Design by Molly Fitzpatrick

Tip seven: Getting Serious "If this is a man cave or a woman cave, there are further things you can do," Bush says. "One is to buy already fabricated fiberglass absorber panels in the cloth color of your choice. I would stick with four-inch-thick or thicker panels as the thin ones, like thin foam, just absorb highs and leave you with an overly mid-rangy room. If you are a craftsperson, you can make these types of panels by ordering Owens Corning #703 in four-inch thickness or in a two-inch and glue two layers together to get four inches. I use 3M spray 77 glue but others might work as well. This will need covering so I recommend a thin layer of polyester batting and your choice of upholstery fabric to cover. This can be inserted into frames or glued to a backer board to hang. Specially made diffusors work well, but tend to be very spendy. Let your budget be a guide here and remember that plain old bushy plants work well and spruce up a cave well." "I would tend to stay away from the acoustic foams available unless they are at least four inces thick," Bush says. "Thicker is better. A thin layer of acoustic foam used as a cosmetic treatment over a four-inch-thick Owens Corning #703 fiberglass panel is a nice finish and works very well. Spend some time listening and let your ears be your guide."

Pillow by Joel Karlsson and Krook&Tjäder for Karl Andersson & Söner $255 each Acoustic wall tiles, made of recycled fabric and PET bottles and covered in wool, are available in eight different colors, with or without a button.

To complement the sleek, clean aesthetic of the kitchen, Joel and Meelena heavily relied on Dacor for appliances. “One of the great things about working with Dacor is how they transform really high-quality kitchen equipment into casework, and as an architect, that’s really exciting,” Joel adds.

When it came time to select appliances that would seamlessly blend into their kitchen, Joel and Meelena relied heavily on Dacor for their elegant, high-tech product line. “What I love about the camera in the fridge is that it’s highly functional and not just a gimmick,” notes Joel. “How many times have you gone to the store and purchased things because you forgot you had it? In my mind, this is a beautiful, simple feature that allows you to use less and waste less—while also wasting less time.”

� Joel Barbitta D-Max Photography joel@dmaxphotography.com.au

"Another factor is form. I take into consideration the graphic quality of each component, as well as how they will interact as a whole," says Evey. "For example, I selected the flat bulbs because their rigidity plays off the flowing paracord-wrapped extension to create a push/pull that I find really compelling. I love focusing on the unexpected, be it color or texture, and I try to reflect that in every Lighht I create.”

"I pick the different elements for every build based on a few factors," says Evey. "One primary factor is color. Industrial parts are made in great colors like safety orange, dull gray, and high-visibility green, to name a few. The coloring of home product is typically very quiet, so I wanted to build lamps that went against that convention and made a statement."

Lighht 002 is made from readily available hardware materials: High-Viz extension cord, plug splitter, clamps, Philips SlimStyle flat LED bulbs, adaptor plugs, all-direction extension adaptor, paracord, and epoxy.

"The design process starts by considering the amount of illumination needed, as well as the amount of physical space available. From there it’s a process of gathering components and materials," says Evey. "Next I experiment with composition and finishes until I have something both functional and formally intriguing. Then it is lovingly packaged and shipped off. Every Lighht is unique, so the process really changes from piece to piece."

"I started this project out of a desire to redefine the conventional aesthetics surrounding home objects. I wanted to challenge notions of both elegance and usability, and Lighht became a place for me to experiment with those ideas," Evey says. "Of course none of this takes place in a vacuum, I think of this work as sitting in dialog with more historical figures like Andrea Branzi, as well as contemporary designers like Martino Gamper and Brendan Timmins."

"From a formal perspective, I was seeing a lot of digital collage work created in a 'Home Depot aesthetic,' and I was curious what would happen when those visual gestures were re-crystallized and the digital made real once again," says Evey. "I’m interested in the cycles of creative culture relating to the Internet, and I think we’ve only begun to see the depth of influence digitally birthed aesthetics will have on the 'real' world."

Cone of SilenceArchitects Joel Sanders and Karen Van Lengen worked together on the Sound Lounge at the University of Virginia School of Architecture, where Van Lengen is a professor. Students can sit beneath large lamplike cones that are wired for sound and share playlists as they study, activating a descending sphere of enveloping sound, which is also a casual social unit. Illustration Courtesy Joel Sanders Architect. “Critics of new media argue that ubiquitous new devices isolate us,” Sanders says. “But mobile technologies like iPhones are audiovisual. Sound now plays an increasingly important role.”

