Hawaiian Plantation Style Homes

I've recently gotten into the Hawaiian Plantation Style architecture and interior design. If you're not familiar with it, it's basically the style of houses that were built in Hawaii during the sugarcane and pineapple plantation times. The main features of this architecture style are the wide-hipped roofs and large front porches. This style is known to seemlessly blend the house with the surrounding environment, which is definitely something that I really like. I'm all about that indoor-outdoor integration design. A lot of the interior design elements also evoke this bright, airy, relaxed feel that just blends naturally with the nature. To me, that's what a home is supposed to be. It's supposed to be a comfortable space where you can sit back and relax.

A typical Hawaiian Plantation Style home

Another example of the Hawaiian Plantation Style architecture is the Westin Moana Surfrider Hotel in Waikiki. I've always been impressed by the architecture of this hotel. The interior floors are mostly dark hardwood floors with white walls, which is quintessential Hawaiian Plantation style.

Modern House Design on a Narrow Lot

I often find myself reading other blogs about modern homes in Vancouver, BC. A lot of the modern houses there are built in tune with the nature surrounding it, and are usually designed to have soft, natural tones to complement the environment. That is something that I always strive for in designing a house, and I decided to make my own. Realistically, most lots in Vancouver are about 33 x 122 of size. So it is a pretty narrow lot, and to be honest, it's a bit of a challenge to design a modern, bright, airy house while also incorporating elements of nature on a lot like that. After a lot of brainstorming, I came up with a design that is both modern and space efficient. I also added a semi-courtyard in the middle of the house to give it an outdoor living vibe and to incorporate the nature into the design of the house. 

As you can see on the drawing of the floor plan, A is where the courtyard would be. The living room (C) and the dining room (D) would benefit from this courtyard. The narrow hallway next to the stairs would also be bright and airy since it will have a large window overlooking the courtyard. I decided to make the kitchen (B) very big because for me, it's one of the most important rooms in the house and I love to cook, so a lot of counter space is always a plus. On the second floor, you can see that there are 3 bedrooms. The master bedroom (F) and another small bedroom can benefit from the courtyard too. The second bedroom (E) and the small bedroom are separated from the master by the courtyard to give a sense of privacy. As you can see, the house is plotted on a narrow lot, and it wasn't easy to come up with the perfect design for a modern house. But I think for the lot size, the house is very bright, airy, and is very well-incorporated with the nature.

Modern 2-bedroom Condominium Unit

Walking through the streets of downtown Montreal and Vancouver, I noticed the large amount of condos that are already and are currently being built. I have always been a person who wanted a typical 2-story house with a garden and a garage. However, when I visited my friend's condo, I was just so impressed by the quality of design and the different feeling of comfort that a modern condominium has that a house doesn't. I don't know if it's the floor to ceiling clean glass windows or the amazing views you get from every room. On the other hand, a lot of condos out there have a very generic layout. It inspired me to design a unit that has a layout a little bit different from most.

Victorian House

On a trip to San Francisco last year, I was completely overwhelmed by the beautiful scenery and architecture that the city has to offer. The city was filled with Spanish style villas, Mediterranean houses, modern houses. But the most prominent architectural style in San Francisco is that of Victorian houses. Here are a couple of picture that we took of the houses that inspired me to do my next AutoCAD project.

 

 

The house on the left is located in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood, located a couple of blocks south from the hippie-friendly Haight Street. The house on the right is located in Pacific Heights, one of the most affluent neighborhoods in San Francisco. Taking a walk in this city is like taking a walk in an architecture museum, with every house showing different details and designs. What I love the most about these houses is that they are the complete opposite of the modern house designs these days that concentrate on being minimalistic and simple. Victorian houses are filled with moldings, patterns, colors, and many other things that make each home unique. Drawing these kinds of houses on AutoCAD is not the easiest task, as there are many details to pay attention to. Here is the front view of a Victorian house I designed on AutoCAD, inspired by the ones in San Francisco.

 





Modern/traditional Design

While browsing for some inspiration for my next drafting project, I came across a picture of this house in Perth, Australia. 

It is obviously a house with a modern style. However, if you look closely at some of the elements of this house, there are hints of traditional design integrated to it. The hipped roof makes it reminiscent of a traditional house. The use of wood in garage and entrance doors also give the house some kind of warmth that modern homes don't usually show. The overall design of this house is kind of a mix between a modern contemporary house with a traditional balinese villa. The look of this home inspired me to draw using AutoCAD what I think the interior plan would look like.

Contemporary Hideaway

The concept of this house is inspired by my trip to Vancouver, BC. I visited the West Point Grey neighborhood, where beautiful modern houses were built on a hill adjacent to the ocean and the beach. These houses were mostly square and rectangular-shaped, with big windows and surrounded by bushy lush trees. It was a great mix of modern design and nature, something for which I think Vancouver is widely known for. I also appreciate the idea that one can live in such a beautiful natural setting with high level of privacy in the middle of a bustling city.

The layout of a house is the single most important aesthetic element to pay attention to when designing a house. Flooring and wall colors, you can change easily. But changing the layout and knocking down walls can be very costly. I wanted to create an open space without being too bland or boring. I find that when the kitchen, living room, and dining room are all placed in one big open room, it can get very bland and boring. So I decided to give the main living area an L shape, which would provide the living room a little separation from the kitchen and dining room.

The big room that contains the kitchen and dining room is designed to have two-story ceilings and windows. The windows on the left side of the room are also designed to function as sliding doors, which can be opened during the summer time, providing an option to bring the exterior world in. Of course, this house is designed to be built in a place like West Point Grey, Vancouver, where the views and surrounding nature are stunning.