CHRISTIAN SNOWDEN DESIGN

#BonAirTreehouse

Project Type:
2 Story Modern Spec House

# Bed/Bath:
4 Bed/ 3.5 Bath

Sq. Ft. :
2,900 SF

Style:
Mid-Century Modern

Completion Date:
2023

The residence is to be built on an undeveloped lot in a 1960s Bon Air subdivision. Keeping with the style of the neighborhood, this house takes cues from mid century modern aesthetic. The lot has an EXTREME slope from the street down to bottom of the property (the reason it was never built on). A new concrete driveway leads directly to a 2 vehicle carport with a trash truck enclosure and exterior storage closet. A 1‘-0” thick brick screen wall separates the carport from the rock bed courtyard with concrete walking pads leading to the front door. A semi-mature tree adds pop of nature/warmth to the hard scaped entry courtyard.

The proposed residence is set into the site, with living, dining, kitchen, mudroom/laundry, powder room, and primary bedroom suite at the upper level. The rear elevation’s large floor to ceiling windows, give the feeling of being on the treetops at the primary upper level. [Eye level at the interior of the upper level is +/- 25’-0” up from the grade at the rear of the house]. The site is very wooded, so a feeling of privacy in summer [and winter] will remain.

As mentioned, the lower level is built into the slope of the site. This walkout ‘basement’ has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and a secondary recreational room/family room. All lower level spaces feature large operable windows looking out to the rear of the property. The family room, complete with a small entertaining bar, leads to a large covered 24’-0” x 14’-0” porch below the primary suite footprint above. An extended portion of decking opens to the sky for grilling and greater sun exposure.

CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN LATE NOVEMBER OF 2020. TIM BARRET IS THE BUIDER. TALK ABOUT ATTENTION TO DETAIL!! ONLY A FEW MORE MONTHS UNTIL COMPLETION!

Project Type:
2 Story Modern Addition + Modern Renovation

# Bed/Bath:
3 Bed/ 3.5 Bath (originally 3 bed/ ‘2.25’ baths)

Sq. Ft. :
+900 SF

Style:
Modern + Modern Interior

Completion Date:
WINTER 2021

Located in the historic Museum District, this streamline addition to a 1924 brick row house is pushing the limits for a tradition neighborhood. The clients have a taste for all things modern. This is the second iteration of a design for the property. A greater interior square footage and simpler structural assembly allow this design to achieve balance of budget and aesthetics.

The existing two story brick residence is on a 25’-0” wide lot and the buildable width of the addition is 19’-0” (3’-0” sideyard setbacks). The 32’-0” deep, two story addition projects towards the north. The addition will include a new dining and living room at the first level. With a desire to entertain, adjacent to the dining space is a custom bar with storage and floating shelves. At the center of the addition are two large exposed steel wide flanged columns (I-beams) that are integral to laterally bracing the narrow addition. With privacy a concern, the larger floor to ceiling grouping of windows will look towards the backyard and new wood deck. The large deck features a built in planter projecting out from the large northern window at the entire deck 16’-0” depth, with privacy trellis at the east. At the northwest corner of the addition is a two story curved wall portion with a 3’-0” radius. This curved wall will be clad in rolled steel panels. The remainder of the building skin is hardie panel or Nichiha panels painted in neutral colors.

The second story of the addition is devoted to a new master suite with a large master bath, ample closet space (a feature my clients lacked previously) and a master bedroom with sitting area. The bedroom features clerestory windows at the north and east elevations. The ceiling height is 12’-6” at most of the master bedroom. A large cantilevered roof overhanging provides shading for any direct light, while allowing ambient light to fill the space throughout the morning and afternoon. A large picture window at the north elevation is featured at the cantilevered second story bump out. This window provides a view of the private backyard. The 4’-0” second story projection is the master bedroom sitting area. The building projection creates space for one or two lounge chairs and a side table. A slender, full height window at the bedroom’s west elevation provides afternoon light filtered through privacy glass.

At the transition point between existing house and new addition is a light well (first floor to upper roof). The 4’x4’ skylight at the roof will allow light to penetrate into the windowless master toilet closet and master closet hall at the second level. Looking up from the kitchen, a connection to second floor and the sky is created. The existing house will be slightly reconfigured to allow for a larger square shaped kitchen and an actual half bath (previously just a toilet). The exterior brick wall will be opened up at the kitchen to allow a peninsula to have a connection to the new adjacent dining room and the living room beyond.

