1. Are a washer, dryer and service sink required for the new house? We need to use much of the existing laundry area for the new handicap toilet. If we need the washer etc, can they be located in Storage 109?
Al: I can't answer about whether they can be put in 109 but I would strongly urge that we do so. It's a perfect place for them, and we really do need at least a service sink - and probably in the long run a washer, dryer too.
Shawn: I think the washer and dryer should stay. Storing them in Storage 109 would be just fine if that is an option.
2. How will the Kitchen be used in the future? Just as a warming kitchen? Will the apartment use it as a residential kitchen?
Al: It should be possible to cook meals there. The residential coordinator will use it for breakfasts and lunches and dinners on weekends, yes. We don't plan on serving EVER restaurant-style; for programs we'll have catered food in and use it as a serving/warming area. But for meetings of the Planning Group etc., we should be able to cook small amounts.
Shawn: The kitchen will be used occasionally as a residential kitchen. Also, we may want to be able to use it to bake cookies or the like -- the sort of stuff we will offer for the cafe (freely offer, of course).
3. Will any fireplaces be made operable? If we want to make the openings between Rooms 102 and 103 as large as possible, we may have code problems with our new structure bearing on an operable fireplace stack at that location.
Al: We of course hoped that that fireplace be operable. But my own view of this is that it is negotiable. We can do without it if we can't otherwise have the walls down.
Shawn: Everyone I talk to is *very* excited about these fireplaces; they are one of the main "homey" draws. I think we should do everything possible to make them operable.
4. What is the desired image for the interior? Residential? Institutional? Old fashioned? Contemporary? Combination?
Al: I'll ask others to comment as well, but I'd say a combination of old-fashioned and residential. Not institutional insofar as it's possible. Even the classroom should have a home-like feel.
Shawn: Definately not institutional. A mix between residential (we want it to feel like home) and contemporary to start with -- but artists always want to feel that they are "different." To butcher Alex's words, this might be a nice old house, but it can't be just any nice old house. A bit of the eclectic, too, I would think, though that may be more a product of decor than of architecture.
5. What kind of lighting is desired? We are assuming recessed lighting in the reading and seminar rooms with wall sconces for atmoshpere. Additional stand up lamps can be added.
Al: Standing lamps in the Arts Cafe in *addition* to focus-able/spot ceiling lighting and wall sconces, yes.
Shawn: This sounds good. We also discussed a sort of soft "spotlight" for readers in the main cafe area and small table lights for cafe nights.
Greg: I think recessed lighting is fine, though floor lamps in certain areas provide a softer, warmer light. A combination. Sconces sound fine, atmospheric.
6. Will the existing wallcoverings remain or will the walls be painted plaster?
Al: I have all along assumed walls would be painted or newly papered. Are there any wall coverings in good enough shape to remain?
Shawn: Of course this is highly negotiable, but I think we may want to recover the walls with something other than plaster -- don't want it to look too much like a classroom space.
Greg: I can't remember the wallpaper, though painted plaster (especially if we choose the colors wisely), has always worked well (except when the plaster starts cracking and chipping; we don't know what's behind the wall coverings).
7. Flooring? Existing wooden floors? Carpeting?
Al: WE should discuss this. I haven't decided conclusively myself
Shawn: Existing wooden floors and spot carpets sound great.
Greg: I think the floors should remain wood. We can use area rugs here and there.
8. What type of window treatments will there be? Existing blinds and curtains at certain locations? Mini blinds?
Al: Same as above. What's your instinct, Harris? Since residences, even "old-fashioned"-style ones, have blinds, to have blinds would not violate the sense of the place. But curtains may be a better choice. The classrooms need blinds (especially the south-facing one) so that we darken the room effectively.
Shawn: I definitely think curtains (by the way, my mom is good at curtains as well as gardens....). Mini blinds seem very sterile to me. And hard to clean. The just seem too much like an office building. But they will be necessary, as Al said, in the classroom.
Greg: There's a coldness to mini-blinds, though certainly they are probably the most efficient window treament, and easiest to decide on. They do give the rooms a contemporary feel, however, and I'm not sure that will work in the parlor and reading room areas. I don't know, bit I can't imagine attending a reading at night and seeing drawn mini-blinds. Mini-blinds upstairs? Pull curtains downstairs?
9. Is there a list of desired furniture and budget?
Al: We're prepared to make do with some used university furniture in Phase 1, but ought to have a list of things to buy - especially desks and tables for computers.
Shawn: We've started compiling a list of furniture but I am not sure the budget is set yet.
10. Is there a Phase II desired use for the garden?
Al: **There's a Phase ONE use! We want to be able to have our large programs, in warm weather, spill out there. Possibly a few small tables to open out the Arts Cafe on warm evenings.
Shawn: As Al said -- an outside cafe. And on the edges -- Herbs, teas, easy veggies?