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Modern Architecture and Natural Materials One way architects and designers accomplish the look is to start with the framework of a modern house and use natural materials throughout the interiors. For example, the architecture of this kitchen is a simple clean-lined space, but architect Nils Finne filled it with highly crafted furnishings made of natural materials that include bamboo, stained elm, woven cattail and sea grass.
the perfect house
Modern farmhouse style has been growing in popularity for the past few years and doesn’t show signs of waning anytime soon. The architecture of these houses is not one size fits all, though there is a shared design vocabulary. This Maryland home shows many of the classic farmhouse elements we see applied to the modern farmhouse style — a standing-seam metal roof, an extensive front porch, two-over-two windows and board-and-batten siding. Crisp white siding with contrasting black window muntins lends a modern vibe. Great idea: Add a splash of color on the front door. This cheerful red door nods to traditional American barns.
Glow Design Group Save Email Design for the Local Landscape Vernacular housing has a sensitive relationship to its environment due to a careful consideration and examination of the landscape. Glenn Murcutt is one of Australia’s most revered architects, with his work having a distinctive character and environmental sensitivity influenced by the Australian landscape, as well as climatic conditions such as wind direction, water movement, temperature and natural light. With the ethos that buildings should “touch the Earth lightly,” Murcutt’s houses are designed to be highly economical and functional, to conserve energy and to blend with the environment
Luigi Rosselli Architects Save Email Across the country in Western Australia, this 12-apartment development is recessed into a sand hill. Its rammed-earth walls are made of soil and gravel from the excavated hillside and nearby river. The naturally cool living environments provide a reprieve from the extreme temperatures of the region
You may never get your collection of utensils down to the perfectly minimal arrangements shown in these photos, but the more items you can eliminate, the easier it will be to store and find the truly useful ones. Never use the little dessert spoons that came with your cutlery set? Only used that special spatula (designed to perfectly flip a single egg) the one time? Stash these items away in less reachable spaces such as upper cabinets to free up more prime cabinet real estate.
The first was that she wanted a traditionally decorated home with a classic and European feel. “This was really exciting for me because it was a departure from what I usually do,” the designer says. Viewed from the front door, this entry vignette foreshadows what’s to come. The marble-topped antique chest is an elegant spot to drop mail and keys, the large gilded mirror is French, the lamp is more modern and the accessories are playful yet sophisticated.
The kitchen has a period look thanks to V-groove paneling on the walls, four-lite casement windows, fir beadboard ceilings and black iron period hardware. Local craftsmen custom made the island and the copper and iron pot rack. The Coast Green granite on the countertops and unique chimney-shaped backsplash over the stove are local.
The firm designed all the light fixtures and had them made by local artisans. The chandelier over the dining room table is composed of oil lamps. It can be lowered and raised via an electronic pulley. The only electric light in the room comes from the sconces. French doors and windows keep the views to the lake open across the porch.
David Heide Design Studio Save Email Inside, a large granite fireplace dominates the center of the home. While the fireplace does have mortar, it is practically invisible, which gives it a dry stack look. The stones are local granite, carefully stacked and fitted together by a local craftsman. “Stacking these stones is really a feat of engineering and a true art form,” Heide says. There are two trees used as posts, one at the bottom of the stairs and one at the top. “This is common in Japanese design. It expresses the natural form that the milled pieces came from,” he says. “It was also important to me to have a round form there so you can reach out and touch it as you round the corner from the fireplace up the stairs
Shed dormers, simple casement and double-hung windows, exposed rafter tails, window boxes, pleasing proportions and porches give the cottage 1910 appeal and make it hard to tell that it’s a new build.
zona3 Save Email The exterior siding accentuates the industrial style of the house and preserves the garage identity
The roof covering the porch has a soft and asymmetrical shape.
The deck surface is ipe wood, which has an extremely tight, dense grain and offers excellent slip and rot resistance. Like cedar, untreated ipe wood will eventually turn gray, which Schlachter says was the intention.
The system works through a series of pulleys that are calibrated to lift both sides of each deck or shutter simultaneously,” says project manager Paul Schlachter of Apollo Design Studio. “Through a series of electric winches located under the cabin, the decks are controlled by standard wall switches inside.”
Mild steel painted obsidian black forms much of the structure. The windows, sliding door and substantial roof overhang nods to Pierre Koenig’s iconic 1960 Stahl House in California’s Hollywood Hills. A PVC roof collects rainwater and discharges it into a single scupper for irrigation on the property. Because the soil in the area is rocky, and pouring a traditional foundation would be cost prohibitive, the cabin was built on a steel frame resting on concrete piers. The rear section, which houses the kitchen and bathroom area, has a traditional footing system to protect the plumbing and electrical systems. The decks on three sides can fold up to seal the cabin off when not in use.
Front porch. The modern farmhouse aesthetic takes the front porch and does what it wants with it. Whether it spans the entire front facade, wraps around or is small and enclosed on three sides like this one, a front porch is a welcoming farmhouse touch. Depending on the orientation of the house, it’s a cooling one as well, with the overhangs keeping out the direct sunlight.
