Oakland home gets an update with flare from added shingling

Located on Parkside Drive in Berkeley, this house originally had shingles exclusively on the upper level, and stucco on the lower and main level exterior.  The decision to shingle down to the lower level provided a challenge: how to design a transition to the main level stucco, while incorporating a bay window-level water table, without appearing disjointed?  The answer was the addition of a delicate flare detail, which was extended out to the depth of the water table.  The graceful curve of the shingled surface functions both practically and aesthetically by smoothing the transition between surfaces, and integrating the water table as a design element.

Above: water table and flare detail

The plan was to paint the shingles according to the design of the original house.  However, when the natural shingles were installed they were just too beautiful to paint, so the decision was made to stain them instead.  Keeping the shingles natural was a fantastic decision on the part of the homeowners.