Houzz Tour: An Industrial-Style Home With a ‘Motorcycle Cafe’
This Vermont home covered in corrugated metal has warm wood accents and a converted garage made for entertaining
The converted garage, which the homeowners refer to as a “motorcycle cafe,” is the couple’s favorite spot in the renovated home. They decided to park in the driveway instead of in the garage to free up this entertaining space.
The theme is an ode to the couple’s love of bicycles and motorcycles. To make the space functional, the architects insulated the ceiling (the space is below a bedroom) and interior walls, installed plumbing, replaced the existing window with a larger double-unit and added a glass-and-aluminum overhead door.
The floors are original concrete, which was sealed and polished. A wet bar toward the back remains stocked with craft beer and coffee, and the comfy seating encourages neighbors who may be walking by to linger.
The theme is an ode to the couple’s love of bicycles and motorcycles. To make the space functional, the architects insulated the ceiling (the space is below a bedroom) and interior walls, installed plumbing, replaced the existing window with a larger double-unit and added a glass-and-aluminum overhead door.
The floors are original concrete, which was sealed and polished. A wet bar toward the back remains stocked with craft beer and coffee, and the comfy seating encourages neighbors who may be walking by to linger.
The architects upgraded the existing walls with spray foam and rigid insulation inside and installed galvanized corrugated metal and Industrial-Metro siding outside. They added locally harvested and milled rough-sawn hemlock (a softwood material known for its strength and durability) to the porch and decks to soften the look.
Downstairs, Davis and Brown knocked down interior walls to create an open layout. Large triple-glazed windows throughout the house bring in tons of sunshine and allow views of the wooded surroundings no matter where you are in the house.
For the flooring, the team gravitated toward a lighter wood to balance the industrial, lofty edginess. The planks are locally harvested and milled maple.
The walls are a classic stark white to amplify the flow of light and visually tie the spaces together. “This is especially important in open floor plans,” Davis says. Inspired by the family’s world travels, pops of red and turquoise play throughout the design.
For the flooring, the team gravitated toward a lighter wood to balance the industrial, lofty edginess. The planks are locally harvested and milled maple.
The walls are a classic stark white to amplify the flow of light and visually tie the spaces together. “This is especially important in open floor plans,” Davis says. Inspired by the family’s world travels, pops of red and turquoise play throughout the design.
Parallel strand lumber beams and black steel beams are a structural necessity that also help define spaces on the first floor — entry, kitchen, dining, living room.
The designers chose to skip installing pendant lights over the island to “keep the space visually simple,” Davis says.
The designers chose to skip installing pendant lights over the island to “keep the space visually simple,” Davis says.
Baltic birch plywood cabinets enhance the brightness and play nicely with the maple floors and exposed PSL beams. The countertops are Corian.
Open shelves support the lofty design and allow the homeowners to show off their colorful bowls and dishware.
Open shelves support the lofty design and allow the homeowners to show off their colorful bowls and dishware.
A step made from a salvaged beam leads down to the family room, which the homeowners can close off with a sliding barn door as needed.
Large windows in every room flood the spaces with natural light and enhance the indoor-outdoor design.
The master bathroom features a soaking tub.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple that loves to travel, and their small son
Location: South Burlington, Vermont
Size: 2,290 square feet (212.7 square meters); three bedrooms, two bathrooms
Architects: Lauren Davis and Chris Brown of Brown + Davis Design; Contractor: Conner & Buck
When a Brooklyn couple decided to plant roots in Vermont, they were drawn to South Burlington’s eclectic Queen City Park neighborhood. There they bought what was a former summer home built in the 1970s and set about transforming it into a more modern-day home with lots of windows that bring in natural light and views of Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks.
Zoning restrictions prevented architects Lauren Davis and Chris Brown from building onto the front or sides of the original house, so they added a 12-by-16-foot addition to the back to expand the living space. They also knocked down some walls on the first floor to make the space look and feel loftier. Upstairs they built on the existing second-floor framing and replaced the pitched roof to make better use of the space, which still includes three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a laundry area. They transformed the garage, to the right of the front door, into a gathering space for the family and guests.