Program
The site is a challenging lot, which has dramatic views of the Cascade mountains; large rock outcroppings; many mature Juniper and Ponderosa Pines; and a slope in 2 directions, all of which left a small building envelope. The owners’ list of spatial requirements was fairly straightforward: maximizing the use of the lot and view; 3,500 sf; open floor plan; 2-story; master and 2 kids’ bedrooms, playroom and office upstairs; main living area, guest suite, media room and mudroom downstairs; covered patio and play areas outside; 3-car Garage; storage areas. What was unique was the list of details that they hoped to have: lots of nooks for dining and reading; reading lofts for each child; many built-ins for a cleaner look that would eliminate the need for lots of furniture; varied ceiling heights; green design; lots of light and lots of wood.
Design Process
The siting of the house was important because we wanted to preserve as much of the natural features as possible, especially the largest tree on the lot, a 19” diameter Ponderosa Pine, and the large rock outcropping that runs along the North side of the site. We also wanted to minimize the footprint and maximize the view. Several aspects of the project became key components in attaining this: the Garage; Master Bedroom and Bathroom; and the 140-degree angle between the two wings of the house. Having tandem parking on one side, and single parking on the other, minimized the potential lengthiness of the 3-car Garage. The Master Bathroom on the second floor borrows extra space by cantilevering over the rock outcropping.
Finishes
The main floor concrete slab is also the finished floor in the Entry, Hallway, Powder Rm and Mudroom, combining the structure and finish in one. In the Kitchen, Dining and Living area, the slab is finished with bamboo flooring. All interior doors, trim, Dining banquette and ceiling, and Kitchen cabinets are made from clear vertical-grain Douglas Fir. The round breakfast bar in the Kitchen has a mesquite countertop. Bathroom countertops are Enviroglass, made from recycled glass and epoxy. The Kids’ Bath countertop contains a glow-in –the-dark material, which acts as a night-light. The Office countertop is PaperStone, made from post-consumer recycled paper.
The choice for exterior siding was simple: clear horizontal cedar with a transparent finish, which shows off the natural beauty of the material, while protecting it from the elements. Curved walls at the Dining and master Bath are covered with clear cedar shingles, which were perfect for the tight radius. All exterior trim and fascias are also cedar with a slightly darker semi-transparent finish. Roofing is concrete tile and standing seam steel with a rusted finish. Steel railings inside and out were made locally.
Material Used :
1. western red cedar siding
2. lower roof: rusted steel standing seam and upper roof:concrete roof tile
3. bamboo flooring
4. Jeld-Wen aluminum clad wood windows
5. Enviroglass bathroom countertops
6. Paperstone office desktop
