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SW
Design Questions Archive
Spring II 2007
Early Spring 2007
Winter
2007
Additional
SW Design questions
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Delectable design
Q: My husband and I are building a traditional Southwestern style home in Arizona. We are trying to integrate Southwest style with modern conveniences without losing the character. We get lots of great ideas from Su Casa magazine—we love it! One thing that we are struggling with is the kitchen. We plan to have granite countertops with a Talavera backsplash, and we are going to have a drop-down tabletop that is in the same tile as the backsplash. Our inspiration comes from the Spring 2004 Su Casa, where you feature a kitchen with granite countertops and a bright tile backsplash. The cabinets will be knotty alder wood. Do you have suggestions for integrating granite and tile so the tile is as eye-catching as the granite? Do you have photos or examples of granite and tile kitchens? Thanks so much. And keep producing a magazine that exemplifies Southwestern style!
—Gina and Paul DeCoste, Buckeye, Arizona
A: In the kitchen, your home’s creativity can shine particularly bright. Opportunities for color, texture, and exciting material choices thrive here, and you can incorporate diverse elements with beautiful results by applying a few design principles to your choices.
Albuquerque space planner and color consultant Terri Krueger of TK Designs, who owns the kitchen pictured on page 62 of Su Casa’s Spring 2004 issue (“Passion for perfection”), focuses on how colors throughout the home relate to one another. Taking this whole-house approach starting with color will keep the kitchen—a room with such potential for imaginative choices—from appearing out of place within the context of the rest of the home.
When it’s time to make your material selections, pick your granite first and backsplash tile second, and consider whether these elements have warm or cool bases, Krueger advises. Your flooring, cabinets, and countertops must relate, she adds. The backsplash can visually hook these other elements together.
Think of your backsplash as an accessory, Krueger suggests. Select colors you’ll love to live with that work with hues found throughout the home. You want your kitchen to look like it belongs in your house, she explains.
Beyond the backsplash tile, other kitchen “accessories” within your design include lighting, rugs, cushions, dishes, and place mats. When you consider all of these items together, you’ll achieve a room that looks very pulled-together, Krueger says.
Designer Marty Nelson of Inside Out Design and Build Inc. in Santa Fe recommends choosing elements that create balance within your kitchen. Pair intricately patterned backsplash tile with granite that doesn’t have a great deal of movement. Likewise, if you want a complex, veiny granite to make a statement, select tile that’s subtle in its pattern, color, and surface texture.
Apply complementary elements to the rest of the kitchen, as well. The busier your granite and tile, the simpler your cabinets should be, Nelson advises. She likes to mix finishes within kitchens—for instance, stained wood for cabinets with a painted finish for the island, picking up on a color found in the granite or backsplash tile.
Your options for a Southwestern style kitchen don’t end with boldly colored and patterned Talavera tile. Old World Spanish style tiles with washed-out colors and less shine combine with granite countertops for a more understated appearance, Nelson says. Carved cabinet doors add Southwestern style, and don’t forget that kitchen windows looking onto the surrounding landscape provide the ultimate sense of place.
Radiant heat wave
Q: I am an architectural designer living in the Northeast. We have radiant heat, and we love it. We are designing a small house for a southern Arizona location. We have spent a lot of time there but have not yet lived there year-round. We are considering using radiant heat in a concrete slab. I know it gets cold in the winter, but once daytime occurs it could warm up quickly. I am concerned that the temperature of the concrete slab with radiant heat during the day might actually end up too warm. The contractor we are discussing this with is telling us to “open the windows.” What are your thoughts on this?
—Roberta Amico, Hunter, New York
A: Ultimately, this question boils down to a couple of issues, the first of which is good design, says Kent Beierle, a principal at Environmental Dynamics Inc., an Albuquerque company specializing in sustainable design. In the desert Southwest, the sun heats very effectively and temperatures swing to extremes—if a house isn’t designed appropriately, it will have overheating problems from the start, Beierle warns. Home designers need a comprehensive understanding of solar gain, and attention must be paid to homes’ orientation, windows, and window treatments.
For the homeowner, understanding the differences between a radiant heating system and a conventional system, such as a furnace, also is essential so he or she will know how to operate the radiant heat properly. “You have to know how it works and what to expect from it,” Beierle says.
A radiant heating system circulates hot water through tubing in the house’s slab. The heat is released into the mass of the floor, and radiant energy from the slab provides warmth. This works more efficiently than a standard furnace because the heat is stored in water, which is denser than air and retains heat more effectively, Beierle explains.
Flooring for a radiant heating system should be massive materials such as concrete or tile, Beierle says. Carpets or rugs act as insulators and prevent the heat from radiating efficiently.
