Truck after truck slowly lumbered up our quarter mile driveway to our house, each delivering an integral component for our what will soon be our primary long-term food storage location.
A Cement Truck
First, came the cement truck to pour the footing that will support the whole structure. Despite its subterranean walls, a root cellar requires a good, solid base for its walls. Just like an above ground structure, the heavy load caused by the cinderblocks and roof could cause the ground to settle and compromise the integrity of the walls. A good cement foundation is critical.
Another view of the root cellar
A Gravel Truck
Next came the gravel truck. We opted for a gravel floor in the root cellar. It’s 2 feet deep in most places with a channel down the center that’s 4 feet deep. This will allow any excess moisture a place to go. We don’t expect much water to find its way into the cellar, but we’re prepared for it just in case. Our root cellar in located in a place where the soil is such that it takes a while to drain so we expect the gravel floor to help.
A Sand and Block Truck
Two trucks loaded with lots of sand and pallets 8 inch cinderblocks were next to arrive. We choose to use the thicker blocks for additional lateral support. Unlike above ground structures, cellar walls must support a vertical load as well as a lateral pressure for the earth.
While normal-sized blocks would have likely been fine, we’re building this to last a long time. I’d much rather err on the side of a little additional expense and have an extremely solid cellar than risk an eventual cave in.
This winter has had its share of wet weather so construction has taken a bit longer than expected, but we are excited about the progress made so far.
This stunning pool house and wine cellar project was designed by interior design studio Beckwith Interiors, located in Nashville, Tennessee. In addition to being an interior designer and creating her product line, Jamie has a showroom in Nashville where she has curated design products that are unique, beautiful and innovative. The pool house was designed on the grounds of her own house which is a Gothic-style estate, as a place for her out-of-town guests to stay and as an entertaining area for family barbeques and hosting charity events.
Beckwith used the pool house as an opportunity to experiment with innovative ideas that she had contrived as well as incorporating unique products that she has designed. The house is chock-full of unexpected textures, which includes wood tile flooring, murals, travertine walls and furnishings and rugs that can withstand three young children and guests that are damp from a dip in the pool. The interiors feature Gothic touches which are inspired by the main house, which is a more traditional Gothic style. The pool house has been more modernized with touches of Gothic mixed with cleaner lines.
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Above: The vibrant yellow kitchen counters are 3-Form Chroma in Marigold Yellow, a resin that is under-lit, found here.Above: This unique and sculptural light fixture in the kitchen is Cicatrices De Luxe 5 Pendant Light, found here.
What We Love: This amazing pool house is spread out over three levels, offering everything a guest could need to feel pampered and right at home. Beautifully design spaces offers luxurious touches, including the striking walnut freestanding tub in one of the women’s bathrooms. With separate bathrooms catered to men and women, a steam room can accommodate all guests. This fully equipped pool house offers a spacious kitchen, living / dining room and a formal sitting area with a glass floor overlooking a fabulous wine cellar!
Readers, please share with us in the Comments what you think of this incredible pool house and wine cellar. We here at One Kindesign would love to read your feedback!
Above: Most of the fabrics used throughout the pool house are indoor/outdoor, so guests keep their wet bathing suits on when they sit on the furnishings. The flooring is an epoxy, impervious to scratches and staining.
Above: The floor is covered with an ivory patched-cowhide rug that can take abuse from wet feet, perfect for a pool house.
Above: This mosaic wall is made from western red cedar called “Projection,” it’s another product that Jamie created for her collection.
Above: Large-scale artwork was selected for their graphic nature and to add bold punches of yellow throughout as well as to match the proportions of the large walls and open floor plan.
Above: The designer turned to sunny yellow in the otherwise mostly neutral palette.
Above: This staircase continues the Gothic style with a solid wood railing that incorporates dramatic spires. The circles under the hand rail and the custom acrylic light adds modern touches to this traditional style.
Above: The wine cellar was designed so that it could be viewed from above, so all details had to look good from every viewing angle. The wood had to be finished from above and lighting wiring had to be tucked away. The glass floor has a retractable screen when not entertaining to minimize light exposure on the wine.
Above: A maximum of 2,000 bottles can be stored in these futuristic Gothic arches, composed of acrylic and illuminated by LED lighting. The material used on the floor is called Mosaic, a patterned wood block that is finished after installation.
Above: This nook just off the wine cellar is used mainly as a cozy spot for wine tastings.Above: A private guest lounge is located upstairs.Above: This large bathroom is on the main level with the living area and kitchen, perfect for rinsing off after a swim.
Above: The bathtub is solid walnut with birdseye maple inlay trim, another of Jamie’s creations. The tub is inspired by luxury wooden yachts, made entirely of wood and sanded with several layers of polyurethane for a shiny, smooth finish.
Above: The stunning arboreal walls in the bathroom were hand-painted by a Nashville artist.
Well hello! It’s been a while [I know I always say that]. What can I say – life with two kids and a job have kept me busy – as well as the fact that we are in the process of buying our first home! It’s all very exciting and nerve-wracking and amazing – and also the perfect excuse to pick up where I left off of the ole blog. My life over the next several years will be wrought with DIY projects around our new home, so I expect that you’ll be seeing more of me for a bit.
More on that later.
Today I wanted to share a really awesome product that I started using over the last couple of months – The Aspect Indoor Plant Light. We all love the idea of filling our homes with plants of different variations – tropical, succulent, ferns. There was a time that I counted 25 potted plants in my home. I learned the hard way, though, that I am no green-thumb. Be it a mixture of neglect (did I water all of the plant today??), or placement (finding that perfect sunny/not too sunny spot is key), I just can’t seem to win. And by win, I mean keep my plants alive.
Enter The Aspect, made by Soltechsolutions. Not only is the light museum-quality, it’s aesthetically on-point with my whole vintage-minimalism vibe. Oh, and it keeps your plants alive by providing that oh-so-important solar nourishment.
This dark little corner where my bar-cart sits was the perfect spot for my new Aspect light. This corner is in our dining room right off of the kitchen, next to some north facing windows. This part of the house gets minimal diffuse light throughout the day, but never enough to nourish anything in the corner. But, is your bar-cart even a bar-cart if there isn’t a plant next to it??? Pinterest and any design blog on the planet would tell you: NO.
Without getting too scientific, this grow light was created with a light spectrum that targets Chlorophyll A & B absorption. This light’s amazing superpowers also mean that you grow food inside, too (good news for my family in Alaska who miss out on year-round gardening!). I chose the White 40W Aspect LED Grow Light in large. It even comes with a timer that allows you to enjoy stress-free plant care (that’s a real thing!)
No more sad, brown plants. No more wilted and neglected leaves. Now, I just need, like, 24 more.
**This is a sponsored post, but all thoughts and content are my own. I am so happy to have worked with Soltech Solutions on this post and love using my Aspect Light in my home!
Our dining room – credenza from West ElmA view of downtown Houston on a sunny dayOur master bedroom, vintage rug from England and the blue dresser is a DIY I want to shareOur back patioOver the holidays I was out shopping for gifts when I came across this really simple, leather barrette. It wasn’t super expensive (about $25), but I was trying to stay on track to buy gifts for the people on my list, not myself (it’s a slippery slope).I like it. Simple and different and much better than that unsightly rubber band I’ve been using to tie my hair back lately.
