Prairie Style, Contemporary 2
The homeowners asked for a comfortable custom home for their retirement that would not only meet their needs, but that would also accommodate houseguests and dinner parties with ease. Stylistically, they wanted the coziness of a “cabin in the woods” yet the elegance of an estate home. That combination suggested the simplicity and integrity of a Prairie Style home, which would combine comfort, utility, and beauty. As a result, this 5000-square-foot, single-story custom home features a broad, low-pitched roof with prominent low chimneys, rhythms of vertical and horizontal planes, and outdoor spaces and elements that extend beyond the house.
In the landscape, we nestled the house between three substantial rock formations. These outcroppings provided the anchor points for the porte-cochere, rear terrace, water garden, and retaining wall at the lower-level garage. For the exterior terraces and retaining walls, we juxtaposed curvilinear forms with the house’s rectilinear geometry.