Prarie-Style

Location: Occoquan, VA

This Frank Lloyd Wright inspired home is situated on a lovely five-acre lot steps from the Occoquan Reservoir. With a heavily treed lot and no need to capture specific views, we sited the home with drainage and southern exposure in mind. This helped save money on excavation and allowed us to take advantage of passive solar conditioning. By locating the home relatively close to the properties access road, we also minimized tree removal and the need for a long driveway, endeavors that further reduced costs.

Within the stone and clapboard sided exterior, we were tasked with designing a retirement home so our clients could easily and comfortably age in place. To meet this requirement we designed the home with one-floor living in mind. The kitchen, dining room, living room, laundry room, and master suite are on the main floor, while additional bedrooms and a bathroom are located on the lower level. Even the two-car garage has stair-free access to the main floor.

The low-pitched roof, overhanging eaves, strong horizontal lines, ribbons of windows, prominent central chimney and open floor plan are benchmarks of the Prairie style and were purposefully incorporated in the design. The stone veneer visible on the outside was incorporated for the fireplace and chimney. High ceilings and banks of casement windows flood the interior spaces with light and reinforce the Prairie style. Natural oak floors and trim are true to the aesthetic as well. Even the use of small square tiles throughout the bathroom are repetitions of the square window motif seen from the entrance.

The home hugs the topography and the neutral exterior color and natural stone ensure the home is a compliment the natural setting.