Filtering by Category: Two-Story

Blue Farmhouse on the Hilltop

April 19, 2018 / Tracy Moller

Such a unique custom home for a fun and creative lady. I was shown an "inspiration" photo of the sort of facade she was looking for, and I developed a home design from there. A special challenge: incorporating a second staircase leading to the space over the garage, where there was no headroom in the inspiration house to do so.

Another design challenge: designing the front porch roof framing to accommodate a balcony over the front entry, tucked within parapet walls. The floor of the balcony is a membrane, and the drainage is concealed within the boxed-out porch columns below.

categories / Two-Story, Farmhouse
tags / cathedral ceiling, timber framing, two-story, vertical siding, cupola, covered porch, craftsman, farmhouse, blue

Mission Ridge cliffside home with tower

March 26, 2014 / Tracy Moller

Every time these clients sent me new photos of their custom home under construction on the Shenandoah I gave myself a mental high-five. I designed this home based on two pictures of timber-framed homes they liked, plus a very conceptual floor plan sketch they'd done just to figure out which rooms were adjacent to each other. It's come together beautifully and I will be adding more "after" photos after I see it for myself, all furnished and decorated. Rustic elegance.

"During" photos, spanning a year of construction

(Click on any photo to begin a full-sized slideshow)

The view from Mission Ridge Drive as one approaches the house.

To enjoy the river view, the rear of the home will feature lots of glass at the Great Room; a large deck (not yet shown); French doors at the walkout basement; rear facing bay windows in the basement guest room, dining banquette, and master bedroom; and a balcony at the third floor tower.

Check out these timber brackets, assembled by the builder in his shop per structural engineer Alicia McCormick's specifications to me. Detailed drawings of these brackets and their connections to the wall were critical.

The view from the catwalk, which looks down into the Great Room on one side and into the Foyer and open staircase (all the way to the basement) on the other.

The garage has been added and the framers are nearly finished setting the attic trusses. An in-law suite is tucked within them.

Timber-framed homes are expensive, but these clients wanted to duplicate this look on a budget. I designed these timber accents for a few of the house gables. Michael Taylor built them in his shop, along with those load-bearing brackets you saw on the tower, for the balcony. Here are their halves, ready for hanging.

Notice how you will be able to see the view beyond even as you're entering the front door.

The fiber-cement siding is being hung. Note: this is only a primed material, and will be painted later.

Waiting on the garage doors to make the building lockable.

Check out the exposed wood ceiling of the front porch.

Timber-framed side porch is on! This will be screened, with a door leading out to the rear deck.

Panoramic photo taken from the catwalk. You can see decorative niches framed into the solid wall to your left, and curved windows in the wall to your right. The niches are mirror images of the windows opposite.

Now it's getting exciting! Standing seam metal has been installed, siding is being painted, and stone is being laid.

The recessed niches will be finished with salvaged wood.

Faux timber trusses installed against the sloped ceiling, and centered on the fireplace.

Gas fireplace in the corner of the master bedroom.

A few "after" photos (more to come)

Featured

categories / Two-Story, Contemporary
tags / Cathedral Ceiling, In-law suite, Tower, Timber framing, Hardiplank, Pergola, Scissors trusses, Mission Ridge

Nima Custom Homes projects - new construction

September 30, 2013 / Tracy Moller

Here are just a new homes that I've drawn for Mansour Jaribion of Nima Custom Homes. On all of these projects I deal directly with the builder, who is the liaison between me and the homeowners. These designs typically begin with a floor plan sketched by Mansour and approved by the owners. Once I get the sketches I figure out how the building will be structurally assembled (bearing walls, columns, beam lines, etc.), make sure the stairs work to code, and make suggestions and changes along the way, sometimes adjusting the fenestration, building size, the geometry, or the roof planes. It's an efficient team effort that works for everyone involved.

categories / One Story, Two-Story
tags / Nima, Custom Homes

Prairie style contemporary

August 31, 2013 / Tracy Moller

Arts and Crafts is my favorite architectural style. Same goes for these clients. They found a photo in a magazine of a home very similar to this one and asked me to use it as a basis for the design. Their finish material selections were perfect, and whenever I drive down Route 67 south of Boonsboro I always look over at their home, on a ridge to my right, and smile.

categories / Two-Story, Contemporary
tags / Prairie, Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired, Two-story, Cedar, Prow, Prairie style contemporary