Skip to content

Posts from the ‘Basements’ Category

Nov 13

Your 6 Step Guide to a Warmer Winter

02-14-021a

We’re about to have our first hard freeze of the year here in Oregon and that has many of us scrambling to “batten down the hatches” in our homes and gardens to ensure our loved ones will be warm for the winter. Whistling windows, sticking front doors and slippery front stoops all make for a less than cozy winter experience.

With that in mind we thought we’d offer a handy Step Guide to a Warmer Winter this year.

 1. Warm up Your Windows.

The single pane traditional double hung windows in many of our older Portland homes provide very little insulation value. We like to say they have an R-factor of zero, which means the cold comes through those windows as easily as if it were an empty hole. No wonder you are shivering, right?

What can you do to address this? Here are 3 good options:

Restore & Weatherstrip your Existing Windows. Fix broken and rotten window parts, restore function to the ropes and pulleys and clean out the tracks so your windows operate smoothly with out sticking sections or gaps. Add weatherstripping to ensure your windows are wind and watertight.
p_SDW_058_03

Add Storm Windows. Did you know you can buy historically accurate wood storm windows with insulated glass that will vastly improve the insulation value of your current windows while still maintaining a classic look on the exterior of your home? Each storm gets custom fitted to your existing window openings and can be removed in the summer as needed.
twoframes
Replace Your Existing Windows . Often, the most economical way to improve the insulation value of your windows is to replace your current windows with new wood or fiberglass “inserts” or “tilt-pacs.” These options allow you to install new product into the existing window frames, making them cheaper than a whole window replacement or restoration. Often you can match the existing look of your windows while improving operation and energy efficiency.

Tilt Pac

Which to choose? Ask the experts. Your Carpenter on Call Team member can help you identify whether restoration, storms or replacement windows are the best option for you.

2. Insulate your Attic.

loosefillblown

Most of your home’s heat escapes through the attic. Adding insulation can have a huge impact on the warmth of your home (and your energy bill!) While you are at it, consider insulating your heating ducts to be sure more of the heat you are paying for winds up in the rooms rather than escaping through the walls.

3. Tune Up your Front Door.

DeWolfSingleton_1909House_Exterior_A_2_P_Pro

Sticking or warping doors can leave gaps for wintry winds to whistle in. Give your front door a tune up to be sure the hinges are adjusted properly, the lockset works smoothly and any warping or sticking areas get repaired. Add weatherstripping and a door sweep to ensure a tight seal when the door is closed.

4. Fall Proof Your Front Stoop.

Bikle_1924_Exterior_A_3_P_NonPro

Wet weather, moldy leaves and chipping paint can leave your front steps slick, shabby and worse for wear. Add a fresh coat of paint to your entry area and consider adding non-slip paint or rubber treads to your stair steps to prevent visitors from slipping.

5. Cozy Up Your Color Scheme.

Robertson_1883_Kitchen_A_1_P (12)

A fresh coat of paint may not literally make your rooms warmer, but it can definitely make them a more welcoming place do be during the long winter months. Choose the room you spend the most time in and choose a bold and welcoming hue- studies have shown that  color of your walls can actually warm up your family’s mood.

6. Finish Your Basement.

JensenGardner_1924_Basement_A_3_P_Pro

Create a cozy escape from the winter gloom by turning your basement into a family fun space. This Arciform client transformed their basement into a dry, cozy and welcoming space by adding some insulation and painting the exposed ceiling and concrete floor to look more finished. A custom carriage door designed by Versatile Wood Products partitions off the unfinished laundry area while carefully placed artwork conceals a few necessary utility panels.

Ready to warm up your home for the winter? Our Carpenter on Call Team will be happy to help you identify which of these projects will make the biggest difference for your home.

  Explore the Arciform Project Galleries | About Arciform | Schedule a Design Consultation

Jun 10

Historic Curb Appeal: Maintaining Your Craftsman

craftsman three

A craftsman bungalow is many a homeowner’s dream.Their deep eaves, broad front porches, simple lines and cozy, lantern-like interior spaces create a casual living environment well suited to NW living.

What details should you pay attention to when your bungalow needs a bit of love and care?

