Outdoor Living Spaces in the PNW
It goes without saying that the pandemic taught us many things – one of them being the value of a good outdoor living space. Unfortunately, creating outdoor living spaces in the Pacific Northwest poses one major challenge – the weather. We all shivered through drinks at bar patios and tried to convince ourselves this was normal (and we weren’t cold). Though we may not be able to shake those 30-degree days, there are ways to create an outdoor space that can be used rain or shine! The first step is to see what you’re working with; This will be determined by your budget and available space. If you’re building a new home or addition, it’s important to call out your desire for an outdoor living space during the schematic design phase – especially if you want it to be covered. There are many possibilities when starting from scratch, but there are also ways to retrofit your existing outdoor space to add style and comfort. Covered Spaces Protection from the rain is crucial if you wish to use an outdoor space year-round. The best way to accomplish this is building a roof over a deck or patio. This will ensure the best waterproofing, and allow you to install more built-in accessories like lighting or ceiling heaters. If your budget or the design of your home doesn’t allow for a new roofed space, detached pergolas are a great option. For example, Struxure pergolas are metal pergolas designed with louvers that can open and close with the push of a button (or through an app), and offer options to add lighting, heaters, and fans as well. Heat The next way to create a comfortable space outdoors is by adding a heating element (or two). Fireplaces, firepits, and heaters (ceiling or freestanding) are your best options. Consider how much space you have, if it’s covered or not, and how you envision using the space to help determine which option is best for you. Hot tubs are also a great way to relax and warm up outside! Cooking Barbequing and dining al-fresco are wonderful ways to get the most out of the Summer. Your setup can range from a freestanding BBQ on the deck to a full-scale, covered outdoor kitchen. A few things to consider: how much do you barbeque? Do you want your dining space to be covered? Do you require a sink, mini-fridge, or other kitchen components? Space and budget will determine how far you can go here, but imagine how fun it would be to have a brick pizza oven in your backyard! Finishing Touches Time to complete your new outdoor space with furniture and accessories. Though sourcing these items is not within an architect’s scope, we recommend selecting outdoor-rated furniture that is both comfortable and, most importantly, sure to last many seasons. You might also want built-in speakers or a television – those components will need to be called out very early on so that they can be hardwired. Twinkle lights, rugs, and firepit tables are other great additions to make your outdoor space feel cozy even on those chilly nights. Bringing Outdoors In If none of those options are for you, it may be time to think outside of the box and bring the outdoors inside instead of the other way around. This approach is ideal if it’s not feasible to add a covered outdoor space but you want the feel of the open-air during those warmer months. Large accordion doors like NanaWall allow you to open a whole wall up to your deck or patio. As a result, your indoor spaces will flow seamlessly into your outdoor space, creating an expansive feel. The downside here is the steep cost and the potentially low usage in a climate like ours.
Tips for Avoiding Unnecessary Stress During Construction
You’ve received approved permits for your project - yay! Although it may have been quite an arduous process to get to this point, the hardest part often lies ahead in construction. Anyone who’s experienced a remodel or built a new home will tell you how stressful it can be. One thing that might help is being prepared, having realistic expectations, and communicating clearly with your builder. In this article, we’ll review some ways you can set yourself up to avoid unnecessary issues throughout the construction phase. Be Prepared Many builders prefer to have all design selections made prior to bidding the project or at least starting construction. There are a few reasons why this is important - knowing what fixtures and finishes you have decided on enables them to provide a more realistic budget, order materials on time, and prepare or rough-in the spaces according to product requirements. You might find it hard to make a final decision on key design features like light fixtures and tile, but waiting until the last minute to order items can cause significant delays and backtracking. One sure way to avoid shipping delays is to select fixtures and finishes that are stocked locally. If the item you want is special order or shipping from afar, it’s crucial that the builder is aware so that they place the order in time. Trades will come in to rough-in for plumbing, electrical, and HVAC, so having those fixtures selected well ahead of time ensures that they will set everything up accordingly. For example, if you have specified a wall mount faucet in the powder bath, the plumber will need to know how high you’d like it mounted and the distance between the valves on the fixture itself. This is also where interior elevations play a crucial role. The interior elevations will represent where fixtures should be installed and how they interact with each other in the space. The