Constructed of dark-stained cedar, the carport was designed to contrast with the shiny metal house. PHOTO: Ignacio Salas-Humara
Urban carport photo in Austin

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.

Green Roof and Native Plantings
Example of a large trendy brown two-story mixed siding exterior home design in Other with a metal roof

24x28 Two Car Aframe Garage with Attic
Example of a large classic detached two-car garage design in Philadelphia

Lisa Carroll
Inspiration for a large farmhouse white two-story concrete fiberboard gable roof remodel in Atlanta with a metal roof and a gray roof

Photo: Mick Hales
Cottage gray wood exterior home idea in New York with a gambrel roof

The Mazama house is located in the Methow Valley of Washington State, a secluded mountain valley on the eastern edge of the North Cascades, about 200 miles northeast of Seattle. The house has been carefully placed in a copse of trees at the easterly end of a large meadow. Two major building volumes indicate the house organization. A grounded 2-story bedroom wing anchors a raised living pavilion that is lifted off the ground by a series of exposed steel columns. Seen from the access road, the large meadow in front of the house continues right under the main living space, making the living pavilion into a kind of bridge structure spanning over the meadow grass, with the house touching the ground lightly on six steel columns. The raised floor level provides enhanced views as well as keeping the main living level well above the 3-4 feet of winter snow accumulation that is typical for the upper Methow Valley. To further emphasize the idea of lightness, the exposed wood structure of the living pavilion roof changes pitch along its length, so the roof warps upward at each end. The interior exposed wood beams appear like an unfolding fan as the roof pitch changes. The main interior bearing columns are steel with a tapered “V”-shape, recalling the lightness of a dancer. The house reflects the continuing FINNE investigation into the idea of crafted modernism, with cast bronze inserts at the front door, variegated laser-cut steel railing panels, a curvilinear cast-glass kitchen counter, waterjet-cut aluminum light fixtures, and many custom furniture pieces. The house interior has been designed to be completely integral with the exterior. The living pavilion contains more than twelve pieces of custom furniture and lighting, creating a totality of the designed environment that recalls the idea of Gesamtkunstverk, as seen in the work of Josef Hoffman and the Viennese Secessionist movement in the early 20th century. The house has been designed from the start as a sustainable structure, with 40% higher insulation values than required by code, radiant concrete slab heating, efficient natural ventilation, large amounts of natural lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and locally sourced materials. Windows have high-performance LowE insulated glazing and are equipped with concealed shades. A radiant hydronic heat system with exposed concrete floors allows lower operating temperatures and higher occupant comfort levels. The concrete slabs conserve heat and provide great warmth and comfort for the feet. Deep roof overhangs, built-in shades and high operating clerestory windows are used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into living spaces and passively warm the exposed concrete floor. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the house. The high level of craft evident in the house reflects another key principle of sustainable design: build it well and make it last for many years! Photo by Benjamin Benschneider

This Chicago roof deck is an entertainers dream. Complete with outdoor bar, TV, concrete fire pit and wicker furniture the space is ready for an evening in the city.

Modern glass house set in the landscape evokes a midcentury vibe. A modern gas fireplace divides the living area with a polished concrete floor from the greenhouse with a gravel floor. The frame is painted steel with aluminum sliding glass door. The front features a green roof with native grasses and the rear is covered with a glass roof. Photo by: Gregg Shupe Photography

Windows reaching a grand 12’ in height fully capture the allurement of the area, bringing the outdoors into each space. Furthermore, the large 16’ multi-paneled doors provide the constant awareness of forest life just beyond. The unique roof lines are mimicked throughout the home with trapezoid transom windows, ensuring optimal daylighting and design interest. A standing-seam metal, clads the multi-tiered shed-roof line. The dark aesthetic of the roof anchors the home and brings a cohesion to the exterior design. The contemporary exterior is comprised of cedar shake, horizontal and vertical wood siding, and aluminum clad panels creating dimension while remaining true to the natural environment. The Glo A5 double pane windows and doors were utilized for their cost-effective durability and efficiency. The A5 Series provides a thermally-broken aluminum frame with multiple air seals, low iron glass, argon filled glazing, and low-e coating. These features create an unparalleled double-pane product equipped for the variant northern temperatures of the region. With u-values as low as 0.280, these windows ensure year-round comfort.

GAF Timberline HD (Pewter Gray) 5"K-Style Gutters & 2x3 Leaders (White) Installed by American Home Contractors, Florham Park, NJ Property located in Short Hills, NJ www.njahc.com

This dramatic contemporary residence features extraordinary design with magnificent views of Angel Island, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the ever changing San Francisco Bay. The amazing great room has soaring 36 foot ceilings, a Carnelian granite cascading waterfall flanked by stairways on each side, and an unique patterned sky roof of redwood and cedar. The 57 foyer windows and glass double doors are specifically designed to frame the world class views. Designed by world-renowned architect Angela Danadjieva as her personal residence, this unique architectural masterpiece features intricate woodwork and innovative environmental construction standards offering an ecological sanctuary with the natural granite flooring and planters and a 10 ft. indoor waterfall. The fluctuating light filtering through the sculptured redwood ceilings creates a reflective and varying ambiance. Other features include a reinforced concrete structure, multi-layered slate roof, a natural garden with granite and stone patio leading to a lawn overlooking the San Francisco Bay. Completing the home is a spacious master suite with a granite bath, an office / second bedroom featuring a granite bath, a third guest bedroom suite and a den / 4th bedroom with bath. Other features include an electronic controlled gate with a stone driveway to the two car garage and a dumb waiter from the garage to the granite kitchen.

