This home was designed with a clean, modern aesthetic that imposes a commanding view of its expansive riverside lot. The wide-span, open wing design provides a feeling of open movement and flow throughout the home. Interior design elements are tightly edited to their most elemental form. Simple yet daring lines simultaneously convey a sense of energy and tranquility. Super-matte, zero sheen finishes are punctuated by brightly polished stainless steel and are further contrasted by thoughtful use of natural textures and materials. The judges said “this home would be like living in a sculpture. It’s sleek and luxurious at the same time.” The award for Best In Show goes to RG Designs Inc. and K2 Design Group Designers: Richard Guzman with Jenny Provost From: Bonita Springs, Florida

This new 6400 s.f. two-story split-level home lifts upward and orients toward unobstructed views of Windy Hill. The deep overhanging flat roof design with a stepped fascia preserves the classic modern lines of the building while incorporating a Zero-Net Energy photovoltaic panel system. From start to finish, the construction is uniformly energy efficient and follows California Build It Green guidelines. Many sustainable finish materials are used on both the interior and exterior, including recycled old growth cedar and pre-fabricated concrete panel siding. Photo By: Bernard Andre

This Boulder, Colorado remodel by fuentesdesign demonstrates the possibility of renewal in American suburbs, and Passive House design principles. Once an inefficient single story 1,000 square-foot ranch house with a forced air furnace, has been transformed into a two-story, solar powered 2500 square-foot three bedroom home ready for the next generation. The new design for the home is modern with a sustainable theme, incorporating a palette of natural materials including; reclaimed wood finishes, FSC-certified pine Zola windows and doors, and natural earth and lime plasters that soften the interior and crisp contemporary exterior with a flavor of the west. A Ninety-percent efficient energy recovery fresh air ventilation system provides constant filtered fresh air to every room. The existing interior brick was removed and replaced with insulation. The remaining heating and cooling loads are easily met with the highest degree of comfort via a mini-split heat pump, the peak heat load has been cut by a factor of 4, despite the house doubling in size. During the coldest part of the Colorado winter, a wood stove for ambiance and low carbon back up heat creates a special place in both the living and kitchen area, and upstairs loft. This ultra energy efficient home relies on extremely high levels of insulation, air-tight detailing and construction, and the implementation of high performance, custom made European windows and doors by Zola Windows. Zola’s ThermoPlus Clad line, which boasts R-11 triple glazing and is thermally broken with a layer of patented German Purenit®, was selected for the project. These windows also provide a seamless indoor/outdoor connection, with 9′ wide folding doors from the dining area and a matching 9′ wide custom countertop folding window that opens the kitchen up to a grassy court where mature trees provide shade and extend the living space during the summer months. With air-tight construction, this home meets the Passive House Retrofit (EnerPHit) air-tightness standard of

This Boulder, Colorado remodel by fuentesdesign demonstrates the possibility of renewal in American suburbs, and Passive House design principles. Once an inefficient single story 1,000 square-foot ranch house with a forced air furnace, has been transformed into a two-story, solar powered 2500 square-foot three bedroom home ready for the next generation. The new design for the home is modern with a sustainable theme, incorporating a palette of natural materials including; reclaimed wood finishes, FSC-certified pine Zola windows and doors, and natural earth and lime plasters that soften the interior and crisp contemporary exterior with a flavor of the west. A Ninety-percent efficient energy recovery fresh air ventilation system provides constant filtered fresh air to every room. The existing interior brick was removed and replaced with insulation. The remaining heating and cooling loads are easily met with the highest degree of comfort via a mini-split heat pump, the peak heat load has been cut by a factor of 4, despite the house doubling in size. During the coldest part of the Colorado winter, a wood stove for ambiance and low carbon back up heat creates a special place in both the living and kitchen area, and upstairs loft. This ultra energy efficient home relies on extremely high levels of insulation, air-tight detailing and construction, and the implementation of high performance, custom made European windows and doors by Zola Windows. Zola’s ThermoPlus Clad line, which boasts R-11 triple glazing and is thermally broken with a layer of patented German Purenit®, was selected for the project. These windows also provide a seamless indoor/outdoor connection, with 9′ wide folding doors from the dining area and a matching 9′ wide custom countertop folding window that opens the kitchen up to a grassy court where mature trees provide shade and extend the living space during the summer months. With air-tight construction, this home meets the Passive House Retrofit (EnerPHit) air-tightness standard of

