Outside the BOX
“Green building can be beautiful, sustainable, and affordable.”
It may look like a normal contemporary home from the street, but one of the city’s hottest new builds is one that’s given a second life to shipping containers. Those big metal boxes that transport everything around the world usually end up in a landfill, however, five of them went into shaping this Santa Barbara foothills house. Homeowners Dani and Bret Stone, a fashion stylist and environmental attorney respectively, wanted to set an example of something that could be stunning and sustainable at the same time, not to mention cost effective. They worked with AB Design Studio, builder Don Barber, and McFadden Design Group to create a 2,400-square-foot custom concrete-and-steel structure of stacked containers. Every part down to the original doors are used but painted in welcoming hues. “We used 15 shades of gray,” says designer Sarah McFadden. “There was no way I was going to do white, and there was no way I was going to do color.” The subtle shades and shapes McFadden wove into each room make all the difference. Small rectangular cutouts and windows give the eyes resting points throughout, while the natural corrugation of the container (now painted gray) gives a completely unique backsplash in the kitchen. “It’s the details of the container that add contrast,” she adds. Proving this new type of building doesn’t have to be cold and industrial, the interiors are filled with warm textiles, bright artwork, and creative lighting. Adds Dani: “Green building can be beautiful, sustainable, and affordable.” –Written by Jennifer Blaise Kramer –Photographs by Jason Rick
