Left hook from the economy. Right cross from the banks. Multiple uppercuts from the mortgage industry. A 10-round knockout.
For those of you who’ve been following along, it’s been a real treat sharing this process over the last year and a half. As of today, I’m officially abandoning the live/work project. The climate is wrong, the [...]
Well, it feels almost surreal, but the city has our permit ready. Meaning, if I put down my money, we could break ground. Of course, this is all theoretical, since the bank is behaving like…well, most banks. More on that shortly.
Eric Strong is an Ashland-based woodworker who specializes in one-of-a-kind furniture. One of the coolest things about his work is his commitment to using local and recycled wood. Check out his site here.
Bench made from concrete and reclaimed fir from an old pickle barrel.
The folks over at 100k House are having an interesting discussion on ceiling fans and lighting. Chad’s found some great ceiling fan fixtures (designed for industrial applications). The downside? No integrated light source.
One idea is to separate the light from fan function. Here’s an example of what we’re doing in the ADU bedroom: lights mounted [...]
The city of Portland recently announced its winners in the first ever “Courtyard Housing” design competition. In the process of reviewing the winners I stumbled across one of the most succinct, thoughtful graphics explaining the benefit of accessory units. The graphic is part of the proposal by the very talented architect/designer/graphic guru Ryan Sullivan at [...]
There’s a real movement afoot to design sophisticated “sheds” as part of the back yard. These range from small, functional buildings to elaborate artist’s spaced and spare bedrooms. Here are just a few great examples.
Milton Studio, by Timber Design Limited:
Check out the interior!
Taking a break from the project…needed some fresh perspective. Headed south and found some wonderful architecture along the waterfront.
I’m just as guilty as the next person - there are a few rooms in my house with the ass-ugly venetian blinds. If I had my way, I’d replace them all tomorrow. Eric over at Longhouse has found a nice modern solution from Ikea. Take a look:
Well, to placate the city, we’ve removed our glass roll-up door. While a bit of a hit for the design, there are some functional benefits. Namely:
Standard French doors are more energy efficient
It would be easier to convert the lower level to a living space at some point in the future.
It will help the appraisal - [...]
Check out what can happen when you’re committed to good design on a realistic budget ($51 per square foot!):
As part of my never-ending quest to find affordable housing options, I stumbled across this interesting article in the New York Times. Here’s a brief excerpt:
Mr. Flueckiger chose to build with industrial materials in homage to the [...]