Su Casa Southwest Homes Winter 2012 Digital Edition

Southwestern homes

ÂŽ

inspiration ideas resources

cutting-edge

sustainable design green living

restoring the charm of

a century-old adobe downtown neighbors go for modern glamour

Vol. 18 no. 1 WINTER 2012

SuCasaMagazine.com

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W i n t e r 2012

AWA R D S

Unprecedented Four Time Winner of the Coveted GRAND HACIENDA Award

2010 PARADE OF HOMES

Runner Up – GRand Hacienda Best craftsmanship Best active Solar System

2009 PARADE OF HOMES GRand Hacienda

Best craftsmanship Best exterior

2008 PARADE OF HOMES

excellence in Green Building Outstanding Woodwork

2008 PARADE OF HOMES

Quality, Creativity & Craftsmanship

Best Planning/circulation/Livability in each of two separate categories

2005 PARADE OF HOMES

Best Kitchen/dining Best craftsmanship Best Floor Plan Best Outdoor Living Space Best exterior

2003 PARADE OF HOMES GRand Hacienda

Best Floor Plan Best Master Suite Best exterior Best craftsmanship

2003 PARADE OF HOMES

Peoples choice award

2001 PARADE OF HOMES

Peoples choice award Best Floor Plan Best Master Suite Best exterior Best Kitchen Best craftsmanship

2000 PARADE OF HOMES

Best exterior

1998 PARADE OF HOMES GRand Hacienda

Best Kitchen Best Outdoor Living Space

1996 Best of Show Best Floor Plan Best Master Suite Best exterior Best Kitchen Best Outdoor Living Space Best craftsmanship

Wendy McEahern

PARADE OF HOMES GRand Hacienda

505.989.8484

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See green in a whole new way in an ENERGY STAR® qualified home.

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• Improved health and comfort for your family • Reduced greenhouse gas emissions

Learn how an ENERGY STAR home is a great investment, and find a homebuilder today by visiting NMsaves.com

PNM and New Mexico Gas Company are proud to work in partnership to sponsor an ENERGY STAR Homes Program in our electric and gas service areas throughout New Mexico.

48 southwestern

homes

40 charm house

In the hands of an experienced, history-conscious remodeler, a century-old adobe in Los Ranchos gets a long-awaited makeover while still retaining its authenticity.

Above: Robert Reck; left: Gabriella Marks

48 vive la diffĂŠrence Forward-thinking green design and a stunning East Mountains setting make Oblio House stand out for all the right reasons.

54 badge of honor

Newly transplanted from the Mid-Atlantic, a couple builds an eco-conscious home in Lamy and finds that living a simpler, more sustainable life is something to be proud of.

Design + Decor 26 friends in chic places

Design-savvy pals transform their side-by-side bungalows near downtown Albuquerque into showcases of modern style.

26 Su Casa (ISSN 1084-4562) is published four times a year (March, June, September, and December) by Bella Media, LLC, 215 West San Francisco, Suite 300, Santa Fe, NM 87501 for $9.95 for 4 issues or $15.95 for 8 issues. Periodicals postage paid at Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Denver, Colorado. POSTMASTER: Please send changes to Su Casa Magazine, 4100 Wolcott Ave. NE, Suite B, Albuquerque, NM 87109.

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40 in every issue 12 Inside Su Casa 14 Life+Style Southwest

A grand piano room, home furnishings crafted from reclaimed wood, tips for insulating your home, and more. Plus: Los Poblanos receives international acclaim.

24 Design Studio

A Q&A about what’s new in tile with Geraldine Gutierrez of Architectural Surfaces Inc.

32 Su Cocina

Chef John Vollertsen shares his favorite new kitchen gadgets and a recipe for Moroccan Lamb, Fennel, and Date Tagine.

34 Masters of New Mexico

Labe and Kino Kopelov, the father-son team at Kopelov Cut Stone in Bernalillo, create architectural elements for the ages.

Wes Naman

80 Dream On

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S U C A S A W in t e r 2012

Cover: Oblio House, designed by Albuquerque-based Edward Fitzgerald/Architects, features energy-efficient and cost-saving passive solar design throughout. Photograph by Robert Reck.

.

Visit SuCasaMagazine.com

Walker Zanger/Architectural Surfaces Inc.

66 Su Libro

New photo-packed books celebrate 100 years of New Mexico statehood, vintage art deco postcards, and using salvaged materials to update your home.

Southwestern homes

ÂŽ

inspiration ideas resources

Published by Bella Media, LLC Publisher

Bruce Adams Creative Director

B. Y. Cooper Editor in Chief

Dianna Delling Executive Editor

Amy Hegarty Senior Editor

Alicia Kellogg Assistant Editor

Samantha Schwirck Contributors Jane Mahoney, Kathleen McCloud,

ZĂŠlie Pollon, Laura Sanchez, John Vollertsen Graphic Designer

Sybil Watson Contributing Designer

Michelle Odom Graphic Design Intern

Monique Martinez Photography

Brian Arnold, Amadeus Leitner, Gabriella Marks, Julien McRoberts, Douglas Merriam, Wes Naman, Robert Reck Advertising Sales

Advertising Manager: Cheryl Mitchell Account Executives: Emilie McIntyre, Anne Mulvaney, Melissa Salazar For advertising information contact: (505) 344-1783 Newsstand Sales Consultant

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H o m e Bu i l de rs Asso c ia tio n o f C e nt r a l Ne w M e xic o Bo a r d o f D ire c to rs

President: Garret Price First Vice President: Mike Cecchini Second Vice President: Rob Hughes Immediate Past President: Otley Smith, CGP Associate Vice President: Stephanie Peterson Associate Member at Large: Ron Sisneros Custom Builders Council, Chair: Troy Howard Green Build Council, Chair: Robin Harder Home Builders Care, Chair: Bain Cochran Membership Committee, Chair: Diana Lucero Production Builders Council, Chair: David Newell Remodelers Council, Chair: Debra Speck H o m e Bu i l de rs Asso c ia tio n o f C e nt r a l N e w M e xic o S ta f f

Executive Vice President: Jim Folkman Vice President of Operations: Lana Alderson Events Specialist: Kimberly Johnson Accounting Clerk: Linda Bronger Receptionist/Clerical Assistant: Carmela Martinez

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Copyright Š 2012 by Bella Media, LLC. Bella Media, LLC 215 W San Francisco, Suite 300 Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-983-1444 sucasamagazine.com Please direct editorial queries to ddelling@sucasamagazine.com.

Su Casa’s cover and text are printed by American Web in Denver, Colorado, on SFI-certified paper. The papers used contain fiber from well-managed forests, meeting EPA guidelines that recommend a minimum 10% post-consumer recovered fiber for coated papers. Inks used contain a percentage of soy base. Our printer meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) standards and is a certified member of the Forest Stewardship Council.

Inside Su Casa

your place of joy

A

Publisher

Eco-friendly elements, such as poured-earth floors and natural plaster walls, are integral to the beauty of this Lamy home, which is featured in the story that begins on page 54.

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S U C A S A W i n t e r 2012

Douglas Merriam

Bruce Adams

DAVID ROBIN

s I look at the beautiful houses featured in this issue, I’m struck by the way each one reflects a sense of place. The Southwest, and New Mexico specifically, has such a strong character that there is no mistaking it for any other region. On an even deeper level, within Northern New Mexico each city or village has its own personality, with subtle (or not so subtle) differences in terrain, climate, architecture, and ways of life.

As you look through the pages that follow, you’ll see that each home is at least partly a reflection of its environment, whether it’s in Lamy, Los Ranchos, the East Mountains, or downtown Albuquerque. What’s clear is that where we live— and the land, people, and kinds of buildings that surround us—has a big impact on our lifestyle.

In my own Santa Fe home, I’ve placed my piano in a way that affords gorgeous sunset views over the distant volcanoes. (Could Beethoven have imagined that his music would be played in a spot like this?) The views inspire me as I play, just as the views in the home on page 14 must inspire the musician who lives there, and the views from your own windows, whatever those views may be, have an impact on how you live your life each day.

Wherever you live, take some time today to appreciate the joys that surround you.

Life+Style Southwest high note

Photo Courtesy of Brian Arnold/ABQ Home Pics

A dedicated practice space would appeal to almost anyone who plays an instrument. But a high-ceiling room built specifically to contain a grand piano—with million-dollar views? That’s a musician’s dream.

The piano (and the mountains beyond) are the first thing you see upon entering the front door of this spectacular East Mountains residence, located on the Paa-Ko Ridge golf course. Custom builder John Lowe of Panorama Homes (panoramahomes.com) came up with the floor plan while working closely with the homeowners, one of whom is an accomplished amateur musician.

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Life+Style Southwest

second life Made with wood that’s been reclaimed or would otherwise go to waste, these one-of-a-kind pieces are both stylish and eco-savvy.

Bone inlay and reclaimed antique walnut from India bring flair and functionality to this Condor Trunk Cocktail Table, perfect for a bedroom or living room.

ACC, $2,695, accsantafe.com

Tree trimmings bound for composting (but rescued before they hit the wood-chipper) were sliced and artfully arranged to create this graphic doormat.

Anthropologie, $75, anthropologie.com

Native Trails’ Cabernet vanity gets its rich color from grapes—it’s constructed from oak staves, reclaimed from a vintner, that soaked in wine for years during the fermentation process. Native Trails, $2,598; visit nativetrails.net to find showrooms in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

Cottonwoods cleared during rehabilitation efforts along burned areas of the bosque are the perfect source materials for the artists at Albuquerque’s Pfeifer Studio, who use them to sculpt these striking Rio Grande side tables.

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Pfeifer Studio, $449, pfeiferstudio.com

Knowledge Teamwork Reliability We welcome you to contact one of us today for all of your Real Estate needs.

