Candles may have originated in Egypt, where rushes were dipped in tallow, then lighted. The cone-shaped candles have been found in the tombs of pharaohs, and a 5,000-year-old candleholder has been found in Minoan ruins on the isle of Crete.

Beeswax was a side product of beekeeping, which became a domestic art in medieval times. The wax was found to be better than tallow for candle-making, because it burns more slowly and cleaner.

Later, sperm-whale oil was used for candle-making, but that obviously is not an ecologically correct alternative for the ’90s.

Even today, light intensity is measured in candlepower.

Simple, on the surface

Candles seem incredibly simple - a wick surrounded by wax. But which wick, which wax?

“The wick can be the most important part of a candle,” says Rebecca Johnston, owner of LuminEssence candle factory and Northern Lights retail/mail-order store in Woodland Park. “The wrong wick can make it burn out, drip or smoke too much. The wrong wick in any candle can be a disaster.”

With candles, as with many other things in life, you get what you pay for, she says. And, mostly, you’re paying for wax.

Those two-for-a-buck jobs will probably burn like a house afire, and leave a big red (or green or yellow) puddle on your tablecloth. Made of poor-quality paraffin, they often aren’t much of a bargain, she says.

You can pay 10 times that for best-quality pure beeswax candles, but devotees love their warmed-honey scent and the fact that they burn slowly (about an inch an hour) and cleanly - with little smoke and dripping.

“They’re the original smokeless, dripless, long-burning candles,” Johnston says. But today, there also are some very efficient paraffin-beeswax blends, priced between the cheap and the chic.

“One thing I love about beeswax is its sensuous texture,” says Johnston, whose 2-year-old factory produces about 150,000 candles a year, most of them beeswax.

LuminEssence produces a unique, spiral-flared candle that is so popular, it’s made in secret, by workers who are trained for months before they become proficient at it. (Only about 1 of every 10 trainees learns to do it to Johnston’s standards.)

Candles brighten the day

“People are using candles year-round,” Johnston says. “They’re not just for the holidays any more, though the last six months of the year are just frantic for us.”

Candles have become an integral part of home decor, and fit into any decorating style, she says. And not only are people buying them, they’re burning them, she says.

“People love them because they create an intimacy in any setting - there’s something so comforting about candlelight.”

The Silent Woman store, probably has the largest stock of candles at The Citadel mall.

It carries a large selection from Beeswax Designs of California, and has placed a sizable order with LuminEssence - not just because it is local, but also because of its unique designs, says owner Mary Kuehn. The Beeswax Designs spiral-flared candles are more ruffly and the LuminEssence candles more tailored, she says. Both are made with pure beeswax.

Silent Woman also carries candles by A.I. Root - 125 years old and one of the top candle manufacturers in the nation. These candles are beeswax blended with paraffin, and come in innovative colors and styles, including Timberline, a new barklike candle designed for the rustic or Western-style decor.

Silent Woman also carries candle-related accessories - from candle-snuffers to brass “crowns” for candles.

“It’s almost like jewelery for your candles,” Kuehn says.

You don’t need a holiday or religious celebration - or even a power outage - to appreciate the glow of candlelight.

A mundane meal becomes elegant, a simple bath becomes luxurious, when accompanied by candlelight.

Small rechargeable votive candles also are extremely popular now.

Where to get a good light

Candles are available in nearly every grocery store, discount store, gift or card shop. Specialty stores are listed in the Yellow Pages.

LuminEssence candles are available at Sparrow Hawk, Egg House Artisans, The Broadmoor hotel’s Little Kitchen, and Silent Woman.

You also can go to the source.

LuminEssence sells nearly flawless “seconds” at a discount at its factory gift shop, Northern Lights, at 180 Highway 67 in Woodland Park. First-quality candles also are available there, as are candle-making kits and other candle-related gifts.

Simple, hand-dipped beeswax candles are made and sold at the Victor Trading Company, in Victor.