Although temperature settings depend on personal preference, Beierle says fundamentally, when managing radiant heat, you should keep the temperature lower than you generally would with a furnace—he suggests around 62 to 65 degrees. “You’re perceiving heat differently,” he explains. With a radiant heating system, you should keep the temperature stable rather than making slight adjustments, as you might with a furnace. Set the temperature, and leave it alone, he says.
Additionally, if you have radiant heating, remember to provide ventilation for the house. (The trend toward tighter homes makes this an important point. With other heating systems, the ventilation is built in, Beierle says.) Without ventilation, your home will warm up quickly, and the air will grow stagnant. One option is using radiant heat with an air-to-air heat exchanger, he says, which exhausts air from the house and conditions the new air coming in.
Cooling strategies deserve particular attention in the Southwest, especially in regions such as southern Arizona. Energy-efficient techniques go back to the home’s orientation and placement of windows, as well as landscaping for shade. Beierle also suggests taking advantage of the cool desert evenings. Open the windows and doors at night to let the cold air in, then close up the house during the day to keep the interiors cool. Evaporative coolers and air conditioning are each commonly used with radiant heating, he adds. Reinforce your heating and cooling methods with proper insulation.
Style comes with the territory
Q: I’m working on plans for an adobe-plastered strawbale home with a Territorial style steep pitched metal roof and could use some ideas for how the interior might look. Also, is there a ceiling height below which the Territorial look cannot be achieved? I’ve read Beverley Spears’ book, American Adobes, and am prepared to insist on the splayed window and doorway framing I see in many of the old homes pictured there. However, those homes are quite Spartan, not what one wants to copy for a modern home. How can the style be adapted without giving up either character or comfort? What are the defining characteristics of Territorial interiors that transcend the age and size of a home?
—Janet Rivera Switzer, Beulah, Colorado
A: Territorial style goes back to the mid-1800s, when New Mexico was a United States territory before becoming a state in 1912. Jan Bernson, ASID, of Jan Bernson Interior Design & Space Planning in Corrales, New Mexico, describes the style as formal and traditional, but with some know-how you can apply this look to your home without giving up the comfort residential interiors have gained over the past 150 years. The solution lies with incorporating modern, comfortable pieces while letting the architecture carry the Territorial look.
Territorial architecture often features flat-roofed designs with parapets and pedimented lintels, with homes structured around courtyards. Defining characteristics of the style include more formal interiors, straight lines, and classical moldings, Bernson explains, and shutters were commonly used inside and outside of homes. You can take cues from this practice but soften the look by adding draperies to interior shutters. Select deep wooden moldings and white paint for your trim, which will stand out nicely against contrasting warm-colored walls.
A home’s comfort level really begins to emerge with its furnishings. According to Bernson, you can keep your furniture choices modern but add a few historical pieces—for instance, a Queen Anne chair with a contemporary table. Elements such as a hand-painted Mexican trunk add historic value. Introduce color with textiles in historically appropriate reds, yellow, greens, and turquoise.
Lighting proves particularly important here. Traditionally, Territorial homes did not have many windows, Bernson explains. Again you can modernize a historical style by using contemporary lighting in your home while adding more traditional wall sconces.
You don’t need high ceilings to express Territorial style. Territorial homes actually incorporated a variety of ceiling heights, Bernson says. For instance, the formal sala had a high ceiling, with lower-ceilinged portales. Whatever the ceiling height, exposed beams enhance the Territorial design.
Select what you like and what makes you comfortable, and the characteristic Territorial elements will convey the distinctive style. “I think the architecture speaks for itself,” Bernson says.
Bathing beauty
Q: We’re in the process of remodeling our main bath. We will be replacing the existing tub with a jet tub and want to consider alternatives to the typical marble or tile tub enclosure. We’ve been thinking about a mural around the tub but are not sure about waterproofing, especially since the tub is a combo shower, and the shower will be used. Are there specific wallboards, plaster, and paint that are waterproof? I have considered placing tempered glass over the mural but am not sure that is practical for cleaning with the hard water in our area.
—M. Briggs, Albuquerque
A: As spaces that withstand daily exposure to moisture and humidity, bathroom improvements demand special attention and care. The primary concern with a bathtub area mural involves the breakdown of paint, according to Gloria Goodman, the designer and decorative painter behind Faux Pas Decorative Finishes, which specializes in interior design and faux painting, including murals.
Goodman says answers include using oil paint or applying a water-based acrylic sealer to protect the completed mural. When Goodman paints in areas that will be exposed to water, she uses numerous coats of sealer to create a hard, water-resistant finish.
