Every two months, a new issue of dwell arrives in the mailbox, and I eagerly sit down with the magazine to read about cool architects, artistic individuals, and the modern homes they build around the world. I’ll invariably see a cool cabin or Scandinavian sauna or sleek wood-burning stove, and I’ll be off on a couple of hours of searching and surfing to find out more. I am keen to build a writer’s retreat out on the back part of our wooded lot, and I dream.
A new issue arrived yesterday. I read it on our back deck in the warm sunshine, and was soon learning about the MINIMOD Spot, a perfect contender for the retreat except it’s only available in Brazil and Uruguay, and then I found myself looking at the Muji Hut, but that’s only available in Japan. The Danish wood stoves I could probably get, but they’re expensive. Good architecture and design and craftsmanship should be well compensated.
I know a few architects, and have met others, so I suspect that in the end I’ll turn to one of them to solve this itch. Maybe our Peace Corps friend, Kevin Anderson. Or Nick’s sister-in-law, Carina Coel and her Austin-based all-women firm Restructure Studio, which just announced their Arbor Plans project to offer “green-by-design, ready-to-build architectural home plans and Accessory Dwelling Units.” Or Dot’s son, Nathan Hutchins, though he’s designed posh hotel interiors and his firm, Muza Lab is way out of my league.
As I said, the writer’s retreat out back is a dream, and a rabbit hole I’ll keep diving into.
© Anton Zuiker