At the Intersection of Art, Architecture & Design» Curb-Appeal: A 2-Week Make-Over – At the Intersection of Art, Architecture & Design

Curb-Appeal: A 2-Week Make-Over

Jackie Braitman — Sun, 11 Jul 2010 12:56:28 +0000

A back porch Welcomes Clients and the Neighborhood

I live down the street from a 4-Square built around 1915. It’s at a prominent intersection and is zoned commercial. A string of non-descript businesses have leased space there. The house wasn’t a blight on the neighborhood but it didn’t add anything either. Then “The Still Point” a well-respected holistic spa took up residence. First they built-out their interior; then they moved on the exterior. In the course of approximately 2-weeks the outside of the building when from non-descript to warm and welcoming. Thoughtful paint, lighting, furniture and decoration turned a cold, inward-looking structure into a nicely scaled building that beckons the neighborhood into its doors.

AFTER - Main Neighborhood View

BEFORE - Main Neighborhood View - Courtesy of Google Earth

The, above, After and Before pictures are the view from the main intersection. A new, wide stairway from the back porch welcomes visitors. As seen in the introductory image, outdoor drapes help create an intimate space while ceiling fans, furniture and potted palms help make the space intimate.

A Closer View of the Back Stairs

AFTER - View of the Front of the House

BEFORE - Front of House

The front porch (see After and Before, above) received a slightly more formal but equally inviting make-over. The line of semi-flush light fixtures – while providing more light than is strictly necessary – creates an extremely attractive rhythm. The door, made prominent with black contrasting paint, is no longer over-emphasized.

Notice that they also cleaned up the various phone and cable lines coming into the house so that they no longer distract from the front porch.

Carpeted Front Steps

Porch steps were carpeted in a deep forest outdoor carpeting to avoid the slipperiness of painted wood. A water feature near the front door, providing a welcoming auditory break from the street.

Welcoming Front Porch

The mocha and crème color scheme brings out the subtle colors of the roof and highlights the architecture much better than did the former white, dark grey and red scheme. The more subtle palette also contrasts nicely with the black powder-coated furniture and lighting fixtures. Our eye likes contrast and texture and the new palette caters to these preferences.

Other than the back steps to the porch, there were no structural changes, but now the building is a part of and beckons to the neighborhood rather than standing apart.

4 Rules for a Spectacular Garden

Jackie Braitman — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Folks often stop and remark on my garden. It’s fairly young – going on 3 years – with lots and lots left to do. But by thinking through the 4 rules, below, the garden feels much more mature than its years.

This "Devil Man" has guarded my gardens for the past 12 years as it did my Mother's for almost 30 years

1. Think Style & Maintenance before Digging or Buying Plants
Sun versus Shade; Formal versus Casual; Modern vs. Traditional; Symmetrical vs. Balanced, Summer vs. Spring, Alfresco Dining vs. View From the Window,
High Maintenance or Self-Caring, Dogs & Children vs. Delicate Plantings, Food Production vs. Views.

These are not all mutually exclusive but just like any home remodeling project – you need to start with your goals, lifestyle, and aesthetics. Your answers will dramatically change what you plant and where you plant. For example, the classic boxwood will rarely look as comfortable in a casual garden than a formal one. And self-seeding annuals and perennials will make a cottage garden dramatically easier but will be the bane of a gardener who wants order. Pressure-treated lumber works well in a casual garden as does irregular flagstone but concrete, painted wood and regular flagstone are more suited to a very modern garden.

The Decking, Fence, Walls & Stone River were installed Before Plantings

2. Think Structure before Plants
Structure refers walks, decks, patios, pergolas and other built items often referred to as “hardscape”. It also refers to plants and the planting structure.

Three examples: First, think about planting on a hill. Somewhat counter intuitively, your yard will feel more balanced if the plants get taller as they move up the hill. Recognizing this requires you to select the plants you’re going to use before buying or planting any of them.

Second, also counter intuitively, breaking up a small (or large) garden into separate (but visually integrated) areas will make it feel larger. In all gardens, the area will feel larger and more balanced if you think structurally about foreground, mid-ground and background. Start with this structure before you start planting. For example, I installed a low (36”) fence inset from the sidewalk on my very small front yard in order to make it feel larger. If I had decided to do this after I planted, I would need to remove and reinstall plants.

