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.

LEICHT, www.leichtFL.com, Photo by : Bruno Helbling Program 01 LARGO-FG | FG 120 frosty white Programme 2 AVANCE-FG | FG 120 frosty white Handle 779.000 kick-fitting Countertop Corian, colour: glacier white Sink Corian, model: Fonatana Faucet Dornbacht, model: Lot Electric appliances Siemens | Novy

Alcove bathtub - transitional 3/4 gray tile alcove bathtub idea in New York

Aileen Bannon. This kitchen done in rift white oak, has sequence matched veneer flat panels. Mahogany floors and carrera marble counter tops complete this design

Kitchen - modern kitchen idea in Charlotte

Photo: Mina Brinkey © 2014 Houzz
Elegant kitchen photo in Tampa

Rachael Stollar
Trendy galley open concept kitchen photo in New York with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, limestone countertops and stainless steel appliances

Kitchen - contemporary kitchen idea in Las Vegas

A new pool house structure for a young family, featuring a space for family gatherings and entertaining. The highlight of the structure is the featured 2 sliding glass walls, which opens the structure directly to the adjacent pool deck. The space also features a fireplace, indoor kitchen, and bar seating with additional flip-up windows.

This three-story vacation home for a family of ski enthusiasts features 5 bedrooms and a six-bed bunk room, 5 1/2 bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, great room, 2 wet bars, great room, exercise room, basement game room, office, mud room, ski work room, decks, stone patio with sunken hot tub, garage, and elevator. The home sits into an extremely steep, half-acre lot that shares a property line with a ski resort and allows for ski-in, ski-out access to the mountain’s 61 trails. This unique location and challenging terrain informed the home’s siting, footprint, program, design, interior design, finishes, and custom made furniture. Credit: Samyn-D'Elia Architects

Classic White Cabinetry was the foundation of design for a Kitchen that is both beautiful and functional. Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances make it a cook's dream. All the important elements of storage, seating and space planning are perfect for everyday family living as well as entertaining. Landmark Photography

Photo: Jason Snyder © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for an eclectic wooden straight staircase remodel

Alcove shower - mid-sized transitional 3/4 white tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile alcove shower idea in Cleveland with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, an undermount sink and quartz countertops

Mid-sized transitional 3/4 white tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile alcove shower photo in Cleveland with shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink and quartz countertops

This three-story vacation home for a family of ski enthusiasts features 5 bedrooms and a six-bed bunk room, 5 1/2 bathrooms, kitchen, dining room, great room, 2 wet bars, great room, exercise room, basement game room, office, mud room, ski work room, decks, stone patio with sunken hot tub, garage, and elevator. The home sits into an extremely steep, half-acre lot that shares a property line with a ski resort and allows for ski-in, ski-out access to the mountain’s 61 trails. This unique location and challenging terrain informed the home’s siting, footprint, program, design, interior design, finishes, and custom made furniture. Credit: Samyn-D'Elia Architects

This homeowner’s master bathroom was a very popular style during the 90’s. Although, white can make a space feel larger, the bathroom was bland and needed an update. Soft neutral walls, marble tile throughout and shaker style Waypoint Cabinets, make this elegant bathroom a perfect place to wake up in the morning and unwind at night. There are many features in this bathroom that we love. The veining pattern of the beautiful White Carrara marble tops and tub deck added just the right amount of contrast to this bathroom. Honed Bianco Perla Marble tiles were used in the shower and on the floor. The frameless shower reveals the finer details of this design with a basket weave tile accent band on the shower back wall, basket weave tile in the niche and on the shower floor. Bullnose tile was used to frame the window instead of wood trim and was also used inside the niche. Expansive framed mirrors enlarge the room and reflect back the window light and the beauty of the shower and tub. Heated floor mats beneath the tiles with programmable thermostat are unseen but will be highly appreciated by this home owner. No more walking on cold tiles! The transformation of this bathroom is luxurious! White and Grey was used in this space which resulted in a crisp, elegant updated look that will remain in style for years to come. Items used in this remodel: Waypoint Living Spaces Cabinetry Shaker Style in Linen Finish Cabinet Hardware: Sutton in Satin Nickel Finish White Carrara Marble 12x24 Honed Bianco Perla Marble Tiles 8x16 Honed Bianco Perla Marble Tiles 1x2 Basketweave with Grey 4x12 Bullnose pieces Fixtures: Kohler 36x60 White Acrylic tub Delta Lahara Shower Faucet with 8” wide spread and Roman Tub Faucet Heated Floors with Programmable Thermostat

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 high/low granite breakfast bar will be a great place for this young couple to feed the kids for a big day at the beach below.
Example of a small transitional l-shaped ceramic tile eat-in kitchen design in Tampa with a single-bowl sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops, multicolored backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

LEICHT, www.LeichtFL.com, www.Leicht.com, http://www.leicht.com/en-us/find-a-showroom/ Photo by: Bruno Helbling Program 01: LUNA/ AG 120 frosty white Program 02: AVANCE-AG/AG 120 frosty white Handles: 860.120 vertical recessed handle Countertop: Silestone, color: Blanco Zeus Sink: Eisinger Faucets: Franke, model: Tango Electrical applicances: Miele/V-Zug