Missy Ashcraft (505) 362-6823 missyashcraft@comcast.net

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Janie Gilmore-Daniels (505) 259-0502 janiegil@aol.com

Veronica Gonzales (505) 440-8956 abqdreamhomes.com

kim Jensen (505) 948-1399 kim@kimjensenhomes.com

Connie Johnson (505) 948-0001 conniejohnsonnm.com

Lynn Johnson (505) 350-5966 lynnjohnson.com

Annie O'Connell (505) 263-4141 annie@annieoconnell.com

Gary R. Peterson, CRS (505) 280-1952 grpete@nobhillhomesabq.com

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Jim Gross (505) 980-7788 JimGross@ABQhouses.net

Keller Williams Realty Eastside

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real comfort, recognized Los Poblanos is a Fodor’s Top 100 The 25-acre Los Poblanos Inn and Organic Farm (lospoblanos.com), in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, has been garnering acclaim for years, even before the renewed trend of people choosing to slow down their lives—if only temporarily—and create more authentic experiences. The Inn’s onsite farm and lavender fields, along with its La Merienda restaurant, have consistently drawn those wanting fresh food, clean air, and a place to relax with views of open skies, the soaring Sandia Mountains, and surrounding wildlife.

These ingredients no doubt led Fodor’s Travel Guides to choose Los Poblanos as one of its 100 Hotels for 2011, a designation given to the top hotels and resorts in the world. Sharing company with such establishments as Lumley Castle in Durham, England, and the Plaza Athénée in Paris, Los Poblanos—the only property in New Mexico and one of only 29 in the U.S. to be so honored—was recognized for “conveying authentic, locally relevant experiences.”—Zélie Pollon

Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm .

weaving history bundle up in a Centennial blanket If you’re looking for a low-key but enduring way to celebrate the hundredth anniversary of New Mexico’s statehood, check out Pendleton Woolen Mills’s new, limited-edition Centennial blanket.

Designed in consultation with Zia Pueblo Governor Marcellus Medina and Tribal Administrator Peter Pino, the commemorative item features a red Zia sun—the state symbol—at its center and incorporates a rug-pattern design in recognition of the state’s rich weaving tradition. Proceeds from sales of the blankets—all of which are signed by New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez—go toward funding the official, year-long New Mexico Centennial celebration. To get one of the only 400 blankets being made, head to the Pendleton store at The Courtyard, 1100 San Mateo NE, Albuquerque (505-255-6444), or visit the New Mexico Centennial website at shopnm100.com.

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S U C A S A W inter 2012

Photos Courtesy of Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm

Life+Style Southwest

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Life+Style Southwest

divine simplicity The glass art of Xavier Zamarripa

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Above: Vases titled Pasión (foreground) and Olé.

Left: The Wind decanter is part of Zamarripa’s Elements series.

“No matter what people create with technology, you cannot replicate things done by hand, which is what makes such pieces so incredible,” says Zamarripa. him, it refers to the act of taking time to absorb moments, people, and life’s little nuances. It’s what feeds his art, and makes him a master of his work.

“It’s in that simplicity that you find the serenity to do this kind of work. That level of patience and dedication and detail. Things have to slow down. In that moment you’re in your own world. Like an athlete, you’re in the zone.”

Zamarripa first began painting at the age of 10 and sold art through high school and college to earn extra spending money. After leaving the seminary, he traveled extensively through Europe, including to Italy,

Laura Liccardi

Xavier Zamarripa might have been a priest, having entered the seminary as a young man in Dallas, Texas. Instead, he used his religious experience—the calm and contemplative moments—to solidify his artistic selfexpression, having begun his trade as a painter and evolved into a master of mosaics, marble sculpture, and glass. Still, his most divine inspiration didn’t arrive until he moved to Santa Fe nearly four years ago.

“I felt like I found myself, found what I was looking for out here,” says the 35-year-old artist and father of two. “It’s hard to describe, but it’s about the people, the attitude, and a sense that everyone is in search of something simpler.”

Simplicity might be the last thing one thinks about when seeing Zamarripa’s finely detailed swimming pool mosaics, for which he has achieved particular renown. The mosaics are embellished with ornate flowers, fish, and wildlife scenes in vibrant colors, sometimes with an intricacy reminiscent of the detail found on ceilings of European cathedrals—something from which Zamarripa says he’s always derived inspiration. But for Zamarripa, simplicity has never meant less; to

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Zamarripa’s Arcoiris light fixture.

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Laura Liccardi

where he now maintains a studio that he uses primarily for his blownglass and marble work. Zamarripa’s travels also fed what he calls his secret passion for wine. His home in New Mexico overlooks an acre of vineyards, which led to him creating a line of unique glass decanters.

“If you have a great bottle of wine, why not celebrate it and the whole experience with an incredible decanter,” he says. More recently, his explorations with glass have led him to create one-of-a kind lighting fixtures, which feature all hand-blown glass and intricate metal forging.

“Beautiful conversation pieces,” Zamarripa calls them.

From sinks to columns to fireplaces, Zamarripa will create anything unique for a home—as intricately or as simply as a client would like—while maintaining his dedication to “trying to keep alive a hammer and chisel tradition,” he says.

“No matter what people create with technology, you cannot replicate things done by hand, which is what makes such pieces so incredible.”—ZP For more on Zamarripa’s work, visit xavierzamarripa.com or his Facebook page, which he updates regularly to show recently completed pieces.

Life+Style Southwest

stop drafts cold!

A well-insulated home is an eco-friendly home If you’re looking for ways to make your home greener (not to mention save money in heating and cooling costs), adding insulation is one of your easiest, most cost-effective options. Insulation keeps warm air inside during the winter and cool air inside during the summer. It also helps keep your home’s temperature uniform from room to room, and it can even absorb sound, helping reduce unwanted noise. Here, Richard V. Acosta, manager of Garrity Insulation in Albuquerque, offers a few insulation tips.

• Even new homes can benefit from additional insulation. “Many builders meet minimum code requirements, and honestly that might not be good enough,” says Acosta. Through a visual inspection, experts can determine how much insulation is currently in place and advise where and how to add more. In Northern New Mexico, the Department of Energy recommends using insulation with an R-value of 49 in all ceilings and 21 in all walls. (R-values are used to indicate insulation’s resistance to heat flow. The higher, the better.)

• A remodel offers an ideal time to add insulation to your home. Options include adding fiberglass insulation to an attic, adding pressure-blown insulation into the walls or a flat roof, or applying spray polyurethane foam to the home’s exterior.

• Fiberglass insulation is generally the most affordable. “It contains up to 30 percent post-consumer recycled content and is made from a renewable source—sand,” says Acosta. “It’s noncombustible, formaldehyde free, and doesn’t absorb moisture so it won’t promote mildew or mold.”

• Foam, the most expensive option, “is the only insulation that doesn’t allow air through it, and it’s about 40 percent more effective than any other type of insulation in terms of thermal performance.”

• The roof is where houses lose (or gain) the most heat, making it the first place to consider when adding insulation. “It’s the easiest, most cost-effective fix,” says Acosta.—Samantha Schwirck

Design Studio

Interview by Alicia Kellogg

surface style Whether ceramic, glass, or natural stone, tile can update the look and feel of your home.

N

ew tile, like a fresh coat of paint, can change the whole look of a room. For helpful tips and innovative ideas, we talked with Geraldine Gutierrez of Architectural Surfaces Inc., an Albuquerquebased business that’s been using tile to bring texture, depth, and color to new and remodeled homes for more than 25 years.

What should a homeowner think about when selecting tile?

Take your lifestyle into consideration, as well as what you want out of the space you’re updating. For example, there are a lot of baby boomers with aging parents, so we see clients who want to update their bathrooms with nonskid surfaces. Parents with small children may want to update the kids’ bathroom with tile that requires less maintenance than the tile they choose for the master bathroom. Also, whether or not you have pets is a consideration.

At Architectural Surfaces, we explain the pros and cons of products—what you’re going to face if you’re putting in natural stone versus porcelain tile versus ceramic tile—because the more informed you are, the better your decision will be long-term. I also recommend going with something timeless. I don’t like to recommend too trendy a product because you might regret the choice five years down the line.

You mentioned natural stone. Do you find it’s still popular?

Marble, onyx, travertine, granite—natural stone will be popular forever. It was used in Roman times and it’s still used today.

Do natural-stone styles change too?

They’re doing really neat things with stone now that they never used to do. They’re finding new ways of cutting travertine—they’re using the vein cut, for example, where they slice the stone horizon24

S U C A S A W i n t e r 2012

Above: Glass tile by Roku brings an Eastern feel to a contemporary look. Below: Vibe’s Oval and Orbit ceramic tiles make bold but playful statements with their 1960s- and ‘70s-inspired aesthetic.

continued on page 65

Photos courtesy of Walker Zanger/Architectural Surfaces Inc.

What are some of the trends you’re seeing for 2012?

Things are forever changing in the tile world. Glass is very popular and is going to be here for a long time—tiles that started out as jewels to be used sparingly are now covering entire walls, for example. We’re using a lot of metal-infused glass, and I see a lot of wood tile. Tiles that look like crocodile, leather, fabric, and wallpaper are going to be more popular in 2012 as well.

Also, New Mexico is catching on to creating cleaner lines and to using tile in larger sizes; instead of three-by-three or four-byfour-inch tiles, we’re doing two-by-twelve and twenty-four-bytwenty-four-inch tiles.

Reclaimed French limestone pavers give outdoor spaces a rustic but elegant look.

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Design+Decor

friends in chic places

Design-savvy pals transform their side-by-side downtown bungalows into showcases of personal style.

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By Alicia Kellogg

“I

Photography by Gabriella Marks

think your house can establish your mood,” says KC Roehl about her home just north of downtown Albuquerque, a 1912 bungalow in which she’s layered a playful, pop art–inspired mix of modern furnishings, antiques, and updated hand-me-downs. “This is a happy house, an optimistic house.”

