We've been waiting to see the roof line. It defines the outlines, massing, the height, and the relationship with neighboring houses. (see a "wall of dread" picture in the P.S.)
There is no getting around the bigness...
...but I think the final shape moderates the bigness. This is a well designed house. Great detailing will emerge as the house nears completion. I believe it will make its neighbors look better.
Here it is in context with it's neighbors, pictures you don't see in real estate listings which always show houses as if they are the only one on the block.
The new house is making the houses on either side look different but surprisingly they don't look smaller. That's not ironclad 100% yummy goodness - I mean- those houses would look better with a garden between them.
It's a skill we don't appreciate: Architect Bob DeFiore can't make today's house look like it's neighbors. Nobody builds houses like it's neighbors any more. But within the constraints and tradeoffs between, owners requirements, costs, loans, and zoning, he controls the masses and roof lines, the details and finishes.
There is a pleasant framing / backdrop effect for the existing houses. Rather than being somewhat indistinguishable from their neighbors. Now they stand alone, framed by bigger houses in different styles, now unique rather than a pea in a pod.
Now the small houses have the deep front yards. It's part illusion, but still a luxury in our neighborhood.
Lot's more to go before this is pretty: wood shingles, clapboard, stone, curvy roofs, arches, columns, balconies, chimneys...
Here is the whole slide show
Thanks,
Terry
P.S. This is a big wall of dread in Ashford Park...
I'm sure they expected to tear down all the existing houses but I'm not crazy about the new ones.