Green in Gold
   Shoreline, Washington
   Two-story Residence
   1,000 SF Living, 200 SF Garage

Contemporary Cottage Explores Small Home Moves with Sustainable Materials
A customized cottage within The Reserve Cottages community of Richmond Beach, "Goldie," as we fondly call the home of a single working professional, shows what can be done to allow a small residence to 'live large' on a tight footprint. The design uses turn-of-the-century farm houses from the Skagit Valley as a point of departure because of their finely-tuned scale, then employs modern open planning, generous porches, and glass to allow the Great Room scheme to flow indoors to out. We drew from the lightness of Asian design motifs to detail exposed structure, railings, and screens in certified ipe hardwood for economy and ease of maintenance. "Healthy Home" products were used, and reused, throughout the finishing process to creatively make the most from the materials at hand — bamboo hardwood flooring was re-milled for trim, underlayment with a luan mahogany veneer (supplied free with the linoleum we ordered) was used as exterior siding in the covered porch areas, and galvanized metal roofing was left exposed to save on soffit finishes and preserve the gentle sound of rain working its way to ground.