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ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington.
Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio.
Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater.
Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass.
Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck.
Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space.
Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy.
Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design
Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design
Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio
Photos: Eric Roth Photography
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ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington.
Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio.
Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater.
Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass.
Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck.
Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space.
Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy.
Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design
Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design
Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio
Photos: Eric Roth Photography

Built in the early 1950s, this small urban townhouse is located in North Old Town Alexandria in an area currently undergoing major redevelopment. The neighborhood is popular with, and affordable for, young people and families, and very convenient to Washington, DC.
In its heyday, the townhouse touted a stately brick exterior, plaster walls, tongue and groove wood flooring and beautiful wooden staircase. Sixty years later, however, the homeowners were faced with crumbling masonry, sagging floors, a double layer of wallpaper over the plaster walls, a crumbling staircase, a dysfunctional kitchen and small, dark second floor rooms. Additionally, the basement had a low ceiling, moldy and cinder block walls, no plumbing and a large boiler taking up most of the space.
The homeowners’ goal was to restore the exterior’s historic look while creating an interior up-to-date for the 21st Century. To turn their vision into reality, they turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes.
Design Solutions
To maintain the townhome’s historic exterior, the Michael Nash team carefully removed, salvaged, restored and reused existing brick masonry. Matching fascia boards and windows were combined with existing windows to complete the exterior renovation.
All interior walls were gutted and reframed. New electrical work, new insulation and new drywall were installed. Much of the home’s original trim was salvaged and reused, as was a piece of art glass, all to keep a bit of the past in the renovation.
The sagging subfloors were fixed, new hard wood floors were installed and a new staircase and railing were designed in a style similar to the original.
The solid wall between the kitchen and the dining room was removed, plumbing was relocated for a new sink location and the kitchen got expanded with an island into the dining room. Closet and plumbing stacks were relocated to allow a new space for fridge. Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and custom cabinetry highlight the new modern kitchen.
The plan called for redesigning the three bedrooms on the second floor to allow a larger bathroom, walk-in closet and wider hallways. In addition to new roofing, a large skylight was installed to allow natural light into the bathroom and the upper hallway.
The basement was totally revamped. New plumbing was put in place for a full bathroom, laundry room and a den. New e-grass window was installed in the basement to bring this basement up to current building codes.
This homeowners love the neighborhood and now their home gives them the opportunity to stay in the same location.

Built in the early 1950s, this small urban townhouse is located in North Old Town Alexandria in an area currently undergoing major redevelopment. The neighborhood is popular with, and affordable for, young people and families, and very convenient to Washington, DC.
In its heyday, the townhouse touted a stately brick exterior, plaster walls, tongue and groove wood flooring and beautiful wooden staircase. Sixty years later, however, the homeowners were faced with crumbling masonry, sagging floors, a double layer of wallpaper over the plaster walls, a crumbling staircase, a dysfunctional kitchen and small, dark second floor rooms. Additionally, the basement had a low ceiling, moldy and cinder block walls, no plumbing and a large boiler taking up most of the space.
The homeowners’ goal was to restore the exterior’s historic look while creating an interior up-to-date for the 21st Century. To turn their vision into reality, they turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes.
Design Solutions
To maintain the townhome’s historic exterior, the Michael Nash team carefully removed, salvaged, restored and reused existing brick masonry. Matching fascia boards and windows were combined with existing windows to complete the exterior renovation.
All interior walls were gutted and reframed. New electrical work, new insulation and new drywall were installed. Much of the home’s original trim was salvaged and reused, as was a piece of art glass, all to keep a bit of the past in the renovation.
The sagging subfloors were fixed, new hard wood floors were installed and a new staircase and railing were designed in a style similar to the original.
The solid wall between the kitchen and the dining room was removed, plumbing was relocated for a new sink location and the kitchen got expanded with an island into the dining room. Closet and plumbing stacks were relocated to allow a new space for fridge. Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and custom cabinetry highlight the new modern kitchen.
The plan called for redesigning the three bedrooms on the second floor to allow a larger bathroom, walk-in closet and wider hallways. In addition to new roofing, a large skylight was installed to allow natural light into the bathroom and the upper hallway.
The basement was totally revamped. New plumbing was put in place for a full bathroom, laundry room and a den. New e-grass window was installed in the basement to bring this basement up to current building codes.
This homeowners love the neighborhood and now their home gives them the opportunity to stay in the same location.

