Large paver patios make excellent walkways.
Designer in Brooklyn, New York
"The pieces in the space are a combination of industrial reclaimed finds and bespoke, often both in the same item. The cabinets were a vintage medical find, powder-coated and set up on welded stilts. The mirror was commissioned from Made In Chinatown. Ceiling color and texture came through lots of trial and error in order to avoid the heavily toxic and arduous process normally involved in staining concrete. The mezzanine sign which marks the space was acquired through a long chain of inside jokes from a friend—I'm still unsure exactly of its origins, possibly the bygone New York Subway signage system."
The main bathroom is only partially separated from the sleeping area by a glass partition. The absence of opaque walls creates a feeling of openness and cohesion in the bright mezzanine space.
“A critical aspect of the project was the incorporation of natural light and ventilation within a broad footprint,” Simpson says. Conventionally private areas, like bedrooms and bathrooms, are therefore reinterpreted with more openness in mind. For instance, this bathroom’s skylights mirror those found throughout the rest of the property. The bathtub, basins, and showerhead were all purchased at the Australian retailer Reece.
Matching Ladena sinks by Kohler, outfitted with Talis S faucets by Hansgrohe, stand inside polished Stormy Sky countertops by PentalQuartz.
In the bathroom, a teak live-edge countertop and custom yellow cabinet support a double wash basin by Duravit. A mirror from Restoration Hardware hangs below custom lights, designed by the homeowner for a steampunk look.
On the house’s lower level, Schicketanz’s guests have a bathroom complete with a steam shower to themselves. Anodized aluminum windows pop against white subway tile from Waterworks. The vanity is from Ikea and the fixtures from Hansgrohe.
The upstairs showers are particularly ingenious: Operable skylights loom above, and perforated, galvanized-steel platforms open up to spacious, sunken bathtubs.
In the bathroom, Roca wall tile in Rainbow Azul continues the citrus color scheme, and the floor is clad in ceramic plank. The Ikea sinks and faucets also helped the design come in on budget.
The spiral stairs were fabricated in the Bay Area and shipped in the same container as the furniture.
Wood floors were installed throughout the entire house. Walls are formed by simple plasterboard partitions, and enhanced with industrial-grade insulation.
The couple connected several of the shipping containers, hollowing out the sides to form large, open living areas. “I’ve always been a loft guy,” says Mathesius.
The containers’ sides and ends were removed to make way for large, aluminum-framed clerestory windows that provide sweeping views of the east and west.
Image courtesy of David Smith.
Launching at this year’s Dwell on Design in Los Angeles, CubeDepot sells, rents, and modifies ISO containers.
The kitchen cabinets were bought at a local hardware store. The couple changed the door handles for a more modern look. The home’s furniture was brought in from a previous residence.
Because the area is prone to wildfires, the architect and residents were compelled to use special flame retardant materials for the windows and roof.
Philip Jodidio's book Small Architecture Now! was released by TASCHEN publishing as part of their Architecture Now! series.
More fragment pillows adorn the bed, which is covered in a reversible bedspread by artist Jane Kifer. To the left of the window is a painting by Shumate.