Photo: Robert Burns ˙© 2015 Houzz
Garage - industrial garage idea in Portland

The main entrance is modest, in keeping with Midwestern values.
Country front door photo in Milwaukee with a dark wood front door

A revitalized cultural campus in San Francisco supporting Irish heritage, community life, and public programs through a multi-use civic and cultural facility. The design reimagines the center as a long-term hub for gathering, performance, and cultural continuity.

Countertop: Pental Misterio Wall Tile: Statements Wow Chevron A & B Ice white Matte Floor Tile: Arizona Tile Paros Navy Fixtures: Brizo
Mid-sized trendy master white tile and porcelain tile ceramic tile, blue floor, double-sink and vaulted ceiling walk-in shower photo in Portland with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops and a built-in vanity

This in-ground garden always battled deer and ever present maintenance issues. A garden fence was built to keep out deer, raised cedar beds for vegetables as this garden continually adapts to changes.

Put an inspired finishing touch on your garden space with a work of adaptable art, using our sleek Orb Garden Sculpture. The two concentric spheres are hinged at the bottom, so you can pivot the inner circle for the exact look you want-and change the profile whenever the spirit strikes. Rustic weathered finish will continue to gain distinctive character with each passing season.

Interior View of the living room and the large window. Image by: Aker Imaging
Trendy living room photo in Houston

Simple, elegant bathroom. Transitional style.
Small eclectic 3/4 ceramic tile ceramic tile bathroom photo in Houston with an undermount sink, gray walls, marble countertops, furniture-like cabinets and dark wood cabinets

This house west of Boston was originally designed in 1958 by the great New England modernist, Henry Hoover. He built his own modern home in Lincoln in 1937, the year before the German émigré Walter Gropius built his own world famous house only a few miles away. By the time this 1958 house was built, Hoover had matured as an architect; sensitively adapting the house to the land and incorporating the clients wish to recreate the indoor-outdoor vibe of their previous home in Hawaii. The house is beautifully nestled into its site. The slope of the roof perfectly matches the natural slope of the land. The levels of the house delicately step down the hill avoiding the granite ledge below. The entry stairs also follow the natural grade to an entry hall that is on a mid level between the upper main public rooms and bedrooms below. The living spaces feature a south- facing shed roof that brings the sun deep in to the home. Collaborating closely with the homeowner and general contractor, we freshened up the house by adding radiant heat under the new purple/green natural cleft slate floor. The original interior and exterior Douglas fir walls were stripped and refinished. Photo by: Nat Rea Photography

Bathroom - contemporary bathroom idea in Boston with flat-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, orange walls and a drop-in sink

Trendy bathroom photo in Portland

The Steel Mesh staircase was custom-fabricated on site to coordinate with the surrounding steel rail. It is on axis with the interior "trots" further emphasizing the continuity of space between the inside and out in the Dogtrot House.

Our clients need a complete update to their master bathroom. Storage and comfort were the main focus with this remodel. Design elements included built in medicine cabinets, cabinet pullouts and a beautiful teak wood shower floor. Textured tile in the shower gives an added dimension to this luxurious new space.

The project began by removing an unused, continuous swim spa from the space. For more information and additional photos of this project, which we both designed and built, go to http://a1builders.ws/2012/11/re-purpose-a-swim-spa-room-into-an-appropriate-fitness-center/

TUDOR HOUSE The most memorable aspect of this project is the owners. They have an appreciation of all things European and a love of thoughtful design. Once they found the perfect house to renovate in the ideal location, they completely threw themselves into the process. Because of the high visibility of the historic home, neighbors and others who passed by were able to watch the entire project unfold. The end result is a home that seamlessly blends the existing Tudor house with the new adaptations, edits, and additions. This project was the first of many with these clients, and our friendship continues to this day.

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/

Blue Grama Blonde Ambition is a water-wise, weather-hardy ornamental grass that flourishes in our area. It creates continuity in the bed bordering the front of the sports court.

Thomas McConnell Photography
Large urban medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen photo in Houston with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, glass tile backsplash, an island, white countertops and white backsplash