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/

Inspiration for a modern 3/4 gray floor corner shower remodel in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink and a hinged shower door

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional alcove shower remodel in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, a drop-in sink, solid surface countertops and a hinged shower door

Example of a trendy light wood floor and beige floor living room design in San Diego with white walls

Bob Narod Photography
Example of a classic women's carpeted and beige floor walk-in closet design in DC Metro with recessed-panel cabinets and beige cabinets

Still on the hunt for the perfect painting for over the fireplace, this room has made the leap from a dated 80’s interior to a stylish stone statement for the future. The angular framed mass that originally housed the TV was eliminated in favor of a curvilinear banco which sweeps along the wall and continues in front of the fireplace as the hearth. White stacked stone was used to face the entire area from the new limestone slab surface of the banco to the ceiling. The new, slim TV is now mounted on the stone wall. Read more and see before and after pictures at the above referenced website.

A continuous copper pan sheds any water away from the future connections to the main structure.

Small minimalist l-shaped eat-in kitchen photo in Vancouver with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops, blue backsplash, ceramic backsplash, white appliances and a peninsula

Still on the hunt for the perfect painting for over the fireplace, this room has made the leap from a dated 80’s interior to a stylish stone statement for the future. The angular framed mass that originally housed the TV was eliminated in favor of a curvilinear banco which sweeps along the wall and continues in front of the fireplace as the hearth. White stacked stone was used to face the entire area from the new limestone slab surface of the banco to the ceiling. The new, slim TV is now mounted on the stone wall. Read more and see before and after pictures at the above referenced website.

The long, narrow space, 4 feet by 10 feet, was a challenge. We removed the old tile shower and wing wall, and replaced it with a soaking tub and shower. The frameless shower doors allow the feature fan tile on the back wall to draw your eye into the depth of the room. A small, wall hung sink keeps the space open. We had a custom marble top and splash fabricated. The wall sconces and mirror complete this vignette. The clean lines of the toilet continue this minimalist design. Mary Broerman, CCIDC

Photo: Faith Towers © 2016 Houzz
Living room - cottage living room idea in Boston

photo by Pedro Marti The goal of this renovation was to create a stair with a minimal footprint in order to maximize the usable space in this small apartment. The existing living room was divided in two and contained a steep ladder to access the second floor sleeping loft. The client wanted to create a single living space with a true staircase and to open up and preferably expand the old galley kitchen without taking away too much space from the living area. Our solution was to create a new stair that integrated with the kitchen cabinetry and dining area In order to not use up valuable floor area. The fourth tread of the stair continues to create a counter above additional kitchen storage and then cantilevers and wraps around the kitchen’s stone counters to create a dining area. The stair was custom fabricated in two parts. First a steel structure was created, this was then clad by a wood worker who constructed the kitchen cabinetry and made sure the stair integrated seamlessly with the rest of the kitchen. The treads have a floating appearance when looking from the living room, that along with the open rail helps to visually connect the kitchen to the rest of the space. The angle of the dining area table is informed by the existing angled wall at the entry hall, the line of the table is picked up on the other side of the kitchen by new floor to ceiling cabinetry that folds around the rear wall of the kitchen into the hallway creating additional storage within the hall.

Winner of the 2018 Tour of Homes Best Remodel, this whole house re-design of a 1963 Bennet & Johnson mid-century raised ranch home is a beautiful example of the magic we can weave through the application of more sustainable modern design principles to existing spaces. We worked closely with our client on extensive updates to create a modernized MCM gem. Extensive alterations include: - a completely redesigned floor plan to promote a more intuitive flow throughout - vaulted the ceilings over the great room to create an amazing entrance and feeling of inspired openness - redesigned entry and driveway to be more inviting and welcoming as well as to experientially set the mid-century modern stage - the removal of a visually disruptive load bearing central wall and chimney system that formerly partitioned the homes’ entry, dining, kitchen and living rooms from each other - added clerestory windows above the new kitchen to accentuate the new vaulted ceiling line and create a greater visual continuation of indoor to outdoor space - drastically increased the access to natural light by increasing window sizes and opening up the floor plan - placed natural wood elements throughout to provide a calming palette and cohesive Pacific Northwest feel - incorporated Universal Design principles to make the home Aging In Place ready with wide hallways and accessible spaces, including single-floor living if needed - moved and completely redesigned the stairway to work for the home’s occupants and be a part of the cohesive design aesthetic - mixed custom tile layouts with more traditional tiling to create fun and playful visual experiences - custom designed and sourced MCM specific elements such as the entry screen, cabinetry and lighting - development of the downstairs for potential future use by an assisted living caretaker - energy efficiency upgrades seamlessly woven in with much improved insulation, ductless mini splits and solar gain

Photography by Gillian Jackson
Inspiration for a transitional eat-in kitchen remodel in Toronto with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, distressed cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

cedar covered patio - Pittsburgh PA
Patio kitchen - large craftsman backyard stamped concrete patio kitchen idea with a roof extension

This newly constructed custom family home was designed from the ground up to meet the evolving needs of a young family. The layout balances open-concept living with quiet, more private moments, creating a home that is both stylish and functional. Every detail has been considered for both day-to-day living and long-term enjoyment. A curated palette of natural materials ensures a sense of calm and continuity throughout the home. The thoughtful layout supports daily life, while layered materials and refined details create a calming atmosphere. Most importantly, it’s a home that the family can grow into—designed with both the present and future in mind.

Example of a large 1960s u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen design in Vancouver with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, quartz countertops, black backsplash, marble backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops

The client has two kids, a boy and a girl. Therefore, the room is designed considering all gender-neutral concepts while being considerate of space for future growth. The kids' likes and preferences would change with age and it is therefore designed keeping that in mind. All furniture is finished in white and blue, giving the room an airy, light-kissed look. Continuing the blue saga, the wardrobe is designed in shades of blue while the headboard is finished in blue suede fabric.

This newly constructed custom family home was designed from the ground up to meet the evolving needs of a young family. The layout balances open-concept living with quiet, more private moments, creating a home that is both stylish and functional. Every detail has been considered for both day-to-day living and long-term enjoyment. A curated palette of natural materials ensures a sense of calm and continuity throughout the home. The thoughtful layout supports daily life, while layered materials and refined details create a calming atmosphere. Most importantly, it’s a home that the family can grow into—designed with both the present and future in mind.