A S S E E N I N

Reprinted with permission

When Julilly Kohler curls up in a comfortable chair near her fireplace reading from her grandfather’s cherished book collection on the shelves beside her, it’s more than a Rockwellian moment.

It’s the result of a decade of planning for a sustainable urban house, hours and hours of idea sessions with her architect, Russell LaFrombois III, and a ruthless editing of a lifetime of possessions she has collected in her travels. “One of the biggest things I learned in this move is how burdensome possessions are. It’s easier to live with less,” Kohler says. “It’s an ongoing lesson.”

Anyone who has built a house will say the building process is a learning experience. Not only did Kohler educate herself on straw bale construction, green roofs and solar chimneys, she also gave serious thought how the design of her house should reflect what’s important to her. “One of the things I learned is that you really want to pick what you want to do with your time and make it so it’s easy to do that. You need to make sure you work with an architect who is willing to understand where you are going with that concept,” she says. “When you move in, suddenly you can live your life in a different way.”

The books, for instance, were always special to her, but in her old house she passed by them for years without having any interaction with them. Now the classics from the Limited Editions Club that date back to the 1920s and hold illustrations from the likes of Pablo Picasso and Grant Wood, are within arm’s reach. “I found myself deep into the autobiography of Ben Franklin the other day. It was such a delight,” she says.

From Earth to RebirthBuilding a green home on the site oF a Former BrownField

gives owner opportunity to travel more lightly

By Janet Raasch | photography By Doug eDmunDs

The main living space is designed to be multifunctional, architect Russell LaFrombois III says. “It had to be very comfortable, very warm and inviting where you could sit and read a book or throw a party. It had to be everything.”

Homeowner Julilly Kohler has integrated art, books and objects from her many travels into the room. An oil painting of Kohler and her mother hangs above a cozy niche in the main living space.

100 M | May 2012

LaFrombois and Kohler have known each other for two decades and have worked on numerous projects together in the city, including the Kane Commons development in which Kohler built her house. The houses are alike in that they are built to the highest level of sustainability, though the architectural style of Kohler’s house differs from the modern style of the other homes. “It’s very Julilly-centric,” LaFrombois says. “There really is no stylis-tic word for it.”

Though it’s located in an urban environ-ment, LaFrombois says he can envision the house being in the country as easily as in the city. “Julilly grew up in the formality of the Kohler family,” he says. “Kohler homes were anything but domestic. But she fell in love with her family’s cottage and always felt comfortable there.”

The starting point was Kohler’s desire to build a straw bale house, which lent itself to the home’s curvy, organic shape. “I’ve always loved curves,” Kohler says. “I think they are more natural. The only straight lines in nature are the rays that come from the sun.”

LaFrombois says the house feels as if it has emerged from the earth. “My architect did a wonderful job in growing my house out of this hill so the overlook is totally natural over this wonderful, living river. The swooping, living roof has also become a part of nature as it welcomes creatures from above,” Kohler says.

She moved in during the winter months, so Kohler didn’t immediately realize the impact of having the Milwaukee River as a neighbor. “Even when I’m not watching it, the flow of the river casts a moving light past the windows. I don’t think I’ve ever been happier than living on this river.”

Like the river, Kohler cherishes her eclec-tic, East Side locale. “I feel more alive in this neighborhood,” she says. “It’s really livable, which helps create a vibrant and interesting neighborhood. I love being near my beloved Brady Street, which is doing nothing but deepening and grow-ing.”

Surrounded by only her most prized possessions in her earth-friendly confines, entertaining friends and family, and inter-acting with nature and the city, Kohler is happy. “There really isn’t any other reason to build a house than to somehow enhance and support the rest of your life,” she says. “It’s a lot of pain, so it better be worth it. This is the payoff — the life you live inside that house.” M

“I think a small space is more welcoming than a big space,” Kohler says. “I don’t like large foyers and grand halls.”

LaFrombois describes the house as being “of the earth,” as does Kohler. “It’s all natural materials — cedar siding and stucco — so I see it as being an extension of the earth that I’m planted in here,” Kohler says.

A living roof is one of the green features of Kohler’s house.

A dramatic staircase made of reclaimed materials is a focal point in the open concept house. LaFrombois uses the staircase to bring light into the middle of the house all the way down to the basement level. A solar chimney allows air to flow through the house and keeps it cool with the assistance of fans and operable windows.

Accessibility is key in the galley style kitchen. Kohler prefers draws to cabinets as the objects inside are easier to reach.

The antique French country table has been with Kohler for years and fit into the new space.

In an age of spacious master suites, Kohler’s bedroom is intentionally small, due, in part, to her love of train compartments. The bed is made of cherry and was her grandmother’s.

102 M | May 2012 Reprinted with permission