Comentarios
|
Allegretti Architects, Inc.
|
Contenido patrocinado
Pro Spotlight: Build a Home That Embraces the Environment
Surround yourself with nature’s beauty using these tips from a St. Joseph architect
Contenido patrocinado
Who: John Allegretti of Allegretti Architects
Where: St. Joseph, Michigan
In his own words: “Nature should be the first thing on your list, not the last budget item you leave for landscaping.”
When you’re building a new home or starting a remodeling project, bigger doesn’t always mean better. This is especially true when it comes to optimizing your home to appreciate its surroundings. “Most homeowners want a larger home than they need or can reasonably afford,” says John Allegretti, principal architect of Allegretti Architects in St. Joseph. “Instead of just thinking about size, find a site that provides shelter appropriate to your needs, gets lots of sunlight and is harmonious with your lifestyle.”
Where: St. Joseph, Michigan
In his own words: “Nature should be the first thing on your list, not the last budget item you leave for landscaping.”
When you’re building a new home or starting a remodeling project, bigger doesn’t always mean better. This is especially true when it comes to optimizing your home to appreciate its surroundings. “Most homeowners want a larger home than they need or can reasonably afford,” says John Allegretti, principal architect of Allegretti Architects in St. Joseph. “Instead of just thinking about size, find a site that provides shelter appropriate to your needs, gets lots of sunlight and is harmonious with your lifestyle.”
Simple and sustainable. Allegretti was introduced to architecture by his father, who owned his own firm. “The first thing I realized was that I was really good at visualizing things and seeing how things fit into a space,” Allegretti says.
After he was done with school, Allegretti traveled to Samoa with the Peace Corps to help with public works projects. “I loved seeing how people can live on very little,” he says. “There’s a lot of stuff we don’t need in our world, and that gave me an eye for simple and sustainable design.”
After he was done with school, Allegretti traveled to Samoa with the Peace Corps to help with public works projects. “I loved seeing how people can live on very little,” he says. “There’s a lot of stuff we don’t need in our world, and that gave me an eye for simple and sustainable design.”
A dreamer at heart. Spending years in Samoa learning to live with nature has influenced Allegretti’s design style and business approach. “If you’re going to be an architect, you have to be a dreamer,” he says. “You have to be romantic. You can’t think of it as a business, because we are helping people fulfill their dreams.”
Ready to get closer to nature? Read Allegretti’s tips below for getting a home that embraces its surroundings.
Ready to get closer to nature? Read Allegretti’s tips below for getting a home that embraces its surroundings.
1. Blur the Lines
Indoor and outdoor spaces don’t have to be strictly defined; you can have the best of both worlds. For this house in Grand Haven, the team built a screened porch at the end of the living space (seen on the right side of this photo). “When the owners open the doors to the porch, they increase the size of the living room by 25 percent,” Allegretti says. “Because it’s screened, it still feels like you’re inside, but if you’re sitting indoors, the space just dematerializes into the exterior.”
See more of this project
Indoor and outdoor spaces don’t have to be strictly defined; you can have the best of both worlds. For this house in Grand Haven, the team built a screened porch at the end of the living space (seen on the right side of this photo). “When the owners open the doors to the porch, they increase the size of the living room by 25 percent,” Allegretti says. “Because it’s screened, it still feels like you’re inside, but if you’re sitting indoors, the space just dematerializes into the exterior.”
See more of this project
2. Maximize Your Views
Having one large building on a lot might mean lots of indoor space, but it could limit your variety of views. Rather than tear down this 1920s home in Union Pier and build a larger residence on the lot, Allegretti Architects renovated the main house and built a guesthouse connected by a long, two-story walkway.
“We wanted to break up the space into functional areas, but it also allows for different views from each section,” Allegretti says. “You get a different view of the pool and lake from the main house, another view from the guesthouse and another one from the top of the mezzanine. You’re always viewing things in a new kind of way.”
See more of this project
Having one large building on a lot might mean lots of indoor space, but it could limit your variety of views. Rather than tear down this 1920s home in Union Pier and build a larger residence on the lot, Allegretti Architects renovated the main house and built a guesthouse connected by a long, two-story walkway.
“We wanted to break up the space into functional areas, but it also allows for different views from each section,” Allegretti says. “You get a different view of the pool and lake from the main house, another view from the guesthouse and another one from the top of the mezzanine. You’re always viewing things in a new kind of way.”
See more of this project
3. Give Yourself Options
If you’re building a home in the thick of nature, be sure to take into account how the landscape (and land itself) may change. This home in Covert was built on the edge of the sand dunes on Lake Michigan, which are always shifting and can erode over time. “We built the whole house with a steel frame structure and put lifting points in the roof with hooks so we could detach it from the foundation and move it if necessary,” Allegretti says. “The owners wanted it there, so that’s how we rationalized doing it.”
See more of this project
More: For more information on John Allegretti and examples of his work, visit Allegretti Architects’ Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
If you’re building a home in the thick of nature, be sure to take into account how the landscape (and land itself) may change. This home in Covert was built on the edge of the sand dunes on Lake Michigan, which are always shifting and can erode over time. “We built the whole house with a steel frame structure and put lifting points in the roof with hooks so we could detach it from the foundation and move it if necessary,” Allegretti says. “The owners wanted it there, so that’s how we rationalized doing it.”
See more of this project
More: For more information on John Allegretti and examples of his work, visit Allegretti Architects’ Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Allegretti Architects is an architectural and planning firm founded on the principals of service, sustainability... Leer más
Valoración de CGF:
Creative solutions to challenging problems. This is the advantage of working with Allegretti's team. We purchased a unique lot in a critical dune on Lake Michigan. Several architectural firms were ske...Más
Valoración de marciaweston:
Not only is this firm "award winning" with an excellent reputation, John Allegretti is personable and easy to work with. We are currently working with him on a home addition and we appreciate his und...Más
Valoración de Usuario de Houzz-626436856:
Results were stunning and exceeded our expectations! Easy to work with and always very fast and responsive, too. Highly recommended!