AUXILIARY BARN

Here is a sneak peak of our project in Parks. Got a roof on it just in time!

YURT DECK

A good friend of mine has a big pile of 6x6 lumber. After a few happy hour design sessions filled with napkin sketches and sunsets, we have decided to turn his lumber into a yurt deck for a property he owns in the high desert hills of central Arizona. Below is a picture that inspired us, followed by some of our design work.

HYPERTUFA POTS

We had a lot of fun making these cute little planters. They make great indoor pots and are perfect to bring perennnials or herbs indoors as the seasons change. Hypertufa is a manmade material composed of perlite; a volcanic glass, sphagnum; also known as peat moss, and portland cement. It's a very maleable material and you can form it by hand. We used plastic cups for our forms, and with a little cooking spray as a coating, they were very easy to remove. The hypertufa only takes about a day to harden and only about 3 to cure completely. Then you can paint them any way you like. Plants are very happy in this pourous limestone material! Try it at home, it's even simple enough for kids-- but remember to always wear gloves when working with cement.

COOL AND WARM KITCHEN

Here are some images of Justin and Cassandra's new kitchen down in Phoenix. Tha cabinets have been ordered and Hawk Builders are wrapping up framing this week!

A BETTER BACKYARD

We've finally started construction on the house on Oregon Avenue. One part of part design that we are very excited about is how the new dining room doors will affect the backyard. The new 12' opening houses a 4-Panel aluminum sliding glass door by Heritage Doors of Phoenix. We're taking out the dated and dirty glass block windows and replacing them with frosted panes. The new nursery windows add character to the corner of the addition, and a new mechanical screen hides the cleaned-up HVAC system. New sanded stucco will wrap the doors and base of the wall making the old house and subsequent addition read as one. 

OUTDOOR LIVING ROOM

Although Phoenix gets the reputation for having unbearable year-round heat, this is really not the case. From October to March it's generally beautiful outdoors and these months provide great opportunities for desert families to spend some quality time outside. Here are some images from an outdoor renovation project we are developing in the valley. The space includes outdoor dining, a private master bedroom deck with wood stove, and a garden-side gathering area for star-gazing by a firepit. 

PLASTER AND PAVERS

Here are some of the pictures taken of our patio project in Cheshire. For the full photo-set including construction techniques on how to build a wall foundation, install a strawbale formwork, and then finish with eco-plaster visit our facebook page fb UPDESIGN.

A KITCHENETTE IN THE COUNTRY

After getting by with a kitchen constructed out of plywood and 2x4's for 19 years, a dear friend of ours decided it was time to upgrade her custom home in the country with a new set of kitchen cabinets. 

 Being a Portland ex-pat, I sent her to Neil Kelly Cabinets who covers a 500 mile radius outside of PDX that just barely includes her property. Not only are they one of the pioneers of sustainable cabinetry, they also have a unparalleled collection of different styles, FSC species, and finishes. 

Below we have illustrated several cabinet and drawer styles to consider using the doors and boxes available from NKC. Which one do you like the best?

EXPLORING PLASTER FINISHES

On our recent project here in Flagstaff we've had the opportunity to explore the options now available for plaster finishes. Here is an inspiring image of a home with plaster interiors complimented by polished concrete floors. The subtle, tactile nature of plaster give massive objects a hand-made quality that is both natural and comforting. 

To learn more about plaster finishes, visit http://www.variancefinishes.com/ or http://www.ecostucco.com/

A PIZZA PARTY PATIO

A growing family here in Flagstaff built a wood fired oven in their backyard last year so they could cook outside in the summer evenings and enjoy warm air and wonderful clear skies. This year, they are adding a patio and place for the kids to play while they rewind from the day. 

We are proposing a large patio with traditionally brick-shaped pavers running in a herringbone pattern. We matched the color of the pavers to the wood oven which is built of local sandstone. To define the edge of the patio and to create extra seating for parties, we are going to build an L-shaped straw-bale bench. We are finishing the bench in Ecostucco www.ecostucco.com a sustainable lime plaster that comes in an array of beautiful colors made from natural minerals. 

LINDEN STREET

We spent the weekend in Tucson working on the Linden Street landscaping job. We got a new section of 6' fence installed and a new gate to the back house. For the first time ever, you can actually tell there are two houses on the property from the street! What used to be known as the "feral cat corner", is now an open and breezy walk way.

HORIZON DRIVE

Check out the latest plans for our project in Carefree. We anticipate more development but things are coming along nicely. We're really excited about the master bathroom!