Home Fall 13
by Mary Beth Schwartz
The National Association of Realtors recently released their top list of hot home trends for 2013. Homeowners desire smarter, less costly automated controls, outdoor living rooms and screened porches, and amenities for outdoor food preparation—outdoor kitchens, vegetable gardens, and even backyard ponds with organically raised fish. Other popular home traits include themed decorating, multimedia rooms, neutral hues, energy and water efficiency, stylish kitchens and baths, handcrafted artisanal pieces, double-duty furnishings, and green materials. Last but not least, homeowners want scaled back homes and spaces. Here in Bucks County, award-winning builder Richard Zaveta has been setting trends for over 35 years.
President Richard Zaveta of Zaveta Custom Homes, LLC sees a few trends in his client base, covering Bucks County, the Saucon Valley, east over the Delaware River, south to Lower Makefield, west to Gwynedd, and into the Pennington area of New Jersey. The two-story house with a first floor master is still popular. For those who are doing long-term planning and desire a second-story master, residential elevators have become commonplace. Another staple in homes is the generator. “With past storm sets, it is now standard for them to be installed in new construction. We try to merge generators into the landscape so that they are not visually troubling . We can use architecturally interesting enclosures—an eroded wall, a springhouse—so it looks like the generator is not even there,” Zaveta says. For those who have a modest home and want to downsize, a three-design pattern is often done. “We compromise to get the client the house size they need. The days of palatial vault ceiling types are gone. We have several clients that we have had the privilege of building three houses for over 30 years. They want slightly conservative home size with incredibly high quality finish. It is not a monetary downsize, but a space and maintenance downsize,” Zaveta says. Finally, Zaveta has been environmentally conscious before the green revolution. “We have been working with geothermal, interior air quality, environmentally friendly insulations, and more for 20 years.”
According to Zaveta, there are several divisions to the company. There is Zaveta Custom Homes, LLC, builders of handcrafted custom homes. Zaveta Home Services was launched several years ago for Zaveta customers needing service after their home warranties expire. It also is available to non-Zaveta clients in need of sunrooms, additions, renovations—all of the credibility and comprehensiveness that Zaveta offers. Zaveta Millwork Specialties, Inc. is Zaveta’s own millwork division. “We make design, build, and execute things with our own staff. We do not subcontract out. That is very unusual in today’s world. We have our own spray booth so that we can do furniture grade finishes on all of our millwork. Clients can come in and help with design and see the product in production. We can design any of the conventional architectural millwork that is in a home—columns, pediments, libraries, headers, specialty features, even furniture. For instance, we designed a custom dining room table for a client that seats 20 guests,” Zaveta says. Zaveta Excavation has its own excavation equipment for earthwork, custom retaining walls, boulder walls, creating environmentally sensitive encroachment areas. Zaveta Land Development is for the company to maintain a specialized inventory that is held for clients looking to come in and build a Zaveta home. “It is very difficult to find a quality lot in Upper Makefield, Doylestown, Solebury. We do environmentally sensitive development of large land tracts for our communities. They can be up to 150 acres, with five to 10 houses on these large land tracts. We work with open space committees, environmental advisory committees, townships, Heritage Conservancy, and Bucks County Ag. We are preserving farmland and developing,” Zaveta says.
Zaveta employs about 60 people on staff, including a design team, graphic artist, painters, service staff, exterior operations crew, and skilled craftsmen. “Everything is in house. We want to obtain the total comprehensive package for the client,” Zaveta says.
Zaveta recently worked on the renovation of an Upper Bucks County farmhouse. “Our clients purchased this original vintage Bucks County farmhouse that had undergone numerous renovations over the years. While they were thrilled with the lot and much of the interior character, they were compelled to undo the many renovations and redefine an architecturally correct exterior elevation. The process included extensive additions of stone throughout the exterior; hence resulting in pain-staking style, color, and material match to the original. This precipitated blending the reclaimed stone from the demolition portion of the job with new materials as to provide a perfectly blended pattern as to reflect the indigenous stone of the area,” Zaveta says.
