The 1,500 sq. ft. GO Home offers two story living with a combined kitchen/living/dining space on the main level and three bedrooms with full bath on the upper level. Amenities include covered entry porch, kitchen pantry, powder room, mud room and laundry closet. LEED Platinum certification; 1st Passive House–certified home in Maine, 12th certified in U.S.; USGBC Residential Project of the Year Award 2011; EcoHome Magazine Design Merit Award, 2011; TreeHugger, Best Passive House of the Year Award 2012 photo by Trent Bell

Example of a huge farmhouse master carpeted bedroom design in Gloucestershire with gray walls

Jacob Lilley Architects Location: Concord, MA, USA The renovation to this classic Victorian House included and an expansion of the current kitchen, family room and breakfast area. These changes allowed us to improve the existing rear elevation and create a new backyard patio. A new, detached two-car carriage house was designed to compliment the main house and provide some much needed storage.

"My Plaster finishes took me all the way to Dubai!! I'm back and ready to rock for you!! This finish is "Tuscany" from Texston Co. you'll never find a better plaster company!!!!!

This remodel of an architect’s Seattle bungalow goes beyond simple renovation. It starts with the idea that, once completed, the house should look as if had been built that way originally. At the same time, it recognizes that the way a house was built in 1926 is not for the way we live today. Architectural pop-outs serve as window seats or garden windows. The living room and dinning room have been opened up to create a larger, more flexible space for living and entertaining. The ceiling in the central vestibule was lifted up through the roof and topped with a skylight that provides daylight to the middle of the house. The broken-down garage in the back was transformed into a light-filled office space that the owner-architect refers to as the “studiolo.” Bosworth raised the roof of the stuidiolo by three feet, making the volume more generous, ensuring that light from the north would not be blocked by the neighboring house and trees, and improving the relationship between the studiolo and the house and courtyard.

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This kitchen was part of a whole house renovation. The house, a foreclosure property, was gutted and remodeled by Streetscape Design. The kitchen, originally a small peninsula kitchen, was opened up to the family room and the dining room, giving the house a more open feel. Benjamin Moore's "Fieldstone" was hand selected for the cabinets by designer, Susan Klimala, CKD, along with white carrera marble and simple white subway tile, reflecting a casual beachy feel that was carried throughout the house. Professional grade appliances, vintage style ceiling fixtures and nickel hardware complete the look. The new homeowners are enjoying life in their brand new "old" house. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photographed by Carlos Vergara For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

The house was a traditional Foursquare. The heavy Mission-style roof parapet, oppressive dark porch and interior trim along with an unfortunate addition did not foster a cheerful lifestyle. Upon entry, the immediate focus of the Entry Hall was an enclosed staircase which arrested the flow and energy of the home. As you circulated through the rooms of the house it was apparent that there were numerous dead ends. The previous addition did not compliment the house, in function, scale or massing. AIA Gold Medal Winner for Interior Architectural Element. For the whole story visit www.clawsonarchitects.com

The local fieldstone blend covering the facade, the roof pitch, roofing materials, and architectural details of the new pool structure matches that of the main house. The rough hewn trusses in the hearth room mimic the structural components of the family room in the main house. Sliding barn doors at the front & back of the poorhouse allow the structure to be fully opened or closed. To provide access for cords of firewood to be delivered directly to the pool house, a cart path was cut through the woods from the driveway around the back of the house.

Island house in southern Florida, custom-designed and pre-cut by Habitat Post & Beam, Inc. This house was ferried to the job site where it was assembled by a local builder. Photos by Michael Penney, architectural photographer IMPORTANT NOTE: We are not involved in the finish or decoration of these homes, so it is unlikely that we can answer any questions about elements that were not part of our kit package, i.e., specific elements of the spaces such as appliances, colors, lighting, furniture, landscaping, etc. ADDITIONAL NOTE: This photo was used in a nice Houzz article about vacation house swapping options. The use of the photo in that article was not preapproved by Habitat, and we want to clarify that this house is not available for vacation home swapping.

41 West Coastal Retreat Series reveals creative, fresh ideas, for a new look to define the casual beach lifestyle of Naples. More than a dozen custom variations and sizes are available to be built on your lot. From this spacious 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom model, to larger 4 and 5 bedroom versions ranging from 3,500 - 10,000 square feet, including guest house options.

A young Mexican couple approached us to create a streamline modern and fresh home for their growing family. They expressed a desire for natural textures and finishes such as natural stone and a variety of woods to juxtapose against a clean linear white backdrop. For the kid’s rooms we are staying within the modern and fresh feel of the house while bringing in pops of bright color such as lime green. We are looking to incorporate interactive features such as a chalkboard wall and fun unique kid size furniture. The bathrooms are very linear and play with the concept of planes in the use of materials.They will be a study in contrasting and complementary textures established with tiles from resin inlaid with pebbles to a long porcelain tile that resembles wood grain. This beautiful house is a 5 bedroom home located in Presidential Estates in Aventura, FL.

