Just a Little Blue House

Instead of trying to describe the epically sinusoidal nature of the changes that have occurred in regards to the little blue house, it may be more effective to communicate them using photographs taken at various stages in its development. With the help of some great friends and family (Tim, Nic, Heidi, Beth, Ron, Hussain, Ross Vincent, AJ), we have been able to make quite a few improvements thus far. From both Rebekah and myself, we gratefully thank everyone for the terrific amounts of support!

So far we have been able to:

New header to create a more open floor plan

Nic hard at work "smurfing" the Little Blue House

Tim throwing a duece

New sheetrock, light cans, and pendant boxes

Planting onions in the new expanded garden.

The bees have almost fully built this comb to fit the hive. Awesome!

Kellan and Heidi working on the new roof.

While the improvements and developments of the Little Blue House are quite numerous and have made a lot of difference, we DEFINITELY have a long way to go before we can rest!

Some of those current and future projects include:

• Not to mention anything outside

It is amusing to me looking back at the lists of criteria and desires and necessities I had going into this project. We think of our built (and even natural) environments as something we shape and dictate. We treat our surroundings as if they are merely clay at our finger tips, ready to be molded into any form that we see fit. We seem to believe that if only we try hard enough or force something into submission, that suddenly, our world will shift to cater to us, cradling us in our own self-entitlement. While it is true that we can impact the world around us, it is far more often that we are the ones changing. Something I carried away from my studies in landscape architecture is that the land will often tell you what it wants to become. Its various slopes and textures and forms will communicate to anyone willing to take the time to slow down and ponder. It isn’t just about what we want and need but rather what should happen to make things right.

Many of the things that we initially wanted for the Little Blue House revolved around creating a lifestyle as much as just physical features. After all, a home is a place that we live in not just observe or stage to impress our friends. Over the past couple of years Rebekah and I have grown very fond of the concept of being more self sufficient. I believe that the catalyst for this was copious amount of time that we spent in the kitchen cooking with each other, creating wonderful meals, strengthening our relationship as well as bringing ourselves and our friends a little closer together. It was the culmination of several factors that led to the jump to the drive to become self sufficient: my incessant desire to research my every curiosity, the belief that we are stewards of the Earth, as well as the desire to live dynamic, real, and healthy lives. To us it was very disturbing that people often have no clue as to what they are eating or where it comes from, nor do they have an idea of whats in that shampoo or hand soap or any of the many medications that they consume without question. What would people do without large supermarkets or big box retail stores? I’m pretty sure to some, the world would stop turning, the skies would go dark, and the impending doom of the four horsemen would come riding through the fiery horizon.

So along those lines we desired room for agriculture such as a large vegetable garden, some fruit trees, herbs and possibly chickens. A well equipped kitchen with room for crafts (candle and soap making etc.) was a must. An eventual storage building with large freezer, room for canning supplies and dry storage of food and tools was also placed on the list. Efficient and environmental installations such as solar and tankless hot water, rainwater capture, highly efficient heating and decentralized AC units were also planned. The home would be three bedrooms with two bathrooms, with a slightly modern but warm style. Much beyond that we had no clue!

It has been about 9 months since that initial list was created and it is nice to say, that many of the things remain on the list, and many more have been added. I have spent many hours designing, thinking and observing what is needed within the LBH to really make it successful. A bee hive and espalier orchard were added to the self sufficiency list, providing an ample source of fruit, olives (and oil), as well honey and beeswax for candles and beauty products. Ideas for within the house have increased many times over from a very different floor plan, concrete counter tops, a glass-shrouded spiral staircase, a gas fireplace and many ideas for storage and creating the most out of the 1068 square feet we have to work with. Spreadsheets have been created and plans are being made on a daily basis. Being the nerd I am, many concepts have been modeled in Vectorworks to give us an idea of how things will fit together and look in the end. The style of the house has evolved into a very interesting mix of “honest” materials, clean lines, and a warm environment. Outdoors there are several garden areas, an asia-inspired sitting area, a small back patio, a larger front patio, an outdoor shower with a flowing stream that winds through the plantings. It is exciting the play with the many possibilities.

Renaissance sculptors believed that the individual blocks of stone would communicate what was to be carved from them before a chisel was even touched to the face. These artists would often sit and examine the blocks for hours, waiting for the epiphany, often believed to be a flash of insight from God, that would tell them how to commence. The LBH to me is much like the marble blocks of the great sculptors. There are only a few marks from the chisel upon it, but its true and final form will only be found through patience, hard work, and attention what its trying to tell you within.

