Search results for "Environment" in Home Design Ideas

Let's face it: times are changing. We're living in an era where technology advances at a fast pace and its developments have a significant impact on the surroundings. The need for environmental solutions has become more urgent with each passing day.
While we live and adapt to our immediate environment, it doesn't mean that we have to settle with what's present, especially when our surrounding conditions are becoming detrimental to our wellbeing. This is the reason Singapore architects are looking into eco-friendly approaches when designing residential spaces.
Singapore architects are becoming more proactive in integrating eco-friendly principles in their residential projects. Below are some of the standout reasons why:
1. You get to practice energy efficiency.
In typical homes, electricity is powered by non-renewable sources. The continuous use of non-renewable energy increases carbon footprint and worsens air pollution, both of which negatively affect the environment.
However, there are alternative sources of energy that can be included in your home's architectural design. These include solar panels and wind turbines that produce electricity that can keep the house powered. These methods do not produce toxic compounds or carbon emissions; they are also renewable and do not incur recurring expenses.
2. Eco-friendly architecture brings you closer to a more "natural environment."
The emergence of urban landscapes has deprived today's generation of the opportunity to be one with nature. Individuals these days have to travel to the countryside to enjoy nature's beauty and all the amazing benefits it has to offer.
Fortunately, eco-friendly architecture provides a route where you can better appreciate many of the benefits nature offers. As a homeowner, you must enjoy a calm, clean, and fresh indoor environment.
Eco-friendly approaches to homes aim to provide this kind of atmosphere through the use of local materials, renewable energy sources, and incorporating nature's elements (such as sunlight and air ventilation) on the structural design.
3. You save money for maintenance and upkeep.
Eco-friendly architecture is known for its low maintenance costs. At first glance, you may find it expensive to build a "green home." However, since it makes use of renewable energy sources and local resources for upkeep, operational costs become much cheaper compared to living in a conventional home.
Also, green homes promote material efficiency. Apart from using local resources, eco-friendly construction involves building processes that generate as little waste as possible.
Recycled and reusable materials are preferred in building the home, while the architectural design follows construction techniques that use less energy, water, and raw materials.
4. You enjoy better health.
Living in a green home offers a lot of health benefits. For instance, eco-friendly architecture supports the use of natural materials and it discourages having plastic by-products in the building process.
At the same time, eco-friendly architectural designs look into utilising vertical space to boost freedom of movement and air circulation. These spatial strategies allow you to breathe better even while indoors and move around the house without feeling cramped.
Lastly, utilising vertical space offers more natural light to enter the home. Natural light is essential not just because it illuminates the house during the day, it also regulates the circadian rhythm, which dictates our body's waking and sleeping hours.
In a nutshell
Eco-friendly homes can help you save money and time, not to mention improve your health dramatically. Moreover, it can also help reduce your environmental footprint significantly. From improving air quality to helping regulate the effects of climate change, eco-friendly homes allow you to live a more sustainable lifestyle.

