Micro Lofts

Manhattan Micro Loft

Manhattan Micro Loft

The term “micro-loft” was trademarked by Rosslyn Lofts in Los Angeles, CA, with a first use in commerce on August 11, 2006. A micro-loft is a tiny loft apartment, usually between 225-450 square feet and, depending on what city you are living in, prices start at about $550-$1200 per month. The popularity of reclaiming unused, abandoned and recession-stricken real estate has been growing in popularity across the United States for the past three years, with micro lofts popping up in many major metropolitan areas. Complete with bedroom(s), bathroom(s), work desk, kitchen and living area - most of the buildings also offer roof decks, gyms, bike rooms, and other such community spaces. Some of the loft designs also include Murphy guest beds or conversion furniture, as well as ADA and low-income/rent-control units.

TRG is on the forefront of the scene in Los Angeles. In 2013, their first acquisition was a 100-year-old apartment building near the planned Farmers’ Field in Downtown Los Angeles for $3.05 million. TRG Principal Reuben Robin became interested in the project after chatting with service industry workers about the dearth of affordable housing downtown. When completed, the units will run between $1,200 and $1,700 per month.  TRG plans to invest as much as $50 million in market-rate housing in DTLA by then middle of 2015 and is expecting to close on an additional 68 units in the neighborhood in the near future. 

Downtown Los Angeles Micro Loft

Downtown Los Angeles Micro Loft

Also in 2013, New York announced plans for 335 E. 27th St., with units as small as 250 square feet, though most are a bit larger. It will be the first multifamily building in Manhattan to be built entirely from prefabricated modular pieces. Monadnock Development LLC, Actors Fund Housing Development Corp. and nArchitects, the project’s developers, won the adAPT NYC competition, which sought proposals for space-optimizing units. The 55 apartments in the building plan to have ceilings 9 feet to 10 feet high, balconies and loft space overhead and will range in size from 250 to 370 square feet, with 40 percent of them designated affordable units renting for below-market rates. Of the 55 units, 22 will be rent-restricted depending on tenants’ incomes, and 33 will rent at market rates. The restricted rents would range from $939 a month for those who earn 80 percent of the area’s average annual income, or $55,000 annually for a couple, to $1,873 for those earning 155 percent, or $106,640 for a couple.

Model of a 450 SF Micro Loft - Manhattan

Model of a 450 SF Micro Loft - Manhattan

In Providence, Rhode Island our nation’s oldest indoor mall – declared as a National Historic Landmark in 1976 - was rehabilitated as part of a heritage project. The Arcade Providence revitalization was structured so the first floor of the mall remains as retail, while the upper floors house 48 residential units. Insulated glass on the storefronts and the micro lofts was introduced into the design to help residents enjoy an acoustically pleasing living environment.

Arcade Providence Micro Loft Kitchen and Sitting Room

Arcade Providence Micro Loft Kitchen and Sitting Room

Vancouver is now home to Canada's smallest self-contained rental suites. These micro lofts, the result of a heritage project to renovate the ancient Burns Block building in Gastown, range from 226 to 291 square feet and rent for about $850 per month, including cable and Internet.

Burns Block Building in Gastown (Vancouver)

Burns Block Building in Gastown (Vancouver)

Vancouver Micro Loft

Vancouver Micro Loft

Other cities are also experimenting with small-size suites in central neighborhoods: Shoebox Lofts in Portland, Oregon; Cubix Yerba Buena in San Francisco, California; and Moda Apartments in Seattle, Washington. All have units in the 250 to 300 square foot range. Boston all recently approved its first micro lofts project at 300 square feet per unit.

Not Your Grandma's Murphy Bed (unless she's coming to visit.... then it is, indeed, her Murphy bed)

Not Your Grandma's Murphy Bed (unless she's coming to visit.... then it is, indeed, her Murphy bed)

While living quarters of this size are not for everyone, there is a definitely a need in our overpopulated cities. The ability to live close to one’s job and public transportation, at an affordable price, is a not a new concept. Travel to Hong Kong, for example; micro apartments are standard accommodation in many parts of the world. Apartments in many parts of Asia are often smaller than 300 SF and house more than one person. In fact, entire families regularly live in very small spaces. Here in the United States, with our current economy and way of life, efficient and low-cost housing is sorely needed. Not unlike the trend of Tiny Houses, it appears micro lofts are here to stay. And, if we can live in a space that is a cross between a modern flat in Vienna and college dorm living, then perhaps the micro loft is a viable housing solution for our topical lifestyle.

