The Arbor was our second golf-course frontage home on the Hidden Valley Golf Course, near hole 12. Our goal was to make the home a craftsman-style inside and out, meanwhile utilizing natural materials to flow with the theme.
The exterior home features ledge rock, a carriage style garage door, and a covered cedar front porch. Shakes and gable brackets finish off the look - touched off by two colors of green on the body of the home.
A two-tone granite entry welcomes you, as the foyer opens up to the great room and panoramic views of the golf course. The great room has a rock fireplace, which nicely compliments the tiger-wood floor that graces the majority of the main area. The alder-capped wrought iron railing puts the finishing touches on the warm feel of the great room.
The kitchen features clear lacquered alder cabinets, along with a plate rack, built in microwave, sizable storage and pantry space, and under-cab plug strips and lighting. The Giallo Veniziano slab granite countertop provide an elegant surface, and the Jenn-Air professional stainless steel appliances integrate well with the nickel pulls, sink and light fixtures.
The DC team built a custom alder book case, complete with wall paneling, to give a very custom "library" feel for the office - and, the vaulted ceilings in the room add to the open feel. Near the office, the powder room boasts a slate floor, a furniture-style cabinet with a polished slate countertop, and a hammered iron light fixture. The room was designed to match some of the rustic but stylish elements of the main floor's interior.
The master wing turned out to be a very serene spot in the home - a private covered deck, a tray ceiling complete with a Casablanca stainless and cedar blade ceiling fan, and reading sconces make the room very chic. Because the home's lay out is much like the Siena, the master bathroom will look fairly familiar. The slate and travertine accents work well with the alder cabinets, nickel pulls and the lighting and plumbing fixtures. The all-stone shower is set on a diagonal pattern to add an architectural detail to the area and is separated from the rest of the bathroom by a wall of glass. The master closet was custom built in house to accommodate the new owner's lay out needs.
The carpet on the stairs is complimented by alder skirting on both sides to take the craftsman feel to the lower level. Downstairs, a wet bar with granite counters encourages entertaining in the spacious family room. The lower level has 2 spacious bedrooms with walk-in closets, a bathroom, and a den/bedroom with access to the golf-cart garage and the lower deck. All rooms enjoy a view of the golf course. A very large unfinished area under the garage will make a great cellar or theater in the future.
In essence, The Arbor is The Siena flip-flopped, but with the dramatic changes to the exterior, roof line, and material selection, along with a few key lay out alterations, the 2 homes are very different. The goal was to have two homes that could share the driveway and take advantage of the aggressive slope that was daunting to build on. The floor plan proved to be an excellent design for this land, and the shared driveway to the golf course provides both homes a short commute to leisure.
--Dan Cooper
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