This is a rear yard landscape in Old Town, Chicago. The major defining element that we designed and build was the Ipe deck. The design and installation of the deck allowed for functional use and unobstructed views out to the landscape. The deck is blind fastened and the railings are stainless steel cable with ipe caps. The fence is completely rebuilt using cedar.. There is a decorative screen next to the planter boxes, which helps to bring down the scale of the neighboring house. The patio is travertine laid in a random pattern, and continues underneath the elevated deck. We added a mexican pebble bed on the edge of the patio which will help show a future sculpture/art piece. A stone walkway at the edge of the patio leads under the canopy of the upright trees, to access to the doorway that is underneath the deck. The landscape consists of two types of ground cover. The inner circle is a lower, purple-leafed, ajuga, and the outer edge is pachysandra. The fence and deck posts have climbing hydrangea planted underneath which will eventually grow to cover the vertical elements.

This beach house was renovated to create an inviting escape for its owners’ as home away from home. The wide open greatroom that pours out onto vistas of sand and surf from behind a nearly removable bi-folding wall of glass, making summer entertaining a treat for the host and winter storm watching a true marvel for guests to behold. The views from each of the upper level bedroom windows make it hard to tell if you have truly woken in the morning, or if you are still dreaming… Photography: Paul Grdina

This master bathroom is located on the basement slab level of their home, offering a sidewalk and patio for accessibility so creating a space that will be functional, as well as accessible in considering the future was necessary. Must have's: Ease of cleaning, accessibility, walk in bathroom, jetted tub, led partial moon mirror design, moody- contemporary feel. We created a walk in shower with large format tile for less grout along the full back wall with a subway tile feature to break up space between the vanity and the shower. This same subway theme, mixed from 3 tiles, was matched on the opposing tub wall with a mirrored niche and large format tile for continuity, and flow. The door was changed to a barndoor with a recessed mirror, this allows both function and provides a wide opening. The client can access the bathroom through either the hall or their master bathroom with a zero threshold entry into the bathroom and into the shower. The rounded niche mimics the rounded mirror. Custom dark stained and black wood set off this moody modern bathroom down to the exposed vanity bottle trap and plumb lines, with varying dimmers and lighting to set off this moody vibe. The homeowners were involved every step of the way, down to the custom quartzite countertop. Layout, space planning, design, rendering and plumbing provided by Angie Finton Designs. The amazing and wonderful styling decorations were completed by the homeowner.

The home owner of this two-story south Minneapolis house, built in 1937, decided it was time to make some changes. One of the main wishes of the homeowners was to transform their boxed in multiple room layout into an open floor plan that would accommodate the needs of their growing family. To do this, structurally a lot of changes had to be made. The wall between the kitchen and dining room was torn out and an island took its place, creating a touch down zone to help define the space. The original tiny front entry was eliminated so that you immediately walked into open floor plan. The ½ bath became completely gutted and then relocated as a ¾ bath to where the original breakfast nook was, thus allowing for more kitchen cabinet space and then opening up the space of the heavily used back entry. The aesthetic goal of the project was to create a minimal, clean look. White Oak hardwood to match existing oak floors were installed throughout the kitchen, back entry, and dining room. In the Kitchen, the countertop selected was a White Silestone’s Quartz and the upper cabinets continued the color white for a flawless look. To balance and warm up the space, a cherry was selected for the base cabinets and then incorporated in the floating shelves to tie the design together. The upgraded ¾ bathroom’s aesthetics were similar to the kitchen to keep the cohesiveness of the project. Floors were done in Adura Flex tile. The shower was completed with large tile formatted in a horizontal straight set to give it a simple lines. The shower incorporates a Kohler Choreograph Shower barre. Overall, the homeowners were able to achieve their minimal open floor plan and in turn, they plan to work with Castle again for their future project of tackling their upstairs.

