PRINTQ&A with prefab homeowner Ethan Whitehill
April 10, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Ethan Whitehill’s vacation home is not only modern and artistic but also simple and sustainable. Missouri designer Rocio Romero inspired Whitehill’s eco-chic vacation home. The best part about it? Romero’s kits and designs are suitable for any location, Whitehill promises.
Vox: What Rocio Romero design do you own?
Related LinksEW: We built the LVL kit as our second home. It’s a three-bedroom vacation home and located in northwest Arkansas. When deciding which kit was best for our needs, it was really great to be able to go and walk through one of her houses. We had the chance to talk to Rocio Romero about her homes. Also, I am from Columbia, and I live in Kansas City, so I liked giving business to a local Missouri business.
Vox: Why Rocio Romero?
EW: The design played heavily in our decision, and Romero’s designs spoke to us more. We heard about her homes because we are big fans of Dwell magazine. We also came across her designs by doing some online research. Rocio Romero LLC was really personable and our experience was very personalized.
Vox: What are some of the benefits to buying Romero’s kits?
EW: We liked the fact that it was a flat pack where there is just a shell and unlimited customization inside.
Vox: Is your home in Arkansas finished?
EW: We’ve been building our home over the past year. We’ve gone to Arkansas and have been living in it for the past few months. It’s complete. We’re just working on a few minor details, but it’s still functional.
Vox: How is your home eco-friendly?
EW: The rear wall of the house is completely glass. This allows us to take advantage of the passive solar gain. In the winter, the sunlight in the house allows us to not use as much energy — it’s definitely efficient that way. The solar gain and the insulation is a definite plus. In the middle of winter, it retains heat so well. The space just really has amazing light that changes all throughout the day.
