One of the moments which I find the most exciting in a new project is, when I see the house (or plot) for the first time, finding the hidden potential that drives my imagination.
When I entered the small house on the Moshav, my jaw dropped in amazement because of the hypnotizing view which was revealed as you open the front door. The distant horizon, the farms and fields and beach were just a short distance away.
I was hypnotized by this view which stole the whole show. It was clear the view would be the main participant in the design.
The clients are retired, and therefore chose to fulfill a long-standing dream to renovate the whole house.
The entrance to the house from the street level is in fact the entrance to the upper floor, while the lower floor is connected to the large garden. Thanks to this leveled structure, the house enjoys an elevated view. The 85 m2 entrance floor was chosen as the center of the daily life in the house while the lower floor which accommodates children also includes an additional study and wardrobe.
Since the old stairway was not according to standard, and bordering on dangerous, as well as located in the middle of the house and therefore limiting design options, we chose to relocate it.
The entrance to the house is through a symmetrical square space, paved with concrete tiles which create a transition zone from the outside world to the parquet floor of the rest of the house.
To the right of the entrance door there is a large closet which hides a shoes and coats cupboard, as well as the washing machine and dryer. In order to maximize the available space, I made sure there were no non-functional spaces.
And to the left there is the guest bathroom.
From the living room the entrance is framed by a bricked fireplace and library.
The open kitchen touches the old dining room which is frequently occupied by the owners. Before renovating, the gigantic table “strangled” the whole room and made movement through the space difficult. Now, after the teak wood was renovated and the cushions upholstered its proportions fit the rest of the room more successfully.
Wide Belgian windows line the western front of the house, framing the changing view rendering the image of an impressionistic-like painting.
The materials and hues around the house reflect the nature outside. Greens and browns like the fields, aquamarine and blues like the water and sky.
The master bedroom is surrounded by wardrobes and various storage units.
The adjacent bathroom is paved with concrete tiles in a fishbone pattern, with a deep blue washing wardrobe and brass hued faucets.
The house required an overhaul, and was completely renovated both from the inside and out. In its new form only the wooden pergola, and the glass door between the living room and the deck, which I enlarged, were kept. Now the door is proportional to the rest of the living space in the public area.
By the end of the photo shooting day, the sun began to set and colored the whole house in golden hues. The beauty and ambiance cannot be described in words.
So how is a house born? From a dream, an inspiration and a lot of work and patience.
*Photos by the talented Aviv Kurt.
