SUMMARY:This new home fits comfortably within the historic neighborhood of Cameron Park in Raleigh. The tight constraints welcomed an opportunity to develop a creative design solution. The existing trees were a strong architectural form determinant - especially the large oak in the backyard. We framed views of it from both the studio and main living area, and we protected it during construction to assure that it was still flourishing by completion. The foundation was designed to match the former structure on the site in order to have as little root disturbance as possible.The large front porch welcomes neighbors while the generous screen porch is a sanctuary perched amidst the tree branches, and it opens up to the living room for expanded entertaining. By giving the large oak tree its space, sunlight is allowed to enter all of the living spaces, particularly the artist's studio / guest house above the garage.We had fun designing special storage spaces for particular furniture used only during holidays and parties.