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7. Horizontal. A sleek mail slot allows letters to drop straight into the entryway of this contemporary home. The style coordinates with the other metal elements of the exterior and references the door’s horizontal windows.Keep in mind that mail slots should conform to USPS guidelines, including being placed at least 30 inches above floor level, with a slot size of at least 1½ by 7 inches and, for horizontal mail slots, a hinged flap that opens at the top.
8. Crisp-Rustic ContrastThis type of farmhouse-style vanity is popping up all over Houzz. The unexpected drawer sizes, rustic wood and new silhouette have shaken up bathroom design. Tiling from floor to ceiling, a classic black-white floor tile and barn sconces continue the theme, while the use of all that white keeps things clean-looking and fresh.Notable detail: The just-right-sized baskets for towels on the bottom of the vanity.
The team used a mix of concrete, metal and distressed wood on the exterior of the home as a nod to the gritty, up-and-coming neighborhood. In the front yard, a concrete and wood wall along with plantings by Brandon Olson of Olson Lawn Care create a buffer between the street and house. Planters in front of the porch were fabricated out of steel. And a yellow front door sets the tone for an airy and contemporary interior.Find steel planter boxes
Powder room: When they got to the powder room, the couple were running out of room in their budget but still wanted to make a statement. It’s the one place in the loft that emphasizes the vertical rather than the horizontal.Duebber created one long, curved element that starts at the floor behind the sink, continues across the ceiling and then down the wall behind the toilet to the floor. The vanity is made of the same MDF as the curved element so it all appears as one piece. Then he added LED tape lights behind it for backlighting. The tall mirror also emphasizes verticality.
The solutions: Architect Ryan Duebber made the most of the building’s history and proportions. This long exposed-brick wall runs the length of the loft, and its markings tell the story of the building. Its texture and colors also provided inspiration for the rest of the materials palette.Duebber had gotten a peek of the brick where some of the plaster had chipped off. “It took two guys three days to take all the plaster off with sledgehammers and some sort of motorized chisel,” he says. The imperfections are telling: The remnants of black tar you see near the floor marks where a roofline used to be, and the holes beneath it are from joists that were once there. The new brick visible to the right of the R in the “Bar” sign marks the spot where an opening once led into the space next door. (After the chiseling, they discovered drywall covering the opening.) Some new markings, the really orange areas, are where the chisel went deep. The bar: Duebber used glass shelves affixed to the wall with stainless steel supports drilled into the brick. “I used glass shelves so that the light would wash down through the bottles and glass shelves,” he says.
Photos by RVP PhotographyLoft at a GlanceWho lives here: A couple of empty nesters who are busy professionalsLocation: Downtown CincinnatiSize: 2,500 square feet (232 square meters)Designer: Ryan DuebberThe backstory: With their single-family home down to just the two of them, this couple decided to move to downtown Cincinnati, just a few blocks’ walk from work. The loft had once been a McAlpin’s department store. (Those of you from Cincinnati may remember the large sidewalk clock that stood outside.) They wanted to preserve the building’s history by embracing an industrial loft look.
4. Natural selection. The heart of this Dallas kitchen is the island-breakfast bar, which features rich materials and a double waterfall structure. The raised breakfast bar is made of warm walnut, while the island top is white marble with gray veining. Homeowner and builder Chris Dauwe covered the space beneath the breakfast bar in reclaimed wood, sourced from a barn in North Carolina. Using natural-looking materials helped Dauwe achieve his goal of “a contemporary home with an industrial twist,” he says. Island and kitchen countertops: Mountain White marble; leather stools: Halo Styles
5. Cor-Ten steel. The shape of this mailbox in Bethesda, Maryland, echoes the geometry of the home’s entryway, while its rusty patina picks up the rich mahogany color of the wood siding. Overall, the mailbox feels edgy, contemporary and perfectly in sync with the home.
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