# ArcSalt > Designing the space between. Space. Light. Relationship. Independent design studio in Golden, Colorado. Landscape design, mid-century restoration, adaptive reuse, custom breeze blocks, metalwork, lighting, and living walls. Website: https://www.arcsalt.com/ Email: info@arcsalt.com Contact: https://www.arcsalt.com/contact/ Sitemap: https://www.arcsalt.com/sitemap.xml ## Start a Design Project | ArcSalt · Golden, Colorado URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/contact/ Home /Contact Contact Tell us how you want your space to feel. What do you love about your place, and what would make it feel more like you? A courtyard, an interior, a breeze-block screen, or an idea still taking shape—tell us what you imagine and we can explore it together. Emailinfo@arcsalt.comStudioGolden, ColoradoSocialInstagram @salt.arcFacebook /arcsaltNameEmailPhone (optional)City or siteHow can the studio help?Select a type of workMid-century restorationAdaptive reuseSalvage & materialsBreeze blocks & custom blockLandscape designLightingLiving wall installationsCustom MetalworkNot sure — need a reading of the siteBuilding era / style (optional)Unknown or not a building1940s–1960s ranch / split-levelOrganic modern / Wright-adjacent1970s contemporaryOlder fabric, adaptive reuseLandscape or living wall onlyNew work beside an existing houseTimeline (optional)FlexibleThinking / early researchThis seasonThis yearA building already in constructionTell us about the projectWebsiteSend to the studio Goes to info@arcsalt.com. We reply from the studio, not a form robot. FAQ Before you write What should I include in a project inquiry?+ Tell us where the project is, what you love about it, and what you want it to do as well as how you want it to feel. Include any features you hope to preserve, the kind of help you need, your timing, and a budget range if you have one. Photographs, dimensions, or existing plans can help us understand the starting point. What happens after I send an inquiry?+ The studio reviews your note and follows up to learn more about the place, your priorities, and the kind of help you need. From there, we can discuss a suitable scope, deliverables, timing, and next steps. Do you work outside Golden?+ Yes. We welcome projects across Denver and the Front Range, with work farther afield considered individually. Share the location and the kind of help you need so we can discuss a practical way to collaborate. ## Field Notes: Design, Landscape & Making | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/field/ ArcSalt field notes Home /Field @salt.arc ArcSalt Space. Light. Relationship. Golden, Colorado · Front Range Follow @salt.arcStart a conversation Practice Salvage Block Plants Earth Work A name, worn A plane, a ground A mark on a wall A wall that grows The frame, first A module, a shadow A plant, a seam The cut Native ground Glass, then weather Moss, as a plane Brick, again Ranch and garden room Night plane Desert masonry Hemp lime Earth and glass Copper as an edge Afternoon module FAQ About the field notes What is @salt.arc?+ @salt.arc is ArcSalt’s Instagram account—a place for observations, design interests, and work in progress. Space, light, relationship is the thread connecting it with the studio’s Field page. Is Field an Instagram feed?+ Field is a collection curated for the ArcSalt website rather than an automatic Instagram feed. Visit @salt.arc for posts and updates shared on Instagram. Can I inquire from Instagram?+ Yes. You can start a conversation through @salt.arc. For a project inquiry, the website form or info@arcsalt.com provides a useful place to share the location, a brief description, and any references. ## ArcSalt | Mid-Century Design Studio in Golden, Colorado URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/ Designing the space between. Space. Light. Relationship. The studio ArcSalt is an independent design studio grounded in the belief that design grows from the landscape. The terrain, light, and character of a place guide what takes shape. Inspired by mid-century modern design, we consider indoors and out as one continuous experience, giving equal attention to what we create and what we leave open. The practiceStudio studies Breeze blocks A love of breeze blocks. We create custom block designs and help recreate vintage patterns using tools such as 3D scanning and digital modeling, carrying the ideas we love into new spaces. Terracotta / Pattern & shadow Explore breeze blocks & custom block Services All services 01 Mid-century restoration Original woodwork, familiar rooflines, a favorite chair. Restoring the details—and relationships—that give mid-century design its character. Explore 02 Adaptive reuse An overlooked building. An underused room. Finding another purpose in what already exists, guided by the place itself. Explore 03 Salvage & materials Weathered timber, vintage furniture, architectural fragments. Finding what’s worth keeping and imagining where it belongs next. Explore 04 Breeze blocks & custom block Original block designs and vintage patterns recreated with 3D scanning, digital modeling, and thoughtful fabrication. Explore 05 Landscape design Planting, paths, and gathering spaces that connect the house with its surroundings and feel good to spend time in. Explore 06 Lighting Sculptural fixtures, quiet layers, and warm evening light for interiors and landscapes. Explore 07 Living wall installations Living textures and planted surfaces considered for their atmosphere, setting, and ongoing care. Explore 08 Custom Metalwork Mid-century-inspired fireplaces, fire pits, mailboxes, screens, and one-off pieces developed with skilled fabricators. Explore Photo: Carol M. Highsmith · Library of Congress · Public domain Lineage Learning to see the space within. While volunteering at Taliesin West in Arizona, I worked in the archives. Wright’s humor and personality came alive in those pages. Working in the buildings and sharing lunches with people who knew him changed how I understood space and place. That experience still shapes how I look at a place: its light, its proportions, the movement between rooms and gardens, and the feeling of being there. About the practice An eye for the enduring Preserve the legends.Keep the ideas alive. A roofline that offers shelter. A screen that opens a view. Materials that hold a memory. We look closely at the relationships that make great design feel whole, and the original character worth carrying forward. 01 / Form & place 02 / Pattern & shadow 03 / Light & atmosphere 04 / A second life The images are a visual introduction to ArcSalt's interests, not a claim of completed client projects. Journal Design worth remembering All essays 12 March 2026 · 8 min How to restore a mid-century house in Colorado Start with the roof plane, the brick, and the ground. Resist the kitchen that wants to be a showroom. 28 January 2026 · 7 min Living walls in a dry climate Moss when you want stillness. Live plants when you want weather indoors. Either way, detail it like construction. 4 November 2025 · 9 min Organic architecture after Wright Taliesin West teaches a method, not a look. The disciples already proved the difference. FAQ Asked, and answered. What does ArcSalt do?+ ArcSalt is an independent design studio in Golden, Colorado, inspired by mid-century modern design and the belief that design grows from the landscape. Our work spans restoration, adaptive reuse, landscape design, breeze blocks, custom metalwork, lighting, and living walls. We welcome focused projects, hands-on making, and creative collaborations. Where is ArcSalt based?+ ArcSalt is based in Golden, Colorado, and welcomes projects across Denver and the Front Range. Projects farther afield can be considered individually, depending on the scope and opportunities for collaboration. Do you only work on mid-century modern homes?+ Mid-century modern design is an important influence. We also welcome like-minded collaborations in other settings, beginning with the landscape and the qualities that make each place distinctive. Can ArcSalt help if I already have a contractor or architect?+ Yes. ArcSalt can contribute concepts, material ideas, planting, lighting, and a shared vision for the space, working alongside the architect, designer, contractor, or craftsperson already involved. How do I start a project?+ Use the project inquiry form or email info@arcsalt.com. Tell us where the project is, what you have in mind, and what you would like to preserve or change. A few photographs, rough dimensions, and your preferred timing are helpful; an idea does not need to be fully formed to start a conversation. What is the Field page?+ Field gathers observations, images, and notes about buildings, landscapes, plants, salvage, and making. It offers a closer look at the details and ideas that inform ArcSalt. Follow @salt.arc on Instagram for more from the studio. Inquire How would you like your space to feel? A quieter courtyard, a more welcoming room, a breeze-block screen, or a connection between house and garden. Bring your ideas and what you value about the place. We can explore the possibilities together. Project inquiryinfo@arcsalt.com @salt.arc ArcSalt Space. Light. Relationship. Golden, Colorado · Front Range Follow @salt.arcAll field notes A name, worn A plane, a ground A mark on a wall A wall that grows The frame, first A module, a shadow A plant, a seam The cut Native ground Glass, then weather Moss, as a plane Process, salvage, and the buildings as they are found — more at Field and @salt.arc. Open FieldInstagram ## Breeze Blocks as Architecture: Pattern & Space | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/journal/custom-block-as-architecture/ Home /Journal /Custom block as architecture, not cladding 2 June 2025 · 5 min Custom block as architecture, not cladding A module, a void, an aggregate. Screen walls that belong to one house and one afternoon. Decorative concrete block was a mid-century vernacular across the American West: cheap, structural enough, and good at making shade. The surviving walls are often better than the replacements. ArcSalt treats block as a designed unit — custom when the house deserves it, repaired when the original is still the right module. Why not use catalog breeze block? Catalog patterns are drawn for a national average. They rarely course with roman brick, they rarely take local sand, and their voids are often too cute to throw a serious shadow. A custom module can match an existing course height, frame a plant, or hide a car without announcing itself as a motif. How is custom block made? Small runs can be cast in molds; some walls are laid as unique units. Mix design — cement or lime, aggregate, pigment — is part of the drawing. The face can be smooth, board-formed, or exposed aggregate. The void is the real design: what light does at 4 p.m. in October in Golden. ArcSalt is a design studio in Golden, Colorado. Start a conversation · info@arcsalt.com custom block masonry Continue reading How to restore a mid-century house in Colorado Living walls in a dry climate Organic architecture after Wright ## Journal: Mid-Century Design, Gardens & Restoration | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/journal/ Home /Journal Journal Notes from the studio. Ideas and observations on mid-century design, preservation, gardens, breeze blocks, and the relationship between a place and what we create. 12 March 2026 · 8 min How to restore a mid-century house in Colorado Start with the roof plane, the brick, and the ground. Resist the kitchen that wants to be a showroom. 28 January 2026 · 7 min Living walls in a dry climate Moss when you want stillness. Live plants when you want weather indoors. Either way, detail it like construction. 4 November 2025 · 9 min Organic architecture after Wright Taliesin West teaches a method, not a look. The disciples already proved the difference. 18 September 2025 · 6 min Salvage first: adaptive reuse on the Front Range Take the building apart in order. The next use should still be able to find the last one. 2 June 2025 · 5 min Custom block as architecture, not cladding A module, a void, an aggregate. Screen walls that belong to one house and one afternoon. FAQ About the journal What is the ArcSalt journal?+ The journal explores mid-century modern design, preservation, breeze blocks, landscapes, and the relationship between space and light. It is a place to share observations, influences, and ideas that inform the practice. Can I republish or quote a journal essay?