The Pumpkin Ridge Passive House harnesses the simplicity of Passive House design to deliver superb comfort and efficiency at minimal added construction cost. The Pumpkin Ridge Passive House is no more expensive to own on a monthly basis than a conventional custom home, when monthly energy costs are considered alongside mortgage, taxes and insurance. Yet the high performance green building will consume 90% less heating energy and offer exceptional comfort and indoor air quality. The project, designed by Scott Edwards Architecture and built by Hammer & Hand, is one of six homes in the Pacific Northwest to be featured by Northwest ENERGY STAR® as a demonstration super-efficient home. Photography by Jeff Amram.

Eat-in kitchen - contemporary l-shaped concrete floor eat-in kitchen idea in Austin with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, metallic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

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

Kitchen - huge cottage kitchen idea in Boston with stainless steel appliances

Nestled into the hills of Portola Valley, California the structures open space carefully defines and details outdoor rooms and interior space. While this form naturally echoes its landscape and beauty it was able to maintain and score Gold in LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). The Windy Hill Heaven residents incorporated sustainable aspects such as: STRUCTURE // Passive-solar design, spray foam insulation, structurally insulated panel called (SIPs), and high efficiency low e windows ELECTRICITY // Photovoltaic solar-panel array tied to the grid allowing this home to be net zero, Energy Star appliances, and energy efficient fans and lighting HEATING AND COOLING // In-floor radiant hot-water and a highly efficient fireplace SUSTAINABLE FEATURE // Native landscaping locally sourced building materials, low-VOC materials, paint and sealers. In all making this a very ECO-logically designed home

Dawn LED Outdoor Wall Light by Modern Forms, a WAC Lighting company. Energy efficient indirect ambient lighting and down lighting creates bright, beautiful spatial illumination for superb security and architectural accent.

Today's open-living concepts integrate rooms, and allow uninterrupted sight-lines within the living space and on to the world outside. Cirrus won't get in the way. It is discrete, virtually out of sight, masquerading as a high tech lighting system. Cirrus lives above, gently touching the ceiling as clouds touch the sky. Cirrus features the exclusive iQ Blower System for the quietest, most energy efficient and fastest smoke and odor removal available in range hoods. Other key features include: bright, energy efficient LED lighting, remote control operation, brushed professional grade stainless steel standard; optional white glass panels available. Designed to be most effective at 7' to 9' ceilings.

Frameless Mirrored Medicine Cabinet with Vertical LED Task Lights GlassCrafters’ Vertical LED Task Lights illuminate your daily grooming activities with energy efficient, optimal warm white light and integrate seamlessly into any décor. Providing a minimal, low profile design aesthetic, the 2 - 1/2" wide Vertical LED Task Lights are easy to install and complement GlassCrafters’ 24", 30" and 36" high, frameless flat or beveled mirrored cabinets.

David Fell
Inspiration for a 1960s blue tile bathroom remodel in Boston

Context Norbert and Robin had dreamed of retiring in a Passive House-certified home overlooking the Lubberland Creek Preserve in Southeastern New Hampshire, and they’d done their homework. They were interested in using four integrated Zehnder America (www.zehnderamerica.com) technologies to make the 1,900 square foot home extremely energy efficient. They didn’t miss any opportunity to innovate or raise the bar on sustainable design. Our goals were focused on guaranteeing their comfort in every season, saving them money on a fixed income, and reducing the home’s overall impact on the environment as much as possible. Response The home faces directly south and captures sunlight all winter under tall and vaulted ceilings and a continuous band of slim-lined, Italian triple-pane windows and doors that provide gorgeous views of the wild preserve. A second-story office nook and clerestory provide even deeper views, with a little more privacy. Zehnder, which previously sold its innovative products only in Europe, took on the project as a test house. We designed around Zehnder’s vent-based systems, including a geothermal heat loop that heats and cools incoming air, a heat pump cooling system, electric towel-warmer radiators in the bathrooms, and a highly efficient energy recovery ventilator, which recycles heat and minimizes the need for air conditioning. The house effectively has no conventional heating system—and doesn’t need it. We also looked for efficiencies and smart solutions everywhere, from the lights to the windows to the insulation. The kitchen exhaust hood eliminates, cleans, and recirculates cooking fumes in the home’s unique kitchen, custom-designed to match the ways Norbert likes to prepare meals. There are several countertop heights so they can prep and clean comfortably, and the eat-in kitchen also has two seating heights so people can sit and socialize while they’re working on dinner. An adjacent screened porch greets guests and opens to the view. A roof-mounted solar system helps to ensure that the home generates more energy than it consumes—helped by features such as a heat pump water heater, superinsulation, LED lights and a polished concrete floor that helps regulate indoor temperatures.