Third, installing patios and other “hardscape” disturbs roots. Ideally, you want to plan and build all your structures before starting you planting – or leave at least 8-10 feet so that you won’t need to disturb your roots while building.

And of course, plants grow. You need to think about the mature size of plants when planting shrubs and trees. While they’re growing you can fill in with annuals or self-seeding or spreading perennials. For example, in the border garden depicted in the images 2-4 below, I purposefully planted several rapidly spreading perennials (a mum, a euphorbia, and a Caryopteris) to help take over the large swaths of former lawn while the shrubs and other perennials could establish themselves. I’m now starting to pull out (and either move or give away) the excess as other plants come in. With this strategy, the area looks good and I have less weeding to do in the garden’s early years.

Plants Grow over and around Fencing & Walkways; Notice Also Different Leaf Types

3. Think Foliage before Flowers
Flowers on trees, shrubs and perennials last only weeks while foliage is visible and prominent all year – or for 7-9 months depending on your zone. Between foliage color, texture and form, you can create dramatic vignettes without any flowers at all. When you think foliage, you can also more easily create a year-round garden rather than one that looks terrific only 1- 3 months of the year. Also consider what works in your climate and sun exposure. There are lots of plants that wilt or mildew in Washington DC’s hot humid summers. Similarly, there are plants that do well in Washington’s shade but will burn-up or become diseasedin the sun. For example, Euonymous is a wonderful plant for the Shade but will become overrun by scale in the sun. On the other hand, many plants will look scraggly or fail to bloom without enough sun. Unless you want a lot of work, think about what works in your climate and sun exposure.

Variations in Foliage Form and Color Can Substitute for Flowers

Notice How the Rocks and Fence Also Add to the Drama of the Vignette

Foliage Variation is Just as Important and Dramatic in the Sun

4. Now Decorate Your Garden!
A decorated garden can fit within any style. Rocks, Found-Objects, and Sculpture are wonderful foils for plants. And they make your garden truly one-of-a-kind. And you can re-decorate your garden just as you do your home. Enjoy!

Rejects From My Glass Studio Help Decorate the Garden As Faux Fungus Forms

Bath Tub Ducks Migrated to the Rocks Around the Pond

Stained Glass in the Garden

Abstract Art - Notice the Layers of Foliage Interest

Photo Taken by chris5aw — see her photo stream on Flickr

Color, Structure, Foliage and Art is Equally Vital in the Modern Garden

Photo Taken by Aimee Quiggle, See Her Photo Stream on Flickr

A Sense of Place

Jackie Braitman — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 18:50:00 +0000

A New Front Porch Welcomes Family and Visitors

A gracious, comfortable front entry — the neighbors who have been closely observing the year-long inside and outside renovation of this 1940’s Colonial in a close-in Washington DC suburb — remark most often about the transition to the front of the house. A neighbor across the street enjoys a more peaceful, relaxed morning coffee — she says sitting in her breakfast room now feels like she’s across the street from a park. Neighborhood kids ask if they can play on the oval of grass at the top of the steps — rather than play in their own expansive back yards. It’s all about a sense of place.

Full View of House and New Entry Stairs

Gone are the unsafe front brick steps — at only 30 inches wide and with treads that varied in width and without a handrail — the wife’s mother gave a big thanks. Gone also is the trip-step in the middle of the front walk — that I personally tripped over at least 3 times. New brick steps were moved about 6 feet down the wall to create a curved walk in approaching the house and a more gracious division of the front entry garden. The steps are now 4 ft wide and are taller to fully tackle the grade. The bottom of the steps and the handrail curve to welcome visitors.

Gone also is the 1970’s vestibule — a response to the 1970’s energy crisis. The homeowner complained of having to set groceries down on the concrete stoop, open the vestibule door, move the bags of groceries into the vestibule, open the front door and only then bring the groceries into the house. Now she simply sets them on the generous bench right beside the front door. She also sits on the bench to chat with neighbors, read the mail, or to observe the neighborhood children at play.

