Design Blog
Thoughts & Musings
This is a house in the Skyline neighborhood of Anacortes that has a simple gabled roof with no articulation. The owners want to give it some character and I am trying out various options in my 3D model of the house.
Another view from the side of the single gabled dormer.
Here is the Cupola Idea.
Here it is from the front- which one would you vote is best?
The original CornuFé range, this 43" range is the center of a new kitchen that I designed for 2 artists in Anacortes. The “Periwinkle Blue” really pops out against the Rift Cut Oak cabinets- the floor is still masked off- more photos of when it is complete to follow!!!
The original CornuFé range, this 43" range is your first La Cornue love. It’s available in sixteen colors and
3 trim accent choices of Polished Brass, Satin Chrome and Polished Chrome. The CornuFé 110 features two
electric convection ovens, one of which is a seven mode multifunction oven, the other an electric convection
oven, five powerful gas burners and one large storage drawer.
Can’t wait to see it all done!
The existing ADU is the taller 2 story structure to the right. The owners wanted to preserve the view over the main house, which has the better view of the water thru a slot between a heavily treed site.
This shows the side view or Street view from the gravel private driveway.
This is more the view you would see when entering the Main House from the driveway.
Here is a shot from when they had dug the earth out for the foundation.
Here is a better over-all shot
Here is the foundation poured!
The pads in the middle are to support the floor joists. The walls and roof is going to be made out of SIP Panels (Structurally Integrated Panels).
This is a drawing of the SIP Panel layout over the structure to create the roof. The porch extensions will be hand-built out of fir beams.
This is a drawing of the SIP wall panels and how the windows fit in.
SIP panels for the roof and walls. The contractor is Advanced Build NW, Curt Fialkowski from Lakewood WA 98499. USED “INSULSPAN” for the SIP Panels and they are the ones that did the drawings, so credit to them.
My client called me a “Genius” on this one! Always nice to get that kind of compliment!
This is the same house that I did the last blog post for the interior remodel and now the owner wants to tackle the tiny staircase that has 9” treads (the part that you put your foot on- so 11” treads are standard today). The only way to get the stairway to work is to punch out the side of the structure towards the driveway (this is my 13th option on how to solve this, so went through a lot of ideas to get to this point). This still allows to park cars, and does not touch the ground- cantilvered off the side. So then I don’t have to do a “Stormwater Plan” yipee!
The stair punch out from the side
Here is a 3D model shot of the interior- there is a closet above that we donlt want to touch, so that is the main restriction.
Another view of the model to see how it is working.
Here is the house as it is now.
This is looking up into the existing stairway.
Existing stair
Right now, you open the front door and walk directly into this stair and it is tight. The new stair will turn the other direction and leave more space in the entry. You will be looking at the side of the staircase when you walk in. Much better Feng Shui! All the energy of the house will not be pulled out the front door!
The big question is why the top of the stairway has a lowered ceiling that comes down? That has to be demoed out for this to work. Also, those balusters take up space and there is only 2’6” clearance between the balusters and the wall. People were smaller in 1905! The interior doors are all 24” wide! I am going to come up with a plan to re-use the balusters somehow in other places….to be continued:-)
Thinking that the new punch out should be in a different material to contrast with the existing shingles. There is a philosophy in Historic Preservation (and I do have a Masters in Historic Preservation from Columbia University in New York) that any additions should be evident as being new. This HArdi Plank Lap Siding in “Beavertail Brown” would blend in with the existing old weathered shingles and yet give a nice detail- what do you think?
Also the “Shou Sugi Ban”, almost black could look very handsome…..any votes?
Contractor- Josh Williams of “True Built Bearing Built” in Bow, WA (www.truebearingbuilt.com) . Cabinets from “Creative Cabinets” in Anacortes (https://www.anacortescreativecabinets.com). This kitchen has come a long way from how it looked before. New Pantry, new 3/4 bathroom from powder, new Master Bath with added tub with a view! And new laundry moved to the second floor with all the bedrooms are located to save stair travel. House was built in 1905!
Same side shot but from farther back
New kitchen from the side. Brass faucet adds a nice touch.
The kitchen before was dominated by a brick fireplace that no longer was used, so that got removed and freed up a lot of real estate to use. The main window got shifted over to allow room to get the stove on the same wall, It was cluttered and the stove was below the other window before.
