This Boulder, Colorado remodel by fuentesdesign demonstrates the possibility of renewal in American suburbs, and Passive House design principles. Once an inefficient single story 1,000 square-foot ranch house with a forced air furnace, has been transformed into a two-story, solar powered 2500 square-foot three bedroom home ready for the next generation. The new design for the home is modern with a sustainable theme, incorporating a palette of natural materials including; reclaimed wood finishes, FSC-certified pine Zola windows and doors, and natural earth and lime plasters that soften the interior and crisp contemporary exterior with a flavor of the west. A Ninety-percent efficient energy recovery fresh air ventilation system provides constant filtered fresh air to every room. The existing interior brick was removed and replaced with insulation. The remaining heating and cooling loads are easily met with the highest degree of comfort via a mini-split heat pump, the peak heat load has been cut by a factor of 4, despite the house doubling in size. During the coldest part of the Colorado winter, a wood stove for ambiance and low carbon back up heat creates a special place in both the living and kitchen area, and upstairs loft. This ultra energy efficient home relies on extremely high levels of insulation, air-tight detailing and construction, and the implementation of high performance, custom made European windows and doors by Zola Windows. Zola’s ThermoPlus Clad line, which boasts R-11 triple glazing and is thermally broken with a layer of patented German Purenit®, was selected for the project. These windows also provide a seamless indoor/outdoor connection, with 9′ wide folding doors from the dining area and a matching 9′ wide custom countertop folding window that opens the kitchen up to a grassy court where mature trees provide shade and extend the living space during the summer months. With air-tight construction, this home meets the Passive House Retrofit (EnerPHit) air-tightness standard of

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Living room - cottage living room idea in Salt Lake City

Douglas Knight Construction and Springgate Photography
Example of a huge transitional built-in desk ceramic tile craft room design in Salt Lake City with brown walls

This is a sensory room built for a child that we recently worked with. This room allowed for them to have a safe and fun place to spend their time. Not only safe and fun, but beautiful! With a hideaway bunk, place to eat, place to watch TV, gaming stations, a bathroom, and anything you'd possibly need to have a blissful day.

Inspiration for a mid-sized 1950s porcelain tile and gray floor front door remodel in San Francisco with blue walls and a glass front door

Example of a mid-sized urban master white tile and subway tile ceramic tile and black floor doorless shower design in New York with open cabinets, light wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, granite countertops and an integrated sink

Inspiration for a transitional kitchen remodel in Seattle

A Gilmans Kitchens and Baths - Design Build Project The original space consisted of two separate rooms - a dining room and a small galley kitchen. The homeowners desired a space that was open and functional for their growing family. White cabinets were used to lighten up the space and the island was designed so that their dining table could be placed against it or moved, creating a truly versatile kitchen and dining area. Check out more kitchens by Gilmans Kitchens and Baths! http://www.gkandb.com/ DESIGNER: JANIS MANACSA PHOTOGRAPHY: TREVE JOHNSON CABINETRY: DURA SUPREME CABINETRY COUNTERTOP: CAESARSTONE PIATRA GREY

Amazing front porch of a modern farmhouse built by Steve Powell Homes (www.stevepowellhomes.com). Photo Credit: David Cannon Photography (www.davidcannonphotography.com)

Contractor: Slachta Home Improvement
Inspiration for a small timeless gray tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile alcove bathtub remodel in New York with an undermount sink, marble countertops, a one-piece toilet, gray walls and black cabinets

Huge traditional brown three-story wood exterior home idea in New York

Custom Surface Solutions (www.css-tile.com) - Owner Craig Thompson (512) 430-1215. This project shows a master bathroom remodel with porcelain 12 x 24 white and gray veined marble on walls and floors, custom multi-shelf shower niche with marble shelves. and gray hexagon penny tile shower floor.

Caesarstone Organic White Caesarstone Alpine MIst
Large elegant l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in Vancouver with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, an island, an undermount sink, quartzite countertops and stainless steel appliances

Photo © Bruce Damonte
Inspiration for a 1960s galley kitchen remodel in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, glass sheet backsplash and paneled appliances

Living room - large 1960s open concept and formal light wood floor and beige floor living room idea in Los Angeles with blue walls and a wall-mounted tv

Living room - mid-sized transitional open concept dark wood floor and brown floor living room idea in Nashville with white walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Bedroom elegant gender-neutral carpeted nursery photo in Phoenix with blue walls

Mud Room entry from the garage. Custom built in locker style storage. Herring bone floor tile.
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional galley ceramic tile and beige floor mudroom remodel with a farmhouse sink, copper countertops and beige walls