A Home with a View: Part I

All Photography by Andrew Hyslop

When this homeowner decided to look for her “forever home”, she brought esteemed Louisville architect Emily Paprocki of Rock Paper Hammer along to help. Paprocki’s vision for the potential of houses provided exactly the insight the homeowner had hoped for. They found a home in a beautiful neighborhood on the outskirts of New Albany, Indiana, where the views were some of the best in the area.

This was the home before. The homeowner had a definite vision of what she wanted from the beginning and Paprocki went to work, making that vision a reality.

Paprocki’s design completely changed the look of the home, but did not change the footprint, only added to it. The original house was the smaller portion on the left, with the chimney being the original outer wall. Eventually, a large addition was added. Rock Paper Hammer, in conjunction with Naville Construction, did a complete renovation of both the interior and exterior, along with an addition of a second floor over the garage.

The Door Store and Windows provided all the windows for the home and collaborated with Paprocki to ensure the window sizes and grill patterns would work. There are different types of windows in every room of the house, all perfectly suited for their space. The exterior frames are dark, contrasting the cream shade painted on the exterior brick and wood. Natural wood beams further complement the dark and white elements.

The new windows all marry form with function. Here are some examples of the windows perfectly matching the function of the room.

1. Casement windows in the kitchen, second kitchen, laundry, and bar all push out to maximize air flow. When there are three windows in a series, the center window is fixed and the outer windows push out.

2. Stairwell windows are stair-stepped upwards, following the movement of the stairwell, alternating in size from tall to smaller. This maximizes the natural light from bottom to top.

3. The windows in the back of the house include the spectacular view. Windows in the master bedroom and the downstairs den have an uninterrupted view with large windows with divided lites in the transom above.

4. Lastly, note how the windows fit the size, shape, and aesthetic of the room. The second-floor rooms and bedrooms with dormers have perfectly sized windows in their nooks, creating a huge source of natural light. Also, in the second-floor living space, a narrow horizontal window maximizes light in a limited space.

Results

The homeowners can now raise their family in their dream house, with every element of the home carefully planned to make the best use of the space. Paprocki’s design put a big focus on window size and placement, ensuring there is ample natural light while capitalizing on the property’s beautiful views.

Check Out Part II of this beautiful renovation by CLICKING HERE.