Think of the Noon Starter Kit as mission control center, but for your house. Play music, and even control your lighting with your voice using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.

Designer: Allen Construction General Contractor: Allen Construction Photographer: Jim Bartsch Photography
1960s one-story glass exterior home idea in Los Angeles

Photography by Jane Beiles
Dining room - transitional dining room idea in New York

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

LEED Certification Level: V4 Builder: BPC Green Builders, LLC Architect: Trillium Architects The Taft School faculty home serves as a high performance residence and learning lab for students. The project also earned certification through ENERGY STAR, Indoor airPLUS, Water Sense, PHIUS, and Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Homes with Living Building Challenge Petal recognition pending. The project team was honored with third place in the 2014 Connecticut Zero Energy Home Challenge. Excluding the photovoltaic installation the HERS index was 33, and with the 13.1 kW the HERS index is -14. A year of utility bills show the home is producing more electricity than it uses. Located on a quiet street adjacent to campus the existing, historic home was deconstructed and materials donated or reused where possible. Challenged to find high efficiency windows that were historic commission acceptable, the team installed Klearwall awnings or casements over fixed glass (to mimic double hungs) with simulated divided lites (u-values as low as 0.13). A high solar heat gain coefficient (0.58) facilitates the passive solar gain for winter months, while well designed overhangs and a pergola shade summer sun. Double stud walls have 2¼” closed cell foam plus 8½” dense pack cellulose for a R-49 cavity. The exterior sheathing is R-6.6 Zip Wall System with taped seams to create the continuous air barrier. Inside the solid concrete foundation is 3” closed cell foam behind 2x4 stud walls and R-32 cellulose in the cavity. Prefabricated TJI joists frame the attic floor, an insulated “room” houses the heat recovery ventilator and ductwork, and blown in cellulose blankets it all in R-86. The house tested 0.6ACH50 proving the effectiveness of its air-tight envelope and attention to air sealing. Heating and cooling is provided by efficient air source heat pumps (9.2 HSPF, 16.5 SEER) and delivered by short duct runs which tested extremely tight. A heat pump water heater provides domestic hot water and an on-demand switch, with an occupancy sensor at each bath, ensures hot water is delivered fast and efficiently. Low flow fixtures are WaterSense certified, appliances are Energy Star labeled, and all LED lighting. A Zehnder Novus 300 (93.3% efficient) HRV supplies 112 cfm of continuous fresh air while using only 32 watts of power and running quietly. The homeowners control the mechanical ventilation through the intuitive wall-mounted control pad to shut off or increase the ventilation. Chemicals and contaminants were reduced by using low VOC and GreenGuard certified sealants, adhesives, primers, and paints. A walk-off matt at the side entry and hardwood floors help control dirt and dust. The granite front steps were salvaged and local stone used for the patio and stone walls. Storm water runoff from the roof, patio, and driveway is managed by the rain garden. The native landscaping is low maintenance, a community garden produces vegetables, and the chicken coop is powered by its own roof mounted PV panels. Taft School Director of Environmental Stewardship, Carly Borken has used the design and construction process as a teaching tool for her science classes. With access to the home monitoring system they can virtually access the residents’ consumption.

All that additional quality time at home imposed during the pandemic, it became clear that there was a need for increased bedrooms and home office spaces. While the existing single-story sunroom was the obvious place to expand at the first floor, there were a few complexities at the second floor. First, the width of the existing sunroom did not align with the front or rear elevation of the home. These offsets would make creating a seamless interior space a challenge. Second, the existing home had several non-conforming site conditions including lot coverage and floor area ratio. Careful attention paid to the home’s scale and the neighborhood fabric, as well as authentic historical details, gained the Owners the variance relief necessary to execute the work, as well as recognition from the City of Summit Historic Preservation Commission in 2023.

