Hug-Garneau Residence [Mill Valley, CA]

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=185 BGCOLOR="#333333" TEXT="#F7F7FF" bgproperties="fixed" background="2b28ec00ddualp.jpg"> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#333333" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#99FF99" FACE="Tw Cen MT Condensed" >Studio 300A Art+ Architecture</FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000BF" FACE="Tw Cen MT Condensed" >    </FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Tw Cen MT Condensed" > </FONT><B>|   </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Studio 300A Art Architecture"><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="new_residence_in_sausalito__ca.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Alaria Residence Sausalito, CA"><U><B>Alaria Residence  [Sausalito, CA]</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="renovation___addition_in_mill_valley.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Davy Residence Mill Valley, CA"><U><B>Davy Residence  [Mill Valley, CA]</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><B>Hug-Garneau Residence  [Mill Valley, CA]</B><B>   |   </B><A HREF="small_project_for_little_money.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Carport / Parking Deck Sausalito, CA"><U><B>Carport / Parking Deck  [Sausalito, CA]</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="projects_in_concert_with_other_architects.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="With Others..."><U><B>With Others...</B></U></A><B>   |   </B><A HREF="job_site_communications_for_current_projects.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Works In Progress"><U><B>Works In Progress</B></U></A></div> <div> <IMG SRC="05c58020.png" border=0 width="600" height="2" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B>Hug-Garneau Residence  [Mill Valley, CA]</B></div> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="065905a0.jpg" border=0 width="400" height="346" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <B>This is Phase-1 of a renovation of a small, rather non-descript house in Mill Valley.  The first two photos show the kitchen gutted, opened, remade.  With a few shrewd choices, we have dramatically changed the feel and usability of this tiny kitchen and the adjacent dining/living spaces.  It was achieved mostly by reduction, simplification and clean detailing...and some tragically sexy new appliances.  We added absolutely no additional space to the house in a technical sense--only in and experiential sense.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="0672c9c0.jpg" border=0 width="300" height="412" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <B>The use of natural light, mirrors and the opening of walls and ceilings  made this 9'x10' kitchen seem suddenly large and energized.  </B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="069c72c0.jpg" border=0 width="199" height="300" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>The kitchen as it was;  "like a 40's bathroom in a Mexican bus station" observed Carpenter Tim Reck.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="0fa31970.jpg" border=0 width="305" height="407" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <B>The backyard just after landscaper Shawn Beattie and Cheryl have finished.  (Disclaimer: None of us had anything to do with the annoying fence.  We just had to work it in.)</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="06dfdc20.jpg" border=0 width="253" height="450" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></I></div> <div> <B>Deck, Patio and Trellis plan.  The trellis was held away from the house to allow light into its rear windows.  The deck is rotated to engage the sun.  The trellis crosses the patio and deck allowing for both sunny and shady areas in each.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B><IMG SRC="0fd775c0.jpg" border=0 width="375" height="348" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">          <IMG SRC="0fee95c0.jpg" border=0 width="233" height="348" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   </B></I></div> <div> <B>We have redesigned the front stairs to be "breathable" to air and "transparent" to water, so as to reduce the risk of wood rot along the face of the house.  This has given the stairs a kind of "hovering" affect, since the treads and risers don't actually seem to be held together by anything as you climb.  These were built by client Ivo Hug.  Damn fine job I'd say.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>We are planning to carry the warm clarity we have so far achieved, through the rest of the house, making this small, cramped box into infinite, livable space.  And we do this without adding one square foot to the actual building.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>