Photo by Carolyn Bates
Mid-sized trendy gray two-story wood house exterior photo in Burlington with a shed roof and a metal roof

Mauviel copper cookware, white subway tiles, Carerra marble countertops, Wolf 48" range. Photography by Eric Roth
Open concept kitchen - large transitional l-shaped dark wood floor open concept kitchen idea in Boston with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and marble countertops

Photo: Eric Rorer
Mountain style two-story wood exterior home photo in San Francisco

TEAM Architect: LDa Architecture & Interiors Builder: 41 Degrees North Construction, Inc. Landscape Architect: Wild Violets (Landscape and Garden Design on Martha's Vineyard) Photographer: Sean Litchfield Photography

Paul Despenas: EcoSmart Custom Built 2-Lite Sliding windows, picture units and patio door were installed before the siding crew came to do their part. EcoSmart windows feature Smart Core insulated master and sash frames: EcoSmart windows come standard with our patented insulation in all primary frame and sash cavities. This is high density insulation provides a NFRC determined R-Value of 7.25 per inch of thickness. SmartCore insulation provides almost two times the insulating proprieties of typical fiberglass insulation, making EcoSmart windows more energy efficient and your home more comfortable. Performance Glass Options are the heart and soul of any good window. You’ll find a great selection of options to deliver the energy savings your home deserves. Fusion-Welded Frames: The frame and sash on EcoSmart windows are 100% fusion welded for superior sealing against water or air infiltration and no expansion and contraction. Added strength provided by our I-Beam & Rigid Core Fiberglass Reinforcement. All EcoSmart windows are custom built to fit into your home. American Classic Insulated siding features: Lifetime Non-Fade Protection Progressive Foam Fullback Insulation is laminated to the back of the siding to add rigid backing to the siding panel to give straight wall lines Four Times the energy savings value than conventional siding underlayments High permebiliyty lets your walls breath to minimize the opportunity for mold growth Deters termites and carpenter ants The list goes on and on……….American Classic Insulated Vinyl siding and EcoSmart Windows = ENERGY SAVINGS FOR THE LIFETIME OF THE HOME

Paul Despenas: EcoSmart Custom Built 2-Lite Sliding windows, picture units and patio door were installed before the siding crew came to do their part. EcoSmart windows feature Smart Core insulated master and sash frames: EcoSmart windows come standard with our patented insulation in all primary frame and sash cavities. This is high density insulation provides a NFRC determined R-Value of 7.25 per inch of thickness. SmartCore insulation provides almost two times the insulating proprieties of typical fiberglass insulation, making EcoSmart windows more energy efficient and your home more comfortable. Performance Glass Options are the heart and soul of any good window. You’ll find a great selection of options to deliver the energy savings your home deserves. Fusion-Welded Frames: The frame and sash on EcoSmart windows are 100% fusion welded for superior sealing against water or air infiltration and no expansion and contraction. Added strength provided by our I-Beam & Rigid Core Fiberglass Reinforcement. All EcoSmart windows are custom built to fit into your home. American Classic Insulated siding features: Lifetime Non-Fade Protection Progressive Foam Fullback Insulation is laminated to the back of the siding to add rigid backing to the siding panel to give straight wall lines Four Times the energy savings value than conventional siding underlayments High permebiliyty lets your walls breath to minimize the opportunity for mold growth Deters termites and carpenter ants The list goes on and on……….American Classic Insulated Vinyl siding and EcoSmart Windows = ENERGY SAVINGS FOR THE LIFETIME OF THE HOME

Paul Despenas: EcoSmart Custom Built 2-Lite Sliding windows, picture units and patio door were installed before the siding crew came to do their part. EcoSmart windows feature Smart Core insulated master and sash frames: EcoSmart windows come standard with our patented insulation in all primary frame and sash cavities. This is high density insulation provides a NFRC determined R-Value of 7.25 per inch of thickness. SmartCore insulation provides almost two times the insulating proprieties of typical fiberglass insulation, making EcoSmart windows more energy efficient and your home more comfortable. Performance Glass Options are the heart and soul of any good window. You’ll find a great selection of options to deliver the energy savings your home deserves. Fusion-Welded Frames: The frame and sash on EcoSmart windows are 100% fusion welded for superior sealing against water or air infiltration and no expansion and contraction. Added strength provided by our I-Beam & Rigid Core Fiberglass Reinforcement. All EcoSmart windows are custom built to fit into your home. American Classic Insulated siding features: Lifetime Non-Fade Protection Progressive Foam Fullback Insulation is laminated to the back of the siding to add rigid backing to the siding panel to give straight wall lines Four Times the energy savings value than conventional siding underlayments High permebiliyty lets your walls breath to minimize the opportunity for mold growth Deters termites and carpenter ants The list goes on and on……….American Classic Insulated Vinyl siding and EcoSmart Windows = ENERGY SAVINGS FOR THE LIFETIME OF THE HOME

Casey Dunn Photography
Example of a large farmhouse open concept brick floor living room design in Houston with white walls, a standard fireplace, a wall-mounted tv and a concrete fireplace

This custom green vacation home designed by Colorado architect Dominique Gettliffe features a stucco exterior, straw bale insulation, solar hot water and other sustainable features. A large rolling glass door opens onto an open patio and a beautiful view of the valley.

