In 2022, we were approached by a couple; a visual artist and a filmmaker, to build a small (approx 800 sf) energy-efficient cabin on their property. The existing property consists of a main house and a barn used as a workshop and garage. The concept was to purposefully not match any existing buildings but create a play of three different, distinct typologies on the property. The cottage, located next to the barn is the first structure you see from the driveway. The tall eastern elevation welcomes the visitors, and the sloping roof guides them towards the main house, which is lower and set among trees.
The design brief was to build a small structure with the feel of a cabin, yet it is built to the Passive House Standard. The roof is pitched along the length of the house, creating a loft space which can be used as a second bedroom or play area, accessed by a small alternating tread staircase with storage space beneath it.
It was important for the client to have a view from the kitchen into the forested area behind the house. The front (south) side of the house has most of the windows to enjoy the views of the orchard and meadow while maximizing solar gain in the winter. The dining area window has a window seat maximizing space for dining seating and great place to enjoy the view. The southern elevation is shaded from intense summer sun by a pergola which will provide support for vines, creating a shaded out door sitting area.
A window seat opposite the kitchen is a space saving element that allows for a dining table next to the kitchen island.
Color
The visual artist, and the use of color is essential to her not only for her artwork but also in her lived environment. The colors used in the cabin reflect her artwork.
"Color is life. Color is light. Color is context. In my work I am totally absorbed by what happens when putting one color next to another.”
Color in the interior is tricky, mysterious, surprising - always a combination of pigment plus available light. Deep rich colors in smaller spaces can be thrilling. How one color reflects onto another wall is often a revelation. An example: I painted a small upstairs bedroom with big windows a pale mint green. The cumulative effect of the walls reflecting off each other made for a deep, strange radiance, soft but hallucinatory. Looking up from below with the door open, the bedroom emits an incandescent green glow, that even leaks out of the bedroom onto the stairway walls. It’s taken years to dare to get very experimental with color in the interior.”
