Madson Design House Plans Gallery - "The Menalto" Modern Cottage

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		"The Menalto": a Modern Cottage Plan ID: A401 The Basics: 930 Square feet \| 2 Bedrooms \| 2 Bath \| 0 Garage stalls \|1 Levels Plan cost: Please contact me if you are interested in purchasing this plan. Project Description This is a ship-tight little home, economical in layout but ambitious in its dynamic, contemporary aesthetic. Within this compactly-designed area, unique design features push our sense of each space outward and sometimes upward, with natural light suffusing all. "Cottages" have tended to be the exclusive domain of traditional design--Craftsman, Tudor, Storybook, etc.; this home provides an intriguing alternative to the conventional. Note also that this is one of our "add-on" plans: This home may be your starter home, and where time and budget permits can be added onto, per our B401 plan, to become a two-story, 2118 sq. ft. home, with garage. Features: Dramatic contemporary design within economical footprint Warm, organic minimalism: Wood & other natural materials used within cutting-edge aesthetic Corner bay windows: Unique corner cantilever for window seats, with skylight above Clerestory corner windows above kitchen, and small windows b/w upper and lower kitchen cabinets Open, light-filled floor plan with contemporary detailing May be expanded to 2118 square foot home (see plan B401)

				Floor plan and Illustrations A401: Charming, yet Dramatic Angled lines converge and lift; clerestory corner windows lend weightlessness. A porch roof projects, floating above the front entry. A red metal post and beam anchors the scene. A driveway strip of square concrete pads echoes the playful geometry of this ship-tight home. A401: Space and Light: View of kitchen & dining area Reflective or transparent materials-- a glass countertop, glass mosaic tiles, a satin-finished metal flue--all enhance the effect of this room's light and porous quality, where windows puncture the wall at every opportunity, above, below, and beside cabinetry. Peninsula cabinets, glass doors on two sides, show off glass and chinawear. Mosaic tiles highlight, like a blue fire attenuating to yellow and gold flames. The organic tones of a tongue in groove ceiling, maple cabinets, and cherry wood flooring bring this light and fire into balance, for a space both modern and warm, spacious-feeling but human-scaled. A401: Contemporary cottage 2 Floor Plan A dramatically cantilevered front porch welcomes and shelters; a single metal post and wood beam supports, visually centering and anchoring the exterior composition. The stained tongue-in-groove wood ceiling of the porch gives way to an even more dramatic vaulted ceiling of wood and exposed beams as you step inside. To the left is the family room. A large skylight fills the space with light, framed by crossing beams. A corner bay with window seating provides both a sense of intimacy and extended space. To the right is the dining area, anchored by a central chandelier and four central windows. Adjacent is the kitchen, where high ceilings open to the exterior by way of clerestory windows. Glass mosaic tiles and backsplash windows spanning the counter length contribute a porous, airy quality to this room. Opposite the front entry is the vaulted and skylit hallway leading to the bedrooms and bathrooms. Exposed ceiling joists cross the space, filtering/ patterning the light from above. Both bedrooms are distinguished by corner windows opposite the bedroom entry: Diagonal views optimize the square or rectangle of a room by pulling one's attention along the longest possible length in such a space, thus tricking us into a greater sense of expanse/ spaciousness. Printer Friendly Page


		Building Site Considerations The site orientation of this home is dependent on whether it is to be considered for a future expansion, per the B401 plan. With no B401 addition, this home's solar orientation is fairly flexible, as every room has at least two exterior walls with windows. However, if the kitchen clerestory corner windows and the dining room windows below the front porch roof were oriented either east or west, these windows could take full advantage of low level morning or evening light. Any views for the property would best be enjoyed from the family room corner bay. Specs Total living area: 930 sq ft. Unconditioned area: Garage stalls: 0 Covered Front Porch: 75 sq. ft. Number of Rooms: Bedrooms: 2 Full Baths: 2 Half Baths: 0 Number of Stories: 1 Dimensions: Width: 33’-0” Depth: 36’-0” Height: 15’-2” Ceiling heights: Various: 9' flat ceilings and vaulted Roof: Pitch (main): 1.5:12 Framing: Stick Type: Double lock standing seam roof with a 2'' vertical seam height Exterior Wall Construction: 2x6 Exterior Materials: Smooth-finish 3-coat stucco w/ smooth or sand float finish Tongue-in-groove clear cedar siding, stained prior to installation Copper fascia Metal windows Plan Content All plans are drawn at 1/4" scale and are annotated and dimensioned. These plans include: Floor plan for each level Four exterior elevations Two building sections Reflected ceiling plan Lighting / electrical plan Foundation plan Construction details Interior elevations

		email: james@madsondesign.com