Built in the early 1950s, this small urban townhouse is located in North Old Town Alexandria in an area currently undergoing major redevelopment. The neighborhood is popular with, and affordable for, young people and families, and very convenient to Washington, DC.
In its heyday, the townhouse touted a stately brick exterior, plaster walls, tongue and groove wood flooring and beautiful wooden staircase. Sixty years later, however, the homeowners were faced with crumbling masonry, sagging floors, a double layer of wallpaper over the plaster walls, a crumbling staircase, a dysfunctional kitchen and small, dark second floor rooms. Additionally, the basement had a low ceiling, moldy and cinder block walls, no plumbing and a large boiler taking up most of the space.
The homeowners’ goal was to restore the exterior’s historic look while creating an interior up-to-date for the 21st Century. To turn their vision into reality, they turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes.
Design Solutions
To maintain the townhome’s historic exterior, the Michael Nash team carefully removed, salvaged, restored and reused existing brick masonry. Matching fascia boards and windows were combined with existing windows to complete the exterior renovation.
All interior walls were gutted and reframed. New electrical work, new insulation and new drywall were installed. Much of the home’s original trim was salvaged and reused, as was a piece of art glass, all to keep a bit of the past in the renovation.
The sagging subfloors were fixed, new hard wood floors were installed and a new staircase and railing were designed in a style similar to the original.
The solid wall between the kitchen and the dining room was removed, plumbing was relocated for a new sink location and the kitchen got expanded with an island into the dining room. Closet and plumbing stacks were relocated to allow a new space for fridge. Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and custom cabinetry highlight the new modern kitchen.
The plan called for redesigning the three bedrooms on the second floor to allow a larger bathroom, walk-in closet and wider hallways. In addition to new roofing, a large skylight was installed to allow natural light into the bathroom and the upper hallway.
The basement was totally revamped. New plumbing was put in place for a full bathroom, laundry room and a den. New e-grass window was installed in the basement to bring this basement up to current building codes.
This homeowners love the neighborhood and now their home gives them the opportunity to stay in the same location.

Built in the early 1950s, this small urban townhouse is located in North Old Town Alexandria in an area currently undergoing major redevelopment. The neighborhood is popular with, and affordable for, young people and families, and very convenient to Washington, DC.
In its heyday, the townhouse touted a stately brick exterior, plaster walls, tongue and groove wood flooring and beautiful wooden staircase. Sixty years later, however, the homeowners were faced with crumbling masonry, sagging floors, a double layer of wallpaper over the plaster walls, a crumbling staircase, a dysfunctional kitchen and small, dark second floor rooms. Additionally, the basement had a low ceiling, moldy and cinder block walls, no plumbing and a large boiler taking up most of the space.
The homeowners’ goal was to restore the exterior’s historic look while creating an interior up-to-date for the 21st Century. To turn their vision into reality, they turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes.
Design Solutions
To maintain the townhome’s historic exterior, the Michael Nash team carefully removed, salvaged, restored and reused existing brick masonry. Matching fascia boards and windows were combined with existing windows to complete the exterior renovation.
All interior walls were gutted and reframed. New electrical work, new insulation and new drywall were installed. Much of the home’s original trim was salvaged and reused, as was a piece of art glass, all to keep a bit of the past in the renovation.
The sagging subfloors were fixed, new hard wood floors were installed and a new staircase and railing were designed in a style similar to the original.
The solid wall between the kitchen and the dining room was removed, plumbing was relocated for a new sink location and the kitchen got expanded with an island into the dining room. Closet and plumbing stacks were relocated to allow a new space for fridge. Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and custom cabinetry highlight the new modern kitchen.
The plan called for redesigning the three bedrooms on the second floor to allow a larger bathroom, walk-in closet and wider hallways. In addition to new roofing, a large skylight was installed to allow natural light into the bathroom and the upper hallway.
The basement was totally revamped. New plumbing was put in place for a full bathroom, laundry room and a den. New e-grass window was installed in the basement to bring this basement up to current building codes.
This homeowners love the neighborhood and now their home gives them the opportunity to stay in the same location.

