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Compact Home in the Virginia Hills Looks to Japan
An architect and an interior designer create an energy-efficient cabin for their client’s new rural lifestyle
Perched high in western Virginia’s rolling hills, this compact house takes full advantage of its bucolic surroundings. The homeowner first met interior designer Theresa Dorlini in the sixth grade, when they both lived in Japan. After they reconnected years later, he hired her to do the interior design in his condo in Washington, D.C.
Recently, after tiring of his high-pressure job and city life, he made a big change: He moved to rural Star Tannery, Virginia, where his family owned land. Once again, he called up the designer, this time to design an energy-efficient compact cabin with Japanese elements on the property. Theresa’s husband and business partner, architect John Dorlini, designed the house and she concentrated on the interior design.
Recently, after tiring of his high-pressure job and city life, he made a big change: He moved to rural Star Tannery, Virginia, where his family owned land. Once again, he called up the designer, this time to design an energy-efficient compact cabin with Japanese elements on the property. Theresa’s husband and business partner, architect John Dorlini, designed the house and she concentrated on the interior design.
The deck extends across the front of the house, overlooking the meadow, duck pond and woods. A small fire pit provides warmth on chilly nights.
Originally, the designers suggested using steel cable railings for the deck. But this wood and gardening wire alternative was easier on the budget. These fences are common all around the local countryside, so this nod to the vernacular helps the contemporary house fit in with its rural surroundings.
Shop for a modern fire pit
Originally, the designers suggested using steel cable railings for the deck. But this wood and gardening wire alternative was easier on the budget. These fences are common all around the local countryside, so this nod to the vernacular helps the contemporary house fit in with its rural surroundings.
Shop for a modern fire pit
Just up the deck stairs and through a small recessed porch is an entry that doubles as a mudroom. The Dorlinis took a note from Japanese architecture for the area, visible here through the glass door.
“In Japanese architecture this space is called a genkan, where you walk in and remove your shoes,” Theresa says. “It is typically a step down from the rest of the house, in order to contain the dirt in that area.” Accordingly, the entry is one step down from the main floor level.
The homeowner’s mother gave him the Japanese screen over the sofa. The sofa was one of the few pieces of furniture that came with him from his urban condo. Theresa helped him select almost everything else to suit this markedly different new home.
To the right of the stairs on the main floor is a hallway that leads to the guest room and a full bathroom. The stairs lead up to the homeowner’s bedroom suite on the right and a loft on the left. He uses the loft as his work-from-home zone and enjoys the view out over the meadow from this perch. There’s also an iconic LC4 chaise lounge up there, designed by Le Corbusier’s studio in 1928. Theresa nodded to architectural history and furniture design by curating a few special pieces like that one.
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“In Japanese architecture this space is called a genkan, where you walk in and remove your shoes,” Theresa says. “It is typically a step down from the rest of the house, in order to contain the dirt in that area.” Accordingly, the entry is one step down from the main floor level.
The homeowner’s mother gave him the Japanese screen over the sofa. The sofa was one of the few pieces of furniture that came with him from his urban condo. Theresa helped him select almost everything else to suit this markedly different new home.
To the right of the stairs on the main floor is a hallway that leads to the guest room and a full bathroom. The stairs lead up to the homeowner’s bedroom suite on the right and a loft on the left. He uses the loft as his work-from-home zone and enjoys the view out over the meadow from this perch. There’s also an iconic LC4 chaise lounge up there, designed by Le Corbusier’s studio in 1928. Theresa nodded to architectural history and furniture design by curating a few special pieces like that one.
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The living room is airly compact, but a soaring two-story ceiling with a wall of windows makes it feel much larger. The windows have CACO motorized shades for light and heat control.
The sharp rectilinear angles of the black metal light fixture play off the shapes of the windows. Theresa added more black metal via the butterfly chair’s base and the glass-topped cocktail table bases. An updated Oriental area rug helps define the cozy room.
Windows: 100 Series, Andersen Windows + Doors
The sharp rectilinear angles of the black metal light fixture play off the shapes of the windows. Theresa added more black metal via the butterfly chair’s base and the glass-topped cocktail table bases. An updated Oriental area rug helps define the cozy room.
Windows: 100 Series, Andersen Windows + Doors
The designer also included a pair of LC1 sling chairs, designed by Le Corbusier’s studio, in the living room’s furniture mix. (Fun fact: The group of architects in Buenos Aires who designed the butterfly chair, also known as the B.K.F. chair, or the Hardoy chair, were working with Le Corbusier‘s studio at the time. Another fun fact: The first two B.K.F. chairs that arrived in the United States went to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater house in Pennsylvania and the Museum of Modern Art in New York.)
The gas fireplace has a simple pile of gray ceramic fireballs that look like stones. The Dorlinis created a sense of calm throughout the home by using natural or natural-looking materials.
The flooring is composed of thick wood-look vinyl planks. They chose the durable, easy-to-clean material because not even the genkan can keep out the dirt the homeowner’s dog tracks into the house.
The flooring is composed of thick wood-look vinyl planks. They chose the durable, easy-to-clean material because not even the genkan can keep out the dirt the homeowner’s dog tracks into the house.
Just past the fireplace are the kitchen and dining room. “This client loves to entertain,” Theresa says. The floor plan John designed provides an easy flow between spaces that’s great for parties.