The home owner of this two-story south Minneapolis house, built in 1937, decided it was time to make some changes. One of the main wishes of the homeowners was to transform their boxed in multiple room layout into an open floor plan that would accommodate the needs of their growing family. To do this, structurally a lot of changes had to be made. The wall between the kitchen and dining room was torn out and an island took its place, creating a touch down zone to help define the space. The original tiny front entry was eliminated so that you immediately walked into open floor plan. The ½ bath became completely gutted and then relocated as a ¾ bath to where the original breakfast nook was, thus allowing for more kitchen cabinet space and then opening up the space of the heavily used back entry. The aesthetic goal of the project was to create a minimal, clean look. White Oak hardwood to match existing oak floors were installed throughout the kitchen, back entry, and dining room. In the Kitchen, the countertop selected was a White Silestone’s Quartz and the upper cabinets continued the color white for a flawless look. To balance and warm up the space, a cherry was selected for the base cabinets and then incorporated in the floating shelves to tie the design together. The upgraded ¾ bathroom’s aesthetics were similar to the kitchen to keep the cohesiveness of the project. Floors were done in Adura Flex tile. The shower was completed with large tile formatted in a horizontal straight set to give it a simple lines. The shower incorporates a Kohler Choreograph Shower barre. Overall, the homeowners were able to achieve their minimal open floor plan and in turn, they plan to work with Castle again for their future project of tackling their upstairs.

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

The home owner of this two-story south Minneapolis house, built in 1937, decided it was time to make some changes. One of the main wishes of the homeowners was to transform their boxed in multiple room layout into an open floor plan that would accommodate the needs of their growing family. To do this, structurally a lot of changes had to be made. The wall between the kitchen and dining room was torn out and an island took its place, creating a touch down zone to help define the space. The original tiny front entry was eliminated so that you immediately walked into open floor plan. The ½ bath became completely gutted and then relocated as a ¾ bath to where the original breakfast nook was, thus allowing for more kitchen cabinet space and then opening up the space of the heavily used back entry. The aesthetic goal of the project was to create a minimal, clean look. White Oak hardwood to match existing oak floors were installed throughout the kitchen, back entry, and dining room. In the Kitchen, the countertop selected was a White Silestone’s Quartz and the upper cabinets continued the color white for a flawless look. To balance and warm up the space, a cherry was selected for the base cabinets and then incorporated in the floating shelves to tie the design together. The upgraded ¾ bathroom’s aesthetics were similar to the kitchen to keep the cohesiveness of the project. Floors were done in Adura Flex tile. The shower was completed with large tile formatted in a horizontal straight set to give it a simple lines. The shower incorporates a Kohler Choreograph Shower barre. Overall, the homeowners were able to achieve their minimal open floor plan and in turn, they plan to work with Castle again for their future project of tackling their upstairs.

The home owner of this two-story south Minneapolis house, built in 1937, decided it was time to make some changes. One of the main wishes of the homeowners was to transform their boxed in multiple room layout into an open floor plan that would accommodate the needs of their growing family. To do this, structurally a lot of changes had to be made. The wall between the kitchen and dining room was torn out and an island took its place, creating a touch down zone to help define the space. The original tiny front entry was eliminated so that you immediately walked into open floor plan. The ½ bath became completely gutted and then relocated as a ¾ bath to where the original breakfast nook was, thus allowing for more kitchen cabinet space and then opening up the space of the heavily used back entry. The aesthetic goal of the project was to create a minimal, clean look. White Oak hardwood to match existing oak floors were installed throughout the kitchen, back entry, and dining room. In the Kitchen, the countertop selected was a White Silestone’s Quartz and the upper cabinets continued the color white for a flawless look. To balance and warm up the space, a cherry was selected for the base cabinets and then incorporated in the floating shelves to tie the design together. The upgraded ¾ bathroom’s aesthetics were similar to the kitchen to keep the cohesiveness of the project. Floors were done in Adura Flex tile. The shower was completed with large tile formatted in a horizontal straight set to give it a simple lines. The shower incorporates a Kohler Choreograph Shower barre. Overall, the homeowners were able to achieve their minimal open floor plan and in turn, they plan to work with Castle again for their future project of tackling their upstairs.

