Modern Studio Inspires Creativity
When the creative couple who have this property determined they had an addition that could be multipurpose, they were not kidding around. Today they use this freestanding studio to sponsor seminars, salons, writing workshops and gallery shows; to develop photographs and educate drawing courses using a version; for gathering large groups for dishes; and also for home escape guests. Because they also share the property with finches, woodpeckers, blue jays and black ravens, they’ve named the property “Birdland.”
Photographer David Wakely and author Sharon Smith owned a very small cottage on an acre of land up a hillside close to the Russian River in Sonoma County, California, and forced the hourlong trek out of their main house in San Francisco nearly every weekend. They discovered they adored having guests however had no room to have a huge meal or do their creative work. Wakely began talking to architect Cathy Schwabe about future plans to enlarge. “This bunch is extremely inventive, and they like working on projects together,” states Schwabe. Together the trio began to plan an area that would satisfy the couple’s requirements.
in a Glance:
Who lives here: David Wakely and Sharon Smith
Location: Forestville, California
Size: 864 square feet
That’s interesting: Wakely has been Schwabe’s architectural photographer for years. They traded design hours for photography hours on this studio.
That’s Smith at front, at the red sweater. At the conclusion of a daylong workshop, they pulled out this long table out of their elastic studio and gathered for a meal.
Cathy Schwabe Architecture
Schwabe nestled the studio into the hillside over the present two-bedroom cabin. “I was inspired by many things, but the outside’s form was inspired by neighborhood Sonoma barns because of their ease and practicality,” states Schwabe.
The studio’s small size means that a reduced carbon footprint, and Schwabe sited and shaped it to take advantage of natural ventilation and light.
Cathy Schwabe Architecture
Cleverly placed sliding doors provide privacy when necessary and close off messier work places when guests visit.
To the left, a sliding barn door separates a work and darkroom space. The couple has determined their next job will be to transform this area into a kitchen so they won’t need to schlep so much during big holiday meals.
On the darkroom/future kitchen area, there’s a loft. Currently, the attic is accessible only by a ladder and is used for storage, however a more user-friendly ladder or stairs may be added with ease later on, opening it up as a sleeping area.
Cathy Schwabe Architecture
During seminars and workshops, the doors are closed and tables, chairs and guests spread into this area. The floors are stained concrete, that can help to keep the room cool in the summer and heat in winter.
Cathy Schwabe Architecture
A skylight adds natural lighting into the entryway. The one bathroom in the studio is situated behind the translucent door on the left. Schwabe added a washer and drier in the bathroom, as there was not room for them at the main house.
Cathy Schwabe Architecture
The major space is furnished with pieces that are easy to rearrange for various occasions. Huge windows and glass doors flood the open room with natural lighting. Several doors open into the outside.
Smaller groups tend to gather around the woodstove or at the alcove to the right. During the winter months, the stove spreads heat across the concrete flooring.
The exposed Douglas fir rafters add rhythm, warmth and natural texture overhead. Rigid insulation is sandwiched between the roof and the rafters.
Cathy Schwabe Architecture
This corner alcove is a cozy spot within the massive room. The sofa converts into a bed, along with the corner transforms into a sleeping alcove.
“The bays and woodstove invite the usage of the edge, providing romantic areas for solitary use or small group parties turned towards views,” states Schwabe.
Cathy Schwabe Architecture
Schwabe used high-performance glass for the windows and doors, improving the studio’s energy efficiency. “Wood doors and windows with exterior aluminum cladding stop thermal bridging, extend life span and decrease maintenance demands,” she states.
Cathy Schwabe Architecture
The couple has been working on the whole property for some time; this curved retaining wall creates a terrace between the cottage and the studio.
Cathy Schwabe Architecture
The rock retaining wall up in the studio extends from the building and also relates back to the patio below. David sketched his ideas for the patio walls. A stoneworker constructed the patios and retaining walls with rocks by a local quarry.
The interior stained concrete flooring extend transition and outside into irregular pavers close to the rock walls, emphasizing how easy it is to move between indoors and out.
Cathy Schwabe Architecture
Locally chosen western cedar board and batten siding is more resistant to rust. On the other hand, more inclined to mildew, the corrugated metal covers the facade. An entrance porch offers protection from inclement weather and contributes to the entrance door.
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