AirField installed an AirPave grass fire lane for their porous flexible paving at Baptist Trinity Residential Hospice, creating a beautiful, functional, ecological friendly solution to facility access.
An installation of an AirField Systems grass fire lane at Baptist Trinity Residential Hospice brings green building benefits and incredible strength to a beautiful new facility. A time lapse photo series highlight the installation process of the 6,747 PSI sand filled 100% recycled geocell technology, providing the strength of asphalt and concrete while relieving some of the burden of costly storm sewers and drainage.
This new installation highlights the benefits of paving with grass, as well as the comparative ease of installation. Concrete and asphalt surfaces occupy twice the area of buildings and are the most detrimental to clean water. Concrete and asphalt surfaces dominate the landscape of our urban environments and prevent rainwater from being filtered naturally. They send harmful polluted water straight into our streams, rivers and lakes. In urban America, concrete and asphalt pavements produce two thirds of our excess water runoff. They are responsible for significant hydrocarbon pollutants on our ground and in our water, causing ground water decline, and resulting in local water shortages. These concrete and asphalt surfaces also create huge increases in temperature known as the urban “heat island effect”.
The pollution caused by impervious surfaces deteriorate the quality of our storm water runoff and create large overflows that our storm sewer systems cannot handle. It is also important to realize that the urban forest force is drastically diminishing, causing CO2 levels to rise, which in turn causes global warming. With all the negative influences of impervious pavements now is the time to turn our attention to alternatives for the benefit of the environment.
From fire lanes, overflow, and event parking, to temporary and stadium parking, reinforced grass parking systems deliver the same strength and durability of asphalt and concrete without the negative affects mentioned above. These incredibly strong geocells reinforce grass parking, prevent rutting from traffic, protect turf roots, and promote beautiful grass. Reinforced grass parking structures, also know as grass pavements, enhance the environment by naturally filtering auto and truck liquids such as oil drippings, antifreeze overflows and many other leaks and spills. They also help with air pollutants after they have been knocked to the ground by rainwater and greatly reduce hot surface temperatures thus fighting global warming and the “heat island effect”. Grass pavements allow our groundwater to be naturally replenished, the roots of trees to breathe, and they help our streams and rivers flow cleanly in dry hot summers. A large part of the solution to urban environmental problems is under our feet. By paying appropriate attention to the everyday materials on which we walk and drive, we can replenish renewable resources, restore the natural regenerative processes, and produce a cleaner, healthier, safer, more sustainable world in which we must live. Porous pavements are potentially the most important development in urban watersheds since the invention of storm sewers. By routing rainwater directly into the earth as nature intended, the need for costly storm water structures can be drastically reduced.
Reinforced grass parking has built in permeable spaces through which water and air can pass. Although some porous paving materials are nearly indistinguishable from nonporous materials in construction and superficial appearance, their environmental effects are qualitatively exponential. They allow air, water and heat to dissipate into the environment naturally helping to save the planet.
AirField reinforced grass parking provides beauty and comfort, and with the unbeatable price and performance of AirDrain you can’t go wrong. AirDrain is the reinforced grass pave system the industry has trusted for years !!!
Airfield Systems, LLC 8028 North May Avenue Oklahoma City, OK 73120 405-359-3775
Installer – GREENPRO Landscapes Kevin James 9847 Stewart Rd Arlington, TN 38002

The idea of this project was to create a special environment that stimulates all senses in the human body, an environment that is vibrant and most importantly interactive for all ages. We began by searching for the right materials to create a specific feeling of time and space.
Placement of the water feature was designed by studying how the customer used their home. The waterfalls and streams connect separate outdoor spaces and accommodate for all views outdoors and indoors. A sense of mystery is designed into every detail in this water feature. The layout of the ponds play accordingly with the sun for excellent reflections, and each rock formation has time designed into it.
The environment is inviting, and interactive. Each person that walks out to explore the environment has his or her curiosity rewarded by discovering plant life, trickling streams, and several waterfalls only to be discovered by the inquisitive explorer.
Photos by: Linda Oyama Bryan
Find the right local pro for your project

You are walking quietly through the tall grass next to a wide river, brown and fast moving from fresh floods. The hot sun setting slowly overhead. Just as the sun begins to touch the horizon, the whole sky is brushed in a rich orange hue. You emerge from the grass to be greeted by your first sight of African lions in their natural habitat and a Serengeti sunset that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
This was the moment that began this project, inspiring the client to recreate that moment for their sport hunting trophy room in their home. The goal was to be able to recreate that experience as closely as possible, while also ensuring that every mount in the collection had the ideal amount and type of light directed at it.
Nature exhibits an infinite amount of unique color and light environments. From rich color in every hue and temperature, to light of all different intensities and quality. In order to deliver the client’s expectations, we needed a solution that can reflect the diverse lighting environments the client was looking to recreate.
Using a Ketra lighting system, controlled through a Lutron HomeWorks QS system, tied in seamlessly to an existing Lutron HomeWorks Illumination system, we were able to meet all of these challenges. Tying into the existing system meant that we could achieve these results in the space that the client was focused on without having to replace the whole system.
In that focused space, creating dynamic lighting environments was central to several elements of the design, and Ketra’s color temperature settings enabled us to be extremely flexible while still providing high quality light in all circumstances. Using a large track system consisting of 30 S30 lamps, each individually addressed, we were able to create the ideal lighting settings for each mount. Additionally, we designed the system so that it can be set to match the unique warm standard Edison-style bulbs in the main chandelier, it can be set to a “Natural” mode that replicates the outdoor conditions throughout the day, or it can simulate the exact color temperature progression of that unforgettable Serengeti sunset.
Control of the lighting environment and a smooth transition to the lighting systems in the rest of the home was also a priority. As a result, we installed 3 Lutron motorized shades in the space to account for ambient light, and 6 A20 lamps in an adjacent bar area to create a natural transition to the rest of the lighting system. This ensures that all of the lighting transitions, whether from the rest of the home to the trophy room or the trophy room to the outside, are continuous and smooth. The end result is an impressive and flexible display space with an added “wow factor” that is out of this hemisphere!

