OAK AVENUE
A modern farmhouse for a big family.CHALLENGE
The clients were looking for a large home on an expansive lot in Boulder to accommodate their large family. Unfortunately, nothing short of a new build would be sufficient, much less optimal, for this growing family of six. After a long search, the clients identified a lot with a small, dilapidated house as a prime candidate for the location of their future home.
APPROACH
Starting with a Feasibility Study and Development Analysis, Greg and Uitto Design Workshop compared the client’s lengthy wish list against the lot’s capacity, and quickly identified that a full basement level was needed for the home to have a chance of meeting Boulder’s form-based building codes while humbly blending in with the neighborhood character. Working closely with the clients over the course of a few months, Uitto Design Workshop developed a custom home design that satisfied every single member of the family. The house needed to be comfortable and efficient on every level. UDW paid careful attention to spatial relationships that could evolve over time as the large family’s needs changed, thus minimizing the potential need to renovate.
RESULTS
Today, the clients have a distinct, modern farmhouse capable of hosting large family events both indoors and outdoors. Despite it’s size, the home feels cozy and fits well within the scale of the neighborhood. Craftsmanship was paramount, right down to the execution of the equipment in the basement mechanical room. The house is filled with numerous details which are subtle reminders of ‘home’. The entire main level of the home is finished in custom milled, wide plank white oak lumber directly from their home state of Wisconsin. Instead of drywall, horizontal tongue and groove boards were white-washed and installed as the finish. A high contrast, black and white exterior color palate complete the farmhouse home aesthetic. A large, roof mounted PV array and battery backup reinforce the home’s meticulously planned electrical system. Their home is a welcome place of refuge and gathering, designed and built for years of memory making.
