FORESTBURG HOUSE
This tiny house appears taller than any two-story house of its size,
demonstrating once again that quality, not size, is what counts in a good
house. The house is composed as four parts. Since the house itself is so
small to begin with -- only 20 by 25 feet -- the even smaller quarters
within it produce tower-like masses. Its tall and slender proportions not
only fit the castle imagery sought by the clients; they also compliment the
towering pine trees that surround the house. Set on barely more than an
acre, this little sanctuary is completely hidden from view.
Inside, verticality is celebrated with the towering space of the stair
hall. In such a tiny dwelling, it may seem odd to dedicate more than a
minimum volume of space to the stairs. Yet life in a house is as much about
moving around it as it is about reclining within. To the outside, the
majesty of the stair hall is evident with its tall nearly windowless walls,
the castle stair tower. In contrast, the diagonally opposite corner of the
house has an almost all-glass quadrant. Positioned to overlook the running
brook on the property, the house lets all the senses of water permeate the
spaces within.
The dining area room is on the first floor and the reading/writing room on
the second floor. Not all spaces in a house need be defined by
transparency. These woods can get cold, so a cozy spot is often
appreciated. The neighboring section to the sunny quarter is the snug
quarter. On the first floor is the living room with its monumental
fireplace and on the second the sleeping room. The last quadrant is saved
for the service needs, the kitchen, and the bath.
With so few rooms, this is obviously a bachelor's pad, but a house
designed for a particular purpose can be especially sensible when it is so
small. That is also what is so picturesque about it all: It is a house for
one person and only that person.
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