Top 5 Homes That Use Wood in Interesting Ways

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1. Avocado Acres House

Interior Designer: Surfside Projects, Location: Encinitas, California

From the interior designer: "A sloping curved shed roof dramatically unifies, like a structural backbone, the three pavilions that define the plan view of the home and its courtyard space. Throughout the interior a constant engagement to the outdoors gives the home a grandeur that belies the home's small footprint. Non standard shapes, direct connections to the exterior and functional spaces for the inhabitants is the soul of our design strategy."

Wood usage: "extensive use of natural wood tones on the vaulted ceiling, flooring and cabinetry.

2. Gowanus Loft

Architect: General Assembly, Location: Brooklyn, New York

From Leibal: "Gowanus Loft is a minimalist interior located in Brooklyn, New York, designed by General Assembly. This loft in a former jute mill was in a state of disrepair when we got our hands on it. Our approach was to combine many of the original elements with modern touches to create a space with a clean, contemporary, yet raw feeling. We started by redesigning the plan and opening up the kitchen to take advantage of the natural sunlight from the window-wall encompassing one full side of the apartment."

Wood usage: original wood ceiling and beams.

3. 1600 Lakeside

Architect: Ryan Young, Location: Orlando, Florida

From the architect: " 'I have a profound fascination with the authenticity of materials and the beautiful imperfections of wood, concrete and steel,' said Young. 'My interest lies in the basic concepts of the Japanese wabi-sabi philosophy as it relates to architecture and the transient nature of materials. Rather than covering the core beauty of a structure, I believe that the the honest beauty of time can be a remarkable element of design.' "

Wood usage: "beautiful walnut and cherry woods not covered with stain but left natural with exposed knots and imperfections."

4. Delta Shelter 

Architect: Olson Kundig, Location: Winthrop, Washington

From architect: "Delta Shelter – a 1,000 square-foot cabin – is essentially a steel-clad box on stilts that can be completely shuttered when the owner is away. The 200-square-foot footprint of the house rises above a 40-acre, 100-year flood plain adjacent to the Methow River. The verticality, coloring and raw nature of the materials used for construction directly respond to the wildness of the setting. The owner sought a compact, easy to maintain, virtually indestructible building to house himself and his friends for fun and adventure in the mountains. With an exterior of steel, the house is virtually indestructible."

Wood usage: "plywood for all interior surfaces."

5. Castlecrag House 

Architect: Gerard Page, Location: Castlecrag, New South Wales, Australia

From the architect: Sited within a conservation area in Sydney’s Lower North Shore, the project involves alterations and additions to an existing 1940’s dwelling located within a suburb master planned by the eminent architect Walter Burley Griffin. The design approach was to provide a clear delineation between the old and new elements of the building. The main device used to create this separation was a large glazed skylight which bisects the building in its entirety segregating the existing single story, brick and terracotta roofed dwelling from the contemporary 2 story addition to the rear. Not only does the skylight provide a visual break but it also serves to bring daylight deep into the heart of the building."

Wood usage: "timber block" exterior.

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