Architectural Tutorial: Gambrel Roof

gambrel roof

n.

A two-sided roof with a double slope on each side, the lower slope having the steeper pitch.

You've seen it, I'm sure you recognize it, but did you ever know the official name of this type of roof?  This style roof has been used on barns across America and the name itself comes from the Latin word gamba, meaning "horse's hock or leg."  This roof style can also be seen in residential architecture, including Dutch Colonial and Shingle Styles.  Originally, this style was designed to accommodate stacks of hay in countryside barns, and for residential design, it provides the advantages of a sloped roof while maximizing space in the upper level.

Here are a few Visbeen Associates' designs with gambrel roofs...

Westchester

 Wellington

Winthrop

 Gilda's Lakeshore Clubhouse - Conceptual Design

Sunsweet Hill

Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambrel
http://gambrelroofs.com/

Michigan Blue Magazine Summer Issue

Happy Memorial Day.  This holiday unofficially starts the summer for many of us, so we hope you are embracing the new season and enjoying some relaxing time off with family and friends.

Speaking of summer, we are loving the summer issue of Blue Magazine with it's colorful, vintage cover and great articles that bring back a sense of nostalgia.  If you flip the magazine over, you won't be able to miss our ad on the back cover and page through to find our lakestyle cottage, Tupper Camp.

Thank you, Michigan Blue, for another great issue of this delightful magazine we are proud to be a part of!

For ease in viewing these images, click here to visit our website and view full size images.

GR Spring Parade of Homes: Warren

Want to tour a Visbeen Associates' designed residence in the heart of East Grand Rapids?  Come and visit the Warren, another one of our designs featured in the Spring Parade of Homes of Greater Grand Rapids starting tomorrow!  


Building a new home in an old neighborhood can present many challenges for an architect. The Warren design is a beautiful example of an exterior which blends with the surrounding structures, while the floor plan takes advantage of the available space.  


A traditional façade, combining brick, shakes, and wood trim enables the design to fit well in any early 20^th century borough. Copper accents and antique-inspired lanterns solidify the home’s vintage appeal. 


Despite the exterior throwback, the interior of the home offers the latest in amenities and layout. Spacious dining, kitchen and hearth areas open to a comfortable back patio on the main level, while the upstairs offers a luxurious master suite and three guests bedrooms.

Spring Parade of Home hours:
May 25 - June 9
Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays & Memorial Day:   1-9pm
Thursdays:    5-9pm

Built by Insignia Homes

GR Spring Parade of Homes: Pine Valley

Come and visit Pine Valley, another one of our designs featured in the Grand Rapids Spring Parade of Homes, starting this week Friday!  This four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath design helps you recapture the charm of the past.  Packed with modern amenities and custom details, it includes a large living room with fireplace that leads into a nearby casual dining and open kitchen with double stacked custom cabinets, island, and a signature range hood.  Completing the main level is a walk-in pantry and convenient laundry room.  Upstairs you'll find a large master suite with stunning lake views, two additional family bedrooms, a home office and a handy bonus room perfect for crafts. The walk-out lower level incorporates a refreshment bar open to a family room with detailed fireplace, a guest bedroom and bath as well as a billiard's room and 3 stall-boat garage.

Don't miss your opportunity to tour this lakefront jewel (which, by the way, was chosen as one of Cosmopolitan Home Grand Rapids' Editor's picks for the parade)!

Spring Parade of Home hours:
May 25 - June 9
Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays & Memorial Day:   1-9pm
Thursdays:    5-9pm

Built by Tim Schollart Builder, LLC

Big News for Grand Rapids!

Have you been wondering what the old Nextel building on 28th street is being transformed into?  Well, after much speculation, the secret's out!  Today, it was announced that AK Rikk's is the face behind this 28,000 square foot retail gem that Visbeen Associates had the pleasure of designing.  Set to open late this summer, the new location of AK Rikk's will be a full service men's and women's clothing store complete with a men's suit room and tailor shop, women's shoes and handbags shop as well as a section of home goods and furniture from manufacturers like Herman Miller.  In addition, the back portion of the building will have classroom space for a non-profit organization currently in the works that is intended to benefit and support emerging young creatives in the Grand Rapids area.

We are thrilled to be a part of this fantastic new expansion of Grand Rapids' retail skyline.  Here are a few shots from the press conference this morning where this big news was announced, as well as some interior and exterior design renderings done by our very own David Lorenz.  You'll be transported to 5th Avenue as soon as you step inside!

 Awaiting the anticipated news

 The reveal!

 Jim Murray, president of AK Rikk's, outlining the history of AK Rikk's and it's plan for the expansion

 Captive audience of clients, business partners, supporters and press

The future of AK Rikk's

 Exterior rendering

A welcoming entrance to the two-story retail space

Women's salon with a 25 foot TV screen on the wall 

Men's haberdashery

Custom designed and built cabinetry takes display to a new level 

Small home goods and furniture shop 

 Women's shoe and handbag shop

The massive corner window display is complete with a movable stage for dramatic seasonal and featured displays

We are proud to be a member of the team bringing this vision to life:

Developer: NextWork

Architect & Interior Architect: Visbeen Associates, Inc.  

