Smith Architectural Studio

Oct 2010

This 3500 SF Pasadera custom house is designed for a family who wanted a home that reflected their modern lifestyle. The style is a fusion of contemporary Greek & Mexican architecture with Californian Mediterranean features. The house is oriented to the south east for views and to capture the warmth of the morning sun and minimize the cool northern summer breezes. The house is terraced into the hillside to reduce mass and site dominance and acts as a heat sink to keep the interiors at a constant comfortable temperature. The small windows let in light but reduce heat gain while the large sliding doors allow for an indoor/outdoor lifestyle that is compatible with the moderate Monterey climate. This project qualified for USGBC LEED Silver for its sustainable, environmentally friendly design, materials and technologies, but due to budget contraints the project was not certified. This house was featured on the AIA Monterey Bay Home Tour in Fall 2010

Monterey, CA

Oct 2010

This 1100 SF multi-generational family adobe home and garage was completely restored with some interior remodeling. The bathroom was reconfigured, the kitchen updated and more storage closets were incorporated. An office and laundry room were created within the 800 SF garage along with remodeling the existing guest bedroom and bathroom. The exterior walls were sand blasted and whitewashed to protect them and yet let them breathe. Lime plaster was used on the interior surfaces and walls along with recycled content materials and non-VOC finishes. Baseboard heaters, plumbing fixtures and lighting were replaced with more efficient fixtures. The architect also designed the courtyard gardens and landscaping around the driveway with native and climate zone appropriate plants.

Carmel Valley, CA

Nov 2009

This modern house was originally designed in the mid-70s by local architect, Paul Davis Sr., AIA. The house sat on the market for a few years because no one could figure out how to "Tuscanize" it. The owners that bought it saw its potential even though it was neglected and some rooms needed updating. The existing clerestory windows let in the northern light for additional daylight within the interior rooms and the long southern eaves kept the sun glare to a minimum. The house was completely remodeled, but the the homes distinct 70s modern style was preserved. The freestanding wet bar that divided the sunken living room and the dining room was removed. The entry foyer area and master bedroom suite were reconfigured and the bathrooms and kitchen were updated. An additional garage bay, with an office over, was added, bringing the square footage total to about 4200 SF. Some environmentally friendly measures taken in the deconstruction of the house included that the interior redwood paneling was salvaged by a local cabinet shop and many materials and fixtures were sold off or recycled. Other sustainable features included replacing the windows, doors & insulation, use of high efficiency lighting, plumbing fixtures and radiant floor heating as well as recycled content materials and non-VOC finishes.

Pebble Beach, CA