Appaloosa

Vivian and Robert were connected to us by a mutual friend. Our first meeting was with Vivian to talk about her dream home, and our conversation centered around the image of a painting by local artist Constance Pappalardo, that Vivian printed out in color to share. She said, “will you please design a house that makes me feel the way this painting makes me feel?.”

The Pappalardo painting was an abstract, featuring ethereal vertical color bands of lavender, shades of grays and greens. The bands varied in size, creating depth and hierarchy. We had never designed a house with such parameters but were up for the challenge! After asking Vivian hundreds of questions to try and figure out what it was about the painting she longed to see translated into architecture, we arrived at a design whose forms varied in size according to function and often separated by large expanses of glass.

Colors and materials on the inside and outside are subdued, which allows the surrounding landscape and Vivian’s gardens to have as strong a presence as the house has. Bedrooms, offices and main spaces surround a south facing courtyard-like space with a reflecting pool that is often enjoyed in the late afternoons and evenings.

Durham Potter built the home and we all remain friends to this day.

Photography by Keith Isaacs Photo.