Mayer Residence

Ames, Iowa

The goal for this project was to provide a captivating sensory experience for a private get-a-way. Our design intension was a warm, natural, hand-made interior to calm and soothe those who enter. The owner wanted a versatile, open space for a hidden trundle guest bed that pulls out from the wall as well as a private library and study. Warm rift sawn oak board and batten was used for the walls with a light cherry finish. Hand-hammered light fixtures of copper compliment the colors of the room and amplify them with a wash of soft yellow light. To maximize the space, cedar lined window boxes double as window seats and extra storage was built into the walls. Rough limestone was added underneath the cast iron wood burning stove and extends up the adjacent wall to protect the structure from heat but also to bring more natural elements into the interior environment. Access is granted to the get-a-way only to those who know where to look, through a secret staircase behind a book case.