-k. vincent

While hardly romantic, this adventure began after graduating from Texas A&M and returning to my home town of Austin, Texas. There are a lot of unique and great places all throughout this world, but Austin has always been a nice fit. It has a dynamic, vibrant atmosphere and a reasonable amount of forgiveness. While the native hipsters frequently distribute their judgmental snobbery like it were Halloween candy, they are generally harmless and fun to observe within their beatnik habitat. The city itself seems to foster and allow the cultivation and prosperity of the arts and attempts to keep environmental initiatives afloat which, regardless of their misguided methods, are noble goals for any municipality. Coupled with the rather daunting opportunity of reshaping and eventually taking of the family business, the decision of where to relocate was rather easy.

Finding a house to suit my lifestyle and budget however was not. Let me just say that there were a variety of schemes, theories and plans drafted over the course of about 6 months. I knew I wanted a few things: the ability to create some sort of self-sufficient lifestyle for myself and future family, an environmentally conscious dwelling, and a structure not to exceed 1500 sqft. In truth, one of the first ideas bounced around by myself and Rebekah (the other steward for TLBH, part time) was actually a 200-400 sqft “Tiny Texas” house. Yes, small, but we absolutely loved the overall concept and cuteness, and secondly they are made completely from salvaged building materials from antique houses. The price per square foot however exceeded what I considered to be feasible, so we had to look elsewhere. At this point the plan was to find an acre of so of land outside of the city and either building or moving a structure onto it. The second manifestation of this was called the Jacal. A Jacal is considered to be the only vernacular architecture of the Texas hill country, and consists of a lean-to structure usually built into the side of a slope. We both absolutely loved the open floor plan this style would afford and the fact they seemed to fit perfectly with the land here. Again, while it may have been possible, the feasibility of such an undertaking didn’t seem to be realistic. In order to find land prices low enough, the commute into town would be upwards of 45min to an hour, which given my distaste for driving, would probably be a bad life decision.

Back to the bottom we were. After a bit of MLS searching myself, I decided to contact a local Realtor which my family knew quite well. Truth is, I did not expect him to find something all that quickly, despite the housing bust at the time. My criteria were relatively challenging: low budget, close to work with some land and most importantly, it had to be something I could work on and improve over time. While this might not seem too much of a challenge, our business is located in West Austin, one of the most affluent areas of central Texas. I did not believe that too many houses existed within this scope, but sometimes it is nice to be wrong.

Despite this list the Realtor contacted me within one week, telling me he had stumbled upon something fitting my needs perfectly: the little blue house. The LBH upon first inspection was in fact not blue at all, rather it was brown and gray from years of weather and no paint or sealant to speak of. It was covered with copious amounts of overgrown shrubs, bushes, and formerly manicured landscape features, now left to run wild. It sat on the top of its hill, proud but somehow forlorn, never allowed to realize its completion. The previous owner had started its construction almost 25 years prior without finishing despite living there for 10 years without even insulation to shield its inside from the heat and cold. The old weathered siding was faded and warped, rotting in spots where rain repeatedly sat along its trim. Its roof was broken from harsh storms and haphazardly patched, allowing water to trickle into its interior. The inside consisted of numerous studs, bare with electrical and plumbing runs creating serpentine patterns through the gaps between the joists. There were no doors on the interior, and in fact, no permanent stairs to reach the second floor. Its layout was poorly designed and curiously proportioned. What this house did have in ample quantities was potential. Often the potential I find in a situation guides my decision making, and this was no different. Amidst its tattered and seemingly abandoned features was an immense desire to be complete. It wished to become a home, something that people would take pride in and cherish. This house needed me. It needed someone with a vision and drive to see its potential through while accepting its problems and faults with understanding and patience. This little blue house needed someone to take a chance on it so that it could have the opportunity to give back. On top of meeting all the logical criteria and then some, it was love at first sight.

I suppose the rest is quite obvious. I excitedly approached Rebekah with the prospect, and after gaining her blessing, working out finances and undergoing house buying process, the LBH was finally under my (and Rebekah’s) stewardship.  I made the decision to go against the norm of my peers, along with many others in society, and take my chance on this little house in much need of care. Its structure would become my shelter. Its land my sanctuary and source of wonder. Within its spirit, I would call this place my home.