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Project posted by Philip Westermann

The Fortune House

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Street view at night
Street view at night
Guest Bath with spa like palette
Guest Bath with spa like palette
Kitchen Island: the heart of the living level
Kitchen Island: the heart of the living level
Living Room Deck: outside space accessible off all main rooms
Living Room Deck: outside space accessible off all main rooms
Living Level: views and light in every direction.
Living Level: views and light in every direction.
Living level: furniture is personal because was the furniture at our deceased mom's Arizona house.
Living level: furniture is personal because was the furniture at our deceased mom's Arizona house.
Kitchen: the angle of the lot works great with the kitchen layout.
Kitchen: the angle of the lot works great with the kitchen layout.
Views to the city add to the interest and one of the main reasons the living level is on the 2nd floor.
Views to the city add to the interest and one of the main reasons the living level is on the 2nd floor.
Master bedroom is cozy and more spacious via pocket doors.
Master bedroom is cozy and more spacious via pocket doors.
Master shower tile makes us feel like we're at a spa.
Master shower tile makes us feel like we're at a spa.
The Sky Deck is a private oasis with amazing nature and city views.
The Sky Deck is a private oasis with amazing nature and city views.
City views at night and looking west affords awesome sunsets.
City views at night and looking west affords awesome sunsets.
The 3rd floor lounge is open to the Sky Deck via retractable glass panels offering great inside-out feel.
The 3rd floor lounge is open to the Sky Deck via retractable glass panels offering great inside-out feel.
The stairs are simple white oak and the window at the end looking at the oak tree make you feel like you're climbing a tree.
The stairs are simple white oak and the window at the end looking at the oak tree make you feel like you're climbing a tree.
Open risers offer light and openness to stairs below, plus more views of the big oak tree.
Open risers offer light and openness to stairs below, plus more views of the big oak tree.

Credits

From Philip Westermann

Though our house is just a few years old, its history is much longer and more interesting than that. The lot is a remnant lot when City of Atlanta bulldozed through blighted intown neighborhoods to build a new freeway in the 1980’s. Neighbors fought the freeway to the end, and what resulted was a parkway with ample green space. But remaining was a triangular-shaped 2,700 SF lot at the dead end of ironically named Fortune Street.
We bought the lot in 2006 from friends who were getting a divorce and needed to sell. We didn’t know much about the lot except we liked the open green space and the potential for city views since on a high elevation. Turns out the lot was zoned for under 1,500 SF and setbacks that made for such a small footprint that would not be a functional home. So the next 2 years we spent the time in numerous neighborhood and city meetings to get the lot rezoned and setback variances approved so that we could build a 2,500 SF house with a functional plan. But now it was 2009 and the recession hit us, so plans for our new house were put on hold.
Fast forward to 2015, and happily our finances are better and the Old 4th Ward neighborhood is better than ever with a ton of new residential, parks, and a new spirit! We had a design back in ’09, but living out West for 5 years and a new attitude meant back to the drawing board. Living West made us appreciate light and airy, a restrained palette, and maximize the outside. We wanted our house to be an oasis and bring the outside in to take advantage of the beautiful greenery and city views. The section parti differs from most, because the bedrooms are on the ground floor and the living level is the second floor, and we did that to maximize views, afford privacy, and be just one floor away from the rooftop terrace. The narrow plan allows for great windows in every room and placed so that the best views are offered. The house is tall, and stairs can be a chore, but the full-height window at the end of the stairs gives straight-on views to a huge oak tree that makes you think you’re climbing a tree. Outside space is key to the design with a private courtyard off the master, a morning coffee balcony off the kitchen, the sun deck off the living room, and the private Zen rooftop deck that’s above the trees and all the neighbors. The restrained finish palette with white walls, white oak floors, and green accent achieved by the green glass tiles and all the green one sees out all the windows. What we love are the Zen moments we created that make our house the oasis we wanted to call home.