Above the master hall and bathroom is a roof top deck that will allow the homeowners to see fireworks at the Diamond and sunbath if they would like. This roof deck is accessed by a steel set of stairs

Conceptual design for a black powdercoated aluminum and wood shading pergola for the Giavos family pool terrace. The design intent was to not obscure the view of the pool from from the interior or from the new partially covered area under the pergola. Also the existing concrete terrace grid defined the geometry and layout of the major beams and columns. The pergola utilizes (2) large 28’-0” aluminum ‘I’ beams running north/south that cantilever out from delicate ‘cruciform’ columns or are suspended by (2) east/west aluminum ‘I’ beams. The north/south beams support (23) 2" W x 6" T x 18'-0" L powdercoated black pergola louvers [ 'C' channels]. These thicker gauge ‘C’ channels are actually the bottom track for a metal stud wall system.

From the pool side they are all powdercoated black and the open portion of the C faces the back of the house. From the interior and as you walk out towards the pool there is wood inserted into each 'C' channel louver to make it much warmer and human. The 'C' channels also protect the wood somewhat from the elements. the wood inserts are only 13'-0" in legth leaving a portion of the 'C' Channels shape exposed at each end. The lighting includes (😎 8" tall x 4" diameter black cylinder down lights. (4) lights are attached to each of the two major beams that run out from the rear of the house/accordian doors. The bottom of these lights are 2" below the bottom of the 'C' channels creating a nice little visual feature. The cylinder lights sit at the last few inches of wood, so the the black cylinder really pops even though only 2" is below the pergola members.

MODERN RICHMOND DRONE FLIGHT: VIMEO LINK

Project Type:
1 Story New Construction

# Bed/Bath:
2 Bed/ 2 Bath

Sq. Ft. :
2,500

Style:
Midcentury Modern + Midcentury/Industrial Modern Interior

Completion Date:
June 2017

*Completed while at Walter Parks Architects

> Photos by Andy Jordan Photography + Mick Anders Phtography


The single story residence is situated parallel to the waters edge and its footprint fits within a small buildable area of just over 100’ wide. The residence is designed as a series of contiguous spaces with the main living areas flanked on either end by a single private bedroom and accompanying bathroom. Three floating roof planes separated by lower roofs create a simple massing for the residence. These elevated roof lines define the primary interior spaces, marked by full height ceilings. The lower roof lines offer a break with more intimate ceiling heights for the dining room, office and hallways. Located to the north of the guest wing, the attached two car garage is the fourth elevated roof plane; rotated and slightly lowered.

The connection with nature and natural light are the most important design features of the residence. The entire south elevation facing the reservoir is comprised of large, floor to ceiling windows that allow for unobstructed views of the water and the field of multicolored wildflowers leading to the shoreline. The floor to ceiling windows placed in key points along the north elevation frame specific views away from the water. These large windows alone, double the size of the residence. Entertaining is a core principle of the design, and the ability to have multiple spaces, both inside and out, makes the house versatile. The covered veranda leads to the terrace and salt water pool that run parallel to the residence. Key landscaping features help to maintain privacy of the two bedrooms and their private terraces.

Clerestory windows are utilized at the upper portion of every exterior wall on the north and south elevations. These clerestory windows are situated between the exposed 5 1/4” wide by 14” deep engineered wood beams that extend to the exterior to support the deep overhanging eaves. The underside of the flat eaves act as a visual extensions of the 12’-0” to 13’-6” tall ceiling surface. A structural grid of 46 exposed tube steel columns support these beams and are located on both the interior and exterior of the residence. A covered veranda, deep overhangs at the upper roof and in-slab heating and cooling provided by geothermal reduce the energy consumption.

Project Type:
Complete Renovation + Third Story Addition

# Bed/Bath:
3 Bed/ 3.5 Bath
(originally 3 bed/1.5 bath)

Sq. Ft. :
2,400 (From 1,620)

Style:
Historic Brick Shell + Modern Addition + Danish/Industrial Modern Interior

Completion Date:
June 2019

> Photos by Mick Anders Photography

A brick shell of a 1930s row house located in the historic Fan District was purchased by the client with the intention of completing a higher end flip. The original interior structure was unusable and sat abandoned for 20+ years covered in graffiti. Because of its awful condition, the neighborhood association and private homeowners allowed city zoning officials to implement a rarely used administrative override for zoning requirements. This ‘administrative override' abolished the required 3’-0” setback from the alley and the attached wall to the house next door. For the first time in the history of the Fan, a new third story was allowed to be built on top of the existing two stories. This new third story includes a secondary living/lounge area, a bedroom, full bathroom and a rooftop deck. Painted brick with new black windows stays true to the more historic nature of the neighborhood, but is complemented by more modern standing seam black metal siding at the rear addition and new third story. The third story walls the surrounding the roof top deck have large glass windows that not only double the size of the space.