cabinet layout will also be shown in these drawings; they will be shared with the cabinet manufacturer who will then draw up their own shop drawings. Make sure that you’ve thoroughly reviewed and approved all of the drawings before construction begins, working with us to revise as needed. Set Expectations & Communicate Clearly Executing designs in real life is no easy task, even for professionals. Often times, builders struggle most with managing the homeowner’s expectations. In your initial meeting with your builder, make sure to tell them the method of communication you prefer, what you expect in terms of updates (daily, weekly, as needed, etc.), and any other considerations you’d like them to make while construction is occurring. If you don’t communicate your needs, builders (similar to designers) will make assumptions as to what your expectations are based on their experiences with previous clients. Reviewing this at the start of the project will help get everyone on the same page and open up communication lines early on. There will, no doubt, be some surprises along the way. Many of the hurdles that arise through construction are not at the fault of the builder, so approaching those issues from a place of understanding will help avoid unnecessary tensions. If your builder did make a mistake, communicating how you expect them to remediate the situation in a calm manner will help you move forward gracefully. You will be dealing with your builder for at least a couple of months, and it can make a huge difference if all parties agree to put an extra effort in to help the construction process go smoothly. Contact us if you’re interested in working with us and would like more information about how we help navigate the construction (and pre-construction) process with you and your builder.
Historic Homes in a Modern Age: Remodels and Additions
Edmonds historic home The Northwest and greater Seattle area encompasses many historic buildings from the late 1800s and onward in styles ranging from traditional to international and mid-century. These buildings represent the identity and history of a town and its development, and sometimes pay homage to a particular person, architect, or cultural event. H2D has had the pleasure of working on a couple of registered historic houses and is currently exploring an addition project on a home listed in Edmonds. With the relevancy of this project, we are excited to delve into the guidelines and intentions we consider when rehabilitating historic properties. With most remodels and additions, we are looking at achieving a final project that is three things: Respectful. The new work, whether interior alterations or exterior additions, should be sympathetic to the historic building so as not to overwhelm the significant historic features. The project can be just as fresh and exciting even with a thoughtful and modest approach. Paying closer attention at the beginning to making sure the massing, details, and finishes are compatible with the original is well worth the effort. Contextual. On that note, new finishes, materials, and scale should look to the context of the original building for inspiration. This will not only help to blend the style of the new work with the original compatibly, but it will also help with future modifications and resale; a cohesive house with a nod to its historic elements will be timeless and won’t need to keep up with trends. Functional. Historic homes are updated for a reason: we want more from them to live our lives comfortably. This can mean updating the systems of the home: mechanical, plumbing and electrical; installing insulation in the basement, crawlspace or attic; or installing renewable energy systems like solar collectors. Other areas of the home can be more complex; walls of historic homes were built to breathe and adding insulation or a vapor barrier can sometimes cause issues if done improperly. Windows are usually considered one of the most significant features of a historic home and either the repair or the addition of storm windows is strongly encouraged prior to replacement. More information on windows and how to “green-ify” a historic home can be found on the National Trust blog here and here. Updating historic buildings properly and effectively is important to us! One of the main aspects of the historic house that we consider before beginning a design is its “historic significance”. When a house or building is listed on a historic register, there will be a list of the elements of the house that are considered significant to its history in the nomination. If these elements were to be removed, the house would no longer be considered historic. In most cases this will refer to the exterior of the home which includes the roof shape, windows, siding and trim, and porches or other original features. Understanding which elements are significant helps us to determine what can and cannot change in the new project. To do this, we will review the historic nomination for the house and also take a look at the house’s history from records or even simply walking through the building. This research can point out alterations from a later era that should be evaluated before the new project starts. A thorough approach would look to apply the same level of quality and craftsmanship from the original home and consider removing existing alterations that were designed or constructed poorly. Sympathetic additions may also exist and actually add to the house’s history. Most importantly, new and modern elements should be implemented with the utmost care. New additions shouldn’t destroy or cover historic material or areas considered significant to the history of the house. We look to the Secretary of Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Treatment for Historic Properties for our projects which explain these points in much greater depth. If you are considering a renovation on your historic home, we would be happy to consult with you on the project! Ref. https://savingplaces.org/stories/tips-tools-starter-kit-historic-home-renovation#.XS92qehKiUl Written by: Nicole McKernan, Architectural Designer
