Welcome the Sun Indoors
The solar orientation of a home will affect the level of comfort experienced inside. A few key design moves can help lower energy bills and increase interior comfort. Orientation The orientation of a home will set the stage for how much solar energy can be harvested to warm the indoors throughout the winter. The longest side of the house should face south so that a large portion of the wall area has access to direct sunlight. Depending on what rooms are most occupied, these should be located at the south side of the house. Window Placement To take advantage of the sun’s heat during the winter the southern façade will benefit from large windows. Depending on the latitude of the building’s location, the sun will reach varying heights in the sky during the winter season. But its height in the winter is always lower than in the summer, therefore penetrating deeper into the house. Taking advantage of this sustainable approach to heating a home can reduce the amount of forced air necessary to heat the indoors. In the Pacific Northwest, the majority of the year requires heating, so designing for the cold time of year is important. Roof Overhang Of course, it’s also important to remember the hot summer months. In the summer the sun is higher in the sky. Therefore the sun’s rays strike the house at a steep angle so that the direct sunlight is less likely to travel as deep inside. To keep out the sun’s heat it is important to block direct sunlight from reaching the windows. Roof overhangs play an important role in shading the window area from the sunshine. A larger roof overhang will be more effective. Designing a roof overhang correctly to block the sun in the summer but allow the sun’s rays indoors during the winter can be tricky and requires fine-tuning. While these are ideal steps to take for improving interior comfort levels, home owners can encounter obstacles which require compromises. Such obstacles include north-south lot orientations, existing coniferous trees blocking access to the sun, in addition to nearby neighboring houses obstructing the southern exposure. Whatever the location of your home, it is possible to plan for and reap the benefits of solar orientation, whether that may be for a newly constructed home, or a remodel for a home that is already standing. Taking initial steps for a well-oriented house is valuable to residents and is environmentally sound. In addition these are also the first steps in designing a net-zero home, something a homeowner may strive for now or in the future. Taking advantage of the sun’s path throughout the different seasons can lead to a brighter and warmer home. And let’s not forget about the saving that can be made from lower heating bills. Written by Carmen Ulrich, Architectural Designer at H2D Architecture + Design
Why Have Lighting In Your Home?
Guest Post by Nathanael Washam, Lighting Designer with Luminous NW I have to warn you that the title is a trick question: the most common answer is technically true, but the real answer is much deeper and more mysterious. The easy answer is that we have lighting in our homes to allow us to see. We use it to be aware of and recognize objects so we can successfully pour a cup of coffee, take a guest's coat, or walk down stairs. WHICH IS GREAT. Without electric lighting in our home, we would essentially be blind from dusk to dawn. Being able to see is a wonderful gift that lighting enables us to use. But being able to see is only 20% of what lighting does in our homes. The other 80% is sending us subliminal messages on how to feel. Every second, your brain is gathering visual information from your surroundings to regulate body temperature, blood pressure, muscle tension, alertness, and a host of other physiological aspects of "wellbeing". Your brain is also connecting the quality of the light around you to memories of similar lighting experiences and how you felt back then. The angle of light, its intensity, its specific color of "white", and what it is falling on and reflecting off of all combine to create the mood and atmosphere of a room. And don't pass this off as "is it pretty or not". Though you may never attribute it to lighting, there are levels of discomfort, irritability, insecurity, and distraction that are caused solely by where and what type of lighting fixtures you have in a space. Through the study of light and it's affect on humans, you can consistently achieve the more-desireable opposites of the above by designing your lighting. I tell my clients that working with me will help them laugh more in the family room, enjoy food better in the dining room, and sleep more soundly in their bedrooms. More and more research is proving me right, but don't just take science's word for it: go into a nice restaurant and imagine trying to get work done in that lighting. Or, go into an office cubicle-land and imagine eating a family dinner that way. Lighting is such a powerful force in our homes, either to our benefit or to our detriment. Which side are YOUR lights on? Nathanael Washam is a lighting designer with Luminous NW. To learn more about his work, you can visit his website at luminousnw.com.