Before Picture (courtesy of Google Street View)

The history of this house is a story of several separate additions that responded to the needs at the time. Visible in this before photo are the vestibule that was added to the front of this modest brick colonial just outside Washington, DC, during the 1970’s energy crisis — this was a common response to the crisis. It might have helped with heating bills but in almost every other way this add-on was an inconvenience. Also visible is the addition to the left side of the house — a side porch converted to a small room. This addition while providing nice light, is of a completely different style from the rest of the house.

The roof of the addition was lowered to meet the roof of the new front porch at a hip. The porch is only seven feet wide but these changes greatly help the proportions of the house. A new front door and a high-end full view storm door provide the energy savings of the old vestibule. The new porch, new walk and steps dramatically change the sense of welcome and grace as you approach the home.

Low maintenance plantings provide year-round interest. Early spring interest is provided by a fragrant, flowering Carol Mackey Daphne at the curve of the front bed just as you arrive at the front door. Later spring interest comes from flowering shrubs, summer interest is created by a variety of ornamental grasses and a lavender crepe myrtle in a place of prominence, fall interest comes from the changing colors of the ornamental grasses, and winter interest comes from the bark of the crepe myrtle and the red berries of the nandina. A mix of foliage color and texture adds year-round appeal. A day’s maintenance spring and fall are all that’s required. [That's, of course, after more frequent weeding as the plantings take hold and the deep-rooted weeds, persistent weeds are eliminated.] Well-placed, aged western Maryland boulders help ground the plantings to create a natural look.

The facade was made made more transitional (and less colonial) by removing the shutters, replacing the aged aluminum siding with fiber cement siding, balancing the long windows on the addition with patio
doors on the other side. The grey tone of the siding and new wood-replacement white window trim replace the need for shutters to create architectural interest.

Concrete Was Grooved & Acid-Stained

We used concrete for the porch to eliminate the need for future maintenance. An acid stain was used to create an antique amber color and blend the porch into the landscape — it coordinates with the cedar-colored Trex used on the back deck. Before acid staining, the concrete was scored on a diagonal to create the look of large tiles with a solid border. The window well was covered with a glass and concrete paver panel created by Circle Redmont. The panel is set into the concrete and still provides good light into the basement.

The front bench — in addition to providing visual interest, a place for packages and to sit – hides the gas meter and the electrical service. The gas meter is hidden in the right leg of the bench. The column hides the electrical service except for a window to view the meter.

Front Bench Hides Utilities

Front Bench Recycles Flagstone Removed from Hearth

Ceiling Fans on either end of the porch provide mosquito-free future seating areas.

All images courtesy of Braitman Design/Build

Idyllic Backyard Retreat

Jackie Braitman — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 21:51:34 +0000

Enjoy Al Fresco Dining

For this modest home in Silver Spring, Maryland, we created an idyllic outdoor retreat with strong indoor-outdoor connections. Shown above is the al fresco dining room — with walls of foliage and cedar — in the fence and pergola. The room’s ceiling is suggested by the open cedar rafters off the house, a cedar pergola and an umbrella. The flooring is Trex decking at grade level. We created a curved stream of river rocks to blend the decking into the landscape – see below. The back of the yard is anchored by a large maple tree and an existing shed. A simple curve of grass ties together the beds, the gravel and the decking. A new curved stone wall encloses the parking pad — keeping the car out of the living area. The car that’s currently parked on the pad is almost invisible. Lower stone retaining walls replace old timber retaining walls.

Decking Integrated Into the Landscaping

Stone Wall to Hide Parking Pad with Stone Retaining Walls

Focal Point Connects Indoors & Out - Stool for Cat to View Territory

There is a strong connection to each of the rooms that enters onto the garden room — the kitchen, the dining room and the media room. The river of gravel helps create a strong focal point from the kitchen/breakfast area door. The thoughtful homeowners keep a low table by the window so their cat can lounge while keep on eye on his territory.

