The Tranquility Residence is a mid-century modern home perched amongst the trees in the hills of Suffern, New York. After the homeowners purchased the home in the Spring of 2021, they engaged TEROTTI to reimagine the primary and tertiary bathrooms. The peaceful and subtle material textures of the primary bathroom are rich with depth and balance, providing a calming and tranquil space for daily routines. The terra cotta floor tile in the tertiary bathroom is a nod to the history of the home while the shower walls provide a refined yet playful texture to the room.

Side Street Suite is a contemporary 640-square-foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU) that sits perched among trees in Minneapolis. The homeowner is an empty nester who no longer desired to inhabit a 2,700 square feet home. A unique solution was to build a one-bedroom ADU in the backyard of his rental duplex. The ADU feels much larger than would seem possible thanks to strategically placed glass on all exterior walls and roof. The home is expanded with unique views which in turn create a dynamic experience of the path of sunlight over the course of the day. The kitchen is compact yet well-appointed, offering most of the amenities of a larger home, albeit in more compact form. The bedroom is flanked by a walk-in closet and a full bathroom containing a combination washer/dryer. Playful, bold colors enliven the interiors: blue stair treads and wood handrail and blue quartz countertop. Exterior materials of composite wood siding and cement board panels were chosen for low-maintenance and durability. Bikers passing by the property often give the owner a thumbs-up, indicative of neighborhood enthusiasm and support for “building small.”

The exterior features green board and batten siding, charcoal lap siding, black metal roofing, and expansive black-framed windows that emphasize the home’s modern aesthetic while framing the surrounding forest and distant mountain ranges. Multiple volumes step with the terrain, giving the home a sculptural presence as it sits perched on the rocky bluff.

The exterior features green board and batten siding, charcoal lap siding, black metal roofing, and expansive black-framed windows that emphasize the home’s modern aesthetic while framing the surrounding forest and distant mountain ranges. Multiple volumes step with the terrain, giving the home a sculptural presence as it sits perched on the rocky bluff.

The exterior features green board and batten siding, charcoal lap siding, black metal roofing, and expansive black-framed windows that emphasize the home’s modern aesthetic while framing the surrounding forest and distant mountain ranges. Multiple volumes step with the terrain, giving the home a sculptural presence as it sits perched on the rocky bluff.

After turning off the highway into the trees on Bull Lake in Northwest Montana you’ll emerge from a tunnel like driveway to find this beautiful concrete log cabin perched within jumping distance of the water. Featuring our structural insulated 8″ Round EverLog concrete logs the home stays nice and warm in the winter and cool in the summer with the added benefit of never having to maintain the logs. The logs were finished in our Golden color while the EverLog Board & Batten siding used for the gables and dormers was finished in our Natural Brown.

The pattern on his cement tile was a challenge to lay out but the extra time spent was well worth it!
Inspiration for a small 1960s kids' black and white tile and cement tile ceramic tile, black floor and double-sink bathroom remodel in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, pink walls, an integrated sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops, a niche and a freestanding vanity

The exterior features green board and batten siding, charcoal lap siding, black metal roofing, and expansive black-framed windows that emphasize the home’s modern aesthetic while framing the surrounding forest and distant mountain ranges. Multiple volumes step with the terrain, giving the home a sculptural presence as it sits perched on the rocky bluff.

Mediterranean retreat perched above a golf course overlooking the ocean.
Inspiration for a large mediterranean master beige tile and cement tile ceramic tile and beige floor corner shower remodel in Other with beaded inset cabinets, beige cabinets, beige walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and beige countertops

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

The Tranquility Residence is a mid-century modern home perched amongst the trees in the hills of Suffern, New York. After the homeowners purchased the home in the Spring of 2021, they engaged TEROTTI to reimagine the primary and tertiary bathrooms. The peaceful and subtle material textures of the primary bathroom are rich with depth and balance, providing a calming and tranquil space for daily routines. The terra cotta floor tile in the tertiary bathroom is a nod to the history of the home while the shower walls provide a refined yet playful texture to the room.

The site for this waterfront residence is located on the Great Neck Peninsula, facing west to views of NYC and the borough bridges. When purchased, there existed a 50-year-old house and pool structurally condemned which required immediate removal. Once the site was cleared, a year was devoted to stabilizing the seawall and hill to accommodate the newly proposed home. The lot size, shape and relationship to an easement access road, overlaid with strict zoning regulations was a key factor in the organization of the client’s program elements. The arc contour of the easement road and required setback informed the front facade shape, which was designed as a privacy screen, as adjacent homes are in close proximity. Due to strict height requirements the house from the street appears to be one story and then steps down the hill allowing for three fully occupiable floors. The local jurisdiction also granted special approval accepting the design of the garage, within the front set back, as its roof is level with the roadbed and fully landscaped. A path accesses a hidden door to the bedroom level of the house. The garage is accessed through a semicircular driveway that leads to a depressed entry courtyard, offering privacy to the main entrance. The configuration of the home is a U-shape surrounding a rear courtyard. This shape, along with suspended pods assures water views to all occupants while not compromising privacy from the adjacent homes. The house is constructed on a steel frame, clad with fiber cement, resin panels and an aluminum curtain wall system. All roofs are accessible as either decks or landscaped garden areas. The lower level accesses decks, an outdoor kitchen, and pool area which are perched on the edge of the upper retaining wall.

Mediterranean retreat perched above a golf course overlooking the ocean.
Example of a large tuscan master beige tile and cement tile ceramic tile and beige floor corner shower design in Other with beaded inset cabinets, beige cabinets, beige walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door and beige countertops

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary partial sun backyard stone formal garden in San Francisco with a fire pit.

Julia Staples Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized country u-shaped ceramic tile eat-in kitchen remodel in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, green backsplash, subway tile backsplash, black appliances and a peninsula

Here is a far shot of the beam screens and context photo for them. The various levels are more evident as you walk through the garden and pan through these garden photos. One difficult spot was keeping the back hot tub walls from getting too tall but being able to form a vault for the hot tub beneath the deck. I was excited about my design for the floating steps up from the hot tub, to serve as lounge bench seating with the back of the BBQ plinth acting as privacy as well as the back of the bench and steps. The planters add green and another seating perch and deal with the grading levels I mentioned in other photos.

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Benjamin Benschneider
Beach style kitchen photo in Seattle with an integrated sink, shaker cabinets, an island and gray countertops

Inspiration for a large contemporary l-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in New York with flat-panel cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an undermount sink, concrete countertops and an island