Ideas
- SIZE: a house no bigger than our current home (2400 sq ft), and hopefully in the 2000-2100 sq ft range. 2 bedrooms up (master & guest); 2 bedrooms in basement.
- EXTERIOR: Clean lines, uncluttered, windows symmetrically situated to look balanced on the outside as well as balanced & functional on the inside; feel of a modern house interior balanced with a softer, less modern exterior (see the metal roof, board and batten pic, or the 2 photos included of exterior doors). We’re determined that the exterior design fits with neighbourhood’s feel, so nothing too harshly modern. We want the exterior materials, including the roof, to be made of severe wind & hail/extreme-weather resistant materials. We’d like decks/outdoor seating areas front and back to allow us to escape hot sun, or chase that soft morning light. We do not need an outdoor dining space or folding walls of windows as Sheri has a hornet allergy, so we will never be opening the house to outside in that way. We’d like to keep the existing trees at the NE side of the property if possible, and incorporate them into the landscape design/approach to the home somehow. We need to design carefully, the access to the house for visitors because of the strange garage-blocking-view-of-the-home situation. We need room to still park at least 1 car on the driveway.
- EFFICIENT LAYOUT: Every space needs to have a purpose without being too tight or visually busy. That sense of space, for us, comes from an open flow design and an abundance of natural light. We’d like the spaces to fit our furniture as we’ve spent a lot of years collecting quality pieces (some of which Sheri’s dad has made). We’ve included some pieces here so you can see them & get a feel for their taste. Dimensions are included. Missing in this houzz link is the livingroom sectional (8’ x 8’), among other things. Go to this link to see the key furniture pieces and their dimensions: https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/87130429/thumbs/furniture-items-to-keep-in-mind.
-KITCHEN- When it comes to kitchen design, cupboards need to go to the ceiling with no dust collection space up top, no glass fronted cupboards and a flat panel look is our preference. Having said that, we’ve collected some fun blown glass wine glasses & champagne flutes over the years in our travels. We will have a large, upright fridge and an upright freezer, side by side. One sink is all that’s necessary. A large island surface for spreading out while cooking would be ideal. The sink needs to be deep enough to wash big canning pots in. No corner cupboards or lazy susans. We’re still conflicted over the pantry option… Sheri is highly organized and doesn’t like the space a pantry room takes in the floor plan or the clutter of it visually, but if it makes good use of a place beside a deep fridge space, an under the stairs space or a corner area, and if it’s carefully hidden, she might consider it.
- DESIGN: Use (but not over-the-top abundance) of natural materials like grey slate stone and natural wood. We looked at the Sarah Susanka’s Not So Big House projects that you mentioned at our last meeting, but felt they had too much wood and weren’t really to our liking. We’d like to add some unique features that makes us feel inspired to live in the space.
- WINDOWS: Maximum windows without fish-bowl effect. Careful planning of light into areas, like stairwells, to minimize dependence during the day on electric lighting. Perhaps windows at counter level in the kitchen for growing herbs (we’ve included a photo sample).
- THICK EXTERIOR WALLS: We plan to build a net zero ready house… so it will have thicker walls and window sills and will need ample room in the mechanical room.
- RETREAT SPACES: Some area (eg. office) that can act as a retreat, a place to withdraw from the fray
- BASEMENT: Only partial basement development (2 bedrooms + 1 full bath with separate shower & tub)… perhaps Jack & Jill style, even if accessed from the outer hallway to allow for better placement of bedroom furniture (having 2 doors to each bedroom really limited furniture placement in our current experience).
- ROOF-TOP PATIO: If 3rd floor rooftop patio…. then vaulted ceiling with room for sectional & tv/wet bar area. Planter boxes on roof to give privacy and accommodate setback requirements.
- BATHROOM: if we do a wet-room type of bathtub/shower combo in the master ensuite, we need to still keep in mind the sanctuary feeling of the space. Walking through the shower to the tub doesn’t necessarily get that feel. Perhaps beside the tub could work? The bathroom can’t be massive to feel comfortable for us, but it can’t be cramped either. So efficient design would be best over gigantic spa feel. We’d like 2 sinks, and some storage.