Owner Karen Morrison says it takes about 20 or so dips, or about half an hour, to make the average candle. Hers range from 1/2-inch mini candles to 10-inch tapers ($1-$8 a pair). They come in the natural, golden beeswax color. She also casts some in antique ice-cream molds, then hand-paints them.

Whichever candles you choose, they’re sure to add a glow to your holidays.

Before you can proceed with any lightening process, other than regular opaque paint applications, you will have to strip the present finish from your wood cabinets. Use a commercial paint stripper, following manufacturer’s directions carefully.

After the finish has been stripped, you may want to lighten the wood before the “pickling” treatment. You can use a commercial two-part wood bleach, available in caustic industrial-strength formulas.

When working with a commercial bleach it is important to precisely follow directions. However, it is often easier to work with regular household bleach diluted by an equal part of water.

Scrub the wood with this solution and let it work about 15 minutes. Repeat until you get the pale shade you want. Then neutralize the bleaching action with an equal mixture of vinegar and water and a final rinse of clear water. In the bleaching process be careful not to saturate the wood with too much moisture for a long period of time. Moisture will tend to raise the wood grain. Wipe dry after each wet solution treatment. When the wood has thoroughly dried, sand it lightly.

Now you are ready for the “pickling” process, which is a way of tinting open-grain wood by brushing on a solution of thinned-down white or pastel paint and then wiping off most of it. Today you can use regular paints thinned downed or purchase thinned-down, commercial versions that can be applied full strength and then wiped down to the desired tinting effect.

If you use regular paint for the “pickling” process you may need to experiment with the paint-to-solvent ratio (start with a ratio of 3 to 1.)

Use water to thin latex paints, mineral spirits for oil-base. The degree of transparency in the “pickling” finish will be determined by thinning of the paint with the solvent and how much wiping you do to remove the tint from the surface and grain of the wood.

Use a soft, dry rag to wipe most of the paint solution away. Wipe across the grain so that the residue highlights the wood’s natural texture. Open-grained wood will absorb pigment faster. Experiment with different tints and applications in an inconspicuous area to find the shade and technique that suits you.

You can use the same process to finish an unfinished or stripped and sanded wood floor. For protection, apply a polyurethane varnish to both the cabinets and the floor. You may even want to reconsider wood flooring in the kitchen area. Although polyurethane varnish will protect the finish from water spotting and grease spots, it may tend to scratch and you will have to renew the polyurethane coating periodically.

Be wary of commercially prepared wood flooring products that claim durability in the kitchen. Most tend to water spot and become permanently stained when installed in a kitchen environment.

Like other portions of the Citadel in L.A., the outlet center evolved from “endless redesigns”. Stripped to its bare bones, the center consists of three simple wood-framed buildings sheathed in stucco. Within, many of the tenant spaces are partially unfinished, allowing mechanical and structural elements to provide visual interest. Outside, exterior wall planes are skewed to distort and create different perspectives. Flat, stucco colonnades add another layer of incident to the space, while bright colors, fountains and landscaping create a festive air.

Although the center’s design schematics were prepared by Sussman/Prejza, Nadel executed its production drawings, making the architect an arbitrator between design architect and contractor. “HCB would tell Nadel that we couldn’t afford this or that and we’d be asked to make changes,” Vazquez said. “For instance, the shops’ exteriors were to have originally featured flat stucco. But we went with a rougher finish because it was less expensive.”

For its part, Trammell Crow knew that the 50-shop outlet center - where manufacturers sell directly to consumers at reduced prices - was close to a sure bet. Having seen the concept flourish on the East Coast, the developer hired a consultant to assess its potential at the Citadel. The results concluded that the Citadel’s site, located between Orange County tourist attractions to the south Disneyland, Knotts Berry Farm) and Hollywood/Beverly Hills attractions to the north, offered one of the best locations in the nation.

Besides tourists, the developer could expect to attract local, upscale consumers within a 35-mile radius. These attributes, along with the project’s close proximity to Interstate 5, drew an enthusiastic response from prospective tenants, according to Crow’s Eaves. The present tenant mix, which emphasizes soft goods, is aimed primarily at women.