Living Room 101
The living room is the social gathering space in your home and the design should encourage conversation, create a relaxing atmosphere, and function well for both social occasions and family down-time. Typical living rooms are square or rectangular in shape and vary in size. The following design guidelines apply to all room shapes/sizes to create the perfect living room space! Measure, measure, measure! Write down the dimensions of your room and bring them with you while furniture shopping. If you have your eye on a furniture item you can use string, tape, cardboard, etc. to “mock up” how it will fit and feel in your space. Select furniture that fits the scale of your living room and that work well together. A sectional sofa would overpower a small living room, but is great to break up a large space. Keep the overall scale of your furniture pieces proportionate to one another such as multiple small-scale chairs or a few large items. Similarly scaled pieces create a calming atmosphere. Arrange furniture to promote conversation and invite guests into the space. Furniture pieces should be facing each other as opposed to a media center. Love movie nights? Choose smaller, moveable pieces to allow for re-arranging based on what you’re hosting. To create an inviting space, arrange furniture that allows you to walk directly into the space. It’s best to avoid having the back of a sofa or chair facing the room entry. Built-Ins are a fantastic addition to a living room. They create visual interest and can help keep your space organized. Some great examples of built-ins are a bay window seat or shelving and cabinets around a fireplace. Last, but not least: Lighting! Since our living rooms are used for several purposes it is important to have adjustable lighting levels. An affordable way to add this to an existing space is with dimmable floor/table lamps. If you’re building new, add dimmers to the ceiling lights. Dimmers help to create that great “warm” evening lighting! Try to avoid direct fluorescent light as much as possible. They are cooler in color and can make spaces feel cold and unwelcoming (think big box supermarkets!). LEDs are a great alternative as well as a simple change in lampshades to something with a tan/brown/orange hue to it. This will diffuse the light and give your space the warm glow without sacrificing energy efficiency! Now that your living room is perfectly scaled, arranged, and lit; create a character in your living room that reflects your personality. Use area rugs, pillow, lamps, books/shelves, photographs, and art to bring it to life and make it your own! By Lisa Kramer, Interior and Architectural Designer at H2D Architecture + Design
Insulation Matters
Have you ever wondered what exactly is sandwiched in-between your walls so that the interior of your home stays cozy and is protected from the chilly or hot outdoor temperatures? With current concerns about global warming many people are turning to sustainable solutions in architecture. One approach to decreasing environmental impacts is selecting insulation with lower embodied energy – the sum of all the energy necessary to produce a product and transport it to its desired location. Many people wonder what actions they can take to decrease their carbon footprint. Well, selecting the type of insulation is one way a homeowner can make a significant difference. Conventional insulation including expanded polystyrene or extruded polystyrene applied with hydrofluorocarbon blowing agents are made from fossil fuels that release green house gases with high global warming potential. Selecting insulation that releases less nasty green house gases during production and installation is better for the environment and the health of the people involved in installation. Materials like cellulose – or plant fiber, mineral wool, denim, hemp fiber, straw bale, and mushroom insulation are sustainable alternatives. Cellulose – or plant fiber, is made of post-consumer recycled paper and offers great sound insulation. It is a fitting option for remodels or additions since installation is quite simple. Mineral wool – is made from melted stone or iron spun into fibers, much of which comes from pre-consumer recycled material. Products can come in the form of rigid sheathing used slab-on-grade construction. Denim – is made of recycled cotton from pre-consumer waste scraps or post-consumer jeans. Straw bale – is just that, straw bales, a product that doesn’t keep you guessing. It is made of renewable material that is easily available. Mushroom – or more specifically mycelium, grows on agricultural crop waste. The fungus does not actually produce fruit, so no mushrooms will be growing in your house. It is a cutting edge solution for low-embodied energy insulation, and is currently still in the research and development phase. Fiberglass – is made of spun glass fibers. It is resistant to moisture and bacteria, and is easy to install. Hemp fiber – is a great natural insulator that is biodegradable. They maintain their structure and are resistant to slumping over time. Written by Carmen Ulrich
Creative use of space
At H2D Architecture + Design, we are always thinking of creative ways to use space. Many of our projects are in-city properties where space is at a premium. Using every inch of space in a thoughtful manner is very important. We love this Houzz.com article with ideas for using all the nooks and crannies in your home with creatively designed 'hidden spaces'. Hidden in Plain Sight: 10 Cleverly Closeted Home Spaces
Make your relationship outlast your construction project
