Under the Tuscan Sun
Fall is upon us and summer vacations have faded to memories, but thoughts of beautiful locales–be it Nantucket, Oxfordshire, or the Cote d’Azur– may spawn the inspiration of your dream house.
RDDA clients frequently come to us with visions of architecture they have seen around the globe, bringing ideas they would like to see incorporated into the creation of a new home for themselves. Richard Davis particularly enjoys these projects, given that he has a bit of a “travel bug” himself, to which the many stamps in his passport attest.
One such client, knowing that Richard had traveled extensively in Tuscany, asked RDDA to design a traditional Tuscan-style home for them in Highland Park.
The house is smaller (3,800 square feet, plus a guest suite) than most houses in Highland Park which typically take up the maximum amount of space on the lot. The smaller footprint allows amble room for a lush garden to surround the structure. The result is a verdant setting for the house, evoking the rural atmosphere of the Tuscan countryside.
True to the vernacular farmhouses of Tuscany, the layered massing of the front facade creates the impression that the house was built and added onto over time.
The choreography of entering the house from the street was artfully designed. The entry sequence includes a walled courtyard, a common element of Tuscan design, through which a stone pathway winds around to a covered porch protecting the front door which does not face the street. Three windows ascend up the front wall of the entry hall following the rising stair and letting light onto the stairs and into the entry hall.
The rustic, yet sophisticated, nature of the house is achieved through the careful selection of materials. Rough-cut stone, laid in uneven courses, terracotta barrel tiles on the roof, wrought iron and exposed wooden beams come together to create a sense that the structure is a product of the hill towns of Tuscany. The massive wooden lintel and large, vertically placed stones frame the entry way.
The rear façade features a stone and stucco loggia with brick arches. The brick arches reflect the Roman influence on Tuscan architecture.
Inside the loggia is an outdoor living space that extends through double doors from the interior family room and kitchen. The house boasts a total of four fireplaces, including this prominent outdoor fireplace. There are fireplaces in the family room, kitchen and master bedroom. The rich textures of the exposed beam ceiling, the rough-hewn stone walls, brick arches and stone floor create a quintessentially Tuscan atmosphere.
While the main house includes three bedrooms and three bathrooms, above the two-car garage is a guest suite that doubles as a home-office space. The room is accessed via an outdoor staircase that is reminiscent of a bell tower on an ancient church in Tuscany.
The warmth and simplicity of this house brings la bella vita home to Dallas.
To see more images of projects designed by RDDA, please visit our website.
Regards,
Richard Drummond Davis Architects