Gutter Tex installed a seamless copper gutter system for the new owners of this home. We used rivets to attach the gutters to the roof fascia, ensuring a solid connection and protecting against future clogs and leaks. Due to the offset of the roof, and between floors, we spanned the gaps with elbows crafted to the ideal size and angle. This downspout ends perfectly over a driveway that naturally directs water flow, removing any need for blocks or boots. You can see that the brilliant new copper is a beautiful match for the white on the siding and black highlights of the house. If the homeowner decides to change up the color, the copper will add a unique look that fits with any color. At the roof, the copper blends with the rafters. One of the unique benefits of copper gutters is, over time they patina and change color. If the homeowner maintains the same colors, the downspouts will blend and the gutters stand out a bit more. Copper gutters can last fifty years or more when properly maintained; meaning, no matter how the color scheme changes, the gutters will continue to add a classic look to this home for the next half century or longer.

With the 2022 collection, LEICHT is documenting its expertise in high-grade interior design far beyond the confines of the kitchen. The manufacturer from Waldstetten, Germany, offers an impressive variety of options for planning and designing the entire living space – thus positioning itself as a future-oriented player at a time when the kitchen and cross-room living are increasingly being thought of as an entity. LEICHT’s architectural kitchens can be found in modern, timeless buildings. Here, the company takes all aesthetic desires and individual needs into consideration and offers maximum design freedom in the cross-room planning scenario – from the open-plan kitchen area and living space to bathroom solutions and contemporary dressing rooms. With the new collection, LEICHT is making a powerful statement about its exemplary design of all kinds of forms of living in 2022 and beyond. The company possesses the necessary know-how for this as well as the appropriate product portfolio of high-quality materials, sensitively coordinated colours and innovative techniques. Furthermore, the new collection focuses, on the one hand, on its innovative new M8 interior frame, a filigree, subtly concealed product, and, on the other, the continuation of the successful real wood surface programme BOSSA. Overall, the collection combines precise workmanship, elegant as well as graphically clear design and a high level of functionality, while offering that certain special something in the living space.

This is a rear yard landscape in Old Town, Chicago. The major defining element that we designed and build was the Ipe deck. The design and installation of the deck allowed for functional use and unobstructed views out to the landscape. The deck is blind fastened and the railings are stainless steel cable with ipe caps. The fence is completely rebuilt using cedar.. There is a decorative screen next to the planter boxes, which helps to bring down the scale of the neighboring house. The patio is travertine laid in a random pattern, and continues underneath the elevated deck. We added a mexican pebble bed on the edge of the patio which will help show a future sculpture/art piece. A stone walkway at the edge of the patio leads under the canopy of the upright trees, to access to the doorway that is underneath the deck. The landscape consists of two types of ground cover. The inner circle is a lower, purple-leafed, ajuga, and the outer edge is pachysandra. The fence and deck posts have climbing hydrangea planted underneath which will eventually grow to cover the vertical elements.

