Further design thoughts -- Idle Pine
(draft 2/5/04)

Floors
       Wood throughout (wide pine planks, urethane varnish), except for sheet flooring in the bathrooms. We will find a single design/pattern for all. Jane has found a linoleum link that has samples, specs, and dealers in Bradford and Lebanon.
       Some kind of stone in the entryway. Or synthetic stone might be okay.
       Porch to be artificial decking planks.

Lighting
       We don't like 'cans' sunk in the ceiling, in fact we don't like 'spot' lighting much at all. We want indirect lighting mostly supplemented by floor lamps or table lamps. To this end I have a design for fluorescent bulbs above window height and behind valences so that light is reflected to the roof/ceiling (3/4) and downward (1/4). See drawing
       (this valence might be instead of the false 'beam' that would go around the great room at ceiling height)
       We might use this in the two bedrooms as well.
       Bathrooms and kitchen will require separate treatment, but we will try to achieve diffuse, indirect lighting, with bright local fixtures for close work in both cases.

Walls
       Will be mostly drywall with wood accents. In the great room, the south wall will be wood – Dave has suggested a herringbone pattern, which we like the sound of. Would this be tongue and groove? The north wall will be wooden shelves, in front of either drywall or more wood. We are thinking or satin verithane finish throughout.
       Bathroom walls might be wood, or some wood. Undecided as yet.
       Bedrooms might be drywall with a pine accent wall, e.g. north wall in master bedroom.

Ceilings
        The great room and the master bedroom will have cathedral ceilings of once-sawed planks thinly painted white, or painted and rubbed off, or lightly whitewashed. We want the rough wood grain to be pronounced.
        The kitchen and bathrooms might be candidates for some kind of reflected or baffled lighting, fluorescent tubes behind egg-crate or aimed upwards between open joists perhaps. The second bedroom will be flat, normal, drywall (or maybe wood)

Colors
       The outside will be locse to the color of the existing cabins. We will choose an accent color or colors that work well with this, probably something like dark aqua, a light blue-green. This migh find its way into counter tops and some paint trim.

Trim
       We hope to have very simple window trim and door molding: 1x3 or 1x4 pine, varnished as usual. This will be effective next to painted sheetrock walls, and natural with pine paneled walls. We would like to bet away without floor molding, but will listen to reason.

Shelving
        We have in mind a simple style of open shelving that we want to be the norm. see picture (of untrimmed 2x12 or 5/4 x 12 large, mostly regular, pigeon holes).
       We will use it in the kitchen – in lieu of cabinets, for the most part.
       Less decorous supplies like food and cleaning will be stored in the pantry. Shelves will be over and under the counter where cabinets would normally be. Perhaps the drawers will be partially open fronted.
       In the great room, the entire north wall except for the closet door and the hallway door and the ladder should be shelves, floor to ceiling height. With a kickplate.
       In the second bedroom there will be lots of shelving for books, location to be determined.
       There will also be shelving in closets, including master bedroom, hall, some of the second bedroom, and the entire pantry.
       Open shelves in bathrooms, too, for primary towel storage, as well as toiletries and supplies. (bulk in the pantry or basement, perhaps)

Closets
       We are tending towards more shelves and less closet doors, looking for an open, campy appearance. We hope to avoid chests of drawers in the bedrooms, surviving with shelves iand some hanging bars in the closets.

Kitchen
       Varnished wood cabinets with open shelving dominate the space. Indirect lighting from a white ceiling. Wood floor, as we are thinking that there is no obvious place to divide the floor if we use linoleum.
       An island about 3 ½ x 7 feet is freestanding, on a kickplate base. It's top hangs over the ends and the living area side by about a foot, so that tall chairs can seat three to five around it. There is a small stainless steel sink near the sw corner, and a cutting board recessed just north of it. The top of the island is laminate (Formica?)
[countertops and island top might go to soapstone, with the sink(s?) ]        At the south end of the west wall is a desk space for Jane, knee well below, lots of shelves above a corkboard, drilled for her computer. Next to the right is a wall oven (electric?) and more shelves, perhaps including a small microwave and a few other appliances. Under the two centrally located windows is the countertop, including gas rangetop and double stainless steel sink. Finally at the far right next to the pantry is the refrigerator. Over the stove is a high capacity vent fan, but maybe not a hood.

Porch
       Roof will be supported by rustic round posts (bark removed tree sections) close spaced (abt. 8 ft). We are still discussing the railing style, and want to do something other than ballisters, I think. Maybe crossed logs (unsafe). I am looking for alternatives. Floor to be of artificial deck planks 2x6 or 2x8.
       Part will be screened with dark plastic screening. How wide do the rolls come?

Great Room
       We have yet to determine what to do with the high walls (above 8 feet) in the great room – if anything. For the time being we plan to have the east and west walls painted drywall (white or ?) and the south wall herringbone pine and the north wall bookshelves below and loft above – behind some kind of railing.
       Location for the gas heating stove needed.
       Built in bookshelves under many of the windows, to be determined.

Loft
       Will be accessible by a vertical or near vertical ladder up the center of the north wall of the great room, just to the left of the structural post. It will be 16 feet wide, 18 feet deep, 3.5 feet high at the eaves, and 7 feet high at the centerline. There will be lots of 'low headroom' space at either side. We will put shelves along both side walls (east and west) bringing the useful width down to 14 feet, and put beds in front of (some of) those shelves, which will be under the low headroom.
       The floor will be pine. [we are exploring wall-to-wall or large throw carpet for sleeping comfort and sound deadening. 2/29/04] There will be an operable window in the north wall, as well as a high volume exhaust fan which will be used on hot summer days to expel warm air.
       The south wall will be open above a 36" railing, except for a notch where the ladder ascends.

Heating and Cooling
       There will be a gas-fired furnace in the basement, driving a system of radiant floor heating under the entire ground floor. (closed liquid system) In addition there will be a freestanding gas stove in the great room (location to be determined) with a normal stovepipe flu to the outside. Several heating zones will be established, with separate circulation pumps and thermostats, covering the great room, the master bedroom and bath, and the remainder. There will be no separate heat for the loft.
       Because the house will be nearly airtight, there will be an air exchanger incorporating a heat exchanger, which will draw fresh air in from the outside, preheating it with warmth drawn from exhaust air. Perhaps the intake vents will be in the bedrooms, and the exhaust from the bathrooms and kitchen.
       There will be two large ceiling fans suspended above the great room, variable speed and direction controlled from wall controls. There will be another (perhaps smaller) in the master bedroom (cathedral ceiling) similarly controlled. In combination with the exhaust fan in the loft it is hoped that these will keep the inside air from baking in the summer Also in the basement will be a gas hot water heater and the main electrical panel.

Basement
       We will plan for a full foundation, excavating a full basement insofar as possible. Access will be from the outside only, through a bulkhead door or and external door under the porch.

Bathrooms
       Bathrooms will be the most “piney” rooms in the house, with four walls varnished pine boards, linoleum floor, and white ceiling (maybe suspended “egg-crate” lighting). Plain white standard fixtures; sinks without countertops. Lots of open shelves for towels and toiletries. Master bath with walk-in shower (no curtain or door) built up with 66" walls probably 2" ceramic tiles. Second bath has a second door to the outside for tenters, and a standard shower pan with a shower curtain. Lavatory (half bath) has just a very small hand-washing sink. Windows in the two full baths should be operating and maybe opaque, or maybe just beginning at 48" from the floor.

(to be continued, expanded, embellished)

 

Main Construction Planning page Latest Floorplan 2/29/04     (needs Acrobat)

 

revised 2-29-04
void where prohibited