Example of a minimalist home office design in Dallas

Our goal with all of these designs was to creatively exceed customers expectations while reducing water usage, keeping costs down and delivering a beautiful garden that would stand the test of time. Wherever possible our hardscape elements are permeable, and existing healthy plantings and trees remain. All of our landscape designs focus on bringing seasonal color, texture and scent to your garden spaces.

Hive Modular

McKeesport Downtown Housing, formerly a YMCA, is an 84-unit SRO for people at risk of homelessness. The old brick and terracotta building was important historically for McKeesport. The decision to design the project to Passive House criteria actually went a long way to making the pro-forma work. This project was the first large scale retrofit to be designed to meet Passive House Standards in the US. Another major concern of the project team was to maintain the historic charm of the building. Space was at a premium and a reorganization of space allowed for making larger resident rooms. Through a community process with various stakeholders, amenities were identified and added to the project, including a community room, a bike storage area, exterior smoking balconies, single-user rest rooms, a bed bug room for non-toxic treatment of bed bugs, and communal kitchens to provide healthy options for food. The renovation includes new additional lighting, air-conditioning, make-up air and ventilation systems, an elevator, and cooking facilities. A cold-weather shelter, 60-day emergency housing, bridge housing, and section 8 apartment rentals make up the housing programs within the shelter. Thoughtful Balance designed the interiors, and selected the furniture for durability and resistance to bed bugs. The project team worked closely with Zola Windows to specify a unique uPVC window that not only offers passive house performance levels at an affordable cost, but also harmonizes with the building’s historic aesthetic. Zola’s American Heritage SDH (simulated double hung) from the popular, budget-friendly Thermo uPVC line was specified for the project. The windows implemented in this project feature a lower tilt & turn window and a fixed upper for maximum airtightness and thermal performance. The implementation of these windows helped the project team achieve a very significant energy consumption reduction of at least 75%. Photographer: Alexander Denmarsh

This custom made traditional sauna features 9" wide panels with smaller contrasting slats for the benches. Head rests to match the wall panels added at an additional cost.

Jarrett Design is thankful for digital preview technology. Good thing our clients were able to see what their book-matched Dekton backsplash was going to look like prior to fabrication! Some may have been a bit frightened, but these folks love the drama it creates in the otherwise serene kitchen. High gloss white upper and tall cabinetry is beautifully grounded by dark stained oak bases and island. Our clients came to us as a busy family with a toddler and an infant. Healthy food preparation for all meals is one their main priorities, so the kitchen design had to be highly functional. Work zones, storage, and seating were carefully planned. This contemporary, two-toned kitchen is the perfect combination of functionality and durability, modern light and natural warmth. Matt Villano Photography

CONTACT CONSTRUCTIVE ALTERNATIVES WHEN YOU’RE READY TO BUILD BETTER IN THE MOUNTAINS! This one-of-a-kind custom luxury mountain residence applied a high performance green building envelope, and other smart and renewable technologies. In addition to ample living space, the residence includes exquisite car rebuilding and show room facilities. We cut into the top of a mountain side to offer the homeowners 360 degree panoramic views of the Rocky Mountains, Boulder and Denver. We used 12”- 22” R-40+ battered foundation walls, 8” engineered LSL FSC lumber throughout, and an elliptical and radial building design. We also installed a 12 kW solar PV power system with a battery back-up. While the homeowners remain connected to the grid, their meter has yet to move forward. We used ICF forms for fire and wind resistance while taking advantage of their incredible insulating and customizing properties. ICFs are the perfect choice when avoiding square corners is desired at all costs. The solar thermal collectors you see out front were integrated with geothermal and HRV/ERV ventilation and environmental control systems. By designing this kind of in-floor heating and cooling system it keeps the ambient temperatures inside this stunning home comfortable and healthy year round. Check out some of the images we captured during the beginning, middle, and completion of this unique and eclectic Sunshine Canyon 8,000 square foot Net-Zero Luxury Home.

This bathroom was judged to be the best in the Southeast by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry. We transformed this 1960s bathroom from a chopped up mess into a sleek space for an engineer and his wife who is a banker.