+ Short quotation with a link to the original page is welcome. For longer reuse, write info@arcsalt.com. ## Living Walls in a Dry Climate | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/journal/living-walls-in-a-dry-climate/ Home /Journal /Living walls in a dry climate 28 January 2026 · 7 min Living walls in a dry climate Moss when you want stillness. Live plants when you want weather indoors. Either way, detail it like construction. Colorado is bright, dry, and high. A living wall that was designed for a humid coastal lobby will fail here — or it will live only as long as a maintenance contract pretends. ArcSalt treats living walls as installations with a climate, not as décor. Should I choose moss or live plants? Choose preserved moss when you want a green plane with no irrigation, no grow lights, and almost no seasonal drama. Sheet moss and bun moss read as mineral. Choose a live planted wall when you want growth, scent, and the small weather of watering — and when you can give it light, a waterproof cavity, and a winter plan. Will a living wall damage a mid-century interior? It will if it is hung on original plaster with a consumer irrigation kit. It will not if the wall is a designed assembly: ventilated cavity, waterproof backing, drip collection, and a break from historic millwork. The plants are a finish. The assembly is architecture. What plants survive indoor Colorado air? Ferns want shade and a little more humidity than a typical winter house will give them — they belong near a kitchen court or a bathroom with a glass wall. Succulents and many peperomias take the bright dry air near glass. Herbs can live in a planted kitchen panel if the light is honest. Species lists are written per room, not copied from a tropical hotel. Outdoor living walls at altitude A courtyard screen of live plants on the Front Range needs freeze strategy, wind, and a south or east exposure. Native vines and drought-tolerant perennials are better citizens than tropicals left outside. Moss panels outdoors are a different product — and often the wrong one, unless they are truly preserved and UV-stable. ArcSalt is a design studio in Golden, Colorado. Start a conversation · info@arcsalt.com living walls plants interiors Continue reading How to restore a mid-century house in Colorado Organic architecture after Wright Salvage first: adaptive reuse on the Front Range ## Organic Architecture After Frank Lloyd Wright | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/journal/organic-architecture-after-wright/ Home /Journal /Organic architecture after Wright 4 November 2025 · 9 min Organic architecture after Wright Taliesin West teaches a method, not a look. The disciples already proved the difference. ArcSalt’s education is partly volunteer work at Taliesin West and partly years of self-study — Wright, the Fellowship, and the quieter disciples who took organic architecture into other climates. Time in the archives (drawings, letters, construction notes) is useful only if it changes how you stand on a jobsite in Golden. What did Taliesin West actually teach? Not how to copy a prow or a chevron. It taught desert masonry — stone gathered on site, set face-out, locked in a matrix — canvas as a roof, copper as an edge, and the idea that a building is a camp that grew until it was inevitable. Apprentices learned by building. That is still the right sequence: hand, then drawing, then specification. Who are the disciples worth reading? The useful lineage is not celebrity. It is the people who took organic principles into brick, into the desert, into modest houses: site first, materials that already belong, a plan that is a path of light, ornament that is the joint. Reading them beside Wright keeps a restoration from becoming a costume. A Wright-inspired house that ignores its lot is not organic. It is a souvenir. How this lands on a Colorado ranch On the Front Range the lesson is horizontal ground, masonry that matches the geology, glass that faces weather with a deep eave, and a garden that is not a Midwestern lawn. Custom block, salvage, hemp-lime, and living walls are contemporary tools for the same idea: the building and the site are one drawing. ArcSalt is a design studio in Golden, Colorado. Start a conversation · info@arcsalt.com organic architecture Taliesin practice Continue reading How to restore a mid-century house in Colorado Living walls in a dry climate Salvage first: adaptive reuse on the Front Range ## How to Restore a Mid-Century House in Colorado | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/journal/restore-a-mid-century-house-in-colorado/ Home /Journal /How to restore a mid-century house in Colorado 12 March 2026 · 8 min How to restore a mid-century house in Colorado Start with the roof plane, the brick, and the ground. Resist the kitchen that wants to be a showroom. A mid-century modern house on the Front Range is usually a ranch, a split-level, or a low organic-modern volume from the late 1940s through the 1970s. Restoring one is less about period wallpaper and more about keeping the building’s horizontal idea intact while the roof, brick, and mechanical systems are brought back to work. What should you restore first? Water, structure, and envelope. A beautiful original kitchen on a leaking slab is not a restoration. ArcSalt begins with a fabric survey: what is original, what has been wrapped, where moisture is traveling, which walls are bearing. Only then do the rooms get drawings. Keep the roof as a plane Mid-century houses in Golden and Denver often fail at the eave: a fascia wrapped in vinyl, a gutter that fights the line, a pop-top that turns a ranch into a two-story afterthought. If you need volume, add it as a secondary wing or a garden room, not as a new house sitting on the old one. Brick, block, and the urge to stucco Roman brick, slump block, and painted block are the local mid-century masonry. They can be cleaned, repointed, and locally patched. Stucco over sound brick is usually a way of hiding a problem you have not named. Custom block, if you add a screen or a garden wall, should course with the original — not arrive as a catalog pattern from another climate. The house already knows how to sit on this ground. Restoration is the work of not talking over it. Landscape is part of the restoration A Kentucky bluegrass apron around a 1958 ranch is a later idea. Native grasses, yucca, sandstone, and a decomposed-granite court will do more for the architecture — and for water — than a new front door. Lighting should graze masonry and wash the eave, not flood the foothills. When the builder is already on site If a crew is already in the house, the useful ask is still specific: a window schedule, a brick repair, or a second reading of an addition before it is framed. Restoration is that reading — what stays, what is opened, and what is never touched. ArcSalt is a design studio in Golden, Colorado. Start a conversation · info@arcsalt.com restoration mid-century modern Golden Continue reading Living walls in a dry climate Organic architecture after Wright Salvage first: adaptive reuse on the Front Range ## Salvage First: Adaptive Reuse on the Front Range | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/journal/salvage-first-adaptive-reuse/ Home /Journal /Salvage first: adaptive reuse on the Front Range 18 September 2025 · 6 min Salvage first: adaptive reuse on the Front Range Take the building apart in order. The next use should still be able to find the last one. Adaptive reuse on the Colorado Front Range often means a small brick commercial bay, a barn, or a mid-century office with a parking apron. The carbon, the character, and the zoning are already in the shell. Demolition is the expensive way to start over. What does salvage-first mean? It means the existing building is the first materials list. Brick is cleaned and stacked. Timber is graded. Hardware stays with its opening. Only then do you buy anything new. Mystery ‘reclaimed’ wood with no origin is not salvage; it is a finish. How do you add without erasing? New work is inserted: a glass pavilion, a loft plate, a court. It should be readable as new so the old volume can stay old. Matching the brick exactly and then punching a showroom window through it is how reuse becomes a replica of a storefront you could have built anywhere. Earth and hemp as repair, not costume Experience with Earthship systems and hemp architecture is most useful here as thermal mass and vapor logic — not as a tire wall glued onto a Victorian. Hemp-lime can insulate a brick shell that needs to keep breathing. Earth berms can take a north wind off a reused volume. The material has to solve a section, not a brand. ArcSalt is a design studio in Golden, Colorado. Start a conversation · info@arcsalt.com salvage adaptive reuse Continue reading How to restore a mid-century house in Colorado Living walls in a dry climate Organic architecture after Wright ## Mid-Century Design Studio in Golden, CO | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/practice/ Home /Practice @salt.arc · Practice The space within. The feeling of a place. Space. Light. Relationship. ArcSalt is an independent design studio grounded in the belief that design grows from the landscape. The terrain, light, and character of a place guide what takes shape. Inspired by mid-century modern design, we consider indoors and out as one continuous experience, giving equal attention to what we create and what we leave open. Taliesin West Wright’s ideas, experienced firsthand. Volunteering at Taliesin gave me a closer connection to Wright’s work. I helped build new desert masonry walls and worked in the archives at Taliesin West. Time spent in the buildings and conversations with people who knew him brought his ideas to life, deepening my interest in how landscape, light, and craft shape a place. I continue to return to Wright’s writings and recorded talks, alongside an interest in the Japanese concept of ma—the space and pauses between things. Together, these ideas inform how we approach a place at ArcSalt: framing a view, connecting a room to its garden, and giving what we leave open as much care as what we create. Influences Ideas that continue to shape our eye. Frank Lloyd Wright, Al Beadle, Richard Neutra, and Rudolph Schindler are among the influences we return to. We are drawn to the way their work makes us consider the whole place: the landscape, the light, the materials, and the experience of moving between indoors and out. While living in Phoenix, I was lucky to call Al Beadle’s Three Fountains home. Experiencing his architecture through the everyday rhythms of home deepened my appreciation for mid-century design. These influences encourage a way of looking, questioning, and experimenting. Each project begins with its own landscape and character, exploring how those ideas can find a thoughtful expression in the present. Earth & hemp Materials that shape the experience. Earth, stone, timber, and plant-based materials invite a closer relationship with a place. Their texture, weight, and response to light influence the atmosphere of a room or garden. We begin with those qualities and how they support the whole. An interest in earth and hemp-based building also encourages thoughtful questions about material choice, climate, and reuse. Each project is a collaboration, with specialist knowledge brought in as the idea develops. Plants Inside and outside, considered together. Planting shapes space as much as a wall or roofline. A canopy offers shelter; grasses soften an edge; an open court gives the eye somewhere to rest. Plants, living walls, and the spaces around them belong in the same conversation as the house. We consider the view from a room, the transition across a threshold, and the experience of moving through the garden as parts of one place. Living walls Where Golden, Colorado — prairie meeting the foothills. The studio is based in Golden. The usual field is the Front Range: mid-century ranches, split-levels, small commercial shells worth keeping, gardens that would rather be geology than lawn. Write info@arcsalt.com. Follow the work at @salt.arc. FAQ About the studio What is ArcSalt’s connection to Frank Lloyd Wright?+ My volunteer experience includes helping build new desert masonry walls at Taliesin and working in the archives at Taliesin West. Alongside time spent reading and listening to Wright, those experiences inform how ArcSalt considers craft, light, shelter, and the relationship between interiors and landscapes. What does negative space mean in design?+ Negative space is the open space that gives form to what surrounds it: the void in a breeze block, a courtyard, or a view through a room. We consider how that openness shapes light, movement, privacy, and the experience of a place. How does the landscape guide a design?