When Steinman and Spry first saw the home, they knew right away that the site dictated a clean, modern style. The black exterior was inspired by a house Steinman saw in a magazine. Rusted steel, including a water-cut address plate, provides the only color out front.
by Spry Architecture
The renovation began as an exterior makeover, but the extent of the necessary repairs was so great that it soon turned into a full remodel. Although this home is in a prime part of Phoenix, no other renovators had been willing to touch it. "It just needed some love," says Steinman.
by Spry Architecture
Spry kept the new house as simple and streamlined as possible. Anything that wasn't absolutely necessary — including shingles, bulky columns and trim — was taken off. "I stuck with what wouldn't blow off in a hurricane," says Spry.
The entryway is made up of a single column, a steel beam and a plate on top for a portico. Basic pavers carve a path to the front door.
by Spry Architecture
The entryway is made up of a single column, a steel beam and a plate on top for a portico. Basic pavers carve a path to the front door.
The rooms were divided in the original layout. Spry had four walls knocked down and turned the main space into this open great room. They redid the ceiling structure, but most of the exterior walls are the same — no square footage was added, which helped keep the budget in check.
The fireplace wall was already there. A second drywall layer behind it and lighting in between create a subtle glow. Initially Spry simply refinished the drywall, but after the project was done Steinman wanted some texture in the space. Natural stone helps soften up the modern lines of the great room.
Fireplace surround: Idaho quartzite; flooring: ceramic tile; light fixture: Cost Plus World Market
by Spry Architecture The fireplace wall was already there. A second drywall layer behind it and lighting in between create a subtle glow. Initially Spry simply refinished the drywall, but after the project was done Steinman wanted some texture in the space. Natural stone helps soften up the modern lines of the great room.
Fireplace surround: Idaho quartzite; flooring: ceramic tile; light fixture: Cost Plus World Market
Every material and product in the house is made in the U.S. A muted, neutral color palette reigns in each room. "I would rather the people who come in be the pops of color," Steinman says. "And the outdoors: the pool, trees etc."
Sinks: Decolav
by Spry Architecture Sinks: Decolav
Spry gutted the kitchen and put in new windows with a view to the backyard and pool.
The island has a unique seating arrangement that encourages gatherings. Instead of the typical-bar style island on which those seated have to look sideways, this island has seating on all three sides to make direct conversation easier.
Countertops: Corian; light fixture: Exeter 16 Jar, Pottery Barn
by Spry Architecture The island has a unique seating arrangement that encourages gatherings. Instead of the typical-bar style island on which those seated have to look sideways, this island has seating on all three sides to make direct conversation easier.
Countertops: Corian; light fixture: Exeter 16 Jar, Pottery Barn
The pool had been left without water and care for some time, causing quite a bit of damage. Initially, Steinman didn't like the shape of the pool, since it didn't quite go with the home's clean lines. But a complete redesign or fill-in would have put them way over budget, so they refinished it instead.
by Spry Architecture
A new Pebbletec surface and concrete decking tie the pool into its sleek surroundings. As in the front yard, the backyard landscaping is minimalist. "We wanted each bush and tree to be its own surprise," says Spry.
by Spry Architecture
Spry designed a sculpture of steel panels and exterior lighting to hide an unattractive portion of a surrounding block wall. The panels also hide an electrical transformer and pool equipment.
by Spry Architecture
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But the remodel is very nice. It's a good example that you don't have to turn the upside down to achieve a good result. The sculpture in the backyard is cool.
@mugsy ... we do have intense winds - short lived, but nasty thunderstorms. And the saguaros probably went to another landscape. They transplant easily if you have the equipment to handle them, and these were in an easy to access spot.
@everyone ... it's amazing what insulation under the black stucco can do.
The color / climate question is one we receive quite a bit. Material is more of an issue that the material color. In other words, in the hottest part of the desert summer, black stucco is not much hotter (if at all) than white stucco. More importantly, the black stucco won't reflect the sunlight (which can be brutal) the way white stucco can. If you live in the north, imagine a sunny day after a snow fall...that's what a white surface is like in the desert. (Too often sidewalks are poured white in the desert.)
Also, in regards to materials / heat...the metal gates and the metal sculpture are a far bigger issue (if I'm being honest) in the summer time. They will at times be too hot to touch. But, in truth, when the temperature is 110 degrees, everything outside will be too hot to touch.
Eric
I used a salt-water solution on the metal which caused it to rust slowly and consistently.
On the metal sculpture (picture above) I used a muriatic acid-water solution which caused the metal to rust more inconsistently with varied color hues (purples and blues), which is what we wanted.
Second, the materials and proportions of the fireplace wall seem contextually inappropriate for the overall mid-century minimalist styling of this abode. Of course it is a matter of personal preference, but were this MY home, I'd have gone with materials far less busy......acid-treated iron/metal of some sort, echoing the black exterior, vs the hyper-busy stone that to me repeats the 70s-ish mistakes found in so many Arizona homes. But then taste is very individual, yes?
No matter. I absolutely would have done the FP wall differently and I would also have eliminated the animal head as it seems very out of place IMO. The interior is devoid of anything that makes this house a home anyway, and appears to be merely "staged" for the photo op, so that could explain a lot. I think the crux of the spread shows a glorious (and much needed) Desert reno that makes a significant statement as to what can be done when we try for positive change in a sea of desert bland beige. Kudo's to thinking outside the box on the exterior! Outstanding.
If I were a musician and Braindoc50 hired me to write a piece of music that was a celebration of his life, that piece of music would be significantly different than a piece of music written to celebrate thepaintitguy's life. That is how it should be and architecture is frozen music (FLLW).
If this were braindoc50's home perhaps the fireplace would be wrapped in steel or if the home belonged to Colonel Sanders the fireplace could be wrapped in chicken feathers. That's the beauty of architecture, individualization. A detail that provokes a personal thought or feeling for the homeowner.
Architecture is not about perfect universal solutions (those don't exist) it's about appropriate solutions; solutions appropriate to the context of the project. The context is the client's program, site conditions, climate, budget etc.
That said, I love the giraffe head because it adds whimsy to the space, it's amusing and modern architecture takes itself far too seriously.
I love the stone fireplace because the stone is personal to the homeowner, a piece of her past, and the workmanship is extraordinary.
The stone makes this HER home. That is architecture.
The metal sculpture / screen is custom designed and fabricated.
We used 1/8" thick plate and perforated metal set in a 1x2 tube steel frame.
One question--- in the first photo the side wall to the house seems to be missing, making the front look like a facade only. I must be missing something.
The address numbers were water cut. The steel fabricator for the address marker was Arlon Lewis. If you live in the Phoenix area, I recommend using him.
The lighting around the pool is just well placed landscape up lights, low voltage.
We used 1 X 2 tube steel for the frame (with the 1/8" metal panel set in the frame) and ran the tube steels long at the bottom. We tapered the ends and drove them into the ground with a sledge hammer...sounds unscientific but it worked. The ground out here is pretty hard. Not sure about Missouri, you could use a pole digger, dig a hole, fill it with a concrete slurry mix then set the steel in it. If the panels are set in concrete, I can't imagine them blowing around too much.
Hoovermcteagle, the house was stripped clean by the previous residents, a foreclosure I believe, not sure. They sold everything of value in the house and outside. The house was in poor condition when my client purchased it, the Saguaros gone when I started. I don't know what happened to them.