Inspiration for a mid-sized modern bedroom remodel in Dallas

Certified Green Home! Save Money approx. $150+ monthly savings on utility bills, approx. $20,000 in savings for 10 years and thousands in continued savings over the lifetime of the home, Certified Energy Star and FPL Build Smart Home. Stay Healthy Attention people with allergies and breathing problems. This home is virtually allergen, dust, mold free. EPA certified indoor AirPLUS. You will be excited after reading our customer testimonials about how great they are feeling, living in a green home. Be Wise by purchasing this certified Green home. Comparable cost to traditionally built homes. The home of the future at today’s price! Your major benefits of investing in Green home: in addition to being healthy and economical, the Denise is built with sustainable construction technologies, that will keep your home competitive in the future housing market with newly built homes even in the next 10 – 15 years. Buying a Green home, you are making the best investment for your family. Stay Safe the Denise with ICF walls is hurricane, tornado, fire resistant & sound suppressant. Substantially lower insurance premiums. The split floor plan of this elegant & cozy home features an open living area with large great room that flows into the dining room & spacious gourmet kitchen with granite counter tops. This exquisite yet modest home is truly luxurious with ceramic tile & laminate floors throughout, large master suite, plus 2 additional bedrooms.

Example of a mid-sized minimalist bedroom design in Dallas

Certified Green Home! Save Money approx. $150+ monthly savings on utility bills, approx. $20,000 in savings for 10 years and thousands in continued savings over the lifetime of the home, Certified Energy Star and FPL Build Smart Home. Stay Healthy Attention people with allergies and breathing problems. This home is virtually allergen, dust, mold free. EPA certified indoor AirPLUS. You will be excited after reading our customer testimonials about how great they are feeling, living in a green home. Be Wise by purchasing this certified Green home. Comparable cost to traditionally built homes. The home of the future at today’s price! Your major benefits of investing in Green home: in addition to being healthy and economical, the Denise is built with sustainable construction technologies, that will keep your home competitive in the future housing market with newly built homes even in the next 10 – 15 years. Buying a Green home, you are making the best investment for your family. Stay Safe the Denise with ICF walls is hurricane, tornado, fire resistant & sound suppressant. Substantially lower insurance premiums. The split floor plan of this elegant & cozy home features an open living area with large great room that flows into the dining room & spacious gourmet kitchen with granite counter tops. This exquisite yet modest home is truly luxurious with ceramic tile & laminate floors throughout, large master suite, plus 2 additional bedrooms.

James R Salomon
Trendy home design photo in Boston

This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Hive Modular
Galley bamboo floor open concept kitchen photo in Minneapolis with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, black cabinets, laminate countertops, stainless steel appliances and an island

Our goal with all of these designs was to creatively exceed customers expectations while reducing water usage, keeping costs down and delivering a beautiful garden that would stand the test of time. Wherever possible our hardscape elements are permeable, and existing healthy plantings and trees remain. All of our landscape designs focus on bringing seasonal color, texture and scent to your garden spaces.

This custom build by Elevated Custom Construction blends modern design with rustic mountain charm to create a functional, high-performance home in the heart of Teton Valley. The main house features a steep gable roof with integrated solar panels, large triple-pane windows for passive solar gain, and timber-framed porches that invite indoor-outdoor living. A breezeway connects the home to a detached guest house and sauna, creating a private yet cohesive compound ideal for year-round living. Built with a focus on energy efficiency, healthy materials, and regional aesthetics, this home is a reflection of our commitment to craftsmanship, sustainability, and timeless design.

Certified Green Home! Save Money approx. $150+ monthly savings on utility bills, approx. $20,000 in savings for 10 years and thousands in continued savings over the lifetime of the home, Certified Energy Star and FPL Build Smart Home. Stay Healthy Attention people with allergies and breathing problems. This home is virtually allergen, dust, mold free. EPA certified indoor AirPLUS. You will be excited after reading our customer testimonials about how great they are feeling, living in a green home. Be Wise by purchasing this certified Green home. Comparable cost to traditionally built homes. The home of the future at today’s price! Your major benefits of investing in Green home: in addition to being healthy and economical, the Denise is built with sustainable construction technologies, that will keep your home competitive in the future housing market with newly built homes even in the next 10 – 15 years. Buying a Green home, you are making the best investment for your family. Stay Safe the Denise with ICF walls is hurricane, tornado, fire resistant & sound suppressant. Substantially lower insurance premiums. The split floor plan of this elegant & cozy home features an open living area with large great room that flows into the dining room & spacious gourmet kitchen with granite counter tops. This exquisite yet modest home is truly luxurious with ceramic tile & laminate floors throughout, large master suite, plus 2 additional bedrooms.

A sleek modern kitchen accommodates family gatherings with ease. The triple glazed tilt-turn windows throughout the home provide varied types of ventilation. Tilting the window "in" enables hot air to quickly escape through the top portion of the window while reducing significant breezes from coming into the home. Turning the window "into" the room opens the entire window panel allowing ample air flow for maximum ventilation. This dual option enables precise control of the indoor environment! James R Salomon Photograpy