To mitigate the forbidding nature of the Assyrian wall, Trammell Crow commissioned Sussman/Prejza to create dynamic signage for the center - hence, the overhead sign warning motorists about falling prices. Elsewhere, the top of the derrick features a large billboard heralding the outlet collection.

Viewed from the expressway, the juxtaposition of the wall and the Oil Derrick jars the senses. But behind the wall, the tidy, triangular shopping center plays it a tad safer.

New kitchen designs are not only functional but beautiful, incorporating traditional details with modern convenience features.

Builders sometimes exclude formal dining rooms and allocate more space to incorporate a larger, eat-in kitchen. Often the kitchen opens into the family room in many new home designs.

Kitchen expansions are an increasingly popular renovation.

Space planning

An average kitchen renovation will cost $10,000 to $20,000, so put some thought into planning it well so you’ll enjoy it for a long time.

You should start out by giving your designer the layout of the existing kitchen. The designer should accurately convey to you what your new kitchen will look like before the work is done.

Here are some things to consider when deciding how you want to re-design your kitchen layout.

The appliances in your work triangle - the sink, stove and refrigerator - should be in close proximity to each other and away from heavy traffic areas. Traffic flow is important to consider, as well as work stations.

Consider where the doorways are and if they lead from heavy traffic areas. Plan where you would like to perform various tasks and incorporate lighting accordingly.

A double access kitchen concept is designed with separate work stations - both equipped with sinks - so two people can work in the kitchen at the same time.

Cabinetry

Maple is the number 1 choice in cabinet doors, because of its smooth tone and closed grain so moisture doesn’t get in easily.

There is a wide range of colors available in maple. Natural cherry is also a popular choice in wood because it adds warmth.

Colors are more broadly accepted, although they have to be subtle and classic-looking, adding that classic white will always be popular.

Antique glaze is popular and gives the look of stain or paint having been stripped away.

Speckling is a technique meant to create imperfect finish.

The finishes give you a timeless look.

Get two to three estimates before choosing your cabinets. Check for quality. Look very closely at the inside and outside. Check for cracks and unevenness.

Countertops

Countertops range in price and quality, from granite - which has a natural beauty - to state-of-the-art solid surfaces, and the more common laminate materials.

There’s nothing as beautiful as natural granite of one of the more costly countertop materials.

Granite costs between $150 and $200 per linear foot. The advantage to spending more on granite is the beauty and uniqueness of the natural material. But unlike the man-made materials, granite has pores which make it a little more difficult to clean.

Often countertops and sinks are made from solid surface materials such as corian, an acrylic-based material. Solid surfaces are popular for their seamless look and easy care. They come in a wide range of colors and can have a smooth, modern look or a speckled, granite appearance. These surfaces cost between $95 and $115 per running foot.

Laminate is what most builders use. It is a lower-cost alternative to the other materials. Post-form laminate has a rounded front edge and costs between $60 and $70 per running foot. You can add a richer look to a laminate countertop with a contrasting edge made of a solid surface material, such as copper or wood.

Storage and drawers

Although many builders make drawer systems of particle board covered with melamine or thermofoil, sophisticated new drawer systems are made of steel or aluminum. These metal drawers are self-closing and very strong.

Many drawers also feature innovative and space-saving devices, such as knife blocks built into drawers, molded drawer inserts in a variety of shapes, pull-out towel racks, tilt-out soap trays, and the list goes on.

Details

Details are a big issue in current guidecraft kitchen designs.

He suggests details to add some interest to your kitchen decor. Split spindles applied to the corners of an island can add an ornate, traditional look. Applied moldings on cabinetry, adds depth.

Crown molds or beaded molds are much more predominant and more sophisticated than they were three or four years ago.

Ceramic tiles are used often and are an interesting way to add a personalized touch to a countertop or backsplash.

