Updated Renderings

Below are a few updated renderings. The new renderings reflect our recent decision to move away from the orange tones of Cor-ten siding. The steel shown is still not exactly the color we are looking for, but it is getting closer. The new renderings also show metal railings, instead of cement, as well as a metal roof.

1st Design/Construction Issues

In mid-September we had a very productive meeting with our architect Ryan and Joel from Modern Shelter. We were (still are) trying to decide on exterior materials and discussed a number of different options. We are leaning towards materials that require minimal to no maintenance. Cement, metal, and glass are the big winners, but we still need to get more specific on the exact materials and their location on the house.

This is where we ran into the first of our design/construction issues.      

First, the cement wall detailing the entryway may be difficult to construct as it is currently drawn. Right now the cement wall is a shared interior/exterior wall, which means it needs to be insulated. Nice to look at, tricky to pull off. We are tossing around a few ideas, including faking the cement on the interior side, but we may ultimately lose the cement on the interior...bummer.

Second, the roofing system called out in the plans (single ply) is not attractive. At all. It actually resembles duct-tape. This wouldn't be an issue if our roof wasn't very visible, but the roof is going to be extremely visible. The road to access the property is above the building site (i.e., you will see the roof every time you approach the house). We don't want to lose the very cool butterfly roof, so needless to say, we are reviewing other roofing options.

We left the meeting with a few things to think about, but also with a number of nice renderings of the project. The visuals were great--they allowed us to review a number of exterior materials and get a sense of what they would look like on the house. We are really happy with how the cabin looks.

 

Living and Ground Level Plan

After working and reworking the floor plan layout numerous times, we have come up with a plan that looks great and should have an excellent flow. Trying to keep the square footage down forced us (mainly Ryan) to come up with solutions to a variety of issues, including orientation of the kitchen and living room towards the views, proper placement of the powder room, and the location of the pantry. But we (mainly Ryan) figured it out!

We are happy with the layout and looking forward to selecting materials.

    

Early Renderings

In late June we had another productive meeting with Ryan. There are still a few details to work out, but the overall concept is falling into place.

Below are a few preliminary renderings Ryan provided us. Next steps are to finalize the layout and begin to select materials.

  

Refining the Concept

In mid-June we sat down with Ryan for another design meeting. Meeting with Ryan in closer succession has really made the process more fluid, and we have been making steady progress. 

While many of the ideas from the initial drawings have remained, in the below images, a few new concepts have emerged. There is now a small glass hallway that separates the master bedroom from the main living area. The master bedroom has been bumped out to accentuate the views of the mountains and provide for a more modular feel to the home's profile. There is also a slick window in the master bath that will accommodate views while in the tub.
 
The kitchen has been moved forward, pushing the dining room to the back portion of the house. The kitchen has a huge island and is oriented to capture the views. Moving the dining room was an easy choice because we will spend way more time in the kitchen.

The lower level has also been modified to provide for a large media room and spare bedroom.

We are very happy with the new design additions! We are still considering a few more details related to the floor plan but are getting very close to finalizing the concept.

2nd Design Meeting | Initial Concept

In mid-May we had our second design meeting. Needless to say, it felt like an eternity between having our initial meeting with Ryan and having our follow-up to see the first concepts of the cabin.

Below are a few images from Ryan's initial design. While there was somewhat of a tense moment after Ryan showed us the concept--K did not make a sound and did not appear to be breathing--we were very happy with this first go-around. We particularly liked the floor plan's open concept with tons of windows, the floating roof and roof lines, the use of thick cement walls, the entryway and roof overhangs, and the bermed-in lower level with the ceiling acting as a cement deck off of the living room.

However, there were a few areas that needed work. We are in the kitchen a ton and wanted that area moved forward to take advantage of the views. We also felt like the master bedroom was not separated enough from the main portion of the house. The lower level layout also need to be modified to reflect our usage.

Overall, it was a good starting point, and we were looking forward to our next meeting and continuing the design process.

Topo

Before Elemental could begin designing, we needed to obtain a topography (aka topo) of the land. 
The topo would be used by Ryan for designing and modeling purposes. In early March we retained Tackman Surveying to do the job. Bill Tackman has been surveying land in the Valley for years. As soon as the snow melted, he was going to complete the topo. By late April the topo was completed.  Bill and his crew did the job fast and for a fair price. 

