Camp Bluebird

For the past few months we have been designing and planning our newest project, a custom home on the corner of Whitney and Bluebird Street. We previously called this endeavor a Spec House, but the phrase never sat well with us. We had no intention of crafting something boring and basic to appeal to the widest group of buyers. Instead, we decided to formulate a story and lifestyle for our future owners, and planned to design and build a character-filled home to suit them.

Location
Despite Fredericksburg being a small town that one can traverse in 10-15 minutes, location still plays a significant role in real estate value. Certain areas have a vibe, and having lived here most of our lives, we have a strong pulse for what that is. Our site sits five blocks from our town’s Main Street (about a 10 minute walk to shops and restaurants). The neighborhood is old and quiet, with very little new development. Nearby expanses of open land provide rural character to the town lot. Directly next door, is the Fredericksburg Herb Garden, established in the 80s and recently revitalized. It is a garden-filled campus that houses a restaurant, gift shop, spa, and guesthouses. A buyer who values the convenient access to this quality business plays into the story and lifestyle we’ve defined. 

Pluck Architecture
Because we are building entirely new from the ground up, we know we need to work with an architect in order to produce the quality of home we envision. Without second thought, we asked Harmony from Pluck (the architectural talent behind our coworking build) to take on the project. I came across Harmony’s work back in 2018 on instagram. In the sea of design sameness we have swimmed in since the rise of social media, her work stands out in stark contrast. I’ve observed there are two ways designers approach custom client work. They either develop an ultra-specific style that they continue to recycle and people come to them for exactly that. Or there are those who possess such a strong understanding of design principles in general that they are able to work in different styles and meet the varied needs of each of their clients. These types of designers still have a strong point of view, but the results are nuanced. They apply the same principles without repeating the same solution over and over again. Pluck’s portfolio clearly falls into the latter category. Not only does that make the work more exciting, but it also signals a willingness to collaborate, which is very important to us.

When we turned to the Pluck team to initiate this second project we had specific programming in mind, but were somewhat open to the style of the architecture. Like our coworking project, we wanted something that simultaneously belonged to the area, while still feeling fresh. After some thought and research, they came back to us with the concept of Camp Architecture.

Camp Architecture
Camp Architecture references a style born in the late 19th century when wealthy city dwellers began building country vacation homes in the Adirondacks. As an escape from their homes in the concrete jungle, the owners desired houses that capitalized on scenic views and natural materials while also providing sheltered outdoor living spaces. From an aesthetic perspective, we loved the Camp Architecture concept. Additionally, it felt appropriate to our rural town that also serves as an escape for city residents looking for a second home or a full-on transition to the small-town lifestyle. 

The camp style lends itself to unique fenestration (a fancy word we learned from Pluck), which became a focal point of the project when we received the opportunity to partner with Pella Windows. During our visit to Pella last Fall, their team challenged us to prioritize window placement and design during our planning process. The Pluck team rose to the challenge and our custom home incorporates exciting features such as dutch doors, clerestory windows, and a fixed circle window that provides natural light for our masterbath sauna.

Building new means so many possibilities which is why it’s essential to define boundaries by way of storytelling. The concept of “story” is thrown around so often these days and though I theoretically understand it, it’s been a learning curve on how to actually put it into practice throughout the design process. Pluck cleverly dubbed our project Camp Bluebird. Our story now has a title and a very exciting thread to pull.

If you’re curious about the design inspiration for Camp Bluebird, you can check out my pinterest board.