Picture Perfect House
Inspiration for a large farmhouse white two-story wood house exterior remodel in Chicago with a shingle roof

Jean Allsopp (courtesy of Coastal Living)
Traditional white three-story exterior home idea in Atlanta

Richard Leo Johnson
Inspiration for a small cottage gray one-story exterior home remodel in Atlanta

A traditional house that meanders around courtyards built as though it where built in stages over time. Well proportioned and timeless. Presenting its modest humble face this large home is filled with surprises as it demands that you take your time to experience it.

The Port Ludlow Residence is a compact, 2400 SF modern house located on a wooded waterfront property at the north end of the Hood Canal, a long, fjord-like arm of western Puget Sound. The house creates a simple glazed living space that opens up to become a front porch to the beautiful Hood Canal. The east-facing house is sited along a high bank, with a wonderful view of the water. The main living volume is completely glazed, with 12-ft. high glass walls facing the view and large, 8-ft.x8-ft. sliding glass doors that open to a slightly raised wood deck, creating a seamless indoor-outdoor space. During the warm summer months, the living area feels like a large, open porch. Anchoring the north end of the living space is a two-story building volume containing several bedrooms and separate his/her office spaces. The interior finishes are simple and elegant, with IPE wood flooring, zebrawood cabinet doors with mahogany end panels, quartz and limestone countertops, and Douglas Fir trim and doors. Exterior materials are completely maintenance-free: metal siding and aluminum windows and doors. The metal siding has an alternating pattern using two different siding profiles. The house has a number of sustainable or “green” building features, including 2x8 construction (40% greater insulation value); generous glass areas to provide natural lighting and ventilation; large overhangs for sun and rain protection; metal siding (recycled steel) for maximum durability, and a heat pump mechanical system for maximum energy efficiency. Sustainable interior finish materials include wood cabinets, linoleum floors, low-VOC paints, and natural wool carpet.

Susan Teare
Example of a small mountain style two-story wood exterior home design in Burlington

The Mazama house is located in the Methow Valley of Washington State, a secluded mountain valley on the eastern edge of the North Cascades, about 200 miles northeast of Seattle. The house has been carefully placed in a copse of trees at the easterly end of a large meadow. Two major building volumes indicate the house organization. A grounded 2-story bedroom wing anchors a raised living pavilion that is lifted off the ground by a series of exposed steel columns. Seen from the access road, the large meadow in front of the house continues right under the main living space, making the living pavilion into a kind of bridge structure spanning over the meadow grass, with the house touching the ground lightly on six steel columns. The raised floor level provides enhanced views as well as keeping the main living level well above the 3-4 feet of winter snow accumulation that is typical for the upper Methow Valley. To further emphasize the idea of lightness, the exposed wood structure of the living pavilion roof changes pitch along its length, so the roof warps upward at each end. The interior exposed wood beams appear like an unfolding fan as the roof pitch changes. The main interior bearing columns are steel with a tapered “V”-shape, recalling the lightness of a dancer. The house reflects the continuing FINNE investigation into the idea of crafted modernism, with cast bronze inserts at the front door, variegated laser-cut steel railing panels, a curvilinear cast-glass kitchen counter, waterjet-cut aluminum light fixtures, and many custom furniture pieces. The house interior has been designed to be completely integral with the exterior. The living pavilion contains more than twelve pieces of custom furniture and lighting, creating a totality of the designed environment that recalls the idea of Gesamtkunstverk, as seen in the work of Josef Hoffman and the Viennese Secessionist movement in the early 20th century. The house has been designed from the start as a sustainable structure, with 40% higher insulation values than required by code, radiant concrete slab heating, efficient natural ventilation, large amounts of natural lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and locally sourced materials. Windows have high-performance LowE insulated glazing and are equipped with concealed shades. A radiant hydronic heat system with exposed concrete floors allows lower operating temperatures and higher occupant comfort levels. The concrete slabs conserve heat and provide great warmth and comfort for the feet. Deep roof overhangs, built-in shades and high operating clerestory windows are used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into living spaces and passively warm the exposed concrete floor. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the house. The high level of craft evident in the house reflects another key principle of sustainable design: build it well and make it last for many years! Photo by Benjamin Benschneider

View from eastern pasture. Photography by Lucas Henning.
Inspiration for a mid-sized cottage beige two-story wood exterior home remodel in Seattle with a shingle roof