ARTS AND CRAFTS RELAXER

BACK TO THE BEGINNING

INSTEAD OF LOOKING AT TYPICAL EXAMPLES OF CRAFTSMAN HOMES, WE LOOKED AT THE ARCHITECTURE THAT INFLUENCED THE DESIGNERS OF THESE HOMES 125 YEARS AGO. TAKING INSPIRATION FROM BOTH, THE BRITISH ARTS AND CRAFTS MOVEMENT AND TRADITIONAL JAPANESE BUILDING TECHNIQUES GAVE US PERMISSION TO MAKE LESS COMMON CHOICES THAT STILL FIT THE CHARACTER OF THE HOME, SUCH AS REFINISHING THE ORIGINAL EBONIZED FIR FLOORS.

“Less is more.” - LUDWIG MIES VAN DER ROHE

“Less is a bore.” - ROBERT VENTURI

NOT ALL THE CHOICES WE MADE IN THE HOME WERE AS BOLD AS THE BLACKENED FLOORS.

ABOVE: IN THE BATHROOM WE CHOSE NOT TO RECONFIGURE THE QUIRKY LAYOUT OR REPLACE THE VINTAGE GREEN TOILET AND TUB. INSTEAD WE EMBRACED THE NARRATIVE OF THE HOME AND HAD A NEW SINK CUSTOM COLORED TO MATCH AND CARRIED THE TONE ONTO THE WALL WITH NEW TILE.

LEFT: THE ORIGINAL KITCHEN CABINETS WERE OF FINE QUALITY SO INSTEAD OF RIPPING THEM OUT WE SIMPLY PAINTED THEM. THE SEVERITY OF THE LARGELY BLACK AND WHITE ROOM IS BALANCED BY A COLLECTION OF HUMOROUS ART AND VIEWS TO THE GARDEN.

THE REDUCED COLOR PALLET OF THE LIVING ROOM IS PUNCTUATED BY WARM TONES DRAWN FROM THE PHOTO ABOVE THE FIREPLACE. THESE HUES OF RED AND ORANGE OFFER BALANCE IN THE COOL LIGHT OF THE EAST AND NORTH FACING WINDOWS.

CAPE COD MODERNIST

COMING HOME AGAIN

AFTER LIVING IN HIS HOME FOR 15 YEARS OUR CLIENT WAS READY FOR CHANGE. BY STRATEGICALLY REMOVING A WALL WE OPENED THE ONCE CRAMPED KITCHEN TO A FLOOD OF NATURAL LIGHT AND NEW POSSIBILITIES.

RIGHT: WHERE ONCE STOOD A REDUNDANT HALLWAY WE CREATED A SMALL WINE BAR AND COFFEE STATION IN THE DINING ROOM. CUSTOM ART CREATED FOR THE CLIENT WAS INSPIRED BY HIS COLLECTION OF VINTAGE COMIC BOOKS. THE HOME OWNER BEING A CERAMICIST OFFERED US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROUDLY DISPLAY A COLLECTION OF HIS MUGS.

SPECIAL ATTENTION WAS PLAYED IN TYING THE NEW SPACES BACK INTO THE OLD. ABOVE: THE ORIGINAL CABINETRY IN THE BACK ENTRY WAS PAINTED BLACK TO COORDINATE WITH THE NEW COUNTER TOPS. LEFT: THE BALANCE OF CONTRAST WAS FLIPPED IN THE COFFEE BAR, OPTING FOR THE QUARTZITE TO APPEAR AS THE COUNTER TOP AND THE TILES TAKE A DEEP BLUE HUE

SUSTAINABILITY

SUSTAINABILITY PLAYED A KEY ROLE IN THE SELECTION OF MATERIALS.CORK WAS USED ON THE FLOORS, FAST GROWING ASH WAS SELECTED IN PLACE OF OAK AND THE COUNTER TOPS ARE A MIX OF RECYCLED PAPER STONE AND QUARTZITE, A NATURAL ALTERNATIVE TO MAN MADE QUARTZ. THE BACK SPLASH IS COMPRISED OF FIRECLAY TILES, RENOWNED FOR USING RECYCLED CLAYSUSTAINABILITY

TAKING INSPIRATION FROM ERA APPROPRIATE PRIVACY GLASS, WE EMPLOYED A REEDED MOTIF, SUBTLY REPEATING IT IN THE LIGHT FIXTURES, THE HOOD ENCLOSURE AND VINTAGE GLASSWARE ON THE SHELF