Any architect or designer can tell you they’re often asked what their dream home would look like. David Bailey, Principal Architect at HASTINGS, could never answer that question — not because of a lack of inspiration, but because of a firm belief that location guides a successful design.
“I can’t start thinking about what I would build until I know where it is. My work is driven by the unique site and context, as well as sustainability,” explains David.
When David renovated his previous Nashville home, a 1910 foursquare in Belmont, he made a modern home work within the structure of a Victorian frame. But he longed to design from the ground up, stylistically unhindered.
In 2014, a green space caught his eye in Green Hills, and when he found out the lot belonged to a neighbor, he dropped a hopeful note in the mailbox. The lines of conversation opened and David bought the property, which would become the site for today’s featured home — Sycamore House.
Bridging Memories with Landscape
Part of David’s story included revisiting his childhood. Towering sycamore trees on the property transported him to his days growing up in East Tennessee. “I spent a lot of time climbing sycamore trees, exploring creeks and all those things, so there was a real visceral connection from the trees to the house,” he says. Not only did the trees inspire the name, but the shedding of the sycamore bark inspired the brick selection, which has a mottled appearance and handcrafted texture.
The natural landscape of the region further inspired the home’s design. “The limestone bluffs in Middle Tennessee led to the exploration of exterior materials, linearity, stacking volumes, and carving out corners,” explains David. His goal was for the house to adapt and react to the site and surroundings, with the sycamore trees as the anchor.
In designing the exterior, David focused on connecting the indoors and out. He introduced light and created transparency and visibility throughout the space, considering how the sun travels in the sky throughout the year, which informed window placement, how spaces are shaded, and how rooms are oriented.
David cleverly placed the two-story portion of the home directly behind the extensive tree line, giving it privacy without sacrificing its connection to the outside. David says, “We elevated the house a bit to raise the living room a few feet and give it enough separation from street level. There’s privacy even with all the glass, and it reorients the front yard to the street.”
As the property came to life, David began to envision it as a long-haul house — a new experience compared to previous homes. “As the design emerged, and we got more familiar with the house and neighborhood, we realized we’re not moving again,” he tells us. “We’re going to be here for a long time. That influenced how we thought about the design, materials, and the finishes.”
Sustainability in Design
Beyond the design goals of creating a modern house with a light, welcoming, liveable feel, David also prioritized sustainability. At Sycamore House, he used a white membrane roof that reflects the sun’s heat for better thermal energy and performance. The house also collects 100% of rainwater that hits the roof, which results in 10,000 gallons of water annually, which is used for all irrigation throughout the year.
“All of our heating and cooling is on geothermal systems based on nine 350-foot deep wells. We don’t use any gas for water heating and cooking in the house, water is on geothermal as well,” explains David.
Additionally, there are solar panels on the high roof and mid-level roof. David says, “These are the perfect orientation of Southern exposure, which is the best angle to have optimized sunlight, yet they’re hidden from street view.” Eventually, there will be a living green roof as well.
Focusing on sustainability was even more critical when designing the house’s interior since the selections are more likely to change over time. Claudia Lofton, Director of Interiors at HASTINGS, explains that they used FSC-certified wood, LED dimmable lights, and materials with a low chemical content, yet they did so in a way that still achieved the right palette and desired tactile and aesthetic characteristics.
Creating Modern Consistency
Throughout the home, the warmth of the wood is apparent. There’s an art, however, to using wood in a way that feels modern and sleek. “We only have three woods or species within the overall design. The exterior is teak, which has excellent weathering properties. It also connects to the tones of sycamore trees and ties to the gray brick,” explains David.
Within the house, all interior floors are white oak. All of the cabinetry, interior window frames, and walls are walnut.
“You walk into the foyer to see the 16-foot ceilings. There, wood is defining a few different volumes — one is the volume between the foyer and living room. The walnut reaches up to the second story in volumetric response that ties everything together,” explains David.
To get the striking look with the walnut veneer, he worked with a source out of Dallas. Each piece was mapped to achieve a careful choreography of grain and movement.
Finishing with Furnishings
Because there was a midcentury ranch on the site before the project kicked off, the team wanted to give a nod to that in the furnishing selections. “What’s so attractive to architects and designers about midcentury is the warmth — you have these modern, sleek structures, but there’s still a warmth to it,” says Claudia. “The Baileys, as a family, are warm and inviting people, so we wanted to make sure that was reflected through the space.”
She worked closely with the Bailey family to choose pieces that added to the style without distracting from the architectural elements. “There are lots of plush, inviting places to sit throughout the space, and those are balanced with midcentury angles in the furniture,” she explains.
While a certain themes are apparent throughout the home, the designers employed contrast to add interest to the space. “There is visual contrast with the textures — leather mixed with soft rugs laid on top of the oak floors,” says Claudia. “There is the contrast between light and dark finishes.”
In a home that tells a story about memories of home and present place, inside and out, sleek modernism and warmth, it’s the balance and contrasts that define it. This space is formidable from the exterior, yet the interior is full of light and connection with the lush greenery outside. Beneath the sycamore trees, David has created a home.
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