Our High Desert Home continues to make progress…. Kitchen cabinetry, shelves and interior trim are now in. One of the big advantages of a Design-Build approach is that final details are worked out with the respective subcontractor or craftsperson on site – this ensures that the highest level of expertise is present, minimizes translation errors between design intent and construction reality, and ensures that the solution is coordinated with the actual, current site conditions. The sum of these is often greater than its parts: as evidenced by the finish carpenter’s phenomenal job of making our cabinet design reality! The vertical grain doulas fir doors will be finished with an ultra-matte clear sealer and stay the same color. The wood frame around them will be painted with a flat paint to match the lime plaster walls. The original inspiration for this design were the plastered kitchen cabinets often found in old mediterranean farmhouses – but the client also wanted a really clean look – so we designed these cabinets as a modern interpretation.
The material palette for this home was developed in close collaboration with the client, who wanted to create an etherial, zen space, but with a warm touch. We chose lime plaster as the interior wall finish both for its luxurious, velvety feel and its superior qualities as a building product. Lime plaster has been used in construction as far back as ancient Egypt and is now being rediscovered as a “healthy building” material, for good reasons. Lime plaster as a wall finish is superior to modern drywall and cement plaster in many ways. It is highly vapor permeable and vapor-absorbent and thus aids in regulating interior air humidity. It is it doesn’t suffer from exposure to moisture and is more flexible and less prone to cracking than cement plaster, which makes it an excellent alternative to Portland cement stucco. Its elevated PH acts as a natural fungicide, which is beneficial both both in surface applications and in natural building materials such as Hemp-Lime or Hempcrete. When applied in a special technique called “Tadelakt” (by adding natural soap to mix) Lime plaster becomes waterproof and can be used for sinks and showers. We are using Tadelakt in the bathroom of this home, which is currently nearing completion…
Meanwhile, our client is starting to try out furniture and enjoying the house even in its in-progress state. This co-creation of a home is another aspect of our process that we enjoy enormously. There is no greater compliment for our work than an owner who starts to feel at home while construction is still going on!
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