Zenergy Efficient (continued)
Photo: Erik Johnson
The shallow, V-shaped copper roof atop the new construction is an homage to the original home's pitched profile and will eventually support solar panels. The copper deflects solar heat much better than the original asphalt tiles and bounces light into the house. (Pasquina was also thrilled to learn copper is a natural mosquito deterrent.) The slopes of the V direct rainwater into a central gutter leading to a downspout that terminates in a catch basin.
Though Pasquina preserved the exterior of the original house, she left little evidence of its former life inside. She removed the interior walls that divided rooms in the little bungalow to create a loftlike open living-dining-kitchen area that flows smoothly into the new spaces built around it. Custom sliding doors fashioned of translucent polycarbonate panels—which Pasquina designed on the fly and built alongside one of the carpenters on site—screen the living space from a staircase leading up to a new sunroom directly above.
When they tore up the original wall-to-wall carpeting, the couple discovered oak floors, which they refinished and stained a dark brown. To distinguish old from new, the floors in the addition are all concrete, with water-fed radiant coils embedded in the slabs to heat the floors in cold weather. "I actually love to sit on the floor and read a book," says Pasquina. "The radiant heating means they're nice and warm in winter."
What the Pros Know
Concrete walls or floors can be colored with stains designed to bond integrally with the cement. Pasquina used a white Tintura Lithochrome stain from Scofield Products to give the concrete floors of her home a washed-out look. After curing, the water-based, environmentally friendly stain was applied with a sprayer and allowed to dry (two to four hours, as suggested by the manufacturer) and a second coat sprayed on. "You can do as many coats as you like until you like the finish color," says Pasquina. Stains are typically available in standard as well as custom colors. New concrete floors must be thoroughly washed and dried before staining; existing concrete or insufficiently porous surfaces must typically be ground down, sandblasted or acid-washed for the concrete to absorb the stain properly. After drying, the floors are sealed and can then be waxed. Pasquina applied a single coat of wax to achieve the lightly reflective sheen she wanted. Manufacturers suggest periodic resealing.
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