Backyard "Before"

Above and below are a set of before and after shots. In the after shot, I’m standing right next to the shed that you can see in the before shot. While the new deck is only about 2ft deeper — it feel much more expansive because we’ve raised it to grade level and merged it with the surrounding landscape. We changed the roofline of both side and back existing additions and joined them with open rafters to create more connection to the landscape. We shortened the driveway and isolated it from the landscape with a 4ft high stone wall. The dirty white aluminum siding was replaced with a silver/grey fiber cement siding. This makes the window trim standout and helps give the facade definition. We used square structural fiberglass columns that match ones used on the new front porch to create architectural interest and continuity. The columns further define the outdoor rooms.

Back Yard "After"

Enjoy the gallery, below, with additional custom details.

All images courtesy of Braitman Design/Build

You Can Landscape Now for Tomorrow’s Garden Room

Jackie Braitman — Fri, 22 May 2009 22:20:33 +0000

Side Wrap-Around Porch at Dusk

I moved around a lot during the 1980’s and the first thing I thought about when I moved into a new home was how to connect the indoors with the out of doors. This was well before the craze for outdoor living — but then again, I spent 5 years in Southern California in the late 1970’s where the weather invited everyone outside year-round. The Porch, above, is an eastern version of California living with a deep roof to cool the house in the summer and comfortable seating to talk with neighbors [It's an addition to a 1905 home in the Takoma Park , Maryland historic preservation district that we remodeled in 2005.]

I’m sitting in another home just a few blocks away. It was built in 1917 and I’ve been here just about a year. And I’m frustrated beyond belief that I don’t yet have the money to build the addition in the back that will connect me to the out of doors! My response is to spend most of my spare time working on the landscape — so when the remodeling is completed I’ll be living in a much more mature landsacpe than if I waited.

BEWARE – DO NOT LANDSCAPE WITHIN ABOUT 8 FEET OF THE PLANNED REMODELING OR ADDITION. If you landscape and plant before remodeling, everything will just get trampled. But for most of us, there is still a lot of room to work on the foreground or background that we can work on years in advance.

My Home After 1 Year of Planing

So I’ve spent my time in the front and the back rear of the year. In the front, I’ve put in a low fence so my dog can be outside with me but that doesn’t say “keep out” to the neighbors. I’ve stained it a blue/grey — a color that tends to disappear into the landscape. I’m planting on both sides — often the same plants — to further fuzzy the line. I’ve created an inset at the front gate — a 6 foot by 3 foot inset — to further welcome visitors. It’s almost like a small foyer. Concrete stepping stone — meant to look like rock — connect the new paver parking pad with the house and help create a more naturalistic planting area. I’ve planted 7 trees in the front — 1 zelcova and 6 tall crepe myrtle that will eventually grow to create archways over the walkways and entryway.

The "Before"

In the back, I’ve planted 12 trees — 6 overstory trees including 3 River Birch, 2 Red Maples, 1 Willow Oak and 6 understory trees including 2 Dogwoods, 3 Purple-Leaf Plums, and a Stewartia. In addition, I’ve planted probably 15 shrubs. I’ve also created a mid-ground and back-ground by adding a swale and berm. The berm is held back with a “wall” of very large logs. The swale and berm help control run-off on the slope and keep water on my property. Even after only a year, I’ve created a sense of privacy that will only increase as the years go by. I’m also creating welcoming shade that will cool my home and my life.

Background Plantings

As I started Planting

Remodeling within the Existing Footprint – Case Study

Jackie Braitman — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 03:35:35 +0000

A new Wrap-around Porch Provides a Connection to the Outdoors

This article is both about a particular remodeling project and about the process of solving problems through design. When I first meet with any homeowner, the first thing they talk about are the problems. Here was the litany of problems for this home:

A kitchen that was too small– it was made even more inefficient because it also doubled as a mud room and passageway.
A lack of privacy due to the proximity of a too-close neighbor with windows aligned with my clients
No connection to the outdoors
No bath on the first floor
Old wooden casement windows that were rotten
General disrepair of the existing home
An old addition that was in bad repair and seemed to be falling off the side of the house, and
A too steep entrance that was hard to navigate.