A transformation inspired by the owner’s love of modern architecture, art and color (and the adjacent sand, rock, water, and the northwest landscape), the Indianola House sought to bring the soul of a home to a colorless muted box. The original house was a drab 1990’s-era box with no personality or presence sited on a beautiful secluded bay, facing water and island views, northwest of the City of Seattle. The existing mono-colored stucco-clad exterior and pyramidal glass-block openings had led the neighborhood to dub the structure, unflatteringly, “The Miami Vice House”.
Rhodes Architecture’s Residential Architects careful use of natural light, rich, collaged finishes and ability to open the house to gardens, beach, and outdoor gathering was critical to the design. The house soon became “The Gallery”.
The original home’s grey stucco exterior made the house seem both large and featureless; the introduction of no-maintenance exterior materials that collage and complement each other was a goal of the homeowner and the Seattle Architects who teamed up for this residential design. The bloated scale of the house cried out for the establishment and definition of the parts of the structure, a breaking down of the home’s form and its apparent bland size.
Living, sleeping, and bathing areas that started as staid spaces were in need of opening to the natural environment with additions of large doors, folding glass walls and useable balconies were crucial to each space having a dialogue with the outdoors.
The owner’s extensive art collection was highlighted and became the focus of interior places, well-lit naturally and through a new lighting system. Energy use and sustainable systems were a key component of the design which used high-efficacy lighting, better cladding on a rain-screen system, high-efficiency doors and windows, new insulation and weather barriers, and which added a photovoltaic-generated electrical system. The contemporary design sought to integrate all of these systems, materials, and finishes into a seamless whole that lent interest and drama to a residence which was previously lusterless.
How radically this house was transformed is evident in the exteriors, gardens and the natural spaces the house now opens to, as well as the gallery-like interiors. This home is a stunning testament to what is possible “before-and-after” when remade by Rhodes Architecture + Light.
The clients are an older couple with long professional and political careers, a love of art and a clear desire to connect with the Northwest environment and enliven their daily lives with spaces full of color and natural light.
Rhodes Architecture + Light was hired in 2019 to add new exteriors and interiors, natural light, larger openings to beach and bay, seismic and foundation upgrades to the home, and to infuse life into the house through the re-use of existing space and varied materials, color, textures, and lighting. The only actual change to the exterior “shell” of the house was the introduction of a low “gull-wing” roof with wood soffits above the central atrium space, to add drama and bring natural light into the entry gallery space. Interior spaces, including bedrooms and bathrooms, were re-planned and opened to each other, to greater natural light, to roof decks, and to the incredible views and sea-side environment.
The Builder, Fairbank Construction Company of Bainbridge Island, Washington, met the challenge of the design, first completely deconstructing the finishes inside and out, then precisely interlocking new claddings, windows and doors, cabinetry, finishes and a new gull-wing central roof in a beautiful transformation. The construction was total, thorough, and very detailed, resulting a house that, far from seeming a “remodeling”, is far more present and fitting to the owner’s lives and the natural environment than the house we started with.