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

Bungalows are lovable homes, but how can they be better? Along with many of our clients, we find that older (early 20th c.) homes have a lot of character and a comfortable scale, but are leaky, damp (especially in the basement), have fair to poor air quality, and use unconscionable amounts of fossil fuels to heat. The owners of this bungalow were ready to change that, and wanted to do so with minimal upfront carbon emissions as well. The gut renovation included replacing the basement slab and providing capillary breaks and insulation continuously below grade. The brick structure was treated with a fluid-applied air and water barrier from the interior and insulated entirely with cellulose, a carbon-storing insulation. The roof used HFO-blown spray foam to provide sufficient insulation while allowing headroom for bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry. One great benefit of a full renovation is the possibility of reconfiguring spaces to suit the family’s lifestyle, and to make the best of indoor-outdoor connections. We opened up the main rooms on the first floor, creating a family gathering spot with a view to the back yard, and a spacious kitchen that supports the family’s commitment to cooking for healthy eating. The stair uses a north-facing skylight to bring light from above into the middle of the home, where it was previously dark. As a decarbonization retrofit, the inefficient furnace was replaced with two small ducted heat pump systems, water heating and clothes drying are powered by air-source heat pumps, and cooking uses an induction cooktop plus electric ovens. Energy recovery ventilation provides filtered fresh air continuous exhaust from the kitchen, baths, and laundry, and supplies fresh, highly filtered air to bedrooms and living spaces. The Better Bungalow now makes sense for the 21st century–it now fits the owners’ life-patterns, is super comfortable, has great air quality, and uses a fraction of the energy it did before, greatly lowering the demand on the utility grid. In the near future, when solar PV is installed, it can achieve net zero or near net zero emissions, and with battery backup, can provide great resilience in the event of power outages.

Photography by Natalie Marotta Bungalows are lovable homes, but how can they be better? Along with many of our clients, we find that older (early 20th c.) homes have a lot of character and a comfortable scale, but are leaky, damp (especially in the basement), have fair to poor air quality, and use unconscionable amounts of fossil fuels to heat. The owners of this bungalow were ready to change that, and wanted to do so with minimal upfront carbon emissions as well. The gut renovation included replacing the basement slab and providing capillary breaks and insulation continuously below grade. The brick structure was treated with a fluid-applied air and water barrier from the interior and insulated entirely with cellulose, a carbon-storing insulation. The roof used HFO-blown spray foam to provide sufficient insulation while allowing headroom for bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry. One great benefit of a full renovation is the possibility of reconfiguring spaces to suit the family’s lifestyle, and to make the best of indoor-outdoor connections. We opened up the main rooms on the first floor, creating a family gathering spot with a view to the back yard, and a spacious kitchen that supports the family’s commitment to cooking for healthy eating. The stair uses a north-facing skylight to bring light from above into the middle of the home, where it was previously dark. As a decarbonization retrofit, the inefficient furnace was replaced with two small ducted heat pump systems, water heating and clothes drying are powered by air-source heat pumps, and cooking uses an induction cooktop plus electric ovens. Energy recovery ventilation provides filtered fresh air continuous exhaust from the kitchen, baths, and laundry, and supplies fresh, highly filtered air to bedrooms and living spaces. The Better Bungalow now makes sense for the 21st century–it now fits the owners’ life-patterns, is super comfortable, has great air quality, and uses a fraction of the energy it did before, greatly lowering the demand on the utility grid. In the near future, when solar PV is installed, it can achieve net zero or near net zero emissions, and with battery backup, can provide great resilience in the event of power outages.

Photography by Natalie Marotta Bungalows are lovable homes, but how can they be better? Along with many of our clients, we find that older (early 20th c.) homes have a lot of character and a comfortable scale, but are leaky, damp (especially in the basement), have fair to poor air quality, and use unconscionable amounts of fossil fuels to heat. The owners of this bungalow were ready to change that, and wanted to do so with minimal upfront carbon emissions as well. The gut renovation included replacing the basement slab and providing capillary breaks and insulation continuously below grade. The brick structure was treated with a fluid-applied air and water barrier from the interior and insulated entirely with cellulose, a carbon-storing insulation. The roof used HFO-blown spray foam to provide sufficient insulation while allowing headroom for bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry. One great benefit of a full renovation is the possibility of reconfiguring spaces to suit the family’s lifestyle, and to make the best of indoor-outdoor connections. We opened up the main rooms on the first floor, creating a family gathering spot with a view to the back yard, and a spacious kitchen that supports the family’s commitment to cooking for healthy eating. The stair uses a north-facing skylight to bring light from above into the middle of the home, where it was previously dark. As a decarbonization retrofit, the inefficient furnace was replaced with two small ducted heat pump systems, water heating and clothes drying are powered by air-source heat pumps, and cooking uses an induction cooktop plus electric ovens. Energy recovery ventilation provides filtered fresh air continuous exhaust from the kitchen, baths, and laundry, and supplies fresh, highly filtered air to bedrooms and living spaces. The Better Bungalow now makes sense for the 21st century–it now fits the owners’ life-patterns, is super comfortable, has great air quality, and uses a fraction of the energy it did before, greatly lowering the demand on the utility grid. In the near future, when solar PV is installed, it can achieve net zero or near net zero emissions, and with battery backup, can provide great resilience in the event of power outages.

