"It's the house I've wanted to build all my life," said the third-generation dream home builder/owner-in-partnership, whose patient participation and unusually high standards of form, fit, and finish made this enterprise worthwhile, memorable, an experience we house designers only dreamed about and NEVER came across until this time 'round. Client
INTRODUCTION
High-end community
High-end house
It’s a French Country Home Design in a French Country Style
In footprint, it’s a sort of chateau style in a relaxed French version of an English Manor House
Americanesque, if you're asking this home designer - permitting a stylistic relaxation, mixing levels of sophistication
Each of our French Country home design projects has come to us with insistence that it’s a “French cottage style feel" that the clients are after
Well, this cottage will be selling in the mid-$4 millions by about Christmastime. Some cottage
DESIGN CHOICEPOINTS
Manor house designs tend to two shapes - L and H
In all our days, we've not designed or even remodeled an L-shape
In those same days, we have designed plenty of H-shapes
Cunning design boundaries to the H-shape –
The crossing element may be small or large, short or tall, thick or thin, forward or back
Same goes for the two ends
The ends, themselves, may be symmetrical or not in facade
With the French, principally steeper hips with a smattering of similarly steeper gables and lower sheds plus round-tops - majorly segmental, sometimes Roman
Can often lend well to sacred geometry, especially the front façade
VEX
It's the interiors of H-shapes that present a duality of design opportunity - both to value and to vex. They're naturally strung out, so that
The physical relationship of spaces can challenge convenient functionality
Something always gets separated some from that which we would prefer that it didn't, almost always relating to the kitchen, the two most likely being
Masters spaces and Kitchen
Dining and Kitchen
Stairs, if not at the perimeter or at least distanced from the joining of either end element to the crossing element, can become inconvenient, especially to main level traffic
With size, multiple stairs or the compliment of an elevator become necessary passages
Presentation should be parsed and meted –
Articulation
Muzzled elaboration
Distinct parts by height and width and fenestration
A sense of aged structure (if you can – not always a top card in a client’s design deck)
Resolution to these matters comes in phases, bits and pieces variously from
Design adaptations
Recognition of the H-shape's realities
Close consideration of functionality
What’s more important gets challenged and challenged
VALUE
Majorly offsetting satisfaction in values gained all along the design path
Function tends to arrange smartly with structure
Central, or crossing element for entry and community spaces - either formal or informal or both, depending more often on depth
Flanking elements for masters spaces or family wing and less formal function, including but not limited to office, den, family room, guest beds, laundry, garage (attached or semi-so), recreation, etc.
Perimeters and massing can flex with design; articulations can enhance visual interest
Roofs most often naturally signal important spaces as they should
Levels can expectedly run up or down or both
2nd levels over grade can be full or half-story
Deeper interiors in the crossing element can usually be daylighted in-style
Several opportunities can arise to let function to outside spaces - courtyard, veranda, or lanai, deck, patio, garden
CASE STUDY
FRENCH COUNTRY HOME DESIGNS – FRONT OF HOUSE, THE MONEY VIEW FROM THE EXTERIOR
Let's look over a Front Of House facade of a high-end French Country to see what we can see of this custom home of about 105' frontage, 7800 SF habitable, 11300SF total
Note the wedding of a
Moderately laid-back presentation of lower roof slopes, wrought, low stone lines and walls, extensive outside spaces and
Symmetry lest one forget the visual importance both of and from regularity, especially with size of structure and the roots of the chateau-manor house style
French Country Home Designs - Front Of House, Elevation
Primary roof slope @ 14/12
Secondary roof slopes @ 12/12
Tertiary to approximately 7:12
Multilevel eaves
Overhangs tuned to job site locale's latitude)
Kept down to countrify
Trim...to countrify
Modest facia, cornice, and frieze board
Simple head and apron to windows
Board-and-batten shutters
Exposed timbers for knee braces and posts
Classic gable-end treatment with closed returns, again, simply elaborated in trim
Finish clads
Roof in (black) slate
Walls in
Sand finish
Hand-of-the-worker trowled masonry stucco over dry stack stone below watertable
Colors yet to be finally decided upon as of this presentation
Characteristic features
Multiple chimneys
Chimney pots
Segmental-roof dormers (as clerestories to daylight a deep interior of the crossing element)
Pavilion (with window for light well and clerestory)
Windows either true French casements or with mullion (double-doors are solely illustrative, yet to be designed)
2000SF driving courtyard of pavers (not illustrated, designed between the wings, with masonry stone wall consistent with the residence in height, method, and materials)
Porte-cochere, entering from the right between garage and residence
FRENCH COUNTRY DESIGNS - BACK OF HOUSE, THE MONEY VIEW FROM THE INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR
The Back Of House is just as presentable at -
French Country Home Designs - Back Of House, Elevation
Two levels
A curved, masonry stone-clad stair connecting grade at L0 to the L1 veranda with wrought rail, roll-up screening, Rumford fireplace, and outdoor grill
A site falling off to two-lane country roadbed some distance below and
Opening directly across both levels to Southeastern mountain views
Roof dormers to serve as at Front Of House
Note please that there are elements and features similar between Front and Back Of House; however, the Porte-Cochere entry to the grand Courtyard and wrapping, low stone wall, and the Pavillion cum wall dormer offer major surprise for any visitor
Outside features include large Courtyard, Veranda, Lanai, and curved stone staircase between levels.
Interior stairs are set between Kitchen and Dining with L1 access from Family
Home elevator is set in the hall outside the Masters Bedroom
French Country Floor Plan – L1, Plan View
NOTE IN RE L0
As planned and drawn, L0 was to have
2 beds with baths, den with fireplace – all three major spaces facing to the money view from the interior
Entertainment space, exercise space, wine cellar, and storage space below the left wing facing.
Last minute, real estate broker-driven commentary changed the owner’s minds -
Enlarge the two bed by deleting the den
Site entertainment in lieu of wine cellar and exercise
Set a third bed and bath with view in lieu of entertainment
Leave the large storage below L1 Library/Den to storage and, possibly other function such as wine cellar at subsequent discretion
This was done in the name of resale value
Before The Architect did not draw those revised plans
The design objectives originally on L0 were to lay out two beds with baths and a relief third bed - the den and leave the entirety of the L0 space below the Masters suite area to subsequent owner-dependent uses, given that the builder/owner had been burned elsewhere in the US by getting too specific with leisure spaces to the detriment of sales, this project was in new territory with new demographics. Apparently, buyers' preferences were patterning closely - an unknown going in for reasons out of the purview of Before The Architect.
The latter-day design objectives were to larger individual spaces, less choices to be made and subsequently built out.
Before The Architect designs and drafts custom home plans nationwide. Its principals Ralph and Jean Pressel have worked hands-on together since the ‘60s in custom home design, drafting, consulting, plus building and repair in every major trade.Their plan sets are extraordinarily detailed; their clients' active involvement throughout is essential.
Home Design Standards - Home Building Standards 4Q08 Edition e-book at 823 pages and the website www.beforethearchitect.com at nearly 1000 pages of text and illustrations are enterprises of Before The Architect’s principals.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
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