Crab Creek House

The Washington based studio Robert Gurney Architect has completed the Crab Creek House in 2009.

"This house, located in Annapolis, Maryland, is built on the foundation of a 1960s post and beam modern house. The foundation was kept in an effort to retain it’s proximity to Crab Creek, an estuary that feeds the Chesapeake Bay".

"Strict environmental regulations prohibited enlarging the pre-existing footprint or adding significant square footage to the house. The house is organised around a linear bar, clad in white stucco".

"From the central spine, additional spaces are articulated as independent volumes, projecting vertically and clad in either wood or metal siding. The spaces are also organized around a swimming pool and views toward Crab Creek. A continuous wall of glass and covered porch heightens the interaction between inside and outside".

"The primary spaces in the house are oriented toward the water views, have high ceilings and are light filled".

Throughout the interior a range of different materials are used including white oak flooring and millwork, black slate, white marble, rusted steel and translucent glass. Additional materials used on the exterior include field stone, bond-formed concrete, bluestone and ground-faced block.

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above images and information.

La Luge

The Montreal-based studio Yiacouvakis Hamelin Architectes has completed the La Luge project in 2011. This nearly 1,300 square foot single story secondary home is located in La Conception, a village and municipality in the Laurentides region of Quebec, Canada.

"Mostly dedicated to the enjoyment of Quebec’s winter, la Luge is a secondary home lying in the midst of the forest".

"Nestled on its site, surrounded by dense vegetation preserving the house’s privacy, la Luge integrates a private spa which occupies almost a third of the usable area, adding on to the traditional countryside living spaces".

"While La Luge as a compact scheme meant to accommodate a large number of guests, the house’s spaces can be reconfigured into diverse geometries: using large sliding doors, the users may transform the children bedroom into a playground or a guest bedroom, more of less opened onto the main living spaces".

"The project is made out of two embracing volumes set on different levels - one dark, one light, thus creating distinct spaces, freely merging one into the other".

In this wood shell made of essences of cedar, solid oak and walnut, the atmosphere is soft but bright.

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above images and information.

Chalet Brikell

Developed by Pure Concept, this 12,900 square foot luxury chalet is located in the heart of Megève, a commune in the Rhône-Alpes region in south-eastern France.

"Chalet Brickell enjoys the luxury stunning setting at the heart of Megève. The exceptional chalet, with its guest house, blends in perfectly with the smalltown. Situated at the foot of the mountain, surrounded by nature, it seems to have found its natural place. Designed to precise specifications, down to the tiniest detail, it offers the rich sobriety of noble materials, the subtlety of elegant combinations, and a superbly functional space".

"The staircase, like a modern drawbridge, allows access to the large living room. The transparent blend of metal, glass and steel elegantly complements the warm harmonies of antique woods, Pure lines create a comfort that is absolute simplicity. The overall effect is one of a neutral, modest, welcoming refinement that makes the perfect setting for works of art or original shots by renowned photographers".

"The teak terrace, against a backdrop of snow, is the perfect place to relax in the sun. White sets the inside-outside tone and gives a warm comfort to an open-air relaxation area. Custom-made sun loungers, for moments of leisure, adopt a deck-chair look with high-quality yacht-style details".

The master bedroom includes meticulously executed finishing touches and exquisite attention to detail. "The master bedroom owes its beauty to the skills of Italian craftsmen, specialised in the construction of yachts. Walls made of wood meet an oak floor covered with thick rugs, while shagreen leather frames the doorway.

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above images and information.

Crabill Modern

The Raleigh-based studio Tonic Design have completed the Crabhill Modern project, which is a two story contemporary home located in Hillsborough, North Carolina, USA.

"The Crabhills bought the five-acre property near Hillsborough, NC, with the intention of building a simple, modern home in a clearing amidst a lush forest. They wanted the house to disturb the natural environment as little as possible and accommodate local wildlife".

"The architects sited the house carefully to avoid disturbing the natural environment, to maximise natural lighting, and to frame views of forest, including a favourite three-trunked tree".

"To reflect the rural setting, Petarca specified simple, inexpensive materials and references to regional agricultural structures rendered in a modern architecture composition".

"The first floor includes the entry, a spacious kitchen/living/dining room, a studio/music space, and two decks. The second floor includes the master bedroom suite and two bedrooms for the Crabill’s children, who share an extra loft space and bath".

Materials such as oak flooring were used throughout the residence, to add a real natural, yet contemporary feel to the home.

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above images and information. 

Domain Road Residence

This new 4 level luxury residence is located in South Yarra, a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The contemporary home features five bedrooms all with en-suites, a 5 car basement and a lift.

"Built to the highest specification, the home is set over four expansive levels and configured to take full advantage of its private South Yarra position and sunbathed Northerly aspect. Featuring bold floor-to-ceiling windows and towering 3.7 metre ceilings, the ground floor comprises a vast open plan living and dining area extending to generous Northern and Western terraces, grand library with designer timber shelving and large kitchen with Miele appliances".

"A sweeping circular staircase leads up to an impressive full-floor rooftop retreat/main bedroom complete with a skylit dressing room and wall-to-wall robes, polished en suite, private bar and extensive outdoor terrace; four further bedrooms with built-in robes and en suites, and separate media room/second living domain. The basement houses a secure car park for five cars, walk-in cellar and multiple storage facilities".

"Equipped with every conceivable amenity and technology, the home features a commercial-grade internal lift which serves all four floors, laundry room, cloak room, two additional powder rooms, zoned heating and cooling, hydronic underfloor heating, C-Bus wiring, advanced security and garden irrigation system". Superlative finishes include Corian and Caesarstone benchtops, double-glazed glass and oak flooring throughout.

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above images and information.

Voelklip House

Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects have designed the Voelklip House located in Voelklip, Hermanus, South Africa.

"The brief called for a beach house suitable for a family of four, on a vacant site in Voelklip, Hermanus, Western Cape, RSA. The site is a long thin rectangular subdivision stretching from the sun facing street and mountain side to the undulating tree tops of the milkwoods and fynbos and the coastline on the South".

"The gently sloping site presented the opportunity for a split-level living space allowing lounge, dining to be placed above the bedrooms on the ground level, all enjoying dramatic sea views. The double volume family room and kitchen form the heart of the home and form the connection between the sea facing accommodation and the internal sunny terraces, pool and garden. The main garden courtyard functions as a large wind free and sunny outdoor entertainment environment".

"Materials were selection to enhance the beach-house character of the building while at the same time adding touches of sophisticated detail: white cement screed floors to the public circulation areas; lime washed oak floors to the lounge, dining area and lower-ground floor bedrooms; off shutter concrete ceilings; and external timber decks and pergolas, cladding, screens and shutters providing security, privacy and protection".

Special thanks to Contemporist for the above images.

Waterfront Modern Masterpiece

Completed in 2012 and designed by the Miami-based architect Ralph Choeff, this 23,000 square foot, two story, nine bedroom, eleven full bathroom and 2 half bath waterfront residence is located in Miami Beach, a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA.

"What Miami dreams are made of. Stunning modern masterpiece with uninterrupted Biscayne Bay and skyline views minutes from South Beach on the island’s most coveted residential street. Ultimate privacy guaranteed through gated, wailed property line, 16 security cameras and 275 feet of water frontage with two docks".

"Contemporary, casual design with warm, organic materials including coral rock, white oak floors and Zen gardens make 20,000-plus square feet of oversized rooms feel like an intimate home. South Florida’s famous indoor/outdoor lifestyle at its finest with covered terraces, vanishing edge heated pool, outdoor kitchen and rooftop deck".

Special thanks to HomeDSGN for the above images and information.