Hedge

Client approached Verner Arch with the challenge of converting a tired 1950’s ranch into a modern home for a family of five - on a limited budget. One spouse works in tech and the other is a child psychologist. They were looking for a loft-like open floor plan space where everyone could gather for meals, studying and relaxing.

Our design philosophy revolves around form, material and light. Our goal was to create interesting and engaging architectural forms on a tight lot. Given the budget constraints, the Homeowners wanted us to salvage as much of the existing footprint as possible.

The key to the success of this project was developing an efficient floor plan that connected the spaces and flowed organically from the entry through the great room to the rear patio. By creating a central great room with a high ceiling, the space was opened up to create an Urban loft feel. The space is now filled with natural light . The structural beams were left exposed to create scale and delineation. The original layout did not allow for access to the backyard ; the revised plan now creates a nice indoor/outdoor flow. The great room becomes the home’s primary living space. A secondary loft (above entry) and playroom are delineated separate spaces that afford a degree of privacy.

For the exterior, a priority became addressing the street elevation to diminish the garage’s presence. A major challenge was dealing with arcane planning requirement that dictated the need for two off street parking spaces, not in the front setback. Our solution was to design the front entry path that served as the second “parking” space for permitting, and was then finished into entry path.

The resulting transformation has elevated a dark and dated space into a loft-like Contemporary space, well suited to the lives of a busy family.