Architecture by Anders Lasater Architects. Interior Design and Landscape Design by Exotica Design Group. Photos by Jeri Koegel.
Large 1950s concrete floor front door photo in Orange County with a medium wood front door

Inspiration for a farmhouse white tile and mosaic tile white floor alcove shower remodel in Austin with recessed-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, a hinged shower door and white countertops

The historic restoration of this First Period Ipswich, Massachusetts home (c. 1686) was an eighteen-month project that combined exterior and interior architectural work to preserve and revitalize this beautiful home. Structurally, work included restoring the summer beam, straightening the timber frame, and adding a lean-to section. The living space was expanded with the addition of a spacious gourmet kitchen featuring countertops made of reclaimed barn wood. As is always the case with our historic renovations, we took special care to maintain the beauty and integrity of the historic elements while bringing in the comfort and convenience of modern amenities. We were even able to uncover and restore much of the original fabric of the house (the chimney, fireplaces, paneling, trim, doors, hinges, etc.), which had been hidden for years under a renovation dating back to 1746. Winner, 2012 Mary P. Conley Award for historic home restoration and preservation You can read more about this restoration in the Boston Globe article by Regina Cole, “A First Period home gets a second life.” http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2013/10/26/couple-rebuild-their-century-home-ipswich/r2yXE5yiKWYcamoFGmKVyL/story.html Photo Credit: Eric Roth

This living room, which opens to the kitchen, has everything you need. Plenty of built-ins to display and store treasures, a gas fireplace to add warmth on a cool evening and easy access to the beautifully landscaped yard. Damianos Photography

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

The Guest House has pocketing lift and slide steel doors to provide an indoor/outdoor living space. The gravel patio connects the area to the rest of the landscape.

Alcove shower - mid-century modern white tile concrete floor alcove shower idea in San Francisco with an undermount sink

Shelly Harrison
Traditional two-story wood exterior home idea in Boston with a gambrel roof

Our design team listened carefully to our clients' wish list. They had a vision of a cozy rustic mountain cabin type master suite retreat. The rustic beams and hardwood floors complement the neutral tones of the walls and trim. Walking into the new primary bathroom gives the same calmness with the colors and materials used in the design.

Example of a large classic medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen design in Omaha with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances and two islands

Our design team listened carefully to our clients' wish list. They had a vision of a cozy rustic mountain cabin type master suite retreat. The rustic beams and hardwood floors complement the neutral tones of the walls and trim. Walking into the new primary bathroom gives the same calmness with the colors and materials used in the design.

Douglas Vanderhorn Architects
Inspiration for a timeless beige two-story stone exterior home remodel in New York

Mid-sized elegant attached two-car garage photo in Boston

Inspiration for a rustic one-story wood gable roof remodel in San Francisco

Cape Cod; Dennis, MA The staircase is a striking feature with its polished hardwood treads and a curved handrail, which adds a graceful, traditional touch. The balusters are painted white, providing a crisp contrast and reinforcing the clean, coastal feel. The walls are finished with vertical board-and-batten style paneling, a classic architectural detail that adds texture and character. Natural light is a key element of the design, flooding the space from multiple sources. A large window is positioned at the top of the stairs, and a distinctive round, porthole-style window on the lower landing adds a unique architectural detail. This design element not only provides additional light but also reinforces the nautical, coastal theme. The warm glow of the hardwood floors and sunlight creates an inviting atmosphere, while the white paneling keeps the space feeling open and airy.

Kitchen Photo: Van Inwegen Digital Arts
Example of a mid-sized trendy l-shaped concrete floor open concept kitchen design in Chicago with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, brown cabinets, recycled glass countertops, gray backsplash, stone slab backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Example of a large transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface countertops, multicolored backsplash, porcelain backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Camera Shock / Kenny Kaneshiro
Cottage medium tone wood floor front door photo in San Francisco with white walls and a black front door

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