energy efficiency, exposed beams, LED lighting, LEED, open plan, walnut flooring
Kitchen - contemporary l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen idea in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, stainless steel appliances, an island and gray countertops

Marvin Windows and Doors
Example of a mid-sized classic formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room design in New York with yellow walls

At the apex of a quiet cul de sac, with the Brunswick Commons trail meandering just footsteps from the backyard, an active retired couple wanted to build their forever home. They wanted the most efficient house they could build with at least 100% of the energy coming from their rooftop solar array. Even with a wall of pine trees directly to the south Michael Maines was able to design a house that, with high attention to detailing, we were able to make a net positive energy home. The 48 solar panels on the roof will make more than enough to power everything in the home and the extra will be credited toward the couple’s camp in northern Maine. Our diligent focus on air sealing paid off with a blower door shell test of .12 ACH50 (for comparison, passive house requires below .60 ACH50). With 12 inch thick double stud walls packed tight with recycled cellulose insulation, and heated and cooled with heat pumps, this house will stay comfortable all year round.

This art studio and family home was originally built by lumber baron Charles Axel Smith. Eco sustainability was a key requirement for both owner and architect. In addition to using recycled and salvaged material from the home, such as interior trim and the original attic trusses (left exposed and the space designed around them), energy efficient strategies were employed. These techniques included highly efficient spray/foam installation, radiant/hydronic heating and installation of LED lighting throughout the home. The outdoor tub, built within an interior courtyard garden with natural light and planting was converted from an all-concrete basement. The property has been featured in various design publications. In addition to being selected as "Home of the Month" it was included in the East Bay Living Home Tours of 2018.

Amelia Cameron
Trendy wooden u-shaped open staircase photo in Orange County

Madrona Passive House, a new Seattle home designed by SHED Architecture & Design and built by Hammer & Hand, combines contemporary design with high performance building to create an environmentally responsive and resource-efficient house. The home’s airtight, super-insulated building envelope and passive design minimize energy consumption while providing superior thermal comfort to occupants. A heat recovery ventilator supplies constant fresh air to the home’s interior while recovering 90% of thermal energy from exhaust air for reuse inside. A rooftop solar photovoltaic array will provide enough energy to offset most, perhaps all, of the home’s energy consumption on a net annual basis. To manage stormwater the project employs permeable pavers for site hardscape and two cisterns to capture and control rainwater from the home’s roof and the green roof on the garage. By investing in sustainable site development strategies, efficient building systems and an advanced envelope, the project aims to respect the home’s environmentally critical site and achieve one of the world’s most demanding building energy standards: Passive House. Photos by Mark Woods Photography.

The shades are energy efficient honeycomb shades, a perfect solutions for these large windows. They come in a variety of colors and fabric textures to match any décor. Please do not hesitate to contact us for more information. We look forward to helping you with your next project! We offer FREE In-Home consultations or stop in to our showroom. Give us a call Today! 317-273-8343

The shades are energy efficient honeycomb shades, a perfect solutions for these large windows. They come in a variety of colors and fabric textures to match any décor. We work with clients in the Central Indiana Area. Contact us today to get started on your project. 317-273-8343

Layering light is a beautiful way to design. Add LED lighting to your cove ceilings to create height and depth to any room, in addition to traditional floor lamps and ceiling lights. You can create dramatic lighting effects easily and efficiently with energy-saving LED lighting. Easy to install and available in a range of color temperatures, LED strip light is flexible and dimmable so you can have bright light when you want it and soft lighting to create any mood. Great for master bedrooms, living rooms, kitchen cabinet lighting and more.