Next door, in her century-old home, Roehl’s pal Mandy McGuire has created a sanctuary of her own. A thoughtfully composed expression of vintage modern style, the place feels “politely edgy,” she says. “I aim for it to feel preserved and modernized all at once.”

Side by side, the houses share unique but complementary design sensibilities, and if you’ve met the owners, you’ll understand why. Roehl and McGuire have been friends since 2004, when they met through Abode, the modern home-furnishings store Roehl owned at the time. Roehl moved into her house in 2006, and McGuire came to the block a year later.

Though neither has had formal design training—Roehl, who has an MBA, has worked as a television set-designer and is now attending law school; McGuire, who also has an MBA, studied business and dance and now works for a biotech company—the pair share an appreciation for chic, modern interiors and a gift for transforming spaces. The friends-turned-neighbors have applied their own fresh visions to classic 20th-century homes and created impeccably designed spaces as individual as they are.

happy glamour

Roehl’s home, furnished in a style she describes as “happy modern glamour,” is a harmonious cohabitation of designer pieces and do-it-yourself creativity. She finds inspiration in the aes-

Opposite page: KC Roehl, left, and Mandy McGuire enjoy tea on Roehl’s back porch. The friends’ complementary design sensibilities extend to their personal style as well: Roehl’s striped Kate Spade skirt was a gift from McGuire.

Above: In Roehl’s dining room, hand-painted “picture frames” cover one wall, with real framed photos of family and friends scattered among them. Left: Roehl likes saturated hues such as the neon pink she chose for her fireplace. Among the living room’s statement-making pieces are a white Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chair and a vintage artdeco mirror.

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Design+Decor

trend spotting Between attending law school and caring for her young son, KC Roehl has a busy life. But she still finds time to keep up with the latest design trends. “I am completely blog obsessed,” she says. Here she shares a few of her favorites.

DesignSpongeOnline.com “A fantastic site for modernand vintage-inspired interior design. I especially love the ‘Living In’ series, which uses films as inspiration and then links to items you can purchase to create the same vibe in your own home.”

MrsLilien.com “A wonderfully vintage and glamorous mix of fashion and living. I adore Mrs. Lilien!”

OhJoy.blogs.com “A good collection of fashion, food, and home design.“ EatDrinkChic.com “Great party ideas.”

Pinterest.com “A ‘virtual pinboard’ that’s great for saving and collecting images. I use it as inspiration for everything.”

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thetics of bold, contemporary designers and enjoys keeping up with trends through design blogs and magazines. In the living room, you’ll find a neon pink fireplace alongside a Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chair that’s upholstered in colorful vintage Pucci fabric. Her dining room walls are covered with handpainted outlines of picture frames. In the nursery for RJ, her 11-month-old son, a goldfish bowl protrudes from the wall above a vintage wallpaper silhouette of a lion. From room to room, detail to detail, Roehl’s home unfolds in a series Opposite page, clockwise from top: This white stoneware squirrel by Jonathan Adler, shown here in McGuire’s kitchen, is a piece both women own; in Roehl’s foyer, fuchsia fabric updates the loveseat that belonged to her grandmother; Roehl mixes blues­—a turquoise chair, floorboards painted navy and white—in her master bedroom; McGuire’s white porcelain guns vase sprouts tulips, not violence; teacups and a retro clock in McGuire’s kitchen.

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KC Roehl and her son, RJ

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Design+Decor

The friends-turned-neighbors have applied their own fresh visions to classic 20th-century homes and created impeccably designed spaces as individual as they are.

Left: A mirrored table and Philippe Starck Ghost chair glam up McGuire’s dressing area. Below, top: McGuire’s shelf displays are carefully arranged for maximum impact. Bottom: A neutral palette of smoky blue, black, and white ties things together throughout McGuire’s home. The spoon artwork in her dining room is a piece of wallpaper by designer Tracy Kendall.

of vignettes that are stylish, unexpected, and, most of all, fun.

vintage modern

Across the shared driveway, McGuire finds inspiration in her 100-year-old bungalow’s historical architecture, and her creative, well-considered choices juxtapose period-appropriate features with au courant nods to contemporary design. The exposed Edison light bulbs throughout the home lend modern appeal and antique authenticity. Iconic Louis Ghost chairs by Philippe Starck and clean-lined mirrored furniture embody classic elements of style updated for a new era. Intentionally placed within McGuire’s home, the pieces are no longer vintage or modern—they are timeless. They also have stories.

McGuire’s chic white-patent-leather slipper chair was inspired by Christian Lacroix’s home as seen in French Vogue, a designer she admires and a magazine continued on page 62

Mandy McGuire

Su Cocina

gotta-have gadgets

By John Vollertsen

W

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Induction cooktops work using electromagnetic fields, not flames or red-hot heating elements. They stay cool to the touch while instantly heating pots and pans. taurant industry has embraced the wonders of induction cooking because, thanks to the absense of an open flame, expensive hood-fan exhaust systems are not required over the cooktops.

Induction burners come in many styles and prices, but Fagor makes one for less than $100.

Stew-pendous: Though the exact date the Moroccan cooking vessel known as the tagine first appeared isn’t certain, the colorful domed pots have become popular among American cooks thanks to the variety of delicious stews that can be prepared in them. Those stews, also called tagines, can be meat-, fish-, or vegetable-based and often include dried fruits and olives, along with a fragrant mixture of exotic spices (cumin, coriander, cinnamon, chili, ginger, and allspice, to name just a few). While the first tagine vessels were made of clay and placed directly into a fire, they’re now available in stainless steel and cast-iron versions for both stove-top and oven cooking. The secret to tagine magic is the pot’s vaulted lid. As the aromatic steam emanates from the stew, it condenses on the arch and returns to liquid, running back into the pan for a self-marinating effect. The sleek design of the pot makes for dramatic table presentation too. My favorite tangine vessels are by Le Creuset and All-Clad, but the Emile Henry Flame Top ceramic or traditional clay varieties work just as well.

So brew yourself a pot of coffee with your freshly roasted beans, plug in your induction burner, and warm up with a delicious winter tagine, such as the one on the next page—rich with fennel and dates—from my cookbook Cooking with Johnny Vee. Serve with couscous and enjoy!

Douglas Merriam

ith all the smartphones, computers, and other gadgets constantly hitting the market, one thing is clear: consumers love new products that make life easier. If they’re fun to use, all the better. This holds true in the kitchen as much as anywhere—after all, there’s more to cooking than just standard pots and pans. Here are three items that make the time I spend in the kitchen more pleasurable.

Two are relatively new in the home market, while one has been around for perhaps centuries.

At-Home Roasting: Coffee connoisseurs know that when it comes to beans, it’s the ideal blend and, more importantly, the depth of the roast that turns the little nuggets into fodder for a perfect cuppa joe. The freshness of the grind, too, plays an important role in flavor, so fancy coffee grinders have become de rigueur in the quest for excellence. The new kid on the java block is FreshRoast Coffee Bean Roaster, which allows fans of the high-octane beverage to start with green coffee beans (which have a much longer shelf life) and roast them to their exact palate preference.

Using a forced hot-air technique that keeps the beans hopping and moving as they toast to ensure an even roast, the countersize coffee roaster handles small batches that double in volume as they darken, each batch big enough to make up to 24 cups of coffee. As the green, moisture-rich beans puff and dry, an initial crack signals the start of the roasting. After a second crack, the oils are released and the beans’ flavor soars. That’s the time to activate the cool-down phase and stop the process, avoiding bitter results. Allowing the beans to rest overnight further develops the flavor. When morning comes, let the grinding begin. An added boon is that roasters can be used to roast nuts as well.

Prices vary depending on size but hover in the $100–$160 range.

Magnetic Magic: One of the newest trends in kitchen technology is the induction cooktop, a smooth surface that instantly heats pans while remaining cool to the touch. Unlike traditional cooking methods, induction doesn’t involve flames or red-hot electric heating elements. Instead, it works by producing an electromagnetic field, which creates an electric current directly in the pots or pans placed on top of it. Induction cooking is considered the most efficient way to cook, as it utilizes 90 percent of the energy produced compared to 50 percent used by other cooking methods.

An induction cooker can be embedded directly into the stove-top surface or you can use a portable version, which is great when you need an additional cooking surface. Cookware used in induction must be magnetic (check it with a magnet) and have a flat bottom; popular brands that work include Chantal, Le Creuset, Demeyere, Staub, and All-Clad. The res-

Moroccan Lamb, Fennel, and Date Tagine serves 4–6 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 red onion, thinly sliced 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1½ pounds lamb stew meat ¾ teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon ground ginger 2 teaspoons toasted and ground cumin seeds 2 teaspoons toasted and ground coriander seeds Pinch of allspice ½ teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup pitted dates, chopped 2 cups chicken stock Several sprigs of cilantro 1) Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a tagine and add onion, fennel, and garlic. Sauté until the onions begin to brown. Transfer vegetables to a plate.

2) Add remaining oil to the tagine.

Add the lamb pieces and sauté until evenly browned.

3) Add all the spices and the salt to the meat and cook for one minute over medium heat. Return the vegetables to the pan and add dates and 1 cup stock.

4) Cover and cook gently, stirring occasionally until meat is very tender, 1½ to 2 hours. Add remaining stock a little at a time to keep the meat moist. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

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carving their niche The father-son team at Kopelov Cut Stone creates architectural elements for the ages

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aised 30 miles from New York City, Labe Kopelov’s fondest memories of the Big Apple involve gazing skyward. As a kid, with neck craned and eyes squinted, he was often riveted by the century-old buildings embellished with architectural stone carvings.

“I’ve been in love with historical buildings since I can remember,” says Labe. “I’ve always gravitated toward old stuff and history. Actually, I think you are born with that appreciation. Some people look at an old building and say, ‘So what?’ Others? Well, let’s just say their hearts melt.”