These homeowners came to me after talking with other contractors about putting on a big addition. They thought that the only way to solve the problems was to tear down the old addition and build a new, larger one to include a kitchen and family room. But the ballpark price they were getting was $300,000 for the new addition — and that didn’t include replacing the windows or fixing myriad other problems in the existing house which would have raised the total price to well over $400,000 — out of their ballpark.

While clients always bring up problems, I usually have to prod them to talk about how they live and how they want to live. After talking with this family, I could tell that they didn’t really need more space — they needed different space. Because they couldn’t imagine how to rearrange the existing space they thought the solution was more space. But too often, in cases like this one, a family adds on to an existing house but don’t put money into making the existing rooms more livable. The result is wasted space that’s never used. The family lives in the new addition and only walk through the older rooms — but they still pay to heat and cool them. They purchased the house, in part, because of some of the period details such as the stone fireplace in the foyer and the high ceilings. But a previous remodel some 20 years ago had stripped the house of many of the trimwork and other period details of this 1905 vernacular farmhouse just outside Washington, DC. After a little thought, I proposed spending most of the money on re-arranging the existing space. We would bump out just a small section of the existing house by 5 feet — to allow for better flow. I also proposed a new wrap-around side porch. This would give them needed outdoor space, connect them with the neighborhood and better balance the home. Finally, I proposed spending some of the money they were saving by not putting on a new addition on restoring some of the period charm.

Floor Plan After

Floor Plan Before

Here are the fixes:

A too-small kitchen that also served as a passageway:
- Moved to a nook created by bumping out the old dining room 5 ft.
- Turned old kitchen into family entrance, powder room & coat closet
A lack of privacy due to the proximity of a too-close neighbor with windows aligned with my clients
- Put art glass in windows facing neighbor (see below) –
this was much, much cheaper than building a new addition
No connection to the outdoors
- New front wrap-around porch
No bath on the first floor
- New powder room where kitchen used to be
Old wooden casement windows that were rotten & General disrepair of existing home
- Had money to do this since we didn’t build the new addition
- We also updated all the finishes in the original house
An old addition that was in bad repair and seemed to be falling off the back of the house
- Soil tests revealed that we could underpin the foundation for $10,000
- The old addition was folded into a new Family room & Dining
A too steep entrance that was hard to navigate
- The new wrap-around porch provides an easy entrance to the home
& the mud room is so gracious that it’s more formal than most foyers

Kitchen - Art glass used to block view of neighbor

The new kitchen as plenty of counter space and storage. It now takes it’s rightful place as the center of the family’s activities — with a deep eating and homework counter. Custom art-glass windows block the view of the too-close neighbor while skylights and an adjacent window let in light and views. A custom concrete counter and backsplash create a single sculptural composition along with the windows and range hood. Open upper cabinets create an open, informal look.

Family/Great Room Composed of several smaller rooms

The new Family/Great Room has both a generous seating area and a recessed dining nook. The table can be opened to accommodate a larger dinner party or kept small for the family and for even larger parties. Large windows on 3 sides creates generous lighting and an open airy feel. The single patio door currently leads no where but allows the future addition of a deck without additional structural changes. Elegant trim detail looks like it could be original to the house but is mostly new. While the trimwork appears to be quite detailed in execution, we used many labor- and material-savings techniques to keep costs down.

New Family Entry with Art Glass Blocking View of Neighbor

In the new family entry we also used art glass to block the view of the the too close neighbor. Not visible are built-ins that corral all the coats and bags and other items we need right at the entry. Stools are available to sit and take off your boots in the winter — but they also add to the dramatic focal point in the room. A new angled wall creates a dramatic view from the living room. Stone-look porcelain tile creates an easily cleaned by durable finish to the floor. Right off the new wrap-around porch this had become the main entry to the house for family and friends.

Foyer Looking Into Family Room

In the formal foyer, the stone fireplace sports a “new” salvaged old-growth redwood mantle. Interior square columns mirror the columns on the new wrap around porch, below.