Light fixture with direct emission, with fluorescent sources • Available with base or fixed support (pivot) made up of mass-coloured concrete • Diffuser in mass-pigmented polypropylene, screen in light-diffusing silkscreened methacrylate, reflector in painted aluminum • Mobile-arm structure in extruded EN-AW-6060 aluminum with bright anodizing treat¬ment • Polished-painted articulations in die-cast EN-AB 46100 aluminum • Adjustment system in AISI 316 stainless steel • Silicone seal gaskets • Suitable for watertight connection • Electronic ballast • c.UL.us listed Lead time: 2 - 4 weeks Lamping explanation: INC = incandescent FLU = fluorescent HAL = 120V halogen LV HAL = 12V halogen MH = metal halide SBF = self-ballasted fluorescent LED = light emitting diode All lamps are included with the fixtures Artemide's design and research team focuses on developing quality and long-lasting products. Utilization of recyclable materials is high priority in our process of conceiving new design. 80% of our lights are energy efficient fluorescent or LED lighting. But what's more green than having a beautifully crafted light that continues to function well and looks stunning decades from now The Artemide light has never been solely a function of seeing, or an opportunity for formal experimentation with lamps as objects. For more than forty years, Artemide has aimed to propose light as a companion to people, as a source of physical pleasure and mental comfort. Artemide has done so, with different work groups, searching through the whole design process, starting with a declaration of values - The human light. Beyond the definition, the human light is intelligent light. A light that knows it has to relate to people, accompanying them in their daily activities. That is why Artemide's attention today is concentrated on the concept of the context of life, understood as a specific microenvironment in which an event occurs where one or more persons are the protagonist, every context of life can be associated with different light contexts, or the different atmospheres of light characterized by the activities that, at various moments of the day, have us as protagonists, starting from these contexts and the lighting conditions that characterize them, Artemide proposes products capable of meeting people's multiple needs and offering the light performance characteristics most suited to each moment of life, it is light that is flexible and adaptable, which produces the optimum visual precision, and consumes the minimum environmental resources, it is Artemide light. The Artemide group, founded by Ernesto Gismondi in 1959, today operates throughout the world, with 16 subsidiaries and affiliated companies, and 35 exclusive distributors. They have production centers in Italy, France, Germany, the USA, Hungary and the Czech Republic. In a policy aimed at satisfying all lighting needs, the Artemide group has recently acquired companies that reinforce its position as a world leader and further diversifies the offerings. For contexts of life, Artemide offers not only lamps for moments of relaxation at home, but also large sophisticated installations for lighting public and private professional activities. Technological and productive expertise is achieved through research and development centers, with the product planning and engineering section, laboratories for technical conformity and self-certification tests, and production units equipped with avant-garde processes. A production structure that can offer expertise in the processing of traditional materials such as glass, as well as the capacity for innovation with recently introduced materials such as titanium. Lighting performance characteristics extend from a light with atmosphere, variable, colored, to the most precise of lights for community environments. The vast range of options reflects the commitment of the whole organization to provide a product guaranteed by the Artemide brand, throughout the world, with an image that is strong and consistent - That of a leader in the lighting industry. Rezek, an Artemide brand, with product development and manufacturing in the United States. Founded by designer Ron Rezek in 1978, the Rezek company has gained strong recognition and appreciation among the architectural and interior design community for the distinctly creative design and quality construction of its American made lighting products for residential and commercial applications.

Tower Paddle Boards, or Tower (as in a lifeguard tower), is a dedicated stand up paddle boarding brand started by Stephan Aarstol and later funded by Shark Tank icon Mark Cuban on ABC's hit show. Simply Stunning Spaces has had the absolute pleasure of watching this company grow from their small office space in Pacific Beach to expanding their warehouse space and most recently gaining a prominent location on one of San Diego's most recognizable streets, Garnet Ave. This space had a long ways to go to becoming something simply stunning but the end result was just that. By removing the ceiling tiles and opening up to the 15 foot ceilings hidden away we were able to maximize the square footage of the office, gain a second floor of office space and dedicate the bottom floor to retail and event space for the SUP community to enjoy. Some of our favorite features: the 31 foot Tower mural inside the glass enclosed private work space, the outdoor painted signage, the sand blasted ceilings which were definitely worth it! The exposed duct work add to its industrial feel and the glass enclosed shaping room in the window is an absolute show stopper! The bar we built for the previous office space fit just perfectly in the new space. We love repurposing whenever we can and the dedicated niche we built to house all the really cool awards and recognitions the owner and company have received were well deserving of being highlighted. It's not too often you can say you've been in Inc magazine, Forbes, 20/20... just to name a few!