Contemporary exterior home idea in Other

Fiberon composite decking in Horizon Ipe was selected as the main deck color, complemented by a darker Rosewood border. The home owner chose low-maintenance, white Horizon composite railing to replace their worn-out wood railing. Adding round, black metal balusters (and spacing them properly) enables a better view into the yard and eliminates the “prison bar” effect. Fiberon accent lights provide safety on the stairs, while post cap lighting all around adds awesome ambiance. Plus, Fiberon deck lighting is low-voltage, and uses energy-efficient LED bulbs that consume 1/12 the energy of traditional bulbs. The lights themselves are made from rust-free aluminum and powder-coated with a long-lasting finish that can withstand harsh climates. Find a Fiberon retailer near you: https://www.fiberondecking.com/start-your-project/where-to-buy

This residence was a complete gut renovation of a 4-story row house in Park Slope, and included a new rear extension and penthouse addition. The owners wished to create a warm, family home using a modern language that would act as a clean canvas to feature rich textiles and items from their world travels. As with most Brooklyn row houses, the existing house suffered from a lack of natural light and connection to exterior spaces, an issue that Principal Brendan Coburn is acutely aware of from his experience re-imagining historic structures in the New York area. The resulting architecture is designed around moments featuring natural light and views to the exterior, of both the private garden and the sky, throughout the house, and a stripped-down language of detailing and finishes allows for the concept of the modern-natural to shine. Upon entering the home, the kitchen and dining space draw you in with views beyond through the large glazed opening at the rear of the house. An extension was built to allow for a large sunken living room that provides a family gathering space connected to the kitchen and dining room, but remains distinctly separate, with a strong visual connection to the rear garden. The open sculptural stair tower was designed to function like that of a traditional row house stair, but with a smaller footprint. By extending it up past the original roof level into the new penthouse, the stair becomes an atmospheric shaft for the spaces surrounding the core. All types of weather – sunshine, rain, lightning, can be sensed throughout the home through this unifying vertical environment. The stair space also strives to foster family communication, making open living spaces visible between floors. At the upper-most level, a free-form bench sits suspended over the stair, just by the new roof deck, which provides at-ease entertaining. Oak was used throughout the home as a unifying material element. As one travels upwards within the house, the oak finishes are bleached to further degrees as a nod to how light enters the home. The owners worked with CWB to add their own personality to the project. The meter of a white oak and blackened steel stair screen was designed by the family to read “I love you” in Morse Code, and tile was selected throughout to reference places that hold special significance to the family. To support the owners’ comfort, the architectural design engages passive house technologies to reduce energy use, while increasing air quality within the home – a strategy which aims to respect the environment while providing a refuge from the harsh elements of urban living. This project was published by Wendy Goodman as her Space of the Week, part of New York Magazine’s Design Hunting on The Cut. Photography by Kevin Kunstadt

Matthew Williams
Mid-sized trendy backyard patio container garden photo in New York with no cover

Karuna Passive House designed by Holst Architecture and built by Hammer & Hand. This high performance home meets the world's most demanding green building certifications. Photo by Jeremy Bittermann.

This new 6400 s.f. two-story split-level home lifts upward and orients toward unobstructed views of Windy Hill. The deep overhanging flat roof design with a stepped fascia preserves the classic modern lines of the building while incorporating a Zero-Net Energy photovoltaic panel system. From start to finish, the construction is uniformly energy efficient and follows California Build It Green guidelines. Many sustainable finish materials are used on both the interior and exterior, including recycled old growth cedar and pre-fabricated concrete panel siding. Photo by: www.bernardandre.com

This new 6400 s.f. two-story split-level home lifts upward and orients toward unobstructed views of Windy Hill. The deep overhanging flat roof design with a stepped fascia preserves the classic modern lines of the building while incorporating a Zero-Net Energy photovoltaic panel system. From start to finish, the construction is uniformly energy efficient and follows California Build It Green guidelines. Many sustainable finish materials are used on both the interior and exterior, including recycled old growth cedar and pre-fabricated concrete panel siding. Photo by: www.bernardandre.com

The owners, inspired by mid-century modern architecture, hired Klopf Architecture to design an Eichler-inspired 21st-Century, energy efficient new home that would replace a dilapidated 1940s home. The home follows the gentle slope of the hillside while the overarching post-and-beam roof above provides an unchanging datum line. The changing moods of nature animate the house because of views through large glass walls at nearly every vantage point. Every square foot of the house remains close to the ground creating and adding to the sense of connection with nature. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, Geoff Campen, Angela Todorova, and Jeff Prose Structural Engineer: Alex Rood, SE, Fulcrum Engineering (now Pivot Engineering) Landscape Designer (atrium): Yoshi Chiba, Chiba's Gardening Landscape Designer (rear lawn): Aldo Sepulveda, Sepulveda Landscaping Contractor: Augie Peccei, Coast to Coast Construction Photography ©2015 Mariko Reed Location: Belmont, CA Year completed: 2015

