
Posts Tagged ‘Berkeley’
The Walls Have Arrived
Posted in Design Projects, tagged Berkeley, green building, small buildings, Straw Bale on January 8, 2021| Leave a Comment »
Snapshots of a favorite recent project
Posted in Design Projects, tagged ADU, Berkeley, carved post, cottage, painted beam, small buildings on January 6, 2021| Leave a Comment »
We converted the front house from a duplex to single family, then added an ADU at the back. So many fun details on this project I don’t know where to start.
First, Here is the new ADU. The landscape work is underway, so stay tuned. Note the castle post from previous blogposts.



Here are three of the kitchen




Hand Forged Bale Needles & Antique Bale Knife
Posted in Design Projects, tagged Berkeley, McBride Construction, process, Strawbale on December 30, 2020| Leave a Comment »
North Berkeley ADU Snapshots
Posted in Design Projects, tagged accessory dwelling unit, ADU, Berkeley, cabinets, dining nook, drain rack, fir, kitchen, small buildings on December 8, 2020| Leave a Comment »
The builder (McBride Construction) is working his way through the punch list. We are both proud of how this rental cottage is turning out. Here are a couple of his snapshots:
The first one is the kitchen with built-in dish drying rack over the drainboard and apple-ply cabinets. The second is the little dining nook with storage benches and salvaged fir built-in table.
A Simple ADU to Replace a Garage
Posted in Design Projects, tagged accessory dwelling unit, ADU, Berkeley, construction process, fibercement, green building, rainscreen, simple, small buildings on November 18, 2020| Leave a Comment »
I’ll post more about this one soon…with some interior shots. This will house the homeowners while they remodel the main house, then it will be an art studio and guest quarters. Someday it will probably house renters. It exceeds all the green building and energy efficiency codes. Construction by McBride Construction.


Meeting with the Landscape Architect
Posted in Design Projects, tagged ADU, Berkeley, garden, landscape, Martina Ladova, process, small buildings on November 16, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Addition in the Berkeley Hills
Posted in Design Projects, tagged addition, bathroom, Berkeley, indoor-outdoor, kitchen, lighting design, minimalist, nana doors, Oak, vaulted ceiling on November 14, 2020| Leave a Comment »
This one, built by Canivet Construction, was for a pair of architects. The design was driven more in the modern direction by their sensibilities.
Rafters!
Posted in Design Projects, tagged accessory dwelling unit, ADU, Berkeley, process, roof framing, small buildings, Strawbale, wood on November 12, 2020| 1 Comment »
Some Pretty Roof Framing…The Walls Will Be Straw
Posted in Design Projects, tagged Berkeley, framing, green building, hipped roof, McBride Construction, roof, Strawbale on November 11, 2020| 1 Comment »
Painted Beam With Piranhas & Diamond Post Detail
Posted in Design Projects, tagged Berkeley, color, decoration, details, interiors, paint, painted beam, patterns, small buildings, whimsy on September 26, 2020| 1 Comment »
Foundation for a StrawBale ADU underway in Berkeley
Posted in Design Projects, tagged Berkeley, concrete, green, process, small buildings, Strawbale on September 24, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Snapshots of Two Recent Kitchen Remodels
Posted in Design Projects, tagged Berkeley, interiors, kitchen, open plan, process, remodel, value on August 21, 2020| Leave a Comment »
Since we are in a pandemic I wasn’t able to do a more formal photoshoot of these two projects. I also was not involved in every little decision, but they turned out well and the owners are happy to have nice new kitchens now as they shelter in place. Both projects involved removing a wall between kitchen and dining rooms, new cabinets, layout rearrangements, updated lighting, bar seating, a mix of wood and solid surface counters. One also got a skylight.
This first one was built by McBride Construction (Photos by John McBride)

Wood-topped peninsula between kitchen and dining room makes a great place to informally eat or do homework, but also serves as a buffet for the dining room

Herringbone Tile
The next one was built by 360 Property Solutions
Wall removed between dining and kitchen to let the south light flow through and connect the spaces