blogiversary!
Yep, the ol’ blog (or at least the WordPress version) turns four today! Although it feels like the house projects have slowed down, it was still a busy year – we had a baby, started our own firm, had the blog redesigned and the backyard transformed! It was a year of new beginnings and we’re still riding that wave.
Goals for this next year? We’re going to finish the basement bathroom and laundry room (we’ve renewed our building permit an embarrassing number of times), redo the bedroom (for reals!) and maybe, maaaybeee get going on the garage remodel. In addition to posts about house projects, we’ll also be sharing more of our Studio Zerbey projects and brainstorming ways to grow chezerbey beyond its humble house blog roots. (In fact, I’m going to the Alt Summit conference in January for the first time!)
On a related note, I’ve been meaning to take new photos of the house – the ones on our house tour and Studio Zerbey site still show the nursery as a flex room! So, a few days ago when the house was clean and the light was decent I snapped these:
We’ve added a few accessories to the space this year, but looking at these photos it’s still a bit too minimal for me. Granted, there is typically more clutter but I’d like to fill our home with more personal items. (Like y’know, actually printing and framing some of the family photos we took last Spring!)
The pouf is new! It’s from West Elm and I love it. Avery loves it too – as a step stool to reach taller and more dangerous things!
Cone of Shame photo bomb! (He had a sore on his tail, but it’s healing up.) Also, the runner is new-ish. We replaced the IKEA one (which was curling up on the ends) with this sisal runner from Crate&Barrel. We originally purchased a Chilewich runner but it was smaller and really showed how much the cork has faded at the back door so we returned it and bought the C&B one.
The poor fauxdenza – so useful and yet so hard to style. Avery is tall enough to swipe things close to the edge so we keep it mostly cleared off (when it’s not serving as a whole house catchall that is).
This will be its own blog post, but I think we’re going to replace the fridge soon. Now that we’re a family of three and eating at home a lot more, it’s just a little too small. Good thing Kyle designed in a contingency (aka “I told you so”) plan when he built those custom fir panels. 🙂
An architect friend of ours did this sketch of Bailey and every morning Avery points to it and smiles. (Thanks Margo!)
We’ve made zero progress on the bedroom. There are lots of ideas but it’s been back-burnered for the time being. I think it will be one of those projects that needs to be fully designed and materials purchased and then we just spend a weekend powering through. We’re also still debating whether to do custom doors and drawer fronts over the existing IKEA PAX wardrobe or a more custom curtain. Both are expensive and have their own pros and cons.
Finally, a big thank you to everyone who has supported us (with a comment or a crow bar) along this journey. This little corner of the internet is one of the best parts of my day and I’m thankful it exists. Cheers!
Check out our blogiversary posts from 2012, 2011 and 2010!
studio zerbey / olympic forest prefab cabin
A few weeks ago, we took a short trip to the Olympic Pensinsula of western Washington. We’re working on a new project there, a modest prefab cabin, and it was our first time to see the site in person. Avery was with us of course and we also brought Bailey because really, what dog doesn’t enjoy a good romp in the forest?
The area is notorious for their annual precipitation and just as we unloaded everyone and everything, it started to rain. Fortunately, our clients had a small RV on site so we moved our meeting indoors. At one point, I looked around to marvel at the sight – Bailey laying on the floor (wet and happy), Avery climbing up and down (and up and down) the carpeted steps to the “bedroom” area and Kyle and the homeowners huddled around the small banquette, zooming around the SketchUp model on our laptop and discussing views and materials. Outside, it was now pouring but all I could see was a thick blanket of evergreen trees. There are probably not a lot of professions where this might be a common (and totally normal!) occurrence, but for us it is and we love it.
So, a bit more about the cabin! Now that the design is fairly developed, we thought we’d share the renderings that Kyle created. (We use Sketchup Pro with a vray plugin, plus a little Photoshop and panoramic photographs.)
The cabin is small, 806 square feet, which includes a kitchen/dining/living area, a bathroom and a bedroom (scroll down for a floor plan).
The cabin will also be prefab (a process that Kyle has developed extensive knowledge of over the last several years). For this project, we’ve been working with Method Homes to create a design that will be a single prefab module, to be constructed in their warehouse near Bellingham, WA. The concrete foundation, decks and roof overhangs will be site-built. (The elevated foundation is designed to accommodate possible flooding and a concrete interior vault will house utilities.)
The exterior palette is based on affordability and durability and consists of stained tight-knot cedar siding, wood panels with a phenolic resin coating (that our client already owns), a metal roof, metal-clad windows and a durable ipe deck.