Photography by Natalie Marotta Bungalows are lovable homes, but how can they be better? Along with many of our clients, we find that older (early 20th c.) homes have a lot of character and a comfortable scale, but are leaky, damp (especially in the basement), have fair to poor air quality, and use unconscionable amounts of fossil fuels to heat. The owners of this bungalow were ready to change that, and wanted to do so with minimal upfront carbon emissions as well. The gut renovation included replacing the basement slab and providing capillary breaks and insulation continuously below grade. The brick structure was treated with a fluid-applied air and water barrier from the interior and insulated entirely with cellulose, a carbon-storing insulation. The roof used HFO-blown spray foam to provide sufficient insulation while allowing headroom for bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry. One great benefit of a full renovation is the possibility of reconfiguring spaces to suit the family’s lifestyle, and to make the best of indoor-outdoor connections. We opened up the main rooms on the first floor, creating a family gathering spot with a view to the back yard, and a spacious kitchen that supports the family’s commitment to cooking for healthy eating. The stair uses a north-facing skylight to bring light from above into the middle of the home, where it was previously dark. As a decarbonization retrofit, the inefficient furnace was replaced with two small ducted heat pump systems, water heating and clothes drying are powered by air-source heat pumps, and cooking uses an induction cooktop plus electric ovens. Energy recovery ventilation provides filtered fresh air continuous exhaust from the kitchen, baths, and laundry, and supplies fresh, highly filtered air to bedrooms and living spaces. The Better Bungalow now makes sense for the 21st century–it now fits the owners’ life-patterns, is super comfortable, has great air quality, and uses a fraction of the energy it did before, greatly lowering the demand on the utility grid. In the near future, when solar PV is installed, it can achieve net zero or near net zero emissions, and with battery backup, can provide great resilience in the event of power outages.

Photography by Natalie Marotta Bungalows are lovable homes, but how can they be better? Along with many of our clients, we find that older (early 20th c.) homes have a lot of character and a comfortable scale, but are leaky, damp (especially in the basement), have fair to poor air quality, and use unconscionable amounts of fossil fuels to heat. The owners of this bungalow were ready to change that, and wanted to do so with minimal upfront carbon emissions as well. The gut renovation included replacing the basement slab and providing capillary breaks and insulation continuously below grade. The brick structure was treated with a fluid-applied air and water barrier from the interior and insulated entirely with cellulose, a carbon-storing insulation. The roof used HFO-blown spray foam to provide sufficient insulation while allowing headroom for bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry. One great benefit of a full renovation is the possibility of reconfiguring spaces to suit the family’s lifestyle, and to make the best of indoor-outdoor connections. We opened up the main rooms on the first floor, creating a family gathering spot with a view to the back yard, and a spacious kitchen that supports the family’s commitment to cooking for healthy eating. The stair uses a north-facing skylight to bring light from above into the middle of the home, where it was previously dark. As a decarbonization retrofit, the inefficient furnace was replaced with two small ducted heat pump systems, water heating and clothes drying are powered by air-source heat pumps, and cooking uses an induction cooktop plus electric ovens. Energy recovery ventilation provides filtered fresh air continuous exhaust from the kitchen, baths, and laundry, and supplies fresh, highly filtered air to bedrooms and living spaces. The Better Bungalow now makes sense for the 21st century–it now fits the owners’ life-patterns, is super comfortable, has great air quality, and uses a fraction of the energy it did before, greatly lowering the demand on the utility grid. In the near future, when solar PV is installed, it can achieve net zero or near net zero emissions, and with battery backup, can provide great resilience in the event of power outages.