Before and after “Panos”
The new backsplash is glass tiles from “Home Depot”, in subtle shades of blue to reflect the water view outside. The counters are a quartzite that looks like sand, So the “Beachy” theme of sand and water drove the color choices and cabinet color. “Polar Orbit Blue” Mosaic Wall glass tiles from Home Depot: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Jeffrey-Court-Polar-Orbit-Blue-11-625-in-x-11-625-in-Interlocking-Glossy-Glass-Mosaic-Wall-Tile-0-938-sq-ft-Each-13014/316717528
By removing a side full height pantry cabinet, the kitchen got opened up to the den, and a walk-in pantry was added by shaving off some space from the old laundry/powder room.
The powder room got the laundry removed and a shower added in the same glass tiles as the kitchen backsplash- so a consistent theme of water. The owner is a sailor and has her boat in Cap Sante Marina!
Same room before as above- the laundry before. Cramped and crowded! with the toilet opposite. So the toilet and sink got flipped to get in the shower.
Old Master bath before. Sink in facing the view, but hard to see your face…
Old Master Bath
New Master Bath! The owner really wanted a tub in the bathroom, so we lowered the window sill so that one could see out from the tub. Moved the sink with a new cabinet and new focus. Re-did the shower int he same glass tiles as else where.
A closer shot of the new vanity with counter mounted sink.
And an even closer shot- I really like the open filament sconces- there was no way that we could mount a light over the mirror because of the ceiling height sloping down at the sink, and the side sconces actually get more light on the sides of the face to evenly light it to see better what is going on, eh?
New Shower with same glass tiles! The tub is only 48” long, but 30” deep- so a great Japanese soaking tub experience with small, powerful jets.
This detail shot shows the limestone flooring
Lastly, the sitting room off the Master Bedroom is pictured above before the remodel.
After- The new laundry saves dragging all the laundry down the stairs and back up again. And serves as an exercise room now! Cheers! Original wood flooring was retained.
Very simple house from 1957 gets a 2 story addition. Right now it is just a 1 bathroom, 3 bedroom house. The owners needed a 2nd bathroom, a proper laundry room, an art studio and a guest room- Wala!
From the street, it will just be peaking out above the existing house.
From the rear garden, there will be a covered patio with twin wall roof so it will be sunny since it is facing North.
The South side will have a big wall of windows to let in light into the art studio below.
Facing the Clinton Ferry, the sparking lights at night and seeing the ferry coming and going, are a delight.
Here is the original model, so not too far off what was planned anfer 4 years…lots had happened, the contractor died and many other issues came up during the process, but they made it happen!
Inside one of the units that they are planning on seeing and got it staged, so luckily I was there at the perfect time. If you are looking for a condo, the address is 6441 HUMPHREY ROAD.
The wide plank vinyl flooring is really nice and the “Waterfall” edge on the peninsula. The windows come all the way down to the counter to increase the water view.
The sliding barn door works perfectly here.
The Master Bathroom turned out really well.
The bath#2 off the hallway also turned out well.
It has come a long way from this!
If this does not look too remarkable, check out the “Before” photo next…..
This is the “before” image….we raised the entire roof with a new scissor trussed roof to give the great room a more spacious feeling. So the roof pitch got increased and we added a new front entry porch that really gives it more character. The whole interior got gutted. Will add more photos as I can get them- cheers!
Just for fun, I uploaded the finished front into an AI photo app that changes it a bit- this is pretty fun eh?
Underwater….I am facsinated by this AI generated imagery.
Disneyland House
Gingerbread House
Lego House
Moss House
Ruined House
My 2nd Multi-Family Project on the boards- the 1st one has just finished being built in Clinton, Whidbey Island-will get photos soon to post!
The entry will be off 24th Street off Commercial Avenue. Anacortes is very concerned about “Massing” and making sure that the building has enough visual interest with different layering and material changes.
I placed the 3D model on a Google Map of the site.
The water facing side of the building has some great outdoor spaces for the tenants to enjoy water views with parking under the building and an ADU unit on the ground floor.
The rear faces the alley and the South facing rear units will get great sunlight on their private balconies.
One end of the house has been removed- it will be re-built in the same footprint. The problem was that there was a huge masonry fireplace that took up up the whole middle of the house on 2 levels, that was supporting the roof….cheaper to re-build from scratch. Sometimes the things that you have to do….
Here was the old masonry fireplace in the middle of the room.
This was the exterior of the house before.
Here is how the new rebuilt end of the house will look. New entry and stairs, habitable space downstairs for a big den. New kitchen and great room upstairs. See previous Blog post on June 8th with model shots.
