Feature: Taking Flight
March 1, 2008
Soaring Wings also maintains sustainability with a variety of other eco-centric materials. "Domestic softwoods, mainly vertical-grain fir, were used as finishes," Wittman says, adding that the laminated floors are made of waste wood topped with a clear heartwood veneer. "Although this usually is not done on a high-end house such as this one, beautiful veneers are commonly available, and the result looks like a fine guitar top or the soundboard of an instrument."
The kitchen’s CaesarStone countertops employed recycled glass, the closets and cabinetry are fabricated with medium-density fiberboard—which is made of sawdust and other recycled wood—and the paint is low-VOC. The green theme is further emphasized by its color scheme: The light exterior palette is accented by the spring-green grid pattern of the stair tower and bridge.
The McPikes, who are recently retired, are at one with the house and their new environment. "The house has a Zen-ful feel," Greg says. "In the morning when I walk around in it, I see the sun and at night, moonlight."
After sipping their morning coffee on the front patio and getting the children on the school bus, the McPikes putter around Soaring Wings, lounging on its decks and enjoying their luxurious, healthy lifestyle. "I never knew such peace could exist," Contessa says. "We are here all day long, and don’t find ourselves wanting to wander. Every evening, Greg sits on the front stoop and looks at the house. I’ve never been a cook, but this house has inspired me to make gourmet meals every day."
And sometimes they simply marvel at the views. "The living room was designed to collide with the pool, so when you are at one end of the room, it’s like sitting in the water," Contessa says. "And because of all the glass, I am connected to every part of the house, no matter where I am. This is a great feature when we have parties, because people can wander around and still feel as though they are all in the same room."
More than anything else, the house is a natural sanctuary, a place where the McPikes can feel at home, regardless of what is going on in the wider world. And when Contessa wants to clear her mind and soothe her body, all she has to do is soak in her egg-shaped, gray granite tub that sits on a bed of beach pebbles overlooking the Japanese rock garden.
"I take great pleasure in lounging in the tub," she says. "It’s pure sinful delight."
As, she says, is Soaring Wings. So much so that she and Greg are finding that the best place to stay is right at home, where the world is literally right under their own wings.
"We had plans to travel, but this place is so nice that we don’t like to leave it," Greg says.
Contessa, his other wing, chimes in, "When you live in heaven, why go anywhere else?"
Winn Wittman Architecture, 512.473.3738, www.winnwittman.com
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