The project’s decrepit condition made reuse of existing floors and walls impossible. All existing elements were removed and the brick shell remained. The design involved building a new house within the existing brick shell. New steel was placed in the basement to support all floors above. An exposed 10” deep steel ‘I’ beam running front to back is supported by the existing brick shell and two 3” steel pipe columns. at the ceiling, a two foot wide section of floor joists are exposed from front to back along the steel beam. This eventually turns into a three story light well over the kitchen island with a glass floor at the third level allowing light to filter down from the skylight. The interior has a completely danish modern feel.

Project Type:
Partial Renovation + One Story Addition

# Bed/Bath:
4 Bed/ 3.5 Bath (originally 2 bed/2.5 bath)

Sq. Ft. :
2,777 (From 1,262)

Style:
Existing 1930s Farmhouse + ‘Mid Century Modern’ Addition

Date:
Construction began October 2021



A 1,565 square-foot one story addition to a small 1,262 square-foot two story farmhouse just off Cherokee Road in Richmond. The clients, Julie and Richard, are a fun couple that moved from the San Francisco Bay area to Richmond to be closer to family as they enjoy retirement. They have three grown boys and two grandchildren, so family visits and a magical place for their grandchildren were key (see pool).

Julie and Richard desired a larger house with a fresh mid century modern vibe. Originally a 2 bed/2.5 bath house, the addition adds a new open family room, kitchen, dining, mudroom and two car garage. Aging in place was a key requirement that required a large one story L-shaped footprint that wraps around the existing house. The living, dining and kitchen spaces all have views to the new pool and terrace. The dining and kitchen have a view to a built-in planter at the front entrance. The large dining window (8’ T x 4’ W) looks out to a small tree courtyard integrated into the entry planter. Also added is a large owner’s suite with high ceilings [11'-6"] and views to a new private rock bed garden with their wonderful lush yard beyond.

The exterior utilizes large black framed glass windows, exposed wood beams, and smooth plank siding. The clients wanted to maintain the typical gabled roof house shape, but with mid century modern styling using deep overhangs and cantilevering exposed beams.

Exterior spaces include a large covered veranda with integrated shading louvers. The 14’ x 30’ pool is currently being constructed west of the covered veranda. Landscaping is to follow.

Interior Designer: Nicole Rutledge Design

Contractor: Spruce

Video Tour [Biringer Builders]


Project Type:
3 Story New Construction
[Unfinished attic space at third floor]

# Bed/Bath:
4 Bed/ 3.5 Bath 

Sq. Ft. :
4,100

Style:
Cottage/ Arts and Crafts [Traditional]

Completion Date:
July 2021

Awards:
2021 Parade of Homes - Gold Award
2021 Parade of Homes - Best Bathroom in $1 million+ category

*Interior Design by Biringer Builders
*Photos by HD BROS


Located in Summer Lake [Chesterfield], this 4,100 square foot, three story new construction residence was designed for the 2021 Homearama Showcase. 

Designed with a cottage/arts and crafts envelope, this house achieves character, uniqueness and heft of a turn of an early 1900s residence. The exterior has dark siding with large and numerous black framed windows. The front door entry vestibule and deep covered side porch create a greater connection with neighbors, as well as, a nice place to enjoy a cool afternoon or evening. A rear screened porch is large enough for a party and features a brick fireplace. The porches have connections to the interior and the driveway.

Entering the front door leads to a long and wide entry hall with an immediate home office to the left. A large staircase with middle landing creates a nice pause with double windows looking out to the trees and sky outside. Character elements like large arches and historic stair posts from a local architectural salvage company help to bring old world charm into these newer spaces. Taller ceiling heights of 10’-0” at the first floor enhance the already oversized halls and rooms. A small powder room at the stair vestibule and a large bar/wine room complete the length of the main hall. The living, dining and kitchen spaces complete the rear of the house. These spaces are open to each other, but square and rounded arches offer a slight room division to mimic older house energy. A narrow side room with glassed french doors acts as a reading nook or homework area for children. This space has built-in bookshelves and a bench seat that cantilevers out from the exterior surface with large triple windows. The pantry and mudroom are left open with an arched opening showcasing the cabinets within. This leads to the two car garage.

