At last, we are excited to report that the new minimalist modern house at Indian Head Park is substantially complete!
In this case, we helped our client by conceptualizing and clearly communicating a comprehensive design vision inside and out. In effect, this bold design leadership helped give client confidence to proceed forward with community approvals, building permits, and construction.
On Thanksgiving weekend, we were able to stop by for a visit to check-out the latest progress Please check out the story here!
WRTV-6 Home Tour – Deborah and Alan’s favorite elements in their home are the exposed white beams and skylights. This view is from their daughter’s playroom loft. Photo by Laura Olive (WRTV Contributor)
When San Francisco transplants Alan and Deborah Leerkamp decided to lay down roots in the Midwest with young daughter Samuelle, they knew they’d be hard-pressed to find an open-concept home in a neighborhood where the vast majority of homes built in the 20s and 30s have remained untouched. Instead, they focused their efforts on finding a house in the best location: a place close to school and work with a strong sense of community, where they could walk or bike just about anywhere they needed to go.
Just a few miles north of a vibrant, rapidly shifting downtown Indianapolis, IN lies Broad Ripple Village, a walkable community long known for its tree-lined streets and traditional homes with coffee, groceries, breweries, and a great spot to brunch right around the corner. After finding a 1920s Craftsman in the heart of the neighborhood, Deborah, an art director and designer, began planning and sketching an entirely new layout that worked for their family and lifestyle — although you’d never guess such a colorful, open space was behind the front door of the quaint bungalow.
With the help of a local architect, Deborah’s vision for a welcoming, modern home came to life. By opening up the attic, exposing beams, and tearing out walls, she created a unified space that invited conversation and quality time for the close-knit family of three; a lively home where Samuelle would love growing up. The couple added unexpected, playful elements they dreamed of having in their own childhoods: a secret treehouse loft accessed by a rope ladder and a big yellow tube slide from the main level to the basement playroom for Samuelle and her friends (and sometimes adults, too!). The main living quarters consist of the open-concept great room, two bedrooms, bathrooms, and an office that feels proportionate to their family on a daily basis, but their nest can expand when the family needs a little extra space. A creative room with soaring ceilings connects the main house to a private guest loft for visiting family and friends.
The Leerkamps have created a home that is honest, approachable, and so uniquely them — a home that not only serves their needs, but one that brings them true joy. Their home is a reflection of who they are: welcoming, genuine, and warm people who seek a life well-lived. It serves as a reminder to break the rules sometimes, to create homes that truly represent who we are and make us smile when we open the door after a long day. —Kate
Design Sponge – Vibrant Playful Home Creative Family Indianapolis – Kate Oliver
A door is just an entry to another space, right? Not in these projects, where the passage into another room is an experience in itself.
These homes have converted regular doors into art pieces. Take a peek inside to see how you might use a flea market find, a family heirloom or a souvenir from foreign lands.
Old Wood, New Look
If you can’t find an antique door you like, you can always recycle wood to replicate the same aesthetic.
A carpenter was going to fabricate the doors for this bathroom, but the client found a vendor who reworks reclaimed barn wood into doors for about $250 to $300 per door. It gives a nice texture and warmth to the modern bathroom, says Christopher Short, principal architect at HAUS | Architecture For Modern Lifestyles. They were installed with inexpensive barn door hardware.
If there is old paint on the doors, people may want to consider sealing them with a satin finish to maintain their rustic quality, Short says.
“Using old doors is a great way to recycle while maintaining character of an original historic space, even if they were not originally part of that same structure,” he says.