Here are 5 important considerations for restoring the exterior of your bungalow:

craftsman one

1. Respect your Rafter Tails. If you are lucky, your craftsman comes complete with decoratively detailed rafter tails (the ends of the beams that hold your roof up). These showcase a core craftman virtue: architectural elements that are both functional and beautiful.

When the time comes to repair or replace your roof or update your gutter system, be sure to take care to protect your rafter tails from being shorn off in the process. Once sawn off they cannot be easily replaced it is wise to work with a company that will identify roofing and gutter solutions that will protect your home’s original tails and architectural beams.

twoframes

2. Protect your Stained Glass with Storms. Craftsman homes are designed with long low horizontal surfaces, double hung windows and dark woods which create a lantern-like glow on the interior. You may be tempted to lighten up the home by adding additional picture or clerestory windows but resist the urge.

The cozy glow is part of the point.

The lower light of a craftsman also serves to highlight the beautiful stained glass windows that are frequently a key decorative feature. Protect your stained glass (and your other original windows) by installing historically accurate wooden storm windows.

1230_1909_entry.tif

3. Make an Entrance. One of the simplest ways to update the curb appeal of your bungalow is by creating a dramatic front entrance. Because Craftsman front doors typically open directly into the main living space, a beautiful entry door will have the benefit of adding curb appeal and adding to the charm of your home’s interior. Typical Craftsman front doors feature little wooden blocks called dentals that project out from the door in a horizontal pattern and sidelights that often feature etched or stained glass.

2793PORC

4.  Get Creative with Column Designs. One place where you have some aesthetic leeway on a Craftsman is in the design of your porch columns and railings. Though it is most common to see square, strongly horizontal shapes and patterns in a craftsman porch you and your designer should feel free to play with proportions and details to find something you like.

Just be sure to avoid unnecessary ornamentation. In a craftsman, the design of the architectural elements themselves should hold the aesthetic appeal rather than filigrees, additions, or architecturally unnecessary ornamentation.

dewolf-singleton-1909house-craftsman- (2)

5. Go Bigger… In the Basement.The long, low horizontal lines of a Craftsman can offer few vertical surfaces to connect to a ground floor addition. Dormer additions are often impeded by the relatively shallow pitch of the bungalow roof.

So if extra space is needed to accommodate a growing family, explore the potential of a basement addition. By the time the Arts and Crafts style became popular, the basement and foundation technology was vastly improved over the Victorian era, giving you more space, (usually) a more watertight footprint and some flexibility to carve out finished space in your basement.

The most important basement considerations?

Do you have the ceiling height for officially permitted finished spaces? And do you have an appropriately located window or door that will work for fire safety egress?

Your Arciform designer can help you identify the renovation potential of your bungalow basement. With some smart design solutions, it can be a great way to add guest space and play space without marring the exterior design of your home.

Want more good ideas for making your classic home the envy of the neighborhood?

Join us July 16th for a Historic Home How To Workshop at Old Portland and Architectural. Get the details and RSVP here.

Explore the Arciform Project Galleries | About Arciform | Schedule a Design Consultation

Dec 20

Creating an AirBnB Worthy Basement Renovation

Hardison_1902_Basement_A_1_P
Arciform designer Kristyn Bester contributed the following article to the January 2014 edition of NW Renovation magazine. It is reprinted here for your convenience.

Of all the possible home remodel projects, adding a guest suite or creating an ADU in the basement can seem the most daunting.  From deciphering code compliance challenges to choosing an aesthetic that is most appropriate for your home, there are many questions that should be asked upon embarking on a basement renovation.

What are my long-term goals for the space?  Should I rent an ADU or list on Airbnb?

In addition to expanding living space for day-to-day tasks such laundry, homework or television viewing, using basements to create rental income is becoming increasing popular.  Rather than limiting their options to only hotels or bed and breakfasts, travelers are using sites such as Airbnb (www.airbnb.com) to search for unique accommodations.  Since Airbnb listings range from farmhouses to treehouses and houseboats to high rises, it can take just a few clever design solutions to transform an unfinished basement into an adequate addition to the Airbnb club.

An Accessory Dwelling Unit, or ADU, is a space that is converted to legal living space that will be used specifically as a secondary living space to a primary structure.  This approach will require more thoughtful consideration of the long term impact of your design choices.

Whether you choose the flexibility of Airbnb or the long term ADU approach, each option will create space that will provide lasting value to your home.

