This interesting wood home was designed by architect Ralph Rapson in the town of Jonathan, 25 miles south-west of the twin cities. Using ordinary roof trusses turned upside down, he came up with a whole new slant in contemporary architecture. Exclusive use of western red cedar gives this home extra attractiveness and durability. Both roof and siding were finished with a transparent stain.
The living room is more formal without being foreboding. Because it's out of the general flow of the household traffic,it's the perfect setting for adult conversation and relaxation. Large windows at floor level are for "looking"; smaller windows along the top of the wall are for illumination. The rough-finished plaster walls are painted pure white and have been left relatively unadorned, opening the room up and providing a good background for the colorful paintings. The living room also boasts access to its own private deck outside.
The white brick fireplace effectively divides the living room from the dining room without obstructing the flow of traffic. It's massive, but the overall spaciousness of the combined areas keep it in scale with the rest of the house. The chimney rising up from the lower level, divides the wide, chairheight hearth into two parts. One side is a working fireplace, the other a convenient log storage bin. The back of the fireplace forms the dining room wall. Extending through from the living room, the log bin adds an accent to the expanse of white brick.
The antural conversation arrangement of the furnitur ein the living room is a pleasant break from the more traditional around-the-wall placement and lends itself to relaxed conversation. The furniture itself is very simple in design and decorating has been tastefully restrained. The gold carpeting, bordered by the hardwood floor, adds warmth and emphasizes the size of the room, while defining the smaller conversation area.
Equipped with the latest conveniences, the kitchen features a highly efficient layout to minimize steps and allow fast, easy meal peparation. The range, with coutner space on either side, is locate don an island that separates the kitchen from the family room. Windows extending from splash to cabinets light the sink areal they make this coutner seem like an island also.
Functional simplicty gives the kitchen an uncluttered look. General lighting comes from the sphere suspended from the ceiling and counter-top light from fluorescent tubes built into the bottoms of the cabinets. Refrigerator tucks away into its own little nook. Cabinets are cedar, in keeping with the rest of the house, and those above the range are open to both kitchen and family room.
Not just a second living room, the family room is an activity center for everyone. The colors are bright and friendly, the furniture is casual and relaxing. It's the ideal place to feed the family in a hurry, or entertain a roomful of friends. Refreshments and snacks are prepared quickly in the kitchen, then passed over the counter.
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