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March 11, 2010

Thinking outside the box

Drive along the streets near Spring Mobile Ballpark in downtown Salt Lake City, and not many of the neighborhood’s small, timeworn homes will catch your eye; that is, until you reach the end of one street. There, on a large city lot, stands a modern orange and gray abode stretching three stories tall into the bright blue sky.

“People always walk by and point at the home, look at it and wonder, ‘What is that?’” says homeowner Jacob Nuttall, laughing.

For Jacob and his young family—wife Michelle and daughters Lucy (6) and Violet (3)—the structure is a dream home come true (built on a strict budget, no less).

And sure, the hip dwelling may seem a bit out of place in the neighborhood’s humble surroundings, but Jacob and Michelle love the location. “We wanted to be close to downtown, and we wanted to be vehicle-less,” they explain. A TRAX station is located near their home, making it easy for the family to hitch a ride. “We can hop on TRAX and go downtown to dinner or the library or The Gateway. It’s very convenient.”

The best part about their location, however, is that their lot didn’t cost them a fortune, allowing Jacob and Michelle to build their dream dwelling without draining their bank accounts. While the same-sized property (or even smaller) located on Salt Lake’s eastern bench would have sucked up the couple’s entire budget, Jacob and Michelle bought their lot for just $70,000.

“That’s cheap, and we definitely had a budget to stick to,” says Jacob.

With their property purchased and a modest budget mapped out, the couple turned to builder Garth Hare of Benchmark Modern and architects Kenner Kingston and Stephanie Kooyman of Architectural Nexus to begin work on the modern abode.

“Everyone was really excited about the project,” says Michelle. “They all understood our budget and were willing to work within it. Every decision was cost-related.”

Originally, the Nuttalls received project bids as high as $450,000, but they were able to pull it all off by spending just over $200,000 in construction. “Our target price was $85 per square foot, but in the end we spent just over $100 per square foot,” says Jacob. “The home is 2,300 square feet in total. It’s really not that big—it just looks big because it is so tall.”

The duo had always envisioned a vertical structure. “We wanted to have a small footprint with a three-story home that was built up rather than out,” explains Jacob. “We used to live in a loft, and we wanted that industrial, warehouse feel in this home.”

The couple had the floor plan all laid out: the main floor as a communal area, complete with the kitchen, dining room and living room; the second floor for their daughters; and the third floor for the master suite.

The team settled on a “box” design for the three-story structure. “We worked hard to keep things as modular as possible,” says Kingston. “The cube design simplified the construction of the home, which helped cut costs.” Connecting to the side of the “box,” they designed the tall stairwell tower, built of massive steel beams.


“The stairs took up a lot of the project’s budget, time and effort,” 
says Kingston. “But the stairs celebrate the vertical design of the 
home and became the icon of the whole space.”

For the home’s exterior, the Nuttalls originally wanted brick, but to better suit their budget they settled for a mix of modern materials including cost-saving stucco in a bright orange color and sleek metal panels that matched the warehouse vibe the Nuttalls sought. “Stucco made sense money-wise. And the industrial metal panels are dirt-cheap but look sophisticated,” says Kingston.

Throughout the interior, the team continued to implement cost-saving techniques while adhering to a modern aesthetic. The Nuttalls saved money on items they decided they could easily change later, such as appliances and fixtures, and splurged on necessities, such as their steel-clad windows. “Our motto was, ‘If you can’t fix it later, then do it right the first time,’” explains Jacob.

The Nuttalls wanted to steer clear of massive energy use in their home, so they invested in a radiant heat system. “Radiant heat is expensive, but it pays for itself in the long run because it helps cut energy costs,” explains Kingston.

They also opted for evaporative cooling, installing a commercial-sized swamp cooler. “Swamp coolers are a good alternative to central air, which offers maximum comfort but minimum value,” adds Kingston. To cut back on electrical costs, windows were positioned throughout the home to let in plenty of natural light so that during the day little—if any—artificial light is needed.

To further cut costs, the couple rolled up their sleeves and did some of the work themselves. Jacob and Michelle’s father did all the electrical work, and Jacob did all the cleanup work. “It really was a labor of love,” says Michelle, reflecting on the building process.

The Nuttalls say they are proof that you can build your dream home without going bankrupt. They hope their abode will inspire others and help perpetuate a modern movement in their neighborhood and beyond. “We want to invest in the area,” says Jacob. “We’re not the first to build here, and we won’t be the last.”

 

Modern on a Budget
Take it from Jacob and Michelle: you can create a modern home while adhering to a budget. Check out their money-saving tips for achieving a hip look minus the high-dollar price tag.

›› Search for less-expensive alternatives. The Nuttalls wanted concrete floors, which can be expensive and heavy, so their architects suggested jibcrete as a more economical, lighter-weight alternative that looks similar.

›› Shop for modern furniture replicas. Opt for youthful, functional pieces, especially if you have children. “We haven’t invested in high-end pieces,” says Michelle. Shop at inexpensive retailers, second-hand stores and yard sales.

›› Install inexpensive appliances and fixtures. To cut costs, the Nuttalls spent less on items like counters and cabinets, which they can upgrade in the future, and splurged on fixed necessities like their windows and staircase.

›› Get creative with wall treatments. Use paint and objects to craft an interesting wall, like the Nuttalls did in their dining room by painting vertical stripes along the wall and hanging simple frames along the stripes.

›› Invest in eco-friendly elements that will eventually save you money. The Nuttalls installed a radiant heat system to warm the entire home and opted for an evaporative cooling system rather than central air.

›› Selectively choose lighting. The Nuttalls spent more on light fixtures that were highly visible, like in their dining room and stairwell, but saved money by installing can lights instead of pendant lights in other areas of the home.
 

Get the look: read more about how to create your own hip habitat.

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