Sarah Reynolds
Minimalist home office photo in Dublin

Trendy laundry room photo in Charlotte

View from Road at sunset. Photography by Lucas Henning.
Mid-sized modern brown two-story mixed siding flat roof idea in Seattle with a metal roof

This project won in the 2013 Builders Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh Housing Excellence Award for Best Urban Renewal Renovation Project. The glass bowl was made in the glass studio owned by the owner which is adjacent to the residence. The mirror is a repurposed window. The door is repurposed from a boarding house. George Mendel

When most people think of the ideal pool, they think of an in ground swimming pool. Little do they realize, however, that the benefits of the Deck-Pool and Olympic-Eagle on ground pools mean that they are not hindered by the many problems that can plague ordinary cheap above ground pools and in ground swimming pool owners. NO TAX Save $$$ Stays Cleaner Naturally Save $$$ No Heater Required Save $$$ In addition to all of this, on ground pools are not prone to the same effects of terrain and ground water as in ground swimming pools. For example: clay soil, sloping yards, rocky terrain, high water tables, and standing water can all wreak havoc on in ground pools, as can the ground upheaval associated with the winters many of us have come to know all too well. Because they are built-on-the-ground, our Deck-Pool and Olympic Eagle swimming pools are not affected by such factors. http://www.aquastarmi.com/in-ground-vs-above-ground-vs-on-ground/

Susan Teare
Example of a mountain style tiny house design in Burlington

Mid-sized trendy master light wood floor and beige floor bedroom photo in San Francisco with gray walls and no fireplace

This starter home features the raised basement concept. Homes like these are often built using low income housing tax credits that require a 15 year period of rental. The idea of this home is that it is an ideal rental to be sold after the rental period. The owner can then easily expand this house by finishing the basement - doubling the square footage of the home at a low cost per square foot. It allows to stabilize neighborhoods by keeping residents in place for the long term.

This sunroom is the perfect place to sit, relax and unwind after a taxing week at the office. Grab a good book, a glass of your favorite vino and surround yourself with the calming scenes nature has to provide. Bryan Scheid

Lincoln Farmhouse LEED-H Platinum, Net-Positive Energy OVERVIEW. This LEED Platinum certified modern farmhouse ties into the cultural landscape of Lincoln, Massachusetts - a town known for its rich history, farming traditions, conservation efforts, and visionary architecture. The goal was to design and build a new single family home on 1.8 acres that respects the neighborhood’s agrarian roots, produces more energy than it consumes, and provides the family with flexible spaces to live-play-work-entertain. The resulting 2,800 SF home is proof that families do not need to compromise on style, space or comfort in a highly energy-efficient and healthy home. CONNECTION TO NATURE. The attached garage is ubiquitous in new construction in New England’s cold climate. This home’s barn-inspired garage is intentionally detached from the main dwelling. A covered walkway connects the two structures, creating an intentional connection with the outdoors between auto and home. FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY. With a modest footprint, each space must serve a specific use, but also be flexible for atypical scenarios. The Mudroom serves everyday use for the couple and their children, but is also easy to tidy up to receive guests, eliminating the need for two entries found in most homes. A workspace is conveniently located off the mudroom; it looks out on to the back yard to supervise the children and can be closed off with a sliding door when not in use. The Away Room opens up to the Living Room for everyday use; it can be closed off with its oversized pocket door for secondary use as a guest bedroom with en suite bath. NET POSITIVE ENERGY. The all-electric home consumes 70% less energy than a code-built house, and with measured energy data produces 48% more energy annually than it consumes, making it a 'net positive' home. Thick walls and roofs lack thermal bridging, windows are high performance, triple-glazed, and a continuous air barrier yields minimal leakage (0.27ACH50) making the home among the tightest in the US. Systems include an air source heat pump, an energy recovery ventilator, and a 13.1kW photovoltaic system to offset consumption and support future electric cars. ACTUAL PERFORMANCE. -6.3 kBtu/sf/yr Energy Use Intensity (Actual monitored project data reported for the firm’s 2016 AIA 2030 Commitment. Average single family home is 52.0 kBtu/sf/yr.) o 10,900 kwh total consumption (8.5 kbtu/ft2 EUI) o 16,200 kwh total production o 5,300 kwh net surplus, equivalent to 15,000-25,000 electric car miles per year. 48% net positive. WATER EFFICIENCY. Plumbing fixtures and water closets consume a mere 60% of the federal standard, while high efficiency appliances such as the dishwasher and clothes washer also reduce consumption rates. FOOD PRODUCTION. After clearing all invasive species, apple, pear, peach and cherry trees were planted. Future plans include blueberry, raspberry and strawberry bushes, along with raised beds for vegetable gardening. The house also offers a below ground root cellar, built outside the home's thermal envelope, to gain the passive benefit of long term energy-free food storage. RESILIENCY. The home's ability to weather unforeseen challenges is predictable - it will fare well. The super-insulated envelope means during a winter storm with power outage, heat loss will be slow - taking days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. During normal conditions, reduced energy consumption plus energy production means shelter from the burden of utility costs. Surplus production can power electric cars & appliances. The home exceeds snow & wind structural requirements, plus far surpasses standard construction for long term durability planning. ARCHITECT: ZeroEnergy Design http://zeroenergy.com/lincoln-farmhouse CONTRACTOR: Thoughtforms http://thoughtforms-corp.com/ PHOTOGRAPHER: Chuck Choi http://www.chuckchoi.com/

