The living room is people-sized—perfect for conversation, reading or watching TV which, when not on, is concealed behind the built-in corner cabinet. A small, Danish wood stove with wood storage below is centrally located and used more for atmosphere than for heat. The brass cap in front of the stove on the porcelain tile base feeds the fire with outside air instead of precious, solar-heated air from the room. The kitchen and dining areas (off camera to the left) add light from the east and allow this room to expand for family gatherings. The dining room table is designed to expand into the living room for holiday feasts.

The thermal mass needed to store the solar heat takes the form of an inch thick layer of cement that covers the interior walls throughout the home. The cement is covered with a natural clay plaster finish that gives the walls a rich, suede-like look. This "distributed mass" absorbs the solar heat in the winter and releases it when the inside air temperature cools off at night. In the summer, heat is absorbed into the mass keeping the rooms cooler. 

The living space extends to the east and west porches for 3 seasons in this high desert home. To the right, off camera, double French doors lead to the first of two offices, designed to be converted to bedrooms for resale purposes. Sleeping lofts in both offices accommodate agile guests in double beds with operable skylights for ventilation.

Bookshelves line the north-south hallway that leads from the living room at the far end of the picture to the bedroom and offices behind the camera. The bookshelves add interest and storage as you pass down the hallway. The ceiling light is directed toward the shelves to locate book titles after dark. The porcelain tile floor is very durable and easy to keep clean.

• entry • exterior • living • kitchen • bedroom • offices • lofts • garage •