Deep overhangs help keep the interior cool and protect the siding in an extremely wet climate. An exterior bench and hooks provides a space to remove wet or muddy outerwear before entering the cabin. A rain chain near the entry collects roof runoff and directs it to a dry well.
A datum was set at 8′ above the main floor level, establishing a means of organizing the elevations and taking advantage of common door, window and panel sizes. A pair of conventional sliding glass doors provides the desired connection to the outdoors while keeping costs in mind.
The floor plan is simple but efficient, with the spaces organized linearly to take advantage of the lake and mountain view beyond.
The same wood panels will be used as a ceiling material, extending out to the underside of the roof overhangs for a seamless indoor-outdoor expression.
Double-duty is key for such a small space – the dining area is merged with the kitchen and a sofa bed in the living area can double as a place for guests.
The full-height cabinets to the left of the fridge will serve as a pantry and general storage needs.
A Rais wood stove provides heat in the winter, supplementing an energy-efficient ductless mini-split heat pump system.
A simple color and material palette was kept throughout the open cabin, creating a minimal canvas for the owners to add their own art and furnishings.
The bedroom is modest and will contain a free-standing wardrobe that also houses a stacked washer and dryer. A wainscot of wood resin panels throughout the interior provides a more durable surface and emphasizes the horizontality of the design.
The cabin was sited to take advantage of views and provide access for the equipment delivering the module without removing any trees. (Even in photos, it’s hard to convey how incredible these trees are.)
The decision to go prefab with this project was based mostly on its remote location and anticipated construction schedule. There are plenty of other benefits to going this route, including:
+ Reduced Waste and Material Use
Because Method is building in the same locale and shipping to final destinations, unused materials from one project can be saved and used for other building applications rather than being discarded. This helps Method to achieve up to 90 percent landfill diversion on projects.
+ Controlled Environment
Structures are not exposed to the elements, which prevents nail pops, warping, and mold issues. Also, weather delays – master craftsmen can work in a controlled environment year-round (great for the Pacific Northwest)
+ Fixed Cost
Pricing and specifications for the modular portion of construction are determined upfront, removing unknowns from overall building costs.
+ Reduced Timeline
Preparing on site while simultaneously building in the factory helps to significantly reduce construction timelines by two-thirds or more.
+ Streamlined Skilled Labor
Master craftsmen are paid a living wage at the factory. Labor is performed on multiple projects in a centralized factory location.
+ Limited Site Impact
Reducing the amount of time and activity on the site lightens the environmental impact of the construction process. This also reduces the amount of disturbance experienced by the neighborhood (trucks and cranes coming and going, construction noise, etc.)
We’re excited to see this project take shape and move into construction!
boxes + nursery updates
The northwest corner of Avery’s nursery has been sad and lonely for the last twelve months…waiting, patiently, for this:
Bam!
You see, the trouble with being an architect and being married to an architect is that you set the bar pretty high for even the simplest of projects. For over a year now I’ve had the idea that we would design and build Avery some type of toy and book storage for her room. Originally, we were going to build a bench/cubby that would sit under the window. Well, it didn’t happen before Avery entered the world so we considered just buying the similar (and very pricey) Offi version ($$$) and calling it good. But then I started seeing modular storage boxes well, everywhere and thought this could be a quick and easy project. (Ha!) Thinking I might be able to find some inexpensive pre-made boxes (that we could then finish/paint), I scoured the interwebs but no luck. (Seriously, I’m sure this would be a lucrative business model. Someone should get on that.)
So, DIY it was.
The four boxes are made from a single 4’x 8′ sheet of 3/4″ maple plywood. In lieu of exposed fasteners, we opted for biscuited joints. Our clamp collection came in handy.
We did consider installing backs but the boxes were plenty rigid without them and their omission simplified the construction and overall project costs.
After the boxes were assembled, Kyle applied a coat of benite and a couple of coats of clear polyurethane to the outside faces.
I wanted to do something playful for the inside faces, so we chose four of our house colors (“lakeside cabin”, “thuderbird”, “luminous days” and “birds of paradise”, all Benjamin Moore). Also, this photo was taken the day before her birthday party. If there’s one thing we’ve learned through the whole remodel process it’s this: PARTIES = FINISHED PROJECTS. Seriously, trust us.
Thankfully, the littlest Zerbey approves.
(Side note because I know someone will ask – all of our outlets are tamper-resistant which means they have a plastic “shutter” behind the holes to keep kiddos from sticking objects in them.)