For over a decade, Joel and Meelena Turkel of Turkel Design have been “continually evolving the notion of what a home should be—maximizing flexibility and energy efficiency using engineered materials in thoughtfully designed, sustainably conceived living environments.” Here is a look inside their latest project, the Axiom Desert House, which will soon be their own family abode.

Joel Bell, Onna Ehrlich-Bell, and their son (pictured) stand outside the second home to be renovated.

“We made a commitment that we wouldn’t have any fossil fuels in the house, so we knew we wanted an electric range and this was the way to go,” Joel explains. “The beauty of the Dacor induction stovetop is that it’s practically instantaneous. It rivals gas in terms of how quickly you get the heat, and the fact that you can wipe the cooktop down immediately is extraordinary.”

“We’ve worked to develop systems that can transfer to almost anywhere. To us, this is how you democratize design,” states Joel.

The 510 Cabin is one of Leggitt's designs, executed with the help of student apprentices.

Joel crafted open shelves made of oak for the large kitchen, where Emma likes to cook and bake with Isla and Ivy.

“The Dacor appliances aren’t just beautiful, they’re technologically advanced, too,” describes Meelena. “One of my favorite features in the refrigerator is the camera. I really love the idea of being at the grocery store and not having to call Joel to ask what’s in stock. Now, I can just go to my smartphone, pull it up, and a little camera will show me what we have.”

The Serenbe House in Palmetto, Georgia, by Joel Turkel Design.

Throughout the entire design, building, and delivery process, the 2,110-square-foot home served as a “living lab” for both Joel and Meelena, as well as for their team, clients, and hundreds of other visitors apart of Palm Springs Modernism Week. “We came here to learn from the Valley, while also to share ideas and have a dialogue with people that are interested,” explains Joel. “This house has provided us with that unique opportunity.”

Along with intentionally designing all the spaces to minimize visual clutter, Joel and Meelena also prioritized light as a material to encapsulate a modern, airy aesthetic.

Cement panels painted a plum hue clad Jason Gordon’s 1,157-square-foot cabin in the Ozark Mountains. Architect German Brun and partner Lizmarie Esparza originally specified wood, but opted for the much less expensive material from James Hardie after contractor Damian Fitzpatrick recommended it. “It was an exercise in cost engineering,” Brun says.

3D Form, by Pratt Institute student Joel Seigle.

The kitchen coffee bar was a must-have for Joel. The bright white subway tile backsplash and the white cabinetry give the skoolie a fresh, open feeling.

The cedar-clad tiny house Emma McAllan-Braun and Joel Braun created with Mint Tiny Homes features a pine deck with a stock tank swimming pool.

A move to Palm Springs gave designers Joel and Meelena Turkel the opportunity to imagine a new home for their family of four using the same prefabricated systems they’ve developed for clients.

Joel Loblaw, a landscape designer, created "a series of outdoor rooms," including an alfresco kitchen that is sheltered beneath a cedar trellis. The Butterfly chairs are from Fresh Home and Garden in Toronto.

Architect: Augustus Mino + Robert Fitzpatrick, Location: Chappaqua, New York

Architect Brian O’Brian and contractor Tom Clancy adapted a central breezeway, a distinguishing feature of dogtrot houses in the southeastern United States, for Joel and Michelle Loblaw’s cottage near the Georgian Bay in Meaford, Ontario.

The cover of Murakami Versailles.

Shively and Fitzpatrick are shown here with their three dogs that roam the property in West Marin, California.

“One of the things I like most about the Dacor combination-oven is the multi-functional capabilities,” explains Joel. “Within one relatively small appliance, we have a conventional oven, with steam assist, and then we have a convection oven that’s also a microwave.”

While Joel and Meelena Turkel of Turkel Design have spent the last decade redefining the possibilities of prefab for clients worldwide, they recently flipped the switch and completed their very own net-zero prefabricated residence. Here is a look inside their new home, the Axiom Desert House.

Pendant by Matthew Fairbank Design.