This is a small suburban home for a woman seeking a place of refuge and invigoration. Her building site was a lightly wooded lot on a cul-de-sac. With careful siting, we were able to create privacy on the street sides, while opening floor-to-ceiling glass into the aspen grove and a cluster of outbuildings.
The client's desire to bring the outdoors in led to the continuous ceiling-to-soffit plane. Outside, the broad aspenwood soffit contrasts against reclaimed redwood and greenstone. Inside, the blond ceiling floats above the window panels. Without cavernous ceiling heights, we've achieved spaciousness.
The open floorplan--making the most of 2,560 sq. ft.--relies on cabinetry and casework to sculpt and define space. In the living room, the forms echo the stone hearth. This house project won a 2005 Honors Award from the Minnesota AIA. Jurors noted the fine craftsmanship of the builders, tradespeople and cabinetmakers involved.