Exterior screen and balustrade. Used outside, perforated steel balustrades provide both safety and privacy. Here, the screens create a sense of enclosure in an outdoor space, and they can also serve as a handrail. They also help limit views into the house.
Deck, porch or patio. Vast lawns are gorgeous to look at, but a deck or patio is where friends tend to gather. Look for one that’s next to the house with enough room to set up an outdoor living space or dining area. A covered porch can protect your gathering from bright sun and inclement weather. Privacy from neighbors, in the form of hedges or fencing, will make the area more appealing to use. And if mosquitoes are a concern, a screened-in porch makes it possible for you and your guests to enjoy the outdoors without getting eaten alive.
Main-level powder room. A petite powder room is a big help when entertaining: It’s typically easy for guests to get to, and you don’t have to worry about cleaning up your main bathroom each time you have people over. Look for a powder room (also called a half bath) on the main level but preferably not directly off the dining room.
5. Open floor plan. Open-plan spaces are ideal for encouraging mixing and mingling during parties. Look for a spacious living area where you can put flexible seating to fit a big group and for good flow between the kitchen, dining and living areas
Kitchen counter seating. Inviting friends and family to pull up a seat and chat while you cook is a fun way to start a casual gathering. Look for a kitchen counter with plenty of space to prep, plus one side with room for guests to pull up a stool.
“With this window, the bottom sill can be removed, making it a true pass-through,” Hopkins says. When removed, the window has no bottom track or frame, allowing someone to pass items to the outside without having to lift objects over any obstructions. When closed, weatherstripping on the sash meets the countertop for a nice, tight seal. And if you live someplace where people joke that “the state bird is a mosquito,” there is a screen option available; the screen tucks into the frame when you want an open pass-through.
Once it is unlocked from the inside, all you need to do is gently push the sash out. The shocks take care of the rest, with the window lifting to a resting height that’s just short of a 90-degree angle from the house. To close, the operator uses the exterior handles and slowly pulls down on the sash until the shocks are activated, for an easy and weightless close.
Awning window. There may not be a better spot to enjoy a happy hour cocktail and a spectacular sunset over the Pacific Ocean than this San Diego home. This pass-through window provides an easy way to serve twilight cocktails and noshes directly from the kitchen. Its unique design uses hydraulic gas shocks for easy lifting and has a removable bottom frame, which works well with a continuous stone countertop.
Taste of Tuscany. Both the colors and shapes of this Arizona exterior recall the architecture of Tuscany. A lavish row of flowers borders the stone walkway, offering an aromatic gift as well as a visual one.
remodeled house, took away sliding door and put `1 door and new window in
The master bath’s French doors lead outside to an exterior brick patio. Nelson added rusted corrugated metal to diversify the exterior materials of the cabin while still fitting with the original building’s aged character. “It adds a bit of modernity but respects the rusticity of the original exterior,” Nelson says.
At the top of the stair is a small gallery space where the homeowner displays his own photography and photography he collects. A built-in shelf and columnlike details along the walls frame the gallery’s wall space. The gallery leads to the office.
On the main level by the front entry, a stairway leads downstairs to the exercise room and upstairs to the homeowner’s office. “Here we used the stacked boxes again,” Kleineman says, “and introduced an abstract flower into the design of the rail, which is powder-coated with a metallic finish and matte coating that gives it depth.” The stair is, once again, “a more modernized interpretation of Arts and Crafts architecture,” Kleineman adds.
The detailing continues in the master bedroom with the built-in bed, nightstands and window seat. The trim is detailed all the way up to the ceiling. The result is a rich elegance that refrains from “being glitzy or showy,” Kleineman says.
We contemporarized a lot of the classical elements in Prairie and Arts and Crafts architecture,” Kleineman says. The linear fireplace — accentuated by linear stone detailing — “is all about playing with rectilinear forms,” he adds. The composition of lines, glass, fireplace, television, stone and detailed cabinetry, he says, “is functional art.”
The stone that wraps around the house continues inside as a backdrop for the horizontal fireplace, television and cabinets on either side. “The stone drives right through the wall and is tight to the windows,” Kleineman says. The horizontal lines accentuated on the home’s exterior also present here in the wood soffits that frame windows 8 feet high and the clerestory windows above. Ceiling heights in this room reach 14 feet, while the windows and walls bring the room down to human s
The dining room opens to a porch where outdoor and indoor living merge throughout the seasons. The attention to detail carries through, as well. “They love wood,” Kleineman says. The interior wood is finished to convey a refined yet casual elegance.
