Modern Reused Bed For A Modern Green Prefab Home

We had hot soup at my parents, on an icy, sleeting, miserable downpour of a winter day.
As you could see in the previous post, even the chickens wanted to come inside!

And even better than the delicious soup, we left the children behind!
What to do with the freedom? 

Honeychile we hot-footed it to our favorite Richmond thrift stores, to browse lazily without having to scold and watch and hurry the little ones!

At Restore (RVA's Habitat For Humanity recycled and reused material goods store on Roane Street) we found a pristine Danish modern bed made of teak with drawers underneath to reuse, recycle into our modern prefab green home! We were so pleased with its simple, clean modern lines, the simplicity, the functionality, the practical uses for our bedroom in the prefab green home and... that it cost...
$349.

It did.

We also found a sink!

At another local thrift store we found some large, hardy wine and beer glasses with a thumb print design for 75 cents apiece.

Again, this is in keeping with my careful, treasure hunting philosophy that it is more fun, more stylish, and more sensible to reuse and recycle than buy out of the box.  Seriously, think of the modern prefabs / homes you visit: What are they furnished with? Ikea. Not completely dissing Ikea, but... my home looks like my home because it has no pattern, and why the heck not reuse and hunt through thrift store's treasures so they don't end up in landfills? Serious fun, folks, but it also takes patience and planning.

The patience and planning and scouring for good modern furniture finds is so much fun, and so worth it... we don't look like everybody else, and I love that by shopping at Restore in RVA, I am not only recycling and reusing materials but helping a great cause, affordable housing.

Enjoy! Here's the bed!


And here's more on Restore in RVA:

"Why Should I Shop at ReStore?
Shopping at ReStore is an adventure! Every day we have new inventory to choose from, including furniture, flooring, architectural items, cabinetry, fixtures, wallpaper, appliances and more—at prices up to 90% below retail!  Some items are new, some gently used, and others come from deconstruction.  Not only can you find some beautiful items and great bargains, but you are helping the environment and low-income families at the same time.

It is estimated that Virginia landfills will reach maximum capacity in the next 5-10 years. Approximately 20% of these materials are construction and demolition debris.  In fact, a single Virginia landfill can receive over 50,000 tons of such materials in one year."

 

Modern Prefab House Kit: Preparing For The Prefab Open House

Sharp eyes might have noticed the top south cladding panel on the modern prefab house kit was a bit... muddy. As the last panel in the stack of cladding, it had been a victim to the rain and gathered mud before the Amish installed it. Normally this would be a simple annoyance, but when you're a net zero off grid passive solar house with the systems not yet in place... well, it's not like you can just pull out a hose and wash the prefab house off, is it?



I, already overwhelmed with work... avoided the issue over the summer.

But the Prefab House Kit Open House loomed...
and...
we found an *excellent* solution!

There are sprayers you can buy that pump - ironically, for this eco house, the sprayers are intended to spray pesticides. (Oh, the irony!)

But for us?

Cleansing water swept the dirt away,
and the prefab house kit is shiny again!



Prefab House Kit: Finally washed the mud off the modern house kit! from Copeland Casati on Vimeo.
The weekend in the prefab was full of such serendipity:
The tractor had a flat; oh the stress of "how-much-we-had-to-do"... It was imperative to get the wheel to the closest tractor repair shop, fifteen minutes away, in historic Appomattox before noon. We piled into the car... and ended up whiling away hours there.

We strolled the streets, taking in the old homes, storefronts, and history. We leisurely ate at Granny Bee's (now don't you evah be in a hurry at Granny Bee's... and make sure you get the stewed tomatoes & spoonbread with your meal!). The 6yr old got a hair cut. And I found a new favorite thrift store.

You may have noticed I'm not only an enthusiast of cutting-edge modern design (www.GreenModernKits.com, www.GreenCabinKits.com), but a huge fan and avid preservationist of old architecture. (AND love old cottage architecture redesigned for the next 200 years: www.GreenCottageKits.com...)

Here are some pictures from Appomattox- and yes, I will get a better picture of that log cabin next time...we were driving quite fast to make it to the Tractor Store in time before it closed... I highly recommend taking the time to visit Appomattox if you are here next weekend for the Prefab House Kit Open House. You could start your day there, walk around, shop, eat lunch, then head over, or, if you stay the weekend, visit the next day. Here is what one bed & breakfast recommends, and also check out Tour Appomattox for events.



