Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary single-wall medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, paneled appliances, an island, medium tone wood cabinets and marble countertops

Photography by Golden Gate Creative
Mid-sized farmhouse white two-story wood and clapboard exterior home photo in San Francisco with a shingle roof and a gray roof

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

A U-shape kitchen can be further illuminated with cove lightning, widening the space up! Photo credits: Fauzi Anuar of http://www.zeeandmarina.com

Awarded the prestigious "Regional Winner" in the Sub-Zero / Wolf Kitchen Design Contest. The large-scale custom vent hood acts as a light bridge, incorporating open shelving for display while not blocking the view.

Kids' room - mid-sized coastal gender-neutral gray floor kids' room idea in Other with beige walls

Example of an ornate l-shaped light wood floor kitchen design in Milwaukee with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Kitchen - mid-century modern kitchen idea in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, green cabinets and an island

Mid-sized trendy medium tone wood floor living room photo in Sydney with white walls

Betsy Wills
Example of a large classic galley medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen design in Nashville with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

Inspiration for a contemporary u-shaped dark wood floor kitchen remodel in Austin with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multicolored backsplash, stainless steel appliances and a peninsula

Amy Bartlam
Example of a trendy kitchen design in Los Angeles with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets and quartzite countertops

Example of a southwest bathroom design in Los Angeles

These young hip professional clients love to travel and wanted a home where they could showcase the items that they've collected abroad. Their fun and vibrant personalities are expressed in every inch of the space, which was personalized down to the smallest details. Just like they are up for adventure in life, they were up for for adventure in the design and the outcome was truly one-of-kind. Photos by Chipper Hatter

Rick Mattson
Home office - coastal built-in desk dark wood floor home office idea in Orange County with white walls

Double hung windows make it possible to pass refreshments to the outdoor room (patio) directly from the kitchen. Photo by: Andrew Krucko
Enclosed kitchen - mid-sized contemporary l-shaped light wood floor and beige floor enclosed kitchen idea in Sydney with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, gray backsplash, an island, concrete countertops, stone slab backsplash and stainless steel appliances

Brantley Photography
Island style dining room photo in Other with pink walls

INTERIOR --- -Two-zone heating and cooling system results in higher energy efficiency and quicker warming/cooling times -Fiberglass and 3.5” spray foam insulation that exceeds industry standards -Sophisticated hardwood flooring, engineered for an elevated design aesthetic, greater sustainability, and the highest green-build rating, with a 25-year warranty -Custom cabinetry made from solid wood and plywood for sustainable, quality cabinets in the kitchen and bathroom vanities -Fisher & Paykel DCS Professional Grade home appliances offer a chef-quality cooking experience everyday -Designer's choice quartz countertops offer both a luxurious look and excellent durability -Danze plumbing fixtures throughout the home provide unparalleled quality -DXV luxury single-piece toilets with significantly higher ratings than typical builder-grade toilets -Lighting fixtures by Matteo Lighting, a premier lighting company known for its sophisticated and contemporary designs -All interior paint is designer grade by Benjamin Moore -Locally sourced and produced, custom-made interior wooden doors with glass inserts -Spa-style mater bath featuring Italian designer tile and heated flooring -Lower level flex room plumbed and wired for a secondary kitchen - au pair quarters, expanded generational family space, entertainment floor - you decide! -Electric car charging

White custom cabinetry painted in Benjamin Moore-Simply White, Thermador appliances, Urban Electric wall sconces, Soapstone countertops, Waterworks Brickworks backsplash, Ashley Norton hardware, Marvin Window, wood floors, Co-designer, Jen Seeger & Andrea Rugg Photography