The fireplace is open on three sides so it can be enjoyed from the living room, dining room and kitchen. A sideboard composed of built-in cabinetry provides extra storage along the wall. Wishbone chairs add iconic Danish modern pieces to the mix.
The glass doors lead to the screened-in porch, which overlooks the meadow and pond. The porch has direct access to the deck.
The fireplace is open on three sides so it can be enjoyed from the living room, dining room and kitchen. A sideboard composed of built-in cabinetry provides extra storage along the wall. Wishbone chairs add iconic Danish modern pieces to the mix.
The glass doors lead to the screened-in porch, which overlooks the meadow and pond. The porch has direct access to the deck.
“This homeowner is an excellent cook. He made us a wonderful meal while we were there for the photo shoot, and he helps out when they need someone to fill in cooking at the bed and breakfast,” Theresa says.
Because the owner loves to entertain and cook, the Dorlinis wanted to create a space where he could be part of the party while preparing food for his guests. Dividing a galley kitchen from the dining room with a bar does the trick.
To save on the budget, they used ready-made maple cabinets with a medium stain. The structural column at the left end of the bar is wrapped in matching wood.
Because the owner loves to entertain and cook, the Dorlinis wanted to create a space where he could be part of the party while preparing food for his guests. Dividing a galley kitchen from the dining room with a bar does the trick.
To save on the budget, they used ready-made maple cabinets with a medium stain. The structural column at the left end of the bar is wrapped in matching wood.
This is the view from the kitchen across the bar to the dining area and out the windows beyond. “Because there was such an emphasis on vertical height in this house, we emphasized the horizontal with the dining room windows,” Theresa says. She reinforced the horizontal lines with a long light fixture over the table.
The kitchen’s palette is natural and calming. “These tiles are glass but they have just a glimmer of reflection,” Theresa says. The variation in gray tones gives them the appearance of polished stacked stones. The countertops are a quartz with a look she describes as “somewhere between stone and concrete.” Another Oriental rug warms up the floor.
“He is not the guy who would ever serve a drink in a red Solo cup,” Theresa says with a laugh. “He really knows how to entertain — he has the right type of glass for every type of drink.” Accordingly, she added a second layer of cabinets above the upper cabinets to maximize storage in the compact kitchen.
Upstairs, traditional Japanese-style shoji screens slide open to reveal the bedroom. It and the adjacent bathroom are located one step up from the loft area. “We raised the master suite up a step to emulate the genkan below,” Theresa says.
The shoji screens are constructed of maple and translucent plastic that has a paper-like quality. “Traditionally these would be made of rice paper, but he needed something more durable because of his dog,” the designer says.
The shoji screens are constructed of maple and translucent plastic that has a paper-like quality. “Traditionally these would be made of rice paper, but he needed something more durable because of his dog,” the designer says.
The platform bed is another piece of furniture the homeowner brought with him from his condo. It has storage drawers beneath it. Theresa sourced open nightstands with clean, simple lines. Hanging the pendant lights from the ceiling freed up space to display a pair of Japanese prints over the nightstands.
The homeowner was interested in keeping the bedroom and the bathroom open to each other. (The toilet is in a separate room.) A gas fireplace is shared by both spaces.
Another Japanese element the homeowner wanted to include was an ofuro, a deep soaking tub with a seat inside. Theresa used a pebble tile in the tub area to add a nature-inspired touch. Windows on two sides of the tub provide views of the tree canopy.
Browse soaking tubs
Browse soaking tubs
The bathroom walls are covered from floor to ceiling in large-format porcelain tiles that have a stone-concrete look. The custom double vanity is maple and the countertop is polished quartz.
This plan of the main level illustrates the easy flow between rooms and the location of the guest bedroom and the full bathroom at the top left.
This plan of the second level shows the loft (bottom left) as well as the open bedroom suite. The water closet is near the top right corner, across from the tub.
The homeowner also made energy efficiency a priority with the home’s durable design, compact footprint and a variety of elements:
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The homeowner also made energy efficiency a priority with the home’s durable design, compact footprint and a variety of elements:
- An outdoor wood-burning furnace provides heat.
- The roof insulation exceeds code minimums to help create a tight envelope.
- They used open spray foam insulation with an R-49 value.
- The windows are Energy Star-rated.
- The architect placed the windows with cross-ventilation in mind, and the homeowner enjoys the breezes whenever the weather allows.
- Motorized roller shades help control the sun’s warmth on hot days.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A man and his dog
Location: Star Tannery, Virginia
Size: 1,200 square feet (111 square meters); two bedrooms, two bathrooms
Designers: Theresa Dorlini (interior design) and John Dorlini (architecture), both of Circle Design Studio
The homeowner’s family runs a Japanese-influenced bed and breakfast on the expansive property, and it let him choose from several plots on which to build. This one, between the woods and a meadow, had a view of a duck pond and was close enough to the bed and breakfast — where he helps out — to be convenient but far enough away to give him privacy.
When designing the house, the Dorlinis and the homeowner shared Houzz photos for inspiration. Theresa and her client’s shared experience of living in Japan informed some of the design decisions.
“It was important to figure out how the house would nestle into the land,” she says. Elevating the main level served two purposes. One, they were able to avoid the extra costs of excavating a basement. And two, the height provided better views. Across the front of the house from left to right is an entry porch, the living room, the dining room and a screened-in porch. There are two bedrooms, one on each floor, stacked one above the other at the back of the house.
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