Had the chance to revisit the Elias Cottage back in early December with prospective clients, and took a few shots while there.  The 2008 house was built in Avondale Estates (one of the first planned communities in the Country — 1924) and this was our first stab at bungalow styled design/building.  To view the Elias Cottage portfolio visit: http://periodarchitecture.com/index2.php#/gallery1/8/

The alternating, header relief brick pattern is Victorian, but we knew it would be a fresh take that would work well with the Arts and Craft’s strait forward, vernacular approach to design.

This level of detail is in contrast to the distilled HFA theme, but it was a lot of fun designing and implementing nevertheless.  It’s important to remember that in determining the HFA concept, it’s been from this degree of execution we’ve dialed back; this is what has informed the field test which is not so much about ornateness to the 9′s, but absolute honesty in a multi-century home that also happens to be affordable. Just say no to Faux!

It’s hard to convey how much work goes into designing and building a real masonry fireplace.

A daylight themed dwelling.

The subtraction from a room created by a small rafter vault is more often than not a design asset — generally, anything is better than a box.  It’s good to just let things happen a lot of the time, allowing the structure of a dwelling to speak and not get too wrapped up in, “Does this align with the unbendable rule book in the sky?”

A projecting knee wall has similar effect creating wall space relationships with much more potential than that provided by a square footprint.

Transoms over doors are visually interesting and pleasing in addition to recycling light throughout the dwelling.