Contemporary english country

Clients:

CONTEMPORARY
ENGLISH
COUNTRY

CONTEMPORARY

The Contemporary English Country home was designed by Jesse to capture the classic charming character of the English Countryside through a fresh-faced lens. In form, this home offers a sense of unique traditional splendor, much of which is achieved through the proportions, masonry details, and landscape design plans. However, this is certainly a more outwardly contemporary rendition of this design style in the grand scheme of his design catalogue.

A picture is worth a thousand words, a saying that we believe cheekily applies here when trying to accurately describe the ethos and character Jesse captured within this design plan. This broad spectrum of explanations was Jesse’s intention, walking a fine line between proportions that are identifiably traditional, and detailing that is mildly contemporary. There isnt one single feature that you can point out upon your initial visual review that is easily categorized.

The result is a home that can only be observed as a whole, as each component, proportion, material, and exterior detail works together to create a cohesive body of work.

The masonry detailing was a specific point of interest for Jesse, as he similarly used it to suavely blend the traditional and contemporary design styles. A few notable features in this category include swooping buttress gable ends, unique keystone proportions, bay window side-wall sashes, and delightful stepped chimney proportions. In addition to this, the curved masonry front porch railings and stepped gable wall details all work together harmoniously to capture the intended character.

To soften the trafitional detailing Jesse included a centre gable proportion that speaks to his contemporary design intent over a modern rendition of a bay window. The side of the gable walls were designed to look as if they were “peeled back”, revealing the contemporary zinc window spandrels that replace the common brick posts that are synonymous with this design style. Similarly, the lshed dormer window above the front door was designed to offer a similar sentiment through the use of this same material. Contemporary in form, the wide proportions of this window are clad in zinc, offering an ever-changing patina as the home ages.

Every outdoor amenity on the exterior of this uniquely traditional custom home is designed to both prioritize natural light, and to be surrounded by a sense of lush greenery. To achieve this effect Jesse designed a series of retaining walls that surround garden beds filled with layers of hydrangeas, lavender, boxwoods, and beech trees. Garden lighting and the highly specific placement of these trees is a keen part of Jesse’s vision for these outdoor spaces, as he believes that these gardens also bring a sense of lushness into the interior spaces. These details, though seemingly minor in nature, equally contribute to the creation of an indoor-outdoor connection.