4 Things to Consider Before Creating a Basement Guest Suite

Earhart_1904_Basement_A_1_P_Pro (1)

1. Is my basement dry enough?

No one wants to send a welcomed guest downstairs to a moist and musty quarters.  And most renters will be able to quickly spot a basement with water issues.  Before pursuing a basement conversion, it is vital to determine if your existing rain water management systems are doing their job to keep your basement dry.

Keep an eye out for stains on the walls or floor and cracks in the foundation.  Walk the exterior perimeter of your house to make sure gutters are clean and free of debris and that downspouts are directed away from the house.  Make sure that large shrubs and trees are pulled away from the perimeter of your house and that the exterior grade is sloping away and down from the house.

Sometimes these solutions will not solve all rainwater management problems and more extensive options such as exterior French drains or interior drains and sump pumps will need to be considered.

Earhart_1904_Basement_A_1_P_Pro (8)

2. Is my unfinished basement a good candidate?  Does my basement meet code?

Prior to remodeling consider the requirements for code compliance in your jurisdiction.  Design choices can be limited or made more expensive by code obligations, but the rules are intended to lead to greater comfort and safety in the long run.

·         Some stairs will meet “grandfathered-in code” and others may need to be rebuilt to meet current code requirements for stairwell width, riser height and tread depth.

·         Minimum ceiling heights are required in finished living areas.  If your existing basement has an exposed ceiling and concrete floors, it is important to consider the loss in ceiling height when adding a ceiling and floor finish.

·         In order to qualify as finished living space, a basement must meet legal egress requirements for your safe escape or the entry of a rescue person during an emergency.  The placement of an egress window should depend on the best location for maximum light and avoiding encroaching on property setbacks.

·         A finished basement requires furring out concrete walls with framing, insulation and sheetrock.  While this step can be costly, it is vital to the comfort of the space.

Baysinger_1924_Basement_A_7_P

3)      How long are my guests planning to stay?

Retrofitting basements for Airbnb is appealing for the short term commitment to renting and the design flexibility it offers.  Since an Airbnb guest suite will be occupied sporadically, your design can be planned to allow for the guest suite to double as additional living space for your family.  Creating a studio, rather than a compartmentalized apartment, will give your basement the most versatility.  Remember that you are creating a comfortable hotel room – so keep it simple.

If a basement is converted to an ADU, all code regulations must be followed.  In order to appeal to a long-term renter you may want to consider additional creature comforts such as enclosing and insulating your ceiling to minimize sound transmittance between floors.  After meeting minimum requirements for egress, additional windows could be incorporated into the design to provide maximum daylight to the space.  An ADU will require a separate entrance from the primary residence, but keeping internal access may be beneficial in the future if the guest suite is reincorporated back into your home.

Martin_1918_Basement_A_ (5)

4)      What feeling should the space have?

While designing your basement guest suite, it is important to identify how you want to feel in the finished space.

Airbnb will allow for the most creativity in design and décor details.  Since you will want to stand out in the crowd of options, putting a personal stamp on the space and featuring some of the latest trends can actually work in your favor. Some owners opt for a whimsical, theme-oriented direction.  Darker colors, stained wood features, plush carpet and dimmable lighting can help to create a moody, cave-like den, perfect for those seeking a cozy getaway.  If you seek to inspire creativity or create a space for a traveling executive, consider an industrial design approach featuring exposed ceilings, concrete floors and lots of light.  To appeal to the masses, use your city as inspiration and decorate with local memorabilia such as maps, restaurant menus and an artsy display of your city’s tourism highlights.

When planning an ADU in your basement, remember that the building will eventually be sold as a cohesive structure.  Look for existing architectural details that can be carried into the basement to create an integrated and period appropriate addition to your home.  When choosing color schemes, millwork profiles, lighting and plumbing fixtures, take cues from the period your home was built.  Is it a mid-century daylight basement or do you have a classic craftsman or bungalow basement?  Ensure your renovation will meet ADU code requirements and fit the style of your home by engaging a design professional to help you create thoroughly planned design and specification package.

Whether you choose the flexibility of Airbnb quarters or an integrated ADU rental, with careful preparation each approach can result in a guest suite that will provide lasting value to your home.

Explore the Arciform Photo Galleries | All About Arciform | Schedule a Design Consultation

Newer Entries »