Being one of the latter types, it’s not surprising that Labe grew up to become a stone carver, or that he passed on his passion to his son.

Today, Labe, 58, and son Kino, 28, own Kopelov Cut Stone in Bernalillo, New Mexico, where they create some of the most sought-after stone architectural elements in the Southwest.

The Kopelovs’ mission is to combine the aesthetics of handwork with the efficiency of machines, which revolutionized the business of stone fabrication in the late 1880s. Efficient new machinery sparked a wave of stone building construction at the end of the 19th century, and many of those public and commerical structures are still standing. But even as machine technology evolved, hand-carved stonework remained a highly respected art. Using forged chisels, master carvers still took the time to add detailing that turned blocks of stone into elegant cornices—or gargoyles that made children shiver.

Labe and Kino have found a role in the restoration of important buildings ranging from the Chronicle Building in San Francisco to the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe. From their machine sheds and stone yard in Bernalillo, the two also cut and carve new upscale stonework in demand by modern-day home builders and buyers. These contemporary pieces might be used

By Jane Mahoney

as surrounds for doors, windows, or fireplaces, or perhaps incorporated into new construction as lintels and columns.

While both father and son love, collect, and use old machinery, including a planer that once was housed at the Denver Mint, the Kopelovs certainly don’t shun modern technology. A new water-fed bridge saw, for example, is a recent purchase in the continuum of ancient to present-day tools.

Labe was first introduced to his trade by an uncle in New Jersey. The uncle was a stone mason—a rarity among Labe’s Russian grandparents and extended family, all of whom were employed in the dressmaking and garment trade.

“He looked Italian and had an intense personality,” says Labe.

“My brother and I respected this guy and looked up to him. It was an easy choice for us when it was time for us to get real jobs.”

At 21, Labe became a mason, joining his brother in a West Virginia business enterprise that specialized in laying blocks, bricks, and stone. But his mind, he says, “was elsewhere.” “For me it was a profession that was just too normal. It didn’t seem to have any ambience or romance to it. It just wasn’t the way my brain worked.”

Indeed, the best thing to come from that early masonry job, Labe believes, was falling in love with his future wife, Rae Miller. The couple set out for New Mexico in 1975, living in Silver City, then Albuquerque, then midway between Albuquerque and Santa Fe before settling down in Bernalillo in 1992. By then, Labe was a licensed mason and general contractor with his own business. No great surprise, his medium of choice had become stone.

Meanwhile, the couple’s young son, Kino, was already proving to be a talented young apprentice, a natural at the endangered craft of planing stone slabs and a fine carver as well.

“I thought it was normal to work and learn alongside my parents,” says Kino, who grew up playing and working in the stone yard and tool shops amid jumbled blocks of quarried stone. “By the time I was eight, I was learning by watching.

Even then, I knew I was headed toward a real job. It wasn’t like continued on page 37 Left: A custom fireplace, carved by the Kopelovs from limestone and local sandstone. Below: Kino Kopelov at work.

This page: Rae Miller. Opposite: Julien McRoberts

Masters of New Mexico

Labe and Kino Kopelov Business: Kopelov Cut Stone Location: Bernalillo, New Mexico Favorite New Mexico building: The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi (aka St. Francis Cathedral), in Santa Fe. “By far, the finest exterior stone carving in the state,” says Kino.

Artists who inspire them: Renowned marble sculptors the Piccirilli Brothers; architectural photographer Roloff Beny (Labe); stone carver Nick Fairplay (Kino).

Projects they’re most proud of: Restoration work at the Spreckels Temple of Music in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park (Labe); carving the coat of arms at the entrance to St. Francis Cathedral in Santa Fe (Kino).

continued from page 34

I was just practicing. My work was included in the finished products in a real way. My father didn’t go back over my work and redo it. I was part of the practice. I can remember building fire boxes for fireplaces when I could barely lift the firebrick.”

Stone carving and cutting, which often involve both structural and design elements, are not the same as sculpting explains Kino, who calls himself an architectural stone carver. “I think both carvers and sculptors produce one-of-akind artistic work,” he says. “The process from a sketch on paper to the finished product relies entirely on the carver’s or sculptor’s artistic expression to bring the design to life in the stone. The only difference is that a sculptor often works from less detailed drawings and may have more artistic license.”

Kino uses hammers and his own forged chisels for relief carvings, a skill honed during his years of home schooling. His interests eventually took him to Europe to study ancient and historic architecture.

There, Kino soaked up the old methods and, like his father before him, became dedicated to preserving the art of architecturally hand-carved stone.

Recently, the father-son pair wrapped up a restoration project on the Kohl Building in San Francisco’s Financial District. All the new stone carvings and cutting work has been done at the Bernalillo shop; the Kopelovs, by choice, are rarely involved in the installation process.

Closer to home, they’ve added carvings of coats of arms to the arched entryways of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi in Santa Fe. Using hand chisels, Kino also created a new cross to replace the deteriorated original at the church apex, paying such attention to detail that even the faded, timeworn characteristics of the older cross were replicated on the newer one. His work, no doubt, would have met the approval—and been achieved in much the same manner, with similar tools—of the skilled Italian masons, stone cutters, and builders who began construction on the original church for Archbishop Jean-Baptiste Lamy in 1869.

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SPECIAL ADVERTiSING SECTION

welcome to nob hill

Neighborhoods

Brimming with character, this neighborhood is home to UNM and some of the city’s most exciting shops and restaurants.

Once a Lonesome Mesa Almost a century ago, development in the area started somewhat organically, as the city branched out incrementally from downtown.

One iconic archival photo depicts a man standing in front of a sign bearing the words “Nob Hill” on what appears to be a lonesome mesa; in 1947, that mesa would become home to the Nob Hill Business Center, one of the first modern shopping centers west of the Mississippi 38

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River to incorporate parking. But by then it didn’t require extraordinary vision to realize the area was destined for major development: 10 years earlier, a project that straightened Route 66 (routing interstate traffic through the neighborhood) enabled travelers to pass through New Mexico more directly. Nob Hill became home to the city’s premier shopping district, catering to both passersby and residents alike.

Although Route 66 was decommissioned in the 1980s, Nob Hill has lost none of its vitality, as the neighborhood’s popular entertainment attractions can attest. The Guild Cinema, for example, is Albuquerque’s only alternative movie theater; the Aux Dog Theater features live theatrical performances, often showcasing the work of emerging playwrights; and the National Dance Institute of New Mexico, which recently moved into the newly renovated Hiland Theater, expects to host performances at the 60-year-old venue in the near future. A number of restaurants feature live music as well.

Delicious Dining Nob Hill offers a selection of restaurants normally associated with larger cities, with options for every budget. Within a few short blocks, cuisines range from New Mexican to Japanese, and from gourmet to casual pub fare. Flanking the Nob Hill Business Center is Scalo Northern Italian Grill, which boasts an excellent wine selection to match its award-winning dishes. A few steps away, the original Flying Star Café opened here in 1987 and continues to serve as an ideal meeting place, with great meals and even better desserts. The cosmopolitan Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro is a fine choice for tasty bistro fare or just drinks. O’Neill’s Irish Pub does an incredible burger, while Kelly’s Brew Pub, housed in a renovated 1939 Ford Dealership,

Wes Naman

Central Avenue is Albuquerque’s indisputable Main Street, and no other area through which this stretch of old Route 66 passes retains a charm quite like Nob Hill, a vibrant and progressive community east of the University of New Mexico. The neighborhood is bounded roughly by Girard to the west and Washington to the east, and by Lomas to the north and Zuni to the south. Known for its tree-lined sidewalks and quaint historic homes, many built in the mid-20th century, Nob Hill is a popular shopping and nightlife destination, attracting those looking for something a typical mall can’t offer.

“If you want the familiar and the usual, go to the national chains,” says Jim Neustel, director of Peacecraft, a nonprofit fairtrade store that carries international crafts and clothing among other merchandise. “If you want to find the cool things that are meaningful, go local.”

Neustel is also president of Nob Hill Main Street, a grassroots urban revitalization effort established under the auspices of the state’s office of economic development and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “Even as we move forward with strategic business plans, many people, including my fellow shopkeepers, are really attracted to the neighborhood’s sense of history and want to preserve it,” he says.

ec-lek’-tic

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“the Jewel of Nob Hill”

Nob Hill Architecture With popular styles like Pueblo Revival and Territorial Revival, most of the homes in the Nob Hill area are of modest size and often feature wood floors, arched doorways, and built-in shelving. But the neighborhood is also home to a few of the city’s more unusual residential structures: Bart Prince’s head-turning “spaceship” house on Monte Vista; the “Log Cabin” on Tulane, built in 1928 by prominent developer DBK Sellars as a prototype for a resort he planned to build in the Manzano Mountains (the 1929 crash put an end to that plan); and the “Water Tower House,” which was designed around a large cistern built in 1916 to provide water for the as yet undeveloped area.

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features an expansive dog-friendly patio and on-site brewing. Many other eateries make for great date nights, casual meals with friends, or refueling spots while shopping.

Shopping Treasures With more than 200 independently owned businesses, Nob Hill is home to the most diverse retail selection in town, with goods ranging from comic books, vintage clothing, and vinyl records to antiques, crafts, and all kinds of funky, one-of-a-kind items.

There are some fine deco­r and furniture shops here as well.

Ec-lek-tic offers gorgeous furnishings from Eastern Asia like Tibetan altars and Mongolian worship cabinets. Hey Jhonny is an ever-changing showcase of beautiful, artistic objects from across the globe. Masks y Mas sells Mexican and other imported folk masks plus Day of the Dead art and curios. Cowboys and Indians Antiques is a great source for older Native American arts and crafts.

And Morningside Antiques is considered by aficionados to be among the best of its kind in Albuquerque.

Many stores, like The Book Stop (which carries an excellent selection of art and architecture books) have been here for decades.

