Grandesignstudio.com

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Getting closer

Posted by lgrodzki on November 11, 2015

Posted in: On the Site. Tagged: architect, architect silver spring maryland 20910 washington dc designer dream house in maryland, contemporary, Grandesignstudio.com, modern house silver spring, Silver Spring. 1 Comment

January 2016 update: As we celebrate New Years Day, we are racing against the weather to finish a number of projects and hoping to be able to get an occupancy permit in the next few weeks. Here is the the house so far. so far

You can see our exciting progress.

Landscaping, finishes, permeable paver driveway, a new retaining wall / planter (ingenious idea from Tad) protecting the grade differential between our house and my Dad’s property, is complete! The cedar trellis on the upper sun deck is in place. The landscaping is complete.

Here are earlier pictures from November 2015: Much still is left to do, but each day brings exciting progress. The wonderful modern wood and glass front door (and separate in-law-suite door) were just installed.

IMG_20151118_093949218_HDR Now the stone masons can come back to complete the front door, planter and walkway to give the front of the house its polished look. The porch and side steps are in and look wonderful and make for a great entry way.

The stone is going up on the front door (that’s one our gifted stonemasons) brought to our site by Andrew Deschler of Classic Craftsmen, our contractor.

front door looking out

laying driveway The driveway is going in, carefully, with layers of gravel and brick. The back yard and all side yard doors are similar in look to the front door. Decking is being put in place. Our current crew, headed by the talented Daniel Bartolo, of Azteca Contractors, stopped for a well-deserved lunch break.

Rear plantings are going in with landscaping plan to continue around the entire house, we are fortunate to use local designer Cathy Carr and our installer is Great American Landscapes.

We are also completing the roof terrace, see below.

Inside, the wood floors are in place and stained but not yet sealed. The transparency of the rooms as they move around the 3-story atrium, filled with glass block, stairs and bridges, show the interior progress.

The architect considers his work.

The kitchen is also in process and we are able to begin to peel back the blue film that covers all the cabinets to see their true colors (grey and yellow).

Skin on the Bones

Posted by lgrodzki on May 25, 2015

Posted in: On the Site. Tagged: architect, architect as contractor, designer contemporary, dryvit, Grandesignstudio.com, kolbe windows, maryland 20910, modern house silver spring, Silver Spring, stone veneer, use of color in house exterior. 4 Comments

304 Ellsworth Drive, the house colors at dusk

From Lynn: It’s been a fascinating month, watching the house come into shape as both the exterior and interior structure gets covered. Drywall is going up very fast inside; exterior stone veneer is in place and dryvit–a form of acrylic plaster– is going up and color is going on. We are now taking over as contractors for the interior and bringing in our subs, so lots of decisions, meetings, phone calls, purchases and coordination. Whew. Its a lot. See the exterior finishes below.

From the front, windows and dryvit finished, but now waiting for the roofcapping to be completed. Stone still in progress, new front door will not be put in place until concrete porch/pad installed.

Back of the house, waiting for the final stone, planters, deck and steps.

Stone veneer on the first floor, applied by master craftsmen.

From Northwest side, view from Stan’s driveway at end of street

Detail of orange panels on northwest side, upper deck missing trellis, railings, decking, planters.

Spring Progress

Posted by lgrodzki on March 31, 2015

Posted in: Framing. Tagged: architect silver spring maryland 20910 washington dc designer dream house in maryland, contemporary architecture in Silver Spring, contemporary new house construction in suburban maryland, Grandesignstudio.com, kolbe windows, MD 20910. 2 Comments

Its been a cold start to the spring in Maryland and work has slowed a bit. Most changes are occurring inside: the rough in of electrical, hvac, plumbing, all geared for close-in. The windows went in this week, see below. Framing is starting to reveal the design, see pictures of the front rooms framed and their CAD renderings right below each picture, showing what it will be like when the drywall goes up. The house is getting a lot of love–the contractor and subs are excited to be working on the project. It is really a unique home in our city. Our Hispanic workers call the house “muy chola” — “very pretty homegirl”.