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In 1950, when the original home was built, the sprawling farmhouse, green wallcovering, and pink ceramics were novel. While some design aspects may have come back in-style, the general look and feel of the existing structure was beyond dated. The design team pushed aside cobwebs and stepped over rotten floors but left the home with a vision for something special. We knew the house could be amazing, given the dramatic site and the quirky nature of the sprawling lot. The renovation was nothing short of transformational. While the designers kept the existing footprint and main level framing intact, the updates leave the old structure unrecognizable. The new design added a second level, updated windows, new roof, created a spectacular rear courtyard, and transformed the detached garage into a carriage house with conditioned access to the main residence. We wanted to use as much of the existing material as possible. We brought life to the existing brick by introducing a custom brick pattern and painting it. We also salvaged the existing 2 ¼ white oak hardwoods and reintroduced them as a chevron pattern in the foyer.
Conceiving a grand addition to a traditional ranch-house poses unique challenges. In this case the challenges were exacerbated by the state of the existing structure and setback requirements which were “grandfathered”; mandating the architect maintain the existing footprint. In response, Christopher Architecture and Interiors conceived a magnificent stone and glass home which responded well to the challenges. The creative design-solution includes the addition of a second level and a new roof which reimagines the estate in a way that reflects the integrity of the neighborhood and the historic qualities of the existing residence while introducing complimentary “modern” elements. Twenty-foot glass walls complement the forty-foot stone parapet-gables and provide dramatic views of the rolling hills. Custom designed limestone caps, cedar lintels, double-arched fenestrations, and a taper-sawn cedar roof speak to the design-team’s commitment to elegant design, the use of natural materials, and an understanding of the regional design vernacular.
Worx Birmingham was created to support all businesses on their journey to success. Two desolate buildings were renovated to create coworking spaces and private offices in two locations across the city of Birmingham. Worx is a place where small businesses can rent a single, sophisticated office to host meetings and make positive first impressions with potential clients and positive relationships with other community members. Sleek and chic was the main design goal, with steel and glass doors, modern lighting, and an intuitive floor plan featuring breakout spaces, podcast rooms, small and large conference spaces, and open floor plan coworking spaces.
This custom office space was created from a crumbling building first built in the early 1900s. The industrial nature and historic setting inspired the reuse of materials and masculine ambiance. To connect the two floors, the top floor was penetrated to create a grand steel staircase. The staircase features timber treads sourced from various areas of the original building. The building is sandwiched between two other buildings in the middle of a city block, therefore, only has windows on one side of the space. This inspired an open floor plan concept with large glass storefront and glass partition walls for natural lighting throughout the entirety of the space. The lighting highlights the different textures and colors of the brick as they patina over time.
This multi-family complex with almost 14,000 square feet and 11 loft-apartment units is in downtown Birmingham’s Southside neighborhood, within walking distance of many iconic local restaurants and shops. The interior architecture of the loft apartments is spacious, boasting open steel ceilings, steel windows and doors, large closets, and stained concrete floors.
The architectural design of concrete masonry with a renaissance stone veneer nestles itself into the urban vernacular. Much of the façade is salvaged from brick and cypress shiplap siding. The roof is standing seam copper metal. The designers and architects of Christopher Architecture & Interiors worked to create a space that would be industrial and modern; while also welcoming and comfortable.
This project is a one of a pair of existing buildings that needed renovation. All the building shell was removed, the interior demolished, while most of the existing structure was maintained. Designed to focus patron interest and entry from both the front and back side of the building – addressing Linden Avenue in the front and the City Center at the back. Several large exterior openings were created to allow natural light into the building, and a new glass lobby /entry space was created at the front of the building. This new area allows additional natural light at the lower level. The renovation includes large open retail showrooms and gallery space, articulated by a rhythmic arched colonnade which defines the space into smaller more intimate zones. A bold but minimalist addition at the rear of the main building creates a strong visual mass that helps visually connect the project to the pedestrian thoroughfare and “rear” entrance connecting it to main street. A striking feature after dark is a custom “frame” with color LED lighting effects – an homage to the prior building’s usage as an art gallery and framing business.
This project was a renovation of an existing building with a simple modern minimalist exterior design, the majority of which was preserved and leveraged in the renovation. However, the interior was dark and labyrinth-like and was completely replaced. Virtually all the building shell was maintained and simply painted or cleaned because the design had merit. Several large exterior openings were created in order to fill formerly dark corridors which were transformed to interior spaces with and abundance of natural light. These openings also allow access to exterior amenities including a rear terrace, formerly a dark narrow passageway, and a large amphitheater/multi-use recreational area. The amphitheater was created by excavating existing terrain to the retaining wall and replacing it with an expansive glass wall and large custom pivot doors. This new area floods the lower level with natural light and provides access from the lower level to a unique private area for employees and their pets. The building interior was gutted and redesigned with large open areas that maximize natural light and contribute to the studio environment for its primary use as an architecture firm.