A construction project can be very stressful for your personal relationships, so be sure that all lines of communication are clear and open prior to getting started with the process. Many stressors may be triggered during the design and construction process – miscommunications between you and your partner or other members of the design and construction team, financial stresses from unexpected budgets overruns, or the shear amount of time it takes from your day to day schedule. To help prepare for these stresses, you and your partner should discuss a budget limit prior to the start of design. This budget limit should be shared with your architect and builder, who, as a team, can help you keep on target with your goals. When your design vision exceeds your budget, this can lead to tough and, many times, disappointing decisions that need to be made in order to get the project to fit within the budget. You and your partner may need to sit down together to discuss your highest priorities for the project to decide which items are ‘must-haves’ and which items are ‘nice-to-haves’. Have a strategy for how you will work together with this type of conversation in order to reduce the number of disagreements. Know that your schedule will be stretched in every unexpected way possible. During the design process, there will be numerous meetings to attend and much shopping to be done to prepare for the start of construction. If your time is tight, rely on your architect to assist with selecting materials and finishes. Be prepared to know what you like and to be flexible with what your partner likes, as disagreements may occur between you and your partner when it comes to style. The design process is fluid and flexible, but all parties involved need to communicate and work together. During construction, numerous meetings and questions will start to disrupt your day to day schedule. Before the start of construction, it is best to discuss with your partner and architect as to who will be the main point of contact. Will you or your partner be the person who the contractor will be calling and emailing with endless questions? Or would you prefer to have your architect field questions and only contact you when an important question comes up? With a solid plan for how you will work together, you and your partner should be able to smoothly sail through the trails of a construction project.
Selecting a Kitchen Countertop
It may sound simple to select a kitchen countertop material. When you start looking at all the options available, the decision can become overwhelming. You might want to start the process with a few questions: Are you looking for a low maintenance countertop? In 5 years, do you want your countertop to look as new as the day it was installed or are you okay with patina developing over time? Do you want to use an environmentally friendly material? Do you want to be able to take hot pans out of the oven and set them right on the countertop or do you use trivets? These are just a few of the questions you might start thinking about before starting your search. Here are a few materials that we have used in the projects that H2D Architecture + Design has designed over the years: Novustone - NovuStone is a custom made countertop composed of post-consumer recycled content such as bottle glass, windows and mirrors and other materials such as natural aggregate. The material is durable, stain resistant, and sustainable. H2D has used this beautiful and unique material in both kitchens and bathrooms. Paperstone - Paperstone is a solid surface material composed of 100% post consumer recycled paper combined with a phenolic resin to create a durable, water resistant material. This material is heat resistant to 350 degrees, non-porous, stain resistant, and sustainable. With this material, it is easy to rout in an integral drainboard right next to the sink. There is a palette of colors to pick from. Quartz - There are numerous manufacturers of quartz countertop material. H2D has designed past projects with various brands of quartz, such as: Pental Quartz, Caesarstone, Silestone, Cambria, and Zodiak. Beyond this list of manufacturers, there are many others to pick from. Quartz is composed of natural quartz and a polymer resin to create a hard, resistant countertop material. This material is non-porous, heat resistant, scratch resistant, and stain resistant. There is virtually no maintenance required of this countertop. It works great is both kitchens and bathrooms. H2D has specified quartz countertops for numerous kitchens, wet bars, tub decks, and bathroom vanity countertops. Natural Stone - Natural stone countertops include materials such as granite, marble, quartzite, soap stone, travertine, and others. Granite is a very common and readily available stone. Granite is a durable countertop which requires periodic maintenance. Marble is a baker's favorite countertop, although it is soft, stains easily and can be prone to chips. Some people love the patina that develops on a marble countertop and that is one reason that they choose this material. Quartzite is a hard, durable surface which performs well with stain resistance. A honed quartzite is prone to less staining than polished. Soap stone is dense and doesn't stain as easily as other natural stone countertops, although develops a patina over time like other natural stones. Soapstone can easily be scratched and nicked. Architectural grade soapstone can be fabricated with an integral drain board adjacent to a sink. H2D has designed past projects with marble, granite, and soapstone countertops.
