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Author: Bonnie

May 19, 2020
in Architecture, Colorado, Construction
by Bonnie

Building a House – Getting Started Guide

How do you get started with Building a House? We get so many emails and chats in passing about how we approach projects - so we thought it would be a great post here to share some of our starting block tasks. The BARI 'What you need Checklist': Existing Conditions drawings (if available)Building PlatNeighborhood guidelines and jurisdictions (if applicable, Home Owners Associations or Design Review Boards/Historic district guidelines)Land Assessment Site SurveyVision Board or photos of ideasProgram/wish list of spaces  Step 1 - Site Survey - This is where we measure and document everything that currently exists. If you have drawings of your house we still need to verify that all the dimensions are accurate before starting design. If you don't have any plans or drawings of the existing house or structure then we would need to go out to the site and measure everything. We would use the Plat to do so. Ideally,...

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May 30, 2018
in Architecture, Behind the Scenes, Construction, Contemporary
by Bonnie

Construction on Takoma Park House Progress 2

Construction Update Construction is cruising along in Takoma Park, Maryland as the Brown House renovation and addition project is progressing.  As seen in the first picture below the front door has been moved to the side. The front door is the main reason the client was frustrated with the house. By moving the door over to where the window is we are able to create a mudroom/landing space right as you enter. Below is a shot of the siding going up on the house. The siding is all Hardie Board, 4x8 sheets with vertical strips to get the effect of board and batten.  All of it will be painted black, trim, board, batten, panels, etc.   Horizontal Cedar Railing for the deck Drywall progress inside! Those are boxes of the fun tile the homeowner ordered. Ah the skylight, always, always, always a great idea! We debated adding mor windows to the blank wall, but I advised...

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April 14, 2018
in Architecture, Construction
by Bonnie

Construction on Takoma Park House Progress 1

Construction on the Takoma Park House is moving along and should be done this summer. This project is such a delight to work on and I just can't wait to photograph the final product! We are working with the Design/Build team at J. Allan Smith from Maryland. Foundation The site of this addition slopes steeply away from the house so the basement didn't have to be dug out much at all. We are going with cast in place concrete for the basement. The concrete base will be painted black, but will provide some texture and create a "plinth" for the rest of the wood framed house. Out of the ground Fast forward a few weeks and the house has been framed! Below is a view of the back of the house. The bump out  will allow for a little extra space to stretch out. Soon the two-story bump will hold two built-in benches, one...

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April 3, 2018
in Architecture, Behind the Scenes
by Bonnie

What Does BARI Mean?

We often get asked what the word "BARI" (Bāṛi) means. And why we chose it as the name of our architecture design studio. There is a town off the Eastern coast of Italy called Bari, you can take a ferry to Greece from there - I've done it! But no, this particular instance doesn't have to do with Italy but rather India. The word "Bari" in Bengali (the regional language of East India, around Calcutta/Kolkata) is the world for "Home". And quite frankly a lovely way to describe how one should feel in a space.  I was driving around with my father and he asked me what I thought about a local DC building that had a staircase made primarily of glass-block. I told him I thought it was awful, and sure enough that building is undergoing a massive renovation now. When my father asked me about the building he called...

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November 29, 2017
in Architecture, Contemporary, Gift Guide
by Bonnie

The Official BARI 2017 Gift Guide

Gifts! Do you have a discerning relative who loves design, all things mid-century modern? Or maybe that’s you! Gifts are a reflection of ourselves after all! After going through a major organizing/decluttering phase it’s been really hard for me to buy anything. Finding gifts has been extremely hard too, but I find that some of my favorite blogs have great suggestions, so if you can't find anything from this list try the New York Times Gift Guide, or the Remodelista guides, or my friend Meg Biram has a great selection that I always love!   LINKS: The Classic Aalto Vase  - Every home needs a vase or two, and this is a great sculpture even when it's empty Schoolhouse Electric Matte Black Pour Over Kettle - I am so obsessed with this! I would start drinking pour overs just to use this kettle daily! Schoolhouse Electric Brass Coaster set - Been on a bit...

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