Builder: Lamar Construction Company

Interior Designer: Jeffery Roberts Design

Custom Cabinetry: Benchmark Wood Studio

Consultant: Crites, Tidey & Associates, Inc.

Structural Drafting: Landmark Design Group, PC

Landscaping: MeadowGreen Group

GR Spring Parade of Homes: Domenico

It's spring and you know what that means - it's time for the Parade of Homes!  We have three lovely abodes featured in this year's Greater Grand Rapids Spring Parade sponsored by the HBA, the first of which is the Domenico.  This stunning Infiniti home, designed by Visbeen Associates, melds old and new with ease. Terra cotta rooftops and stone archways shade a spacious veranda, hinting at the flavors of Tuscany. This is no simple stone cottage, however. Extreme attention to detail has produced an old world design with state-of-the-art functionality. 

The main floor of the home fans out from key gathering spaces – the living and dining rooms. The attached kitchen accommodates both chef and guests alike. Adjacent sitting areas are found both inside and on an outdoor covered patio.  

The upper level features a master wing, complete with dual walk-in closets, master bath, and living space. There are three additional bedrooms on this floor. The lower level offers even more living space. Hearth and card table add character to the family room, along with a bar and kitchenette. A guest room and shared bath complete this family villa.

The Domenico will be one of the sites for the Chefs on Parade events on May 31 & June 7, so don't miss out on your opportunity to experience great food and great design at the same time!

Houzz Feature: The Boston Library Light

Check out this Houzz.com ideabook featuring the Boston Library light that's not just for libraries anymore.  It's interesting to see the many ways such a simple element can add pizzazz to a variety of spaces.  Our design, Sunset View can be spotted in this article, too!

New Classics: The Boston Library Light

Houzz- Kitchen Remodel, Bathroom Remodel and More »

Browse Kitchen Products on Houzz- For Example:

Dish Racks · Kitchen Trash Cans · Knives And Chopping Boards · Microwave · Ovens · Oven Mitts And Pot Holders · Pantry · Wine Racks ·

Room Guide: Outdoor Living at it's Best

Spring is here (for the most part) and that means summertime is right around the corner.  People are dusting of their grill tools, cleaning off their decks, washing the patio furniture and getting ready for a new season of adding the outdoors as an expansion of their home living space.  Outdoor living can be overlooked as just an added bonus or a "plus" in a home design only if there is room for it in the budget, but sometimes these spaces are where the most enjoyable time at home is spent with family and friends.

Here are a few fun porches and patios we designed that are sure to bring the party to the out-of-doors...

Nothing foils plans for a summer get-together like bad weather, a scenario we Michiganders know all too well.  Consider retractable screens by companies like Phantom Screens, making the porch more versatile for a variety of weather conditions.

These spacious porches not only offer ideal entertaining and dining space, they also give the rear elevations of these homes charm and interest.

 Complete with a built-in grille, this stone patio has plenty of space for entertaining and enjoying the expansive view of Lake Michigan

You don't have to have hundreds of square feet to create a welcoming space - this quaint screened porch adds miles of charm to Traverse's design.

 Multi-leveled stone patios add beauty and elegance to the exteriors of these designs

This beautiful terraced patio gives a bit of shade from the hot summer sun without completely blocking the rays we wait all winter to enjoy

Turned 45 degrees off the kitchen from a glass vestibule for maximum air circulation, this outdoor room extends residential living space and makes the most of seasonal ambience. The homeowners loved to cook and entertain, so we turned this space into the ultimate screened room and dining experience, a place that allows them to live outside, inside.

Doesn't this outdoor fireplace just make you want to snuggle down in one of the comfy chairs, put up your feet, open a book and enjoy a chilly summer evening in front of a roaring fire?

 This gives a whole new meaning to the term "wrap-around porch"

Cabin Life: Dreams on Paper

Cabin Life magazine featured another one of our designs in their "Dreams on Paper" section of the June issue.  At just over 1,000 square feet, Tupper Camp has grand style in just the right size.

Thanks, Cabin Life!

For ease of reading, click here to view full article on our website.

GR Cosmo Home Magazine: The Domino Effect & Editor's Choice

The Spring/Summer issue of Grand Rapids Cosmopolitan Home Magazine is out and features some of our work.  An oldie but a goodie, one of the homes we originally designed in Ada's Sanctuary neighborhood is featured in the article "The Domino Effect."  This publication also gives a preview of the homes that will be in the Greater Grand Rapids Spring Parade of Homes May 25 - June 8, and one of our three parade homes was chosen as an Editor's Pick must see!

Stay tuned over the next couple weeks as we introduce our three homes in the Greater Grand Rapids Parade of Homes and one home in the Kalamazoo Parade of Homes!

To view the full digital issue of Grand Rapids Cosmopolitan Home Magazine, click here.