Now that the interior of the house is complete, we have moved on to crafting the Hinoki deck and fence. The team at AKIYA2.0 helped stain approximately 200 Hinoki boards before our builders assembled them, a demanding 5-day process, but one well worth the effort.
The black-stained Hinoki deck runs the length of the house façade and provides visual balance, like a row of teeth in the human face. Likewise, the privacy fence along the side provides the "hair" to complete the picture. Certainly both together make the cottage look more substantial and inviting. Even our neighbours want to sit on the deck enjoying a cup of coffee with us in the morning sun!
Visual balance can transform a cottage renovation from being just a repair to instead becoming a place of beauty that guests want to stay at - all of which improves the bottom line.
No traditional Japanese home is complete without an engawa, but because we widened the bedrooms to accommodate Cal-King size beds, the simple addition of a table and chairs for alfresco breakfast means that the deck now serves as an interesting indoor-outdoor "engawa". A fusion of sorts, of Japanese and western concepts, that creates a delightful and relaxed guest experience.
Next, we’re ready to begin the landscaping!
Music via ArtList: Aves - Sparks