Magnolia - Carlsbad, California 3,000+ sf two-story home, four bedrooms, 3.5 baths, plus a connected two-stall garage/ exercise space with bonus room above. Magnolia is a significant transformation of the owner's childhood home. Features like the steep 12:12 metal roofs softening to 3:12 pitches; soft arch-shaped Doug-fir beams; custom-designed double gable brackets; exaggerated beam extensions; a detached arched/ louvered carport marching along the front of the home; an expansive rear deck with beefy brick bases with quad columns, large protruding arched beams; an arched louvered structure centered on an outdoor fireplace; cased out openings, detailed trim work throughout the home; and many other architectural features have created a unique and elegant home along Highland Ave. in Carlsbad, California.

photography by Benjamin Hill Photography
Transitional beige two-story mixed siding gable roof idea in Houston

Builder: J. Peterson Homes Interior Designer: Francesca Owens Photographers: Ashley Avila Photography, Bill Hebert, & FulView Capped by a picturesque double chimney and distinguished by its distinctive roof lines and patterned brick, stone and siding, Rookwood draws inspiration from Tudor and Shingle styles, two of the world’s most enduring architectural forms. Popular from about 1890 through 1940, Tudor is characterized by steeply pitched roofs, massive chimneys, tall narrow casement windows and decorative half-timbering. Shingle’s hallmarks include shingled walls, an asymmetrical façade, intersecting cross gables and extensive porches. A masterpiece of wood and stone, there is nothing ordinary about Rookwood, which combines the best of both worlds. Once inside the foyer, the 3,500-square foot main level opens with a 27-foot central living room with natural fireplace. Nearby is a large kitchen featuring an extended island, hearth room and butler’s pantry with an adjacent formal dining space near the front of the house. Also featured is a sun room and spacious study, both perfect for relaxing, as well as two nearby garages that add up to almost 1,500 square foot of space. A large master suite with bath and walk-in closet which dominates the 2,700-square foot second level which also includes three additional family bedrooms, a convenient laundry and a flexible 580-square-foot bonus space. Downstairs, the lower level boasts approximately 1,000 more square feet of finished space, including a recreation room, guest suite and additional storage.

Cottage beige exterior home photo in Atlanta

Front gable roof elements are arranged in a balanced composition to highlight the entry and stair. The concrete pathway and driveway are colored to match the roof tones, bringing the house into the site. An enormous oak tree is an elegant backdrop for the design.

Wyndham Espresso double vanity with white porcelain sink.
Mid-sized elegant bathroom photo in Boston with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets and dark wood cabinets

The Mazama house is located in the Methow Valley of Washington State, a secluded mountain valley on the eastern edge of the North Cascades, about 200 miles northeast of Seattle. The house has been carefully placed in a copse of trees at the easterly end of a large meadow. Two major building volumes indicate the house organization. A grounded 2-story bedroom wing anchors a raised living pavilion that is lifted off the ground by a series of exposed steel columns. Seen from the access road, the large meadow in front of the house continues right under the main living space, making the living pavilion into a kind of bridge structure spanning over the meadow grass, with the house touching the ground lightly on six steel columns. The raised floor level provides enhanced views as well as keeping the main living level well above the 3-4 feet of winter snow accumulation that is typical for the upper Methow Valley. To further emphasize the idea of lightness, the exposed wood structure of the living pavilion roof changes pitch along its length, so the roof warps upward at each end. The interior exposed wood beams appear like an unfolding fan as the roof pitch changes. The main interior bearing columns are steel with a tapered “V”-shape, recalling the lightness of a dancer. The house reflects the continuing FINNE investigation into the idea of crafted modernism, with cast bronze inserts at the front door, variegated laser-cut steel railing panels, a curvilinear cast-glass kitchen counter, waterjet-cut aluminum light fixtures, and many custom furniture pieces. The house interior has been designed to be completely integral with the exterior. The living pavilion contains more than twelve pieces of custom furniture and lighting, creating a totality of the designed environment that recalls the idea of Gesamtkunstverk, as seen in the work of Josef Hoffman and the Viennese Secessionist movement in the early 20th century. The house has been designed from the start as a sustainable structure, with 40% higher insulation values than required by code, radiant concrete slab heating, efficient natural ventilation, large amounts of natural lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and locally sourced materials. Windows have high-performance LowE insulated glazing and are equipped with concealed shades. A radiant hydronic heat system with exposed concrete floors allows lower operating temperatures and higher occupant comfort levels. The concrete slabs conserve heat and provide great warmth and comfort for the feet. Deep roof overhangs, built-in shades and high operating clerestory windows are used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into living spaces and passively warm the exposed concrete floor. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the house. The high level of craft evident in the house reflects another key principle of sustainable design: build it well and make it last for many years! Photo by Benjamin Benschneider