Page 31 - ArchDC_Spring 2020

Courtesy of Balodemas Architects
Living room before renovation. Note the tall
walls surrounding the stairs.
Living room, with staircase visible in right background.
staircase down to the lower level. The peculiar height of these walls—
neither short enough to read as a parapet nor tall enough to define
distinct rooms—interrupted the visual flow of space and, quite simply,
looked odd. The architects replaced these partitions with a shorter solid
wall running along the dining room side and the narrow end of the
stairwell, plus an open handrail facing the living room. The result is a
less obtrusive room divider—a variation on the clients’ original goal of
introducing a screen wall between the two spaces. The staircase itself
was replaced but remains in the original location.
The architects’ material choices for the renovation also demonstrate
their respect for the existing house. “The materials were originally kind
of cheap on the interior,” conceded Balodemas. “Our goal was to select
new finishes that felt like they could have been from the original period.”
Shahsavarian elaborated: “We wanted people to look at certain things
and ask themselves, ‘Is this original or new?’”
This strategy is evident in the fireplace and surrounding wall in
the living room. Previously sheathed in off-the-shelf, low-grade wood
paneling, it is now covered in richly grained walnut, yielding a much
more elegant take on the original aesthetic. The owners selected the deep
green tile that frames the fireplace, transforming it into a worthy focal
point for the room.
The vibrant green of the fireplace tiles is not the only pop of color
in the renovated interior. A blue linoleum floor complements the wood
cabinetry of the kitchen, while a bank of bright red cabinets at the end of
the long counter extending from the kitchen provides a vivid backdrop
for the circular wood dining table.
To enhance the relationship between interior and exterior, which
they considered the defining aspect of the house, the architects removed
several pairs of narrow, vertical windows along the façade facing the
Stairs to lower level.

A LIGHT TOUCH 29