2021 | Avon Road Residence | Durham, NC
We designed this house as a culmination of our clients’ needs and their site overlooking the golf course in the historic Hope Valley neighborhood of Durham. Our clients desired a house to fit their indoor-outdoor lifestyle with room to entertain, while also affording privacy and comfort.
The driveway circle flows into a bright entry gallery that spans the length of the north façade, displaying our client’s curated art collection and provides circulation throughout the house. The kitchen, living and dining rooms open through the gallery portal that contain expansive ceilings and is oriented around a fireplace. The open areas flow out to the terrace with views of the golf course and beyond. We designed an intimate keeping room, adjacent to the kitchen, that gives the clients privacy and comfort while still providing views and natural light. Two private wings flank both sides of the public living area, connected by the gallery. To the west, a secondary bedroom, primary suite and private courtyard are connected by a compressed hallway, which leads to the cantilevered office that provides views to both the terrace and to the golf course. To the east, a secondary bedroom and mudroom lead to the breezeway that connects the house with the garage. The main terrace along the southern façade features a linear pool, outdoor fireplace and cooking area for enjoying the views and outdoor living under the tall native pine trees.
The one-story house is clad in brick that is painted to respect the context of the surrounding neighborhood, broken up by a rhythm of stucco between openings. Deep overhangs are provided along the exterior of the house to not only provide shading, but also to be used as an organizational tool for the fenestrations. The interior utilizes a simple palette of timber flooring, white paint and marble. Betsy Brown’s interior design allow for the client’s furniture and artwork to truly become expressed in their space.
Photography by Keith Isaacs