Allison Cartwright - Twist Tours
Inspiration for a large contemporary master black and white tile, gray tile and stone tile ceramic tile bathroom remodel in Austin with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, gray walls, a vessel sink and marble countertops

Photographer Tara Striano / Stylist Emily Rickard
Example of a cottage chic medium tone wood floor dining room design in New York with white walls

This second-story addition to an already 'picture perfect' Naples home presented many challenges. The main tension between adding the many 'must haves' the client wanted on their second floor, but at the same time not overwhelming the first floor. Working with David Benner of Safety Harbor Builders was key in the design and construction process – keeping the critical aesthetic elements in check. The owners were very 'detail oriented' and actively involved throughout the process. The result was adding 924 sq ft to the 1,600 sq ft home, with the addition of a large Bonus/Game Room, Guest Suite, 1-1/2 Baths and Laundry. But most importantly — the second floor is in complete harmony with the first, it looks as it was always meant to be that way. ©Energy Smart Home Plans, Safety Harbor Builders, Glenn Hettinger Photography

Foyer
Entryway - large transitional dark wood floor entryway idea in Chicago with gray walls and a dark wood front door

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.

Photo by: Kevin Meechan Meechan Architectural Photography
Elegant entryway photo in Other with a glass front door

Allison Cartwright - Twist Tours
Great room - large eclectic concrete floor great room idea in Austin with white walls and no fireplace

Ron Blunt Photography
Inspiration for a coastal home design remodel in DC Metro

This home combines function, efficiency and style. The homeowners had a limited budget, so maximizing function while minimizing square footage was critical. We used a fully insulated slab on grade foundation of a conventionally framed air-tight building envelope that gives the house a good baseline for energy efficiency. High efficiency lighting, appliance and HVAC system, including a heat exchanger for fresh air, round out the energy saving measures. Rainwater was collected and retained on site. Working within an older traditional neighborhood has several advantages including close proximity to community amenities and a mature landscape. Our challenge was to create a design that sits well with the early 20th century homes in the area. The resulting solution has a fresh attitude that interprets and reflects the neighborhood’s character rather than mimicking it. Traditional forms and elements merged with a more modern approach. Photography by Todd Crawford

Energy Efficient Shop Reasonably priced replacement windows energy efficient remodeling projects brand new double pane window replacement single, or double hung beautiful picture Window sales Installation stop costly old window repairs Recommending only the very best affordable custom quality energy efficient replaced windows glass coated with Low-E saving our customer's $$ in energy savings Quality double pane new home windows reduce massive energy loss from damaging dangerous UV/inferred sunlight no need for costly triple pane windows Our medium priced window replacement installed by replacement expert window contractors our double pane replacement Window company rates super high "A" ratings BBB & "A" ratings Angie's List because our homeowners receive lifetime warranties and an unheard of 20 years of labor warranty Find that with a Home Depot Window, Lowes Window, Anderson Window or Pella Windows it's never going to happen Hurricane replacement windows custom manufactured by Showcase & Earth Wise Design pressure ratings for windows & doors are codes values based on wind speed we're a contractor that follows all state, local & federal hurricane codes and Laws. We open and close all jobs building permits for your family's safety and to protect our reputation. TDI Hurricane Wind Zones Galveston County, Pearland, Friendswood, Manville, Poor quality non-Impact glass double pane windows or non-Impact glass vinyl doors failures can severely increase the risks of roof failures and roof loss.

Energy Efficient Shop Reasonably priced replacement windows energy efficient remodeling projects brand new double pane window replacement single, or double hung beautiful picture Window sales Installation stop costly old window repairs Recommending only the very best affordable custom quality energy efficient replaced windows glass coated with Low-E saving our customer's $$ in energy savings Quality double pane new home windows reduce massive energy loss from damaging dangerous UV/inferred sunlight no need for costly triple pane windows Our medium priced window replacement installed by replacement expert window contractors our double pane replacement Window company rates super high "A" ratings BBB & "A" ratings Angie's List. Mostly because our homeowners receive lifetime warranties and an unheard of 20 years of labor included in the warranty. Find that with a Home Depot Window, Lowes Window, Anderson Window or Pella Windows it's never going to happen. Hurricane replacement windows custom manufactured by Showcase & Earth Wise Design pressure ratings for windows & doors are codes values based on wind speed we're a contractor that follows all state, local & federal hurricane codes and Laws. We open and close all jobs building permits for your family's safety and to protect our reputation. TDI Hurricane Wind Zones Galveston County, Pearland, Friendswood, Manville, Poor quality non-Impact glass double pane windows or non-Impact glass vinyl doors failures can severely increase the risks of roof failures and roof loss.

Energy Efficient Shop Reasonably priced replacement windows energy efficient remodeling projects brand new double pane window replacement single, or double hung beautiful picture Window sales Installation stop costly old window repairs Recommending only the very best affordable custom quality energy efficient replaced windows glass coated with Low-E saving our customer's $$ in energy savings Quality double pane new home windows reduce massive energy loss from damaging dangerous UV/inferred sunlight no need for costly triple pane windows Our medium priced window replacement installed by replacement expert window contractors our double pane replacement Window company rates super high "A" ratings BBB & "A" ratings Angie's List. Mostly because our homeowners receive lifetime warranties and an unheard of 20 years of labor included in the warranty. Find that with a Home Depot Window, Lowes Window, Anderson Window or Pella Windows it's never going to happen. Hurricane replacement windows custom manufactured by Showcase & Earth Wise Design pressure ratings for windows & doors are codes values based on wind speed we're a contractor that follows all state, local & federal hurricane codes and Laws. We open and close all jobs building permits for your family's safety and to protect our reputation. TDI Hurricane Wind Zones Galveston County, Pearland, Friendswood, Manville, Poor quality non-Impact glass double pane windows or non-Impact glass vinyl doors failures can severely increase the risks of roof failures and roof loss.

Located in, Summit Park, Park City UT lies one of the most efficient houses in the country. The Summit Haus – designed and built by Chris Price of PCD+B, is an exploration in design and construction of advanced high performance housing. Seeing a rising demand for sustainable housing along with rising Carbon emissions leading to global warming, this house strives to show that sensible, good design can create spaces adequate for today’s housing demands while adhering to strict standards. The house was designed to meet the very rigid Passiv House rating system – 90% more efficient than a typical home in the area. The house itself was intended to nestle neatly into the 45 degree sloped site and to take full advantage of the limited solar access and views. The views range from short, highly wooded views to a long corridor out towards the Uinta Mountain range towards the east. The house was designed and built based off Passiv Haus standards, and the framing and ventilation became critical elements to maintain such minimal energy requirements. Zola triple-pane, tilt-and-turn Thermo uPVC windows contribute substantially to the home’s energy efficiency, and takes advantage of the beautiful surrounding of the location, including forrest views from the deck off of the kitchen. Photographer: Douglas Burke

Photo-Jim Westphalen
Example of a mid-sized minimalist open concept and formal living room design in Other with white walls and no tv

The house features a passive solar green house so vegetables can be grown year round.
Example of a small mountain style brown two-story wood exterior home design in Portland Maine

Example of a small transitional staircase design in Minneapolis

Bathroom - mid-sized transitional master white tile and stone tile marble floor bathroom idea in Chicago with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray walls, an undermount sink and quartzite countertops

This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Covered entry porch and garage connector
Inspiration for a small cottage side porch remodel in Portland Maine with decking and a roof extension