Cat on a Cool White Roof

A cool roof is one that has been designed to reflect more sunlight and absorb less heat than a standard roof. Cool roofs can be made of a highly reflective type of paint, a sheet covering, or highly reflective tiles or shingles. Nearly any type of building can benefit from a cool roof, but consider the climate and other factors before deciding to install one.

Just as wearing light-colored clothing can help keep you cool on a sunny day, cool roofs use solar-reflective surfaces to maintain lower roof temperatures. Standard or dark roofs can reach temperatures of 150°F or more in the summer sun. A cool roof under the same conditions could stay more than 50°F cooler.

 

BENEFITS OF COOL ROOFS

A cool roof can benefit a building and its occupants by:

- Reducing energy bills by decreasing air conditioning needs

- Improving indoor comfort for spaces that are not air conditioned

- Decreasing roof temperature, which may extend roof service life.

Beyond the building itself, cool roofs can also benefit the environment, especially when many buildings in a community have them. Cool roofs can:

- Reduce local air temperatures (sometimes referred to as the urban heat island effect)

- Lower peak electricity demand, which can help prevent power outages

- Reduce power plant emissions, including carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, and mercury, by reducing cooling energy use in buildings.

 

TYPES OF ROOFS AND HOW THEY CAN BE MADE COOL

There are many types of roof systems available, but the surface exposed to the sun is the one that determines if a roof is cool or not. You can usually make a new or existing roof cool by selecting the appropriate surface.

Cool roof coatings are white or special reflective pigments that reflect sunlight. Coatings are like very thick paints that can protect the roof surface from ultra-violet (UV) light and chemical damage, and some offer water protection and restorative features. Products are available for most roof types.

 

LOW SLOPED ROOFS

Single-ply membranes are pre-fabricated sheets rolled onto the roof and attached with mechanical fasteners, adhered with chemical adhesives, or held in place with ballast (gravel, stones, or pavers). How they can be made cool: Reformulate or coat black membranes to make them reflective.

Built-up roofs consist of a base sheet, fabric reinforcement layers, and (usually) a dark protective surface layer. How they can be made cool: The surface layer can be made different ways, and each has cool options:

-Substitute reflective marble chips or gray slag for dark gravel in a flood coat of asphalt

-Use reflective mineral granules or a factory-applied coating rather than a dark coating on a mineral surfaced sheet

-Apply a cool coating directly on top of a dark asphaltic emulsion coating.

Modified bitumen sheet membranes have one or more layers of plastic or rubber material with reinforcing fabrics, and are surfaced with mineral granules or a smooth finish. These can also be used to surface a built-up roof—known as a "hybrid" roof. How they can be made cool: Pre-coat with a cool roof coating at the factory.

Spray polyurethane foam roofs are constructed by mixing two liquid chemicals together that react and expand to form one solid piece that adheres to the roof. Foams are highly susceptible to mechanical, moisture, and UV damage, and rely on a protective coating. How they can be made cool: The protective coatings are usually already reflective, and offer cool roof performance.

 

STEEP SLOPED ROOFS

Shingle roofs consist of overlapping panels made from a variety of materials such as fiberglass asphalt, wood, polymers, or metals. How they can be made cool: Buy cool asphalt shingles, which use specially coated granules that provide better solar reflectance. (Coating existing asphalt shingles to make them cool, however, is not normally recommended or approved by shingle manufacturers.) Other roof shingles can be coated at the factory or in the field to make them more reflective.

Tile roofs can be made of clay, slate, or concrete. Tiles can be glazed to provide waterproofing or coated to provide customized colors and surface properties. How they can be made cool: Some are naturally reflective enough to achieve cool roof standards, and surface treatments can transform tiles with low solar reflectance into cool roof tiles.

 

LOW AND STEEP SLOPED ROOFS

Metal roofs are available with natural metallic finishes, oven-baked paint finishes, or granular coated surfaces. How they can be made cool: Unpainted metals are typically good solar reflectors but poor thermal emitters, so they rarely satisfy low slope cool roof requirements. Painting a metal roof can increase its solar reflectance and thermal emittance, allowing it to achieve cool roof status. Alternatively, you can apply cool reflective coatings.