+ We begin with the terrain, the light, the views, and the existing character of the place. Those observations guide how a project takes shape, how indoors and out connect, and what is best left open. The design develops around the place and the people who will use it. How does ArcSalt fit into a project team?+ ArcSalt can contribute design concepts, restoration ideas, sourcing, visual studies, and custom details. We welcome working alongside your architect, designer, contractor, landscape team, or craftsperson. The scope, deliverables, and responsibilities are agreed for each project. ## Adaptive Reuse & Creative Space Design | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/services/adaptive-reuse/ Home /Services /Adaptive reuse Service 02 Adaptive reuse Some places stay with us: the worn brick of an old workshop, a room filled with afternoon light, a courtyard waiting to be used again. Adaptive reuse begins by noticing what is already there—and imagining what it could become. A possibility worth exploring An old workshop. A new way to spend the day. Weathered brick, an existing opening, and a garden at the threshold. A design study exploring how a working building could become a welcoming place to make, meet, and spend time. Design rendering A new chapter, with a sense of history An old workshop might become a creative studio. An unused garage could open onto a garden. A quiet commercial space might find new life as somewhere to gather. We explore those possibilities with care for the qualities that made the place worth noticing in the first place. Begin with what is worth keeping A timber beam, an original opening, a beautifully weathered wall, or the relationship to a tree outside can become the starting point. We look at how the place sits in the landscape, where the light enters, and what gives it character. Those observations help guide what changes and what stays. Make room for a different way of living A new use is also a chance to rethink the experience of a place. A doorway can invite you into a garden; a screen can make a courtyard feel sheltered; a change in layout can give an overlooked room a purpose. We consider movement, everyday use, and the space left open alongside the things we add. Old and new, in conversation New work can belong comfortably beside the old while being honest about its own time. A simple glazed opening, a custom block screen, considered planting, or a subtle layer of light can bring a place into focus. We explore how each intervention supports the whole, with original details given room to speak. Small transformations count, too Reuse can begin with a single room, an outbuilding, a garden corner, or a collection of salvaged pieces waiting for a purpose. The question is what could make this place useful and meaningful again. We welcome modest projects and unusual ideas as well as larger collaborations. An idea we can develop together Bring a place you care about, even if you are not yet sure what to do with it. We can help explore possibilities through conversations, concept layouts, visual studies, and a shared design direction. As the project develops, we work alongside the architects, makers, and contractors needed to bring it to life, with roles and scope agreed together. Inquire about this work Related studies Earth and glass FAQ About adaptive reuse What does adaptive reuse mean?+ Adaptive reuse gives an existing building or space a new purpose while retaining qualities worth keeping. It might mean turning a workshop into a studio or finding a new use for an outbuilding. The aim is to build on the character already present. Can ArcSalt help me explore what an unused space could become?+ Yes. We can help you consider possible uses, the relationship to the landscape, the available light, and the original features worth keeping. Concept layouts and visual studies can help establish a direction before a detailed project is developed. Does adaptive reuse have to be a large project?+ No. A single room, garage, garden structure, or overlooked courtyard can be a starting point. We welcome small transformations where a thoughtful change could give a familiar place a useful new role. How does ArcSalt work with the rest of the project team?+ ArcSalt contributes the design ideas and a shared direction for the place. We collaborate with architects, makers, and contractors as the project requires. Scope, responsibilities, and the level of coordination are agreed around the particular project. Other services Mid-century restoration Salvage & materials Breeze blocks & custom block Landscape design ## Custom Breeze Blocks & Vintage Reproductions | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/services/custom-block/ Home /Services /Breeze blocks & custom block Service 04 Breeze blocks & custom block A breeze block is as much about what is open as what is solid. Its voids frame views, admit light, and create a sense of privacy without closing a place off. We explore original patterns and custom ideas in relation to the whole room, courtyard, or garden. The opening is part of the design Begin with the view through the wall, the rhythm of the openings, and the shadows they create. Pattern, scale, color, and material develop together, whether the project calls for a familiar mid-century block or a custom design explored with a maker. Walls that breathe and shade A screen can define a place to sit, filter a view, and let air and light move through. We consider those experiences alongside the surrounding planting, lighting, and existing building, then collaborate with the people who will make and install it. Light, softened by glass. Glass block brings a different kind of openness: daylight can pass through while the view becomes softer and less defined. We explore its texture, module, and setting as part of the whole room—a luminous stair wall, a sheltered entry, or a partition that shares light between spaces. In this study, rippled glass catches the changing sun and casts shifting reflections across timber and stone. A wall that holds the light. Textured glass, warm timber, and a softened glimpse of the garden. An exploration of privacy, reflection, and light moving through a room. Design rendering Custom blocks, made around your idea We can create original breeze blocks and decorative blocks around the pattern, proportions, and feeling you have in mind. From a single repeating module to a larger composition, we explore the solid form and the openings together—how they frame a view, filter light, and relate to the surrounding space. Recreating vintage patterns Have an original block you love, a damaged piece, or a pattern that is no longer available? We can help recreate vintage blocks for repairs, extensions, or new installations that carry the design forward. An existing sample provides a starting point for studying the geometry, dimensions, surface, and character of the original. Old ideas. Modern tools. 3D scanning, digital modeling, and modern prototyping can help capture an existing block and develop a repeatable design. We can use that model to explore replacements, refine a new pattern, and develop prototypes or mold-making masters with fabrication partners. The process is chosen around the original piece, the material, and the number of blocks needed. From sample to finished block Start with a sample, photographs, dimensions, or an idea. We review the pattern and intended setting, develop the digital design, and explore a prototype before moving toward molds and casting. Texture, color, aggregate, and finish are considered alongside the geometry, with sample review helping establish the right direction. Collaboration and experimentation We are open to collaborations and experimentation with designers, artists, architects, makers, and curious clients. Bring an unusual pattern, a material to explore, or an idea that is still taking shape. We welcome the chance to test possibilities, develop prototypes, and discover something together. Made to belong A recreated pattern should feel at home beside the original. A custom design should belong to its setting. We work with clients, makers, and installers to develop the block and its place in the wider design, from a small preservation project to a courtyard screen or feature wall. Inquire about this work Related studies Screen block court FAQ About custom designed block What can you do with custom breeze blocks?+ We can develop an original block pattern or explore recreating a vintage design for a particular setting. Pattern, scale, texture, and the open space within each block shape light, airflow, privacy, and views. Digital modeling, 3D scans where useful, and physical prototypes can help develop the idea with fabrication partners. Can custom block complement a mid-century house?+ Yes. A familiar vintage pattern or a new design can respond to the house and its setting. Scale, openings, texture, and color are considered together, with prototypes and samples helping establish the right direction. Can you recreate a vintage breeze block that is no longer made?+ We can explore recreating discontinued or vintage patterns from an original block, measured dimensions, or useful reference images. Where a physical sample is available, 3D scanning can help capture its form. Digital modeling, prototypes, and mold development with fabrication partners help establish what can be reproduced. Can you create a completely custom block pattern?+ Yes. Bring a sketch, reference, or idea. We can develop an original pattern, explore its openings and proportions digitally, and work through prototypes and mold development with fabrication partners. Will a recreated block look exactly like an old one?+ We work toward a considered match in shape, dimensions, texture, and color. Weathering and differences in materials can affect the final appearance, so samples and prototypes help establish what can be achieved before production. Other services Mid-century restoration Adaptive reuse Salvage & materials Landscape design ## Custom Metalwork, Fireplaces & Mailboxes | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/services/custom-metalwork/ Home /Services /Custom Metalwork Service 08 Custom Metalwork A sculptural fireplace. A fire pit that brings people together. A mailbox that feels like it belongs to the house. Custom metalwork gives everyday objects a presence of their own, with forms and details developed around the place they will become part of. Custom metalwork studies Fire, form, and a sense of place. A classic silhouette. An earthy finish. A freestanding conical fireplace imagined in a muted mushroom-taupe finish, with slender legs, a long flue, and a quiet presence in the courtyard. Design rendering A hearth shaped by the whole room. Slender brick, a long hearth, warm walnut, and custom bronze details bring a new fireplace into conversation with mid-century design. Design rendering A place to gather after dark. A low steel bowl and an open courtyard, shaped around conversation and the changing light. Design rendering A considered arrival. Weathered steel, a recessed charcoal mailbox, and cut-out address numbers bring a sculptural presence to the entry. A custom piece imagined in conversation with the house and landscape. Design rendering Fireplaces, mantels, and the heart of a room A fireplace can give a room its center of gravity. We explore mid-century-inspired hoods, surrounds, hearths, and mantel compositions with attention to the silhouette, the space around them, and the way they relate to the house. Metal, stone, and wood can each contribute to the whole, with the fireplace system and fabrication developed alongside appropriate specialists. Fire pits and outdoor gathering places An outdoor fire pit can become a natural place to settle in as the light changes. Low bowls, sculptural forms, and more architectural compositions can be explored around the courtyard, seating, planting, and views. We develop the design direction with fabricators and installers so the piece belongs to its setting. Mailboxes with a point of view A mailbox is one of the first things you see when arriving home. We welcome custom designs for mailboxes, address markers, and entry details inspired by the clean lines and thoughtful proportions of mid-century modern design. Shape, finish, lettering, and the relationship to the house are considered together. Screens, gates, and garden details Metal can frame a view, define an entrance, or create a little privacy while leaving room for light and air. We explore screens, gates, planters, bench frames, and details that connect with the surrounding landscape. Geometric patterns can echo a breeze-block wall or become an original idea of their own. From a sketch to a fabricated piece Bring a reference, a rough sketch, or a problem you would like to solve. We can develop proportions, visual studies, and a shared direction before working through the piece with a fabricator. Finish samples, prototypes, or digital models can help refine the idea, with scope and responsibilities agreed around the project. Open to collaboration and experimentation We welcome collaborations with metalworkers, artists, designers, and clients who have something unusual in mind. A small custom detail can be as rewarding as a larger installation. The aim is a piece that feels considered, useful, and right for its place. Inquire about this work FAQ About custom metalwork Can you help design a custom mid-century-style fireplace or mantel?