Our customers loved the basement in their Oakton home, but it was packed full of sporting equipment for their active family. Plus, while the home had a deck off the main level, it was older and needed repair. The homeowners decided that it was time for updates! They pushed out their basement into the backyard (beneath the original deck) to build a new home gym that could accommodate all their equipment and more. It now rivals any private gym! Above the gym, the deck was transformed into a peaceful and beautiful screened porch, with skylights and plenty of room to relax and entertain.

Our customers loved the basement in their Oakton home, but it was packed full of sporting equipment for their active family. Plus, while the home had a deck off the main level, it was older and needed repair. The homeowners decided that it was time for updates! They pushed out their basement into the backyard (beneath the original deck) to build a new home gym that could accommodate all their equipment and more. It now rivals any private gym! Above the gym, the deck was transformed into a peaceful and beautiful screened porch, with skylights and plenty of room to relax and entertain.

Built in the early 1950s, this small urban townhouse is located in North Old Town Alexandria in an area currently undergoing major redevelopment. The neighborhood is popular with, and affordable for, young people and families, and very convenient to Washington, DC.
In its heyday, the townhouse touted a stately brick exterior, plaster walls, tongue and groove wood flooring and beautiful wooden staircase. Sixty years later, however, the homeowners were faced with crumbling masonry, sagging floors, a double layer of wallpaper over the plaster walls, a crumbling staircase, a dysfunctional kitchen and small, dark second floor rooms. Additionally, the basement had a low ceiling, moldy and cinder block walls, no plumbing and a large boiler taking up most of the space.
The homeowners’ goal was to restore the exterior’s historic look while creating an interior up-to-date for the 21st Century. To turn their vision into reality, they turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes.
Design Solutions
To maintain the townhome’s historic exterior, the Michael Nash team carefully removed, salvaged, restored and reused existing brick masonry. Matching fascia boards and windows were combined with existing windows to complete the exterior renovation.
All interior walls were gutted and reframed. New electrical work, new insulation and new drywall were installed. Much of the home’s original trim was salvaged and reused, as was a piece of art glass, all to keep a bit of the past in the renovation.
The sagging subfloors were fixed, new hard wood floors were installed and a new staircase and railing were designed in a style similar to the original.
The solid wall between the kitchen and the dining room was removed, plumbing was relocated for a new sink location and the kitchen got expanded with an island into the dining room. Closet and plumbing stacks were relocated to allow a new space for fridge. Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and custom cabinetry highlight the new modern kitchen.
The plan called for redesigning the three bedrooms on the second floor to allow a larger bathroom, walk-in closet and wider hallways. In addition to new roofing, a large skylight was installed to allow natural light into the bathroom and the upper hallway.
The basement was totally revamped. New plumbing was put in place for a full bathroom, laundry room and a den. New e-grass window was installed in the basement to bring this basement up to current building codes.
This homeowners love the neighborhood and now their home gives them the opportunity to stay in the same location.

Built in the early 1950s, this small urban townhouse is located in North Old Town Alexandria in an area currently undergoing major redevelopment. The neighborhood is popular with, and affordable for, young people and families, and very convenient to Washington, DC.
In its heyday, the townhouse touted a stately brick exterior, plaster walls, tongue and groove wood flooring and beautiful wooden staircase. Sixty years later, however, the homeowners were faced with crumbling masonry, sagging floors, a double layer of wallpaper over the plaster walls, a crumbling staircase, a dysfunctional kitchen and small, dark second floor rooms. Additionally, the basement had a low ceiling, moldy and cinder block walls, no plumbing and a large boiler taking up most of the space.
The homeowners’ goal was to restore the exterior’s historic look while creating an interior up-to-date for the 21st Century. To turn their vision into reality, they turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes.
Design Solutions
To maintain the townhome’s historic exterior, the Michael Nash team carefully removed, salvaged, restored and reused existing brick masonry. Matching fascia boards and windows were combined with existing windows to complete the exterior renovation.
All interior walls were gutted and reframed. New electrical work, new insulation and new drywall were installed. Much of the home’s original trim was salvaged and reused, as was a piece of art glass, all to keep a bit of the past in the renovation.
The sagging subfloors were fixed, new hard wood floors were installed and a new staircase and railing were designed in a style similar to the original.
The solid wall between the kitchen and the dining room was removed, plumbing was relocated for a new sink location and the kitchen got expanded with an island into the dining room. Closet and plumbing stacks were relocated to allow a new space for fridge. Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and custom cabinetry highlight the new modern kitchen.
The plan called for redesigning the three bedrooms on the second floor to allow a larger bathroom, walk-in closet and wider hallways. In addition to new roofing, a large skylight was installed to allow natural light into the bathroom and the upper hallway.
The basement was totally revamped. New plumbing was put in place for a full bathroom, laundry room and a den. New e-grass window was installed in the basement to bring this basement up to current building codes.
This homeowners love the neighborhood and now their home gives them the opportunity to stay in the same location.

ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington.
Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio.
Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater.
Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass.
Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck.
Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space.
Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy.
Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design
Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design
Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio
Photos: Eric Roth Photography

Built in the early 1950s, this small urban townhouse is located in North Old Town Alexandria in an area currently undergoing major redevelopment. The neighborhood is popular with, and affordable for, young people and families, and very convenient to Washington, DC.
In its heyday, the townhouse touted a stately brick exterior, plaster walls, tongue and groove wood flooring and beautiful wooden staircase. Sixty years later, however, the homeowners were faced with crumbling masonry, sagging floors, a double layer of wallpaper over the plaster walls, a crumbling staircase, a dysfunctional kitchen and small, dark second floor rooms. Additionally, the basement had a low ceiling, moldy and cinder block walls, no plumbing and a large boiler taking up most of the space.
The homeowners’ goal was to restore the exterior’s historic look while creating an interior up-to-date for the 21st Century. To turn their vision into reality, they turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes.
Design Solutions
To maintain the townhome’s historic exterior, the Michael Nash team carefully removed, salvaged, restored and reused existing brick masonry. Matching fascia boards and windows were combined with existing windows to complete the exterior renovation.
All interior walls were gutted and reframed. New electrical work, new insulation and new drywall were installed. Much of the home’s original trim was salvaged and reused, as was a piece of art glass, all to keep a bit of the past in the renovation.
The sagging subfloors were fixed, new hard wood floors were installed and a new staircase and railing were designed in a style similar to the original.
The solid wall between the kitchen and the dining room was removed, plumbing was relocated for a new sink location and the kitchen got expanded with an island into the dining room. Closet and plumbing stacks were relocated to allow a new space for fridge. Stainless steel appliances, granite countertops and custom cabinetry highlight the new modern kitchen.
The plan called for redesigning the three bedrooms on the second floor to allow a larger bathroom, walk-in closet and wider hallways. In addition to new roofing, a large skylight was installed to allow natural light into the bathroom and the upper hallway.
The basement was totally revamped. New plumbing was put in place for a full bathroom, laundry room and a den. New e-grass window was installed in the basement to bring this basement up to current building codes.
This homeowners love the neighborhood and now their home gives them the opportunity to stay in the same location.