According to Zaveta, he has another historic restoration project to tackle—130 acres in Solebury Township. “We will be restoring a home, putting on significant additions, and then reconstructing historically correct barns and outbuildings. It is exciting to be doing the restorations of these original pieces. It allows us to bring back structures that are in jeopardy of being lost forever through deterioration,” Zaveta says.
Another project completed by Zaveta was a residence located in Upper Makefield. “This home starts by its original construction in the late 1800s, which is now amidst 37 acres. Through its ownerships, it received numerous additions and refurbishments. When the Muller family selected this exceptional site as their family’s residence of choice, we were provided with several levels of design criteria,” Zaveta says.
According to Zaveta, the design team had to adhere to the following. One: stick to the original stone, color and layup technique with critical accuracy. Two: the design should respect the original architectural presence, however, the house must lose its second-floor master suite with a new first-floor version to be integrated in both an aesthetically pleasing but functional manner. Three: the house design should provide comfortable spaces for grandchildren and guests, yet maintain a refined presence with a floor plan directed at entertaining family and friends. Four: maintain all of the original character and charm that the property possesses, while updating the consortium of electrical and mechanical devices to today’s current standards; hence, providing energy efficiency, comfort, and ease of use. The challenges of this request speak for themselves, as the house was designed and constructed prior to the invention of indoor plumbing and electricity. A whole-house generator was unequivocally a must-have feature.
A generator of this magnitude is visually imposing predicated on its size requirements. A new ruin was created to conceal this large mechanical device. Lastly, all outdoor pool, patios, and walkways were in need of removal and replacement. Complex and intense stone retaining walls were implemented as to refine the strong-grade transitions while preserving specimen trees and landscaping.
“For our community of Creeks Bend, clients had very specific exterior imagery in mind when they contacted us as to commence the design work for their new home. The key to the project was procuring the perfect home site as to meet their specific needs. Our Creeks Bend community, which provided for 157 acres, out of which we designed ten spectacular conservation-eased home sites, provided the perfect setting as to embark the design process. The challenges associated with the house design were to integrate appropriate space as to facilitate a collector-car garage amidst a classically inspired European architectural style. The goal was to provide for the convenience and ease of access to the auto garage, while not compromising the prominent residence’s strong architectural presence,” Zaveta says.
Another community project completed by Zaveta was at Rockwood Farm. “Our Rockwood Farm community consists of 135 acres, which is comprised of farmlands and natural untimbered forests and streams; as such, we worked diligently as to plan 10 new building sites amidst this unparalleled landscape. Each building site was strategically located with the distinct purpose of resource preservation. For one residence, situated on 50 preserved acres and a seven-acre building envelope, the design had to include the highest grades of traditional building materials, which was painstakingly installed by virtue of traditional craftsmanship and time-honored building techniques. The outdoor living environment, with its gracious stone fireplace and custom fabricated iron rails softened by the mahogany ceiling, provide an exceptional retreat area as to enjoy the visual command over the permanently preserved farmlands and viewscapes.
Each and every detail of this home has been executed to the high standards of our clients; as such, it was a privilege to work under their direction as to administer the complex detail throughout ranging from the imported slate roof through the classic Tuscan wine cellar and sampling area in the lower level,” Zaveta says.
Zaveta’s exquisitely handcrafted homes will be coming to new communities in Doylestown Township and Solebury Township. Sycamore Edge in Doylestown Township is a 50-acre parcel, which will feature eight new homes and a vintage farmhouse on a 22-acre lot. In Solebury Township, there will be eight lots on 66 acres. To contact Zaveta Custom Homes, LLC, call 215-348-0882. Their address is 4030 Skyron Drive, Suite H, Doylestown, PA 18902. Visit them online at www.zaveta.com.
Mary Beth Schwartz is a freelance editor who frequently contributes to regional publications.