 

DECIDING WHETHER TO INSTALL A COOL ROOF

When deciding whether to install a cool roof, you’ll need to determine whether the cost will justify the energy savings. How much energy you will save depends on several factors such as your home's climate and environment, how well insulated your current roof is, the type of roof you have, and the efficiency of your heating and cooling system.

If you are building a new home, you can decide during the planning phase what type of roof to install and whether it should be a cool roof. If you want to convert an existing roof into a cool roof, you have three basic options:

1. Coat the roof

2. Re-cover it with a new waterproofing surface

3. Tear off the existing roof and replace it with a new one.

If your roof is in poor condition or near the end of its life, it is usually best to re-cover, replace, or retrofit the roof.

 

COST AND ENERGY SAVINGS

A cool roof does not necessarily cost more than a non-cool roof, especially if you are installing a new roof or replacing an existing one. However, converting a standard roof that's in good condition into a cool roof can be expensive. Major roof costs include upfront installation (materials and labor) and ongoing maintenance (repair, recoating, and cleaning). Additional cool roof costs include specialized materials and labor.

Cool roofs can save money several ways, including energy savings, rebates and incentives, HVAC equipment downsizing, and extended roof lifetime. One way to estimate how much energy you would save by installing a cool roof is by using a cool roof calculator, available at DOE Cool Roof Calculator.

 

CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENT

Your climate is an important consideration when deciding whether to install a cool roof. Cool roofs achieve the greatest cooling savings in hot climates, but can increase energy costs in colder climates due to reduced beneficial wintertime heat gains.

 

MOISTURE CONTROL

In warm, moist locations, cool roof surfaces can be more susceptible to algae or mold growth than hot roofs. Some roof coatings include special chemicals that prevent mold or algae growth for a few years.

In cold climates, roofs can accumulate moisture through condensation, and it is possible that cool roofs might be more susceptible to accumulating moisture than dark roofs of the same design. Condensation can be avoided using proper design techniques.


Pulling the Rabbit

I'm a fan of maximizing space, both seen and unseen. This stems from years of living in a 400 square foot bungalow with my then-husband and multiple pets. I learned to store vertically and create spaces within the voids. While I design and build all types of space-saving and space-creating ideas - such as bookshelves inside of wall framing and wine storage underneath a flight of stairs, complete with a floating pull-out tasting & pour table - one of my favorite projects was installing a custom tub below the floor. Being that the bathroom wasn't big enough for every fixture and storage one typically needs, this became the only way to give my client everything he wanted without knocking down walls. I think I enjoyed this best simply because it completely disappeared. Magic makes me "ooh" and "aah," not only because I'm still a kid at heart, but because I love trying to figure out how things work. Had I been into hydraulics at the time, I think I would have designed the tub to function something like this carport below. A great use of space, it is both functionally and aesthetically pleasing. And it makes me go "ooh" and "aah."

 

 

Brought To You By The Letter B (Part 1)

A few blogs back, I mentioned the BRA when writing about project costs, which I said I would discuss at length in subsequent entries. So, let’s begin with the letter B.

BUDGET: (noun) an itemized estimate of expected expenses; (verb) to plan the expenditure of monies and subsist within the set guidelines.

Both a noun and a verb for good reason, the construction budget is a strange little creature – much like the echidna; much like an Oompa Loompa; much like my last boyfriend. While I can spend countless hours budgeting a project, it is a continual team effort between the client and me to actually stick to a budget. That being said, a budget is simply an outline, just as a plan set (also known as blueprints) is – well – just a plan. Things change, projects develop, budgets shift – and more often than not, they increase across the board. But without a realistic budget, we cannot realistically create the canvas. This is where so many people get into trouble.

One of the most common issues I see in construction when it comes to project costs is that the plan sets being created do not reflect what clients are willing to spend. On most occasions, when someone other than myself is designing a project, I am handed a set of plans that – though beautiful and thoughtful – far exceed what clients are willing to spend.

(Notice I keep writing the word “willing”… more on that later.)

Then there is the dreadful problem of reality TV. NEWS ALERT: THERE IS NOTHING REAL ABOUT REALITY TV – especially when it comes to construction. On what planet can people remodel or build 3 bathrooms and a kitchen for $30,000.00? (Answer: None.) That couldn’t have been done in 1975, much less in 2014. So let’s get real for a minute. Since your project doesn’t come with advertisers or sponsorships, and the network producers aren’t covering the cost of labor, you’re going to spend some money. An average bathroom project starts around $35K and caps out at roughly $95K, depending on the client’s taste, though the majority seem to hover between $45-55K. A full kitchen project begins around $85K and, while there is no end to what people are willing to spend on their kitchen, on average, the majority of kitchens that I build price out at roughly $200,000.00. Unfortunately, the days of the $40,000.00 kitchen remodel are long gone – especially in Los Angeles. You can no longer buy a full appliance package in stainless steel for $5,000.00 – in any city. Add a zero. Take a breath. Let’s move on. (No – do not look at the Sears catalog. You won’t find it in there either. Just add the zero and move on as instructed.)