Alternatively, you could have the mural painted onto unglazed bisque tiles. Once this tile is fired, it can be installed in the bathroom as a permanent work of art—or at least one impervious to water. Goodman says this stands out as the ideal solution for incorporating a mural in a bathtub and shower area.
If this isn’t possible, sealing a mural applied to primed drywall, as outlined earlier, remains an option. Homeowners should reapply the sealer approximately once a year to maintain the surface, Goodman says. She advises against incorporating a mural if you have a steam shower and discourages painting over existing bathroom tiles because the paint would peel.
As for protecting a bathroom mural with glass, Nancy Ramirez of Dwight’s Glass & Mirror says standoff hardware in the corners would hold a piece of clear, tempered safety glass away from the wall, allowing airflow between the glass and the mural. This airflow would discourage mold from forming. (Because this is a high-moisture area, sealing the glass directly to the mural could become problematic if moisture enters.) Mounting the glass with standoff hardware allows you to remove the glass for cleaning, when necessary, Ramirez explains.
The reading room
Q:We are currently in the process of designing a Southwestern house in northern Colorado. We have always admired the look of the adobe home nestled in our native environment, with its rich colors and smooth sculptured shape. It reminds us of the rustic homes in Italy and France that we so love. As we progress with our house plans, we find that we are a little confused as to what style we are trying to achieve. We are lost in terminology. Is there a good book that explains and shows what the differences are between Southwestern, Pueblo, Adobe, and Mexican hacienda style?
—Alice Radcliff, Longmont, Colorado
A: Whether you require a style tutorial or beautiful coffee table reading material, design books laden with photos and informative descriptions serve as attractive sources for examples and direction. The following titles incorporate explanations of stylistic terms connected with Southwestern design, plus plenty of photographs for inspiration.
Facing Southwest: The Life and Houses of John Gaw Meem by Chris Wilson, photographed by Robert Reck, concentrates on the life and architecture of John Gaw Meem, providing descriptions and understanding of regional architectural styles. This discussion includes Meem’s Territorial Revival, Spanish Pueblo Revival style, and Santa Fe style, with examples grounding the explanations. The Myth of Santa Fe: Creating a Modern Regional Tradition, also by Wilson, delves deep into the evolution of Santa Fe style while critiquing the exploitation of Native American and Hispanic cultural traditions.
Santa Fe Style by Christine Mather and Sharon Woods, designed by Paul Hardy, and photographed by Jack Parsons and Robert Reck explores Santa Fe style, from its historical roots to its modern expression today. Meanwhile, Santa Fe Houses by Christine Mather and Sharon Woods, photographed by Jack Parsons, documents beloved characteristics of Santa Fe homes. The book covers adobe homes, Territorial style, and Pueblo architecture plus regional details, from carved doors and nichos to garden gates and portales.
In this issue’s Su Libro column, we review Adobe Conservation: A Preservation Handbook, which includes a concise, charming summary of architecture in New Mexico from ancient Native American pit houses through Territorial, Pueblo Revival, Mission Revival, and a variety of other styles.
In a Mexican Garden: Courtyards, Pools, and Open-Air Living Rooms by Gina Hyams, photographed by Melba Levick, teaches that style can pertain to the outside of a home as much as within, showcasing Mexican design elements in outdoor spaces.
The Small Adobe House by Agnesa Reeve, photographed by Robert Reck, traces the history of adobe homes, including the background of Territorial style. The book describes the elements of adobe architecture and characteristic floor plans.
Authors and designers Joe P. Carr and Karen Witynski have written a series of books focusing on Mexican style. Titles include Mexican Country Style, The New Hacienda, and Casa Yucatan, which supply design inspiration through a variety of settings and sources, including haciendas and colonial homes.
Expert contact info:
Delectable design: Terri Krueger, owner, TK Designs, Albuquerque, 505/856-8582.
Marty Nelson, designer, Inside Out Design and Build Inc., Santa Fe, 505/986-9548, insideoutdesignsantafe.com.
Radiant heat wave: Kent Beierle, principal, Environmental Dynamics Inc., Albuquerque, 505/242-2851, edi-arch.com.
Style comes with the territory: Jan Bernson, ASID, Jan Bernson Interior Design & Space Planning, Corrales, New Mexico, 505/843-6433.
Bathing beauty: Gloria Goodman, designer and decorative painter, Faux Pas Decorative Finishes, Albuquerque, 505/720-0218.
Nancy Ramirez, office manager, Dwight’s Glass & Mirror, Albuquerque, 505/265-5971, www.dwightsglass.com.
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