Custom Home ∙ North Arlington
Working with AJ Building Contractor on this custom home, a site was chosen for its ideal location in a neighborhood where houses of similar value and style were on the rise. Through the development of concept plans, 3D models and working discussions, our design aimed to make the best use of available space the tight site had to offer. We also wanted this house to be unique, less massive looking and more human in scale while creatively making the best use of the spaces within.
The end result is a mix of traditional style and contemporary living, a custom design that creatively balances more contemporary open floor area in the rear with more traditional spaces for entertaining near the front. The house includes many amenities for a modern lifestyle including gourmet kitchen, 6 spacious bedrooms, vaulted ceilings, future elevator, wine closet and media rooms.
Another goal in all of our designs is to orient the house in such a way to take advantage of natural light by allowing to flow into the heart of a larger house through a multi-story "light well", such as the foyer or main stair. In this house, generous windows and a 2-story open foyer with balcony light up the interior and provide more natural warmth to the heart of the house.
The design balances its interior spatial organization with outward appearance. Varied rooflines, recessed elements such as the entry or second floor balcony, a porch (a common feature to the area), and a careful selection of exterior finishes match regional styles and help break up the house's mass. The house steps back from the more visible and prominent corner to the garage and continuous horizontal trim elements also bring the house down to a human scale.