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You are walking quietly through the tall grass next to a wide river, brown and fast moving from fresh floods. The hot sun setting slowly overhead. Just as the sun begins to touch the horizon, the whole sky is brushed in a rich orange hue. You emerge from the grass to be greeted by your first sight of African lions in their natural habitat and a Serengeti sunset that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
This was the moment that began this project, inspiring the client to recreate that moment for their sport hunting trophy room in their home. The goal was to be able to recreate that experience as closely as possible, while also ensuring that every mount in the collection had the ideal amount and type of light directed at it.
Nature exhibits an infinite amount of unique color and light environments. From rich color in every hue and temperature, to light of all different intensities and quality. In order to deliver the client’s expectations, we needed a solution that can reflect the diverse lighting environments the client was looking to recreate.
Using a Ketra lighting system, controlled through a Lutron HomeWorks QS system, tied in seamlessly to an existing Lutron HomeWorks Illumination system, we were able to meet all of these challenges. Tying into the existing system meant that we could achieve these results in the space that the client was focused on without having to replace the whole system.
In that focused space, creating dynamic lighting environments was central to several elements of the design, and Ketra’s color temperature settings enabled us to be extremely flexible while still providing high quality light in all circumstances. Using a large track system consisting of 30 S30 lamps, each individually addressed, we were able to create the ideal lighting settings for each mount. Additionally, we designed the system so that it can be set to match the unique warm standard Edison-style bulbs in the main chandelier, it can be set to a “Natural” mode that replicates the outdoor conditions throughout the day, or it can simulate the exact color temperature progression of that unforgettable Serengeti sunset.
Control of the lighting environment and a smooth transition to the lighting systems in the rest of the home was also a priority. As a result, we installed 3 Lutron motorized shades in the space to account for ambient light, and 6 A20 lamps in an adjacent bar area to create a natural transition to the rest of the lighting system. This ensures that all of the lighting transitions, whether from the rest of the home to the trophy room or the trophy room to the outside, are continuous and smooth. The end result is an impressive and flexible display space with an added “wow factor” that is out of this hemisphere!

You are walking quietly through the tall grass next to a wide river, brown and fast moving from fresh floods. The hot sun setting slowly overhead. Just as the sun begins to touch the horizon, the whole sky is brushed in a rich orange hue. You emerge from the grass to be greeted by your first sight of African lions in their natural habitat and a Serengeti sunset that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
This was the moment that began this project, inspiring the client to recreate that moment for their sport hunting trophy room in their home. The goal was to be able to recreate that experience as closely as possible, while also ensuring that every mount in the collection had the ideal amount and type of light directed at it.
Nature exhibits an infinite amount of unique color and light environments. From rich color in every hue and temperature, to light of all different intensities and quality. In order to deliver the client’s expectations, we needed a solution that can reflect the diverse lighting environments the client was looking to recreate.
Using a Ketra lighting system, controlled through a Lutron HomeWorks QS system, tied in seamlessly to an existing Lutron HomeWorks Illumination system, we were able to meet all of these challenges. Tying into the existing system meant that we could achieve these results in the space that the client was focused on without having to replace the whole system.
In that focused space, creating dynamic lighting environments was central to several elements of the design, and Ketra’s color temperature settings enabled us to be extremely flexible while still providing high quality light in all circumstances. Using a large track system consisting of 30 S30 lamps, each individually addressed, we were able to create the ideal lighting settings for each mount. Additionally, we designed the system so that it can be set to match the unique warm standard Edison-style bulbs in the main chandelier, it can be set to a “Natural” mode that replicates the outdoor conditions throughout the day, or it can simulate the exact color temperature progression of that unforgettable Serengeti sunset.
Control of the lighting environment and a smooth transition to the lighting systems in the rest of the home was also a priority. As a result, we installed 3 Lutron motorized shades in the space to account for ambient light, and 6 A20 lamps in an adjacent bar area to create a natural transition to the rest of the lighting system. This ensures that all of the lighting transitions, whether from the rest of the home to the trophy room or the trophy room to the outside, are continuous and smooth. The end result is an impressive and flexible display space with an added “wow factor” that is out of this hemisphere!

