{ FRONT YARD: HARDSCAPE DESIGN }

…we’ve always loved Turfblock... yes, they are messy, high maintenance, and spotty (as in grass grows inexplicably in some “holes” and not others). nevertheless, for two years, every time we spoke about redoing the driveway, we spoke about Turfblock. however, when the time actually came, doubt started setting in. we were not sure we could deal with the maintenance and inconsistency. knowing we wanted a permeable option, my dear friend Jose—who I met my first day of architecture school, now many moons ago—owner of BrickPaver Group, suggested we use Rima pavers. Rima is an interlocking paver system that offers two installation options; “nub to block” which creates a seamless surface still allowing for percolation or “nub to nub” for a larger gap and increased permeability.

 

Photos courtesy of: www.sislersstone.com and www.tremron.com

 

the Turfblock allows for sod growth, increasing the green area of the yard; while the Rima offers lower maintenance and cleaner lines. we loved the aesthetics and functionality of both systems, so it was not an easy decision…

 

 

thankfully, making a decision on the walkway, was easier. we narrowed it down to two options [also illustrated above]; 24” x 24” precast concrete pavers or larger 24” x 48” poured-in-place “pavers.”

if you can’t wait till the next post to find out what we decided, follow us on Instagram! @ourreddoor

{ KITCHEN: DESIGN: LAYOUT }

…we love to cook …well, Manny loves to cook, I love to do some of the prep work, prepare cold dishes and appetizers, plate, and stand around with a glass of wine while he does the cooking... so, we spend a lot of time in the kitchen. aside from needing a major make-over, the kitchen layout was not conducive to that. therefore, the goal was not only to update the kitchen, but to reconfigure the layout to make it work for us. in order to do this, the new design needed to:

·  “feel bigger,” as it is a small kitchen (120 SF);
·  be efficient;
·  provide more counter space and distinct prep areas;
·  provide more storage area;
·  provide functional storage areas;

…and last but, definitely not least, this one is difficult:

·  have the right balance between form and function

…redesigning the kitchen entailed:

·  inverting the location of the refrigerator and range. the previous layout felt small because every wall plane was broken up. this change creates an unobstructed wall, opening up the space; inverting these appliances also creates a better flow or “work triangle;”

·  removing the unnecessary soffit. the result of this was instantaneous; immediately it felt as though the volume had grown;

·  extending the partition wall to create additional counter area. creating a separate prep area, outside the triangle, eliminates  path conflicts and unintentional toe-stepping. as it turns out, there was no actual net gain in counter area [I had to do the math twice]; however, increasing their functionality, creates the illusion that counter area was added;

·  using every inch of space by designing floor-to-ceiling custom cabinets;

·  using open shelving in lieu of upper cabinets to maintain the “openness.” In spite of eliminating upper cabinets, the usable storage area increased by 40%;

·  shifting the location of the sink. in order to maximize storage areas, the dishwasher had to be moved to the exterior wall; in order for it to fit on that wall, the sink had to shift from its location (centered on the window). …and no, it doesn’t bother us that it is off-center. symmetry is overrated;

·  removing the ceiling fan. it had to be done; and

·  installing recessed light fixtures. the lighting placement was perfected by our light-savvy friend, Hector, whose only direction was “It needs to be bright and Manny does not want to see his own shadow as he is chopping away on the counter.” not only did he accomplish this, but he also successfully used lighting to emphasize design elements.

…take a look:

...existing plan:

...proposed plan (roll over the image):

...interior elevations:

 

{ KITCHEN: BEFORE }

…a year and a half after buying the house, back in December, we finally started remodeling the kitchen. it’s been so long that even we have forgotten what it looked like. here it is was…

 

…the original plans indicate that this was possibly the original kitchen. as was customary in the 1950s—before we started living in our kitchens—it was designed to be partially enclosed, hidden  behind a wall and door. the wall featured an opening and formica bar overlooking the dining room. at some point in the last 60 years, this was changed to open up the kitchen entirely and a tall pantry cabinet was added next to the refrigerator. aside from cabinet refinishing, we think this might have been the only alteration.

{ RESIDENCE FOR MR. DEAN CLAUSSEN BY MANFRED M. UNGARO, ARCHITECT. JUNE 13, 1951 }

Shortly after placing the offer on the house—crossing my fingers and positively deciding it would be ours—I set out to find whatever I could in public records… and among electrical permits from the 70s, there they were:  The original drawings of our house.  Well, very bad scans of the original drawings of our house.  Even then, way more than I expected to find; two sheets containing floor, foundation, and roof plans, elevations, and typical wall sections.  Two sheets sufficed to build a house in 1951.

I studied every line—found some discrepancies, minor alterations over the years.  Then I noticed the title block:  Residence for Mr. Dean Claussen by Manfred M. Ungaro, Architect.  Yay!  [Insert warm fuzzy feeling].  This meant that our house was not a model or spec home.  It meant that someone—Mr. Dean Claussen—had decided to build his residence to his liking and had commissioned an architect to do it.  It meant that every wall, beam, and window location had been thought about and debated.  An architect—Manfred M. Ungaro—had designed our house!  And then, it hit me: “Wait, who is Manfred M. Ungaro?” Having never heard of him, I started my research.  Now, (thanks to Google) I know that:

The September, 1946 Bulletin of the Florida Association of Architects lists him as a member; one of 656 registered architects.

“The large apartment buildings… designed by architect Manfred M. Ungaro in 1952, are an excellent expression of Vernacular MiMo.”

 “…other significant architects who frequently designed Post War Modern style apartment buildings in North Beach were… and Manfred M. Ungaro.”

“…and Manfred Ungaro were also quite influential. Together, these architects defined a new direction of mid-century modern design in Miami Beach.  Their buildings, conditioned to the environmental forces of a hot and humid climate as well as to the need to distinguish buildings within a competitive environment, led to a daring and unexpected expression of modern themes.”

..and that, according to the drawings, his office was located at 816 Olympia Building (aka Gusman Center Building), which I could see from my desk at work.   

Since nothing could be found about him personally, I’ve chosen to liken him to one of his contemporaries; someone like Rufus Nims or Alfred Browning Parker.  Just as willful and passionate about architecture.  I have imagined Mr. Claussen and Mr. Ungaro bent over the drawings of our [their] house, endlessly debating lifestyle preferences, where bedrooms should be located, and what the light would look like in the morning.  

I hope that Mr. Claussen was pleased with Mr. Ungaro’s work and that he was truly happy in his [our] house.