We then raced back to Richmond the next morning to support good friends and research for juvenile diabetes by participating in the annual Juvenile Diabetes Research Walk.
What a weekend.
I wouldn't have traded it for the world.

And yes, the Passive Solar Prefab Open House IS next weekend.

Wish me luck... with muddy children, dogs, and Handsome Husband undoing my every broom sweep and cleaning... it will be heartfelt but certainly not over planned. This is more to see the structural insulated panels (SIPs) in the prefab house kit before we finish it in affordable style.

We will have prefab green building architects from Green Modern Kits and Green Cabin Kits present. Unfortunately, despite their enthusiasm for biking, our prefab cottage architects involved with Green Cottage Kits are unable to attend- as they are in Seattle!

I am looking forward to welcoming our prefab enthusiasts, neighbors and family friends to our special community here in historic, rural Virginia.

 

Passive Solar Modern House - Energy Efficient House Kit Update

It was in the low- to mid- forties when we arrived on the land and incredibly windy... but inside the modern passive house kit it was a cozy mid-sixty-ish.

Now don't forget that while we may have the exterior weather-tight, we have not yet hooked up systems. So that nice warmth was generated purely by the passive solar design.

This was the first day I have been able to take pictures of the finished structural insulated panels house kit exterior, so I went a little overboard- any of you whom have wondered what the completed outside looks like, well, you have more pictures than you could ever want to satisfy your curiosity. : )

I hope you enjoy 'em as much as I do!

I also apologize for some of the blurred photos- I will take better pictures and buy another 'cheap land camera I can get muddy and not cry about when the 6 year old drops it *again*'- it is clear it has been dropped one too many times.

As I mentioned, it was a very windy, brisk, February day; but inside the modern house it was calm, peaceful. Natural sunlight filtered in and filled the space in a wonderful way.

Really, there's no need for lighting except in the evening in my opinion.

Even without interior walls, the family naturally groups itself in areas of that main common space- we have thrown a fold up table and chairs on the west side where our dining area will eventually be, and some chairs and blankets for sleepy children on the east side where they naturally snuggle down and cuddle with the light falling on them, keeping them warm and secure feeling, as they rest.

I loved how I could (finally!) sit down at the card table and skim a homesteading magazine *while* having a nice view of the children and dogs playing in the dirt, see them, hear them, yet while they ran wild, everything was so calm and cozy where I sat...

Next we paint the west door black, and finish insulating around the foundation by putting foam all around the foundation that is currently exposed in these pictures.

Once that is done, the massive hill of dirt that my children have much enjoyed (yes I rue the day I tell them this) will be pushed back to infill around the house kit.

We also move on to framing the interior, then installing off grid solar and rainwater systems.

But more on that later, in the meantime, enjoy the beautiful day!

Below you will see a slideshow (click to get the bigger version that also has more detailed captions) plus some fun videos I made...

Oh, and yes, my Handsome Husband *did* run out and get us another camera after all these blurred pictures... : )

Ironically because the light was streaming in so brightly from the windows, the camera overcompensated these interior videos so they show darker than what it was in real life. In fact, I think all the pictures are darker as well. I'll take better videos / pictures next weekend...


My dogs were trying to tell me to let them inside as I made this video of the inside...
Look at that last frame, Khan rounding the corner while Pacha is telling me to Let. Them. In!


Here I talk about our vintage camper that, for four years now, has been our sole shelter here. We camp pretty much from early March until late November/mid December in that unheated camper... but cramming four people in there was getting pretty crazy and it is going to make a world of difference to now be able to be here year round in a house. (This video was made *last* weekend hence my reference to the unseasonably warm day- this weekend, it was your typical February temperatures!)

 

Modern Passive Solar House Kit with Cladding

Here are the latest pictures of our modern passive solar house kit!

Handsome Husband returned from the land with these pictures of the cladding as it is going up. I couldn't resist just letting this post be pictures / video of the modern house and not the post I had planned- a business analysis on why finding affordable, national distributors of cladding for residential use has been so difficult.

Hope you enjoy our Supa Mod House Kit Update!
As you go through the modern passive solar house pictures, remind yourself that all of this: putting together the structural insulated panels (SIPs), the shiny super mod cladding, the passive solar design... all of this is being done by... the Amish!

Pretty crazy, huh?


