About

15 Responses to About

1. Greg Lemke says:

   January 23, 2008 at 10:37 pm

   This is a great blog, and looks to be a wonderful house.
   I live in San Diego, and recently finished a more modest remodel that was done by Jennifer Luce.
   (See http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/23/garden/23luce.html?ref=style)
   I very much like Sebastian Mariscal’s work, and would love to see your house, if this is possible.
   Congratulations,
   Greg Lemke

   Reply
2. ag says:

   February 28, 2009 at 6:07 am

   great pics! love the trees, floors, and use of black on the outside of house. I plan on using the same for my home in the mountains. Love the photos of japan and the stories. Every time I see the steak on a rock cooking at the okan, I become starving and I also have the urge to buy a “rock grill.” keep up the good work.

   Reply
3. Paul Hibler says:

   April 23, 2009 at 11:58 pm

   Greetings,

   I own an artisanal pizza restaurant company in LA. We stumbled across your wood siding with our architect, Barbara Bestor. We are building a new store and remodeling another and we would love to use this burning technique. I would appreciate any feedback you might have as to it’s use. We are looking at using it on a counter wall, inside. What happens to the oil finish? Does anything “rub” off if you contact the material. I noticed that you use it inside as well. I love your sight and it’s spirit. Cheers

   Reply
   • 犬 says:

     April 24, 2009 at 12:19 am

     It does not rub if you contact, since excess charcoal was washed off. In this month’s issue of Dwell, there is a write-up with photos of a more traditional way that architect Terunobu Fujimori uses – the photos are better online.

     Reply
4. matt says:

   August 5, 2009 at 7:27 pm

   i love your photos. What kind of camera do you use?????

   Reply
   • 犬 says:

     August 8, 2009 at 4:50 am

     A Nikon D300 and an old but portable Canon IXY.

     Reply
5. Matt says:

   October 14, 2009 at 3:21 pm

   Would you be willing to disclose who your architect was? He/she does beautiful work, and I couldn’t find any info on the site.

   Thanks.

   Reply
   • Anonymous says:

     October 14, 2009 at 5:49 pm

     The architect is Sebastian Mariscal – check out his work at http://www.sebastianmariscal.com

     Reply
6. Joe Perez says:

   January 23, 2010 at 11:41 pm

   Hello,
   You have a beautiful home. My wife and I are considering razing our current home and building similar to what you have completed. I was wondering if you would mind sharing the ballpark cost of the entire project including de-construction. Again, beautiful home. I admire the work your architect has completed and you have decorated beautifully. Thanks.

   Joe Perez

   Reply
   • 犬 says:

     January 24, 2010 at 6:38 am

     The deconstruction cost was less that estimated and the tax benefit turned out to be greater than I has expecting (will depend on your tax situation). The cost of the house turned out be more that what had been estimated due to material costs of the siding (lumber strike in Canada) and some design changes – larger living area. I think it averaged to a bit less than $300 sq ft. Whatever you do expect and plan for cost overruns during construction (20-30%) – it will make it less painful when you encounter them.

     Reply
7. Bill says:

   February 13, 2010 at 1:11 am

   I stumbled across your page, I love the photos you take, I follow them, and get the updates.
   I noticed that your house is in Carlsbad, CA… I lived in that fine coastal community for a number of years, never saw any architecture that was worth too much there, as you said, too many McMansions…

   If you don’t mind telling me, what street is your house on?
   You can email me, if you decide to disclose such info.
   Thanks,
   Bill Dodd

   Reply
8. Merola says:

   June 9, 2010 at 7:52 pm

   I own an artisanal pizza restaurant company in LA. We stumbled across your wood siding with our architect, Barbara Bestor. We are building a new store and remodeling another and we would love to use this burning technique. I would appreciate any feedback you might have as to it’s use. We are looking at using it on a counter wall, inside. What happens to the oil finish? Does anything “rub” off if you contact the material. I noticed that you use it inside as well. I love your sight and it’s spirit. Cheers
   +1

   Reply
9. Adrian says:

   October 8, 2010 at 10:03 am

   I have very much enjoyed your site, your house and your attention to detail. The ‘zen of views’ seems to apply well here.

   I am planning a house build of a similar size here in the UK. I too am very interested in the burned wood technique as many local rural building here are finished in black weather board – but it’s coated with paint or pitch. Also interested in knowing what the exterior timber is and how that is finished. It looks like American Black Walnut possibly? I’d be interested in how this would survive the weather here in England. Can you point me in any directions?
   Many thanks and well done.
   Adrian

   Reply
10. 犬 says:

    October 8, 2010 at 12:38 pm

    The wood is western cedar. Not sure how it’ll hold up in the UK, but its used quite a bit in the US Northwest, which is wet.

    Reply
11. cocomino says:

    January 5, 2011 at 5:09 am

    Hello this is excellent blog.
    I live in Japan and I am native Japanese.
    But I want to study English and make a many friends.
    So I write blog in English.
    http://cocomino.wordpress.com/

    I work as engneer to architecture and city planning.

    Thanks.

    Reply