Open shelves, plate racks and glass cabinet doors don’t serve a practical purpose, but add an attractive touch. Built-in wine racks are also a popular feature in recent designs.

Appliances

Appliances more flush with the cabinets create an integrated look. Appliances either blend with the cabinetry or stand out completely from the rest of the decor, as with stainless steel.

Built in cooktops and wall ovens are popular, but a little more expensive than single units. There are drop-in stoves that create a similar effect by having the countertop cut out around the stove.

Everyone wants a built-in look, but they don’t want to buy built-in appliances.

Ceran cooktops - made of ceramic glass - are the latest in stoves. These are scratch-resistant and easy to clean. Gas cook tops are also increasingly popular.

Beaded curtains, in years gone by a feature of almost every home, are making a colorful comeback.

With the attractive effect they give as they move in the breeze and the many different color variations and combinations now available, they add an interesting and decorative touch to all styles of home.

The first creative choice is to decide what visual impact or atmosphere you are trying to achieve in a particular room: 1. peaceful simplicity; 2. comfortable abundance; 3. discreet subtlety; 4. immense luxury; 5. bold drama.

If curtains are not going to be floor-length, they should be below the sill. Anything less looks as if you’ve run out of fabric.

The current fashion for brilliant blue combined with vivid yellow was perfect for bathroom decor.

Sheers, scrims, draperies, panels and other lush fabrics passing themselves off as curtains, are leaping beyond the windows and shower stalls to produce a woven surround. Cotton, velvet, silk and linen swaths are now room dividers, alcove walls, romantic retreats, outdoor nooks and floating doorways.

Decorating with curtains adds drama, conjures settings and provides stimulus to the imagination. They can also muffle unpleasant sounds, add rhythm and movement to space, produce texture and dimension, and skillfully transmute the harshest light. Curtains are soft sculpture playing at being solid architecture.

Rich and opulent, simple and starched — curtains speak volumes, and with so many wonderful fabrics and materials available today, trend-setters are finding all sorts of ways to charm with curtains.

Please visit Zappobz.com - the largest manufacturer and supplier of Beaded Décor and LED curtains.

Quilts are thought to have originated some 200 years ago in rural areas where women out of necessity turned patches of discarded cloth and clothing into bedcovers both decorative and warm. Comforting in its simplicity, the patchwork quilt embodies the best of the can-do American spirit.

Quiltmaking almost died out in the early 1900s, until a concern for preserving America’s own crafts led the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City to open its American Wing in 1924. This prompted the first revival of collecting and making quilts.

The very modern American women of the 1920s rising middle class were newly able to afford ready-made clothing and dry goods and had to be persuaded. So women’s magazines promoted quiltmaking with images of smartly dressed women choosing quick projects such as patchwork pillows and ready-cut quilt kits.

In the 1930s quiltmaking surged again, this time because of the Great Depression. Making do was the order of the day, and creating quilts fit the bill. Mail-order companies and daily newspapers sold copies of hundreds of new patterns. Quilt contests attracted thousands of quilts, and not just from rural areas. Sales of thread, cloth and batting soared for a while.

Quiltmaking suffered its next decline during World War II when the domestic sale of cloth was restricted. At the same time, many women took wartime jobs out of their homes; when the war was over they weren’t enthusiastic about jumping back on the quilting bandwagon.

In fact, quilts and quiltmaking didn’t come back into vogue until the nation prepared to celebrate its bicentennial in 1976. Once again, the quilt was looked at as a way to inspire pride in America’s traditions and heritage.

That’s about the time I had my quilt awakening.

My modern mother sewed clothes for my sisters and me in the 1950s but never made a quilt. Although a modern young woman myself, living and working in a bustling, urban setting, I succumbed to the back-to- earth movement of the 1970s and learned to weave and knit. One Saturday morning in 1974 while I window-shopped, a brown-and-green North Carolina Lily quilt caught my eye and my heart. Its unconventional design and colors grabbed me.

