Why It's Great // Emerick Architects

Industrial Kitchen by Portland Architects & Building Designers Emerick Architects

I was perusing Houzz earlier this week like any good design addict does while wasting a little time and came across this photo from Emerick Architects in Portland Oregon. It immediately made me stop and stare for so many reasons. I'd like to point them out to you in my very first installment of "Why It's Great". 

1. Daylighting.
   I'm certain the lights are on in this picture for photography purposes. I guarantee the homeowners don't turn on the lights in this room from sun up to sun down. Added bonus, those windows are beautiful. Using repetition and pattern these windows make artwork unnecessary.
2. Simplicity
   It has loads of beauty because they didn't over-design it.
3. Big, but not too big. 
   It's a spacious kitchen, but it isn't overloaded with a crazy amount of cabinets. 
4. Materials. 
   The stainless steel countertops look sleek and clean, yet accessible and durable. 
5. Ductwork in a conditioned space.
   I did a post about this a few months ago. By using ductwork in this way, you can save 15-20% on your electricity bills and also get a smaller HVAC system upon installation. 

5 Reasons to Buy a Fixer-Upper

You may want the feel of the house on the show Parenthood, but without the surprises of This Old House. You wrestle with the question "should I buy a fixer-upper?"

I won’t provide you with a typical “do you have the right budget and patience to make it through a remodel” list. But I will provide you with a list of why old homes can be good a choice:

1. It’s better for the earth.
   The most green materials are the ones we don’t consume. If you can reuse a large percentage of existing materials, it’s a very sustainable option. 
2. You choose your own finishes.
   This is good for two reasons. One, you won’t have to settle on “real estate beige” if you don’t want to, just because it is fresh paint. Two, the words in the ad “Fresh Paint” and “New Carpet” should read “be sure to leave your windows open for the next four months to get rid of the nasty VOC’s from the carpet adhesives and VOC filled paint”. That is most likely what they used to get it ‘show-ready’...because it’s really cheap. 
3. It is more likely to be located near a lovely downtown area.
   Towns generally grow outward. If you have a safe and fun downtown area, this might be a good reason to look in older neighborhoods. 
4. Character.
   “Good bones” some would say. Unless you are custom building a home, most new homes are a series of boxes hitched together via hallways and some faux architectural embellishments. You might even get to step outside and yell “twinsies!” to all your neighbors.
5. Larger trees, large yards and no HOA’s. 
   We like having our yard work done for us, but we don't love a set of eyes watching to make sure we follow all the rules.

In the end, it really depends on the town you live in. What is available, which neighborhoods are safe and what is the track record of the builder. I just have a sweet spot in my heart for old homes. 

Vina Lustado - Episode 003

The Tiny Home movement seems drastic to some, and appealing to others. My fascination with Tiny Homes took me to Ojai, California to meet Vina Lustado of Sol Haus Design who lives in a 140 square foot home (on wheels). She has over 20 years of experience in design and within the last 5 years Vina realized that she wanted to create for a more mainstream population rather than catering to wealthy clients. My sister Tina Loveridge came along to shoot some photos of her home (below) and we all had a great time talking about the merits of small space living. You can find the episode below on or iTunes. 

Sol Haus Design  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Newsletter

A list of all who worked on the project can be found below. 

All photos by Tina Loveridge of Loveridge Photography. 
Music by Fialta.

Cliff Hultgren - framing, welding (cliff.hultgren@gmail.com)
Greg Snowden - electrical, plumbing, photovoltaic system (http://csssolar.com/)
Kris McCourtney - custom millwork (http://trumfort.com/)
Alicia Morris Soto - drapery, pillows, textiles (ojailymph@yahoo.com)
Lynn Hegney - art glass in pocket door (lhegney@casadelaluna.org)
Maria Trimbell - stencil leaf pattern on wardrobe cabinet (http://mariatrimbell.com/)
Uta Ritke - abstract painting above the sofa (uritke@gmail.com)
Carrie Bahu - small pillows (thebahu@icloud.com)

References made in this podcast: 

Jay Shafer - Tiny House Designer
Diana and Michael Lorence - Innermost House

What My 3-Year-Old Taught Me About Letting Go

A special welcome to those of you joining us from the iTunes New and Noteworthy section! I'm excited and honored that you are here. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and be on the lookout each Friday for a new one, and sign up for our newsletter to get the latest about upcoming guests.

Some popular posts have been:
How to Save Water WHILE the Water is Running
Minimalism Misunderstood + Minimalist Coffee
Can the American Dream Harm Relationships?
Designing For Community

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on to today's post....

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He still checks the mail everyday in hopes that it will contain birthday money.
His 5th birthday was 10 weeks ago. 

He stares at lego catalogs and reminds me about the Lego RV camping set. So we talked about being grateful for all the legos he just received for his birthday a mere two months ago. We talked about how our small space doesn’t allow for endless toys. We talked about having more things and how it usually doesn’t bring happiness the way we think it will. 

But honestly I love camping and I want to play with the Lego RV and camp set too. Christmas just seems really far away.

I told him “I will help you, but it will take work, and you will have to get rid of a lot of other toys. Let’s have a toy yard sale”. He’s on board. My 3-year-old on the other hand, not so much. 

We spent an entire morning sorting toys and thinking about each one and at the end we had a nice big pile and their closet was organized nicely. My three year old came back into the room and said “I’ll get rid of this!” A single wooden train whistle that was a party favor. Then he held it close and after a long pause he said, “maybe not. No. Not this.” A he walked out of the room. 

A whistle that he doesn’t even play with. 

I immediately realized that he was too young for the concept of getting rid of something. He needed time to mature, and to let go. 

So it is with adults as well. We need time to detach ourselves from our stuff. We may need to start slow. Especially if it isn’t already a habit. With each round of purging and de-cluttering we realize the freedom and space (literally and figuratively) that it brings to our lives. 

Sometimes we just need the extra time to let go of something. 

• If you have the space, take the items that you don’t use anymore but just can’t seem to part with, put them in a box and store them away.
• In six months revisit that box and you will be surprised at how time will allow you to let go of an object. 
• If you still can’t seem to let go of some of the items, either put them back in the box for another period of time, or it might be helpful to take a picture and see if that will suffice.

Give yourself some grace and allow some time to let go. But do work in that direction, because the freedom and extra space that it brings is amazing.