Michael Cummings

This Pearl Certified contemporary farmhouse offers a 1st floor master with ADU (auxiliary dwelling unit) over the detached garage. Exceptionally energy efficient!

Add unique charm to your entryway with Pella® energy-efficient fiberglass front doors. Giving your home a bold front door color will turn even more heads in your neighborhood.

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen remodel in New York

Polywood® Shutters are superior in product innovation, serving as the nation's category leader in plantation shutters, as they are exclusively engineered and custom crafted in the USA with a durable recyclable wood substitute. They are also the most optimal window treatment in achieving energy-efficiency, as each panel is insulated with a signature patented weather stripping.

A PISE (pneumatically impacted stabilized earth) wall runs the length of the home and provides massive thermal mass and a rich earth textural experience. photo: Kat Alves Photography

This house features black aluminum fascia and soffit finish with a solid concrete post outside the front door, high performance windows and hand cut stone feature wall to the right of the front door Gary Hill

This Pearl Certified contemporary farmhouse offers a 1st floor master with ADU (auxiliary dwelling unit) over the detached garage. Exceptionally energy efficient!

This Pearl Certified contemporary farmhouse offers a 1st floor master with ADU (auxiliary dwelling unit) over the detached garage. Exceptionally energy efficient!

This Pearl Certified contemporary farmhouse offers a 1st floor master with ADU (auxiliary dwelling unit) over the detached garage. Exceptionally energy efficient!

This Pearl Certified contemporary farmhouse offers a 1st floor master with ADU (auxiliary dwelling unit) over the detached garage. Exceptionally energy efficient!

This Pearl Certified contemporary farmhouse offers a 1st floor master with ADU (auxiliary dwelling unit) over the detached garage. Exceptionally energy efficient!

This rustic style home on Hartwell Lake was designed and built for the owners to enjoy with family and friends during their active weekend lifestyle. The home was built on a narrow, deep lot that was semi-level on the roadside and steep on the lakeside. The back half of the lot heavily wooded with mature oak and poplar trees reducing the harsh sun’s heat gain on the home. The exterior utilizes fiber cement cedar shake and lap siding complimented by deep brown colors for the windows, soffit, trim and the large square columns. A nice balance of natural earth toned stacked stone rounds out the exterior materials completing the rustic casual lake living. The home 5400 SF is designed and built on thee levels each having a primary focus. The main level creates primary daily living for the owners. This level features an open plan with an entry, stair, dining, kitchen and living areas leading to a large lakeside screened porch. A master suite is privately tucked off its own hallway and allowing it to enjoy the lakeside as well with its own private deck. On the opposite side are two bedrooms, a study and a shared bathroom for each to utilize. An open carport for two vehicles was created with the motor court and connects to the mudroom/utility room giving the owners direct entry into their home. The upper level is for the grand children with an oversized bedroom, bathroom and loft area for play. The lower level is the considered the party level. Its primary feature is an elevated stage for the owner’s band opened to a large seating area, dining and kitchen for viewing and listening with direct access to another screened porch. Flanking each side is a theater and two additional bedrooms and bathrooms. Energy Efficient features include: • The majority of the lower level sunk into the site below grade • 6” thick walls utilizing advanced framing techniques • Foil covered roof sheathing • Extensive use of blown in cellulous • All windows & doors are double paned low E argon filed glass • Tank-less water heaters • Three separate high efficiency HVAC units with programmable thermostats and a fresh air ERV. Lastly the owner requested we make every effort to sound proof the home. Many materials and techniques gave a duel purpose and added to the energy efficiency. These items include: • 2x6 walls with staggered studs • Extensive use if rock wool acoustic batting • Tempered glass in all exterior doors and windows • ¼ thick Mass Loaded Vinyl (MLV) was installed on the top and bottom of the floor trusses and on all lower level walls. The combination of the design and detailing utilizing these specific materials enabled us to achieve a 5 Star Plus Energy Star Certification with a HERS Index Score of 50. This home received a the 2015 Pinnacle Award from the SC Home Builders Association for the “Best Achievement in Energy Efficiency” sponsored by the SC Department Commerce.

This Pearl Certified contemporary farmhouse offers a 1st floor master with ADU (auxiliary dwelling unit) over the detached garage. Exceptionally energy efficient!

This Pearl Certified contemporary farmhouse offers a 1st floor master with ADU (auxiliary dwelling unit) over the detached garage. Exceptionally energy efficient!

Zero energy home built with a high efficiency building envelope, geothermal heating and cooling system, solar photovoltaic array, and backup generator. The geothermal system and solar array offset 100% of the home's energy demand.

Inspiration for a craftsman home design remodel in Atlanta

This Pearl Certified contemporary farmhouse offers a 1st floor master with ADU (auxiliary dwelling unit) over the detached garage. Exceptionally energy efficient!

Zero energy home built with a high efficiency building envelope, geothermal heating and cooling system, solar photovoltaic array, and backup generator. The geothermal system and solar array offset 100% of the home's energy demand.