I walked into that store, handed over $100 and walked out with a quilt under my arm. What have I done? I wondered. I’d spent a lot of money for a quilt that wasn’t even meant for my bed. I planned to hang it on the wall above my loom!

Without intending to, I had started a quilt collection that would soon grow and grow. I had also made a life discovery: I was so inspired by quilts, their makers and their stories, that I soon quit my job to research and write about quilts and quilting.

Back then I thought I was different from others because I decorated with oversized quilts, but I soon found a major quilt revival already under way, fueled by baby boomers who had discovered America’s folk heritage. In 1974 the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York City organized a groundbreaking exhibit of quilts made by anonymous artisans. Stores with fabrics, tools, books and classes opened to serve the special needs of quilters. Quilt magazines provided patterns and support for the quiltmaking movement, and annual quilt festivals attracted tens of thousands of people.

Quilt guilds formed, including the American Quilt Study Group in Mill Valley, Calif., a network of quilt historians who exchange and publish their quilt findings. A nationwide grassroots campaign soon launched to record stories and photograph quilts.

The late-20th-century resurgence of interest in quilting prompted a plethora of books by academics and enthusiasts, exhibits across the country and documentary films chronicling quilting’s history, artisans, designs and their meanings, and techniques.

All this attention to America’s historic quilts has led to an increase in collecting and preserving quilts and a growing interest in quiltmaking that will continue for generations. And why not? Quilts have a magnetism all their own. Maybe it’s the familiarity of their components or the excitement of seeing the larger pattern emerge as the pieces are sewn together. Maybe it’s the storytelling that goes on around a frame or the joy of seeing hard work admired and loved. Maybe it’s the recognition of women’s ingenuity and craftsmanship. Maybe it’s the satisfaction of continuing a tradition and creating a legacy.

JPR’S DESIGN BRIEF WAS TO CREATE a new family home on the site of a traditional Victorian terrace house. The challenge was to construct a building that displayed the hallmarks of contemporary design while fitting in quietly with the rest of the streetscape.

The house is located in a historic McMahons Point street classed as a conservation zone. This zoning called for a design that was sympathetic with the surrounding buildings, hut the architects were determined to retain a contemporary feel. To satisfy the clients’ needs, it also had to have room for four bedrooms, a workshop, an artist’s studio, and parking for eight cars (to provide for adjacent buildings as well).

The resulting house borrows from the basic design of its older neighbours, taking the form of a verandah-fronted, pitched roof, gable-ended terrace house, From the street, the house sits comfortably beside a Victorian terrace, with the same dimensions, angles and basic features. But it’s the details that set it apart. The roof, although aligning perfectly with its neighbour, is free from Victorian ornamentation, while the solid steel balustrades and verandah supports offer a clean, contemporary alternative to the 19th century’s intricate lacework.

Externally, the house employs traditional construction techniques, with timber frames and cement-washed, painted brick cladding. The roof is corrugated zincalume.

Inside, the house diverges from the conventional Victorian style by juxtaposing formally arranged rooms with open plan living areas. On the ground floor, an informal arrangement allows the large living and dining rooms to flow into the kitchen, casual dining and family rooms at the back. Generous retractable doors open onto the rear courtyard, garden and pool area, providing a large, open entertaining area that blurs the lines between interior and exterior living.

The first floor accommodates bedrooms, bathrooms, the study and artist’s studio, arranged more formally to give a sense of private space. But even here JPR have broken with tradition, creating a suspended bridge that extends through a central void and links the bedrooms with the studio. The bedrooms continue the indoor/outdoor theme, opening onto glass-roofed verandahs. The master suite is located in the second floor loft, and has expansive views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House and city skyline.

Considering all the features that are packed into it, the house maintains a wonderfully open, light-infused interior. This is partly achieved by the large atriums extending through the ground and first floors. These spaces also act as ventilation stacks: when the loft windows and basement door are opened in summer, air is drawn over the cool basement surfaces into the interior. In winter, external blinds can be opened to let in eastern and western sun, and the heated air rises through the atriums.

