Minimalism in Raleigh
When Philip and Heather returned to Raleigh in September of 2016, they moved to a open-spaced, light-filled modern 1,983 sqft residence in the heart of the downtown area. They had been following The Raleigh Architecture Company's work for over two years, so when they had a job opportunity in the City of Oaks, they decided to give them a call.
The couple had previously ventured into home ownership when they renovated a 1965 townhouse by Charles M. Goodman, part of a modern home community in Reston, Virginia, called Hickory Cluster, a compound of ninety International-style townhomes that were part of massive urban renewal project in Southwest DC that started in the 1950s.
"Having just lived through a renovation we were not excited about buying another existing house and trying to make it our own, we just wanted to build something from the ground up that was perfect," says Heather Samartino.
Vignette of the beautiful minimal living room. Pic by © Keith Isaacs
According to The Raleigh Architecture Company website's description of the project, Philip and Heather's residence "makes the most of its footprint with spaces which are simultaneously private and open. The house form is a reaction to the surrounding neighborhood that is mixed with residential and commercial buildings."
With a great balance of public and private spaces, Philip and Heather enjoy both aspects of the dynamic. In reference to the open one, the couple says, "we love the openness of the house. All the rooms flow together, even from upstairs to downstairs". They add, "the placement of the windows allows for privacy from the busy street in the front while bringing in tons of light in the back."
"We love the openness of the house. All the rooms flow together, even from upstairs to downstairs," says Heather.
Pic by © Keith Isaacs
Divided in two floors, the first one has a garage, half bathroom, office nook, storage closet, and a big main space that faces a secluded backyard. This central area ties together a living room, dining area, and a gorgeous open kitchen that features an almost eight feet uninterrupted island space that the owners say is a dream come true. "We love to cook elaborate meals, and after being in city apartments for years, countertop space was my number one request," says Samartino.
After talking about some of their favorite elements in the interior, they can't help but addressing the exterior, too. "The dark metal standing seam siding is absolutely stunning." The intimate backyard is partially covered, surrounded by grass, and minimal, clean-lined wooden furniture sits on the gray painted deck. A sprinkler system, outdoor lighting and planters are the improvements that they plan on making next Spring.
Heather declares herself a chair lover. "If it was up to me the whole house would just be filled with funky chairs," she says. Some of her favorite sources for mid century inspiration are Adrian Pearsall, Hans Wegner and Milo Baughman. "And of course," she adds, "everything Eames and Saarinen is a visual feast/drool worthy."
View of the great space from the kitchen. Pic by © Keith Isaacs
For quality vintage pieces, they use Chairish and 1stdibs and they recommend Blu Dot, Schoolhouse, CB2 and Electric & Supply Co. for new modern. Their furniture for the new home is a mix of West Elm pieces that they acquired for their previous townhouse and some design Within Reach elements.
The combination creates a beautiful balance, where less is more. It's a harmonious blend of her favorite materials, metal and glass, and wooden ones, his preference. Heather highlights the Scandinavian-style chairs by the sofa, "My mom came across the two mid century wood chairs in our living room at a thrift store for $19! We had new cushions made for them and they fit perfectly into our space."
View of the living room with the vintage and reupholstered wooden chairs. Pic by © Keith Isaacs
Situated in the top ten of America’s 50 best cities to live in by USA TODAY, Raleigh is a vibrant, educated, fast-growing city. "We wanted to be as close to downtown as possible," says Heather. "Raleigh has something going on every weekend, Spring through Fall, and we wanted to be able to walk or ride our bikes downtown for events or dinner out," she concludes.
Exterior of the modern residence in downtown Raleigh. Pic by © Keith Isaacs
Photography: ©Keith Isaacs Photo
Architect: The Raleigh Architecture Company
