Volrath Park is a single level modest sized bungalow or cottage themed home originally intended for a residential urban infill project. With its traditional architectural detailing, small narrow footprint and very adaptable design, it would indeed be an excellent choice for that setting. However, it would also be a great option for many rural situations. The placement and design of the garage makes it highly adaptable to rear entry or side entry situations. Its modest size, simple foundation, basic gable style roof, and overall simple clean lines and features of the design, make Volrath Park one of our more easy and economical homes to build.

The key goals of the design are to create a sense of neighborhood by creating an architectural scale more compatible to a traditional neighborhood setting. This includes an overall smaller size compared to many modern homes, an inviting "neighborly" front porch, the rear placement and de-emphasis of the garage, and in the yard, of course the classic picket fence. Other classic architectural features include the tapered columns at the front porch, more stylized exterior window trim and the use of shingle above plank siding. The use of modern, durable, low maintenance, eco-friendly fiber cement shingles on upper level and fiber cement planking on lower, give a more traditional multi-textured look.

This three-bedroom home is very comfortable at 1,828 square feet, which is in keeping with the architect's goal of creating a highly functional home that was not overly sized. In a more modern fashion, the kitchen is open to a dining and living rooms creating an open entertaining space that also makes the home feel larger than it really is. In keeping with the relatively modest sized footprint, most of the ceilings in the home are intentionally kept at 8 foot high. Any higher would risk making the rooms feel too tall and causing the walls to feel too closed-in. However, scissor trusses are used over part of the livingroom to create a vaulted ceiling, and to let light in from high-place windows at the front of the home. An optional gas fireplace can be used here to visually ground this room.

The overall focus of the interior layout is to make this home very simple and easy to live in. Because it is a single level home, all of the daily major functions are located on the first floor, including the laundry room and the master bedroom. Although the plan includes a full sized, basement that is roughly the same size and shape as the main level, it is left as unfinished storage space. Unfinished basements can, of course, be designed and finished any way you want, or even eliminated altogether if not needed. Generous 36" wide doors are used on most interior and exterior doorways throughout the home, greatly increasing access for those with limited mobility. A concrete ramp has even been pre-designed from garage. This well designed layout means the home is highly functional, not only for now but into the future as well.