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Pro Spotlight: 3 Tips for Designing a New Single-Family Home
A New York architect shares advice on how to ensure your new home is custom-tailored to you and your location
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Who: Kimberly Peck of kimberly peck architect
Where: Brooklyn, New York
In her own words: “I love helping people transform a space into something they love and enjoy living in.”
Architect Kimberly Peck’s projects have ranged from historic brownstone renovations to large loft buildouts, but she’s especially delighted when she gets the opportunity to build a new house from the ground up. “I love creating a single-family home,” she says. And while every home is unique, Peck says there are some universal design considerations you should keep in mind with any new home.
Where: Brooklyn, New York
In her own words: “I love helping people transform a space into something they love and enjoy living in.”
Architect Kimberly Peck’s projects have ranged from historic brownstone renovations to large loft buildouts, but she’s especially delighted when she gets the opportunity to build a new house from the ground up. “I love creating a single-family home,” she says. And while every home is unique, Peck says there are some universal design considerations you should keep in mind with any new home.
Creative combination. Peck earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering before shifting gears to get a master’s in architecture. “Engineering can be creative, but I wanted something different,” she says. Peck liked structural engineering, so she found architecture to be a good fit. After working with several firms, she opened her own boutique architecture firm in 2004.
The right fit. Peck tells clients that finding both an architect and contractor who understands and shares your aesthetics is essential for a successful outcome. “You want to be sure everyone is aligned with what you want and knows how to achieve that,” she says. She notes that the detailing is different for different styles, such as traditional versus modern, and you want a team that has the expertise you need.
Looking for design advice for your new build? Peck shares some tips below.
Looking for design advice for your new build? Peck shares some tips below.
1. Make the Most of Your Site
Choose a design that plays to the natural qualities of your site, such as the slope, the light and the wind. “You want to create a home that is seamlessly integrated with the environment,” Peck says.
This homeowner came to Peck with the concept of a “tall and skinny home on the top of a small hill” in the Catskill Mountains. “The owner titles it as a ‘modern watchtower,’ ” Peck says. She turned the traditional approach upside down, locating the main living area on the third floor and placing the home’s largest window within that space to capture the best view. A large rooftop deck is also easily accessed from that floor and provides additional stunning views of the landscape.
See more of this project
Choose a design that plays to the natural qualities of your site, such as the slope, the light and the wind. “You want to create a home that is seamlessly integrated with the environment,” Peck says.
This homeowner came to Peck with the concept of a “tall and skinny home on the top of a small hill” in the Catskill Mountains. “The owner titles it as a ‘modern watchtower,’ ” Peck says. She turned the traditional approach upside down, locating the main living area on the third floor and placing the home’s largest window within that space to capture the best view. A large rooftop deck is also easily accessed from that floor and provides additional stunning views of the landscape.
See more of this project
2. Design for How You Live
Create an environment that focuses on your lifestyle. For this North Carolina client, Peck designed a home that made the most of communal space. “It’s conducive to gathering and a spot for the whole family to be together,” she says.
The main floor is the centerpiece of the design, with its sloping two-story ceiling and two-sided fireplace that separates the living room and family room. A 400-square-foot terrace that opens off the kitchen and living room further expands the space. Upstairs, a catwalk runs the length of the home with bedrooms opening off it. “The glass rail helps connect that floor to the space below,” Peck says.
See more of this project
Create an environment that focuses on your lifestyle. For this North Carolina client, Peck designed a home that made the most of communal space. “It’s conducive to gathering and a spot for the whole family to be together,” she says.
The main floor is the centerpiece of the design, with its sloping two-story ceiling and two-sided fireplace that separates the living room and family room. A 400-square-foot terrace that opens off the kitchen and living room further expands the space. Upstairs, a catwalk runs the length of the home with bedrooms opening off it. “The glass rail helps connect that floor to the space below,” Peck says.
See more of this project
3. Maximize Your Interior Space
Pay attention to the flow and circulation of the interior of your home. “You need to make sure every square foot is utilized in the most impactful way,” Peck says.
This Bovina home straddles old and new when it comes to both style and function. The timber frame that defines the perimeter is a transplant of a 19th-century barn originally located in Texas. Peck offset the darker posts and beams of the structure with an interior that has a very modern feel. “The wife is Scandinavian, plus they entertain often, so she wanted something more open,” she says. She also ensured that the home was as energy-efficient as possible to counteract the extremely cold winter temperatures common to the area.
See more of this project
More: For more information on Kimberly Peck and examples of her work, visit her firm’s Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Pay attention to the flow and circulation of the interior of your home. “You need to make sure every square foot is utilized in the most impactful way,” Peck says.
This Bovina home straddles old and new when it comes to both style and function. The timber frame that defines the perimeter is a transplant of a 19th-century barn originally located in Texas. Peck offset the darker posts and beams of the structure with an interior that has a very modern feel. “The wife is Scandinavian, plus they entertain often, so she wanted something more open,” she says. She also ensured that the home was as energy-efficient as possible to counteract the extremely cold winter temperatures common to the area.
See more of this project
More: For more information on Kimberly Peck and examples of her work, visit her firm’s Houzz profile.
This story was written by the Houzz Sponsored Content team.
Kimberly Peck Architect is a boutique architecture firm specializing in residential and hospitality projects.... Read More
Review by Teymour Shahabi:
I've been tremendously lucky to work with Kimberly Peck: I can't recommend her highly enough--and I do so to absolutely everyone I know who's looking for an architect. Kim and I worked together on the...More