The idea of this project was to create a special environment that stimulates all senses in the human body, an environment that is vibrant and most importantly interactive for all ages. We began by searching for the right materials to create a specific feeling of time and space.
Placement of the water feature was designed by studying how the customer used their home. The waterfalls and streams connect separate outdoor spaces and accommodate for all views outdoors and indoors. A sense of mystery is designed into every detail in this water feature. The layout of the ponds play accordingly with the sun for excellent reflections, and each rock formation has time designed into it.
The environment is inviting, and interactive. Each person that walks out to explore the environment has his or her curiosity rewarded by discovering plant life, trickling streams, and several waterfalls only to be discovered by the inquisitive explorer.
Photos by: Linda Oyama Bryan

The idea of this project was to create a special environment that stimulates all senses in the human body, an environment that is vibrant and most importantly interactive for all ages. We began by searching for the right materials to create a specific feeling of time and space.
Placement of the water feature was designed by studying how the customer used their home. The waterfalls and streams connect separate outdoor spaces and accommodate for all views outdoors and indoors. A sense of mystery is designed into every detail in this water feature. The layout of the ponds play accordingly with the sun for excellent reflections, and each rock formation has time designed into it.
The environment is inviting, and interactive. Each person that walks out to explore the environment has his or her curiosity rewarded by discovering plant life, trickling streams, and several waterfalls only to be discovered by the inquisitive explorer.
Photos by: Linda Oyama Bryan

You are walking quietly through the tall grass next to a wide river, brown and fast moving from fresh floods. The hot sun setting slowly overhead. Just as the sun begins to touch the horizon, the whole sky is brushed in a rich orange hue. You emerge from the grass to be greeted by your first sight of African lions in their natural habitat and a Serengeti sunset that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
This was the moment that began this project, inspiring the client to recreate that moment for their sport hunting trophy room in their home. The goal was to be able to recreate that experience as closely as possible, while also ensuring that every mount in the collection had the ideal amount and type of light directed at it.
Nature exhibits an infinite amount of unique color and light environments. From rich color in every hue and temperature, to light of all different intensities and quality. In order to deliver the client’s expectations, we needed a solution that can reflect the diverse lighting environments the client was looking to recreate.
Using a Ketra lighting system, controlled through a Lutron HomeWorks QS system, tied in seamlessly to an existing Lutron HomeWorks Illumination system, we were able to meet all of these challenges. Tying into the existing system meant that we could achieve these results in the space that the client was focused on without having to replace the whole system.
In that focused space, creating dynamic lighting environments was central to several elements of the design, and Ketra’s color temperature settings enabled us to be extremely flexible while still providing high quality light in all circumstances. Using a large track system consisting of 30 S30 lamps, each individually addressed, we were able to create the ideal lighting settings for each mount. Additionally, we designed the system so that it can be set to match the unique warm standard Edison-style bulbs in the main chandelier, it can be set to a “Natural” mode that replicates the outdoor conditions throughout the day, or it can simulate the exact color temperature progression of that unforgettable Serengeti sunset.
Control of the lighting environment and a smooth transition to the lighting systems in the rest of the home was also a priority. As a result, we installed 3 Lutron motorized shades in the space to account for ambient light, and 6 A20 lamps in an adjacent bar area to create a natural transition to the rest of the lighting system. This ensures that all of the lighting transitions, whether from the rest of the home to the trophy room or the trophy room to the outside, are continuous and smooth. The end result is an impressive and flexible display space with an added “wow factor” that is out of this hemisphere!