“The charm of Nob Hill has always been its small-scale and idiosyncratic businesses with owner-operators usually in the shops,” says Jerry Lane, who owns the used-book store.

Lane has been in business in eight different Nob Hill locations since the late 1970s and has never considered moving shop outside of the neighborhood. “This is a neighborhood of faces, where people really know each other,” he says.­

Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro

3009 Central Ave. NE • (505)-254-9462 • www.zincabq.com A three level bistro in Nob Hill – Zinc’s dining room features contemporary cuisine with a French flare seven nights a week. The intimate Cellar Bar serves a lighter menu, with happy hour daily and live music on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday nights. Independently owned with an emphasis on local ingredients – serving dinner, weekend brunch, and tasty bar bites!

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Despite undergoing a thorough renovation, the small but striking house built in the early 1900s still has a traditional feel.

charm house A historic Los Ranchos structure gets a long-awaited makeover that honors its past while welcoming the future.

By Laura Sanchez Photography by Wes Naman

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he drive north from downtown Albuquerque on Rio Grande Boulevard is one of the prettiest around, passing near the lush bosque and eventually, about five miles out, the village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. Not far from Los Poblanos Historic Inn and Organic Farm, at the end of a lane lined with cottonwoods, sits a unique old house that’s somewhat of a local landmark. Its trimwork, stucco, and pitched roof are pure, historic New Mexico, predating the term “Santa Fe style.” But its simple, eyepleasing proportions would work nicely in almost any setting.

“People have told me that it used to look like a European farmhouse—and it still does,” says Karl Larson of Larson Homes, who finished remodeling the 100-year-old structure last summer.

Larson Homes can be reached at 505-249-3621 or at larson1234@q.com.

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The two-story home was built in the early 1900s, when Los Poblanos was its own village, and it originally served as a mill for the local farming community.

Water in a ditch that drained nearby swampland into the Rio Grande was used to power the mill; when Larson began the remodeling project, about three years ago, he found a trough under the floors that apparently channeled that water.

Tearing out those old floors, however, was just the beginning. Judging by the avocado-colored kitchen appliances, the house had last been remodeled in the 1970s, but it had been sitting empty for 25 years before its current owners hired Larson. He had an enormous job ahead of him, replacing the broken windows, gaping doors, peeling stucco, and destroyed interiors. The roof was trashed, and a 60-foot-tall cottonwood had grown into an addition added at the rear.

“It was in really bad shape,” Larson says. “It was a challenge, but it was doable. I’ve worked on lots of houses that people might have chosen to tear down but we remodeled and brought back to places that didn’t seem possible.”

Above: a quiet corner of the living room, just off the foyer, holds traditional artwork and an antique desk and chair. Right: a small balcony off the master bedroom faces Rio Grande Boulevard and the Sandia Mountains.

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The dining area is furnished with authentic New Mexico antiques and features a tinwork trastero and light fixtures.

The master bedroom (here and bottom right, opposite) is decorated with Native American art and crafts; the views from the windows include the home’s beautiful surrounding property.

Above: the floor in the living room, which includes antique lamps and other furnishings, was replaced with old planks from a dairy barn in Willard, New Mexico. Below: a narrow window sits at the top of a brick-lined stairway.

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Above: a hand-carved desk and chairs dominate the office found in the home’s rebuilt rear addition. Below: the light- and tile-filled breakfast nook displays retablos of San Pascual and San Ysidro on its plaster walls.

preserving the past while looking to the future The Los Ranchos house had three distinct sections, all of them a mess. Larson stripped the main part of the two-story building down to its original masonry walls built with a double thickness of brick. He demolished the small, two-story addition in the rear, including the cottonwood that was edging its way indoors. He also gutted the narrow, one-story sunroom that was framed along the south side of the building.

Then came the fun part. Larson rebuilt the rear addition within its former footprint, and up went a steeply pitched roof to support the original tin roofing he salvaged. Larson refurbished the brick walls of the main house, leaving their interior surfaces selectively exposed, painted, or stuccoed.

Throughout the remodel, Larson made authenticity a high priority, honoring the homeowners’ interest in Northern New Mexico history and style—both of which are interests of Larson’s too. Larson grew up in Tomé, New Mexico, with a father who spent his free time selling antiques and salvaging timbers, roofing, flooring, and fittings from old buildings nearby and in the East Mountains. Before beginning work on this farmhouse, Larson had recently finished remodeling his own historic home, a 1910 Queen Anne Victorian in Belén.

Another priority during the renovation was energy efficiency. Throughout the house, Larson used energy-efficient Jeld-Wen windows that looked similar to the originals, and he added two inches of insulation to the exterior brick walls.

That, combined with fans at the top of the house and shade from the surrounding cottonwoods, kept the rooms comfortable all last summer, the hottest on record continued on page 70

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SUCASAMAGAZINE.COM

Job #: 101906 Su Casa Magazine comb ad Trim size: 1/2 pg Horizontal - Trim: 8” x 4.8125” Live: 7.5” x 4.3125” Colors: 4C process Bleed: No Ins Date: 2010 Winter issue Pub: SuCasa Magazine Materials: PDF file via FTP at = ftp.sucasamagazine.com | Username = sucasaftp | Password = 2kp2re82

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vive la différence

A stunning setting and forward-thinking design (with a point!) make Oblio House a standout.

By Alicia Kellogg

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Photography by Robert Reck

he wooded mountain setting east of Albuquerque where Bryan Pletta and Cristina Radu built their energy-efficient house felt perfect from the moment they found it. Before they even broke ground, the couple and their dogs spent hours walking among the ponderosa pines that cover the site.

Now that their home is a reality, they hike the trail that starts just outside their back door, exploring the nearby open space and continuing to marvel at the never-ending views. “We were hanging out with a glass of wine on the rocks last night,” Radu recalls. “It was peaceful and beautiful—you can’t beat it.”

Pletta and Radu’s clean-edged modern house, partially clad in rusting steel, seems to merge with the surrounding rock and trees on its steeply sloped site. That’s

Architect: Edward Fitzgerald/Architects, 505-268-9055 efarchitects.com

Left, top: Architect Ed Fitzgerald aligned the stairway and facing slot window with a view of South Mountain.

The concrete floor is by Albuquerque Polished Concrete Company.

Left, bottom: The rusted steel that covers part of the home’s exterior came from the concept of a shell in the desert. “The outside of the shell is rough and weathered,” says Fitzgerald, “but then it allows for the inside to be soft and inviting.”

Opposite page, top: Fitzgerald accompanied Radu and Pletta when they selected the spectacular site for their house. “We felt like it had a special energy and personality to it,” he says.

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intentional, says architect Ed Fitzgerald of Albuquerque-based Edward Fitzgerald/Architects, explaining that the goal was to integrate the building into the landscape. “The idea was that you stepped down through the house into the sanctuary of the natural setting.” As if to honor the beauty of the surrounding land, from the outset the homeowners aimed to build as sustainably as possible. “We just felt like it was the right thing to do,” says Pletta, who owns Stone Age Climbing Gym in Albuquerque. “Once we became educated, we felt like there really wasn’t any other choice.”

For this couple, an important step in that education was a course on sustainable architecture at the University of New Mexico, which they signed up for soon after they began working with the architect. “It really opened our eyes to the green-building process and what was involved,” Pletta says.

As part of the home’s passive solar design, Fitzgerald placed the large windows of the living room facing south to take advantage of passive solar heat gain.

The home’s west side is built into the sloped ground for protection from the western sun and wind, while the heavily insulated north side has minimal open-

Ash olive consoles and rectangular sinks, both by Duravit, give the master bath a zen-like feel.

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ings. The east side is defined by pre498007_01719 cise, thoughtfully placed windows that frame the site’s mountain5.375" views. x 7.375" “We used the strong diagonal axis to 4C South Mountain to align the stairway that brings you down into the main living area,” Fitzgerald says.

Pletta and Radu chose to incorporate a 3.6-kilowatt grid-tied photovoltaic system to produce their home’s electricity, while a solar thermal system is used for radiant heat and domestic hot water. “Most of the green things we did that cost extra money reduce the cost of living in the house,” Pletta says. They buy electricity from the grid when their home’s demand exceeds its photovoltaic production, but they can also put their excess power back into the system when they produce more than they need. “Depending on the year, and how sunny it is, and how many snowstorms we get, I would call it pretty much a wash,” Pletta says. “When the time comes for us to move away from here, whoever takes over this house is going to benefit from our investments as well,” adds Radu, who works as an environmental engineer with EA Engineering, Science, and Technology.

The home’s honest use of materials dovetails with its green mission in the exposed concrete floors and no-maintenance steel portion of the exterior. Instead of concrete, they used rocks unearthed during excavation to build retaining walls. During construction, the couple even decided they didn’t need a Dumpster.

With Pletta acting as contractor in the building of the home (with assistance from building consultant Tom Schmidt of Teko Custom Builders), they separated their construction waste and recycled everything they could. Instead of hauling scrap lumber to the dump, they used it to heat the house that first winter with their energy-efficient woodstove. Thanks to their efforts, the home earned Gold-level certification from Build Green New Mexico, as well as a merit

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Badge of Honor In an ultra-green Lamy home, form stylishly follows function­ and does its owners proud.

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By Kathleen McCloud

B

Photography by Douglas Merriam

ack when green was just a color—long before the word became a well-known marketing moniker—Washington, D.C.­– area residents Jack and Cindy Clark believed in environmental responsibility. And the more they learned, the more they recognized the need for a lifestyle that supported sustainability from the ground up. “Given what’s going on in the world today, we wanted to become as self-sustainable as possible, as soon as possible,” Jack says. “That means harvesting our own water, heating with solar, and gardening organically.”

The Clarks dreamed of building an ultra-low-impact home, but it wasn’t going to be in D.C. (“Too much pollution,” says Jack.) Instead, as retirement neared, they chose Lamy, New Mexico, as ground zero for their personal green revolution. Today, as Jack stands in the entryway of the award-winning, 1,550-square-foot home he designed and built with Mark Giorgetti of Palo Santo Designs, he explains how they made it all happen.