Light is also admitted through the tall, semi-circular glass brick windows that stretch through two storeys on both sides of the entry atrium, White walls interspersed with splashes of colour and offset by warm wood finishes amplify the brightness of the interior, and complement the original artworks that are hung throughout the house.

The naturally ventilated basement is accessed via a ramp from the street and houses the workshop and garage. Due to the previous consolidation of three sites the basement has to provide additional parking for the adjacent terrace and a commercial office. Efficient use of space is made by employing a vehicle turntable and car stackers.

These and the other modern solutions created by JPR leave no doubt that this is a wholly contemporary house. It proves that fitting in with existing structures doesn’t have to result in compromise, and that history, far from being a restrictive force, is something that is continually created.

SEVEN HUNDRED KILOMETRES southeast of Perth, lapped by the rolling sands of the Nullarbor Plain on one side and the Southern Ocean on the other, Esperance is remote indeed from the urban centres usually associated with cutting-edge architecture. But among the brick motels and old holiday beach shacks, Troppo Architects have left their mark with one of their most recent residential projects.

With offices in Darwin, Townsville, Perth and Adelaide, Troppo have gained international recognition as the designers of a ‘regional’ architecture associated with Australia’s north and west. Their award-winning designs work with the particular climates of these areas, emphasising natural lighting and ventilation, heat reduction and protection from the elements. The house at Esperance fits into this philosophy with its open spaces and protective coverings. Its pitched roof and corrugated verandahs also have connotations of the Australian shed tradition, a familiar reference point in Troppo designs.

The house was designed as a combination residence and office for the managers of the adjacent holiday apartments (also by Troppo). It needed to complement the existing apartments, while at the same time retaining a separate identity as a private residence.

The moderate climate of the region allowed for an open structure which could be shut down during inclement weather and opened up during finer weather. However, the seaside site was also exposed to strong winds, so the house had to have protective qualities as well.

The house was constructed from lightweight materials to fit in with the informal holiday atmosphere of the town. Steel construction with pine infill has allowed the frame to be kept as light as possible, while galvanising and bolted connections ensure that it is protected from the corrosive effects of the sea air. Inside the house, the steel frame is painted black and exposed in places, reinforcing the delicate nature of the structure.

Despite the lightness of its frame, the house is sturdy enough to withstand the ocean winds. Durable Shadowclad was selected for the exterior walls and painted light grey to complement the bright blues of the adjacent apartments. In keeping with the seaside tone, the colour was inspired by the hues of fading seaweed.

The building’s design and orientation has provided for alternative outdoor living areas depending on prevailing conditions. The open deck to the north is protected from winter winds, while solar access is gained through an open slatted pergola. The front verandah allows opportunity to open up the living area to the outside during calmer, warmer conditions.

The house has been constructed as two double-storey pavilions linked by a transparent zone incorporating the stairs. The front pavilion contains the living areas, with a separate flat to accommodate visitors in the lower level. It faces the sea and provides fantastic views of Esperance Bay. The rear pavilion contains bedrooms and bathrooms in the upper level and the carport, laundry and store below.

The main living areas on the upper level are contained within a long, open plan room. It has windows at each end to let a cooling breeze flow through, and opens onto a covered deck.

This commitment to using natural resources is typical of Troppo’s philosophy. Successfully working within specific climates, they continue to produce buildings which are both highly practical and uniquely beautiful.

THE HILLTOP SITE NEAR SEYMOUR in central Victoria seemed like the perfect place for a country holiday house. ON one side the land sloped gently towards the river through a stand of red gum trees while, on the other farmland rolled away to the east. Magnificent views and open countryside gave a feeling of peace and isolation.

However, the same qualities that made the site so appealing also left it open to the harsh effects of the elements, including wind and extremes of temperature. Swaney Draper Architects had to find a way of capturing nature’s bounty while minirnising its more unpleasant characteristics.