A transformation inspired by the owner’s love of modern architecture, art and color (and the adjacent sand, rock, water, and the northwest landscape), the Indianola House sought to bring the soul of a home to a colorless muted box. The original house was a drab 1990’s-era box with no personality or presence sited on a beautiful secluded bay, facing water and island views, northwest of the City of Seattle. The existing mono-colored stucco-clad exterior and pyramidal glass-block openings had led the neighborhood to dub the structure, unflatteringly, “The Miami Vice House”.
Rhodes Architecture’s Residential Architects careful use of natural light, rich, collaged finishes and ability to open the house to gardens, beach, and outdoor gathering was critical to the design. The house soon became “The Gallery”.
The original home’s grey stucco exterior made the house seem both large and featureless; the introduction of no-maintenance exterior materials that collage and complement each other was a goal of the homeowner and the Seattle Architects who teamed up for this residential design. The bloated scale of the house cried out for the establishment and definition of the parts of the structure, a breaking down of the home’s form and its apparent bland size.
Living, sleeping, and bathing areas that started as staid spaces were in need of opening to the natural environment with additions of large doors, folding glass walls and useable balconies were crucial to each space having a dialogue with the outdoors.
The owner’s extensive art collection was highlighted and became the focus of interior places, well-lit naturally and through a new lighting system. Energy use and sustainable systems were a key component of the design which used high-efficacy lighting, better cladding on a rain-screen system, high-efficiency doors and windows, new insulation and weather barriers, and which added a photovoltaic-generated electrical system. The contemporary design sought to integrate all of these systems, materials, and finishes into a seamless whole that lent interest and drama to a residence which was previously lusterless.
How radically this house was transformed is evident in the exteriors, gardens and the natural spaces the house now opens to, as well as the gallery-like interiors. This home is a stunning testament to what is possible “before-and-after” when remade by Rhodes Architecture + Light.
The clients are an older couple with long professional and political careers, a love of art and a clear desire to connect with the Northwest environment and enliven their daily lives with spaces full of color and natural light.
Rhodes Architecture + Light was hired in 2019 to add new exteriors and interiors, natural light, larger openings to beach and bay, seismic and foundation upgrades to the home, and to infuse life into the house through the re-use of existing space and varied materials, color, textures, and lighting. The only actual change to the exterior “shell” of the house was the introduction of a low “gull-wing” roof with wood soffits above the central atrium space, to add drama and bring natural light into the entry gallery space. Interior spaces, including bedrooms and bathrooms, were re-planned and opened to each other, to greater natural light, to roof decks, and to the incredible views and sea-side environment.
The Builder, Fairbank Construction Company of Bainbridge Island, Washington, met the challenge of the design, first completely deconstructing the finishes inside and out, then precisely interlocking new claddings, windows and doors, cabinetry, finishes and a new gull-wing central roof in a beautiful transformation. The construction was total, thorough, and very detailed, resulting a house that, far from seeming a “remodeling”, is far more present and fitting to the owner’s lives and the natural environment than the house we started with.

You are walking quietly through the tall grass next to a wide river, brown and fast moving from fresh floods. The hot sun setting slowly overhead. Just as the sun begins to touch the horizon, the whole sky is brushed in a rich orange hue. You emerge from the grass to be greeted by your first sight of African lions in their natural habitat and a Serengeti sunset that will stay with you for the rest of your life.
This was the moment that began this project, inspiring the client to recreate that moment for their sport hunting trophy room in their home. The goal was to be able to recreate that experience as closely as possible, while also ensuring that every mount in the collection had the ideal amount and type of light directed at it.
Nature exhibits an infinite amount of unique color and light environments. From rich color in every hue and temperature, to light of all different intensities and quality. In order to deliver the client’s expectations, we needed a solution that can reflect the diverse lighting environments the client was looking to recreate.
Using a Ketra lighting system, controlled through a Lutron HomeWorks QS system, tied in seamlessly to an existing Lutron HomeWorks Illumination system, we were able to meet all of these challenges. Tying into the existing system meant that we could achieve these results in the space that the client was focused on without having to replace the whole system.
In that focused space, creating dynamic lighting environments was central to several elements of the design, and Ketra’s color temperature settings enabled us to be extremely flexible while still providing high quality light in all circumstances. Using a large track system consisting of 30 S30 lamps, each individually addressed, we were able to create the ideal lighting settings for each mount. Additionally, we designed the system so that it can be set to match the unique warm standard Edison-style bulbs in the main chandelier, it can be set to a “Natural” mode that replicates the outdoor conditions throughout the day, or it can simulate the exact color temperature progression of that unforgettable Serengeti sunset.
Control of the lighting environment and a smooth transition to the lighting systems in the rest of the home was also a priority. As a result, we installed 3 Lutron motorized shades in the space to account for ambient light, and 6 A20 lamps in an adjacent bar area to create a natural transition to the rest of the lighting system. This ensures that all of the lighting transitions, whether from the rest of the home to the trophy room or the trophy room to the outside, are continuous and smooth. The end result is an impressive and flexible display space with an added “wow factor” that is out of this hemisphere!