Add to the nonsense of (un)reality TV: the DIY trend. Ok. Seriously. If you want to DIY your home, then go for it. You’ll save on the cost of labor (though you will pay more for materials because you have no relationships with vendors), and you will also have to quit your job to try and do the project. And then it probably won’t look like the picture you saw in a magazine and you’ll end up calling a contractor to come fix things. So – word of advice – outside of a quick decoupage on Grandma’s dresser or pulling the Singer out of the attic to whip up some curtains, skip the DIYing. More than likely, you are not the lovechild of Martha Stewart and Mike Holmes. The construction process will age you, exhaust you, you’ll lose your eyesight and your hair, your friends will stop inviting you to their parties in fear that you will – once again – try to corral them all into a “paint this wall” party. Your family might disown you, or you may be gravely injured by a power tool (possibly thrown at you by your family after they’ve eaten takeout and peed in a port-a-pot for nine months). Trust me, construction is only fun for about three swings of the sledgehammer, and then it’s excruciatingly difficult work.

To quote one of my favorite clients speaking to his DIYish husband:

"You don't know what you're doing. Unless you are a builder, a designer and project manager by trade, you are officially in over your head. What you can do is your homework.  Know what you like; know what you want to spend; hire someone you trust and like. If you can't do this, you will spend double our budget, which is both annoying and cliché.”

The final meltdown on budgets comes in the form of architectural and design magazines. We all love a good Dwell, Interior Design or Architectural Digest while lounging about over a lazy Sunday brunch. They all have amazing photos of amazing projects, and what’s better than bacon and a slow tour through award-winning homes? (Answer: more bacon and owning one of those homes.) Great for ideas and inspiration, publications like these are the bibles of my industry. What’s not so great? Telling people how much that Balthaup kitchen they are drooling over actually costs. Please pass the bacon… and a tissue.

But there is good news. There is very good news. And I will share that news with you, including some tips on how to prepare your project budget, in Part 2 of Brought To You By The Letter B. 

In the meantime, please enjoy this video – brought to you by Sesame Street …

FFTP Panels: Finding the Forest Through the Trees

Wooden Skyscraper

Wooden Skyscraper

A very insightful and interesting video presentation about sustainability in the modern world, by Michael Green, as he discusses his vision for wooden skyscrapers and how wood would shape our future with the use of FFTT mass timber panels. He presents a challenge that not only asks architects, engineers and designers to push the envelope of conventional thinking about wood construction, but one that inspires them to expand the discussion and bring wood into position as the driving force behind systematic changes in the building industry. With economic and environmental benefits for society, it is a worthwhile topic.

If you're interested in learning more, you can click on this link to read an in-depth report on FFTT panels:   http://wecbc.smallboxcms.com/database/rte/files/Tall%20Wood.pdf

Paint It Black


Much to my mother’s chagrin, I’ve always been a huge fan of black. In the 80s, I began wearing black because, like many teenagers, I needed the world to know I was an existentialist, deeply mysterious, angst-filled, brooding artist. Plus it was quicker to get dressed that way.

Over the years, I’ve worked my penchant for black into my projects. To begin with, (just in case my design intent was misguided) I started by painting the walls around my own kitchen.  After tossing around and rejecting sample chips with names like Sealskin and Universal Black – partially because I thought PETA would be picketing at my front porch if I chose former, and the latter sounded oh-so-boring – I went with the ever-enchanting shade of Graphite (Benjamin Moore), the perfect mix of bold and calm, hard and soft… the color of fairy dust, if fairy dust were black. With the kitchen a complete success, I moved to the guesthouse, where I proceeded to paint the living room with an accent wall in Caviar (Sherwin-Williams), furnishings in cilantro and concrete, ceiling and trim in white. Touchdown number two… if touchdowns were black. Luckily, I have had several clients who have been game enough to follow suit. From bedrooms, to living spaces, to kitchens – black has become an integral part of the Dirty Girl design palette.