1st Site Inspection

In March 2012, we organized an excursion to the Valley with our architect. To our happy surprise, one of Elemental's go-to contractors, Modern Shelter, joined us to inspect the property.

Walking the property with the architect and contractor was very helpful. We were able to discuss issues ranging from the slope of the land to access for the cement trucks. Overall, there were no major concerns that would inhibit our project, and everyone seemed positive about the building potential of the lot.

The weekend was not all work. Not only did we get to check out the land, but there was a ton of snow and the xc-skiing was excellent. The more we are out at the Valley the more we are enjoying it. 

Let the design process begin!

1st Design Meeting | Brainstorming

In February 2012, we scheduled our first design meeting with our architect, Ryan. We were really excited. In preparation, we completed the Elemental Design Questionnaire, looked through piles of magazines, and reviewed a lot architecture websites. Looking at the websites was really helpful and allowed us to see a ton of homes. We also used Houzz to store images that we could in turn share with Ryan. The Houzz website is a bit clunky, but somewhat effective.

We sent all the information to Ryan prior to the meeting. Gathering all that info was a serious process! While there was no way to completely express what we were looking for, we felt confident we provided Ryan with enough information to get the conversation and creativity flowing. We assured Ryan ahead of time that we did not expect or want him to have a design concept prepared for our first meeting.

Overall, the meeting went very well. Ryan was able to process a lot of information and see a number of themes from the images we showed him. Also, he seemed genuinely excited about the project. Yay!

we own land...now what?

Now the proud owners of a few acres of dirt in the Methow Valley, we began to look for an architecture firm to design our cabin. To narrow the search, we looked at a ton of websites and found a list of the Top Mountain Architects put out by Mountain Living Magazine that proved very helpful. 

We were looking for an architect that was local and designed homes that were modern, with a rustic natural feel.  Most importantly, we were looking for someone we could work with to develop the design because we wanted to be involved in the process. 

After a detailed search, we narrowed the list to three architects that we wanted to meet in person. All three were excellent at their trade and had designed beautiful homes. Two of the firms had been designing great homes in the Methow for the last 20 years, and the third firm was building some of Seattle's most beautiful modern homes.

In the end, we decided to go with Elemental Design LLC. Our decision was primarily based on the in-person meetings with our architect. We had the opportunity to see a few homes he had designed that were still under construction and felt very confident that we would enjoy working with Elemental and get the home we wanted.    

closing the deal

After extended negotiations on a lot that did not result in a deal and a serious scare concerning ownership after agreeing on a purchase price on another lot...we closed! We started the Methow Valley land search in March 2011 and closed on a deal in August 2011. It took two visits to the Valley and a lot of hard work on the part of our real estate agent Sheila.   

I cannot say it was the smoothest buy-sell transaction, but it was worth it because we are now part of the Edelweiss Community. Edelweiss is about 9 miles north of Winthrop and 2 miles south of the Mazama Junction.  The Lot is a little less than 2.5 acres, very private, has a nice view of Lucky Jim's Bluff, and is heavily treed. All Edelweiss properties have water and electricity.  This lot is sloped and there are a few potential building locations.

Below are a few shots of the land:

1st Visit to the Methow

In March 2011, we made our first trip to the Methow to look at properties. We were super excited to meet with Sheila and explore the area. Sheila had identified a ton of properties and told us to bring our snowshoes. 

The drive to the Methow was an important consideration. We knew this one factor could be a deal-breaker because if the drive kept us from going, then it was not worth having a cabin in that area. There are two main routes to get to the Methow from Seattle, but only one in the winter months. In the winter, Washington's North Cascades Highway (elevation 5,477 ft.) is completely closed. It can take less than 3.5 hours to get to Mazama from Seattle on the North Cascades Highway; however, it can take 4.5 to 5 hours taking I-90 over Stevens Pass (elevation 4,061 ft) or Blewett Pass (elevation 4,102 ft.).

In March, the North Cascades Highway is closed, so we would be taking the long way around. When we made it to the Valley, we understood why Sheila had recommended we bring snowshoes. As we drove from Carlton up to Mazama, snow blanketed everything and there was serious accumulation the closer we got to Mazama. Overall, the drive was long, but we were not ready to pass judgment just yet.