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

This new 6400 s.f. two-story split-level home lifts upward and orients toward unobstructed views of Windy Hill. The deep overhanging flat roof design with a stepped fascia preserves the classic modern lines of the building while incorporating a Zero-Net Energy photovoltaic panel system. From start to finish, the construction is uniformly energy efficient and follows California Build It Green guidelines. Many sustainable finish materials are used on both the interior and exterior, including recycled old growth cedar and pre-fabricated concrete panel siding. Photo by: www.bernardandre.com

One Raven is a truely unique project that pushes the boundaries of urban density without losing heritage roots. Located in the heart of North Vancouver‘s up and coming moodyville neighbourhood, One Raven will be a beacon on E 3rd. With one of the last remaining heritage buildings on the front of the lot, the project consists of a NetZero high-performance infill duplex, each complete with its suite. This will add 4 new livable units in an infill laneway format with the heritage home complementing the site. The project is built to Level 5 of the BC Energy Step Code meaning it is already at the energy targets for all buildings in 2032, 13 years early! This spectacular and unique project was designed by the talented architect Tina Hubert at Design Studio 8. The passive house inspired townhouses and suites will be accessed via an internal courtyard bi-secting the lot in an east-west orientation parallel to the street. A circulation corridor oriented north-south will be accessed from the sidewalk at the existing stone retaining wall and concrete stair. The site design creates private open spaces yet also fosters connection to the semi-private realm of the inner courtyard. Each townhouse will have access to ground level patios, gardens, balconies and roof decks. The exterior walls are “super” insulated walls that are 12” or more thick with a focus on air-tight detailing. High performance triple pane windows are oriented southward to maximize solar gain in winter and rely on shading devices in the summer. All other windows are located to promote natural ventilation and to reduce energy losses. The highly air-tight building (0.93 ACH) utilizes heat recovery ventilation system to exhaust air and bring in fresh air. The building is designed to be compact with a reduced surface area. Maximizing on-site infiltration and rainwater collection will help manage storm water runoff. Ground-oriented landscape lighting and low planting along pathways and lot lines encourage visibility and overlook. The architecture of the building is uniquely modern and clearly establishes it‘s identity, through horizontal and vertical rectilinear forms, asymmetrical window placement, slim profile detailing, standing seam metal cladding, heritage coloured siding, and architectural panelized guardrails.

One Raven is a truely unique project that pushes the boundaries of urban density without losing heritage roots. Located in the heart of North Vancouver‘s up and coming moodyville neighbourhood, One Raven will be a beacon on E 3rd. With one of the last remaining heritage buildings on the front of the lot, the project consists of a NetZero high-performance infill duplex, each complete with its suite. This will add 4 new livable units in an infill laneway format with the heritage home complementing the site. The project is built to Level 5 of the BC Energy Step Code meaning it is already at the energy targets for all buildings in 2032, 13 years early! This spectacular and unique project was designed by the talented architect Tina Hubert at Design Studio 8. The passive house inspired townhouses and suites will be accessed via an internal courtyard bi-secting the lot in an east-west orientation parallel to the street. A circulation corridor oriented north-south will be accessed from the sidewalk at the existing stone retaining wall and concrete stair. The site design creates private open spaces yet also fosters connection to the semi-private realm of the inner courtyard. Each townhouse will have access to ground level patios, gardens, balconies and roof decks. The exterior walls are “super” insulated walls that are 12” or more thick with a focus on air-tight detailing. High performance triple pane windows are oriented southward to maximize solar gain in winter and rely on shading devices in the summer. All other windows are located to promote natural ventilation and to reduce energy losses. The highly air-tight building (0.93 ACH) utilizes heat recovery ventilation system to exhaust air and bring in fresh air. The building is designed to be compact with a reduced surface area. Maximizing on-site infiltration and rainwater collection will help manage storm water runoff. Ground-oriented landscape lighting and low planting along pathways and lot lines encourage visibility and overlook. The architecture of the building is uniquely modern and clearly establishes it‘s identity, through horizontal and vertical rectilinear forms, asymmetrical window placement, slim profile detailing, standing seam metal cladding, heritage coloured siding, and architectural panelized guardrails.