Mid-way through construction we wondered if we should have spent more money on a nicer plywood with more ply’s (since the end grain is so prominent) but now that they’re finished and in the space we’re really pleased with how it all turned out (and realistically, she’s going to eventually give them her own “patina”). The individual box dimensions are as follows (all are 15″ deep): 15″x30″, 15″x15″, 12″x12″ and 15″x9″.
Aside from basic toy and book storage, we like the idea that the boxes could also be used to encourage creative play for years to come. (My sisters and I used to spend hours making “doll houses” from cardboard boxes and I like to think Avery might use these in a similar way someday.)
Of course, safety was a concern so we bought these clips from DWR to attach the boxes to each other. They’re metal with a rubber lining so they fit snugly and can’t be removed by little hands. At first we attached them to the front faces but then decided it looked too busy and instead attached them to the back. We have five clips, which should be plenty for the various configurations we come up with.
(Since Avery’s still in the paperback destruction phase, I love that so many classic children’s books now come in board books.)
Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel was Kyle’s all-time favorite book as a kid. In fact, he checked it out of the library so many times that his teacher had to stage a mini-intervention.
The heights of the boxes are perfect for Avery at this age and encourages more independent standing (she’s not walking yet, but I know it won’t be long!). Although we haven’t reconfigured the boxes yet, we have discovered that by pulling them away from the wall by a few feet we can create a cozy little nook for her.
Aside from the boxes, we’ve made a few other tweaks to the nursery over the last several months:
We bought the IKEA PAX wardrobe with the intention that it could be rearranged and added to as Avery’s needs changed. At first, I just bought four shelves and stacked everything inside. That worked fine for the first 9 months or so but it wasn’t the most efficient set-up. As she started playing with more toys I pulled out all the newborn gear that we no longer needed and packed it away in the crawl space. I then bought three plastic drawers and rearranged the existing shelves. The bottom two drawers are for toys and I use the top one for blankets, sheets and extra diapers. We’ve had this configuration in place for a few months now and it works really well. She can only reach the two bottom drawers, but because they’re so wide she can’t pull them open far enough to create a ladder. Moving the laundry basket up keeps her from constantly emptying her dirty laundry. (Behind the laundry basket and diaper bag is our stash of non-board books.)
Having three areas for toy storage (these drawers, the plywood boxes and the felt bins in the living room) also allows us to rotate through different toys so she doesn’t get bored or overwhelmed with too much to choose from.
Toys, what toys? Actually, we usually have some toys strewn about but since the living area also doubles as a place to meet with clients it was important to have a system in place for quick and easy clean-up.
Also, I’m finally calling this room DONE! So, a few overall shots to commemorate!
Confession, this is the third set of air plants I’ve bought. The first ones got neglected in those first six months and then the second set quickly died when we put up temporary blankets over the windows to make the room darker. (Apparently plants need sunlight?)
Speaking of, I procrastinated so long on curtains because I really did not want to make blackout shades for the windows (those chevron curtains took way too long as it is!). So, imagine my surprise and happiness when I discovered that IKEA sells both blackout curtain liners and roller shades (and in a dark gray color)! At the larger window I used the liner with a pair of IKEA curtains in a dark gray-blue (the curtain rod is from West Elm). We hung them near the ceiling to compose with the wardrobe curtains but stuck with a color similar to the walls so that they wouldn’t compete visually. At the smaller window above the crib we installed a surface-mounted roller shade (we wanted to keep the existing recessed shade for diffuse natural light). The exposed hardware on the roller shades leaves something to be desired but we figured we could build a custom valence of sorts if it bothered us too much (it hasn’t).
The 3 Sprouts canvas bin (which used to hold all of her toys!) now houses our collection of baby quilts (thanks Mom!) plus a few stuffed animals.
Aside from these few modifications and additions, the overall layout hasn’t changed in the past year. It’s simple but continues to work really well for our needs. We still use the dresser to store most of her clothes, diapers, wipes and a few regularly used odds and ends. Bonus, I think it finally lost that Craigslist smell!
The only thing we might swap out in the near future is the rug. I love the design and feel (we bought it from West Elm a few years ago), but it does show dirt and the looped design is not conducive to giant golden retriever paws. It would be nice to replace it with something more easily cleanable too, so we’ll see.
I’d also like to design/incorporate a growth chart into the nursery – maybe something on the backside of the sliding doors? My mom did this on the back of our closet door (my sister and I shared a room) growing up and I want to continue the tradition.
