Using the Common House

Using the Common House

See also: About the Common House

The Mosaic Commons Common House is the center of our neighborhood, both physically and socially. It's the place where the community comes together -- for shared meals, for games and entertainment, for meetings, for parties, for hobbies and activities. Policies & Procedures for the Common House

See also:

admin Wed, 02/29/2012 - 17:42

Changes in Common Spaces

Changes in Common Spaces

People who want to volunteer to take on projects to make permanent or hard-to-remove changes in common spaces, such as drilling holes or mounting shelves, should:

(a) consult with the Common Resources Team and the room team for that space, to make sure that project is consistent with plans for that space
(b) present a plan for funding
(c) post a drawing or other visual aid for the project in the space and send a note about it to the list. Give the community a week to react, then either post a revised proposal or proceed.

Room teams are welcome to select any colors they like for painting their spaces. If they choose to pick from the established palette, including shades between those on the palette, they may proceed without plenary consensus. If they wish to use any non-palette colors, that is acceptable, as long as they get plenary consensus before painting

For interior painting of the common house, teams shall use primer and paint with no (Zero) VOCs (NOT Low VOC). Brands are only listed to identify the colors, use any Zero VOC brand. There a paint chips available to so that a paint supplier can match the palette colors.

Our Color Palette:

"... a cohesive palette of a variety of colors for wall paint, trim, and accent colors for the Common House. ... Room teams can then decide colors from this palette without further plenary decision."

picture of colors

Trims/Whites:

D40-3 (Olympic) Silent Delight
7002-14 (Valspar) Cream Delight

Light Brown Neutrals:

D27-2 (Olympic) Turning Taupe
D27-3 (Olympic) Creamy Chocolate

Dark Browns:

C25-4 (Olympic) Baby Bear
C25-5 (Olympic) Root Beer
C25-6 (Olympic) Wine Barrel

Purples:

C44-2 (Olympic) Frosted Lilac
C44-4 (Olympic) Purple Surf
C44-6 (Olympic) Magic Spell

Roses:

B36-2 (Olympic) Tender Kiss
B36-4 (Olympic) Lush Rose
B36-6 (Olympic) Madeira Red

Oranges:

B22-2 (Olympic) Pat-A-Cake
B22-4 (Olympic) Pumpkin Patch
B22-6 (Olympic) Lucky Penny

Yellows:

A16-3 (Olympic) Shell Flower
A16-4 (Olympic) Honey Toast
A16-6 (Olympic) Sunflower

Greens:

5006-3A (Valspar) Pale Pastures
5006-3C (Valspar) Green Trellis
5006-4B (Valspar) Filoli Ginko Tree

Blues:

C56-2 (Olympic) Skyward
C56-4 (Olympic) Crater Lake
C56-5 (Olympic) Castile

catya Sat, 05/12/2012 - 14:06

Common House Room Reservations & Usage

Common House Room Reservations & Usage


Rooms

The following rooms may be reserved: Great Room, Dining Niche, Kitchen, Living Room, Music Room, Multipurpose Room, Kid's room, Fitness Room, and Porch. 

Calendar System

We will use a public Google Calendar that can be viewed by members without additional login on a mosaic-commons members web page. Users of Google Calendar can also view it on Google Calendar. People and teams can add events directly to the calendar. Event titles will include the abbreviation for the room(s) in which they are held, the name of the member sponsor, and whether the event is open. People are encouraged to post information about their events in the common house as well, especially for large events.

Common Meals & General Meetings

The Kitchen, Dining Niche, and Great Room are "taken" during all Common Meals and General Meetings. The Kids Room may not be reserved during Common Meals or General Meetings without community approval.

Types of Events

Events may be private or open to members and guests. Examples of events include but are not limited to private and community holidays, end of life ceremonies, game days, weddings, graduations parties, work retreats, community retreats, and the occassional get together during a blizzard because the common house has a generator to name a few. 

Responsibility

All events, run by a member or non-member, must have a member sponsor. That sponsor will be responsible for insuring that kitchen, food, and other common facilities policies are followed and that the space is cleaned appropriately after the event, and will be available during the event for any questions or problems. Spaces should be left in at least as good condition as they were found in.

admin Fri, 03/02/2012 - 14:46

Guest Reservations

Guest Reservations

If you’d like to have a guest stay in one of our hobby rooms, please use the process below:

1. Add your name, your guest’s name and which hobby room (East or West) you would like to reserve, directly to the Google Calendar (be sure to select “hobby room calendar” and not add it just to your own personal calendar). Please select a check in and check out time instead of checking the “all day” box, so that others have the opportunity to use the room before/after your guest has checked in or out. Please do not change the colors of entries made to Mosaic shared calendars. Most of us discern which calendar an entry is made in by color. If you would like to book more than 5 nights in a row, please contact our concierge, before you put it on Google Calendar as this may have to be run by the community for decision. Or you can contact the concierge, and the concierge will set up the reservation for you.

If you would like to access the hobby room shared calendar or any of the Mosaic Commons shared calendars using your own calendar application (rather than from the terminal in the Common House hub), please contact webmaster@mosaic-commons.org, providing a list of calendars you would like to access and the Google account (gmail address) you will be using to access the calendars.

2. The owner that signs up for the guest room is the “host” and is responsible for setting up clean linens and towels beforehand. Rooms will be left unlocked when not in use by a guest. Hosts who would like their guests to have extra keys can get them from the concierge. Guests staying more than one night “own” the room during their stay.

