2013 New Southern Home
Project Detail
The 2013 New Southern Home is a modest, two story Florida Vernacular home. The inspiration for the project came from the Seaside Chapel. Located in the Florida Panhandle, the Seaside Chapel is one of the most photographed buildings in all of Florida, yet it sits vacant most of the year. It only made sense to honor the design by offering it life in the form of a home that can be enjoyed year round.
The design was conceived in a matter of four hours, engineering was finished in a week, and the home was completed in four months. There were several design constraints including the size of the lot, a busy street, and the need to create a show home, yet preserve the charm of an old farm house. The home lives to the rear to take advantage of the raised swimming pool and outdoor living, away from the view and noise of traffic.
The solar orientation was also considered to help bring the home to several green certifications including LEED Platinum. This is a wood frame home on a raised foundation to help maintain the look of the farm home. The home was also framed using Timberstrand framing, inside and out. The home features high efficiency HVAC, spray foam insulation in the walls and ceiling, low-E Andersen windows, and advanced framing techniques to save material. The exterior surfaces are covered with 100% recycled granite pavers, including the driveway and patios.
The home was also designed with dual master bedrooms, one on the lower level and one with elevator access on the second level. Universal design techniques were implemented to make living easier across multiple generations. The design has a sophisticated appearance that still respects the charm of an old farm house, including rolling barn doors on the master closet, which make the room live large and conserve square footage. The kitchen is an open design with recycled, eco stone counter tops. It was tailored to entertaining, both inside and out, with a folding/sliding glass door that opens the entire kitchen space up to the outdoor living and Bar-B-Q area.
