Residential Design

Volume 2, 2017

A business-to-business magazine focused on the collaborative process and talented work of residential architects and custom homebuilders.

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"I have older parents, and they made me promise never to put them in a nursing home," says Heidi. "But they weren't ready to move in just yet. So, we master planned it in phases. We designed it so we could run it as a vacation rental until they could use it." (Tourism is a bustling business in the scenic town.) Within the envelope of the 40-by-40- square-foot CMU building, they squeezed in 1,680 square feet of handicapped-ac- cessible living space. There are three small bedrooms, two full baths (one with a no-threshold shower), a laundry area behind sliding barn doors, and a spacious great room opening to a covered porch. The truss roof system allowed the archi- tects to remove and insert walls where they pleased. New thick walls flanking the porch and entry contain secure storage for visitors and house items. "We tried to use everything we could about the building," says Heidi. "We highly insulated the envelope by adding framing inside the block and spraying foam. We polished the concrete floor. It's just a simple palette of materials. The kitchen cabinets are from IKEA." The kitchen island was a splurge, however, and serves as a focal point of the room. "The concrete counter with its built-in drain board was done by a local craftsman," says Heidi. "The room needed a centerpiece. The rest is treated as a simple gallery space with no baseboards, and wall washers for the art." Foundry Objects Yes, the palette is spare, but considerable warmth comes from the wood that clads the exterior and porch ceiling. Heidi and Craig already had that trick up their sleeve before they bought the building. They had salvaged wood and timbers from a foundry down the street, and stored them for the right application. "I like using reclaimed woods and natural materials to warm modern architecture," says Heidi. Opposite: The covered porch area is a favorite of guests to the Lay Low. Behind the wooden doors is storage for games, bicycles, and other items. Above: The primary bath is accessible and shares the same concrete sink work as the kitchen island. Above: Accessibility was the primary goal for this one-level plan. An adjacent covered porch and patio extends the usable living area in good weather. VOL. 2, 2017 RESIDENTIALDESIGNMAGA ZINE.COM 43

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