The entry opens to the dining room, which opens to the kitchen on one side and the great room on the other. A ceiling height change from 9 feet to 11 feet helps define the dining area. Soffits on the exterior of the house were carried inside and accentuate areas of the open-plan first level with help from wood accents and indirect lighting
Inside the front entry, the window trim was integrated into a welcoming bench. “Everything is built in,” Kleineman says, “and there’s a designated place for everything.” The homeowners found the stained glass, which they had refurbished and installed over the bench and in the doors of the cabinets on either side. Throughout the home, the floors are Brazilian walnut
Kleineman describes the home’s design as based on a composition of “stepped boxes,” which can be seen in the pattern of the Arts and Crafts-style front door.
The home and garage form an L, with the garage on the right side, a parking court in front, and the home farther back from the street and closer to the wetlands in the back. “This organization gives the house a grander feel while maintaining privacy,” Kleineman says. The arborvitae hedge screens the front of the house and hides cars parked in the front court from the street.
The home and garage form an L, with the garage on the right side, a parking court in front, and the home farther back from the street and closer to the wetlands in the back. “This organization gives the house a grander feel while maintaining privacy,” Kleineman says. The arborvitae hedge screens the front of the house and hides cars parked in the front court from the street.
On the other side of the corridor is the pantry, which offered a great opportunity to incorporate the architectural salvage and barn door tracks the couple wanted. Originally, the pantry had two doors that swung into the space. Crestin called up Joyal and sent him on a search. “I knew I wanted screen doors so that the light could pierce through them, but they could still conceal a bit of mess,” the designer says. Joyal did not disappoint, finding doors salvaged from a municipal building in Maine. Their dark color brought in the black accent color she used throughout the house.
Other Fire-Wise Maintenance Practices The roof is one of the most vulnerable structures of a home during a wildfire. Fire-retardant roofing materials are of prime importance for protection and fire prevention. Keep tree limbs at least 10 feet from rooftops, chimneys, power lines and other structures. Keep leaves and other debris off of roofs and eaves. Keep your home’s gutters free of leaves and needles, as they can easily ignite.
Avoid highly flammable plants. Shrubs and trees that contain resins or oils in their stems, leaves or needles are highly flammable. Some of the offenders include juniper shrubs and eucalyptus, pine, spruce and fir trees. Tasmanian blue gum eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus) is one of the most flammable trees and is capable of releasing a flammable gas that sends out fireballs during a fire. Juniper shrubs (Juniperus spp.) also contain flammable, volatile oils and accumulate dry leaves and needles, and they burn fast in a fire. Check with local fire-safe resources for the fire-prone plants and trees to avoid using in your region.
In a recent conversation I had with author and succulent expert Debra Lee Baldwin, she shared a story recounting how a grouping of succulents had shielded a vulnerable corner of a Southern California home during a devastating wildfire a few years ago. The homeowner says that the flames came within 6 feet of her home and then stopped. She attributed the fire’s halt to the succulent Aloe arborescens, ironically called torch aloe, shown here. This aloe can reach 4 to 8 feet tall and wide and grows in USDA zones 9 to 11 (find your zone). Baldwin further explained that the fleshy leaves of succulents may cook in the fire, but they don’t burst into flames or spread the fire, thanks to their juicy water-holding attributes.
Choose fire-resistant plants. There are no fireproof plants, but plants that possess a high moisture content are more fire-resistant. Many native plants are considered to be among the most fire-resistant plant for fire-prone regions. Typically, native trees and shrubs are adapted to their native regions, deep-rooted and proficient at acquiring water from the soil and retaining it in their leaves. There are also many non-native plants that posses fire-resistant qualities. Some characteristics of fire-resistant plants: They have moist and supple leaves. They have little dead wood and tend not to accumulate dry wood and leaves. Sap or resin properties are low.
Create a fire-safe zone around wood decking. Although decking products not treated with fire retardant are combustible, some decking is not highly combustible on its own, according to Cal Fire. Typically, other fuel sources, such as plant debris or other combustible materials stored under or on top of the deck, as well as combustible vegetation surrounding it, contribute to deck fires. Keep this in mind during fire season, and maintain your decks to keep them free of easily-ignited materials such as leaves and needles that accumulate between the deck boards, along the home’s siding and below the deck. If you have your heart set on a new wood deck, look for wood that is treated with a fire retardant or other fire-resistant building material. Hardwoods from South America, such as ipe and cumaru, have high fire resistance (and many are sustainably farmed). A fully enclosed deck will offer added protection by eliminating a heat trap below it. Another good tactic is to isolate the deck from fire by adding noncombustible materials, such as stone, concrete or gravel, along the front sides and below the deck to create a fire barrier.
Other landscape design features that can slow down or stop a spreading fire: Water features, ponds, streams or swimming pools. Driveways, walkways, patios and parking areas composed of nonflammable materials. A lawn positioned between your home and other plantings. Since drought-stricken areas present other concerns, there are many alternatives to the water-thirsty traditional lawn that are also very effective in slowing down a fire.
The lower level off the garage contains the laundry room and mudroom. These stairs up to the main floor have hidden drawers so the family can swap their shoes for slippers before entering the main living spaces.
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