Plan of Steel
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Nighttime hikes often end at the the “cowboy” hot tub where Smith soaks his feet: two nested Hastings galvanized livestock feeders. The tub is surrounded by a Veranda faux-wood deck and fed with hot water from the house’s solar hot-water system.Photo by: Misha Gravenor -
The Blue Sky prototype house leads a second life as desert getaway for David McAdam and his partner Scott Smith.Photo by: Misha Gravenor -
One large room houses the kitchen, dining, and living area; the backsplash and countertops are made by Vetrazzo.Photo by: Misha Gravenor -
A Plyboo wall divides the interior of the house.Photo by: Misha Gravenor -
The main living area extends to the deck through sliding glass doors. The orange David Chair and ottoman were designed by Palm Springs-based interior designer Christopher Kennedy and are from his eponymous line of furniture. Kennedy did the interior design for the whole house, playing a large role in choosing the decor and eco-friendly surfaces.Photo by: Misha Gravenor -
The secret sauce for the Blue Sky Home is its framing system, which resists twisting and bending and won’t rust.Photo by: Misha Gravenor -
Eight carefully placed bolts in the joints in the steel frame absorb any movement, allowing the home to rest on small footings and meet California’s strict seismic standards.Photo by: Misha Gravenor -
The carport stands apart from the home and is topped with Solar World’s Sun Module photovoltaic panels. McAdam and Smith have grown quite used to their small electric bills.Photo by: Misha Gravenor -
As a paean to the old steel-mining shacks that inspired the home, McAdam sprayed the the corrugated-steel exterior with apple cider vinegar to create a warm rust effect.Photo by: Misha Gravenor -
For all its hard environmental work, one of the most immediate of the Blue Sky Home’s pleasures is how it sits so snugly in its desert surroundings.Photo by: Misha Gravenor
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