A transformation inspired by the owner’s love of modern architecture, art and color (and the adjacent sand, rock, water, and the northwest landscape), the Indianola House sought to bring the soul of a home to a colorless muted box. The original house was a drab 1990’s-era box with no personality or presence sited on a beautiful secluded bay, facing water and island views, northwest of the City of Seattle. The existing mono-colored stucco-clad exterior and pyramidal glass-block openings had led the neighborhood to dub the structure, unflatteringly, “The Miami Vice House”.
Rhodes Architecture’s Residential Architects careful use of natural light, rich, collaged finishes and ability to open the house to gardens, beach, and outdoor gathering was critical to the design. The house soon became “The Gallery”.
The original home’s grey stucco exterior made the house seem both large and featureless; the introduction of no-maintenance exterior materials that collage and complement each other was a goal of the homeowner and the Seattle Architects who teamed up for this residential design. The bloated scale of the house cried out for the establishment and definition of the parts of the structure, a breaking down of the home’s form and its apparent bland size.
Living, sleeping, and bathing areas that started as staid spaces were in need of opening to the natural environment with additions of large doors, folding glass walls and useable balconies were crucial to each space having a dialogue with the outdoors.
The owner’s extensive art collection was highlighted and became the focus of interior places, well-lit naturally and through a new lighting system. Energy use and sustainable systems were a key component of the design which used high-efficacy lighting, better cladding on a rain-screen system, high-efficiency doors and windows, new insulation and weather barriers, and which added a photovoltaic-generated electrical system. The contemporary design sought to integrate all of these systems, materials, and finishes into a seamless whole that lent interest and drama to a residence which was previously lusterless.
How radically this house was transformed is evident in the exteriors, gardens and the natural spaces the house now opens to, as well as the gallery-like interiors. This home is a stunning testament to what is possible “before-and-after” when remade by Rhodes Architecture + Light.
The clients are an older couple with long professional and political careers, a love of art and a clear desire to connect with the Northwest environment and enliven their daily lives with spaces full of color and natural light.
Rhodes Architecture + Light was hired in 2019 to add new exteriors and interiors, natural light, larger openings to beach and bay, seismic and foundation upgrades to the home, and to infuse life into the house through the re-use of existing space and varied materials, color, textures, and lighting. The only actual change to the exterior “shell” of the house was the introduction of a low “gull-wing” roof with wood soffits above the central atrium space, to add drama and bring natural light into the entry gallery space. Interior spaces, including bedrooms and bathrooms, were re-planned and opened to each other, to greater natural light, to roof decks, and to the incredible views and sea-side environment.
The Builder, Fairbank Construction Company of Bainbridge Island, Washington, met the challenge of the design, first completely deconstructing the finishes inside and out, then precisely interlocking new claddings, windows and doors, cabinetry, finishes and a new gull-wing central roof in a beautiful transformation. The construction was total, thorough, and very detailed, resulting a house that, far from seeming a “remodeling”, is far more present and fitting to the owner’s lives and the natural environment than the house we started with.

Photo of a mid-sized asian drought-tolerant and partial sun side yard stone garden path in San Francisco.

Florida-friendly renovation, removing turf and installing low maintenance, color year round plants. Teresa Watkins
Design ideas for a small tropical drought-tolerant and full sun front yard mulch landscaping in Orlando for fall.
Design ideas for a small tropical drought-tolerant and full sun front yard mulch landscaping in Orlando for fall.

The first step to creating your outdoor paradise is to get your dreams on paper. Let Creative Environments professional landscape designers listen to your needs, visions, and experiences to convert them to a visually stunning landscape design! Our ability to produce architectural drawings, colorful presentations, 3D visuals, and construction– build documents will assure your project comes out the way you want it! And with 60 years of design– build experience, several landscape designers on staff, and a full CAD/3D studio at our disposal, you will get a level of professionalism unmatched by other firms.

Patio kitchen - large contemporary backyard stamped concrete patio kitchen idea in Dallas with a pergola

Large trendy backyard stone patio kitchen photo in Orange County with a roof extension
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