USA Kitchen Trends US Kitchen Renovation Trends Vol. 30/11 | Page 101

Fratelle says the wood construction
helps achieve these aims. The house is
well insulated, but the bedrooms on the
upper level can be cooled more quickly in
the evenings, than would be the case with
a traditional double-brick construction.
The house opens to an outdoor living
area on the left side of the site. The architect managed to include an elevated
plunge pool at one end of the patio, and a
children’s play area at the other. A retractable awning over the 15ft-wide opening
provides welcome shade in the summer.

“With plenty of cross ventilation, the
owners rarely need to use the air conditioning,” says the architect. “Being so
close to the coast, the house benefits from
the sea breezes.”
The main living area runs the full
length of the house, with the kitchen wrapping around the walls on two sides. A large
island helps to separate the work area
from the dining table, and provides plenty
of storage and counter space for food
preparation and serving. And although
dark materials were used, these are

reflective, so they bounce light around the
room.
A door in the kitchen opens to the
transition zone linking the old and new
buildings. The kitchen also overlooks a
small landscaped courtyard between the
two buildings, where laundry can be hung
to dry.
Bedrooms are positioned on the upper
level, and can be reached by stairs or by
elevator. In the living room, the doors of
the elevator feature a photographic mural
depicting the interior of an old cottage.

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