A Custom Suburban Infill Home In Alabama
Set among the rolling Appalachian Mountains, this home, which was photographed by Tommy Daspit, is in Mountain Brook, Alabama, an upscale suburb located about 10 minutes southeast of Birmingham.
The area has historically featured Tudor and Tudor-inspired homes, and more recently a blend of architecture throughout, said Jason Hale, president of Willow Homes.
Hale’s clients purchased the land, which was a vacant lot and situated in a mature neighborhood, and were ready to build their new home.
The challenge for Hale and Barry DeLozier, his design partner on the project, was to create a home that fit the client’s tastes and looked as though it had been in the neighborhood for years. The challenges were not dissimilar to urban infill projects.
“You want it to be seamless,” Hale said. “We evaluated existing homes in the area and found the characteristic Tudor architecture along with Craftsman-inspired homes, which is what you see in elements of this design.”
The lot also influenced their approach. It’s relatively narrow and deep, with a steep slope from a high point at the back of the lot. There are also restrictive height limitations and setback requirements in the municipality.
To compensate, the home design called for a gabled roofline to provide the illusion of height, and expansive front stairs that scale the width of the home.
One of Hale’s favorite features is the arched entrance, which is finished in Artisan siding with mitered corners. Whereas the arch may have typically been finished with masonry, the thick siding and rich shadow lines provide a more modern touch.