Project Notes

Artisan builders has developed a broad network for sourcing reclaimed wood, local lumber and stone often purchasing and shipping directly from the source.  This design build custom project utilized an impressive amount of reclaimed lumber including;  flooring, ceiling liner, interior decorative walls, sliding barn doors, many of the built-ins, all exterior siding, and the entire timber frame package.  As the owner of Artisan Builders, it is up to me to handpick these materials just as I handpick the craftsmen that turn this re-purposed material into a functional piece of art.

The objective of the loft was to give extra living space to the second floor and allow for an open air feeling in the great room while providing coziness to the kitchen and dining area. The 28 foot I-beam sits with one end on the corner back wall of the kitchen while the end that juts out into the living room is hung from a 1” diameter steel rod that extends through the truss system into a beam pack above. This creates an open living room free of a constraining post.  Along the I-beam we created three-sided metal boxes of steel welded together for a custom metal bracket to attach. Each 8” loft floor hand hewn joist was meticulously scribed to the custom metal bucket and housed into a 10” x 10” hand hewn beam on the perimeter.  On top of the joists, flooring material was flipped upside down with a coat of linseed oil and natural pigment applied. This combination of the black metal, gray hand hewn beams, and the light brown lid allows the eye to take in all of the different parts and intricacies. 

There was an 8 KW solar system installed and up and running as soon as the foundation walls were poured. Thanks to the foresight of the owner and good planning, Artisan Builders was able to bill 90% of the project with renewables and the owner will receive money back from the electric company for years to come. Artisan Builders takes pride in creating high-quality, healthier and more energy-efficient homes using the best green building practices.

Upon entering the front door, your eyes will be drawn to a custom metal staircase flanked by a large window to allow for natural light and a wall of stone to serve as the back drop.  The transition between levels leads to a bridge separating the bedrooms and the openness of the loft area. Each stair is made of C-channel stringers and reclaimed 4” Doug Fir for treads. The wooden treads are attached with pieces of steel plates that span from the stringers, with the treads being supported by the welds at the attachment. This detail allows the stairway to remain open and offset the overall mass.  As with all the railings in the house, the stair rail balusters are also run in a horizontal motion adding to the natural flow of the transition.

The sunroom was an important component in this design build, with the mechanical room below, the concrete walls are poured into a board form to give the inverse appearance to the weathered barn wood siding.  Because of the elevated difference of 11” out of the west window wall, there is a sense of “floating” and enjoying the evening sunsets.  The room is insulated but not heated, the windows on the north and south walls are bi-folding and end up stacking against one another when sitting in the open position.  The interior walls are covered with weathered gray and brown barn wood, straight lined and placed tightly next to one another. This is the same as the rest of the exterior siding, another way to bring the outside in.  The trim detail around the windows is also quite unique, we used 1-1/2” angle iron frames to extend the jam to the window and cover the edge of the wood siding. The space is a lovely addition to the rectangular barn style mass of the house. Allowing the exterior porch to flow through the sunroom via a set of custom sliding barn doors.