deedsdesign

Snapshots of a recent ADU in West Berkeley

June 15, 2021 by sarah

First here is a 3d model we built as a schematic design tool. A few things changed and not all the details are there, but you can get a sense of the overall layout.

This one was a rebuild of an existing garage. (We had to rebuild it to meet the energy standards for habitable space, but we had to keep it the same as the garage in footprint, height, and roofline. ) The owners wanted to keep it simple…and kind of traditional. We think it turned out well.

The heating is a Fujitsu minisplit, the insulation is beyond code including slab edge insulation, lighting is all LED, high efficacy, & high CRI. A spot HRV keeps the air fresh even when the owners are out of town.

Big doors to the patio open wide on a nice day

We kept a flat ceiling and a traditional attic for simplicity

A wall of cabinets on the property line side…120 Volt LED track lighting

McBride construction planned ahead and added flat blocks for mounting all the exterior electrical and plumbing

Very durable solid oak counter and painted cabinets and shelving

Kitchenette – induction cooktop with a toaster oven and microwave covers most cooking needs..and a remote fan in the ceiling

The electrical panel got a little roof and side screens

My helper, Éowyn, enjoying the cool tiled shower

Posted in Design Projects | Tagged accessory dwelling unit, ADU, Berkeley, details, green, lighting design, process, small buildings | Leave a Comment »

Concrete Windowsills

May 10, 2021 by sarah

I’ll just share the McBride Construction Photos of the sandy colored concrete sills on the strawbale:

www.instagram.com/p/COfuDyWH_s_/

Posted in Design Projects | Tagged Berkeley, green building, process, small buildings, Strawbale | Leave a Comment »

Insulation & Hemlock Ceiling

April 29, 2021 by sarah

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Little Workshop & Storage Building With a Room Up Above

April 19, 2021 by sarah

Posted in Design Projects | Tagged Berkeley, small buildings, stairs, storage | 1 Comment »

Strawbale interior – first coat of plaster today!

April 8, 2021 by sarah

The builder (John McBride) sent these photos of the interior plaster, the deep windows, and the interior all cleaned up, ready for plastering.

Posted in Design Projects | Tagged Berkeley, curves, process, small buildings, Strawbale | Leave a Comment »

Remodel Alive

April 5, 2021 by sarah

This was a really fun project with creative owners. It was a house with a lot of character to start with, but also in need of reorganizing and re-tuning.

It started off as a duplex. The family lived upstairs and there was a dark, low ceiling rental below. We turned it into a single family home with the addition of a stairs between the floors. The lower floor became a fun space for the two boys plus storage and we moved the water heater out of the attic into the lower floor as well. (Upgrading to an Electric heat pump water heater to serve the main house plus the new ADU behind)

It is always hard to explain the subtle rearranging of the floor plan in a remodel..but one example is flipping a door and a window in the dining area to bend the traffic flow and improve the dining area tremendously.

One of my favorite things about this project and client is the instantaneous lived-in feeling, the retention of spaces like the boys workshop where they can be messy and creative, and the addition of details like the in progress mural on the new cabinets behind the stairs.

Tons more I could say…but pictures are more fun.

Contractor – McBride Construction

Dining Nook
Looking toward entry
Steel Railing by Melissa MacDonald
Boys Bath
Living Room & Entry
Entry with new shoe storage bench
Bath 1
Bath 1
Bath 1
Stairs
Mural in Progress and maybe Tape Roads on Floor
Workshop (Floor painted by boys)
Workshop
Workshop
Garden Side
Back deck
ADU
Entry

Posted in Design Projects | Tagged Berkeley, fun, living architecture, remodel | Leave a Comment »

First Coat of Lime Plaster on the Strawbale Exterior Walls

April 3, 2021 by sarah

Hydraulic lime plaster is similar to cement stucco, but with lime rather than portland cement. It is more flexible and more vapor permeable than cement stucco, but it takes more skill and curing time. It also requires warmer temperatures. While making portland cement requires a lot of energy and the chemical reaction releases large quantities of CO₂ into the atmosphere, Manufacturing lime takes energy, but when lime plaster carbonates (hardens) much of the CO₂ released during the manufacture is reabsorbed. (From Essential Natural Plasters, Henry & Therrien) According to Strawbale Building Details (Published by CASBA – California Strawbale Building Association)The strawbales themselves sequester 26 pounds of carbon each, preventing the formation of 95 pounds of CO₂)

Mixing the natural hydraulic lime, plaster sand & water

Burlap shades to protect the plastered walls from direct sun (It cures better if kept moist and cool)

Posted in Design Projects, Information | Tagged green building, Limeplaster, process, small buildings, Strawbale | Leave a Comment »

Studio Tune-up underway up the hill

April 1, 2021 by sarah

We are adding some french doors to the garden, some new siding, and making the interior nicer for guitar playing and singing. This little building sits in a very nice garden.

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