This office space sits in a once abandoned 1900s building that has been completely rehabilitated. For this historic preservation, we intentionally highlighted the existing architecture and utilized existing materials wherever possible. Many of the original materials were carefully culled, cleaned, and remain in the space today to represent the building’s historic character. Almost all the brick in the space is original brick with beautiful patina and character. Because we were designing for a construction company, we chose to lean into the inspiration and choose new materials that were natural or architectural. It was important for us to keep the original design language while modernizing the space into a sleek office space. The building is sandwiched between two other buildings on its block. The historical society denied requests to cut new windows into the façade. This became a challenge in maximizing natural light into the space while having light only entering from one wall. The solution was to create glass partitions for light filtering. This gives a sleek finish to the space while still creating simultaneous privacy and openness into the linear space. Exposed pipes and structure add to the masculine and industrial language the building already possessed.
The building was originally put into service at the turn of the twentieth century. Armour & Company owned and operated the building as a meat-packing facility for about 50 years as of 1951, but for the past 20 years the building has remained vacant. The roof had caved in, all the wood had rotted, and many walls had fallen in. It was an extensive process to build in creative ways as the building didn’t allow access for modern heavy machinery to remove all the debris. We utilized existing timber and brick by carefully culling and cleaning each piece to reintroduce as many original materials as possible into the final design. A unique challenge we faced on the exterior was bringing new elements to compliment the existing.
Armour & Co. is home to twenty apartments, two custom office spaces, and will soon have a completed speakeasy, restaurant, and coffee shop. Each of these spaces create a vibrant community where people can have coffee in the morning, dinner and drinks at night, and retire to their apartment.
The design goal was to create a space which represented the culture and ethos of the design firm that would later occupy the building. Design programming included open workspaces for a growing staff, large layout areas, and inviting spaces to host clients and staff events. A significant challenge was taking two worn out storefront spaces originally built in the 1940s and turning them into a singular cohesive office with a modern and elegant design. Natural light was prioritized by removing the old storefront and the center partition wall and adding a custom steel and glass storefront with an overhanging trellis. A large arched window in the center of the building and the same storefront glazing method was implemented at the back of the building to introduce southern sunlight. Since the back of the building is adjacent to the main parking lot, it was understood most visitors and staff would enter this way. The experience was enhanced by removing the two small existing doors and adding large storefront facades with custom steel and glass doors. Reclaimed brick was added to the interior walls, the ceiling was opened and the trusses exposed. We built low walnut partition walls for work stations and added visual interest with pecky cypress walls in the soft seating and break room areas.
This once desolate building was completely renovated into a modern and vibrant retail space. Custom steel and glass doors provide an inviting entry in addition to natural lighting and storefront for window shopping. The space was customized to the bridal boutique to host plenty of space to display, large dressing rooms, and seating for guests.
Reminiscent of the architecture that brought the French chateau to America, this 11,000-sf home adeptly infuses stone, plaster, and timber into comfortably elegant spaces, both inside and out. The large casement windows, hip and gabled roofs, and curated outdoor spaces tap the parts of our souls that recognize a time in human history that was defined by hard work, rich food, and big comfy beds at the end of the day. The courtyard approach was designed to create an experience. Going from the wooded, natural areas into the pristine refinement of the manicured courtyard is intended to evoke an emotional and physical transition from nature’s domain to the home design. This home’s interior points us back to nature in unexpected places, like the bathroom design. Details like the wallcoverings and light fixtures in the powder room are reminders of the French provincial inspiration. In the outdoor room, an antler chandelier continues the home design’s balance between elegance, comfort, and nature. It is echoed again in the master bathroom, which was listed by Elle Décor in the Top 50 Bathrooms of 2016. A wood chandelier with a wrought iron finish is another unexpected delight. In the great room, the fireplace showcases a hand-hewn cypress timber mantle with a solid stone surround and a firebox with herringbone firebrick detail. Exposed wood timbers in the ceiling frame pecky cypress shiplap siding. The kitchen design includes a chandelier with a waxed rust finish and pendants over the island. The home design is intentionally filled with windows to reverently showcase the 14 acres of rolling hills, creeks, and forests on which the home is situated. The transition of the seasons and the colors from spring to winter offer an ever-evolving experience for participants in this awe-inspiring home.
