Before and after: Revitalizing former best-selling plans

Snout House

Architect
Richard C. Handlen, AIA, LEED AP
EDI International, Inc.
richard.handlen@edi-international.com
415.362.2880
www.edi-international.com

Plan size
Before: 1,870 sf
After: 1,890 sf (plus a 245-sf studio)
Width: 50 feet
Depth: 60 feet

Snout houses are popular with developers because of their ease of construction — a rectangular box for the house with the garage attached out front, like a snout. This configuration frees up the perimeter for windows, topped off by two simple truss shapes. The shortfall of the concept is that the house is set back too far from the street, creating neighborhoods dominated by prominent garage doors. The objective of this study is to keep the economical elements of the footprint, while bringing living space forward and updating the interior to match today’s lifestyles.

BEFORE:
A. The combo foyer/living/dining room was often underutilized, even in its heyday.
B. Family room with corner fireplace and entertainment center; space is difficult to furnish.
C. Secondary eating area and dead-end, U-shaped kitchen
D. Master suite with double doors opening to the side of the bed and the closet in the bathroom
E. Den or bedroom four option
F. Utilities at the rear of the garage
G. Long narrow hall open to master

AFTER:
A. Flex room — formal dining room, parlor, or home office
B. Great room — center of family life
C. Flow-through kitchen with view of wall-mounted flat-screen TV
D. Master suite removed from view with his-and-her closet access from the bedroom and walk-in shower
E. Den or bedroom four option
F. Using a wall-mounted tankless water heater and an attic FAU allows the expansion of the house into the garage space.
G. Studio with optional bathroom. The addition of this element negates the “snout” by bring living space out in front of the garage.
H. The studio and entry gate create a private courtyard with direct access from the house, studio, and garage through optional French or siding doors.
I. Shortened hallway with linen cabinet for visual variety