A project that I designed was recently completed and I thought I’ll share a few photos with you. I was limited to what I could do because this structure was grandfathered in. So it was a bit of a challenge working with the restrictions but the main goal was to simplify the layout, open up the spaces, bring natural light inside and use materials to warm up the spaces. Before the remodel, the guest house had a living room, kitchen, power room, bedroom and bathroom upstairs with a closed off artist studio on the side. Now the guest house has a more open living room with a hidden powder room under the stairs. A window was taken out were the TV now rest on the wall and the pool side french doors were replaced with 9’ high barn doors. The kitchen was shrunken down to a smaller functional wet bar and moved back from the entry. A door was added to connect the once closed off art studio with the living room with passage through the new wet bar. The artist studio had a new ridge skylight added along with a few transom windows and the entrance was moved from the side to the front with french doors. Upstairs the bedroom skylight was made larger, ceiling opened up and storage closets were added in the once dead space under the eaves. The bathroom door shifted from the top of the stairs to the bedroom for a better bathroom layout. Before the bathroom only had a tub which was replaced with a shower. V-groove boards were used at the walls in the living room, stairway and bedroom. The wet bar, office and studio where sheetrocked with a smooth level 5 finish. New concrete floors with radiant heat are throughout the down stairs rooms. The existing fir floors remained in the bedroom along with the existing fir treads and risers at the stairs. The casework is vertical grain fir, 2” thick reclaimed fir for the shelves and soapstone countertops. Doors are made of fir with clear and white laminate glass. Stone and Heath ceramic tile were used in the bathroom and powder room. Dornbracht faucet fixtures, Duravit toilets and vanity sinks. The walls were insulated with recycled cotton from old denim jeans. On demand water heaters for hot water and the windows and exterior doors are double pane. Now the clients have moved in and will live here until we finish their main house. -MR
