For durability reasons, it is a good idea to detail a resilient flooring at your front door. One elegant solution is to create a tile inlay because it visually allows the hardwood to flow through to the entry while simultaneously providing the durability of a floor mat.

An inlay simply means that the tile surface is set into the hardwood as opposed to having tile laid wall to wall. There are three critical details to take into account if you are considering a tile inlay in your home: the first is to “picture frame” the hardwood around the tile inlay, the second is to reinforce the joint between the hardwood and the tile using a metal edge and not rely on the strength of the tile grout and the third is to extend the tile all the way to the sill of the front door so to avoid any chance of direct foot to floor contact with the hardwood at the threshold.

Today’s Slides:

In today’s episode, we are reviewing the floor plans of our recently completed Housebrand house that will be featured throughout our “on location” segments.

This three storey, 3,000 square foot home features a sunken courtyard on the lower level and a main floor terrace off the living and dining rooms taking advantage of expansive views to the west.

The plans are organized around a central service block that runs up all three floors. The service block houses the laundry and mechanical on the lower level, the kitchen pantry and guest bathroom on the main floor, and the master en-suite on the upper floor. The stairwell is unusual in that it forms an “L” shape around the outside of the service block. The living spaces on the main floor are organized around the kitchen which is located in the center of the plan and on the lower floor, a family entertainment space and guest bedroom suite face towards the west facing sunken courtyard.

Today’s Slides:

John and Matthew offer up their solution to Annie’s site problem. View the renderings and plan below.

John and Matthew present their solution to Shannon’s Outdoor Space problem.

John and Matthew continue their look at Sherylee’s home in Western Australia by looking at some of the submissions to our Facebook page and website.

Sherylee from Western Australia writes to John and Matthew asking for advice on her home.

“We are looking to build a strawbale house (bungalow) in southern Western Australia – this is what we have come up with so far. We have 3 acres of land so will have good solar access. My main concerns are how the front and rear doors line up, and I have no idea how to layout the kitchen. These draft measurements are in meters,

1. Thoughts about the front door area? Should there be a dividing wall to separate the living area? Australians seem to love open plan (which I am not against either) but I wonder about heat loss in winter.

2. I was thinking of a freestanding bath and freestanding shower in the bathroom?? Thoughts on these? The bathroom will also open to the outside (porch/deck) area – we love the inside/outside room idea!

3. I’d really like an opinion on a roofline – at this stage we are thinking of just a single gable with wraparound porch – we need it to be simple to minimise bushfire risk but daylight into our south rooms might be compromised without clestory windows???

4. As the environment is our main consideration, small is good – so the one bathroom is definitely our preference and if any other space savings can be noted, that would be great!

Thanks so much, Sherylee”

John and Matthew conclude their look at Mike and Denise’s Virginia house by looking at the upper floor and discussing both their solution as well as those proposed by visitors to slowhomestudio.com

PART 1

John and Matthew discuss suggestions from Slow Home Studio visitors as well as show their solution to the main floor.

PART 1