Forest Road villa.
The light-filled unique and eco-friendly home designed by Nico van der Meulen Architects is situated in Inanda, with views of the Sandton skyline to the north.
The stand is 1511 sq.m. and the glass, steel and stone clad built home faces 15° east of north.
Approaching the home, the first view is of the cantilevered porte cochere screen of suspended steel tubes with double sliding garage doors clad in dark limestone to blend with the wall. A steel sculpture by Regardt van der Meulen twirls on a podium next to the front door built of privacy glass.
Upon entering the transparency of the house becomes evident with views out over the multi-level hall, lounge, spa and pool to the water feature and the garden beyond, as well as over the double volume family room, dining room, lanai and kitchen.
A steel and glass structure enables the whole of the living/kitchen/ breakfast area to open totally through the use of frameless concertina doors to the lanai, pool and garden.
Although the spa, pool and water feature are three separate bodies of water, the effect created was that it is one interconnected system flowing into each other.
Sliding glass panels hide the bar and kitchen when not in use, creating a more intimate setting, while a skylight lit catwalk between the main suite and guest bedrooms allows views of the living spaces and garden through the brise soleil on the north side. On the catwalk a study, pyjama lounge and kitchenette are hidden behind sliding wooden panels. The study and pyjama lounge leads onto an expansive private balcony.
The LED illuminated polished concrete and wood staircase cantilevers out of the wall with vertical steel bars acting as balustrades and supports at the same time. A recessed illuminated handrail forms a graphic line in the wall, while a hidden horizontal sliding door enables the owner to cut the upper floor off from the ground floor for security.
The lanai and brise soleil on the north side cantilevers 18 meters by 6 meters unsupported by columns, partially over the pool. The lanai consists of a seating area, dining area and bar cum barbeque, seamlessly connected with the living spaces and kitchen, while the brise soleil consists of suspended steel tubes, to create both privacy and sun control. The breakfast room is situated on the north-east corner of the kitchen, to bask in the morning and winter sun.
The main suite is also placed on the north-east corner of the first floor, divided by sliding smoked glass screens. The bathroom with a free-standing spa bath gets the morning and winter sun, while the bedroom is exposed to the winter sun. Expansive his and her dressing rooms are situated behind the bedroom and bathroom.
On the opposite side of the building are two guest suites, both north facing with en-suite bathrooms and walk-in cupboards.
A geothermal system is used to heat and cool the home, and also to heat the pool and spa. Nine boreholes were sunk to a depth of 100 meter for this purpose, and a special room created in the basement to house the equipment. The photo voltaic panels on the roof have an output of 10KVA, while rain water is harvested and the whole house is double glazed, except for the frameless concertina doors.
Also in the basement is a home theatre with an adjoining light-well which allows winter sun to penetrate even this space through sliding doors into the atrium created at the bottom of the light-well. A window looks into the spa.
The kitchen and built-in cupboards were built by Dada and Porro respectively, and imported from Italy by M Square Lifestyle necessities, while the interior design was done by M Square Lifestyle design.
All the furniture was also supplied by M Square Lifestyle Necessities.

The family who owned this 1965 home chose a dramatic upgrade for their Coquitlam full home renovation. They wanted more room for gatherings, an open concept kitchen, and upgrades to bathrooms and the rec room. Their neighbour knew of our work, and we were glad to bring our skills to another project in the area.
Choosing Dramatic Lines
In the original house, the entryway was cramped, with a closet being the first thing everyone saw.
We opened the entryway and moved the closet, all while maintaining separation between the entry and the living space.
To draw the attention from the entry into the living room, we used a dramatic, flush, black herringbone ceiling detail across the ceiling. This detail goes all the way to the entertainment area on the main floor.
The eye arrives at a stunning waterfall edge walnut mantle, modern fireplace.
Open Concept Kitchen with Lots of Seating
The dividing wall between the kitchen and living areas was removed to create a larger, integrated entertaining space. The kitchen also has easy access to a new outdoor social space.
A new large skylight directly over the kitchen floods the space with natural light.
The kitchen now has gloss white cabinetry, with matte black accents and the same herringbone detail as the living room, and is tied together with a low maintenance Caesarstone’s white Attica quartz for the island countertop.
This over-sized island has barstool seating for five while leaving plenty of room for homework, snacking, socializing, and food prep in the same space.
To maximize space and minimize clutter, we integrated the kitchen appliances into the kitchen island, including a food warming drawer, a hidden fridge, and the dishwasher. This takes the eyes to focus off appliances, and onto the design elements which feed throughout the home.
We also installed a beverage center just beside the kitchen so family and guests can fix themselves a drink, without disrupting the flow of the kitchen.
Updated Downstairs Space, Updated Guest Room, Updated Bathrooms
It was a treat to update this entire house. Upstairs, we renovated the master bedroom with new blackout drapery, new decor, and a warm light grey paint colour. The tight bathroom was transformed with modern fixtures and gorgeous grey tile the homeowners loved.
The two teen girls’ rooms were updated with new lighting and furniture that tied in with the whole home decor, but which also reflected their personal taste.
In the basement, we updated the rec room with a bright modern look and updated fireplace. We added a needed door to the garage. We upgraded the bathrooms and created a legal second suite which the young adult daughter will use, for now.
Laundry Its Own Room, Finally
In a family with four women, you can imagine how much laundry gets done in this house. As part of the renovation, we built a proper laundry room with plenty of storage space, countertops, and a large sink.

Alcove bathtub - small modern beige tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile, beige floor and single-sink alcove bathtub idea in Toronto with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, a vessel sink, quartz countertops, white countertops and a built-in vanity
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