Mid-sized mountain style built-in desk concrete floor and gray floor home office library photo in San Francisco with brown walls

Example of an urban black tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile bathroom design in Philadelphia with a drop-in sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, laminate countertops, a two-piece toilet and white walls

Mid-century modern living room with open plan and floor to ceiling windows for indoor-outdoor ambiance, redwood paneled walls, exposed wood beam ceiling, wood flooring and mid-century modern style furniture, in Berkeley, California. - Photo by Bruce Damonte.

Brandi Ajah
Large french country yellow two-story stucco exterior home idea in Other

Fresh white walls and clean geometry highlight original features of the barn. For maximum efficiency, Franklin lined exterior walls with structurally insulated panels (SIP's). Utilizing this system over standard stick-building processes saved construction time, and insulates more efficiently than traditional insulation.

Eat-in kitchen - industrial galley light wood floor eat-in kitchen idea in Philadelphia with a single-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

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.

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.

This renovated brick rowhome in Boston’s South End offers a modern aesthetic within a historic structure, creative use of space, exceptional thermal comfort, a reduced carbon footprint, and a passive stream of income. DESIGN PRIORITIES. The goals for the project were clear - design the primary unit to accommodate the family’s modern lifestyle, rework the layout to create a desirable rental unit, improve thermal comfort and introduce a modern aesthetic. We designed the street-level entry as a shared entrance for both the primary and rental unit. The family uses it as their everyday entrance - we planned for bike storage and an open mudroom with bench and shoe storage to facilitate the change from shoes to slippers or bare feet as they enter their home. On the main level, we expanded the kitchen into the dining room to create an eat-in space with generous counter space and storage, as well as a comfortable connection to the living space. The second floor serves as master suite for the couple - a bedroom with a walk-in-closet and ensuite bathroom, and an adjacent study, with refinished original pumpkin pine floors. The upper floor, aside from a guest bedroom, is the child's domain with interconnected spaces for sleeping, work and play. In the play space, which can be separated from the work space with new translucent sliding doors, we incorporated recreational features inspired by adventurous and competitive television shows, at their son’s request. MODERN MEETS TRADITIONAL. We left the historic front facade of the building largely unchanged - the security bars were removed from the windows and the single pane windows were replaced with higher performing historic replicas. We designed the interior and rear facade with a vision of warm modernism, weaving in the notable period features. Each element was either restored or reinterpreted to blend with the modern aesthetic. The detailed ceiling in the living space, for example, has a new matte monochromatic finish, and the wood stairs are covered in a dark grey floor paint, whereas the mahogany doors were simply refinished. New wide plank wood flooring with a neutral finish, floor-to-ceiling casework, and bold splashes of color in wall paint and tile, and oversized high-performance windows (on the rear facade) round out the modern aesthetic. RENTAL INCOME. The existing rowhome was zoned for a 2-family dwelling but included an undesirable, single-floor studio apartment at the garden level with low ceiling heights and questionable emergency egress. In order to increase the quality and quantity of space in the rental unit, we reimagined it as a two-floor, 1 or 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment with a modern aesthetic, increased ceiling height on the lowest level and provided an in-unit washer/dryer. The apartment was listed with Jackie O'Connor Real Estate and rented immediately, providing the owners with a source of passive income. ENCLOSURE WITH BENEFITS. The homeowners sought a minimal carbon footprint, enabled by their urban location and lifestyle decisions, paired with the benefits of a high-performance home. The extent of the renovation allowed us to implement a deep energy retrofit (DER) to address air tightness, insulation, and high-performance windows. The historic front facade is insulated from the interior, while the rear facade is insulated on the exterior. Together with these building enclosure improvements, we designed an HVAC system comprised of continuous fresh air ventilation, and an efficient, all-electric heating and cooling system to decouple the house from natural gas. This strategy provides optimal thermal comfort and indoor air quality, improved acoustic isolation from street noise and neighbors, as well as a further reduced carbon footprint. We also took measures to prepare the roof for future solar panels, for when the South End neighborhood’s aging electrical infrastructure is upgraded to allow them. URBAN LIVING. The desirable neighborhood location allows the both the homeowners and tenant to walk, bike, and use public transportation to access the city, while each charging their respective plug-in electric cars behind the building to travel greater distances. OVERALL. The understated rowhouse is now ready for another century of urban living, offering the owners comfort and convenience as they live life as an expression of their values. Eric Roth Photo

David Duncan Livingston
Open concept kitchen - transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen idea in San Francisco with glass-front cabinets, gray cabinets, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, an island, a farmhouse sink and stainless steel appliances