Once engaged to design a home for this family of eight, the architecture and interior design team was eager to submerse themselves into the “controlled chaos” and learn as much as they could about how they live. The challenge became creating a beautiful, elegant home that would serve their needs and evolve with the family. At the heart of everything, the owners wanted to create an oasis for their children; where memories would be created and relished.
The design team began by studying the site – a beautiful corner lot in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. We wanted the home to feel ‘just right,’ and we accomplished this, in part, by using natural materials that will become more beautiful with time. We used wood roofing and copper accents that will patina beautifully. We also tested many different stone techniques to achieve a finish which resembles old-world foundation techniques. On a back terrace, there is a pallet of natural materials which is complemented by a large steel and glass wall. This modern element not only creates a nice juxtaposition but also washes the center of the home with natural light, creating a direct connection to the outdoors.
This home was custom designed for a large family that loves to entertain. The neighborhood inspired the design to be contextual to the hilltop site. The seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms are carefully placed for maximum lighting yet privacy. Materiality was an important part of the process in choosing elements that would age beautifully.
There are many distinct features in this home design, from the slate roof trimmed in Douglas Fir to the cobblestone drive, and participants are continually rewarded with thoughtful and thought-provoking design ideas. Custom pieces abound, like the iron mounting brackets for copper gas lanterns. Custom iron handrails repeat the one-of-a-kind craftsmanship. Persian-inspired scalloped doorways and a turret entry and foyer with a copper leaf roof and custom spire reflect the roots and delights of our client. A parlor with stained oak wainscoting just off the foyer whispers hints of this intentional architectural design. Half-timber detailing on the exterior is matched in cedar purlins, vaulted ceilings, and exposed timber beams in the interior design. Twenty-foot-tall leaded glass windows allow for an abundance of natural light and inspiring views of the golf course and lake. Heated floors in the master bath and separate tub room bring a level of luxury you would expect in this home. White oak floors and limestone thresholds throughout balance the bluestone-tiled terrace that invites you to gather around the five-foot-square gas-burning fire pit. A solarium off the master bedroom can be reached by crossing a breezeway. Windows are aluminum clad wood casement with limestone surrounds. Cedar shiplap siding, brick, and stone veneer on exterior walls work together beautifully to create an interesting façade. The interior design features marble in the master bath, powder room, and the master closet island. The laundry room, guest bathrooms, and outdoor kitchen design feature limestone countertops. The amount of luxurious natural materials, inspiration, and craftsmanship in this design add up to a hole-in-one-kind of home.
Painted brick, aluminum-clad pine casement windows, and gaslight lamp posts create a dramatic presence for this craftsman house. The meticulous brick detailing over and around the sixteen-foot arch welcomes guests to a quaint entry porch with bluestone flooring. The arch is repeated in the radiused wing wall detail. The exterior veneer is tongue-and-groove cypress shiplap, and the roof has copper details over the arched dormer windows. In the kitchen design, a handcrafted, apron-front farmhouse sink is flanked by honed marble countertops and complements a butcher-block-topped island. True to the artist and craftsman style, we framed the ceilings, windows, and doorways with pine molding. The master bathroom features a four-foot-by-seven-foot tempered leaded glass window that creates exquisite patterns of light. All interior doors are eight-feet in height, made of stained cypress, and finished with antique nickel hardware. Weldon Welding, a local metal fabrication company, designed and installed seven iron scrolled handrails both inside and out. We removed the existing deck and built a screened-in porch from cedar with a bronze insect screen. The carriage house in the back provides space for two cars and almost 600 square feet for storage. Scale, proportions, and detailing of this major home renovation were key to a successful project. The architectural design marries the landscape and offers a pedestrian orientation, welcoming guests to this unique craftsman home.
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Previously a municipal health care facility, this mid-century modern style building was completely renovated. By changing small, dark, enclosed spaces into open work areas filled with natural light, and adding both outdoor casual work and leisure zones, the building has been completely transformed into a new luxury office space. The amphitheater was created by excavating existing terrain to the retaining wall and replacing it with an expansive glass wall and large custom pivot doors. This new area floods the lower level with natural light and provides access from the lower level to a unique private area for employees and their pets. The building interior was gutted and redesigned with large open areas that maximize natural light and contribute to the studio environment for its primary use as an architecture firm.
Our challenge was creating a design that fit on the existing footprint, utilizing exterior and interior structural walls. We were required by the city to keep the foundation and the exterior walls, so our design team approached the project like a puzzle fitting pieces into place within very constricted parameters. One challenge was giving the project depth. We addressed this by using vertical elements with deep penetrations and diagonal accents to contrast the “flatness.” Walls of glass and natural materials were employed to both provide for a timeless aesthetic and a contextual architecture.