Craftsperson Guild

Allowing for collaboration during construction has proven to be a smart way to improve the design of projects I have worked on and I have gathered some recent examples.  The first is the remodel of the Cannon Beach Restrooms where we enlarged the entries, which were cramped and uninviting.  The design uses natural materials but one issue that always comes up is whether to use pressure treated lumber and wrap it in clear cedar or just use clear cedar posts and beams.  We started with cedar post and beams and shifted to the wrapped solution during design.  This is less expensive since the materials are less money, there is less labor, in part since the connections between the pieces can be done with metal plates. However, on our drawings we left a clear cedar beam which was ordered and installed before I discovered it.  It was nice piece of wood and much to beautiful to cover.  The carpenter on the project and I worked through a solution that replaced the unsightly metal connections by extending the wood trim of the column over the beam.  A detail that I haven’t used before, but will again.

In this fireplace, we originally had a rustic wood mantel, in part so we could recess on outlet into the mantel.  The mason, Steve Cron, indicated he had a beautiful piece of stone, perfect for the mantel and that he could still get an outlet.  The clients loved the idea, as did everyone else.  sLater, I found out he really had no idea how he was going to do the outlet, but he figured it out as he was building the fireplace!  Since the stone work has the appearance of being dry laid, he took advantage of this to have a removable stone with the outlet behind.  Nice and discreet and available when needed.

Clients are encouraged to be part of this collaboration as well.  Figuring lighting out over a kitchen island is always a challenge, particularly when there is view to the beach. In this photo you see the builder (Rich Elstrom), the clients, and the interior designer (Nan Ryder) discussing the height of the light fixture.  Fortuitously, the clamp light was the right diameter of the selected light and we were able to balance the lighting of the surface, the visibility of the bulb, and impact to the view by raising and lowering the light and measuring the final placement to give to the lighting manufacturer (who would cut the right stem length).  These are all small things but they add up to make a project special.  By making this part of the construction process, and reviewing decision at the appropriate times during the process, means it doesn’t add to the cost.  The result is a better a design and an enjoyable process where everyone feels they are appreciated.