InnerCella Innovative Design
By the Numbers:
Average cost to build per square foot: $60 (not inclluding the metal building)
the shop celebrated its first anniversary this
(Top and opposite) What was once a metal garage door was swapped out for a rolling glass alternative, which now opens onto a deck, ideal for entertaining. On the inside, an open-plan living room is oriented toward the outdoors. (Left and above) The Linns’ kitchen was designed by Forest Kitchen Design Studio.
WINTER 2017
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past July, and with some well-deserved elbow room in their schedules, it was time to consider a change. The large metal building on the property was an initial selling point, as Bob envisioned a handy workshop and ample room for motorcycles and carpentry tools. But walking the property five months ago, scouting out a build site, the structure was literally right in their way. “The building was the perfect spot for a house,” Bob says, throwing up his hands. “So we were either going to have a house with that metal shed right out the back door, or it’d be too far away to even be handy.” Then he had a crazy idea. “I asked Wendy, ‘What if we just live in the building, make that our house?’” A lesser woman looking at that metal shell may have been horrified, but for Wendy Linn it was a forehead smacking moment: “I mean, I just thought— well, duh! It’s perfect!” So with the help of the same contractor who transformed their coffee shop from a former hair salon into a mid-century modern gathering place, they got to work gutting the building. Sleek kitchen cabinetry tucks into a corner under an expansive window which replaced one of the three garage doors. One of those doors remains, metal now swapped for glass, rolling open to a wide, welcoming deck. Concrete floors are painted a vivid marigold, warming the space and adding joyful color to the monochromatic walls. A sunroom, guest bedroom, laundry and work area, along with the master bedroom complete the home.
Minimum lot size: 0.125 acre (the Linns built on a 10-acre site)
Check this out: • Originally a three-bay metal g arage • Garage doors were replaced by windows and rolling glass doors • Concrete floors are painted marigold to bring warmth to the space.
She said it ... “For once, we’ll all have space to be together in the same room during the holidays. We want to roll up that garage door in the living room and fill the place with people.” — Wendy Linn
at Home
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11/17/17 7:51 AM