Bayshore Home, Orange Beach Bob Chatham Architectural Designer

Susan and Danny Grant of Orange Beach decided it was time to tear down their Bayou Saint John home and build a home that more closely fit their needs. The

 turned to highly regarded architectural designer Bob Chatham from Bob Chatham Custom Home Design. Chatham is a second-generation custom home designer who specializes in waterfront homes and timeless architectural styles. Chatham arranged a consultation in which the Grants talked, and he listened. He reviewed the site survey, considered the unique lot shape, and worked to maximize the views from all areas of the home. Susan Grant noted, “The lot is an odd, pie-shaped property, and Bob did a wonderful job designing the home to fit. We wanted the living area to have a view of the infinity edge of the pool and the water beyond without the boathouse obstructing the line of sight.”

As the Grants described their vision, Chatham sketched. The plan evolved into an open-concept home on a single level with twelve-foot ceilings throughout the living area and gorgeous water views from every vantage point. Chatham’s sketch featured an expansive porch off the living area that flows seamlessly to the raised deck, the infinity pool, and beyond to Bayou Saint John. The pool design, which is above ground but level with the deck, takes into consideration the flood zone while enhancing the dramatic view of the home from the water. After finalizing the basic floor plan, Chatham turned his focus to the exterior of the home and sketched an elevation incorporating the Grants’ style and materials preferences. Chatham called upon his senior designer, Kathy Heard, to create full architectural drawings – the plans from which the house would be built – from his sketches. Heard worked closely with Susan Grant, who is a real estate agent with an excellent sense of what she wanted as well as what would work in that particular setting.