Living Room lTilh A Garden

Faced with the problem of creating extra living space to accommodate the needs of his growing family, Architect Whitney R. Smith made extensive use of Douglas fir plywood and plate glass to add a large, multi-purpose, gardenliving room to his Los Angeles home.

Situated in an April-like garden planted 40 years ago, this striking plywood addition to an older home creates an intimate link between house and garden by achieving an easy, comfortable transition between indoors and out.

Physically, this is accomplished by having the floor of the room at the same level as the garden which surrounds the room on three sides. Convenient access between room and garden is afforded by full-glazed double doors. Thus, a person going from house to garden steps through a wide doorlvay with no change in level and no distracting threshold. The effect is heightened by extending the concrete slab rvell beyond the limits of the room out into the garden.

Visually, the slender supports combine with ceiling-high rvindows, which are inserted between ceiling and soffit, to permit a smooth, unbroken flow of plywood paneling from the room outward, thus extending the apparent limits of the room by the length of the enclosed outdoor living area.

The dining area, which is raised 15,, above the floor of the rest of the room, is adjacent to a planting of ferns. Forming the view from the dining area, this planting, which is softly lighted from above by a translu,cent skylight, is cleverly nestled in a U-shaped area between the older portion of the house and the new room.

Half-inch Exterior type fir plywood was specified for the walls of this striking garden-living room area. fnasmuch as a single thickness of plywood constitutes the wall, plywood with both surfaces (EXT-DFPA.A-A) of A veneer was specified. Such panels have high appearance faces on both sides; in this instance one surface being seen as siding and the other as interior paneling. For the glass areas, rf" plate was chosen.

The plywood panels are fastened on the inside of 4', x 4,t posts, 4' o.c., except in the room corners where the posts are2' apart. Joints between the plywood panels, which only appear on the interior walls because they coincide with the 4" x 4" posts on the outside, are V-grooved ,by beveling panel edges and set in mastic.

The plywood panels and plate glass sheets are fitted top and bottom into a continuous rabbited sill at floor and 7, levels. Because of the fact that standard 4, x 8, plywood panels were used, there was a one-foot long piece left over from each sheet. Architect Smith made good use of these extra pie.ces by using them for shelving and built-ins.

The ceiling of the room, which slopes gently upward toward the garden, is covered with /s,, Interior plywood of the PlyPanel grade; panel edges all closely butted. The soffits are also /s" plywood, but are Exterior type, PlyShield grade. The roof is covered with a mixture of grey, green and white gravel on top of.2" T&G boards over wood rafters. Danish cork covers the concrete floors to provide a firm but resilient covering. The room is lighted by six flexible light fixtures that are controlled by rheostat as well as switch, permitting changes in tight intensity, ranging from dim to brilliant.

Complementing the "living room with a garden theme,,' both interior and exterior plywood walls are painted a pleasing grey-green, with a white lead and oil paint. The plywood ceiling and soffits were given a light stain finish in order to subdue the green yet retain the natural beauty of the wood. The ceiling was given a coat of rvhite paint which was wiped to the desired grain show-through before it dried and then covered with clear shellac. The plywood soffits were given the same light stain finish ,but, because the surface was exposed to weather, a protective coating of clear varnish was applied.

New Plynrood Plcrnt

At lunction City, Oregon

Valley Plywood Co. started construction of a new plywood plant at Junction City, Oregon, May 1. Douglas fir plywood will be manufactured from veneer purchased from the Western Veneer Company's plant at Sweet }fome, Oregon, and other veneer manufacturing concerns.

The new plant will have an output of about 54 million square feet annually, and will employ 100 people.

Harold R. Jones, president of Western Veneer Co., is also president of the new organization. J. A. Overgaard is sales manager, and Carl Hevlin is superintendent.

United States Fir Plywood Production 1925-1949

In

New Genercrl Mcncger

H. W. McClary has been named general manager of Anacortes Veneer, Inc., at Anacortes, succeeding F. L. Johnson. He was formerly head of the Washington Veneer Co. at Olympia, Wash.

New Plywood Plcnt

Mount Baker Plywood Co., construction and is expected mer.

Bellingham, Wash., is under to be in operation this sum-

This award-rvinning California residence was designed by Architect Gordon Drake for one couple, built by another and lived in by a third: Mr. and Mrs. George Spillman.

Although economy was of prime importance, this bold contemporary structure, which employs Douglas fir plywood as a structural diaphragm for floor and roof, and as .a structural skin for walls, is not a watered-down, economy version of a home the owners "would like to have but can't afford." Instead, it frankly concentrates on essentials, eliminates frivolous "extras," making a virtue of the straightforlvard economies afforded by plyrvood and ingenious design.

The site is an inexpensive sloping canyon lot west of Los Angeles, with a building area only 35, wide and 30, deep. The buildable area rvas shut in by trees so Architect Drake, 'lvho now varies his practice betrveen Carrnel and San Francisco, Cal., decided to build the house on tr,vo levels. The upper level rises high into the tree tops for sun, view and privacy. The main floor is only 15, by 39'. Planning calls for partitions, much glass and a large balcony to extend its apparent dimensions.

The interior walls are paneled with fir plyr,vood nailed to the fr:rrning members. Joints betrveen panels are covered with 37(" x /1" wood battens. The interior plywood walls were given a pleasing light stain finish in keeping with the light, airy feeling of the house. Panels were resinsealed; given a coat of grey paint, rviped to the desired grain shou'-through, and finally waxed.

The exterior plyrvood rvalls are finished with two coats of resin sealer, followed by a deep, bronze-red stain.

The upper level is two main rooms separated by a partition rvhich contains a book case and desk on the living room side, and a headboard for a double bed on the bedroom side; betr,veen the two is a sliding door. The bedroom opens into a tiny terraced garden.