Tudor Revival

Clients:

THE
TUDOR REVIVAL
ESTATE

CONTEMPORARY

Jesse Sahlani’s Tudor Revival Estate project, is an invitingly grand private residence that is designed for entertaining friends, family, and business partners. The exterior is clad with smooth-faced Egyptian limestone panels featuring unique detailing throughout every face of the home.

The tall proportions of the grand chimneys pay homage to the historical characteristics of this timeless design style alongside leaded glass windows and a natural slate roof. Without losing touch with the historical ethos of this design style, Jesse was able to strategically position each room and its windows to harness as much natural light as possible. This approach significantly improves the quality of the interior spaces in a way that cannot be replicated through the use of fancy finishes or artificial lighting.

The initial sketch that Jesse created for this home speaks to his fixation on the achievement of highly specific proportions, as well as a range of unique masonry details that offer a “nod” to the original renditions of this design style, while cementing the timelessness of Jesse’s fresh-faced rendition.

Jesse’s design process started with the manors of the English countryside in mind. Most notably, Jesse was specifically inspired by Athelhampton house, a home largely thought to be one of he first “Tudor” homes in the late 1400’s. When Jesse approached this sketch, he did so with the understanding that each micro-decision he made would impact the viewers’ perception of his work as a whole. With that thought in mind, he deeply considered the impact that his exterior proportions and detailing have on the character of his work.

To that end, every masonry feature includes a profile that Jesse personally developed to perfectly support the capturing of the desired character and emotion within his work. It is for this reason timelessness exists no matter where you look throughout any facade of the structure. To name a few notable features, the limestone gable end spires, as well as the chimneys are details that we are particularly enthralled with, as they each exude the character of these ages-old homes while reflecting Jesse’s unmistakable design charm that he has become so well known for.

The bay windows, as well as the limestone mullions, are period-specific features that Jesse designed to further support the notion of offering a “nod” to the original design style. Windows of this size were usually not possible to create as glass panes could not be produced in larger sizes. To create the effect of the windows being large, these glass panels would be leaded (usually in a diamond pattern commonly seen on homes from this period). Jesse chose to take a more contemporary approach, creating rectangular window mullions within the glass that have a similar effect, though in a far more updated format.

The front door gable massing serves to ground the home’s dramatically tall height while offering a different proportion than the gables featured throughout the rest of the exterior. Jesse designed this gable to capture the subtly medieval character of the design style while creating the proportional profile that will characterize the experience of visitors for decades, and hopefully centuries to come.

The daytime rendering featured below further reveals the intended design character in every detail. The limestone Jesse selected has a warm yellow glow that offers a naturally luxurious touch to the exterior, even if you only see a glimpse of it as you drive by in your vehicle. The detailing becomes far more apparent alongside the gardens that serve to surround Jesse’s art with a sense of lush organization. More importantly, however, this rendering below provides insight into the benefits of completing sun studies, allowing us to understand how much natural light will reach each face of the home as well as the interior spaces. This practice also allows us to use our models to understand what the home will look like during different times of day, and test the impact of our garden and architectural lighting features when seeking to highlight our favorite exterior details.

The driveway continues down the left side of the home to provide access to the rear three-car garage, courtyard, and gardens.

On the way to this courtyard, you will pass by a single-storey library and lounge featuring a glass dome roof. This feature was designed as a “nod” to the original renditions of this design style as well, as they almost always featured a single-storey library or chapel structure. This not only adds historical authenticity to Jesse’s design, but also offers a unique sense of proportionality to the design while creating a unique amenity that can be used for relaxing and entertaining.