“We’d taken sustainable building workshops in New Mexico,” he says, “and we stayed in a friend’s off-the-grid straw bale house in Golden for a summer. The water system wasn’t working so we showered with rainwater.” The system was eventually restored, but the Clarks’ buck-up attitude speaks to the their determination to live lightly upon the earth.

No starry-eyed idealist, Jack set about designing a sustainable house within a budget that would allow him and Cindy to feather their nest with contemporary, eco-friendly materials throughout.

While Cindy continued working in D.C., where she’s a librarian at the Jack and Cindy Clark’s home in Lamy features contemporary, eco-friendly elements like a pitched corrugated steel roof and photovoltaic panels.

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High ceilings and an open floor plan give the home—particularly the living room and kitchen and dining areas—a spacious feel.

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National Institutes of Health, Jack, a former Marine Corps officer and elementary school teacher, looked for a builder with vision to construct their house.

He wound up hiring Giorgetti, who shared his interest in environmental issues—Giorgetti has a master’s degree in climate change and carbon management—and enjoyed working closely with clients.

“We made the right choice in builders,” Jack says.

“It was a total collaboration.” He nods toward the loft in the center of the house, which is illuminated by two ridgeline skylights that have been gel-coated for increased insulation. “I slept there for much of the project. Once the crew saw that I could effectively help, they let me,” Jack notes.

“Building green is not an add-on,” says Giorgetti.

“It’s smart design and an integrated approach to quality, durability, and appropriateness, taking into consideration the global setting as well as the site setting.” He points out the corrugated steel roof, which is pitched, Northern New Mexico­–­style, at 36 degrees to optimize solar gain and support low-profile photovoltaic panels.

Construction on the Clarks’ house began in November 2010, after crews cordoned off large areas of the land to prevent unnecessary damage to the vegetation.

The building was sited for passive solar heating and cooling, the first step in creating a comfortable, costeffective, energy-efficient home. According to Giorgetti, solar panels and mechanical ventilation systems work together to create a “high-performance building envelope.” For the homeowner, that translates into comfort without wasteful energy consumption.

Inspired by the Ohio farm he grew up on, Jack’s design for his home’s exterior included practical and affordable agricultural-industrial touches, such as corrugated steel siding and sliding, barn-style doors that Left: Jack’s vision for the exterior of the house was inspired by the farm he grew up on in Ohio. Agriculturalindustrial touches include barn-style doors, corrugated steel siding, stainless steel gutters, above- and belowground cisterns, wainscoting, and Pumice-Crete walls. Above: The home’s poured-earth floor is sealed with linseed oil and polished to a leather-like finish.

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Formaldehyde-free, low-VOC paint was used throughout the house in shades of olive and sage, with red accents popping up in places like hallways and the master bedroom.

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“Building green is not an add-on,” says Mark Giorgetti. “It’s smart design and an integrated approach to quality, durability, and appropriateness, taking into consideration the global setting as well as the site setting.”

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The home’s living area sits at one end of the building’s “exterior box”—the rectangle that surrounds the home’s core—as part of the overall “box-in-a-box” layout of the interior.

flank the front door. Stainless-steel gutters, cisterns (aboveand below-ground), and wainscoting around the foundation of the Pumice-Crete walls function as a water catchment and moisture-barrier system. Jack chose Pumice-Crete because it’s more affordable than adobe and provides more insulation.

Inside, an open floorplan and high, pitched ceilings make the house feel spacious. The “box-in-a-box” layout, as Giorgetti and Jack refer to it, features a rectangular middle core— the interior “box”—that encloses the bathroom and laundry areas. Keeping the rooms that utilize plumbing all together conserves energy used to heat water. Directly above the central core is Jack’s office loft, accessible by a captain’s ladder.

The “exterior box”—the rectangle surrounding the home’s core—is occupied on one end by a public space that includes the living and dining areas and the kitchen, which

backs up against the core plumbing area for efficiency. On the opposite end of the house is the bedroom, where builtin cabinets and a bedframe with built-in drawers provide storage while helping maintain the home’s open look.

Paint used throughout the house—shades of olive and sage, with red, yellow, and blue accents—is formaldehyde-free and has a low level of VOCs (volatile organic compounds), while the earth-toned exterior walls are covered with American Clay natural-earth plaster. A brown poured-earth floor, sealed with linseed oil and polished to a leather-like finish, ties the house together, being both cost-effective and elegant.

“We fully anticipate this house will receive LEED Platinum certification, the highest level,” says Giorgetti, referring to the international program that rates homes on their energy and water efficiency, site stewardship, and air quality, along with

Palo Santo Designs can be reached at 505-670-4236 or through palosantodesigns.com.

their overall environmental performance. The house has already been recognized by the Santa Fe Area Home Builders Association, receiving three green-building awards and a general award for fine craftsmanship in the 2011 Parade of Homes.

Jack and Giorgetti could spend hours pointing out the home’s many eco-friendly features, such as two large solar panels that work silently just outside the bedroom window. They’re visible but not style violators: This house celebrates the look that goes hand-in-hand with integrated energy and water conservation. As Jack says, “That look is a badge of honor.”

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she adores. At McGuire’s house, a tacked-up piece of wallpaper featuring a large-scale vintage spoon is not just about a spoon. It’s a larger-than-life reminder of a trip to Paris.

and always, something personal

Architecturally, these neighboring homes are similar, but McGuire’s built-in bookshelves are deep mahogany and filled with favorite books on classic literature, poetry, and design, while Roehl’s are covered in chalkboard paint and display chalk-drawn books among the real titles. Roehl’s pink fireplace brings out the colors in the framed Nama Rococo wallpaper above the hearth, while McGuire’s lends a quiet architectural presence. Given this initial contrast of elegance and exuberance, it’s interesting to spot places where their distinctive styles overlap. Stripes make an appearance at both houses—on the wall across from McGuire’s desk and on the floor in Roehl’s bathroom—as do modern baroque pieces like Roehl’s Lucite candelabra or McGuire’s bedroom chandelier. Now and then, the same object finds its way into both houses, such as the Clockwise from top: A throw pillow adorned with winged skulls rests on a wingback chair in McGuire’s living room; McGuire designed her headboard, which she had built by Lira’s Home Upholstery; Roehl enjoys colorful accessories such as this vintage ice bucket; Roehl’s stoneware peacock, designed to hold lollipops, is by Jonathan Adler.

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chipper, white porcelain squirrel by Jonathan Adler. This is not surprising, really, considering both women cite Adler, along with Kelly Wearstler, as a favorite designer.

What truly sets these homes apart are the meaningful pieces you won’t find anywhere else. It’s Roehl’s grandmother’s loveseat, reupholstered in fuchsia, or the painting by McGuire’s niece that hangs in her bedroom.

“Life’s too short,” McGuire says. “If it’s in your house, you should love it.” The fact that these good friends can talk across their garden wall is icing on the cake.

Clockwise from top right: A black and white color scheme is dramatic in McGuire’s office; vintage tea-time accessories; the two chairs in McGuire’s office go with the dining room set at Roehl’s house; in McGuire’s dining room, a large 1920s mirror coordinates with a modern mirrored dresser.

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tally so you see more veining in it. Granite slabs are usually polished, but now they’re doing an antique finish, leaving it more in its natural state. They used to bullnose the edges, but now they’re chiseling them. The things they’re currently doing with stone make it appropriate for use in styles from oldworld to modern to contemporary.

What are some of the possibilities for using tile as a design feature?

Today more people are using outdoor spaces—kitchens, fireplaces, pool areas—as an extension of their indoor spaces, and these are areas where you can put tile. You can do tile rugs now that can be exposed to the elements without the maintenance issues you’d have with a fabric rug. Mosaic murals are amazing. When you think outside the box, you can come up with a lot of ideas for where to incorporate tile.

How does budget factor into the process of tiling your home?

We have many different price points, and we truly cater to any budget you need to work with. We might use a really good price point tile for the majority of the project, then use one square foot of the more expensive product, and it can look fabulous.

We can use just a few pieces, which might run less than $100, but they make your kitchen look like a million bucks.

On average, we can probably start at around $2.70 per square foot. Porcelain tiles can go up to $7 or $8 a square foot; travertine can go from $2.50 a square foot to $20 a square foot. The more exotic the stone is, the higher the price is going to be. We have one tile, a Walker Zanger product, that’s priced at close to $1,000 a square foot. It’s so expensive because it has gold and silver leaf on it.

Photos courtesy of Walker Zanger/Architectural Surfaces Inc.

What decorative elements do clients get excited about?

We see a lot of people who absolutely love hand-painted tiles and are in awe of adobe homes and Southwest-style homes.

These are things we might take for granted here, but people just don’t see them in other parts of the country. We have so many cultures here; people love New Mexico and appreciate what we have to offer as being something different.

Architectural Surfaces Inc. can be reached at 505-889-0124 or through asitileandstone.com.

Above: Glass tiles by Weave were inspired by nature, evoking elements such as air and water. Below: the layered, linear look of marble tile by Helsinki works well in modern settings. Right: Hand-cut marbleized glass—Horn Rhythm Field by Chelsea Art Glass—brings warmth to a kitchen area.

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every picture tells a story Images are front and center in books on New Mexico history, decorating with salvage finds, and art deco architecture New Mexico: Celebrating the Land of Enchantment, by Richard Melzer Gibbs Smith, hardcover, $40

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Left: Hodgin Hall at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, ca. 1915. Right: the road on La Bajada, looking south, ca. 1925.

Left: Photo courtesy the Albuquerque Museum/Gibbs Smith; right: Palace of the Governors/Gibbs Smith

F

or decades, historian and UNM-Valencia professor Richard Melzer has helped New Mexicans better understand the rich history of this state—by teaching in the classroom, authoring textbooks and biographies focusing on the American Southwest, and speaking publicly about topics ranging from security at Los Alamos National Lab to unusual gravesites across the state.