The second story includes 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths and a laundry room. There are 2 children’s bedrooms at the front of the house with a shared Jack and Jill bathroom between. A large guest bedroom with private bathroom sits above the garage. The owner’s bedroom is large in size and has ample natural light from 2 sets of triple windows. The Owner’s bathroom is massive with a double vanity, freestanding clawfoot tub, a large shower and private toilet closet. The ceiling is very tall with exposed beams that form a steep cathedral ceiling [A-Frame] in line with three tall windows above the tub. The large closet has a secondary door to the laundry room.

CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN JANUARY 2021.

BUILDER: SPRUCE

WAITING ON LANDSCAPING FOR FINAL PHOTOS

Project Type:
Complete Renovation + Two Story Addition

# Bed/Bath:
3 Bed/ 3 Bath (originally 2 bed/1 bath)

Sq. Ft. :
2,913 (From 1,171)

Style:
Cape Cod + ‘Modern’ Addition

Completion Date:
Construction commenced in the Fall of 2020

A 1,742 square-foot addition to a small 1,171 square-foot Cape Cod near the Carilion in Richmond. The clients, a hip young couple with two small children, desired a larger house with a fresh modern vibe. Originally a 2 bed/1 bath house, the addition adds a new living room, kitchen, pantry, side entry mudroom and full bath at the first floor. The second floor addition has a large master suite with a walk-in closet and spacious bathroom, as well as, a new full bath and laundry room. The exterior utilizes large glass windows, exposed wood, and cementitious panels. The clients wanted to maintain the typical gabled roof house shape mixed with more modern finishes and features. Exterior spaces include a large covered porch at the first floor and a private master roof deck with large planter at the second floor. Tying these exterior spaces together with the large gabled roof overhang is a freestanding mid century inspired exterior fireplace with vertical metal chimney extending vertically above the roof level. Leading the interior design is @iveydesigngroup

Project Type:
2 Story Modern Residence

# Bed/Bath:
3 Bed/ 3.5 Bath

Sq. Ft. :
3,350 SF

Style:
Mid-Century Modern

UnBuilt

The 3,350 square foot Weiland Residence is a new construction home to be built on an undeveloped site just off Cary Street Road near the Country Club of Virginia. The site is bound to the south by +/- 350’-0” of the old Kanawah Canal that runs parallel to the James River. The west end of the site features large exposed granite boulders (think Maymont waterfall) as well as large sections of granite below the upper layers of dirt. The topography drops 30’-0” from top to bottom and requires this 2 story Mid-Century inspired residence to sit into the earth, with a subterranean lower level walking out to the pool terrace. The house is set back from the street +/-130’-0” and as many trees as possible are to remain standing as a buffer. The Mid-Century styling incorporates large glass windows/doors, exposed dark beams supporting deep cantilevered ‘flat roof' overhangs, a large brick chimney and dark vertical wood siding. The ‘flat roof’ roof facia lines are clad in black metal to create a clear and sprawling visual horizontality.

A new driveway is carved out of the site, and curving retaining walls lead you to the main entrance, a circle car park area, a 3 car garage and walled exterior storage for kayaks and canoes. The entrance of the residence features a tree courtyard and a covered walkway leading to a large glass pivot door with a direct line of sight through the house. Upon entering the house, a switchback stair is immediately to the left. The stair walls are clad in finish grade veneered white oak plywood panels. The living area beyond is open to foyer and stairs, but is partitioned slightly by a large linear planter; also clad in oak panels. The living room, dining room and kitchen are open to each other. These main living spaces have unobstructed views through floor to ceiling glass to the pool below and the canal/remaining trees. Walls are clad in wood paneling or are painted dark. The kitchen is entirely black.

A large exterior covered deck is in line with the living room at the East/ street elevation. A grouping of vertical spaced wood 2x6s further maintain privacy, while allowing light to enter from the east. Large exposed beams run from front to back of house at 9’-0” intervals along the entire length of the house. The beams continue to the exterior; supporting deep 6’-0” overhangs providing shading to the south elevation’s glass skin. A hall leads from the kitchen/dining spaces to the laundry, mudroom, home gym and 3 car garage. The hall featured a full height glass window looking out to the tree courtyard at the front entrance. 

