Home Renovation Ideas: Curved Framing and Mansard Roofs

Over the last 10 years Shingle Style has experienced a revival, as it has become a popular choice not only in new construction, but home renovations and remodels. One of the primary characteristics of this style is the celebration of the ability of wood to create curved forms and single roofs with multiple slopes.

The garage below received a lot of compliments for feeling warm and cozy. Part of that has to do with the materials, part to do with architectural elements such as authentic shutters (these create rich shadows and a sense of depth) and part of it has to do with the sensual curved roof line.

You can see here how adding little curved and framing elements and extending pieces of the roof can really break up the scale of a house and make it feel more human and inviting.

If you are walking near a construction site you can often times see some pretty cool details. A Mansard Roof can be a very attractive design feature. It has a certain Parisian elegance, and though its history is one of economy (it was basically a way to get an extra story in your house without being taxed because it was a roof) it has become an element that is typically used on some higher end homes.

If you look at the finished product (on the right) you might wonder how they built it. The framing stage on the left gives this away. It is basically a fairly steep pitched roof truss with a second piece of wood tacked on at a very shallow slope at the base.

Framing is analogous to the skeleton of the building. If a building has good bones, nice posture and a few interesting lines thrown in, it can be a pleasure to look at as well as to live in.

Kitchen Renovations with LED lighting

We have been using LED lights more and more frequently in kitchens and kitchen renovations, though they are also a great asset for bathrooms or other areas to which you might want to add a little character.

As with everything there are benefits to using LEDs and some things people don't expect.

Let's start with the obstacles.

Dimming: The only real issue we have had to date is that if you want to use a dimmer switch, it is important that it is the proper dimmer to work with the lights you are using. Flicker, Noise and Drop Off (when the light dims completely before you expect) are all potential problems that can occur.

Industry Standards: A lot of electricians are still getting to know the technology so they can be on unfamiliar ground, though this is quickly changing.

Now lets go over a few of the good things.

Flexibility: LEDs are small, so they can be detailed into almost any area you want. One common detail we have been asked to do is to create a cool back lighting effects, such as making a counter top "float", like the one on this kitchen island.

Color: They can change color to enhance the warmth or coolness of a design or they can actively change colors for a dynamic sense of movement. That was done in this storage space with these frosted glass doors highlighting the changing colors behind them

Environmentally Friendly: They are incredibly efficient in that they can provide the same amount of light as a similar incandescent bulb for a fraction of the wattage. Though they are more expensive out of the box, the cost savings on energy use adds up quickly.

Accent Features: They can also be used to enhance a piece of furniture or other focal point in a room. We love them so much that we used them in a light table that is both the central functional and aesthetic element of our studio space. Check out our Timelapse Video or contact us if you want more info on how we built it.

Bottom line we expect to use a lot more LED's in our designs moving forward.

An Architect's approach to kitchens and kitchen renovations - part 3 - sinks, countertops and backsplashes

This is Part 3 of our series on Kitchen Renovations. Scroll down or click the links for the previous posts.

When an architect is designing a kitchen in a new home or in a kitchen renovation project they try to make clients aware that this space is best approached by prioritizing what you want both functionally and aesthetically and then working in roughly this order:

  • GENERAL LAYOUT (Part 1, below)
  • APPLIANCES (Part 2, below)
  • CABINETS (Part 2, below)
  • SINKS
    • (at a window or island is nice, do you need a second?)
  • COUNTERTOPS
    • (what material? how hight? do you want a transaction counter?)
  • BACKSPLASHES
    • (standard 4" or full height?)
  • LIGHTING (coming soon)

 

SINKS:

Compared to most if these things sinks may seem less significant, but I would definitely take the time to make sure you are happy with the sink. Sinks are the first component that can be changed relatively easily, but they are also the component that will be used the most. Make sure it is big enough for your biggest pots and pans. Make sure they are deep enough but not too deep. Make sure it accommodates the faucet you like. Will there be an integrated soap dispenser, instant hot water, single handle etc. Finally will they be under mounted or top mounted? Also remember a sink sets up your dishwasher location, so do you load to the right, or load to the left, or does it matter?

COUNTERTOPS

There are a wide variety of counter top materials to choose for your kitchen renovation, ranging from laminate, to granite, to concrete to a myriad of synthetic or manmade composite products. I would pick my cabinets before my countertop, as most countertops offer a flexibility in coloration that will allow you to work with a more finite cabinet color palette.

BACKSPLASHES

 Backsplashes allow for a chance to add some accent color and personality to a highly visible area, while also having the opportunity to make that area that is typically between the countertop and underside of the wall cabinets easy to clean up. Often an accent tile works well here and can be incorporated with a feature behind the cooktop. Keep in mind that you will be required to have electrical outlets in this area so you will want to make sure that those locations and face plates are integrated with your design.