Eco Logical, functional & beautiful

Perusing through a recent issue of Metropolitan Home (May 2009) I came across an Eco Friendly house in Colorado with a few design elements worth sharing. A style that I am not normally attracted to, but there is something about the simplicity of this house has me drawn to it.

The eco friendly house designed by architect Jim Logan from Boulder, is set on a pristine acre just beyond Boulder’s city limits was designed for a pair uprooted New Yorkers.

The view from the back: A quartet of identical archetypal attached dwellings are aimed toward the creek with light coming in through the roof. The repeating rooftops also conceal solar thermal panels. Each of the four pods are all the same size and each house a separate function.

Then…..here is one of my favorite elements: This is one of those things that I fell in love with (I know it’s an odd thing to get excited about :) ). A very functional and attractive custom made steel drain spout (placed in between the adjoining structures).

On the exterior, the structural wing walls are clad in brick, the faces are covered with beautiful, lovely ipê, a Brazilian hardwood. The trellises, are recycled composite deck material made from sawdust and plastic garbage bags, they will one day be covered with trumpet vine, clematis and honeysuckle. How sweet, literally that will be to enjoy.

The living room hearth is made of local sandstone. “Using a local resource that is normally thrown away is about as sustainable as you can get,” Logan says.

And, last by not least, here is a dream come true for all of you avid readers, book loving people. I know I can’t be alone in this feeling. I giggle when I think back to when my sisters were gracious enough to help me pack, and telling me to “NEVER buy another book, I had enough!” Seriously, can you really have too many books?

At the homeowners’ request, the central hallway that links the living spaces is defined by wall-to-wall bookcases. “Despite our lawyer/Wall Street lifestyle, we were both English majors in college and we wanted something to commemorate that,” says Gallop. The sanded and black-stained shelves are concrete forms the architect salvaged from a downtown excavation project.

May the owners have many years of enjoyment in their beautiful, eco friendly, wonderful home.

The Outdoors…the Deck, and the Design

As we somehow have suddenly jumped into summer, the warmth of it invites, pulls and gravitates us to the outdoors. Interior design certainly does not have to stop with the interior of your home. The surrounding gardens and outdoor living spaces can be designed to compliment the interior spaces. Creating a comfortable extension of usable living space outdoors which is enticing enough so you will want to spend more time outside enjoying the simple pleasures in life. Perhaps with some reading, or entertaining a few friends, sipping home made ice tea  wine, and watching kids play.

I have the opportunity to work with wonderful clients who desire just that type of space. The challenge is to create their odd sized outdoor deck that has an amazing view where they can do all those things in life we wish we found the time to do more often.

The view

The challenge area:

The inspiration:

Jacques Garcia for McGuire Sleek and inviting, this bench entices with a deep seat cushion, gently curved arms and bolster pillows at either end. Long, lean and wide, it is the ultimate in relaxation.

The plan:
 
Good food to be enjoyed here:
Raymond Waites Vintage Garden Collection.  Elegant custom hand finished aluminum frame with graceful arms with acanthus leaf casting and scroll backs with rosette details.

The details:

Underfoot: 

And of course, there will be a touch of animal thrown in:

The process of finding all the perfect elements for this concept were a bit of a daunting. The options for tasteful, durable, attractive, functional outdoor pieces were hard to find. But with much perseverance, I do believe the end result will turn out to be a stunning, pleasant place to enjoy.  But for that…….you will have to wait till it is all done. Stay tuned :)

 

What makes an outdoor space livable for you?