+ Yes. We can explore fireplace hoods, surrounds, hearths, and mantel compositions as part of a room or as a focused project. The design direction is developed alongside the fabricators and fireplace specialists appropriate to the work. Do you design outdoor fire pits?+ Yes. We welcome custom fire-pit concepts, from low sculptural bowls to pieces developed as part of a courtyard. The design considers seating, the surrounding landscape, and how you want to gather, with fabrication and installation coordinated with the project team. Can you design a custom mailbox or address marker?+ Yes. We can develop mailboxes, address markers, and entry details around the house and landscape, considering silhouette, finish, lettering, and everyday use together. Share references, dimensions, and the character you have in mind. Placement and delivery requirements are checked with the installer and relevant postal service as the design develops. Does ArcSalt fabricate the metalwork?+ ArcSalt develops the design and collaborates with skilled metalworkers and other specialists to bring it to life. The fabricator, scope, and level of coordination are agreed for each project. Other services Mid-century restoration Adaptive reuse Salvage & materials Breeze blocks & custom block ## Design, Restoration & Custom Work in Golden, CO | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/services/ Home /Services Services Design for the way a place feels. Landscape design, breeze blocks, lighting, living walls, and preservation all begin with the same question: how do you want to feel here? We develop concepts, explore materials, and collaborate with clients and craftspeople to bring the whole place into focus. Original woodwork, familiar rooflines, a favorite chair. Restoring the details—and relationships—that give mid-century design its character. Mid-century restoration Original woodwork, familiar rooflines, a favorite chair. Restoring the details—and relationships—that give mid-century design its character. An overlooked building. An underused room. Finding another purpose in what already exists, guided by the place itself. Adaptive reuse An overlooked building. An underused room. Finding another purpose in what already exists, guided by the place itself. Weathered timber, vintage furniture, architectural fragments. Finding what’s worth keeping and imagining where it belongs next. Salvage & materials Weathered timber, vintage furniture, architectural fragments. Finding what’s worth keeping and imagining where it belongs next. Original block designs and vintage patterns recreated with 3D scanning, digital modeling, and thoughtful fabrication. Breeze blocks & custom block Original block designs and vintage patterns recreated with 3D scanning, digital modeling, and thoughtful fabrication. Planting, paths, and gathering spaces that connect the house with its surroundings and feel good to spend time in. Landscape design Planting, paths, and gathering spaces that connect the house with its surroundings and feel good to spend time in. Sculptural fixtures, quiet layers, and warm evening light for interiors and landscapes. Lighting Warmth, shadow, and subtle layers of light that shape the experience of interiors and gardens after dark. Living textures and planted surfaces considered for their atmosphere, setting, and ongoing care. Living wall installations Living textures and planted surfaces considered for their atmosphere, setting, and ongoing care. Mid-century-inspired fireplaces, fire pits, mailboxes, screens, and one-off pieces developed with skilled fabricators. Custom Metalwork Mid-century-inspired fireplaces, fire pits, mailboxes, screens, and one-off pieces developed with skilled fabricators. FAQ How the work is scoped Do you restore original materials or replace them?+ We begin by understanding what gives the object or place its character and what can be kept. Repair and reuse are explored first. Where a replacement is needed, its proportions, pattern, and finish are considered alongside the original, with samples or specialist input as appropriate. What can you do with custom breeze blocks?+ We can develop an original block pattern or explore recreating a vintage design for a particular setting. Pattern, scale, texture, and the open space within each block shape light, airflow, privacy, and views. Digital modeling, 3D scans where useful, and physical prototypes can help develop the idea with fabrication partners. Can living walls work in Colorado?+ Yes, with a system and plants suited to the setting. Indoor planted walls need suitable light, irrigation, drainage, and ongoing care. Outdoor options depend on exposure and seasonal conditions. Preserved moss offers a different approach for suitable interiors, without irrigation. ## Landscape & Courtyard Design in Golden, CO | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/services/landscape/ Home /Services /Landscape Service 05 Landscape design Landscape design begins with how you want to spend time outside. We consider the house, courtyard, planting, paths, and views together, shaping outdoor spaces with a sense of shelter, openness, and connection. Courtyard studies Block, planting, and water. A pair of design studies exploring an outdoor breeze-block wall with planted pockets and an integrated fountain. The openings, greenery, and water are considered as parts of one landscape. A garden wall that grows. Terracotta, planted openings, and moving water connect the courtyard with the house. Design rendering Water, shadow, and evening light. A closer study of foliage, open blockwork, and the quiet movement of water. Design rendering Room to gather. Space to breathe. An open court, a shaded seat, or a path around a screen can change the way a garden feels. We give the spaces between plants and structures as much attention as the things themselves, with materials and proportions that relate to the house. A gardener’s eye Practical experience with plants informs choices about scale, texture, seasonal change, and care. Planting supports the feeling of the space as well as the conditions of the site, with details developed alongside the people who will install it. Courtyards and outdoor rooms A courtyard can offer a place to gather, a quiet retreat, or a transition between the house and garden. We begin with the terrain, the light, the views, and the way you want to use it. Paths, seating, screens, and planting develop around those qualities, with equal care for the space that remains open. A garden for slowing down. Japanese-inspired restraint meets the quiet lines of mid-century design. An airy tree canopy, a long water channel, and a timber bench give this courtyard a few clear points of focus. Pale gravel and open space let each element breathe. From the covered walkway, the garden becomes a framed view—somewhere to watch a reflection, listen to water, or sit as the light changes. The planting and details would develop around the place, its conditions, and the care it will receive. Breeze blocks as part of the garden A breeze-block wall can define an outdoor room while allowing air, light, and glimpses of the garden to pass through. We can explore custom or vintage patterns, integrated planting pockets, and layered greenery around the wall. Selected openings can hold plants while others remain clear, keeping the pattern and the view legible. The presence of water A small fountain or a long, shallow basin can introduce sound, reflection, and movement to a courtyard. We explore the relationship between the water, the wall, and the planting, from a discreet spout to a feature integrated into a larger composition. Fabrication, circulation, access, and seasonal care are developed with the project team. Planting and light, considered together Lush planting can soften a geometric wall and give a garden depth. We consider texture, scale, available light, water, and ongoing care when exploring plants for beds and integrated pockets. At dusk, restrained lighting can reveal the block pattern, catch the water, and make the courtyard welcoming. From an idea to a shared direction Bring photographs, a rough plan, or a place you would like to rethink. We can explore layouts, planting ideas, block patterns, water features, and visual studies to establish a direction. Drawings or renderings help communicate that idea, with the deliverables, installation team, and level of coordination agreed around the project. Inquire about this work Related studies Native ground FAQ About landscape Does ArcSalt design landscapes in Golden, Colorado?+ Yes. We develop ideas for planting, courtyards, paths, and the relationship between house and garden in Golden and across the Front Range. The terrain, light, existing character, and the way you want to use the space guide the design, with installation developed alongside the project team. Do you design with native plants?+ Native plants are a particular interest. Planting choices respond to the site, available light, water, ongoing care, and the character of the wider landscape. Appropriate non-native plants may also be considered for the setting. Can you combine breeze blocks, planting, and a fountain?+ Yes. We can develop a courtyard concept that brings a breeze-block screen, planted pockets, surrounding greenery, and a water feature into one composition. The details are developed around the setting and with the people who will fabricate and install the work. Can plants grow within a breeze-block wall?+ Selected block openings or purpose-made pockets can be explored for planting. Root space, drainage, irrigation, exposure, and access for care need to be considered as part of the wall design, with suitable plants selected for the setting. Can you provide renderings before installation?+ Yes. Design studies and renderings can help explore a layout, planting, block pattern, water feature, or evening lighting before installation. We agree on the level of visual development and the deliverables as part of the project scope. Other services Mid-century restoration Adaptive reuse Salvage & materials Breeze blocks & custom block ## Interior & Landscape Lighting Design | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/services/lighting/ Home /Services /Lighting Service 06 Lighting Light gives a room rhythm and a garden another life after dusk. We explore the relationship between daylight, shadow, and the light we introduce—creating places to read, gather, move through, and settle into. Inspired by mid-century modern design, each scheme grows from the landscape and the character of the home. Interior & courtyard · Design renderings A softer light. A different rhythm. Light through an open block wall, a reflection on water, a path that gently draws you into the garden. The garden, after dusk. Shielded path lights, a quiet wash beneath the eave, and soft reflections let the courtyard retain its shadows. Design rendering A familiar form. A warm glow. Opal glass globes bring a soft, sculptural presence above a table. Their scale, hanging height, and relationship to the room matter as much as the fixture itself. Design rendering Begin with the daylight The direction of the sun, a deep roof overhang, a shaded courtyard, or light filtered through breeze blocks already shapes a place. We begin there, considering how the changing daylight meets the way you use each room and how evening lighting can carry that experience forward. Light from above. A broad skylight between timber beams brings daylight into the heart of the room. Clear and translucent panes explore views of the sky, softened light, and the changing shadows of trees overhead. Design rendering Layers for living A reading chair needs a different kind of light from a dining table or a passage to the garden. Pendants, shaded lamps, wall lights, and discreet integrated lighting can work together, with dimming and separate controls to shift the room from everyday