Surround Completes Another Stunning Modern House

We’re pleased to showcase our latest completed project—a 5,000-square-foot single family home that marries the modern aesthetic with the beauty of natural raw materials. Featuring an artistic blend of Kansas limestone, reclaimed Wyoming wood fence, beetle-kill pine, cedar siding, and weathering steel, this contemporary house is one our absolute favorites.

During the five-month design phase, Surround Architecture worked closely with the property owners to create a home that caters to the family’s lifestyle while addressing the unique challenges of the site. The wide and shallow 35,000-square-foot lot had more than 100 mature trees as well as an existing swimming pool. The owners wanted a design that would incorporate the pool, accommodate a bustling family, provide creative studio space, allow areas for private retreat, and preserve as many trees as possible.

To achieve these goals, Surround designed a house that celebrates the progression from public to private spaces, with the kitchen and living wing separated from the bedrooms and art studio. The size and volume of spaces respond to their uses: gathering areas feature spacious vaulted rooms with exposed beams and rafters; intimate spaces are smaller in scale. Subtle level changes allow the design to flow. Throughout the house, numerous windows and exterior doors create a connection between indoors and outdoors and provide ample natural light. The creative mix of stone, wood, concrete, and metal—including many reclaimed materials—creates a beautiful, textured environment for relaxing or entertaining.

The end result is a house that expresses the owners’ personal identity and incorporates natural materials that are aesthetically pleasing and functional. With an eye toward sustainability, the home design is very energy efficient, achieving a HERS rating of 59 at the final testing.

Please visit our website to view more photos of this modern house design (aka Folly Farm).