Everybody Wow

James and Neha (designer on the project) came over on Friday to show us the plans. In three words: Greatly Exceeded Expectations. We are in awe of the design they developed. I'm going to post cleaned up versions of the plans and elevations based on the CAD files soon, but here's a grainy, stitched-together scan for now.

I love the incorporation of the existing house with the modern style of the addition. Clean lines, lots of light, tons of added functionality.

Everything on the left-hand side of the image beyond the chimney is new. Two steps down from the (larger) living room take you to the activity room, laundry, storage closet, small bathroom, and the guest bedroom. The guest bedroom will have a rear wall made of sliding glass doors that pocket into the wall, allowing for indoor/outdoor living. Please sign up early to stay with us in these lovely accommodations.

I'll write more about the interior once I post images. I'm also busy building a 3D model of the plans so I can shoot some QTVR movies or a flythrough to put online.

I recall James once saying that "this is the fun part" of doing a house addition, and I couldn't agree more. I'm sure the heady excitement we feel now will be neatly counterbalanced by the realities of construction. And paying for it. But for now our only job is to request small design adjustments here and there and start researching materials, finishes, hardware and colors. Yay us!

The plans

James is coming by today to show us the plans he's drawn up for our addition. To use the vernacular, w00t!

Park Oak House

This is another house recently completed by our architect, James Meyer. Maybe we can scrap the whole addition idea and just move into this place. It's in the Hollywood Hills, so it shouldn't cost much.

Vladimir's mosaic

vladimir
Originally uploaded by japunto.

My friend Vladimir at thinkforward.org has written an algorithm for generating a variety of beautiful mosaics. This is my favorite.

Erin's screens

Here is the quick model I did of the type of screens we were thinking of getting for dividing the living room. I'm not sure what kind of materials we'd go with, but maybe some kind of dark wood frame with a plexiglass-made-to-look-like-rice-paper interior would work. That or chicken wire.

Just some pretty pictures

open02
Originally uploaded by japunto.

I'm uploading some scans of a house I like. We've got to get off our butts and call the architect to see how the plans are coming. Hopefully that'll make for more exciting news than this lazy post.

The gift of speed

I saw this posted on daddytypes.com and knew I had to have it. Or, rather, get it for my son's second birthday, that is. So I did. Can't wait for it to arrive. It's called likeabike.

3D Shape Wallpaper

I saw these 3D wallpaper tiles over on Mister Shape's blog, and am going to make the full court press with Erin to get some for the living room.

Partitions

Lofts always get the coolest partitions. Must be a side effect of living in a big giant cube. We'd like to consider sectioning off the project room into two areas with some sort screens or sliding walls.

Meeting Today

James (the architect) is coming by today to talk with us about the design direction. We've been clipping out pretty pictures of houses from magazines to show him, as well as these photos online. He's also going to take measurements of our house and lot -- I wonder if he'll use some high-tech sonar/laser based device. That'd be neat-o.

Signed

exterior
Originally uploaded by japunto.

We signed the contract with our architect, and put it in the mail. This makes it feel official, and I'm glad to have forward movement.

This is a nice exterior, with a mix of natural and modern that I like. If I recall correctly, it's the house that contains the stylish staircase below.

Exoskeletal Staircase

backbone stairs
Originally uploaded by japunto.

So, we've gotten our questions answered by the architect about the proposal and we're signing it. Scary bags.

Here is a staircase I really like. A lot. As in, I'm going to find this house and burgle them of it. It looks like the spiny exoskeleton of some benevolent giant bug alien.

Regulations

A couple I know are also doing an addition here in Burbank. They're a year into the process (having stalled for a while when they ditched their first architect). I get to hear all sorts of scary stuff from them about local regulations. For example - if you move your garage back you also have to move it five feet away from the edge of your property and into your yard.

Another -- if you increase your square footage beyond ~50% of your original home you have to install fire sprinklers in the ceilings of your home and your garage. Apparently the fire department does this for you and charges a lot to do so. Yikes.

Notes to self: Don't move the garage. Add < 50% to sq. footage.