Hiring An Architect 101
When taking on a remodel, addition, or new construction project, many owners are unsure where to begin. Often times, the first step that the owner takes is to call a builder to get a quote for the work. The builder may then ask if the owner has a design for them to bid and build from. If the answer is 'no', this is where the architect comes into the picture. An architect can provide a wide range of services to their clients including feasibility studies, space planning and design, code research and compliance, energy efficient construction, material selection, permitting, bid negotiation, and construction observation among many other services. At first glance at the architect's fees, it may feel like you are paying a lot for just a few plans and visit to the building department. Instead, you are paying for years of training, expertise, and experience for an architect to help bring your vision into reality. The time spent working with the architect may also help you to avoid expensive mistakes during construction by working out the kinks through design, layout, and detailed construction documents on paper prior to starting construction. Over the course of the design process, the architect and owner will pore over the design in painstaking detail until the drawings contain enough information for the builder to take the plans and build the project. During the design process, the architect will help with suggesting materials and construction methods that may suit your budget or help with ideas for creating an energy efficient home which can save thousands over the years. The design costs are a relatively small percentage compared to the added value that good design can achieve. A beautiful, creatively designed space alone will maintain premium value for the long term and for potential future resale.
Design a Fabulous Shower
Showering has become a luxurious experience. With many new fixtures and systems available today, it is easy to bring a spa-like experience into your own home. The multitude of options available can become daunting to a homeowner embarking on a bathroom remodel. It is important to understand the type of showerhead or showering system that best fits your needs when designing a new shower in your home. Standard showerhead The standard showerhead can come as a fixed showerhead that is permanently installed on the wall or as a hand-held showerhead on a bar with a flexible hose which allows for adjustable height and option to be hand held. The standard showerhead allows for a variety of spray patterns and options, such as pulse, massage, wide spray, directed spray, etc. The standard showerhead is also available in a low-flow model which helps with energy efficiency by reducing the amount of water that is used with each shower. Rain shower The rain showerhead simulates the experience of standing outside in the rain. The showerhead allows for a high volume of water to flow with an even, gentle shower. The rain shower head does not allow the user to change flow pressure. A rain showerhead can be installed on the wall and is also available as a ceiling mounted unit. Ceiling Mounted Shower Tile/Panel The ceiling mounted shower tile or shower panel is installed flush with the ceiling of the shower. This type of showerhead provides a similar experience to the rain showerhead with a large volume of water simulating rain. The shower tile/panel comes in a variety of sizes and some types even provides options for light and sound. The shower tile provides a clean, contemporary look in the shower and visually disappears with the ceiling. Body Sprays The bodyspray provides a spray that is directed to a specific location. The bodysprays are typically mounted on the wall flush with the tile. They are located to provide targeted spray for a specific location, such as runners tired legs or aching backs. The bodysprays come with options for direct spray and other types provide options for adjustability of the spray. Other showering options may include steam showers, digital shower controls, multiple shower heads or multiple types of showerheads.