Every space is different, and balance is key when using a dominant/dark neutral or, for that matter, a dark color. There is no one “trick” when employing black as a design element, but some of the techniques that we use are: black as an accent wall; ceilings and millwork painted white; color-blocking in gradated neutrals; furniture, textiles and artwork that compliment and pop. Whatever method you choose, and whatever mood you’re setting, keep in mind that black needs to be either the lead or the supporting role. Below are several examples making use of the above: the parlor is via my current client, Ray Azoulay, owner of Obsolete, Inc; the kitchen is by Lizette Marie Interior Design; the bedroom is from Beth Dotolo – Pulp Design.

Ray Azoulay - Obsolete, Inc

Ray Azoulay - Obsolete, Inc

Lizette Marie Interior Design

Lizette Marie Interior Design

Beth Dotolo - Pulp Design

Beth Dotolo - Pulp Design

​

Into The Wild

The Cabin

The Cabin

In 1954, my father bought a piece of land for $100 at the edge of the National Forest in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. In the summer of his 20th year, alone in the woods, this is where he built The Cabin. We spent many moons in our home-away-from-home. It was a special place. No phone. No television. No running water. A latrine that was relocated every seven years or so, a half moon slicing in some freshness and twilight through the door.

Winter was a half-mile snowshoe hike up the side of a mountain in waist-deep snow, toboggans loaded with food, water and heating oil, ski gear strapped to our backs and wrapped about our hips. Sweating cold in three layers of clothes waiting for the air to defrost, the burp and rattle of the heater working in unison with the hum of the fan to dispel icy exhales. Mice in the drawers, bats in the rafters, bears in the woods – oh my! The welcoming scent of solitude was everywhere. Spring brought the beginning of blueberry bushes, blackberry brambles and black-eyed Susans; the rich smell of wet, loamy leaves, damp and rotting under our feet, finding rebirth in the rays of vernal sunshine; the bubbling whisper of fresh groundwater welling through thin layers of ice, sweet and chilled with a hint of apple on the back of our breath. Elk stared quietly from just behind the birch that stood at attention along a well-worn path. We learned to never stare back. The heat of Summer tempted us down-mountain for a heart-stopping shock of a bath in the river, amongst rockslides and pools washed smooth by centuries of rapids. Occasionally persons unknown would build a bridge across the river, which we would summarily dismantle every time it appeared. We agreed that one must traverse the rocks and rapids with sure feet and guts to get to the other side, or one must simply go home. When the bridge building ceased, we silently declared victory. Then autumn. Precious autumn. The rustling song of gemstone leaves a sigh on the air. We walked heads up, surrounded by a fully mature forest, watching it come into full color and fading into its inevitable decline, collecting the gifts of the great fall and pressing them into our hands, our noses, and finally into waxed paper pages – memories of another year having cycled bound into our homemade books. We paged through the Sears catalog while listening to static-filled oldies. We hiked through the thick woods and picnicked on massive boulders. We skied, and then we skied some more. We paid a quarter for a hot shower at the AMC hut a few miles down the road when we could no longer stand our own scent. We teased our parents about how they’d never taken us to Storyland, accusing them of simply pulling into the parking lot and snapping a photo of us, laughing endlessly as they protested each time we told the tale. Evenings passed with games of gin and backgammon, or Cosmic Wimpout for those who knew how to play, eventually falling into a deep mountain slumber, only waking for blind midnight sprints to the outhouse, avoiding creatures and cold as quickly as possible.

In 1997 we updated The Cabin, which had achieved a considerable down-slope lean. Over a long weekend, with my older brother designated as GC, we lifted The Cabin to install a proper foundation, then new windows, roof, and electrical. We slapped a coat of fresh paint on the ceiling and closed in the deck to make another bunkroom for the next generation. The old oil-burning tank and furnace were removed and we set about digging a trench down the side of the mountain for a propane line. Finally, we cleared some trees to make our hiking trail car-wide with a turnaround at the top – just a few things to make life a little bit easier as we got older, and a few things to make sure The Cabin could be enjoyed safely. In reflection of who we are, how we live and what we hold dear – like the simplicity of family enjoying family around a board game or dinner table – we made sure to respect what our father built, even as we upgraded.

It is still a special place. No phone. No television. No running water. A latrine that is relocated every seven years or so, a half moon slicing in some freshness and twilight through the door – with the very special addition of sixty years of love, laughter and memories, and more to come.