply lounge in the capacious garden area. Mint plants growing between the pavers release a pleasant smell when stepped upon.
The shower offers a multisensory experience: the architect described how clients can take hot showers in the rain or simply lounge in the capacious garden area. Mint plants growing between the pavers release a pleasant smell when stepped upon.
Back in the entry foyer, the architects removed a fully enclosed stair to open up the interior. An operable sunlight just above the stairwell allows hot air to escape, inducing a cooling airflow below and naturally ventilating the space. The space in the image’s foreground, located directly adjacent to the kitchen, is now the formal dining area.
Back in the entry foyer, the architects removed a fully enclosed stair to open up the interior. An operable sunlight just above the stairwell allows hot air to escape, inducing a cooling airflow below and naturally ventilating the space. The space in the image’s foreground, located directly adjacent to the kitchen, is now the formal dining area.
Oak trees are a precious but delicate feature of southern landscapes: their shallow roots extend far from their bases and are vulnerable to light foot traffic and certainly building foundations. +one design & construction used a “coil pile” foundation system, essentially of corkscrew-like supports, that allows the guest room to harmlessly float over the roots of this 80-year old tree.
Oak trees are a precious but delicate feature of southern landscapes: their shallow roots extend far from their bases and are vulnerable to light foot traffic and certainly building foundations. +one design & construction used a “coil pile” foundation system, essentially of corkscrew-like supports, that allows the guest room to harmlessly float over the roots of this 80-year old tree.
The guestroom also features floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors, affording the same outdoor access, which here looks out onto the property’s chicken coop.
The guestroom also features floor-to-ceiling glass sliding doors, affording the same outdoor access, which here looks out onto the property’s chicken coop.