Queen Anne House Lift and Rebuild
The Queen Anne Seattle house lift and rebuild project is well underway in construction! The project entails lifting the existing house, remodeling the main floor and adding a second story addition. This tight urban lot is a challenge for the builder to make this all happen. We are excited to see how this major renovation will completely transform the existing aging home into a beautiful new Craftsman style home for this Seattle family. Please enjoy the time lapse video from the builder, People's Construction: https://www.instagram.com/p/BbNQESMnTOw/?taken-by=peoples_construction https://www.instagram.com/p/BhphgZwAvDR/?taken-by=peoples_construction You can follow peoples_construction on Instragram to see more progress on the project! https://www.instagram.com/peoples_construction/
Schematic Design – Bellevue 2nd Story
As part of our early exploratory design process here at H2D Architecture + Design, we evaluate and present to our clients various options for layout, functionality, efficiency, massing, and style. Prior to starting a project, some clients come to H2D with a clear idea of the style for their project, such as Craftsman or modern style, while others prefer to explore various different options in the early design phase. We are currently working on a second story addition on a home in Bellevue and have recently completed the initial schematic designs for the client. As illustrated below, the client was presented with several different options for the styling of their future second story (one modern and one traditional), as well as several floor plan layouts. After developing the various designs, the architect and designer will meet with the clients to share the floor plans and exterior design ideas. From this schematic meeting, the client will provide feedback on their likes and dislikes for the various options and styles. The exciting part of design is the ability to "plug and play" various design styles and elements. We will then take the client feedback from the various schemes to further develop the design into one scheme that will move the project forward towards construction. .
Denny Blaine Modern Remodel and Addition
We are excited to share that one of H2D Architecture + Design's projects is featured in this month's issue of Seattle Magazine! The magazine article spotlights one of the unique design features of the home: a cylindrical pneumatic vacuum elevator, one of the first full size models installed in the State of Washington. The elevator is designed to run up the central core of the home providing access to the basement, main and upper floors. The elevator is clear with a metal framework, which allow light to filter between the floors. In addition to the new elevator, the project entailed an extensive remodel of all three floors of the home, a new rooftop deck, and garage addition. Here are a few construction photos of the project underway: Stay tuned for professional photos coming soon!
Kirkland Custom Home
H2D Architecture + Design has teamed up with Carlisle Classic Homes to design and build a new custom home in Kirkland along Lake Washington. The new home is designed to be built on the existing foundation of the original home. The home will be a two stories with daylight basement featuring tremendous views of the lake and expansive decks. Other design features will include heated concrete floors throughout, vaulted ceilings, and large walls of windows. The project is currently in the early design phase. The images below are 3-d models of the various kitchen layout scenarios that we are exploring. As the design progresses, we will add to this post with additional images and ideas from our design process.
Kirkland Second Story Addition and Remodel
Here at H2D Architecture + Design, we have been working with a Kirkland family on a transformative second story addition and remodel to their existing single story home. This family of four was feeling cramped in their home, but loved the location of their home which prompted them to consider a large remodel. We worked closely with the homeowners to tailor the design to their vision for their home. We worked closely with the homeowners through the various design phases to develop the design of the home. The main floor of the home was remodeled to include a double height entry, grand stair to the upper floor, and intimate sitting area off the entry. The existing living spaces were combined into a larger great room, including a living, dining and kitchen area. New square footage on the upper floor included a generous master suite with large walk-in closet, two kids bedrooms, bathroom, and recreation area. The new wood wainscot, cabinetry, trim detailing, and architectural details throughout the home with give the home a traditional feel when complete. The home is currently under construction. Please check back in for new photos as the construction progresses!