Architect: Sarah Susanka, FAIA. Photography by Barry Rustin
Bathroom - traditional bathroom idea in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets and white cabinets

Built-in garbage and recycling.
Eat-in kitchen - large french country u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen idea in Milwaukee with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, white appliances, a peninsula and beige countertops

Inspiration for a contemporary patio remodel in San Francisco

Photo: Rikki Snyder © 2014 Houzz
Example of a small cottage enclosed medium tone wood floor living room design in New York with green walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Laundry, clean and organized space
Laundry room - transitional laundry room idea in Seattle with a stacked washer/dryer

Barry Grossman Photography
Example of a trendy white floor living room design in Miami with a ribbon fireplace

Kitchen
Kitchen - cottage kitchen idea in Philadelphia with white cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Example of a huge classic dark wood floor living room design in Seattle with a standard fireplace, no tv and white walls

Rachel Boling Photography
Family room - rustic family room idea in Atlanta with a stone fireplace

The Large Flush Wood Hybrid-Fyre™ Insert from FireplaceX is the cleanest burning, most efficient, large wood insert in the world! This insert burns so clean that it produces only 0.58 grams of emissions per hour and tests at over 80% efficiency. Its revolutionary Hybrid-Fyre™ technology is what makes for an incredibly clean burn that emits virtually no smoke or carbon monoxide, all while saving you money and trips to the wood pile. The Large Flush Wood Hybrid-Fyre™ Insert is approved to fit large zero clearance and masonry fireplaces with its 19 inch depth and 3 cubic foot firebox. It features a huge fire viewing area that comes available with decorative rectangular and arched door options. It also includes concealed twin 90 CFM convection fans that powerfully heat up to 2,500 square feet, while producing burn times of up to 12 hours. Photo by Travis Industries.

Example of a transitional l-shaped enclosed kitchen design in Bridgeport with shaker cabinets, beige cabinets and stainless steel appliances

gut renovation, new dyed ebony hardwood floors, Benjamin Moore super white walls, custom floating wood shelves to match flooring, nest smoke/carbon monoxide detector, Gus Modern sofa, west elm coffee table, custom reclaimed wood table and bench

The Craftsman fireplace sets a new standard for wood burning beauty, performance and convenience. The bedrock of the Astria wood burning family, the Craftsman features the industry’s finest, most realistic textured refractory brick liners. Hidden screen pockets maximize the viewing area of the fireplace. An easy access damper handle and position lock outside air controls support consistent performance. The Craftsman is designed with gas line knockouts to allow homeowners the option of installing an Astria gas log set, with all gas connections and controls hidden out of sight. Aesthetics Realistic textured refractory brick liner Clean face and louvered models available. Screens retract into hidden screen pockets for a clean elegant look. Heavy duty log grate. Glass doors available with black, Brushed brass or platinum trim. Comfort Radiant heat delivers relaxing warmth in the room environment. Outside combustion air kit available. Performance Fully insulated firebox (on select models) for increased performance in colder climates. Easy access damper with position lock outside air controls. 8” double wall wood-burning chimney. Durable textured powder coat finish. Fan kit available (for circulating models only). Gas log ready. Available with PureFire Technology The Craftsman CAT comes with all of the great features of the Craftsman and the added benefits of PureFire technology! PureFire is a passive catalyst system that reduces particulate emissions by approximately 75%. PureFire virtually eliminates carbon monoxide (including CO from gas logs) and is maintenance free, no cleaning or special care required!

The screened, open plan kitchen and media room offer space for family and friends to gather while delicious meals are prepared using the Fire Magic grill and Big Green Egg ceramic charcoal grill; drinks are kept cool in the refrigerator by Perlick. Plenty of room for everyone to comfortably relax on the sectional sofa by Patio Renaissance. The tile backsplash mirrors the fireplace’s brick face, providing visual continuity across the outdoor spaces.

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/

FAMILY ROOM
Example of a classic family room library design in New York with brown walls, a standard fireplace and no tv

Photographer: Jay Goodrich This 2800 sf single-family home was completed in 2009. The clients desired an intimate, yet dynamic family residence that reflected the beauty of the site and the lifestyle of the San Juan Islands. The house was built to be both a place to gather for large dinners with friends and family as well as a cozy home for the couple when they are there alone. The project is located on a stunning, but cripplingly-restricted site overlooking Griffin Bay on San Juan Island. The most practical area to build was exactly where three beautiful old growth trees had already chosen to live. A prior architect, in a prior design, had proposed chopping them down and building right in the middle of the site. From our perspective, the trees were an important essence of the site and respectfully had to be preserved. As a result we squeezed the programmatic requirements, kept the clients on a square foot restriction and pressed tight against property setbacks. The delineate concept is a stone wall that sweeps from the parking to the entry, through the house and out the other side, terminating in a hook that nestles the master shower. This is the symbolic and functional shield between the public road and the private living spaces of the home owners. All the primary living spaces and the master suite are on the water side, the remaining rooms are tucked into the hill on the road side of the wall. Off-setting the solid massing of the stone walls is a pavilion which grabs the views and the light to the south, east and west. Built in a position to be hammered by the winter storms the pavilion, while light and airy in appearance and feeling, is constructed of glass, steel, stout wood timbers and doors with a stone roof and a slate floor. The glass pavilion is anchored by two concrete panel chimneys; the windows are steel framed and the exterior skin is of powder coated steel sheathing.

Living room - modern bamboo floor living room idea in San Francisco with a ribbon fireplace and a stone fireplace

Grey Crawford Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary tile patio remodel in Los Angeles with a roof extension and a bbq area