A
Client’s needs and desires often begin as separate entities, but tend to
merge or are adjusted as the plans for a project progress through the
creation stage.
Such
was the case with our clients. They wanted to enjoy entertaining spaces
in a less formal atmosphere than their very traditional main level.
They wanted comfort and fun, too. They gave us the license to create
spaces through the use of architectural elements. The column became the
signature feature of this new Terrace Level and the use of different
woods added warmth.
They
wanted an open Entertainment Room with a bar. We removed hall walls and
staircase walls. Columns took the place of walls. We wanted flair in
this space, so the bar became a semi-circle. The staircase wasn’t on the
need or want list, but as the design developed it became a desire. We
designed a new one with a lower rise and thicker, deeper treads, and
enhanced the flow by curving the wall at the bottom of the stairs to
guide one to look out to the room instead of into a wall.
They
wanted an informal Media Room - not like a theatre. We wanted the TV
viewing room to relate to the Entertainment space, so we removed the
wall between the rooms and utilized columns again. The TV was suspended
between the columns. This became a dramatic feature of the Terrace Level
and allowed the rooms to be open.
A Wine
Cellar was on the list, but there was no space with all of the other
requirements, such as a Playroom, a Nanny/Guest Suite with bath and
closet, a separate Powder Room for the Entertainment space, a new
Mechanical Room, and, of course, storage. So we transformed the space
under the stairs. We tucked in a Wine Cellar and then extended it back
into the new Mechanical Room. The Cellar is small; but the glass door
and windows create the illusion of a much larger space!
The
clients wanted in-town living with a dramatic flair. They love dramatic,
modern, clean architectural lines, but the original gas fireplace all
was practical…but not dramatic. The challenge was to design and build a
modern fireplace wall with wooden veneers and display shelving. After
doing some research, the decision was made to use the new EcoSmart
fireplace, which uses denatured ethanol. To include wood veneer and
shield the flame with fire resistant materials, the design for the
firebox included using brushed and polished stainless steel in a
multi-dimensional fashion. A granite hearth was created, but not a
typical one. It was raised to float across the floor supported by steel
in the wall and stainless steel columns. To create the shelving, glass
became the exciting solution. It was spun around a column in unusual
shapes. This was no easy task to produce something creative from small
pieces of veneer, a burner kit, large unfabricated pieces of granite,
and sheets of stainless steel, but it was done and the result has all
the drama the client’s wanted.