Because of the extreme seasons that can occur in this part of Victoria, special consideration had to he given to the siting and orientation of the house. It has been positioned to one side of the hilltop, and its graded form follows the slope of the site, with a single pitch roof slanting down from rear to front. The rear of the section has been cut into the hillside, allowing the house to nestle closely against it.

The house has been oriented for maximum passive thermal performance, with large windows to enhance this effect. In winter, the central fireplace can be supplemented by gas ducted heating. The house is not mechanically cooled, relying on natural ventilation and sunshades to get through the hot dry summer Inside, the main focus of the house is a large, tall central room, where all of the family activities take place. It is surrounded by windows on three sides, with timber shades framing views of the red gum trees and river beyond. A massive fireplace in the middle of this room provides both a real and symbolic focus for the family living areas. It’s a space that can be intimate or expansive: you can imagine pulling up a chair close to the fire on a wintry afternoon, or throwing open the doors to the deck on a summer evening.

To the rear of this central space, the rest of the house is contained in a two storey block. The kitchen, laundry and garage are on the lower level, while the upper level bedrooms and bathrooms open onto a gallery which overlooks the living room.

Externally, the unhurried holiday lifestyle is reflected in an uncomplicated structure. Lightweight timber and steel framing have been used to create simple lines that eschew ornamentation. Surfaces are either glazed or clad in cedar with monochrome paint.

This is a house to escape to. Its quiet, spacious interiors are welcoming and restful, while the wide open space that surrounds the building beckons you outside to take in the restorative country air. The laid back lifestyle that it provides is the perfect antidote to the pace of city living.

ISING UP FROM A TREE-LINED SLOPE, Max Pritchard’s compact tower seems perfectly at home in the bush. Its simple, unobtrusive shape, natural timber features and muted colourings allow it to blend in with its surroundings, while still standing out as a fine example of elegant, original residential architecture.

Max has been working in Adelaide for fifteen years. When he first started, the local residential design scene was rather quiet — but gradually that has started to change. He believes the region is slowly becoming more conscious of good design, with more original work starting to appear. Having won an Award of Merit in the residential category, Max’s own project has his peers’ approval as a prime example of this exciting new wave of Adelaide architecture.

Max designed the house as a tower to minimise its impact on the land and reflect the form of the neighbouring tall trees. It is built around a six metre square plan, rising through three levels. Balconies, stair landings and cupboards project from the otherwise flat sides of the house, and are clad in plywood and corrugated iron to mirror the colours and textures of the bush. Max believes that what gives the house its uniqueness is its lightweight construction — even though it’s three storeys high, it appears “light and delicate among the trees”.

Because of the large number of trees, the house required a roof without gutters that could become blocked with leaves. Max designed a square roof that dips down in the middle to form a valley that conducts rain water to an adjacent tank.

The slope of the site allows access by bridge to the middle level of the house, which contains the main living area. This is a large open plan space containing the kitchen, dining and living rooms, and providing excellent views of the bush and distant hills. Most of the middle level is in fact two-storeys high, an innovation made possible by cleverly designing the top floor as a mezzanine. This upper level contains the main bedroom and ensuite, while two more bedrooms and a bathroom are housed in the lower level.

The climate in the hills is cooler than in urban Adelaide, so the house needed to be exposed to as much winter sunlight as possible. This has been achieved by placing the living areas in the upper levels of the house and lining them with banks of north-facing windows. Electrical heating provides further warmth in winter. There is no air-conditioning, but the house is naturally ventilated, with the tower form allowing hot air to escape by convection during summer.

The interior of the house continues the natural theme of the exterior, with timber used extensively in floorboards, window frames, stairs and benchtops. Vibrant blue and yellow feature walls enhance the natural brightness of the living spaces, while curved elements contrast with the square form of the building and give a soft edge to the rooms.

This is a house that achieves many things: it is elegantly constructed, yet practical; contemporary and original, but also highly inhabitable; striking in its design, yet considerate of its environment. Its recognition in the RAIA state awards shows that the house is a welcome addition to the growing body of South Australian residential architecture.

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