Located beyond the kitchen and laundry room is the owner’s bedroom suite. The bedroom is large in size, and features floor to ceiling windows with views of pool, canal and large above ground granite boulder. While in bed, the owners will have a direct line of sight to the exposed granite boulders beyond. The bedroom will be clad in white oak paneling and have a custom designed bed integrated. The walk-in closet is T-shaped, with ample storage, and has a secondary connection to the laundry room. The bathroom is light and airy with a large single vanity. As you walk into the bathroom a 2’-0” break in a wall creates a space beyond for 2-3 large potted plants in front of a floor to ceiling window. This window and pot area aligns with the shower, and is only separated by a floating shower bench. The seemingly ‘exposed/for all to see’ element of the shower is minimized by the potted plants and a private owner’s deck with hot-tub. The feeling of being surrounded by nature remains while showering.

The lower level [accessed by the entry foyer stair] is comprised of 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms for the kids. The cantilevered stair tread design allows for a light filled tiny reading nook area under the first run of the switchback stair. The family also enjoys playing piano, so the bottom stair step is a large landing to accommodate this piano. The stair and piano landing are clad in white oak veneered paneling; a continuation of the entry above. This landing is open to a recreational room/TV room. The two large bedrooms are on either side of this center hang space. One bedroom has an ensuite bathroom while the other uses a hall/pool bathroom located at the piano landing. All three spaces on the lower level have floor to ceiling windows with a visual connection to the pool and canal beyond. The pool area is accessed by large sliding glass doors from the rec. room. Adjacent to the doors is a covered pool hang space below the deck above. An outdoor shower is situated between a bedroom and the large rectangular chimney footprint.

Project Type:
Complete Renovation

# Bed/Bath:
1 Bed/ 1 Bath (originally 2 bed/1 bath)

Sq. Ft. :
970

Style:
Historic Brick Shell + Danish Modern Interior

Completion Date:
Currently Under Construction (Renovation Began November 2019)

Project Type:
2 Story Modern Addition + Modern Renovation

# Bed/Bath:
4 Bed/ 3.5 Bath (originally 3 bed/ 2.5 baths)

Sq. Ft. :
+607 Interior (Addition)
+ 195 (Covered Outdoor Space)
+ 195 (Open Deck)

Style:
Modern + Modern Interior

Completion Date:
TBD


Located in the historic Fan District, this modern addition to a 1921 brick row house is pushing the limits for a tradition neighborhood. with its proximity to the modern VMFA, the addition should have no trouble fitting into an ever changing neighborhood. The clients have a taste for all things modern. The existing two story brick residence is on a 25’-0” wide lot and the buildable width of the addition is 19’-0” (3’-0” sideyard setbacks).

The 25’-0” deep addition will include a small sitting room with floor to ceiling glass windows and a 12’-0” wide accordion door that opens the full width. The glass accordion doors will lead out to a large covered porch with outdoor fireplace. A small tree courtyard is placed between the addition and a large two story wall at the residence next door. a row of bushes will be planted along the other side of the deck to allow for more privacy from the adjacent neighbor. Painted steel rods attached to a cantilevered steel ‘I’ beam above, will extend down towards these bushes to offer greater privacy while allowing light to enter the covered porch.

The second story of the addition is devoted to a new master suite with a large master bath, ample closet space (a feature they lacked previously) and a huge master bedroom with large windows that look towards a small tree courtyard and the backyard. Clerestory windows at the east along the master bedroom hall provide ample light will maintaining privacy in the bedroom.

The existing house will be reconfigured to allow for a larger kitchen, dining, living and half bath. The typical front to back/center bearing wall will be removed and a new modular finish grade plywood cabinet will be put in its place. This modular unit will have storage cabinets, coat closets at the hall side while a hidden TV unit and lower bookshelves will line the living room side. A new ‘corner unit’ gas fireplace will be placed in the front room in place of the existing fireplace. The rear exterior brick wall will remain visible between the existing house and the transition to the new sitting room at the addition. All existing bathrooms will be redone to look modern and sleek.

The owner also will have a double height garage built at the rear of the property. This will feature a car lift for his Porsche obsession.

