Wallet Friendly Modern Light Fixtures for Kitchen and Dining

Clinker by Innermost

Cool modern light fixtures tend to carry steep price tags. Here are a few sleek designs that will get attention while not being overly pricey.

The first two selections are from Innermost, and work well in the dining room.

For a modern kitchen, the bottom three pendants by LBL Lighting are good choices.

Kaboom by Innermost

The Clinker can be purchased for about $1300. The Kaboom weighs in at approximately $200, and the pendants range between $250-360.

More information on these fixtures can be found at: www.innermost.us
www.lbllighting.com

Cypree Large by LBL Lighting in Washington Park Modern Home

Neutron by LBL Lighing

Tubes by LBL Lighting

Washington Park Home Build Featured on National Network

West Standard clients, Dave and Natalie, talking about their new home

Huff family with West Standard's Brian Dotson

Rendering of Dave and Natalie's modern home

West Standard clients, Dave and Natalie Huff, made their "big screen" debut last week.

Dave and Natalie have generously allowed a national television series to document the design process and construction of their new Washington Park home.

The TV series, premiering later this year, focuses on the challenges and triumphs of building a new home.


West Standard Design Build is a Denver, Colorado based architecture firm and custom home builder creating smarter smaller spaces. More information may be found at: www.WestStandard.com

Slab-Over-Void Installation Begins on Washington Park Custom Home

void material placed within foundation's perimeter (brown rectangles)

polyethylene vapor barrier (yellow), and R5 rigid insulation (white)

rebar over rigid insulation

additional rebar placed around concrete piers

Despite Denver's recent cold temperatures and abundant snow fall, West Standard has progressed on the construction of our client's Washington Park modern home.

A small break in the inclement weather allowed for partial installation of the slab-over-void system. This system allows the concrete floor (slab) to be suspended above the soil. Thus, protecting the floor from the site's high water table, as well as swelling that could occur in the underlying earth. Additionally, this system was chosen to deliver on our clients requirement for stained concrete floors in the kitchen, dining, and living areas.

The first step for installing the slab-over-void system is to place a void material within the perimeter of the foundation walls. This material sits directly on the soil, and consists of multiple six inch tall cardboard boxes. The Boxes are reinforced with a grid of vertically oriented cardboard fins. The void material creates a base onto which the concrete will eventually be poured. Over time the void material will degrade leaving the concrete floor suspended above the soil.

20 mil polyethylene sheeting is then placed on top of the void material. The plastic sheeting serves as a vapor barrier keeping ground moisture from the overlying insulation and concrete floor. Next, rigid R5 insulation is placed on top of the plactic sheeting.

Reinforcing bars (rebar) are then set in a grid pattern.  Concrete is very resistant to compression, but relatively week in tension. The rebar is used to carry the tensile load, thus, increasing the concrete's strength.

finished concrete showing tool joints

The final step in this process is the pouring and finishing of the concrete floor. In conjunction with the void material and rebar grid, the floor is supported by a series of previously poured concrete piers. Additionally, The concrete floor is "tied" to the foundation wall with a series of reinforcing bars that extend vertically from the top of the foundation wall. The exposed length of each reinforcing bar is bent to form a right angle with the foundation wall.

finished concrete showing six inch slab

After the concrete is finished the floor must be protected from the cold ambient temperatures while it cures. To accomplish this, the aft floor will be covered with insulating blankets, and the front portion will be enclosed in a tent. Tenting, although more labor intensive, allows for the best possible finish. We are tenting the portion that will ultimately be exposed stained concrete. Blanketing tends to leave a slightly blotchy finish, and this was acceptable in the areas that are to be carpeted.

West Standard is a Denver, Colorado based architecture firm and custom home builder creating modern sustainable experiences. More information may be found at: www.WestStandard.com

National Television Series Features Denver Custom Home Builder, West Standard

West Standard General Contractor, Brian Dotson (left)

West Standard's build of a Mid-Century Modern inspired home will be the subject of a national television series premiering in 2011. The home was designed by West Standard in close collaboration with our clients, Dave and Natalie Huff

West Standard General Contractor, Brian Dotson (right)

West Standard General Contractor, Brian Dotson (right)

The premise of the reality-based series is to document the process and challenges of custom home building, from initial design meetings through final construction. The documentary format will include footage of the design process, interviews with clients and design-builder, and commentary from the design-builder regarding major construction milestones. Additionally, all construction will be captured via time-lapse still photography. Our contractual agreement with the production company and television network prevents us from releasing the name of the series and network until the time of airing.

Each of the thirteen episodes will spotlight a different custom home design-builder. Participants range from smaller one-off firms to national builders, and home designs range from traditional to modern.

Huff Residence by Denver Custom Home Builder: West Standard

Huff Residence: Modern Home in East Washington Park

The first on-site filming session for the “Huff Residence episode” occurred in December, and focused on the process of pouring concrete foundation piers. Commentary on the technical aspects of this process was provided by West Standard general contractor, Brian Dotson.

The Huff Residence is currently under construction in the Central Denver neighborhood of East Washington Park. The popularity of this neighborhood stems from it's proximity to the 165 acre Washington Park, Downtown Denver, and the North Cherry Creek shopping district. The single-story modern home will be Energy Star rated, and consists of 2,000sf above grade, and 1,000sf below. The home demonstrates a common sense approach to sustainable design through the use of smarter smaller spaces, high efficiency mechanical services and fixtures, and xeriscaping.

West Standard is a Denver, Colorado based architecture firm and custom home builder creating modern sustainable experiences. More information may be found at: www.WestStandard.com

Concrete Pier Foundation Completed for Modern Home in Denver's Washington Park

drilling hole for concrete pier foundation by West Standard

pouring concrete for foundation pier by West Standard

completed concrete foundation pier by West Standard

concrete forms by West Standard

completed concrete pier foundation by West Standard

Foundation work has been completed on the Huff Residence, a Mid-Century Modern inspired home in Denver's Washington Park. Due to the site's high water table and somewhat unstable soil, a pier system was employed to support the entire foundation. Although mostly buried, the piers in this application serve the same purpose as the stilts of a beach house.

Given the site's challenging geology, a typical foundation system was not sufficient to provide structural integrity. The pier system overcomes this condition by allowing the entire home to "float" above the soil, thus greatly reducing the possibility of damage from water and shifting soil.

Thirty-two concrete piers are the backbone of this foundation system. The piers are placed along the perimeter to support the foundation wall, and within the foundation's interior to provide additional support for the suspended concrete floors. The piers are created by: drilling approximately 8' into the bedrock, placing three reinforcing bars (rebar) in each of the holes while leaving the rebar extending several feet above top of pier; and, lastly, concrete is pumped into the hole. Voila: a pier.

Next, concrete forms are placed along the pier lines to define the foundation walls. The forms provide a cavity into which concrete will be pumped. Additionally, the forms maintain the shape of walls until the concrete cures. The rebar extending above top of pier serves to secure the foundation walls to the piers.

The next step will be to pour the suspended concrete floors. This system will help promote the homes clean modern aesthetic by allowing for an interior finish of stained concrete.

Photos (top-bottom): drilling a pier hole, pumping concrete into hole, a completed pier, foundation forms, completed foundation

West Standard Design Build is a, Denver based, architecture firm and custom home builder.
More information may be found at:
www.WestStandard.com