In honor of New Mexico’s centennial this year, Melzer adds one more teaching experience to his repertoire with New Mexico: Celebrating the Land of Enchantment.

He touches on many geographical areas in the state and makes use of rare photographs (accompanied by succinct but meaningful descriptions) to show readers how New Mexico has changed—and how it has remained the same— during its 100 years of statehood.

Images of dustbowl refugees near Roswell in 1937 and photographs of Navajos protesting police brutality on the streets of Farmington in 1974 are just a few examples of how Melzer’s pictures pay homage to the state’s endurance, while shots of the Santa Fe Fiesta in 1942 comment on New Mexico’s commitment to traditions that remain today. The historian has created a type of common ground for discovering New Mexico’s evolution, whether in the realm of politics, business, technology, communication, or the arts. What better way to absorb a state’s history than to see it for yourself?—Samantha Schwirck

Salvage Secrets: Transforming Reclaimed Materials into Design Concepts, by Joanne Palmisano, photographs by Susan Teare, W.W. Norton, $40

Photo courtesy W. W. Norton

If you’re someone who associates words like reclaimed and salvaged with ugly or out-of-date, Joanne Palmisano wants to change your way of thinking. In Salvage Secrets, the Vermont-based designer and “creative recycler” proves that with a little imagination, previously used building materials can be incorporated into interiors that are charming, stylish, and (dispelling another myth) surprisingly affordable.

Right away, Palmisano promotes the appeal of salvaged materials: In addition to respecting our planet, they add one-of-a-kind character to any home.

“Using salvaged material is more of an art than a science due to the everchanging age, structure, size, and shape of the materials chosen—no two boards, bricks, or metal pieces are ever identical,” she writes in the introduction. So

Old tiles were broken and used to create the mosaics on this colorful staircase—one of many design ideas from Salvage Secrets.

Photo courtesy W. W. Norton

Architectural salvage warehouses store treasures waiting to be discovered.

rather than step-by-step instructions or design “musts,” Palmisano presents a thorough introduction to the world of salvage design, with just enough practical information to get even a beginner started. Dozens of color photos of interiors that include reclaimed elements help bring the author’s points to life.

Chapters are organized by material—wood, glass, metal, stone, concrete, and brick—and Palmisano discusses each material in detail, including where to find it and where you might use it in your home. Examples abound: An old wooden counter from an architectural salvage shop can be used as a kitchen island; an antique metal gate makes a gorgeous fireplace screen; old lab stools (check local universities) look retro-cool in a modern kitchen.

Basic design tips (on things like balance and proportion) are included in the last chapter, but the end-of-the-book resource guide, which lists locations and websites that sell salvage materials, is the more valuable tool. Armed with ideas from the book and some great places to shop (or sift through), you’re well on your way to creating a unique, comfortable, earth-friendly home.—SS

Art Deco Postcards, by Patricia Bayer, Thames & Hudson, hardcover, $28

Art deco architecture was big the world over in the 1920s and ’30s. From pavilions at international expositions to monumental train stations in Midwestern cities, from now-iconic skyscapers (including New York’s Empire State and Chrysler Buildings) to roadside diners and motels, architects designed eclectic buildings that referenced everything from Mesopotamia to the Machine Age. Art Deco Postcards is a fun-to-peruse exploration of this elegant style, presenting more than 250 vintage architectural postcards, many from the author’s personal collection. “Postcards of buildings, skylines, and street scenes produced in the

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The Court Cafe, on 114 North Fourth Street in Albuquerque, was a fine example of Pueblo Deco style, combining art deco and regional influences.

1920s to 1940s offer a fascinating overview of the global appeal of art deco in its various manifestations,” art historian Patricia Bayer writes in her brief introduction.

It’s a somewhat idealized overview, given the nature of the art. Most of the postcards feature black-andwhite photos colorized with pastel tones or touched-up artist’s renderings—“touched up,” Bayer explains, meaning that the colors weren’t necessarily true and artists were free to “remove unwanted, unsightly elements or even add an extra storey” to the buildings depicted.

Still, the glamour and energy of the architecture comes through, as does the scope of art deco’s reach. While buildings in Miami Beach and Paris are featured, so are ones in Omaha, Cincinnati, and Albuquerque. Both longtime art deco fans and readers just learning about the style will appreciate the retro charm of Art Deco Postcards.

—Dianna Delling

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in Albuquerque, and the evaporative cooler Larson installed was never needed. (For winter, he put in a high-efficiency forced-air furnace.)

celebrating local style

From the moment one approaches the home—small but blessed with immense presence—its old-style New Mexico charm is evident. The front walkway and patio are paved with multicolored penitentiary brick, manufactured by New Mexico prisoners for several decades around the turn of the last century. Five steps built of the same brick lead up to the door and a white-paneled entry, where visitors are greeted with photographs of the almost-derelict house just before work began.

The living and dining areas, which take up most of the first floor, are furnished with authentic New Mexico antiques, including tables and chairs, lamps and paintings, and a tinwork trastero and light fixtures. Larson replaced the original floor with old planks salvaged from a dairy barn in Willard, New Mexico. The cows in that barn had assigned stalls, each one marked with their names, and two of those names—“Polly” and “Ruby”—are still visible on the plank floors in the living room.

The dining area opens onto a new kitchen and breakfast nook in the light-filled, tile-floored south addition. Retablos of San Pascual and San Ysidro grace the plaster walls. An arched opening creates a pass-through from the kitchen into the dining area, just above a narrow cabinet that serves as a buffet.

From the breakfast nook, a half-flight of stairs leads down to the rear addition, which contains an office and half bath. Here, too, the furnishings are delightful: a handsome, hand-carved desk and chairs could have come from an old-time cattle spread, while the straw hats scattered about are more sombrero-style than Texas ten-gallon. French doors open from the office to another brick patio at ground level behind the house.

Upstairs in the master bedroom, windows look out at treetop level and down at the beautiful surrounding property, which includes an old barn built with terron, an earthen brick that is similar to adobe. A tiny balcony, one of the building’s

The new kitchen is adjacent to the dining room, with an arched pass-through creating a convenient connection between the two areas. Opposite page: The home’s bathrooms feature ornate but elegant details.

Throughout the remodel, Karl Larson of Larson Homes made authenticity a high priority, honoring the homeowners’ interest in Northern New Mexico history and style. most noticeable exterior features, faces Rio Grande Boulevard and the Sandia Mountains. Native American art and crafts decorate the bedroom walls, completing the collection of treasures from New Mexico’s traditional three cultures.

The owners’ original aim, Larson says, was to save the farmhouse from further decay. But they found themselves wanting “to put more into it,” and, having worked with Larson, the results are spectacular. They’ve preserved one of the few remaining historic North Valley buildings that give the area its unique charm and serenity.

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DPW Solar

Resources Use this section to identify some of the services pertaining to the design and construction of homes featured in this issue. Although we’ve made every effort to verify business names, numbers, and websites prior to publication, Su Casa assumes no responsibility for errors or changes to information subsequent to publication. charm house, page 41 Builder: Larson Homes, Karl Larson, 505-249-3621, larson1234@q.com Architect: James C. Lewis Architects, 505-247-1529 Insulation: Millers Insulation, 505-924-2214, millersinsulation.com Iron work: Angelo Torres, 505-440-9692, angelotorresartistry.com Lumber and windows: Raks Building Supply, 505-865-1100, raks.com Plaster/stucco: StaRite Lath and Plaster, 505-352-2273 Plumbing and HVAC: M & M Plumbing, 505-832-6568, mmplumbingllc.com Roofing: Piñon Roofing, 505-242-6085 Trusses: Champion Truss, 505-873-8787, championtruss.com Landscaping: Westwind Landscape Construction, 505-881-8925, westwindlandscape.com badge of honor, page 54 Builder: Palo Santo Designs LLC, Mark Giorgetti, 505-670-4236, palosantodesigns.com Cabinets: Magnificent Construction, 505-473-2690 Irrigation and landscape: San Isidro Permaculture, 505-983-3841, sipermaculture.com LEED project team: AIM Electric Inc., 505-466-2997, aimelectricinc.com / Amenergy LLC 505-424-1131, amenergynm.com / EcoTerra Enterprises Inc., 505-795-5992, santafehers.com / Evergreen Building Solutions LLC, 505-474-6419, evergreenbuildingsolutions.com / Green Insight, 505-280-6564, thegreeninsight.wordpress.com / Marcus Scott Plumbing & Heating, 505-470-9317 Plaster: Sam’s Stucco, 505-570-4822 Pumice-Crete: Pumice-Crete Building Systems of New Mexico, 575-751-3076, pumicecrete.com

SunMntSuWinter2011_SunMntSuWinter2011 11/30/11 8:50 AM Page 1

Rain harvest: The RainCatcher, 505-501-4407, theraincatcherinc.com Steel railings: Mesa Steel, 505-474-6811 vive la diffÊrence/oblio house, page 48 Architect: Edward Fitzgerald, Edward Fitzgerald/Architects, 505-268-9055, efarchitects.com Cabinet installation: Southwest Millwork & Cabinets, 505-803-4425 Finish carpentry: John Tierney, 505-235-8881 Floors: Albuquerque Polished Concrete Company, 505-888-1927, polishedconcretecompany.com Grading and sitework: PG Enterprises, 505-873-9593, pgenterprisesnm.com HERS rating: Building Energy Solutions, 505-269-2969, buildingenergysolutions.com PV electric system: Eclectic Electric, 505-281-9538 Solar heating system: Mud & Sun Construction, 505-281-2202 Structural steel and railings: Anglim’s Custom Fabrication, 505-250-9852 Stucco: Giraudo Lath and Plaster, Steve Giraudo, 505-877-8744

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Building green, says Bryan Pletta, “was the right thing to do. Once we became educated, we felt like there really wasn’t any other choice.” award from the New Mexico chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council.

