Kitchen Cabinets- we looked closely at Ikea but ended up getting our cabinets made in Northern California- we chose a plastic laminate with no detailing.
We have a narrow lot. It’s only 100? feet wide. We decided to raise the pool 18? above ground to make the pool a seating area as well.
Glass shower surround, zinc counter tops, deck-mounted faucet fixtures and large mirror come together to create the sleek minimalist look.
The two bathrooms use concrete (floor), ceramic tiles (shower), and hanging, or cantilevered, cabinets.
The skylight at the end of the long hallway draws the eye by brightening the space and creating a focal point.
We ended up installing two skylights instead of three, to save costs: one in the master bath and one at the end of the long hallway.
The insulation is pretty cool. Its soy-based and has a very high R value for insulating the house. It is a closed cell green product that also has some structural value.
The siding (shown below). We used plywood and battens. The plywood is structural and also acts as our finish sheathing. We love the look of simple board and batten. By avoiding a second layer of finish material we saved tons of money and time.
The covered walkway is a key element in the design. It runs the whole length of the house and is the outdoor living space protected from the weather.
The early stages of building supply a range of emotions. The newly poured slab is both exciting and terrifying as it seems that the house will be much too small. <br /> <br /> Once the walls begin to stand we can begin to imagine the space. We used tall walls to make the relatively small rooms feel much bigger.
With the roof trusses in place we get our first experience of the "complete" house. The concrete floors will be polished and used as our final floor so we are careful to protect them from the rigors of the next several months of construction. The framing happens so quickly, It is hard to believe that the house will not be done in a few weeks.
What follows is the story of that experience – a diary of building what we call ourOnline Case Study House. We hope it will spark a conversation where you can share your own home building experiences and advice.<br /><br />
