Over Christmas, I traveled to Arizona to visit family, and took a half day trip north of Phoenix to tour Arcosanti. I have visited several iterations of back-to-the-land communities and green building centers in the geographic and political cradle of the hippie and green building movements – Northern California. I was curious to see how these [...]
As you might have noticed by our dearth of blog posts lately, we’ve been busy! I managed to finally make time to photograph three different projects, all completed several months ago. Our amazing photographer, Dave Adams, and I shot 3 kitchens in 4 weeks. When talking to prospective clients, I get asked frequently if we [...]
1. Know your goals. While your first thought maybe “We need more space,” the best solution may be something very different. To get to a more specific solution, it is a good idea to delve a little deeper. Make a list of objectives and break them down into wishes, wants, and needs. Make sure to [...]
When trying to find the right remodeling contractor, comparing apples to apples may not be enough. Despite sharing classification, all contractors are not equal. Remodelers are contractors but not all contractors are equipped to guide you through the very personal and emotionally charged remodeling process. As you might expect there is a lot of excitement [...]
How do you deal with the stuff in your life? You know, all the flotsam and jetsam of life that you can’t quite throw away but have no good place for either – mail, catalogs, junk drawer contents, memorabilia, pieces of projects you promise to get around to but never seem to. In the mean [...]
As much as we respect and admire the Streng homes, there are some fundamental performance issues that often need attention. Here are a few of the most common improvements that need to be made. The Roof Structure A flat roof relies on material more than gravity to shed water. The original roofing material was typically [...]
Falling Water Turns 75: Even if you have virtually no interest in Architecture or Design, chances are when I mention Frank Lloyd Wright, you think of Falling Water. Designed in 1935 for department store owner Edgar Kaufmann, this infamous home is arguably one of the most recognizable buildings of all time. It is listed by [...]
As a remodeler in Davis, it is with great respect and careful consideration that we approach any project in an iconic Streng brothers home. In partnership with architect Carter Sparks, the builders Bill and Jim Streng brought affordable, thoughtfully designed homes to the Central Valley. In 1959, when the Strengs began their three decades of [...]
3Form in Wood Slats: We’re no strangers to 3Form and its other resin-panel cousins here at MAK. Part of the reason we are big fans of 3Form specifically, is their commitment to sustainability. In addition to offering products composed of 100% recycled content, many of their products are GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality certified. Additionally, none [...]
Holler Design Reclaimed Beam Stool: Recently I was talking to someone about the growing popularity of charred finishes. While I’m a big fan of a charred fence, or charred siding, I’m not 100% sold on the stability of the finish in an interior setting yet. That being said, my concerns about sloughing ash on my [...]