The nursery is starting to feel more and more like a kid’s room and we love it. (In fact, it’s Kyle’s favorite room in the house!) I know there will be more items to accommodate as she expands her interests and abilities (art supplies! a mini kitchen!) but I’ve got some ideas for that.
avery’s first birthday
Our baby is one!
Avery’s birthday was the week before last and we (along with my mom) celebrated by going to Remlinger Farm, blueberry picking and out to dinner that evening (where Avery had her first bites of chocolate cake and ice cream!).
The rest of the week brought the arrival of various family members (including 5 grandparents and 3 of my siblings!). We were thrilled that so many people travelled to share this event with us and it was really special to see the interaction between Avery and our parents (living 2,000 miles away they don’t get to see her nearly as much as they’d like).
Aww, don’t be jealous Bailey.
Avery “opened” gifts from the family later that week (before her party on Saturday) which was definitely a good call and kept her from getting too overwhelmed.
Because y’know, there were gifts like this. Yeah, Kyle’s parents totally got her a Disney Princess car. She loves it.
On Saturday afternoon we had a backyard party with family and friends. We kept it pretty low-key and didn’t go with a particular theme other than a handful of bright and happy colors. The plywood boxes on the table are Avery’s gift from Kyle and me. I plan on doing another post (soon!) that talks about them in more detail (including how they fit in the nursery), but for the party we used them as a display area for gifts.
Another small gift from us were these plastic animals. Avery has some plastic dinosaurs that she loves, so I thought this would be a good addition and something that she can play with for years. The party hat idea was borrowed from Oh Happy Day and kudos to my sister for carefully making each one.
I also made a small “smash cake” for Avery and couldn’t resist these tiny pennants that I found at Target.
We printed each of her monthly photos and displayed them along the top of the fauxdenza…
…but my favorite part was this “installation” that I created from a year’s worth of Instagram photos (printed via Prinstagram).
Although we didn’t get too fancy with the food (small sandwiches, fruit, salads, veggies, beer and sangria) it was a lot of work and I am so, so grateful to all the family that pitched in to make it happen.
Here are few shots during the party. I was rushing around and obviously didn’t have my camera on the right setting so they’re a bit washed out. However, it was a perfectly gorgeous Seattle day and I look forward to all the fun summer birthdays in our future!
Towards the end of the party we brought out the smash cake and sang “Happy Birthday”. Overwhelmed and probably a little unsure why she was only wearing a diaper, Avery burst into tears.
She calmed down a bit when we showed her the cake but wouldn’t go after it till she was safely sitting between her daddy’s legs.
Once she realized that she could actually eat the frosting she became very focused and started using both hands.
Nom! Nom! Nom!
A few minutes later, she looked up to realize everyone was still staring at her and started crying again, this time with an emphatic almost face-plant into her cake. We took this as a cue to move to the bathtub and give her some time to regroup before opening more gifts.
All in all, it was a great party. People say the first birthday is really for the parents and I think that’s true, but it’s also a chance for us to thank everyone for all the help and love we’ve received this past year. (A special thank you to you guys as well, who have offered tons of great ideas and reassurance along the way!)
We made it! Happy birthday Avery – here’s to many, many more!
bathroom sconces
Phew! It’s been a busy week! We had a bunch of family in town for Avery’s birthday and are now playing catchup. I’m working on a party recap post, but wanted to first share this little switcheroo project that Kyle completed a few weeks ago.
So, remember this bathroom follow-up post from last November when we talked about replacing our failing sconces? Yep, well…8 months later:
No more sad, broken lights! We finally pulled the trigger and bought two new sconces from local lighting company Resolute. There are a few options for the shade, but we opted for the opal one which has a nice, diffuse light.
The fixtures have a wide face plate which was helpful in covering the existing electrical boxes from our previous sconces.
If these fixtures look vaguely familiar it’s because we have a similar sconce in the loft and reach lights in the kitchen (all from Resolute). Despite the vast selection of lighting out there, it’s surprisingly hard to source simple, well-designed fixtures and we find ourselves going back to Resolute again and again (on our own house and Studio Zerbey projects).
It’s a small change, but the space feels so much better now. Of course, now I want new towels and a new shower curtain (we’re using the same ones we bought when we remodeled nearly 5 years ago!). Anyone have a recommendation on great towels? I’ve been somewhat disappointed with the last few sets we’ve owned and am hesitant to invest in another so-so option. (We loved our current ones, but they’re a bamboo blend and have lost a lot of their original softness.)
We designed our bathroom so that the accessories would be the color in the space and I’m ready to try something new!
