Sean Sullivan, Accredited Master Builder, & Laura Kirkpatrick Sullivan, Allied ASID
Living Stone Construction, Black Mountain, N.C.
The clients, who chose this tract of land to maximize their privacy and views, wanted a home designed with outdoor spaces in which they could easily live.
(Photos: Tim Burleson)
With 16-foot folding glass doors off the living room,
they can walk directly onto the concrete patio and enjoy a dip in the infinity-edge pool, relax in the integrated hot tub,
warm themselves by the fire pit,
or entertain guests in the covered area. The real beauty of it all is that the home is designed and built so that the views are maximized.
The house won a 2016 Best in American Living Award and accolades for best outdoor living space from the North Carolina HBA.
Doug Hoerr, FASLA
Hoerr Schaudt Landscape Architects, Chicago
Architecture and landscape artfully fuse in this contemporary lakefront residence, which descends a high bluff to Lake Michigan with a landscape design that juxtaposes two different environments.
(Photos: Scott Shigley Photography)
At the front of the home a woodland meadow made up of coniferous and deciduous trees, shrubs, grasses, and thousands of flowers contrasts with the sleek, modern architecture and shelters the house from its neighbors and the street. At the back of the home,
the landscape opens up,
using ground cover, undercover, and strategically placed trees to prioritize views to the water.
The dual landscape creates year-round vibrancy and helps better integrate the home’s architecture into its lake-bluff site, creating a unique experience that’s strikingly unlike the lawns and hedges of Chicago’s residential North Shore.
Mary Estes, PlA , Sites AP, Leed AP
Norris Design, Denver and Phoenix
For a private single-family residence in Phoenix, thoughtful outdoor spaces expand the living options into both front and back yards. Low-water-use plantings surround covered and open patio areas, and these outdoor rooms add usable square footage to a modest-size home.
(Photos: John Birkey)
Permeable as well as open-joint pavers allow natural stormwater percolation and drainage,
and a sunken turf area creates stormwater storage capacity.
Thoughtful design makes the outdoors easily accessible, sustainably efficient, and thoroughly enjoyable.
Related Stories
Custom Builder
Balancing Act: A Dramatic Seattle Home for a Blended Family
The ask: to construct a modern home with traditional touches on an environmentally critical area for a family of eight. The result: A stunning Seattle escape that captures views of Puget Sound
Custom Builder
Floodproof on a Floodplain
An impressive addition to the IDEA Home series, the NEWLOOK Experience Home is a master class in engineering and creative design, with builder Michael Freiburger out-thinking an exceptionally tricky lot
Custom Builder
Telling a Story That Preserves the Past
Custom builder and historic restoration and preservation expert Brent Hull walks us through the careful details of his Pennsylvania Farmhouse project
Custom Builder
2023: A Year of Case Studies
A look back at the custom homes and craftsman details we spotlighted last year
Customer Service
A Smart Home Built Smart
Custom builder August Homes blends efficient, high-tech home automation systems with high-performance, sustainable building strategies
Business
Choosing Humanism, History, and Beauty Over Modernism
Celebrated architect Laurence Booth, whose career spans half a century, shares insights on modernism's flaws, the characteristics of beauty, his design process, and more
Construction
Building a Custom Wine Cube in an NYC Penthouse
An 11-foot wine cube enveloping a pantry is the stand out features of this customized West Chelsea penthouse
New Home
Hosting Multiple Generations for Generations to Come
Despite juggling numerous program and site considerations, architect Joel Wenzel designed a long-lasting, multi-generational retreat that nestles seamlessly into its bucolic surroundings
Custom Builder
Merging Ancient Construction With Modern Living
This vacation home pushes the boundaries of traditional log construction techniques and incorporates elegant details elevating this typically rustic building method
Design Details
An Open-Air Balcony That Functions Like a Birdcage
The oceanfront porch on this Alys Beach home opens to expansive views of the Gulf Coast