Random
Inspiration for a timeless alcove shower remodel in New York with beige walls

Example of a trendy gray tile gray floor and double-sink bathroom design in Austin with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, an undermount sink and white countertops

Benjamin Benschneider
Beach style brown floor dining room photo in Seattle with beige walls

Photography by: Bob Jansons H&H Productions
Inspiration for a contemporary laundry room remodel in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a side-by-side washer/dryer and white walls

Mid-sized country l-shaped concrete floor and gray floor open concept kitchen photo in Austin with a farmhouse sink, white cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and recessed-panel cabinets

Susanne Hayek Photography
Mid-sized trendy backyard concrete patio photo in Los Angeles with no cover

This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Todd Wright
Small eclectic freestanding desk medium tone wood floor home office photo in Other with beige walls

Example of a 1950s gray floor bathroom design in Portland with light wood cabinets, an undermount tub, an undermount sink, white countertops and flat-panel cabinets

Steven Dewall
Living room - mid-sized scandinavian living room idea in Los Angeles

Alexey Gold-Dvoryadkin
Mid-sized transitional enclosed carpeted family room photo in New York with blue walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Photo: Howard Doughty
Patio - rustic stone patio idea in Minneapolis with no cover

bruce damonte
Inspiration for a mid-sized 1950s open concept concrete floor living room remodel in San Francisco with white walls, a ribbon fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Photos By Shawn Lortie Photography
Patio - large contemporary backyard concrete paver patio idea in DC Metro with a fire pit and a roof extension

This house design fits perfectly on a lot couched next to a prominent live oak that provides shade to and views from various living spaces in the house. The front porch and side porch are both positioned so that visitors can experience its beauty as they enter from the street or guest parking. This 8,000 sf home features many of the typical custom home amenities which includes 4 bedrooms and 4 1/2 baths, his and her offices, a walk-through butler pantry and walk-in pantry and a large upstairs playroom that has its own laundry closet. An emphasis on outdoor living is desired with a large vaulted ceiling space featuring natural wood beams covering a cooking dining and sitting area with an outdoor fireplace. A half bath and storage closet give support to this area that also opens up to a pool that can be viewed and accessed from the living room and back porch. Easy access is also provided to a 2-car garage and storage room from the outdoor living areas. This home makes the most of a beautiful site and belongs to it.

This house design fits perfectly on a lot couched next to a prominent live oak that provides shade to and views from various living spaces in the house. The front porch and side porch are both positioned so that visitors can experience its beauty as they enter from the street or guest parking. This 8,000 sf home features many of the typical custom home amenities which includes 4 bedrooms and 4 1/2 baths, his and her offices, a walk-through butler pantry and walk-in pantry and a large upstairs playroom that has its own laundry closet. An emphasis on outdoor living is desired with a large vaulted ceiling space featuring natural wood beams covering a cooking dining and sitting area with an outdoor fireplace. A half bath and storage closet give support to this area that also opens up to a pool that can be viewed and accessed from the living room and back porch. Easy access is also provided to a 2-car garage and storage room from the outdoor living areas. This home makes the most of a beautiful site and belongs to it.

This house design fits perfectly on a lot couched next to a prominent live oak that provides shade to and views from various living spaces in the house. The front porch and side porch are both positioned so that visitors can experience its beauty as they enter from the street or guest parking. This 8,000 sf home features many of the typical custom home amenities which includes 4 bedrooms and 4 1/2 baths, his and her offices, a walk-through butler pantry and walk-in pantry and a large upstairs playroom that has its own laundry closet. An emphasis on outdoor living is desired with a large vaulted ceiling space featuring natural wood beams covering a cooking dining and sitting area with an outdoor fireplace. A half bath and storage closet give support to this area that also opens up to a pool that can be viewed and accessed from the living room and back porch. Easy access is also provided to a 2-car garage and storage room from the outdoor living areas. This home makes the most of a beautiful site and belongs to it.

This house design fits perfectly on a lot couched next to a prominent live oak that provides shade to and views from various living spaces in the house. The front porch and side porch are both positioned so that visitors can experience its beauty as they enter from the street or guest parking. This 8,000 sf home features many of the typical custom home amenities which includes 4 bedrooms and 4 1/2 baths, his and her offices, a walk-through butler pantry and walk-in pantry and a large upstairs playroom that has its own laundry closet. An emphasis on outdoor living is desired with a large vaulted ceiling space featuring natural wood beams covering a cooking dining and sitting area with an outdoor fireplace. A half bath and storage closet give support to this area that also opens up to a pool that can be viewed and accessed from the living room and back porch. Easy access is also provided to a 2-car garage and storage room from the outdoor living areas. This home makes the most of a beautiful site and belongs to it.