Warm Modern

When our client first brought us to this stunning property, it was evident we needed to do away with the dark and dated existing structure and design a new home that would truly embrace the 180-degree view of the James River—and feel like a family retreat. Our client was open to the notion of a more modern house but wanted our final plan to promise an easy flow for entertaining and plenty of warm elements to soften the more contemporary ones.

 To balance the expansive glass used on the exterior, we employed many textural materials such as blue stone pavers, soft gray limestone, Virginia soapstone, and white oak, threading them all together with industrial steel. The color palette was borrowed from nature, with a goal of adding to—rather than distracting from—the natural world outside. The result is a warm take on modern architecture, a light-filled home that boasts two separate wings: a public one, featuring the most-lived-in spaces, and a private one, with serene bedrooms and spacious baths. What unites them all is the abundance of natural light and the mesmerizing view.