Mid-modern approach

Exterior’s stark lines, complementary materials set stage for what’s inside one-of-a-kind mHouse

 Approaching the mHouse, you are taken by the stark horizontal lines of its mid-modern design; the complementary look of its terracotta-colored compact laminate against the black and gray fascia and chimney; and the floor-to-ceiling windows that seem to invite visitors inside.

Compact laminate, sometimes referred to as solid phenolic, is a nearly indestructible siding product. Often used as rain screen in commercial applications, Fiberesin Industries’ Stonewood Architectural Panels were perfect for the mHouse’s modern design. The 8mm-thick panels were fused with a walnut décor and a UV resistant layer.

The fascia, chimney and kitchen siding were produced from SIMOWOOD, a product from SIMONA AG. Made from recycled rice hull and Resysta technology, SIMOWOOD panels are rendered water resistant. Accelerated testing confirms that moisture has no discernable effect.

The panels were produced in SIMONA’S facility in Kirn, Germany, and shipped to Stiles Machinery’s processing facility in High Point, N.C. The panels needed to be cut to size and sanded to 8 mm to match the thickness of Fiberesin’s Stonewood panels and to create a wood grain effect. Homag’s Intellistore, Holzma’s panel saw and Butfering sanders were all employed to efficiently create the required sizes. (For more on this process, go to www.facebook.com/StilesMachinery/posts/10154133440145663 for a video.) 

You approach the house on a driveway and walk made of Aggretex decorative concrete from Decorative Surface Solutions Group in Livermore, Calif. Aggretex is a cementitious slurry matrix to which a wide variety of aggregates can be added for unlimited design possibilities. For the mHouse, architect John Vetter selected silica carbide as the aggregate for a subtle, yet beautiful finished look.

“It’s a refined look not seen in traditional concrete products,” Vetter said. “To complete the look, we used sawn relief joints to match the geometry of the home. It’s a beautiful product.”

Aggretex was used on the back patio, front walkway and garage entry.