3. Kindly inform your guest to refrain from using loud voices, smoking (of any kind) and using scented products. There is a reminder sign in each hobby room.

4. Turnover between guests should be negotiated between hosts, with noon out and 3pm in as a starting point. Hosts are responsible for stripping the bed, washing the sheets, bed covers and towels and returning them back to the hobby room after their guest leaves. Rooms should be left with the appropriate cover for the bed/futon/couch.

5. Each household gets 5 free guest room nights per calendar year. Anything over that is charged at $10 a night. Please remit your payment in the form of a check along with your name, your guest’s name and which room they stayed in to the bookkeeper. If you prefer, the bookkeeper can add it to your statement and you can pay by check or PayPal. Just let the bookkeeper know.

6. We are open to other cohousers and cohousing groups using our space. Visits will be coordinated by the concierge, Catya, or another volunteer, with a $20/night suggested donation.

catya Fri, 03/16/2012 - 08:19

Fragrances in the Common House

Fragrances in the Common House

Mosaic Commons has a number of people who are sensitive to both natural and artificial fragrances. This agreement is intended to limit the use of fragrances that cause problems for residents, members, and regular guests to our common house.

In general, it is helpful to look for something on the label that says "fragrance-free" or "unscented".

In the common house, we will only use unscented hand soap, dish soap, and common house laundry detergent.

We will buy and use unscented, environmentally friendly common house cleaning supplies and bathroom deodorizers for regular use. When these are unavailable, we will strive to use the least scented, most environmentally friendly products appropriate to the job

Cut flowers may be used for short periods for private events in the common house but should not be left in the common house after your event.

People using the hobby rooms will be asked not to use scented products in the rooms, and to minimize the use of scented soaps and lotions.

People using the common house should be conscious of fragrance sensitivities.

In the laundry room, people are encouraged to use unscented products. Scented products must be closed securely when not in use, and the use of scented products is limited to the labeled washer and dryer.

We recognize that it is hard to know if a particular fragrance is a problem for someone else. People who have reactions to a scent in the common house are asked to inform the individual or the community so that changes can be made for the future. If a scent-sensitive individual needs help starting a conversation about fragrance usage with another community member or guest, they should feel free to contact Community Support.

catya Mon, 10/19/2015 - 10:40

Holiday and Event Common House Decorations Guidelines

Holiday and Event Common House Decorations Guidelines

Ambient decorations for holidays and seasons will be limited to a small space, such as a table or corner and a small part of one adjacent wall.

For Mosaic Events, offered by and for our community, decorations may appear throughout the common areas, for about a week before the event.

For other events decorations may appear in the main room of the common house, or in the room where the event is taking place, for about a day before the event.

Decorations for all events should be removed by the end of the day following the event.

catya Sun, 10/20/2013 - 10:00

Painting in the Common House

Painting in the Common House

Our Color Palette: "... a cohesive palette of a variety of colors for wall paint, trim, and accent colors for the Common House. ... Room teams can then decide colors from this palette without further plenary decision."

Color Palette 2013

Trims/Whites:

D40-3 (Olympic) Silent Delight
7002-14 (Valspar) Cream Delight

Light Brown Neutrals:
D27-2 (Olympic) Turning Taupe
D27-3 (Olympic) Creamy Chocolate

Dark Browns:
C25-4 (Olympic) Baby Bear
C25-5 (Olympic) Root Beer
C25-6 (Olympic) Wine Barrel

Purples:
C44-2 (Olympic) Frosted Lilac
C44-4 (Olympic) Purple Surf
C44-6 (Olympic) Magic Spell

Roses:
B36-2 (Olympic) Tender Kiss
B36-4 (Olympic) Lush Rose
B36-6 (Olympic) Madeira Red

Oranges:
B22-2 (Olympic) Pat-A-Cake
B22-4 (Olympic) Pumpkin Patch
B22-6 (Olympic) Lucky Penny

Yellows:
A16-3 (Olympic) Shell Flower
A16-4 (Olympic) Honey Toast
A16-6 (Olympic) Sunflower

Greens: 5006-3A (Valspar) Pale Pastures
5006-3C (Valspar) Green Trellis
5006-4B (Valspar) Filoli Ginko Tree

Blues:
C56-2 (Olympic) Skyward
C56-4 (Olympic) Crater Lake
C56-5 (Olympic) Castile

catya Mon, 09/29/2014 - 09:39
davepic.jpg (8.17 KB)

Paper Goods & Laundry Products

Paper Goods & Laundry Products


Recycled Products

Paper goods purchased by the group for Common House use should be made from recycled material, if possible. Plastic purchased should be re-usable, recyclable, or biodegradable, if possible.

Laundry Products

Fragrance free, eco-friendly detergent will be provided in laundry room.

There will be no storage of fragranced products in laundry room.

Of the three washing machines and dryers in the common house, two of each will be designated "fragrance-free" and one of each "fragrances ok". In the "fragrance-free" washers and dryers, do not use products with fragrances or any dryer sheets.

Fabric dying and bleaching may be done in the "fragrances ok" washer. Care must be taken not
affect other users.

admin Fri, 03/02/2012 - 14:45

Television in the Common House

Television in the Common House

The community has purchased a cable tuner for use in the common house, to be kept in the MPR closet when not in use. In order to incorporate the value of intentionality, the viewing space (which can be any room in the CH - LR, GR, MPR, etc) needs to be reserved on the calendar with the word 'Tuner'. The person who reserves the space is responsible for setting up, operating, and returning the tuner to the MPR closet at the end of the event

catya Sun, 01/12/2014 - 19:23