Tower Paddle Boards, or Tower (as in a lifeguard tower), is a dedicated stand up paddle boarding brand started by Stephan Aarstol and later funded by Shark Tank icon Mark Cuban on ABC's hit show. Simply Stunning Spaces has had the absolute pleasure of watching this company grow from their small office space in Pacific Beach to expanding their warehouse space and most recently gaining a prominent location on one of San Diego's most recognizable streets, Garnet Ave. This space had a long ways to go to becoming something simply stunning but the end result was just that. By removing the ceiling tiles and opening up to the 15 foot ceilings hidden away we were able to maximize the square footage of the office, gain a second floor of office space and dedicate the bottom floor to retail and event space for the SUP community to enjoy. Some of our favorite features: the 31 foot Tower mural inside the glass enclosed private work space, the outdoor painted signage, the sand blasted ceilings which were definitely worth it! The exposed duct work add to its industrial feel and the glass enclosed shaping room in the window is an absolute show stopper! The bar we built for the previous office space fit just perfectly in the new space. We love repurposing whenever we can and the dedicated niche we built to house all the really cool awards and recognitions the owner and company have received were well deserving of being highlighted. It's not too often you can say you've been in Inc magazine, Forbes, 20/20... just to name a few!

RB Minerva 31" Wood Vanity Cabinet with Two Frosted Glass Sliding Doors and Two Bottom Drawers Ronbow’s expert craftsmen take no shortcuts in the manufacturing process. Built with birch hardwoods, all surfaces are then machine and hand sanded, pre-stains are applied evenly to provide the base color uniformity, and stains and paints are hand sprayed in a 7 layer process and cured throughout. Doors are built using furniture quality hinges with soft close mechanisms while dove-tail construction drawers are built with ball-bearing, full-extension, and soft-close gliders. The result is an extraordinarily beautiful and functional vanity that is built to last. The head-turning Contempo collection by Ronbow sets new industry standards for form and function. As one of the world’s most diverse collections of floor-standing vanities, the Contempo line has gained recognition for its modern appeal and innovative designs. Chic and Stylish, the streamlined look of these vanities, along with wide variety of drawer, door, and shelf configurations make the Contempo collection one of the most popular on our website. A total of 16 variations of the Contempo are available: Athena, Brennon, Calabria, Cami, Devon, Elise, Haley, Juno, Kali, Kendra, Leonie, Minerva, Rowena, Solis, Venus, and Zenia. Product Dimensions: Overall Width:31" Overall Height: 31.875" Overall Depth: 19.313" Product Weight: 82 lbs. Product Features: Constructed of Birch Hardwoods Multi-Step, 7-Layer Machine and Hand Applied Finish Finished Cabinet Interior Two Spacious Bottom Drawers Full Extension Drawer Glides (Drawers Pull All the Way Open) Drawer Features Soft-Close Mechanism and Ball-Bearing Drawer Glides for Ultra Quiet Operation Dovetail Construction Right Angle Wood Joining Technique Double Frosted Glass Sliding Doors Doors Feature Furniture Quality Hinges with Soft-Close Mechanism Accenting Stainless Steel Decorative Cabinet Hardware Optional Metal Feet are Available: 705001 Available in three sizes: 23" (035823), 31" (this model), and 36" (035836)

All that additional quality time at home imposed during the pandemic, it became clear that there was a need for increased bedrooms and home office spaces. While the existing single-story sunroom was the obvious place to expand at the first floor, there were a few complexities at the second floor. First, the width of the existing sunroom did not align with the front or rear elevation of the home. These offsets would make creating a seamless interior space a challenge. Second, the existing home had several non-conforming site conditions including lot coverage and floor area ratio. Careful attention paid to the home’s scale and the neighborhood fabric, as well as authentic historical details, gained the Owners the variance relief necessary to execute the work as well as recognition from the City of Summit Historic Preservation Commission in 2023.