Home office - eclectic home office idea in Seattle

Ciro Coelho Photography
Contemporary beige one-story exterior home idea in Santa Barbara with a metal roof

Inspiration for a rustic brown one-story wood gable roof remodel in Seattle

Brittany M. Powell
Alcove shower - mid-sized contemporary 3/4 beige tile alcove shower idea in San Francisco with a wall-mount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets and white walls

Welcome to the 9401 Meadowbrook Lane, in the heart of the highly sought after Arboretum neighborhood in Chestnut Hill. A true architectural treasure, this exquisite residence has undergone a comprehensive renovation by award winning and renowned custom builder, Blake Development. The definition of a labor of love, you will love every inch of this fabulous home, beautifully sited on one acre. The traditional floor plan, "opened up", offers +-5000 square feet, ideal for today's preferred lifestyle. Features include formal living room with fireplace, dining room and sunroom, all opening onto excellent outdoor spaces, with large flagstone terraces and stone fireplace. Handsome wood paneled library with fireplace is a cozy, quiet hideaway. Gourmet kitchen features custom cabinetry, quartzite countertops and large island, Sub Zero refrigerator/freezer, beverage refrigerator, Wolf range/ovens, hood and microwave, Bosch dishwasher. Adjoining mudroom thoughtfully appointed with custom cubbies and cabinets. Upstairs, four bedrooms and four full baths. Fabulous master suite with 2 walk in closets and separate baths with soaking tub, showers, marble tile, Kohler sinks, toilets and Waterworks fixtures. The lower level offers approximately 1000 square feet additional finished space, including family room with bar, wine cellar, gym, and half bath, just begging for your next party! The finest millwork and hardwood floors throughout. Original leaded windows blend with new Andersen, Wissahickon schist exterior, terra-cotta tile roof with copper gutters and flashing. Heated 2 car garage with new carriage doors. High efficiency Buderus/Bryant HVAC, Advent security system, stereo sound wired 1st floor, master suite and lower level. Extensive mature landscape plan, redesigned by Mary Costello. This is a rare combination of a classic Philadelphia home with all the modern amenities you could wish for, in a coveted location just steps from the Morris Arboretum. *10 year tax abatement approved.