tasks to a quieter evening. Fixtures with character A beautifully proportioned fixture can become part of a room’s identity. We are drawn to sculptural mid-century forms, warm metal finishes, and diffused glass. We can explore vintage finds, contemporary pieces, or custom concepts developed with fabricators, giving a distinctive fixture room to stand on its own. Let texture catch the light Light can reveal the depth of a brick wall, the grain of timber, or the pattern of an open block screen. A careful wash or a small pool of light can bring those details into focus while leaving quieter areas in shadow. The balance matters as much as the brightness. A circle of sky. An oculus gives the ceiling an opening of its own—a view upward, a pool of daylight, and a changing point of focus. In this mid-century-inspired study, a circular skylight softens the long horizontal lines of timber and glass. Its light moves across the stone floor and curved seating as the day unfolds, connecting the room to the sky as well as the garden. Warm timber frames the sky; a circle of daylight gives the room a quiet center. Design rendering A garden after dark Courtyards, paths, planting, and water features deserve the same care as interiors. Low, shielded lights can guide a route; a restrained glow can catch foliage or reflection. We favor warm light directed where it is useful, preserving views into the garden and the darkness beyond. A little light, close to the ground. A pair of warm globes nestles into the planting, bringing a gentle point of focus beside the path. We explore this softer garden glow alongside shielded lighting, with dimming and placement considered around the setting. Design rendering A shared process, from idea to installation We can develop fixture selections, placement ideas, visual studies, and a direction for controls as part of a wider project or a focused lighting refresh. We welcome collaborations with lighting makers and metalworkers. Installation details and electrical work are coordinated with the project’s lighting specialists and electrician. Inquire about this work Related studies Night plane FAQ About lighting Can you help with both interior and outdoor lighting?+ Yes. We can consider rooms, entries, courtyards, paths, planting, and water features together, or develop a focused lighting direction for one part of your home or garden. Can you source vintage fixtures or explore a custom piece?+ Yes. We can explore vintage and contemporary fixtures, and develop custom concepts with lighting makers or metalworkers. Vintage pieces are assessed with qualified specialists for their condition and any restoration or rewiring needed. Can I see how a lighting idea might look?+ Renderings and visual studies can help compare fixture forms, placement, and the atmosphere of a room or courtyard. These are design explorations; technical lighting calculations and installation details are developed with the relevant specialists when the project calls for them. How do you approach outdoor lighting?+ We begin with the places that need light and the views worth preserving. Warm, shielded fixtures, careful placement, dimming, and timers can keep a garden welcoming while limiting glare and unnecessary spill light. Other services Mid-century restoration Adaptive reuse Salvage & materials Breeze blocks & custom block ## Living Walls & Preserved Moss Design | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/services/living-walls/ Home /Services /Living wall installations Service 07 Living wall installations A planted wall can bring softness, depth, and a closer connection to nature. We consider moss, live plants, and green screens in relation to the room or courtyard: what they frame, how they meet the light, and the atmosphere they create. Moss, when you want stillness Preserved moss walls need no irrigation and almost no light. They are a mineral green: sheet moss, bun moss, a quiet relief. Good for interiors where a mid-century plaster plane wants depth without moisture. Live plants, when you want weather indoors Irrigated living walls use species that tolerate indoor air and Colorado’s bright, dry light — ferns in shade, succulents at glass, herbs in a kitchen court. Winter strategy is designed, not hoped for. Never against original fabric A living wall gets its own cavity, waterproofing, and drip collection. It does not lean on historic millwork or unpainted brick without a designed break. Inquire about this work Related studies A wall that grows FAQ About living wall installations Can you help create a living wall in Colorado?+ Yes. We can develop concepts for planted walls or preserved moss installations around the setting, available light, and the level of care you want to provide. System selection, installation, and maintenance responsibilities are agreed with the project team. Outdoor planted walls need particular attention to exposure and seasonal conditions. How is a moss wall different from a living plant wall?+ A preserved moss wall uses treated moss that is no longer growing and needs no irrigation. It is generally suited to interiors protected from direct sun and excess moisture. A living plant wall contains growing plants and needs appropriate light, watering, drainage, and ongoing care. We can help explore which approach suits the place. Other services Mid-century restoration Adaptive reuse Salvage & materials Breeze blocks & custom block ## Mid-Century Restoration in Golden, CO | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/services/mid-century-restoration/ Home /Services /Mid-century restoration Service 01 Mid-century restoration A house with good bones. A chair with a beautiful line. A courtyard that still catches the afternoon light. We are drawn to the ideas that make mid-century design worth living with—and to the care it takes to carry them forward. Restoration begins with what is already there, then makes room for the way you live today. Preservation, in practice Keep the character. Make room for living. A room that opens to the garden. Timber overhead, a long hearth, and a sheltered courtyard beyond the glass. A study in keeping the character while strengthening the connection outdoors. Design study Let the hearth anchor the room. A brick surround, useful built-ins, and room to sit. An exploration of the fireplace as part of everyday living. Design study Good design is worth keeping. A furniture study exploring the frame, joinery, finish, and upholstery as one considered whole. Design study Start with the place. The landscape comes first: the slope beneath a house, the trees around it, the horizon beyond the glass. We look at how the original design responds to that setting and where later changes have interrupted it. Reopening a view, bringing a neglected courtyard back into use, or recovering an original entry can make a familiar home feel connected to its place again. Keep what gives it character. Original brick, a timber ceiling, built-in cabinetry, a distinctive door pull—small details often hold the larger story. We help identify what is worth keeping, what needs attention, and where a careful replacement makes sense. Repair, refinishing, salvage, and custom fabrication are explored around the particular piece, with samples and specialist collaborators guiding the approach. The garden is part of the room. A long hearth can lead the eye toward a terrace. A breeze block screen can shelter a sitting area while letting light and air through. Planting can soften the edge of a window without taking away the view. We consider indoors and out together, giving the spaces left open as much attention as the objects and surfaces around them. A place to settle in. A conversation pit creates a room within a room: a sheltered place to gather, with seating turned toward one another and a clear view of the garden beyond. We are drawn to the way a change in floor level can define a space without closing it off. Built-in seating, upholstery, lighting, and the relationship to a hearth can develop together. Whether revisiting an original sunken lounge or exploring a new interpretation, we consider comfort, movement through the room, access, and how the seating belongs to the wider home. A room within a room. Rust corduroy, a fieldstone hearth, a burlwood table, and soft globe lighting. A warm, lived-in conversation pit with a garden at eye level. Design rendering A lineage we keep returning to. Frank Lloyd Wright, Al Beadle, Richard Neutra, and Rudolph Schindler are recurring influences in our thinking. What draws us back is the relationship between a building and its setting, the interplay of shelter and openness, and the way a considered detail contributes to the whole. Those interests inform our work while leaving room for each place to suggest its own direction. From a single chair to a whole setting. A project might begin with a walnut lounge chair, a fireplace surround, a missing breeze block, or a room whose original intent has been lost. We welcome furniture restoration, ideas for millwork and built-ins, lighting studies, hearth and mantel concepts, and connections to the garden. A focused intervention can be a worthwhile project in its own right; you do not need to begin with a whole-house transformation. Preservation with room to experiment. Living with an older home brings new needs. We explore changes that respect its character while improving everyday use—storage, circulation, lighting, places to gather, and access to the outdoors. Bring photographs, an original drawing, a rescued object, or an idea you cannot stop thinking about. We are open to collaborations with homeowners, craftspeople, fabricators, and design teams, from an early conversation through samples and hands-on making. Inquire about this work Related studies Horizontal house Hemp lime FAQ About mid-century restoration What kinds of mid-century restoration projects does ArcSalt take on?+ We welcome design and restoration collaborations involving mid-century homes, furniture, original details, and outdoor spaces in Golden and across the Colorado Front Range. Projects can range from one object or room to a broader design study, with the scope and collaborators agreed at the start. Can we start with a single piece of furniture or one room?+ Yes. A chair, built-in cabinet, fireplace, entry, or courtyard can be the starting point. Send photographs and tell us what you want to preserve, improve, or explore. We can discuss a focused project without assuming a full renovation. How do you decide what to keep and what to change?+ We begin with the existing design, its condition, the landscape, and how you use the place. Original features and useful later changes are considered together. Photographs, drawings, site observations, and samples help establish a direction before decisions about repair or replacement. Can you help recreate missing or discontinued details?+ We can explore custom replacements for details such as breeze blocks, metalwork, and millwork with specialist collaborators. Existing samples, measurements, reference photographs, 3D scanning, and digital modeling can help establish what is possible. Prototypes help assess the result before a larger run. Can you help prepare ideas for a historic-district or design review?+ We can help document existing features and develop design studies, finish references, and a clear explanation of the proposed approach. Required applications and technical documentation are coordinated with the project team and the relevant review authority. Are you open to working with my existing project team?