Wrap-Around Porch Connects Home to Neighborhood

One of the pleasures and benefits of remodeling within the existing footprint is that there is often money available for details and finishes that the client couldn’t afford if all the money went to a large addition. That’s what we were able to accomplish in this remodel — solving problems as well as feeding the soul. You can see from the floor plans that the client has lots of space on the first floor for both family and individual activities. In a few years, the family may go on to phase 2 — outdoor living on the family room side of the home. A patio door was included in this phase to facilitate future remodeling — another benefit of planning for your lifestyle instead of simply problem solving. Phased remodeling can accommodate both today’s budget and tomorrow’s dreams.

Images courtesy of Braitman Design/Build

Tell me How You Block a View

Jackie Braitman — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 02:36:13 +0000

Stained Glass Window To Block View of Close Neighbor

I’ve moved to a neighborhood built at the turn of the 20th Century — houses built from about 1880 – 1920’s and protected by an Historic Preservation District. Many of these homes, including mine, have windows that look into a neighbor’s house. The house I moved from (3 blocks away) and the one I moved into both have windows that are 7′ to 15′ from the neighbor’s windows. Plus the windows are aligned so we would be part of each other’s daily lives if we didn’t block the views. The quickest and cheapest solution is often drapery and curtains which help ensure privacy but also often block light and a sense of space. Below are some strategies I’ve used to block a view. I would love to hear about ways you’ve successfully blocked a view while retaining daylight and airiness.

I’m a glass artist so I’ve very successfully used art glass windows to block the view of too close neighbors. [See above and below]. In both cases, though, skylights, windows or doors just around the corner on an adjacent plane banish any feelings of claustrophobia that come from not being able to see out.

Art Glass Windows Block View of Too Close Neighbor

In southern California, where I lived for several years, the dense semi-tropical vegetation could successfully block a close neighbor and still allow light and privacy — houses were also often 1 story which made it easier. But in much of the country, it’s harder to block views with vegetation without also blocking light and a sense of space. In the dining room, we used a mix of deciduous and evergreen shrubs to block the view of the alley 7 feet away.

Vegetation Blocks the View of the Alley

In the home, below, we created a patio bounded by a pergola with foliage inside and outside the pergola to create privacy from a busy street. In one particular place we also hung stained glass panels. This strategy, of course, only works if you have a lot of space to work with. But when you do, it’s a great way to keep eyes focused away from your windows and to create a greater sense of space and separation from the world.

Using a Garden Room to Create Privacy & Block Views

Stained Glass Garden Panel to Block a View

So tell me about your ideas. I would love to include your ideas and images in a future article. You can’t yet upload images but I’ll definitely get in touch with you if you tell me you have images and tell you how to get them to me.

All images courtesy of Braitman Design/Build

It’s Time to Start Seeds Indoors!

Jackie Braitman — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 20:41:35 +0000

Perennials Grown From Seed

All of the perennials shown in this garden were started from seed! It’s a relatively straightforward process and saved the homeowner thousands of dollars. Plus it’s green! Most of what was shipped was lightweight materials and seeds not 2-year old plants.

It’s on my mind because I just started 12 flats of perennials and a few annuals and vegetables in my basement. See image below. I’ve recently moved into a new place and I’m converting all the lawn to plantings and outdoor living area. So I would have to buy a lot of plants. Ten of the flats are perennials — market value of approximately $3000. Two of the Flats are annuals and vegetables — market value of approximately $400. And my expense was a total of less than $400 — a savings of $3,000.

Seed Growing Set-up

Let me describe the set-up, above. It’s a mobile cart composed of wire shelving that’s 48″ x 18″ (about $150). You can probably get one used for much less. I used cable ties to attach a 6-plug outlet. Hanging above each shelf are two 48″ shop lights (about $12/each including the cost of the bulbs). You’ll also need a timer (<$10), (not shown in the photo) since seeds require about 16 hrs/day of light. You can purchase special grow lights but I’ve found that full-spectrum fluorescent bulbs work fine. I purchased 12 flats, humidity domes, and market pack inserts from a commercial supplier (approximately $36). I also used a commercial seed supplier to get the range of perennials that I wanted but you can also purchase from a variety of seed suppliers or go to your local nursery. I used a soil-less seed starting mix — total about $40. Finally, you might want a heat mat since some of the seeds require specific temperature ranges to germinate. ($80)

Some of the seeds require special conditions — such as putting them at 70 degrees than in the fridge then back on a heat mat. So for some, you might also need to have room in a 2nd fridge (this is my case). But all you really need is to be able to follow instruction and have some patience — since perennials take much longer to germinate than annuals and vegetables.