The next morning we work up bright and early to meet Sheila at the Mazama Junction Country Store. Over the next 8 hours, we walked properties ranging from 1/2 acre to more than 20 acres in size. The landscape and the amenities varied on each property. Some of the properties were on the side of a mountain with 360 degree views and not a tree in sight, while others were heavily treed with territorial and mountain views. Some of the lots had water and electricity at the property line, while others had no services whatsoever. Many of the properties were designed as part of a larger community governed by a home owners associations. We learned that the HOA is generally responsible for maintaining any common area and ensuring that the community roads are plowed in the winter.

After a long day of looking at properties, we found our focus shifting towards properties with the following characteristics:

• Treed with some elbow room
• Private with electricity and water on the property
• Governed by an HOA with reasonable covenants and restrictions
• Easily accessible
• Mountain or territorial view

the draw of eastern Washington

We were drawn toward eastern Washington because of the landscape and weather. We looked into land around Cle Elum and the Methow Valley, and to get a better read on both, we talked to friends, real estate agents, bankers, and architects. 

Initial information from local banks proved very helpful. Not only did they provide options for financing the land, but local banks had information on available properties, loans being written, and market conditions. Of particular interest, we learned that Kittitas County (i.e., the county Cle Elum is located) had banned new wells in the upper portion of the county, unless water rights were clearly defined. As a result, many of the banks were not underwriting loans for vacant land because wells could not be dug. This was a huge factor for us because obviously, we'd need water.

When researching the Methow Valley, we discovered a number of vacant lots that looked promising. Banks were writing loans and deals were being closed on vacant land even in a down market. Without many contacts in the Methow, we reached out to an architect who had designed a number of beautiful homes in that area. The architect put us in contact with a real estate agent that would turn out to be our most important resource for the Valley, Sheila Coe.

After a video conference with Sheila where we discussed price, size, use, etc., we were on our way to setting up a trip to the Valley. In the meantime, Sheila began identifying properties from Twisp to Mazama for us to visit.

narrowing the choices

After considering our basic criteria for where to buy, the following areas warranted further inspection:

Cle Elum

• Kittitas County, Washington
• Population: 1,872
• Drive time from Seattle: 1.5 hours
• Popular area for camping and other outdoor activities
• Average high: 80 / Average low: 24 / Average snowfall: 65.2 inches
• Number of sunny days: 201

Lake Chelan

• Chelan County, Washington
• Population: 3,890
• Drive time from Seattle: 3 hours
• Sits on the southeast tip of Lake Chelan
• Average high: 85 / Average low: 24 / Average snowfall: 32.7 inches
• Number of sunny days: 196

Methow Valley

• Okanogan County, Washington 
• Population: 5,144
• Drive time from Seattle: 3 1/2 hours (summer), 4 1/2 hours (winter)
• Popular spot for cross-country skiing and hiking
• Average high: 82 / Average low: 13 / Average snowfall: 122.1 inches
• Number of sunny days: 190

Mt. Baker / Glacier

• Whatcom County, Washington
• Population: 211
• Drive time from Seattle: 2.5 hours
• Awe-inspiring views of Mt. Shuksan, one of the most photographed mountains in the world
• Average high: 76 / Average low: 25 / Average snowfall: 42.7 inches
• Number of sunny days: 158

where to start?

We came to the idea of building a cabin in the woods after spending lots of time and money vacationing in other people's cabins. We wanted a place to get away to that we could call our own. With the exception of a few house remodelling efforts, we had never done anything like this before.

Living in Seattle, we had a number of different places we could look for land. We started by identifying criteria for an acceptable lot:

• Outdoor Activities - we wanted a place where we could easily enjoy both summer (running, hiking, biking) and winter (running, xc-skiing, snowshoeing) activities.

• Proximity - we anticipated using the cabin as weekend getaway, so we wanted to be able to drive there within 4 hours.

• Weather - we wanted a place where we could experience all four seasons, but we especially wanted hot summers and snowy winters.

• Lot - we wanted to make sure the lot afforded plenty of privacy. And we wanted a view of something (mountains, river, lake, etc.).

• Small Town - as much as we wanted to be in the woods, we also wanted there to be a small town close by so that we could have some access to creature comforts (it's important to remember that we're city folk).

the beginning

The purpose of this blog is to chronicle our efforts to build a cabin in the woods.  The project will consist of purchasing vacant land, designing the cabin, constructing the cabin, furnishing the cabin, and hopefully, with a little luck enjoying the cabin.