+ Yes. We welcome collaborations with homeowners, designers, architects, landscape professionals, craftspeople, and fabricators. Our contribution can focus on preservation ideas, interiors and outdoor relationships, furniture, custom details, or visual studies, depending on what the project needs. Other services Adaptive reuse Salvage & materials Breeze blocks & custom block Landscape design ## Architectural Salvage & Furniture Restoration | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/services/salvage/ Home /Services /Salvage & materials Service 03 Salvage & materials A beautifully worn chair. A stack of old breeze blocks. Timber with a history you can see in the grain. Some things are too good to leave behind. We help imagine their next chapter, finding a place for original pieces in the spaces we live with today. Mid-century studies Good design deserves another life. Reclaimed walnut. A new place to settle. Reclaimed walnut, sculpted arms, and moss-green upholstery give a new lounge chair its character. An original furniture concept exploring the possibilities of rescued timber and careful craftsmanship. Custom furniture design rendering Original character, everyday life. Restored timber, original brick, and vintage furniture imagined together in a welcoming mid-century interior. Design rendering A new place for a good find. A reclaimed timber bench, vintage block screen, and old brick paving give a courtyard texture and continuity. Design rendering Start with the piece that catches your eye Sometimes a project begins with a place. Sometimes it begins with a single find: a sculptural block, a vintage cabinet, an old door, or a length of timber. We are interested in what drew you to it, what gives it character, and how it might become part of something larger. Keep the character. Give it a purpose. The aim is to keep what makes a piece special while helping it work in everyday life. That could mean restoring a chair for a favorite corner, giving an original cabinet a new role, or turning reclaimed timber into a simple bench. Wear and age can be part of the appeal; the right approach depends on the piece and how you hope to use it. Mid-century details worth carrying forward Breeze blocks, long-format brick, timber screens, original hardware, and well-made furniture can hold the character of a mid-century home. We explore how to retain or reintroduce those details with care for the whole place, from the room they sit in to the garden beyond. A second life in the landscape Salvaged pieces can bring warmth and continuity outdoors. Old brick might become a courtyard floor, reclaimed timber a place to sit, or vintage block a screen that filters a view. We consider their scale, condition, and relationship to planting, light, and the surrounding house. Finding, restoring, and reimagining We welcome projects that involve searching for the right piece, exploring a restoration, or developing something new from a collection of finds. Some ideas call for a maker or specialist restorer; others begin with a small repair or a change of setting. We help develop the direction and bring the appropriate people into the conversation. When an original is missing A damaged or discontinued block does not have to end the story of a pattern. We can explore recreating vintage blocks using measured references, 3D scanning, digital modeling, and prototypes. New pieces are developed with attention to how they will sit beside the original, with samples helping establish the right direction. Bring the find. Bring the idea. Have something you cannot quite part with—or a piece you would love to build a project around? Send a few photographs and tell us what caught your attention. We are open to collaborations and experimentation, from one thoughtful object to a larger collection of rescued details. Inquire about this work FAQ About salvage & materials Can I start with a piece I already own?+ Absolutely. A chair, cabinet, old block, door, or collection of salvaged pieces can be the starting point. Share photographs, dimensions if available, and what you hope to do with it. We can explore its possibilities and agree on the help needed. Can ArcSalt help find vintage pieces or reclaimed materials?+ Yes. Sourcing can be part of an agreed project scope. We can help explore suitable furniture, block, timber, brick, hardware, or other pieces around the design direction. Availability and condition will influence the choices. Do you restore furniture as well as architectural details?+ We welcome furniture restoration and reuse projects alongside salvaged architectural details. We assess the piece and the desired result, then agree on the approach, including specialist restoration or fabrication partners where needed. Can salvaged pieces be used outside?+ Some can. Suitability depends on the material, condition, exposure, and intended use. We can explore options for a courtyard, garden screen, paving, or seating and work with the project team on the details. Can you recreate discontinued vintage breeze blocks?+ Yes. We can explore a reproduction from an existing block, dimensions, or useful reference images. Where a sample is available, 3D scanning can help capture its form; digital modeling, prototypes, and mold development help carry the pattern forward with fabrication partners. Are you open to unusual ideas and collaborations?+ Yes. We welcome experiments with rescued objects, original patterns, and overlooked pieces. Bring the idea even if the final use is not yet clear; exploring the possibilities is part of the process. Other services Mid-century restoration Adaptive reuse Breeze blocks & custom block Landscape design ## Desert Masonry & Frank Lloyd Wright: Design Study | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/work/desert-masonry/ Home /Work /Desert masonry Study · Craft Southwest court Desert masonry Stone, shelter, and the ground beneath them. A courtyard study shaped by Frank Lloyd Wright’s desert masonry and hands-on experience helping build new desert masonry walls at Taliesin. The landscape becomes the wall. At Taliesin West, Frank Lloyd Wright used stone from the surrounding desert in walls formed with timber molds and bound in a concrete mixture. The flatter stone faces were placed against the formwork, leaving their surfaces exposed when the forms came away. Color, shape, and texture connected the walls to the land around them. That direct relationship between a place and the way it is built is what draws us to desert masonry. Learning by making. While volunteering at Taliesin, I helped build new desert masonry walls and worked in the archives at Taliesin West. Together, those experiences connected Wright’s ideas with the work of making a place. They still shape how I approach design—with respect for the landscape, attention to detail, and a love of hands-on work. A wall does more than enclose. In this courtyard study, masonry becomes an edge to gather beside, a backdrop for planting, and a way to hold a sheltered space within a larger landscape. A low wall can leave the horizon open; a taller section can offer privacy. The height, length, and position of each wall shape what you see, where you move, and how a place welcomes you in. Weight, light, and the space left open. The stone gives the court a grounded presence. A thin roof edge, an opening toward the garden, and a patch of shade introduce another rhythm. Light catches the irregular faces and deepens the joints; planting softens the meeting of wall and ground. We consider those relationships together, giving as much care to the courtyard held between the walls as to the masonry itself. Carry the thinking into a new place. Wright’s influence encourages us to begin with the particular landscape and let the design develop from there. A garden wall, seating edge, entry court, or sheltered outdoor room might draw on that thinking in its own way. Stone selection, surface, proportions, and adjoining details can be explored through sketches, samples, and collaboration with skilled masons and fabricators. We welcome experiments that connect craft, preservation, and everyday use. From the studio An original design study exploring the relationship between stone, shade, planting, and open space. Explore an idea together The Taliesin connection · Landscape design Further reading More on the history and craft from the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation: Taliesin West and Rebuilding Desert Masonry. Further studies Horizontal house Ranch and garden room A wall that grows ## Earth & Glass: Earth-Bermed Greenhouse Study | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/work/earth-greenhouse/ Home /Work /Earth and glass Study · Earth architecture High desert Earth and glass A sheltered place to grow. Earth walls, a planted glass gallery, and an open view of the high desert—exploring a closer relationship between building and landscape. The ground sets the direction. Earth and Glass begins with the land: a low building tucked into a berm, its long glazed face opening toward the sun and the horizon. The solid back wall offers enclosure; the glass brings openness. Between them is a place to tend plants, pause on a bench, and watch the light change. The contrast gives the study its character: substantial and grounded on one side, light and transparent on the other. A garden you can move through. The greenhouse is imagined as a room rather than a narrow strip of planting. A clear path runs beside generous growing beds, with space to reach the plants and stop along the way. Tomatoes, herbs, and leafy greens bring different heights, textures, and scents. The view through the glass remains part of the experience, connecting the cultivated interior to the wide, less ordered landscape beyond. Inside the planted gallery. Warm earth, soft leaf shadows, and room to linger. The second view explores the greenhouse from within, where growing and gathering can share a space. Design rendering Light, shelter, and the space between. The depth of an opening, the slope of the glazing, and the rhythm of the frames shape how the gallery feels. Sunlight travels across the earth wall and floor; foliage breaks it into smaller patterns. We are interested in the space held between those surfaces—the movement, changing shadows, and quiet sense of shelter that make the room worth spending time in. Ideas to carry forward. The study draws on an interest in Earthship approaches and earth-sheltered spaces, while exploring an original form. It raises questions about orientation, thermal mass, shade, ventilation, irrigation, and access for maintenance. Those questions belong in the design conversation from the beginning. A planted gallery, greenhouse, garden room, or underused outbuilding can each offer a different starting point for collaboration. Have a greenhouse, garden room, or overlooked space in mind? We welcome ideas, experiments, and collaborations rooted in the particular place. Start a conversation Explore adaptive reuse · Landscape design Further studies Horizontal house Ranch and garden room A wall that grows ## Hemp-Lime Walls & Natural Plaster: Design Study | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/work/hemp-lime/ Home /Work /Hemp lime Study · Material Interior & material studies Hemp lime Soft plaster, warm timber, and an opening to the landscape. Exploring hemp-lime through room design, wall details, and hands-on material studies. A softer kind of wall. Hemp Lime explores the relationship between a wall’s construction and the atmosphere of a room. Deep window reveals, softly textured plaster, and warm timber give this study its character. The interest is both practical and spatial: how a wall meets an opening, how its surface catches daylight, and how the room feels connected to the landscape beyond. We begin with those relationships and explore the assembly with the people who know it best. What is hemp-lime? Hemp-lime, often called hempcrete, combines the woody inner part of the hemp stalk with a lime-based binder and water. It is used as non-structural insulating infill alongside a supporting frame, rather than as a replacement for structural concrete. This distinction shapes the design: the frame, infill, openings, and finishes each have a role. Our visual studies explore how those parts might come together in a considered home. The wall and the opening. A closer study of texture, depth, and the meeting between wall and window. Design rendering Let the opening shape the room. A deeper window reveal offers more than an edge around the glass. It can hold shadow, create a place to sit, or frame a tree with particular clarity. In this study, a long timber seat extends across the opening, bringing the garden close to everyday life. The wall gives the view a sense of depth; the window offers openness. Both deserve attention as the design develops. Texture, tested in the light. A small sample can reveal qualities that a drawing cannot. We are interested in the contrast between the raw, fibrous composite and a softly worked plaster finish, and in how each sits beside timber, stone, and fabric. Samples let a project team explore tone, touch, and surface variation before making a larger commitment. The final finish and its compatibility with the chosen wall system would be developed with its suppliers and specialists. Start with a sample. Raw texture and a plaster finish, explored at the scale of the hand. Design rendering An idea to explore, place by place. Hemp-lime may be part of a conversation about a new garden room, an addition, or a wider building project. Its suitability depends on the complete assembly and the conditions it will meet. For an existing mid-century home, we begin with the fabric worth preserving and the problem that needs solving. We