Description

The design concept revolves around a house in tones of black and white with elegant green-gold accents troughout the home. Starting with the basement we chose the best option regarding the usage of space. The main problem in the underground level regards natural illumination and ventilation so technically you cannot place any bedrooms in the upper part of the viewed plan. We proposed an addtional small window in the south-est end of the house- meaning on the front facade. It would mean maybe digging a little underneath in order to make room for the window, this coud be easily aesthetically managed by a landscaping design. It does not cost much because it wouldn’t mean a large amount of digging but it will gain a usable living area. We have therefore 2 bedrooms on the west side of the house in the underground level. Another problem was the original staircase that goes downstairs. It uses a lot of space (in a bad way) not only at the basement level but also on the ground floor so we tought about a second option. We already have a staricase that unites the two levels, so we proposed to enclose it – making it an idoor staircase. This way there is a maximum gain of living space. We also chose to keep the garage. It could be replaced by another larger bedroom if needed, but if we keep the living room where the actual garage now is, it would mean that the area of the proposed living room could not be used for bedroom nor kitchen (only if the kitchen would be very large). And there is certainly no way of digging for more windows there. The only way that space could be used was for an open space living room, allowing the light to enter it trough a large window and keeping the tv area in the darkest place of the basement level. The plan is also divided in 2 night areas, we tought about the possibility of keeping the grandparents bedroom in the basement level ( bedroom on the right) in order to avoid them having to climb stairs. In this scenario, they are on the ground- near a kitchen that could be used as summer kitchen – having a large opening towards the garden , being also close to the coming visitors but somehow having their own privacy. Another possibility which we chose to include into the project was the idea of a small 1 person elevator. This would come pretty much in handy in this situation and might be an useful investment. We placed the elevator near the garage- so that it could be easily used. The elevator would help in the second scenario where the grandparents bedroom is placed on the first floor. On the first floor it arrives just near their bedroom. If the elevator is not to be considered then it simply enlargens the named bedroom. The 2 eastern-wing bedrooms were designed in a pure concept of black and white anthagony, leaving the open space living room to be a mix of black-white with natural wood-plants and leather accents. From the basement climbing the staircase we arrive at the pool-table area –near the terrace- keeping a good distribution of the visitors- owners spacial flow. The guests have the basement area – pool table area wth bathroom and living-dining kind of acces. The more we advance into the house the more it becomes more private- kitchen and staircase towards first level. We proposed a piano place regarding the old pictures of the house with the piano standing near the staircase and placed an old photo of the house above the chimney in the pool-table area. The tricky part was keeping the old finish floors but creating a modern feeling. That kind of floors were usually used in entrance halls or circulation area- they don’t have a “cozy” feeling, but they for sure do have an elegant-vintage one. So we proposed keeping the circulations pathways exactly as the old finish was and having some accents of overlayed dark glass above the exact areas of the living places. The point is to make them more unitary and not so patterned but underneath the dark glass you can spot the original floor so it is not denied but reintegrated. Of course these blackish surfaces will have nice finished golden edges to align with the rest of the design. The kitchen is now open-space with the dining, having its own storage. The dining is classy and white with small black accents and wood. On the dining wall that faces towards the exterior we imagined a samll waterfall in order to have the tranquility given by the sound of water, having sight towards the piano, becoming a very special place in the house. On the first floor we played again with the design of the bedrooms- having a girly- girl bedroom and a more neutral one (the green-grey one) . The grandparents bedroom was pictured in more neutral-light maybe pastel colors while the master bedroom would be a contrast between black and white bouded by a nature green trough velvet texture and some noble golden accents. The master bathroom is from the same scenary, this time white, with a green wall with window beside the vintage bathub. The wall between bedroom and bathroom is semi- transparent making it more chic and interesting. The outter terrace is divided carefuly by plants in order to keep a kind of boudary between parents room and gradparents bedroom and terrace. We also proposed a small living area on the first floor, a place for kids to play/ do homework etc. Finally the attic tower was transformed into an exquisite office with leather accents- beige and brown. The main concept of the whole house was to have a teenish dispute between black and white cold surfaces that becomes mediated by natural elements (flowers-leather-wood) as the rooms grow of importance (master bedroom, grandparents bedroom, office etc.)