fine home woodwork

Building this house was a labor of love. I designed it originally for myself, and then modified the layout to suit a more general demographic. My intention was a relatively small house that was super efficient and comfortable. I wanted the feeling of openness, but cozy at the same time. Being surrounded by lots of woodwork and all natural materials was important. I wanted it to be light, warm and have a clean design. Lots of windows on this south-facing slope made it bright everywhere.

This house is Passive Solar Design, meaning that a significant percentage of the heating in the winter comes from the sun. Basically, the shape of the roof overhangs and placement of the windows allows the sun to shine inside during the winter and heat the floor. In the summer, the sun is blocked from the house to keep it cool. In addition, for those cloudy days, I installed efficient radiant heating in the floor.

When I was a kid in the Caribbean, we had Saltillo tiles throughout the whole house. They are very sentimental to me, and I absolutely love the color and texture of them.  They are still made by hand in Mexico, so each one is unique and far from perfect. This warm, handmade look makes for a distinctive and timeless feel to a home.

Outdoor living space is a priority in my building design. Having a large covered porch adds so much comfort and flexibility to a home, and is an inexpensive way to vastly increase usable space. I really like a home that doesn’t just suck you inside for hours or days. Being able to eat or relax or host outside, even when it’s raining, adds a significant quality of life to a dwelling. This house has over 500 square feet of covered porch.