explore options with the relevant building specialists, considering moisture, detailing, drying, and the relationship to the original structure before choosing a direction. Learning through making. We welcome collaborations with natural-building practitioners, plasterers, makers, and clients who are curious about working differently. A sample panel, a small mock-up, or a shared study can be a useful first step. ArcSalt’s interest is in bringing the spatial idea into conversation with the craft: an opening with presence, a surface with depth, and a room that belongs to its setting. Original design & material studies Have an idea, a sample, or a project you would like to explore together? Start a conversation Further reading: Healthy Materials Lab — Hemp + Lime Further studies Horizontal house Ranch and garden room A wall that grows ## Horizontal House: Mid-Century Home Design Study | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/work/horizontal-house/ Home /Work /Horizontal house Study · Typology Colorado mountains Horizontal house A long roof beneath the trees. Timber, stone, and glass bring a mountain home into conversation with its wooded landscape. Follow the ground. Horizontal House explores a low, open home set among aspens and evergreens, with a mountain ridge beyond. The long roof sits beneath the canopy, and stone at the base connects the house to the uneven ground. The starting point is the setting: where the slope offers a natural place to pause, which trees shape the outlook, and how a home can settle into that landscape with care. An eave is a place to be. A deep overhang creates more than a roof edge. It holds a sheltered strip between the room and the garden—a place for a chair, a slow morning, or watching rain move through the trees. In this study, the timber ceiling extends toward that edge, giving the interior and terrace a shared sense of shelter. The horizontal line helps hold the whole composition together. Let the trees shape the room. Broad windows frame trunks, branches, and the spaces between them. The view is close and layered: leaves near the glass, planting beneath the trees, and glimpses of mountains farther away. Daylight filtered through the canopy brings movement into the room. We consider where you sit, what the windows reveal, and which views are best left open as part of the same design. A room held by the trees. Warm timber, a stone hearth, and a garden close to the glass. A woodland interpretation of the horizontal house. Design rendering Warmth in the details. A stone hearth, timber overhead, built-in seating, and a low table make the room feel grounded and comfortable. Rust and olive upholstery echo the quieter colors outside without turning the interior into a theme. The details are considered for daily use—somewhere to put a book, a place to lean back, a clear route to the terrace—and for how they contribute to the room as a whole. Preserve the relationship. For an existing mid-century home, preservation begins with the relationships that give it character: the roofline against the land, the rhythm of the glazing, a familiar tree seen from a favorite chair. Repair and thoughtful changes can carry those qualities forward. We welcome collaborations around interiors, original details, planting, and outdoor rooms, exploring what needs attention and what should remain. A landscape with depth. A mountain garden can offer layers of enclosure and openness. Boulders and groundcover follow the terrain; grasses catch light in sunny openings; shaded planting softens the edge beneath the trees. Paths and places to gather develop around those conditions. Indoors and out become one continuous experience, changing with the light, the canopy, and the seasons. Original design study Bring a home, a landscape, or an idea you would like to explore. We welcome projects that connect preservation, everyday living, and the outdoors. Start a conversation Mid-century restoration · Landscape design Further studies Ranch and garden room A wall that grows Screen block court ## Design Studies: Homes, Gardens & Materials | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/work/ Home /Work @salt.arc · Work Looking at the spaces between. Space. Light. Relationship. Visual studies of light, material, and negative space: a roofline offering shelter, a block opening framing a view, and a garden extending the feeling of a room. Study · Colorado foothills Horizontal house A long roof beneath the trees. Timber, stone, and glass bring a mountain home into conversation with its wooded landscape. Study · Golden, Colorado Ranch and garden room Original brick, a quiet glass addition, and a garden brought into everyday life. A study in preserving the character of a mid-century ranch while making room to gather. Study · Interior, Front Range A wall that grows Lush indoor planting, quiet water, and space to pause. A Japanese-inspired study of living walls, natural light, and the garden within a room. Study · Courtyard Screen block court Sculpted concrete, filtered light, and a garden held in quiet geometry. An original courtyard study inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s textile blocks. Study · Golden foothills Native ground A garden shaped by the foothills. Layered planting, stone paths, and sheltered places to gather connect a mid-century home to its landscape. Study · Foothills, dusk Night plane Warm rooms, sheltered terraces, and a garden that comes into its own after dusk. A study of light, shadow, and the places we gather. Study · Colorado grassland Hemp lime Soft plaster, warm timber, and an opening to the landscape. Exploring hemp-lime through room design, wall details, and hands-on material studies. Study · Earth construction Rammed earth Layered earth, deep openings, and a courtyard shaped around the view. An exploration of shelter, texture, and a closer connection to the land. Study · High desert Earth and glass A sheltered place to grow. Earth walls, a planted glass gallery, and an open view of the high desert—exploring a closer relationship between building and landscape. Study · Southwest court Desert masonry Stone, shelter, and the ground beneath them. A courtyard study shaped by Frank Lloyd Wright’s desert masonry and hands-on experience helping build new desert masonry walls at Taliesin. Process and found architecture live on Field, and on Instagram at @salt.arc. Field notesFollow @salt.arc FAQ About the work Are the studies on this site completed client projects?+ The Work pages present studio studies that communicate ArcSalt’s interests and approach. Design renderings explore possibilities and should not be read as completed installations or named client commissions. The project description provides context for each study. Will you work on my 1950s ranch in Golden or Denver?+ Yes. We welcome design and preservation collaborations for mid-century homes in Golden and Denver. We begin with the site and existing character, considering the house and landscape together and agreeing on the project team and scope. Where can I see more from the studio?+ Visit Field for images and observations about design, landscapes, salvage, plants, and making. You can also follow @salt.arc on Instagram. ## Indoor Living Wall & Fountain: Design Study | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/work/living-room-wall/ Home /Work /A wall that grows Study · Installation Interior garden study A wall that grows Lush indoor planting, quiet water, and space to pause. A Japanese-inspired study of living walls, natural light, and the garden within a room. Bring the garden closer. A wall that grows explores a room shaped around living plants and water. Ferns reach toward the light; trailing leaves soften the edge of stone; a fountain brings a small movement into an otherwise quiet space. The planting is considered alongside the ceiling, seating, and views. It becomes part of how the room is used—a place to arrive, read, gather, or simply sit for a while. Lush planting. Room to breathe. Our Japanese-inspired direction begins with restraint around the planting. A generous green surface can feel rich without filling every corner. An open floor, a timber bench, and a clear edge beside the water give the leaves room to be seen. Asymmetry and a few carefully placed elements bring balance. We are interested in the relationship between abundance and openness: what grows, what frames it, and what is left clear. A garden within the room. Layers of green, warm timber, and a quiet ribbon of water bring the garden close. Design rendering Let the wall have depth. Fine fronds, broader leaves, and delicate trailing growth offer different ways of catching light. We explore planting in layers, with quieter areas between fuller pockets and enough variation to reward a closer look. The plant palette develops around the available light, the room, and an agreed care routine. The goal is a living composition that can mature and be tended, with access considered as carefully as its first appearance. Water, at a quieter scale. A shallow basin or carved stone fountain can bring another dimension to the wall. A gentle stream makes ripples and a soft sound; still areas hold reflections of leaves and daylight. Its character should suit the room—close enough to enjoy from a seat, with the flow adjusted to the atmosphere you want. Stone, a simple spout, and the space around the basin can do a great deal with very little. The smallest movement. A gentle stream, a changing reflection, and space to sit beside it. Design rendering Light that changes the room. Soft daylight from above or beside the planting reveals its layers. As evening arrives, a restrained wash can catch the fronds and the water while leaving the surrounding room calm. We consider the experience from a favorite chair as well as from the entrance, developing the natural and supplemental lighting with the planting specialists. Warm timber and softly lit stone help connect this garden interior to a mid-century home. Care is part of the design. A living wall needs a thoughtful system behind the leaves. Irrigation, drainage, waterproofing, lighting, and access for maintenance are developed with the relevant specialists. A fountain also needs its own considered water system and cleaning access. Existing timber and masonry deserve protection, and the household needs a clear plan for ongoing care. We welcome collaborations with plant specialists, stoneworkers, fountain makers, and clients who want to explore a garden within their home. Original living-wall study A planted alcove, a full living wall, or a fountain with a garden around it—we are open to collaborations and experimentation at different scales. Explore living walls · Start a conversation Further studies Horizontal house Ranch and garden room Screen block court ## Native Ground: Colorado Foothills Garden Study | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/work/native-ground/ Home /Work /Native ground Study · Landscape design Colorado foothills Native ground A garden shaped by the foothills. Layered planting, stone paths, and sheltered places to gather connect a mid-century home to its landscape. Begin with what is here. Native Ground starts with the belief that design grows from the landscape. A slope, an established tree, a band of stone, or a view toward the foothills can become the beginning of a garden. Before choosing what to add, we look at what gives the place its character and how people move through it. The aim is a landscape that feels connected to its setting and offers more ways to live outdoors. Plant in layers, leave room for the view. Trees give a garden its larger shape; shrubs, grasses, and lower planting bring depth closer to the ground. We explore a rhythm of fuller areas and open spaces, allowing a boulder, a branch, or a distant ridge to remain in view. Native and regionally adapted planting can form the starting point, with the final palette developed around the particular site, available light, soil, water, and the care the garden will receive. Planting, close to the ground. Grasses, flowering shrubs, and stone bring texture and changing light to the garden edge. Design rendering Let paths discover the garden. A path is an invitation to move through a place. Its course can follow the terrain, pass beneath a tree, or turn toward somewhere worth stopping. Stone paving and changes in level should feel connected to the ground, with clear walking surfaces and planting that softens their edges. We consider the everyday routes as well as the slower ones: arriving with groceries, stepping out for coffee, or wandering through the garden as the light changes. Make a place to gather. A