A Contemporary, Clean Design
This month we are showcasing a remodeling project involving a Ranch style home on the brow of Lookout Mountain owned by the Lapeyre family. T.U. Parks was the construction company and Arch Willingham was the general contractor. Ann Aiken of AMA Architects provided the architectural services and the designer was Lavens Brown.on Lookout Mountain  Click Images for larger view
The home has a beautiful view off the East brow and a wonderful contemporary back deck area with a cable railing system that allows for great viewing while still providing a sturdy barrier. In fact, the modern, clean and open design of the back deck served as part of the inspiration for the interior remodeling of the home. Several walls were removed to open up the house and contemporary materials and design elements were chosen to create a clean and continuous flow in the house.
The Lapeyres and design team chose to use 18 x 18 travertine tiles throughout the main floor to create the continuous, single space feeling, so we needed to find a high quality travertine. All travertine has small indentions and grooves that are part of the natural formation of the stone and these imperfections are filled as part of the fabrication process. Higher quality travertine has fewer imperfections and requires less fill and we reviewed many samples from our supplier base until we found an excellent quality cream colored stone from Turkey.
The plans called for the tiles to be set in a diagonal pattern. A diagonal design places a premium on planning and layout so the cuts are kept as large as possible where the tiles meet the walls and other surfaces that interrupt the pattern.
The 18 x 18 tiles were perfectly square, allowing for much tighter joints, which gives you a much smoother and continuous look. However, this requires much more attention to detail during installation. Any uneven tiles are noticeable. We applied mud to each individual tile to create enough flexibility in the positioning of each piece. Every tile was checked with a level to insure a completely flat surface. A high degree of experience, skill and care are required to install such an expansive surface in this manner, without flaws.
Travertine was also used in the master bath shower, but it was cut to a 9 x 18 dimension and installed with a vertical offset to complement the lower ceiling height. This was a steam shower so it required a water proof membrane over the concrete board. We also pitched the ceiling 2” per foot to avoid condensation drips while in use. Of course, we treated all of the stone with two coats of Dry Treat sealer to protect it from moisture.
  .
Please enjoy the pictures of this beautiful project. We appreciate the Lapeyres allowing us to share their beautiful home with you.
After Remodeling:
The slab material used for the trim, soap dishes and seat is a quartzite that was chosen to complement the mahogany cabinets. It has the look of marble but is as hard as granite. Quartzite was also used on the vanity countertop and the oversized backsplash, which was cut to accommodate the mirrors. The decision to knock out the oversized backsplash allowed the mirrors to be hung lower on the wall and their insertion into the backsplash allowed them to remain frameless and still be well integrated into the design of the bathroom.  The kitchen countertops, island and full backsplash to the cabinets and hood were installed with Giallo Beach granite from Brazil. It has a gold and cream background with soft brown and cream feldspar in a crosscut pattern.
Master Bathroom
Before Remodeling:
       The full backsplash form the 1 ¼” granite slab must be installed on a plumb wall and the veining in the marble must match properly wherever there is a seam. This makes slab selection very important and the cuts must be carefully planned because the splash is one of the primary focal points of the kitchen. The use of the granite for the backsplash kept the lines and surfaces of the kitchen very clean and the pot fillers installed below the hood, besides being very functional, created a nice focal element in the design. The very large island was designed with a single level which maintains the simplicity of design while creating a work space with maximum functional abilities. 
|
YOUR SOURCE FOR UNIQUE AND ENDURING DESIGNS
