First impressions matter. A home’s exterior design doesn’t only impact curb appeal. It also impacts how you feel as you approach your own front door…the delight of walking up the front walkway and entering your sanctuary. It’s how welcome your guests feel at the first approach. It’s seeing your style manifested in every detail.
The Bellevue home architecture at Curtis Gelotte’s Ratio House embraces its welcoming role. Stone, water, and wood weave themselves into a Japan-inspired front walkway and garden.
Stone
A paved driveway gives way to a gray brick sidewalk and then to a basalt stepping stone pathway. Green and red foliage bring warmth and contrast to the cool stone tones. While seemingly random in size, each rectangular stone in the walkway to the front door is deeply rooted in proportion and Fibonacci-based ratios. The exterior design serves as a preview to the meticulous proportions used within the home. The great vertically-cut limestone exterior accent wall creates intrigue and motion through the horizontal grain.
Water
Curt and the homeowners weaved front walkway, garden, and water feature into a signature first impression. The basalt stepping stones appear to float on a glistening pond. Granite pebbles at the pond’s floor play with the water and light to create lively sparkles and bring motion to the stone materials.
Wood
Warm wood siding disrupts the cool gray tones and brings the porch’s column and the sides of the garage to life. The front door offers a focal point—a welcoming point—in the exterior design. A spiral of golden rectangles pieced together with a variety of woods makes for a rich, eccentric welcome to the Bellevue home’s architecture. How many golden rectangles do you count within the door?
Ratio House and Luxe
Stone, water, and wood—each unique and elegant on their own—intermingle for a uniquely Japanese flavor in this Bellevue home’s architecture. We’re honored that Ratio House is part of Luxe’s RED Awards. You have a voice in this contest, and we’d love your vote! It’s as simple as giving us a “thumbs up” in the Major Restoration and Renovation category. Vote now.