Miller Lane

Miller Lane | Metairie, Louisiana

NEW AWARD WINNING MODERN HOME

This residential project is located in Metairie, Louisiana adjacent to Lake Ponchartrain.  An ever growing earth berm levee is nestled between the home and lake to ensure hurricane storm surge does not affect the property.  Early on in the schematic design phase, we requested a mechanical lift on site to maximize the views from each proposed floor elevation within local zoning ordinances.  The levee did rise in height during the construction phase; however, the views were largely maintained.  

The initial design of the project began with the homeowner’s passion of luxury automobiles relating it to high design and caliber, attention to detail, exceptional quality, and modern sophistication.  In addition, performance, strength, material, technology, and blending interior and exterior environments were critical in the drive of this design.  

The massing for the project is broken into:

• Curved and folded plain in plan which folds at the second floor ceiling to define the main living, dining area, and folds at the third floor roof to define the third floor living space.

• Cantilevered wood second floor mass continued with indoor and outdoor kitchen wood mass.

• Rectilinear solid connecting much of the remaining volumes.  

We began to organize the spaces based on public or private functionality as well as site adjacencies.  In plan, a large curved wall separates the public from the private and thus became a significant design element in the project.  The private family spaces are located on the second floor adjacent to the southern property line.  This allowed for acoustic separation between the public and private spaces.  The larger public spaces are located on floor 1 and 3, which take advantage of the cooler, northern natural light, while optimizing the backyard view and the scenery of Lake Pontchartrain on the third floor.  The Interior color palette is very monotonous accented with off whites, blacks, and fifty shades of grey.  Specialized design highlights include:

• A back lit custom art glass feature in the first floor powder room.

• The stairs are an integral design feature of this modern dwelling.  Cladded walnut stair treads are supported by concealed, floating steel plates.  Threaded metal cables cascade from the double height ceiling down to the edge of the first floor stair treads.  The stairway is lined with sleek, smokey gray glass and decorated with a black, flat plate steel rail.  Each design feature intertwines to create dimensionality, airiness, and transparency.

• The living area double-height windows over looking the pool, outdoor kitchen, and a small putting green in the backyard.  Fleetwood sliding doors are able to open and blur the lines between interior and exterior spaces.

• Custom lighting and metal fabrication of the living area fireplace.

• The penthouse wet bar features a crackle-glass countertop while the adjacent guest bath incorporated a custom smokey glass for the vanity.

• The kitchen island with waterfall edges on both ends contours the angles perimeter of the kitchen while maximizing the guest space for entertaining.

This home was award ‘New Build of the Year’ by New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles magazine in the fall of 2018.