Back of large family home with window film installed could help save energy and help with solar heat control in the summer and winter Photo Courtesy of Eastman

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Patio - patio idea in Houston

This historic home wanted to blend technology with its charm. If you look closely, you can see a lighting control keypad and audio keypad below the light fixture. We were able to blend the wallpaper to the keypads seamlessly in order to hide the keypad and keep it from sticking out among the wallpaper.

Avesha Michael
Inspiration for a small modern master white tile and marble tile concrete floor and gray floor doorless shower remodel in Los Angeles with light wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, a drop-in sink, quartz countertops and white countertops

Jim Schmid
Example of a classic kids' room design in Charlotte

Bedroom - mid-sized modern carpeted bedroom idea in New York with white walls and no fireplace

Front of large family home with window film installed could help save energy and help with solar heat control in the summer and winter Photo Courtesy of Eastman

Barry Grossman Photography
Enclosed kitchen - contemporary u-shaped enclosed kitchen idea in Miami with an undermount sink, medium tone wood cabinets, metallic backsplash, metal backsplash, stainless steel appliances and flat-panel cabinets

Patio - patio idea in Houston

This lovely traditional home is inundated with custom home electronics to create a connected living space. Our work here includes: Motorized Widow Treatments, Lighting Control, High-Fidelity Audio, High Fidelity Speakers

Photo by: Mike P Kelley Styling by: Jennifer Maxcy, hoot n anny home
Example of a classic bedroom design in Los Angeles

European-inspired compact bathroom, high rain glass window and spray foam insulation, travertine tile, wall-mounted towel warmer radiator, folding-frameless-two-thirds glass tub enclosure, digital shower controls, articulating showerhead, custom configured vanity, heated floor, feature-laden medicine cabinet and semi-recessed cabinet over the stool.

www.naderessaphotography.com
Example of a beach style master white tile and subway tile mosaic tile floor double shower design in San Diego with an integrated sink, concrete countertops, open cabinets, dark wood cabinets and white walls

Automated Shading is a leading national motorized window shades and motorized blinds supply and installation company. We work with homeowners, designers, contractors and architects in New York, Florida, California and the Caribbean offering reliable and intuitive motorized window treatments solutions.

This 5,200-square foot modern farmhouse is located on Manhattan Beach’s Fourth Street, which leads directly to the ocean. A raw stone facade and custom-built Dutch front-door greets guests, and customized millwork can be found throughout the home. The exposed beams, wooden furnishings, rustic-chic lighting, and soothing palette are inspired by Scandinavian farmhouses and breezy coastal living. The home’s understated elegance privileges comfort and vertical space. To this end, the 5-bed, 7-bath (counting halves) home has a 4-stop elevator and a basement theater with tiered seating and 13-foot ceilings. A third story porch is separated from the upstairs living area by a glass wall that disappears as desired, and its stone fireplace ensures that this panoramic ocean view can be enjoyed year-round. This house is full of gorgeous materials, including a kitchen backsplash of Calacatta marble, mined from the Apuan mountains of Italy, and countertops of polished porcelain. The curved antique French limestone fireplace in the living room is a true statement piece, and the basement includes a temperature-controlled glass room-within-a-room for an aesthetic but functional take on wine storage. The takeaway? Efficiency and beauty are two sides of the same coin.

Halkin Mason Photography
Living room - coastal open concept medium tone wood floor living room idea in New York with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv