Prefab homes from Seattle

Posted on January 8, 2011 | 4 comments

Recently I wrote about German company HufHaus and their luxurious prefab homes. An owner of a similar company in the USA sent me a note telling me about their modular homes. Founded in 2008, Stillwater Dwellings is a Seattle-based company that designs and builds high-quality, prefabricated, contemporary homes featuring quality materials, fine detailing, and eco-friendly features.

Stillwater Dwellings artists impression

Most homebuyers want input and choice but find the infinite combination of decisions overwhelming. To make it easier for customers the company introduced three base packages, each of which is modifiable. The Natural Package is simple, warm and refined, with abundant natural wood surfaces; the Modern Package is clean and minimalist; and the Fundamental Package is stylish, fun and durable.

Stillwater Dwellings

During the design phase clients receive a comprehensive stylebook with an image of every item that goes into the house. Clients go through the stylebook with a Stillwater Dwellings designer who will answer questions and describe the options, modifications and substitutions available to tailor the home design and make it their own. All 3 style packages include a high level of green and sustainable living features: low VOC paints, dual flush toilets, ultra-high efficiency heating and hot water systems, natural wool carpeting, sustainable wood flooring, eco-friendly Marmoleum, engineered quartz slab countertops, over-insulated walls/ceilings/floors, and high-efficiency windows with argon gas and low-e film.

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Posted in Design, designers and online finds, Unusual homes

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Cameron’s house from Ferris Bueler’s day off for sale

Posted on January 6, 2011 | Leave a comment

On a recent trip to Chicago I did a little John Hughes tribute tour. We went to see Ferris Bueler’s high school and the house of his movie friend Cameron. Imagine my surprise to discover that the famous glass house is for sale! It’s on the market for $1.65 million.

Photograph from Gawker.com website

The house, located in the leafy suburb Highland Park, was designed by architects A. James Speyer and David Haid in 1953. It offers 5.300 square feet of living space and floor to ceiling windows throughout offering views of the ravine that give this part of Highland Park, Ravinia, its name.

Photograph from Huffingtonpost website

The house is featured in a very famous scene from the movie. It’s when Cameron has a breakdown when he returns his dad’s Ferrari and discovers that hundreds of miles have been added to the odometer. He and Ferris decide to take mileage off the odometer by putting the car in reverse on a jack. The jack however lets go when Cameron kicks the car out of frustration and sends the car crashing through the glass and into the ravine.

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Posted in Famous buildings and movie locations, Homes of the rich and famous, See how others live, Unusual homes

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Prefab homes from Germany

Posted on December 24, 2010 | Leave a comment

Homevoyeur’s recent post about Sears Catalog homes got me thinking about the current trends in prefabricated homes. As a kid I would already order catalogs from Dutch companies like Goldewijk en Selekt.  And ever since I picked up a magazine with floor plans in the USA I have frequented websites of companies selling floor plans on more than one occasion. More recently, I learned about a German company called Huf Haus. They claim to be the Bentley of prefab homes, and they just might be right…

Huf Haus

I was lucky enough to witness their launch in the Netherlands as the company I worked for did their PR. They spread out rapidly and have recently opened shop in the USA. They build modular post and beams homes in a factory but leave a lot to their clients own wishes and demand. The homes are anything but standard. The modular structure allows for clients to build a unique home.  Huf Haus works together with interior designers and top of the bill appliance manufacturers to make sure the inside of the home it catered too also.

Huf Haus

Heat insulation layers on the structural wooden parts make the homes extremely energy-efficient. That and the fact that modular factory built homes are much kinder to the environment make Huf Haus a great green alternative too.

Huf Haus

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Posted in Homes of the rich and famous, Unusual homes

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Sears Catalog Home Capitol

Posted on December 19, 2010 | 1 comment

The village of Downers Grove Illinois, USA lures tourists with an unusual concentration of Sears do-it-yourself catalog homes.

Sears Catalog Home

Sears is an American department store famous for its elaborate catalogs. From 1908 to 1937, a person could order an entire house from this catalog. All the parts were measured and sawed at a Sears factory and delivered to the customer. Mostly transported by train, as the homes sometimes filled up to two boxcars. Prices ranged from $150 to $5,000.

Sears catalog home

Downers Grove was home to a large rail yard, which made it easy for Sears to deliver the home to its residents. Most of the catalog homes, in fact, are located within four blocks of the tracks that are still there.

Some 300 were assembled in Downer’s Grove, and many still exist. Visitors to this town can do walking or driving tours.

Sears catalog home 'Vallonia'

Coincidence has it that I will be in the area in about a week. I am definitely taking the tour!

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Posted in Design, designers and online finds, Famous buildings and movie locations, See how others live, Unusual homes

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