- MASTER BEDROOM: While we want a walk-in closet, we don’t need a dressing area. Our bedroom space is fine for that. We have a king sized bed with two side tables that are 2’ wide each. We have a long dresser, and we have an antique secretary (a book shelf topped desk). Use the link above to see them and get their dimensions. We’d also like room for a chair or two.
- WINE/BEER: We’d like space for a small beer fridge and a small wine fridge on the 3rd floor house design PLUS a small beer fridge and small wine fridge on the main level somewhere in BOTH designs (In the pantry room? kitchen? mud room? Keeping in mind that if in the kitchen, they might look too busy/cluttered and eat up valuable storage.)
- TRAVEL: We have done a lot of travel and have acquired some neat artifacts from our adventures. Seeing these is a part of the way we feel inspired by our home. But it needs to be done in a way that does not add a sense of clutter to the space. We also need a cupboard (perhaps in the bedroom, closet, bathroom, hallway) near the master bedroom where we can store travel gear… containers, gadgets, etc… suitcases & gear bags could go in the basement. We also have a lot of travel guide books, so having a place/shelf for these would be good (it can bee in the travel cupboard or in the open). Right now the travel gear takes up a good three drawers in our bedroom (between the cases and cords and containers and things like a travel laundry kit, etc).
- LAUNDRY- we’re totally flexible on where it is located (main floor or upper floor), just not the basement. We air-dry most of our clothes, so ample hanging space or retractable racks would be good. No closet & bifold doors! A built-in linen closet (laundry area or hallway) with shelves for blankets & duvets & extra pillows, and drawers for sheets would be handy.
-MUDROOM- we will always have dogs, so a dog wash area would be good. We have lots of technical clothing and gear, so it does need to be a decent size, but not as big as we first hinted at because a lot of our stuff is kept in Canmore now. We need a charging station for things like headlamps, garmins, etc. And a fair amount of shoe/boot room.
Like the corridor of cupboards off the kitchen (far left in this photo). This would be an excellent way to get more kitchen storage without heavy massing in the kitchen (either from a wall of cupboards there or from cabinetry up top over the perimeter counters). Where does the hallway go? Bathroom? Mud room ?
EXTERIORS: Like the metal roof & its dark grey colour along with its horizontal lines and shorter pitch; board & batten style siding & light/white colour, along with its vertical orientation & wide plank look; windows with black trim in a line, as a series of squares up top (though perhaps the muntin bars are too much); black doors to tie in roof & window trim, upper floor cut in verses flush or cantilevered out. We'd like the option of a sitting area in the front, that looks out on the garden space between the house and garage... Sheri sees it as a beautiful garden area with lots of potential for flowers & bird life due to its sheltered, microclimate possibilities. We've been intrigued by the possibility of a "hidden/secret garden" approach to the home through this space. Overall look = contemporary (modern farmhouse) plus casual made elegant. Feels very right to both of us. Love the wood stack at the entryway. This kind of casual approach to the home (with the chair seating and the wood stack) could work well for our particular lot with the garage way out in front (though the 3 doors thing is not our thing... we'd rather have a wider door).
Solid wood door... substantial with a unique feel to its design. Like the long bar handle and the warmth of its wood. If paired with similar wood on the soffits or elsewhere at the entryway, it would be lovely. Given how private our entryway will be, with the garage blocking street views out front, having lots of windows beside, above and nearby will let in the morning eastern sun.
MUDROOM: Like the barn board backing... very forgiving for the inevitable knocks & scrapes. Galvanized steel would also work... or some other hardy element that we use on the exterior of the home, bringing it inside, tying exterior to interior. Like the little window. Nice natural light. Good flooring choice. Like the smaller cubbies in the ceiling (would be good for seasonal items, bike gear like shot blocks + garmins + gear charging cables + etc., leashes). Would prefer the barnboard wall to go straight through, rather than be cut off by the stack of cubbies at the end. Would also like a charging area for our devices and a dog wash. The barnboard could be carried through elsewhere in the house... a rolling door for a bathroom or pantry, the backing of an island where the stools tuck under, etc. Though it is very trendy now... wonder how it will last.
Our favourite painting. Can go anywhere. Needs to be lit properly. The current attached light does not work well at all. W4'5" x H3'10" If we do a fireplace with a raised hearth, we need to think carefully about whether this will fit above it or not. Currently it sits far too high to be properly enjoyed.
