The Graff Residence

THE GRAFF RESIDENCE sits on a long, narrow, wooded parcel that falls about fifty feet from north to south. That fall decided almost everything. It made a true walk-out lower level the obvious move, it set the house high to the north so the rooms could open south and west into the falling woods, and it earned the home a two level covered deck that puts every main room in the treetops. We worked the Dream phase through a series of complete concept plans so the owners could compare real options rather than opinions.

Concept One.

The full wish list, drawn at about 2,300 square feet on the main level. Primary suite, office, living, dining, a U shaped kitchen with a sink in the island, butler's pantry, mudroom, laundry and powder, and a covered patio wrapping the rear. This is the baseline every later move was measured against.

Concept Two.

The one that changed the feel of the house. Flipping the kitchen let south and west daylight pour into the living and dining rooms instead of the work zone, and a double height living volume opened at the core. A four season room came in off the living wing, and the primary deck and covered rear deck were defined for the first time.

Concept Three.

The current plan, and the sharpest of the three at about 2,275 square feet. The butler's pantry moved up beside the kitchen where it belongs, so groceries, prep and serving all happen in one tight run instead of across the house. The mudroom, laundry and powder zone tightened into a clean drop zone on the garage side. The house got smaller and works better, which is usually how you know a plan is finished.

Into the Design Phase.

Concept three went into design development and came back changed again. The front picked up limestone across most of its face, the kitchen and dining rooms grew a two story volume with a clerestory band that pulls daylight into the middle of the plan, and the living room ceiling was built down on purpose so the room beside it could feel tall. The comparison further down the page shows the same rooms before and after.

The Character.

Limestone and dark board and batten under a dark standing seam roof, with an arched entry, black windows with divided light grilles, timber brackets and a side load garage. The street face is mostly stone, low and quiet. The back is mostly glass and deck. It reads as a rooted cottage from the road and opens up completely where the land falls away.

What Our Design Service Includes.

Dream phase concept design; site and topography study; three complete main level concept plans; front and rear elevations; massing studies set on the actual survey topography; development into design development and construction ready blueprints.

Specifications.

Blank figures are available on request. Every commission is custom. Dimensions, rooms, and finishes get drawn for you and with you.