LEED Certification Level: V4 Builder: BPC Green Builders, LLC Architect: Trillium Architects. The Taft School faculty home serves as a high performance residence and learning lab for students. The project also earned certification through ENERGY STAR, Indoor airPLUS, Water Sense, PHIUS, and Department of Energy Zero Energy Ready Homes with Living Building Challenge Petal recognition pending. The project team was honored with third place in the 2014 Connecticut Zero Energy Home Challenge. Excluding the photovoltaic installation the HERS index was 33, and with the 13.1 kW the HERS index is -14. A year of utility bills show the home is producing more electricity than it uses. Located on a quiet street adjacent to campus the existing, historic home was deconstructed and materials donated or reused where possible. Challenged to find high efficiency windows that were historic commission acceptable, the team installed Klearwall awnings or casements over fixed glass (to mimic double hungs) with simulated divided lites (u-values as low as 0.13). A high solar heat gain coefficient (0.58) facilitates the passive solar gain for winter months, while well designed overhangs and a pergola shade summer sun. Double stud walls have 2¼” closed cell foam plus 8½” dense pack cellulose for a R-49 cavity. The exterior sheathing is R-6.6 Zip Wall System with taped seams to create the continuous air barrier. Inside the solid concrete foundation is 3” closed cell foam behind 2x4 stud walls and R-32 cellulose in the cavity. Prefabricated TJI joists frame the attic floor, an insulated “room” houses the heat recovery ventilator and ductwork, and blown in cellulose blankets it all in R-86. The house tested 0.6ACH50 proving the effectiveness of its air-tight envelope and attention to air sealing. Heating and cooling is provided by efficient air source heat pumps (9.2 HSPF, 16.5 SEER) and delivered by short duct runs which tested extremely tight. A heat pump water heater provides domestic hot water and an on-demand switch, with an occupancy sensor at each bath, ensures hot water is delivered fast and efficiently. Low flow fixtures are WaterSense certified, appliances are Energy Star labeled, and all LED lighting. A Zehnder Novus 300 (93.3% efficient) HRV supplies 112 cfm of continuous fresh air while using only 32 watts of power and running quietly. The homeowners control the mechanical ventilation through the intuitive wall-mounted control pad to shut off or increase the ventilation. Chemicals and contaminants were reduced by using low VOC and GreenGuard certified sealants, adhesives, primers, and paints. A walk-off matt at the side entry and hardwood floors help control dirt and dust. The granite front steps were salvaged and local stone used for the patio and stone walls. Storm water runoff from the roof, patio, and driveway is managed by the rain garden. The native landscaping is low maintenance, a community garden produces vegetables, and the chicken coop is powered by its own roof mounted PV panels. Taft School Director of Environmental Stewardship, Carly Borken has used the design and construction process as a teaching tool for her science classes. With access to the home monitoring system they can virtually access the residents’ consumption.

Tower Paddle Boards, or Tower (as in a lifeguard tower), is a dedicated stand up paddle boarding brand started by Stephan Aarstol and later funded by Shark Tank icon Mark Cuban on ABC's hit show. Simply Stunning Spaces has had the absolute pleasure of watching this company grow from their small office space in Pacific Beach to expanding their warehouse space and most recently gaining a prominent location on one of San Diego's most recognizable streets, Garnet Ave. This space had a long ways to go to becoming something simply stunning but the end result was just that. By removing the ceiling tiles and opening up to the 15 foot ceilings hidden away we were able to maximize the square footage of the office, gain a second floor of office space and dedicate the bottom floor to retail and event space for the SUP community to enjoy. Some of our favorite features: the 31 foot Tower mural inside the glass enclosed private work space, the outdoor painted signage, the sand blasted ceilings which were definitely worth it! The exposed duct work add to its industrial feel and the glass enclosed shaping room in the window is an absolute show stopper! The bar we built for the previous office space fit just perfectly in the new space. We love repurposing whenever we can and the dedicated niche we built to house all the really cool awards and recognitions the owner and company have received were well deserving of being highlighted. It's not too often you can say you've been in Inc magazine, Forbes, 20/20... just to name a few!

Tower Paddle Boards, or Tower (as in a lifeguard tower), is a dedicated stand up paddle boarding brand started by Stephan Aarstol and later funded by Shark Tank icon Mark Cuban on ABC's hit show. Simply Stunning Spaces has had the absolute pleasure of watching this company grow from their small office space in Pacific Beach to expanding their warehouse space and most recently gaining a prominent location on one of San Diego's most recognizable streets, Garnet Ave. This space had a long ways to go to becoming something simply stunning but the end result was just that. By removing the ceiling tiles and opening up to the 15 foot ceilings hidden away we were able to maximize the square footage of the office, gain a second floor of office space and dedicate the bottom floor to retail and event space for the SUP community to enjoy. Some of our favorite features: the 31 foot Tower mural inside the glass enclosed private work space, the outdoor painted signage, the sand blasted ceilings which were definitely worth it! The exposed duct work add to its industrial feel and the glass enclosed shaping room in the window is an absolute show stopper! The bar we built for the previous office space fit just perfectly in the new space. We love repurposing whenever we can and the dedicated niche we built to house all the really cool awards and recognitions the owner and company have received were well deserving of being highlighted. It's not too often you can say you've been in Inc magazine, Forbes, 20/20... just to name a few!