3,800sf, 4 bdrm, 3.5 bath with oversized 4 car garage and over 270sf Loggia; climate controlled wine room and bar, Tech Room, landscaping and pool. Solar, high efficiency HVAC and insulation was used which resulted in huge rebates from utility companies, enhancing the ROI. The challenge with this property was the downslope lot, sewer system was lower than main line at the street thus requiring a special pump system. Retaining walls to create a flat usable back yard. ESI Builders is a subsidiary of EnergyWise Solutions, Inc. and was formed by Allan, Bob and Dave to fulfill an important need for quality home builders and remodeling services in the Sacramento region. With a strong and growing referral base, we decided to provide a convenient one-stop option for our clients and focus on combining our key services: quality custom homes and remodels, turnkey client partnering and communication, and energy efficient and environmentally sustainable measures in all we do. Through energy efficient appliances and fixtures, solar power, high efficiency heating and cooling systems, enhanced insulation and sealing, and other construction elements – we go beyond simple code compliance and give you immediate savings and greater sustainability for your new or remodeled home. All of the design work and construction tasks for our clients are done by or supervised by our highly trained, professional staff. This not only saves you money, it provides a peace of mind that all of the details are taken care of and the job is being done right – to Perfection. Our service does not stop after we clean up and drive off. We continue to provide support for any warranty issues that arise and give you administrative support as needed in order to assure you obtain any energy-related tax incentives or rebates. This ‘One call does it all’ philosophy assures that your experience in remodeling or upgrading your home is an enjoyable one. ESI Builders was formed by professionals with varying backgrounds and a common interest to provide you, our clients, with options to live more comfortably, save money, and enjoy quality homes for many years to come. As our company continues to grow and evolve, the expertise has been quickly growing to include several job foreman, tradesmen, and support staff. In response to our growth, we will continue to hire well-qualified staff and we will remain committed to maintaining a level of quality, attention to detail, and pursuit of perfection.

This is an organic Lime Wash done with a true lime wash product as opposed to a brick mortar or concrete that is often seen on new houses. This product can be applied as a solid coating making the surface completely white, or can be applied and "washed off" in many artistic ways, as seen here. If you hate your brick or just want something unique this is a great option! Photo credit: Jeff Murrey

This Scotts Valley residence was transformed by the remodel of the original kitchen into a much more open and usable space. Our client had a 'modern farmhouse' look in mind which was accomplished through the use of Carrera marble countertops, shaker cabinet doors, vintage pendant fixtures and distressed wood flooring. The year after the kitchen was completed, the client had us return to remodel the master bathroom. The old space was opened up by the addition of a new vaulted skylight and the removal of some interior walls. A new longer double vanity was added with top set fireclay sinks and wall faucets. The floor was finished in a porcelain tile selection which mimicked the look of Carrera marble. The focal point was the addition of a large new walk-in shower with twin showerheads. www.santaellamedia.com/

ESI Builders is a subsidiary of EnergyWise Solutions, Inc. and was formed by Allan, Bob and Dave to fulfill an important need for quality home builders and remodeling services in the Sacramento region. With a strong and growing referral base, we decided to provide a convenient one-stop option for our clients and focus on combining our key services: quality custom homes and remodels, turnkey client partnering and communication, and energy efficient and environmentally sustainable measures in all we do. Through energy efficient appliances and fixtures, solar power, high efficiency heating and cooling systems, enhanced insulation and sealing, and other construction elements – we go beyond simple code compliance and give you immediate savings and greater sustainability for your new or remodeled home. All of the design work and construction tasks for our clients are done by or supervised by our highly trained, professional staff. This not only saves you money, it provides a peace of mind that all of the details are taken care of and the job is being done right – to Perfection. Our service does not stop after we clean up and drive off. We continue to provide support for any warranty issues that arise and give you administrative support as needed in order to assure you obtain any energy-related tax incentives or rebates. This ‘One call does it all’ philosophy assures that your experience in remodeling or upgrading your home is an enjoyable one. ESI Builders was formed by professionals with varying backgrounds and a common interest to provide you, our clients, with options to live more comfortably, save money, and enjoy quality homes for many years to come. As our company continues to grow and evolve, the expertise has been quickly growing to include several job foreman, tradesmen, and support staff. In response to our growth, we will continue to hire well-qualified staff and we will remain committed to maintaining a level of quality, attention to detail, and pursuit of perfection.