garden needs places to be, as well as things to look at. A low wall can hold the slope and become a seat. A timber bench beneath the canopy can offer a quiet outlook. A terrace beside the kitchen can make an ordinary evening outdoors easy. The scale of these spaces grows from how you want to use them, with shelter, shade, and the relationship to the house considered together. Somewhere to stay a while. A sheltered seat beneath the trees makes the garden part of everyday life. Design rendering Design from both sides of the glass. Inspired by mid-century modern design, we consider the interior and landscape as one continuous experience. A garden seen from a favorite chair matters as much as the view from the path. Planting can frame the glass, extend the feeling of a room, or offer privacy while preserving a longer outlook. Stone, timber, and the line of a low wall can connect an outdoor space to the home without making every element match. A garden that can grow into itself. We think beyond the first season: how planting will fill out, where maintenance access belongs, and how the garden will look as flowers give way to seedheads and the trees change. Watering, establishment, pruning, and ongoing care are part of the conversation from the beginning. We welcome collaboration with growers, landscape specialists, stoneworkers, and clients who want to shape a garden over time—from a small courtyard to a broader landscape around the home. Original landscape study Bring a garden you would like to rethink, a place you want to preserve, or an idea you want to explore. We are open to collaborations and experimentation. Explore landscape design · Start a conversation Further studies Horizontal house Ranch and garden room A wall that grows ## Night Plane: Architectural & Garden Lighting Study | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/work/night-plane/ Home /Work /Night plane Study · Lighting Wooded foothills, after dusk Night plane Warm rooms, sheltered terraces, and a garden that comes into its own after dusk. A study of light, shadow, and the places we gather. The house after sunset. Night Plane explores how a mid-century home changes as daylight recedes. The long roof becomes a line against the evening sky; warm rooms sit within the darker landscape. The aim is to make the house welcoming and the garden legible while preserving the depth of the night. Lighting begins with the place and the way people use it: arriving home, sharing a meal, reading, or stepping outside for a few quiet minutes. Give the roofline room to settle. A deep eave already gives the house a strong horizontal presence. A restrained wash beneath it can reveal the timber and the shelter it provides, with the light source tucked out of direct view. Stone can catch a little grazing light where its texture matters. We look for a few connected surfaces rather than outlining every edge, allowing the architecture to remain calm against the trees. The garden, held in a little light. A sheltered terrace, a quiet reflection, and a path that leads gently into the trees. Design rendering A garden you can move through. A path needs enough light to make its direction and changes in level clear. Small, shielded fixtures can guide that route, while a softer glow at a terrace or seat offers a place to pause. Here, the planting, boulders, and tree trunks give the evening view its layers. A shallow pool holds reflections close to the house. The farther garden can fade into shadow, keeping a sense of distance and discovery. Begin with the chair, the table, the room. Inside, each layer of light has a purpose. A shaded reading lamp brings light close to a book; an opal table lamp softens a corner; the hearth gives a gathering place its warmth. Separate controls let those layers change with the evening. Mid-century fixtures contribute character through their shape and scale, while careful placement keeps the room comfortable for the person sitting beneath them. Light where life happens. A reading lamp, a warm hearth, and a garden still visible beyond the glass. Design rendering Keep a relationship with the view. After dark, bright interiors can turn windows into mirrors. We consider the balance on both sides of the glass: where a lamp sits, what it reflects, and which part of the garden remains visible. A small amount of light beyond the window can help the room continue outward. Views from a favorite chair and the route onto the terrace guide these decisions as much as a view of the house from outside. Leave room for darkness. The unlit spaces are part of the composition. Warm, shielded sources, modest brightness, and dimming help keep attention close to where it is needed. Timers and a quieter late-evening setting can reduce unnecessary light as the household settles down. We welcome collaborations with lighting specialists, electricians, and makers to develop these ideas around an existing home, a restored detail, or a new outdoor room. Original lighting study Explore an evening lighting direction for your home or garden, from a single room to the relationship between indoors and out. Explore lighting · Start a conversation Further studies Horizontal house Ranch and garden room A wall that grows ## Rammed Earth Walls & Courtyard: Design Study | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/work/rammed-earth/ Home /Work /Rammed earth Study · Earth construction Foothill courtyard study Rammed earth Layered earth, deep openings, and a courtyard shaped around the view. An exploration of shelter, texture, and a closer connection to the land. The ground, given form. Rammed Earth explores a home that feels closely connected to the land. Long earthen walls hold a courtyard; a generous opening frames trees and the foothills beyond. The layered surface brings depth to a simple form. Our interest begins with the place: the line of the ground, the light across a wall, and the balance between shelter and openness. Layers that catch the light. Rammed earth is formed by compacting an earthen mix in layers within temporary formwork. The selected mix and process influence its texture and appearance. In this study, quiet bands of warm earth tones become part of the room’s character. We would explore that surface through samples with a specialist builder, allowing the aggregate, tone, and workmanship to inform the design. An opening with presence. A deep portal can make the passage into a courtyard feel deliberate. It holds a view while giving the wall a sense of thickness. Inside, a recessed window can offer a place to sit, with shadow at its edges and daylight falling across the earth. We consider those moments at the scale of everyday life: arriving, pausing, reading, and looking out. A place within the wall. A deep garden window, a timber seat, and daylight across the layers. Design rendering Earth, timber, and a lighter edge. A low timber roof and slender glazed openings offer a quieter counterpoint to the earthen walls. The garden can move close to the glass while the wall gives a terrace enclosure. Inspired by mid-century design, we explore how the solid and open parts work together, keeping the composition simple enough for changing light and planting to remain part of the experience. A complete wall, thoughtfully developed. The visible surface is only one part of the design. Foundations, moisture protection, insulation, openings, and structural requirements need to work as a complete system. We would develop the concept with experienced rammed-earth builders and the relevant project specialists, considering the setting and construction approach before choosing the details. The study is a starting point for that shared exploration. Open to experiment. A garden wall, a sheltered entry, or an interior feature may offer a focused way to explore earth construction. We welcome collaborations around samples, prototypes, and larger spatial ideas. The goal is to connect the qualities of the earth with the way a place is lived in—giving equal attention to the wall and the space it holds. Original design study Start a conversation · Explore Hemp Lime Further reading: Your Home — Rammed earth Further studies Horizontal house Ranch and garden room A wall that grows ## Mid-Century Ranch & Garden Room: Design Study | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/work/ranch-addition/ Home /Work /Ranch and garden room Study · Typology Golden, Colorado Ranch and garden room Original brick, a quiet glass addition, and a garden brought into everyday life. A study in preserving the character of a mid-century ranch while making room to gather. The house sets the starting point. A low roofline, long brick courses, familiar window openings, and the way a house sits against the foothills can give a modest ranch its lasting appeal. This study begins with those qualities. The original brick volume remains legible, and the garden room develops around its scale, proportions, and relationship to the ground. The aim is a home that feels connected to its history and comfortable to live in now. Old brick, new light. The glass room is imagined as a light companion to the existing house. Slender charcoal frames and a warm timber ceiling leave the brick visible, including where an exterior wall becomes part of the interior. We are interested in that meeting: the depth and texture of masonry beside the openness of glass, and the way sunlight changes the relationship through the day. The garden, from inside. Original brick meets a light timber ceiling and slender glazing. A comfortable place to read, gather, or watch the garden change. Design rendering A room for the everyday. A garden room should earn its place in daily life. Here, it offers somewhere to read in the afternoon, sit with a friend, or linger after a meal. A soft rug, a low table, and comfortable seating bring warmth to the glazed space. The opening back into the house keeps it part of the home, with clear movement between rooms and a view that invites you toward the garden. The garden belongs to the room. The design continues beyond the glazing. A terrace provides a place to sit; grasses and low shrubs bring movement close to the windows; boulders connect the planting to the wider foothill setting. Views from the sofa and the route out to the garden are considered together. At dusk, a restrained glow from inside and a few low lights make the terrace welcoming while leaving room for shadow. Another room, beyond the glass. A small terrace, planting close to the house, and a warm evening glow carry the experience outdoors. Design rendering Change with care. Adding a garden room also means looking closely at what is already there: the condition of the brick, existing openings, floor levels, and how the roof and new enclosure meet. We can explore the direction through drawings, finish references, and visual studies, then develop the details with the project team. Whether the starting point is an addition, an enclosed porch, or a room that needs a stronger connection outdoors, the place guides what takes shape. Explore the possibilities Have a ranch, porch, or garden room in mind? Bring photographs, an original plan, or the qualities you would like to preserve. We welcome focused projects and creative collaborations. Start a conversation Mid-century restoration · Landscape design Original design study Further studies Horizontal house A wall that grows Screen block court ## Textile Block Courtyard: Breeze Block Design Study | ArcSalt URL: https://www.arcsalt.com/work/screen-court/ Home /Work /Screen block court Study · Material Courtyard Screen block court Sculpted concrete, filtered light, and a garden held in quiet geometry. An original courtyard study inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s textile blocks. Inspired by Frank Lloyd Wright’s textile-block work, this original study explores a wall with depth: geometric relief beside open modules, solid surfaces beside spaces that admit light and frame the garden. The pattern belongs to the block itself, with each face and opening contributing to the whole. It is an exploration of that design approach, with an original pattern developed for this courtyard. A timber bench, leafy planting, and reflecting water give the patterned wall a place in everyday life. The solid blocks offer enclosure; the openings invite glimpses of trees and cast changing shadows across the paving. We welcome custom patterns and collaborations, using sketches, digital models, and prototypes to explore the relationship between texture, privacy, and what we leave open. Original design rendering Explore custom breeze blocks Further studies Horizontal house Ranch and garden room A wall that grows