17 Brilliant Ave. |
Architect Pittsburgh, PA 15215 |
(412) 784-8590 |
---|---|---|
This project began as a Master Bedroom Suite addition. When we were finished we had added a complete wing the new Master Bedroom Suite. Inside, we created a large Family Room with a stone and brass front fireplace, a Bar with backlit onyx stone top and back bar, an Office, and a stone-wrapped Loggia with large skylights.
All of the cabinetry shown in the photos, including the Kitchen, Family Room, Master Bedroom, Bar, Office, and more were, designed and custom-built for this project to finish and enhance the spaces. In the Master Bedroom, the canopy for the bed was built to address a Feng Shui consideration.
We renovated the entire existing house including Kitchen, Laundry, Powder Rooms, and two Bedrooms. In the Living Room we rebuilt the existing fireplace with large limestone block headers and black marble wrap. We also renovated the existing Basement for a Wine Tasting Room and a large Game Room for a pool table & Bar.
There is an existing Guest House across from the main house. In addition to renovations to this structure we constructed a three story addition with a 3rd floor Studio, 1st floor 2-car Garage, and lower level Mechanical & Storage Room plus a stair tower to tie it all together.
A deck with glass railings was constructed to enjoy the great view.
On the exterior we built a new cut limestone patio with decorative walls and lighting. We added another Patio between two wings of the house which is covered by a Pergola that opens and closes. In front of the Pergola we constructed a small pond with a stone bolder fountain.
To take advantage of the wonderful site and view, we constructed circular patio and fire pit away from the house. We also increased the usable yard area by adding a bolder retaining wall with cut stone stairs and regrading the existing yard.
This was a wonderful project with a great client who engaged regularly in the design process and appreciated our efforts. Who could ask for more!
This is new home for a retired couple that wanted a smaller home. They wanted a house that fit in with the older surrounding houses but had more of a contemporary, elegant interior. The corner site was tight because of double set backs, which generated the stepped corners on right side that touch the building lines.
Working with the clients was a great experience. They wanted a quality house with the individual touches that brought the spaces alive with their personal style.
In addition to the custom cabinetry, all of the base boards, casings, crown moldings, and cove moldings were individually designed and fabricated as the clients did not want any curved sections.
Entrance and front Hall
Stair Tower
Living Room / Dining Room
Family Room
Owner's Office
Master Bedroom
Master Bath
The style of this new home is an expression of the owner’s vision.
The great room is the central piece of the house and with a view through a 20’ x 28’ rear window directly of the US Steel building. Sun light management is handled with shades recessed in the horizontal window mullions.
The heavy timber trusses are the structural for the great room and that natural wood and timber theme is carried throughout the home in detailing of casework, stairs, shelving, and outside to the entry roof.
The silo is highlighted with a vertical stained glass window and defines a circular part of the stair tower. Railings were custom made to carry on the timber motif.
This home was featured in the spring 2014 issue of Pittsburgh Quarterly.
My clients had lived in several traditional homes. They found this house and fell in love with its character and openness. My job was to create a master suite, develop the lower level, and create an outdoor living space.
The master suite was created by combining two existing rooms and an addition including dressing rooms and a bath. The bedroom takes advantage of the stone walls with an added fireplace and sitting area.
The lower level started with a new open stair to connect the first floor living area with a new office, large media room, two bedrooms, crafts room, and mud room. The office and new stair were made as open as possible to take advantage of the views. The railings and detailing enhance the style and dramatic setting of the house.
The outdoor space was originally to be just a deck. However, the addition of a screened in living space to expand the use of their secluded setting proved very attractive. The challenge was to create the spaces without compromising the views for the existing living room and kitchen. To this end, the screened porch was set at 45 degrees to the house, and the deck was lowered two steps.
Through out this project, considerable effort was made to be consistent with the materials and character of the home that first attracted its owners. The new work serves to make the house a current, warm, and interesting place to live and, at the same time, remains sensitive to the original style.
This project was a renovation and addition to the original painting studio, which was part of the Singer home. You can see its original condition in the last photo.
My clients were empty nesters and wanted a much smaller home which would allow them to travel and spend less time on maintenance.
We raised the original building to the first floor floor and retained the chimney and basement with its high ceilings and thick stone walls. The stone chimney on the end was added to match the original chimney. A two story garage was added with an office/studio as the second floor. The shingle style and many other details pay homage to the original building. The footprint of the original house remains as the anchor for the three additions.
The result is a compact but comfortable home with a great room for living, dining, and kitchen, as well as two bedrooms, a large office and studio space, and a lower level study.
This was a 1957 ranch house that was set backwards on the site. The front door was in the rear. My solution was to add a new entry and living room to the front. Below this addition was added an additional garage and work room.
A third floor was added with an open roof deck that steps out from the master bedroom.
Faced with a situation that required a more accessible living space, rather than shop for a new house, the homeowners decided to renovate the home that they loved.
With several key features in mind, the owners and I envisioned an addition that would blend seamlessly with their original traditional home. Careful consideration was given to all accessibility concerns while keeping with the design aesthetic of the existing home.
During site preparations, it was determined that a large maple tree needed to be removed to make room for the new addition. I was aware of an artisan who could crafts custom furniture from local lumber. He created a table made from a slice of the tree trunk which serves as the centerpiece of the family room, near where the maple originally stood.
One challenge was to tie the new addition to the rest of the house without going through the kitchen. The Owner is an accomplished gardener, so we used the new connection as an opportunity to create an indoor garden space where plants could grow year round. A special gravel system in the newly constructed planter boxes allows water to drain naturally. Sunlight filters in through large glass windows and skylights, warming the natural stone floor which then radiates heat into the space. An energy efficient split system provides supplemental heating and cooling, although it has only been necessary during the most extreme weather conditions. Since the existing exterior wall is now an interior wall, the old windows and doors were refinished and can be opened into the garden room, creating a truly unified space.
This side entrance and family room were added to a quite well executed, but older, spanish style home. The challenge was to make my work fit seamlessly with the existing house. I really enjoy working in different styles.
I worked on this house twenty years ago. At that time this old farm house was about doubled in size to accomadate their family.
Now, with their children grown, the way that they use the house has changed. For large family gatherings, they needed a larger dining room. For just the two of them, they wanted a cozy den to relax and read. And finally, there was a small patio that was in need of some work. For better outdoor living they wanted a larger and more engaging patio.
These photos compare the original areas of the house with the new work.