Doliver Residence

The Doliver Residence sits on a large lot, in a neighborhood where many of its neighbors are wider and generally much larger. The homeowners rejected the “bigger is better” mantra in lieu of designing a home that “lived comfortably.” To do so, it needed to be approachable, relevant to their life, flexible for how their young family was evolving, and like a good backpack, it had to have storage in all the right places. The result is a warm, cozy, traditional home with subtle design choices informed by their contemporary lifestyle. Lightly oiled cabinets, beams, and wood floors, soft teal and aqua colors and inviting furniture reinforce a casual lifestyle while the windows-from-multiple-sides constantly connect the home to its surroundings. A commitment was made to give the family ample mud room storage, for it represents the gateway from which they enter/exit multiple times a day. Dad’s hunting gear, kid’s sports equipment, backpacks, the junk drawer, mom’s crafts, cleaning supplies —they all reside in that room, so the rest of the downstairs can be light filled and clutter free. In addition, subtle cabinets near the fireplace hold AV equipment; a drink station’s tucked next to the refrigerator; Dad’s office over the garage has a hidden access through his closet. All of these are not earthshaking designs. However, in a world of custom homes perceived as “too-contemporary” or so-vanilla-it-hurts track houses, I believe this comfortable, balanced, relaxed custom home will be well received by the AIA Home Tour attendees.