Here's a slideshow, click on it if you want to get all up close and personal.


And here he walks us through the affordable green house interior...


And the modern house exterior...

 

While our Net Zero Modern House cures: Eero Saarinen Exhibit at the Virginia Center For Architecture!

While we're waiting for our modern net zero house foundation to cure, I went to the Mod Mid-century Eero Saarinen Exhibit at the Virginia Center for Architecture with our friend Tony.

Y'all are so sick of me blah, blah, blah-ing about the house kit, modern design, etc.

So here's just a bunch o' modern furniture pictures we took!

 

Mid-century modern design, locally: Alan McCullough

Dear readers,

Because I could not bring you to the Bay (sorry, no room in the car with a handsome husband, two chilluns, two dogs, and a visiting German mother-in-law sandwiched in between the suitcases and fishing rods!), I have brought the Bay to you, and with it, mid-century modern architecture *and* older, traditional cottages and farmhouses.

As we look 'round the world for inspiration, sometimes we forget to look slowly, carefully, about ourselves and our own local environs.

Hence, I present an architect who had a great impact on a certain point in a certain area of the Chesapeake Bay: Alan McCullough.

Before I present his mid-century architecture, I'd like to start with two traditional types of design you will find in this area: the cottage, and the farmhouse.

In both you find passive solar concepts:

• a long, slanting front porch facing south for the cottage
  
• kitchen to the north, with a smaller, shaded porch and outbuildings
  
• carefully placed windows
• use of deciduous trees for shade
• casement windows and partitions
• AFFORDABLE construction

Here are some examples of these two types of architecture that prevailed locally in the 1800s-1940s:

And more:
(now remember, many of these pictures were taken as we were driving, and when the driver is from Hamburg, that is often quite fast, so hang on for the ride!)

In the 1940s, a group of friends bought lots for about $500 on the end of a certain point on a certain area of the Chesapeake Bay, and one of those friends was Mr. McCullough, who happily happened to be an architect.

Mr. McCullough deftly sketched elements that are still important in green building and modern design today:
- harnessing the breeze to cool
- stout chimneys for warmth
- overhangs
- breezeways -- note the openings between many elements of his design! - screens for privacy yet allow air circulation

...and more...

And with this, I present...

Mid-century modern on the Bay!

If you glance to your left, this is one of the few two-storied residences Mr. McCullough created.

Many of these buildings appear to be happily overtaken by camellia bushes
which are bursting into bloom right now...

Look closely at the details, always look for the chimney stack, the overhangs, the casement windows/screens, and the ever-present open breezeway, even if later owners closed it.

Look even more closely... yes, the chairs & tables folded away for the winter yet hold all the promise of another great summer ahead.

Are those real antlers in the hall?

Honeychile, this is Virginia, yes they are.

Below is my absolute, unabashed favorite.

One day this house will be mine.

Fortunately, all of the amazing detail of the mod screens, chimneys, open breezeway and entrance are lost on the internet because of the weathered woodland so you won't covet it... because it's mine, all mine!

...and more...

This home, desperately crying for someone to hack its camellias, upon closer inspection has a central stack and hexagon shape.

Why the heck are all these architectural structures of note trying to hide their figures? It's like voluptuous starlets that have been sold the waif look.

No need to hide, ladies, sashay down the carpet and celebrate yourself!

Can you imagine what this gal looks like on the inside? I bet it's mod... real mod.

Ok if you've made it this far, let me know if you want to see more.
I have several posts that could relate to this...

In the meantime...
Enjoy some more pictures.

I adore this fish...

Check out the wind vane...

This fish tried to eat my mother-in-law but I smacked it away. Hiiiii-ya! Take that.

Mother-in-law...

P.s. I have about 400 more pictures, all on architecture in the area, so if you want to see more just let me know.

>

"Dag that was a long walk!"

Oh giiiiiive me a hooooooome... where the buffalo roam...

Yes, maw, in the south there's buffalo *everywhere*..... really.

Oyster beds... another topic to write about...

This is what I look at when I fish. It's very, very quiet.

Yes, I took a picture of myself. Geek.

...And *this* is the hidden easter egg for Sally and Jane to see if they're reading.

Heh, heh...

J&S: Do you feel twelve again?

Every time I walk past here I crack up when I think about those bikini tops... Which could go into the third topic I'd like to write (and have plenty o' pictures for...) about: fences and their meanings.