The architectural community has shown its appreciation as well. “Oblio House,” as Fitzgerald officially calls the project, won design awards in 2009 and 2011 from AIA Albuquerque and AIA New Mexico. The name Oblio House comes from a movie Radu and Pletta both saw as children. In The Point, a boy named Oblio is banished from his town because he doesn’t have a pointed head like everyone else.

While he is away, the creatures he meets help him realize that everything—regardless of its shape—has a point. “We felt like this house is a little bit different from your normal house, but even though it’s not the same as everything else, it does have a point,” Bryan explains. “We thought it was a good analogy.”

Like its forward-thinking green philosophy, the home’s modern design is also a bit different­, and Radu wouldn’t have it any other way. When the couple first moved in, she recalls, “I’d look around and think, I really live here?” Now, she continues, “when I come home, I don’t want to go anywhere.”

The main windows in the living room face south in order to take advantage of passive solar heat gain.

Statement of Ownership

1.Publication Title: Su Casa. 2.Publication No.: 23618 3.Filing Date: 10/04/10, 4.Issue Frequency: Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn., 5.No. of Issues Published Annually: 4 6.Annual Subscription Price: $9.95, 7.Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication (Not Printer): 215 W. San Francisco, Suite 300, Santa Fe, NM, 87501. Contact Person: Bruce Adams, 505-983-1444, 8.Complete Mailing Address of Headquarters or General Business Office of Publisher (Not Printer): 215 W. San Francisco, Suite 300, Santa Fe, NM, 87501. 9.Full Names and Complete Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor: Publisher: Bruce Adams, 215 W. San Francisco, Suite 300, Santa Fe, NM, 87501. Editor: Dianna Delling, 4100 Wolcott Ave. NE, Suite B, Albuquerque, NM 87109. Owner: Bella Media, 215 W. San Francisco, Suite 300, Santa Fe, NM, 87501., 11.Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None. 12.Tax Status: For completion by nonprofit organizations authorized to mail at nonprofit rates. The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months.

13.Publication Title: Su Casa. 14.Issue Date for circulation data below: 06/01/2011, 15.Extent and nature of circulation: A.Total no. copies (Net Press Run): Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 24,200. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 21,282. B.Paid and/or requested circulation: 1.Paid/requested outside-county mail subscriptions stated on Form 3541 (Include advertiser’s proof and exchange copies): Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 7,035. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 9,000. 2.Paid in-county subscriptions stated on Form 3541 (Include advertiser’s proof and exchange copies): Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 0.

Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 0. 3.Sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other Non-USPS Paid Distribution: Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 6,000. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 7,000., 4.Other classes mailed through the USPS: Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 86. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 20., C.Total Paid and/or Requested Circulation (Sum of 15b (1), (2), (3), and (4)): Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 12,218. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 12,273. D. Free Distribution by Mail (Samples, complimentary, and other free): 1.Outside County as stated on Form 3541: Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 0. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 0. 2.In-County as stated on form 3541: Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 0. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 0. 3.Other classes mailed through the USPS: Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 0. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 0. 4.Free distribution outside the mail (carriers or other means): Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 3,275. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 5,736. E.Total free distribution (Sum of 15D): Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 6,000. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 5,736. F.Total distribution (Sum of 15C and 15E): Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 24,200. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 25,200. G.Copies not distributed: Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 6,600. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 3,273., H.Total (Sum of 15F and 15G): Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 24,200. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 21,282.

I.Percent paid and/or requested circulation (15C divided by 15F, times 100): Average no. copies each issue during preceding 12 months, 78.86%. Actual no. copies of single issue published nearest to filing date, 68.15%., 16.This statement of ownership will be printed in the Winter 2011 (December 2011) issue of this publication., 17.I certify that all information stated above is true and complete: Bruce Adams, Publisher, November 1, 2011.

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Winter 2012 Advertisers 310 Solar...............................................................................................................19 Accurate Mortgage...........................................................................................23 ABQ Home Expo..............................................................................................75 Adobe Bungalow................................................................................................77 Albuquerque Home & Garden Show.........................................................72 Albuquerque Stair LLC .....................................................................................71 Ameriplex Mortgage..........................................................................................8 Annex General Contracting and Design.....................................................77 Architectural Surfaces, Inc.............................................................................61 Build Green New Mexico...............................................................................77 Builders Source Appliance Gallery.................................................................1 BW Earp Lath & Plaster.................................................................................79 Centinela Traditional Arts.............................................................................79 CST Solar............................................................................................................15 Culligan SW Water Conditioning……..............................................…………47 David C. Peterson Construction..................................................................71 Demilec USA, LLC........................................................................................68 Diego Handcrafted Homes...........................................................................61 DPW Solar Solutions.......................................................................................72 Ec-lek-tic..........................................................................................................39 Ernest Thompson Furniture & Custom Cabinets.....................................75 Fabu-WALL-ous Solutions...........................................................................77 Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery..................................................31 First National Bank of Santa Fe...................................................................37 General Electric...................................................................................................7 Hanks House.......................................................................................................9 Hermanson Construction, Inc......................................................................10 Homes by Joe Boyden......................................................................................74 Keller Williams Realty.....................................................................................17 Kitchens by Craig.............................................................................................22 Koinonia Architects & Builders....................................................................37 La Mesa of Santa Fe........................................................................................79

Marie Enterprises, Inc........................................................inside front cover Mike’s Quality Painting...................................................................................79 Monticelo Homes Inc.....................................................................................79 NanaWall........................................................................................................11 Natural Lighting Company, The .....................................................................69 New Haven Homes..........................................................................................70 New Mexico Bank & Trust.............................................................................29 Paa-Ko Communities......................................................................................13 Palo Santo Designs LLC.................................................................................76 Panorama Homes.................................................................inside back cover Pella Window & Door.....................................................................................22 PG Enterprises..................................................................................................66 Piñon Window & Door....................................................................................73 PNM & NMGC Energy Star Homes Program.........................................4 Pro Source..........................................................................................................78 Rocky Mountain Stone...................................................................................72 Sierra Pacific Windows....................................................................back cover Southwest Foam Solutions ...........................................................................78 Statements In Tile/Lighting/Kitchen/Flooring......................................47 Strahle Tile & Granite, Inc.............................................................................76 SWAIA Santa Fe Indian Market.................................................................64 Sun Mountain Construction.........................................................................73 There’s No Place Like Home........................................................................67 Thompson Heating and Air Conditioning..............................................69 Tierra Concepts...................................................................................................3 Ultimate Home Showcase..............................................................................36 U.S. New Mexico Federal Credit Union......................................................2 Union Savings Bank..........................................................................................33 Wells Fargo Bank..............................................................................................53 Western Building Supply................................................................................21 Wholesale Timber & Viga................................................................................53 Zinc Wine Bar & Bistro..................................................................................39

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By the Numbers

More Great Reasons to Build or Remodel Green Insulation saves more than 600 times more energy each year than all of the compact fluorescent lights (CFLs), Energy Star appliances, and Energy Star windows combined. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) Without sufficient insulation, a house can lose up to 40% of its heated or cooled air. (reliant.com) Homes use about 1/5 of all the energy used in the United States— 60% in the form of electricity. (U.S. Energy Information Administration) Sustainably designed federal buildings, compared with commercial buildings in general, use 25% less energy and cost 19% less to maintain.

(U.S. Department of Energy/Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) Adding an insulation blanket to your water heater can save up to 9% in water heating costs. (U.S. Department of Energy)

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La Mesa of Santa Fe

Rio Grande Textiles

Contemporary art, glass, clay, lighting, and furniture. Featuring a large selection of colorful sculptures that are perfect for outdoor gardens, patios, and decks.

• Fine Art Tapestry • Custom Rugs • Upholstery

225 Canyon Road Santa Fe, NM 87501 505-984-1688 www.lamesaofsantafe.com

On the High Road to Taos 505-351-2180 www.chimayoweavers.com

Monticelo Homes, Inc

Home Delivery

Southwestern homes

it’s

Monticelo Homes, Inc., not only designs and builds homes; we also do kitchen, bath and full-house remodels. If you want to expand or add extra room to your existing home, Monticelo Homes, Inc., can design and build to match your existing home.

®

barbecue

time!

inspiration ideas resources

remodeling

• Remodeling • Additions • New Construction • Design

in grand santa fe style

house

Subscribe by phone or online and receive Su Casa in your mailbox four times a year.

One-year subscription $9.95 Two-year subscription $15.95

special

dinner with a legend

To schedule your free home consultation: 505-440-5486 smendoza@monticelohomes.com www.monticelohomes.com

kitchens you’ll love serve it up with flair

www.sucasamagazine.com

Coming up

505-344-1783 or toll-free 866-256-4925

Home Technology, Beautiful Bathrooms & the Spring Homes of Enchantment Parade

in the next issue of Southwestern homes

®

inspiration ideas resources

La Tienda

Pride in Craftsmanship

to advertise: 505-344-1783

B.W. Earp Lath & Plaster

The Repaint Specialists

SuCasaMagazine.com

Mike’s Quality Painting Inc.

In our spring issue, we bring you more great homes in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Northern New Mexico, with a focus on exciting new technologies that make your home “smarter,” outstanding bathrooms, and the homes featured in the Spring Homes of Enchantment parade.

SUCASAMAGAZINE.COM

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Dream On

play with fire Hand-carved in blue-gray granite by the artisans at Santa Fe’s Stone Forest, the Helios fire vessel adds a touch of warmth to any outdoor setting. Connect it to a natural gas or propane supply line, fill it with lava rock topped with sparkling recycled glass, then sit back and enjoy the winter evening.

Stone Forest, $1,375 (gas connection kits sold separately), 505-986-8883, stoneforest.com

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S U C A S A W i n t e r 2012