Photography by Natalie Marotta Bungalows are lovable homes, but how can they be better? Along with many of our clients, we find that older (early 20th c.) homes have a lot of character and a comfortable scale, but are leaky, damp (especially in the basement), have fair to poor air quality, and use unconscionable amounts of fossil fuels to heat. The owners of this bungalow were ready to change that, and wanted to do so with minimal upfront carbon emissions as well. The gut renovation included replacing the basement slab and providing capillary breaks and insulation continuously below grade. The brick structure was treated with a fluid-applied air and water barrier from the interior and insulated entirely with cellulose, a carbon-storing insulation. The roof used HFO-blown spray foam to provide sufficient insulation while allowing headroom for bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry. One great benefit of a full renovation is the possibility of reconfiguring spaces to suit the family’s lifestyle, and to make the best of indoor-outdoor connections. We opened up the main rooms on the first floor, creating a family gathering spot with a view to the back yard, and a spacious kitchen that supports the family’s commitment to cooking for healthy eating. The stair uses a north-facing skylight to bring light from above into the middle of the home, where it was previously dark. As a decarbonization retrofit, the inefficient furnace was replaced with two small ducted heat pump systems, water heating and clothes drying are powered by air-source heat pumps, and cooking uses an induction cooktop plus electric ovens. Energy recovery ventilation provides filtered fresh air continuous exhaust from the kitchen, baths, and laundry, and supplies fresh, highly filtered air to bedrooms and living spaces. The Better Bungalow now makes sense for the 21st century–it now fits the owners’ life-patterns, is super comfortable, has great air quality, and uses a fraction of the energy it did before, greatly lowering the demand on the utility grid. In the near future, when solar PV is installed, it can achieve net zero or near net zero emissions, and with battery backup, can provide great resilience in the event of power outages.

Photography by Natalie Marotta Bungalows are lovable homes, but how can they be better? Along with many of our clients, we find that older (early 20th c.) homes have a lot of character and a comfortable scale, but are leaky, damp (especially in the basement), have fair to poor air quality, and use unconscionable amounts of fossil fuels to heat. The owners of this bungalow were ready to change that, and wanted to do so with minimal upfront carbon emissions as well. The gut renovation included replacing the basement slab and providing capillary breaks and insulation continuously below grade. The brick structure was treated with a fluid-applied air and water barrier from the interior and insulated entirely with cellulose, a carbon-storing insulation. The roof used HFO-blown spray foam to provide sufficient insulation while allowing headroom for bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry. One great benefit of a full renovation is the possibility of reconfiguring spaces to suit the family’s lifestyle, and to make the best of indoor-outdoor connections. We opened up the main rooms on the first floor, creating a family gathering spot with a view to the back yard, and a spacious kitchen that supports the family’s commitment to cooking for healthy eating. The stair uses a north-facing skylight to bring light from above into the middle of the home, where it was previously dark. As a decarbonization retrofit, the inefficient furnace was replaced with two small ducted heat pump systems, water heating and clothes drying are powered by air-source heat pumps, and cooking uses an induction cooktop plus electric ovens. Energy recovery ventilation provides filtered fresh air continuous exhaust from the kitchen, baths, and laundry, and supplies fresh, highly filtered air to bedrooms and living spaces. The Better Bungalow now makes sense for the 21st century–it now fits the owners’ life-patterns, is super comfortable, has great air quality, and uses a fraction of the energy it did before, greatly lowering the demand on the utility grid. In the near future, when solar PV is installed, it can achieve net zero or near net zero emissions, and with battery backup, can provide great resilience in the event of power outages.