Project Type:
Renovation + 2 Story Traditional Addition

# Bed/Bath:
4 Bed/ 3.5 Bath
(originally 2 bed/ 2 baths + finished attic)

Sq. Ft. :
2,700 (originally 1,470)

Style:
Modern Cape Cod

Completion Date:
Fall 2019

Originally, this higher end flip was a one story brick house with a typical gabled roof. The renovation includes removing the roof of the existing house and adding a new roof line utilizing steep sloped roofs.
Tying into the existing footprint, a two story addition of the rear adds over 1,300 square feet. The plan calls for two bump outs at the front elevation. One is a portion of a bedroom, the other is an covered porch for the new front entry. The aesthetic of the house keeps in line with the neighbors, but pushes the limit of traditional, with painted brick, natural wood siding, black windows and black metal roofs and flashing details. The interior of the existing footprint is being torn down to the exterior stud walls and a center bearing wall running side to side is to remain. The entire rear exterior brick wall is to be removed  to allow for the new addition. The first floor of the addition includes a new kitchen, dining and living room. The floor of the addition is lowered a little over a foot to allow for higher ceiling heights. The use of steel beams and engineered floor trusses is necessary to achieve the wide and open spaces at the first floor.

Project Type:
2 Story Modern Addition + Modern Renovation

# Bed/Bath:
3 Bed/ 3.5 Bath
(originally 3 bed/ ‘2.25’ baths)

Sq. Ft. :
500 Interior (Addition) + 395 (Covered Outdoor Space) + 225 (Roof Deck)

Style:
Modern + Modern Interior

Completion Date:
UNBUILT

Located in the historic Museum District, this modern addition to a 1924 brick row house is pushing the limits for a tradition neighborhood. The clients have a taste for all things modern. The existing two story brick residence is on a 25’-0” wide lot and the buildable width of the addition is 19’-0” (3’-0” sideyard setbacks). The 35’-0” deep addition will include a small sunroom/den with floor to ceiling glass windows. Full height sliding glass doors will lead out to a large covered porch with outdoor fireplace. The East and West elevations have limited visibility from within the homeowner’s backyard. The west side of the entire addition is supported by freestanding steel columns on concrete piers. The steel columns allow you to experience the West elevation from the interior of the addition. Between this line of columns and the covered porch is a 3’-0” W x 29’-6” L x 3” deep reflecting pool with no railing. This reflecting pool is level with the deck surface and can be seen from the interior space as well. The second story of the addition is devoted to a new master suite with a large master bath, ample closet space (a feature they lacked previously) and a huge master bedroom with access through full height sliding doors to a large master balcony. Above the master suite is a roof top deck that will allow the homeowners to see fireworks at the Diamond and sunbath if they would like. This roof deck is accessed by a two story spiral staircase.

The existing house will be slightly reconfigured to allow for a larger kitchen and an actual half bath (previously just a toilet). The exterior brick wall will be opened up at the kitchen to allow a new peninsula to have a connection to the sunroom/den. All existing bathrooms will be redone to look modern and sleek.

Project Type:
Third Story Modern Addition + Modern Renovation

# Bed/Bath:
4 Bed/ 1.5 Bath (originally 3 bed/ 1.5 baths)

Sq. Ft. :
295 Interior (Addition) + 115 ( Outdoor Roof Deck Space)

Style:
Modern + Modern Interior

Completion Date:
TBD

Project Type:
New Construction - Two Story Residence
UNBUILT

# Bed/Bath:
4 Bed/ 3.5 Bath 

Sq. Ft. :
3,100

Style:
Modern Midcentury/Danish

Completion Date:
2020

A new construction residence located on an empty corner lot at the end of the Maymont Neighborhood. With possible river views, this residence is designed to see the surrounding nature with large windows. The design is an ‘upside down’ house, swapping the traditional upstairs with the downstairs. The large living, dining and kitchen are designed to entertain. The large master suite is also located at this level, and features large, exposed engineered beams and clerestory windows. Accessed from the kitchen is a grilling deck with spiral stair leading to the large upper roof deck. Located two lots from the James River, the 20’x16’ roof top deck will have wonderful views. The lower level features three bedrooms and two bathrooms. One bedroom can be used as an office near the main entry foyer. Entering the front door reveals a large hall and two story space with a ‘feature stair’ to the second level. With simple interior finishes that are true to their natural qualities, this residence can be considered Danish minimal.  

Being a quiet neighborhood, there is a two vehicle carport located under the master suite, with its own secondary entry. Being close to Texas Beach, the river, and bike trails, a storage garage for kayaks, bikes and other equipment is located adjacent to the carport. The exterior has undertones of midcentury modern. Exposed steel columns and beams line the first floor street elevation along Kansas Avenue and a large block chimney is the focal point of the Georgia Avenue elevation. Over the entry and first floor office is a green roof of taller natural grasses that can be seen from the living room and the street. The skin of the building is a natural vertical wood mixed with dark standing seam metal and large glass windows. 2’-0”+ overhangs are scattered throughout all elevations, and help to provide shading for windows.