New shingle home, Piedmont, CA
This new Piedmont Home is absolutely stunning. It exemplifies what is missing from modern traditional homes. Tract homes have given older homes a bad rapport as they have taken the style of 1920s homes but have mutilated them to conform to low production costs and cheap products.
This house has wonderful and unobstructed bay views from Mount Tam to the SF airport and beyond. There are lovely views of downtown Oakland and Lake Merritt.
This project has definitely had its share of problems. Every project has obstacles to overcome and my job is to help resolve these problems in a cost effective and aesthetically driven response. The site is the edge of an old quarry (30′ high drop off) and to allay the possibility of the house falling over the edge of the cliff in an earthquake, we spent a great deal of time and money to fill in the side of the hill. The side of the hill belongs to the Mountain View Cemetery, the hill is 1/2 in Oakland, and 1/2 in Piedmont, and the technical difficulties and cities requirements made this into a daunting challenge.
This house is a blend of a few styles but would be rightfully labeled as a 1920′s shingle style Craftsman. Why does this house look different from a builders home or tract home in the same style? Is it the overhang over the garage? The molding under the window sills? Or maybe the unusual light division in the windows. At every point in the design, there has been an enormous effort by the owner, architect, and builder to understand and choose how each choice has impacted the overall design. The builder has gotten caught up in the design and he and his worker’s affection is shown in the quality of their work. (and the stair newel posts). The owners are ecstatic that the house is such a gem to show off. They love to entertain and the new house will definitely show well.
like this siding and rock combo.