This piece of furniture needs to have a home. It is currently our small TV cupboard... destined for the living room space. Should we do a third story loft idea, it will still stay in the livingroom and be home to games, or be an alternate tv viewing area as we have a big screen tv for the 3rd story space . It contains our printer too. W4'3" x D2'1" x H6'6"
Like the panel wall of pantry cupboards, flush to the wall (open this photo to see them properly on the right). Like that there are cupboard openings from waist up; drawers only below waist level. Would prefer no corner cupboard in the kitchen at all as they never function well. Like that there's a large window, but it needs to be centred, and the sink needs to be centred on the window too. Like the large island with seating on 2 sides for better conversational atmosphere. (People usually sit and visit while Sheri cooks.) Would prefer no upper cabinetry, or cabinets that go all the way to the top rather than have a dust collecting space above. The upper cabinets here make the windows appear offset and out of alignment, and throw off the sense of balance of the far wall. Would prefer ALL pot lights, with separate task lighting switches rather than pots + hanging pendants or a chandelier. Never want a wood top on island, especially where water is concerned. We have large cutting boards and large wooden bowls to use that Sheri's dad turned for us that will add the richness of wooden elements to the look. Like the thickness of this island surface... balances its substantial s...
Like the way the kitchen is tucked away under a sloped ceiling that is separate from the more spacious living room/dining area. There's a cozy feel to it. It's still part of the space, but the tucked away there's still some intimacy and some interruption of the long rectangle. Love the extra light coming in from above in the row of transom windows up top. Love the beams visible in the ceiling and the vault. If we did something like this, even if the ceiling is flat, we'd love the wood of the beams to retain their natural colour as we have a lot of wood furniture that would tie in well.
Big windows coming to the counter, vaulted tongue and groove ceiling, potlights with no island pendant lights, wood beams, wood floor, wood island & slate grey-blue top, no cupboards in outer walls (no upper cabinetry opens space up), skylights... these are the elements here we like. Island is open to the living room, but the dining area is tucked away in its own, connected space.
Another version of a kitchen tucked off to the side, but still open to the space, under a more intimate lower ceiling. Like that the upper transom windows add extra light to the larger space. Like the large window by the sink and love the unique feature of the shelf that runs through the cabinetry, becoming a beam through the window. It echoes the transoms above and is delightfully, well... unique. The fridge and pantry cupboard beside it are nice, substantial elements that anchor the space. I'd never do wood panelling on a fridge though. The pantry cupboard could also be a full scale pantry room, if there was a corresponding small room (like a coat closet or bathroom) that went behind the fridge. Like the vaulted ceiling and all the pot lights. Wonder if our harvest table would get lost in a big space like this though. For other photos of this project: https://www.houzz.com/projects/2664286/portola-valley
This is our kitchen table. You can see here what we meant about it having windows surrounding it on all 3 sides letting in so much natural light and the beauty of the garden's greenery. Harvest table dimensions: L6'6" x W3'6" x H2'6" It has 6 chairs. It is not massive, and will get lost in a dining area space, if that space is too big.
If we need to do cupboards above the kitchen counters, then having a window like this between the cabinetry levels is an interesting way to add light & a place to grow herbs. Bill really likes the idea of wooden cupboards, but they need to be finished in a way that won't show wear & scratches over time... and Sheri hates the stains that draw out the orange in wood. The concrete floor here is quite warm... like the mottled look of its acid etching.
This ceiling is a neat idea to define a space in an open concept flow area. Love all the windows. This could work well for our wooden harvest table, or as a way to make the kitchen feel cosier. This concrete floor works well... and is balanced by the wood on the ceiling (a unique, unexpected element because usually the wood is on the floor). If the wood was further balanced with a book shelf near by, built into a wall, with thick plank shelving in the same wood, it would pull things together well, especially when further balanced by the wood items we have in our home (wood bowls, turned bark tea light holders, our furniture, our wooden board games, etc.)
Are the basement foundation walls thicker than the walls above in a net zero build? If so, a ledge all the way around the outside edges on 2 sides would be quite handy for resting art, or other stuff.
Q