Daily Independent Journal from San Rafael, California • Page 64

S22 3ttbgpnthrat-3nttrtml, Friday, Sept. 1964 This Home's Theme Is Vertical Sausalito architect Violets Autumn has already achieved something of a reputation for herself before she established her own office and executed construction of her The house, built on narrow, winding Sausalito Boulevard, serves as dwelling, architectural office and studio. Mrs. Autumn, who received her architectural training at the University of Oklahoma, had worked with many Bay Area architectural firms and participated in designs for other offices before undertaking one for herself. As a painter she has also had exhibitions of her work in the United States, Israel, Spain and Peru.

In designing her own house she was faced with a situation where a workable arrangement of all functions was difficult because of unusual site conditions. The lot itself was narrow and there was an almost vertical cliff where it met the street. The problems of parking, earthmoving and bulwarking had to be solved. The location, however, offered a striking panorama of San Francisco Bay. BUILT INTO SIDE OF designing this three level Sausalito home, office and studio, architect Violeta Autumn was obliged to have the retaining walls serve also as exterior walls because of the narrowness of the lot.

A 32-inch laminated beam at the street side carries the front vertical load. Vinyl Flooring Plain No More, Now Has Texture New textured patterns in vinyl abestos floor tile are now available from local flooring dealers. Thanks to new manufacturing processes, textured and embossed surfaces in striking marble and mosaic designs have been made possible. Until cently vinyl asbestos tile, the largest selling resilient floor covering, has been available in smooth surface only. A new depth of beauty, decorators say, stems from the textured surfaces, providing subtlety of color and pattern not previously possible.

Practicability is an added advantage: sharp heel marks show on the textured surfaces. Careful With Acids Working At Home Acid solutions are sometimes used to clean the whitish substance that collects on the outside of brickwork when water has brought salts to the surface. Such lu i must be handled with care while wearing rubber gloves and must always be mixed in wooden or glass containers, never in metal. Use The Basement One family with many hobbies eoverted their basement into an all-purpose family room by compartmentizing. They used wood cabinets, made of durable Douglas fir to establish special areas about the basement for stamp sorting, study, hunting trophies, home office, Boy Scouting headquarters.

TOP OF STAIR finishing is an alternating pattern of redwood and Douglas fir tongue and groove. The stair well is skylighted and its central core carries ducts for heating and ventilating. BOTTOM OF STAIR WELL-Stairs connecting the levels of the Autumn house are contained within a six-sided tower. At the base, walls are aggregate-surfaced concrete. Painting is one of Violeta Autumn's.

THEME IS two- level ascension of windows and copper hood of the fireplace emphasize the upward flow of space in the Autumn house where large floor areas were impractical to design. Interior is finished in woods with clear waxed or satin surfaces. Interesting wood beams are joined with bent steel plates and bolts..