It’s been a very cold winter here in Washington DC. But I can feel spring coming — many of the plants in the garden are starting to bud. And I will soon have 12 flats of greenery in my basement waiting to be planted out in the spring or fall.

All images courtesy of Jackie Braitman

A Stone Terrace To Take Advantage of Views

Jackie Braitman — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 23:07:45 +0000

Before - The House Just Didn't Take Advantage of Its Setting

This 1930’s home off Sligo Creek in Silver Spring, MD didn’t have an easy way to take advantage of it’s sylvan setting. The nicest views were from the front but zoning set-back requirements prohibited adding on in that direction. The massive stone chimney — that gave the house it’s character also limited the options for creating views without great expense. The block and brick
construction further limited the possible cost-effective changes.

View from the New Terrace

We added a wrap-around stone terrace onto the front of the house and replaced windows with doors leading onto the terrace from two sides of
the living room. The changes visually expand the home from the interior while adding a quite usable outdoor room to the front and side of the house.

View From the Living Room

The new doors fit under the original steel window lintels reducing the cost of the remodel. The larger openings bring in significantly more light. And psychologically, doors lend a sense of openness and possibility that you can’t achieve with windows. The doors lead the family and visitors onto the terrace.

Stone Terrace

We could have saved even more money if we had simply added a deck to the front of the house. But people don’t tend to feel comfortable on an open deck — just think of how exposed you feel when you walk onto an open deck that’s high above the ground. While this deck is only 5 feet from the ground the steeply sloping front yard makes it feel much higher.

We chose to build a stone terrace to blend in with the substantial feel of the home. The hefty posts, substantial beam and open rafters, provides the terrace more of the sense of being an outdoor room than would have an open deck. The pressure treated wood posts and beam fit with the setting while the aluminum balusters provide a more open feel. Just imagine the terrace in the summer with colorful planters in several of the “windows” formed by the posts and beam and a flowering vine growing up the corner post and across the rafters.

All images courtesy of Braitman Design/Build

The Garden Room

Jackie Braitman — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 21:11:51 +0000

: Opening Your Home to a Garden Room

Whether you call it a Garden Room or Indoor/Outdoor living, opening your home to your garden is probably the single most expansive change you can make in the feeling of your house.

Let’s look at the remodeled home, above. The rendering to the left is the room prior to the renovation. It’s a typical room in almost any house — especially homes built in the early part of the 20th century. The window faces the front yard. The room is awkwardly narrow with a fireplace at the end of the room not visible in the rendering. Because the window faces the front yard and street, the homeowners usually kept it curtained to protect privacy.

To the right is a rendering with the structural changes but before the garden room was created. A screened porch off the front door, not originally visible from the living room, was turned into a sunroom. The front door was moved to the adjacent wall — creating a nice focal point as well as providing the opportunity to create a separate entrance garden (see last image). French doors open the living room to the new sunroom. Another pair of French doors open to the front yard.

The final rendering shows the effect of an enclosed patio off the new French doors. Now not only does the out-of-doors feel like a part of the house but you’re welcomed outside to the new patio.

The patio is a Garden Room. Just like any other room, a Garden Room has walls and a ceiling. In this garden room, two walls are formed from the house itself. And just like rooms in your house, you can enter the garden room from the adjacent enclosed rooms — from the living room and from the sunroom. The other two walls of the garden room are created by an 8′ tall pergola. The canopy of a tree — along with the pergola — create the ceiling to the new garden room. We benefited from existing mature plantings — shrubs and trees that aid in the sense of enclosure and increased privacy. Note: The cobble patio was raised above the roots to to avoid stressing the tree. We also worked around the water meter which became part of the fabric of the patio.

Strategic views of the street are blocked by stained glass panels in the pergola. Now there’s no need for curtains to provide privacy — the Garden Room visually and physically expands the home and provides a buffer from the street — and making use of an often wasted front yard.

All images courtesy of Braitman Design/Build