Designed By: Richard Bustos Photos By: Jeri Koegel Ron and Kathy Chaisson have lived in many homes throughout Orange County, including three homes on the Balboa Peninsula and one at Pelican Crest. But when the “kind of retired” couple, as they describe their current status, decided to finally build their ultimate dream house in the flower streets of Corona del Mar, they opted not to skimp on the amenities. “We wanted this house to have the features of a resort,” says Ron. “So we designed it to have a pool on the roof, five patios, a spa, a gym, water walls in the courtyard, fire-pits and steam showers.” To bring that five-star level of luxury to their newly constructed home, the couple enlisted Orange County’s top talent, including our very own rock star design consultant Richard Bustos, who worked alongside interior designer Trish Steel and Patterson Custom Homes as well as Brandon Architects. Together the team created a 4,500 square-foot, five-bedroom, seven-and-a-half-bathroom contemporary house where R&R get top billing in almost every room. Two stories tall and with lots of open spaces, it manages to feel spacious despite its narrow location. And from its third floor patio, it boasts panoramic ocean views. “Overall we wanted this to be contemporary, but we also wanted it to feel warm,” says Ron. Key to creating that look was Richard, who selected the primary pieces from our extensive portfolio of top-quality furnishings. Richard also focused on clean lines and neutral colors to achieve the couple’s modern aesthetic, while allowing both the home’s gorgeous views and Kathy’s art to take center stage. As for that mahogany-lined elevator? “It’s a requirement,” states Ron. “With three levels, and lots of entertaining, we need that elevator for keeping the bar stocked up at the cabana, and for our big barbecue parties.” He adds, “my wife wears high heels a lot of the time, so riding the elevator instead of taking the stairs makes life that much better for her.”

This house was designed for a couple and their son. One of the design program requirements was to have two master suites on the main level. They enjoy cooking and entertaining so the public and food prep. areas are functional, attractive and conducive to people gathering around. Consequently, the square footage of the main level is large. The house is also on a very steep slope which didn't help with the required footprint. In order to minimize the related costs of building with this site condition, the footprint of the house is long and not deep as it reaches down the slope. The scale of the existing homes in the neighborhood are unimposing. In order to play down the size as viewed from the street, the facade is broken up into several different masses with low sloping roofs. Once you're inside, the house opens up with 14 foot ceilings in the entry and living areas. The ceiling height of other spaces on the main level are 10 feet. Universal design was implemented on the main level to provide inherent accessibility for everyone. The lower level accommodates several guest rooms and baths, an exercise room, a guest den with wet bar and a man cave. Another design program requirement was to make the house as maintenance-free as possible. Exterior materials include stucco, Pennsylvania Blue Stone and a new aluminum siding product called Longboard. The siding comes in many wood grain finishes and to everyone that has seen it, they think it's real wood. It's also made from heavy gauge aluminum so it doesn't ding like traditional aluminum siding. The roofs are metal standing seam. The house is energy efficient. It's fully insulated with spray foam insulation-lots of it. The exterior walls were designed with 2x6 studs and roof rafters are 2x12 to provide plenty of space for the insulation, exceeding the required R-values. Windows and doors of course are energy efficient as well. All lighting is LED. The decking around the exterior is locust, a very hard native wood which is naturally insect and rot resistant. The best part of the whole project are the owners who love their new home. They initially had plans to live in this house during the summer months and Florida during the winter. They are now seriously considering living here full-time.

This house was designed for a couple and their son. One of the design program requirements was to have two master suites on the main level. They enjoy cooking and entertaining so the public and food prep. areas are functional, attractive and conducive to people gathering around. Consequently, the square footage of the main level is large. The house is also on a very steep slope which didn't help with the required footprint. In order to minimize the related costs of building with this site condition, the footprint of the house is long and not deep as it reaches down the slope. The scale of the existing homes in the neighborhood are unimposing. In order to play down the size as viewed from the street, the facade is broken up into several different masses with low sloping roofs. Once you're inside, the house opens up with 14 foot ceilings in the entry and living areas. The ceiling height of other spaces on the main level are 10 feet. Universal design was implemented on the main level to provide inherent accessibility for everyone. The lower level accommodates several guest rooms and baths, an exercise room, a guest den with wet bar and a man cave. Another design program requirement was to make the house as maintenance-free as possible. Exterior materials include stucco, Pennsylvania Blue Stone and a new aluminum siding product called Longboard. The siding comes in many wood grain finishes and to everyone that has seen it, they think it's real wood. It's also made from heavy gauge aluminum so it doesn't ding like traditional aluminum siding. The roofs are metal standing seam. The house is energy efficient. It's fully insulated with spray foam insulation-lots of it. The exterior walls were designed with 2x6 studs and roof rafters are 2x12 to provide plenty of space for the insulation, exceeding the required R-values. Windows and doors of course are energy efficient as well. All lighting is LED. The decking around the exterior is locust, a very hard native wood which is naturally insect and rot resistant. The best part of the whole project are the owners who love their new home. They initially had plans to live in this house during the summer months and Florida during the winter. They are now seriously considering living here full-time.