Search results for "Excellent return" in Home Design Ideas

Our homeowners purchased this home for its excellent location and great bones. They were desirous of returning it to the era of it’s time while updating and modernizing it with the elegance it deserved. To add to our challenges, they were living out of the country during our design and renovation, making for great communications utilizing modern technology to ensure we could deliver what they hoped to achieve. We opened some space in the kitchen to create an updated and more functional kitchen for this active family, relocating appliances for efficiency, adding an island and relocating a chimney. We had structural challenges with the sagging hardwood floors, which required us to reframe floor systems, and while we were at it, we antique finished the hardwoods reminiscent of the 1940’s. We added wainscoting in the dining room and entry stair hallway to enhance the old-world look and added some arched openings to match other areas of the home. We also added custom moldings to the fireplace wall to allow it to shine as a focal point in the space, utilizing restored antique light fixtures. The finished result is stunning and truly honors the integrity of the original time period of this home.

Situated on the north shore of Birch Point this high-performance beach home enjoys a view across Boundary Bay to White Rock, BC and the BC Coastal Range beyond. Designed for indoor, outdoor living the many decks, patios, porches, outdoor fireplace, and firepit welcome friends and family to gather outside regardless of the weather.
From a high-performance perspective this home was built to and certified by the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home program and the EnergyStar program. In fact, an independent testing/rating agency was able to show that the home will only use 53% of the energy of a typical new home, all while being more comfortable and healthier. As with all high-performance homes we find a sweet spot that returns an excellent, comfortable, healthy home to the owners, while also producing a building that minimizes its environmental footprint.
Design by JWR Design
Photography by Radley Muller Photography
Interior Design by Markie Nelson Interior Design

Our homeowners purchased this home for its excellent location and great bones. They were desirous of returning it to the era of it’s time while updating and modernizing it with the elegance it deserved. To add to our challenges, they were living out of the country during our design and renovation, making for great communications utilizing modern technology to ensure we could deliver what they hoped to achieve. We opened some space in the kitchen to create an updated and more functional kitchen for this active family, relocating appliances for efficiency, adding an island and relocating a chimney. We had structural challenges with the sagging hardwood floors, which required us to reframe floor systems, and while we were at it, we antique finished the hardwoods reminiscent of the 1940’s. We added wainscoting in the dining room and entry stair hallway to enhance the old-world look and added some arched openings to match other areas of the home. We also added custom moldings to the fireplace wall to allow it to shine as a focal point in the space, utilizing restored antique light fixtures. The finished result is stunning and truly honors the integrity of the original time period of this home.
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This Seattle couple was wanting to transform their small city parcel into a useable, kid safe garden. Terrain worked with the designers to install a low maintenance yard that provides year round color and interest. A small pottery water feature highlights a bluestone dining area that is bordered by two beautifully pruned fruit trees. The entire yard now has a stunning cohesive look and feel that continues to give an excellent return on investment.
Design by Shapiro Ryan Design

Koi ponds possess a unique beauty and can provide entertainment for the entire family. With a notoriously long life span, and a reputation for being personable fish, Koi make the ideal family pet. The mild climates of San Diego, Orange County and Riverside County are ideal for koi, goldfish or any sturdy freshwater fish that can withstand the fluctuating water temperatures of an outdoor pond. As with any live animals, Koi do require some maintenance, so for the busy homeowner water garden ponds are an excellent alternative.

Our homeowners purchased this home for its excellent location and great bones. They were desirous of returning it to the era of it’s time while updating and modernizing it with the elegance it deserved. To add to our challenges, they were living out of the country during our design and renovation, making for great communications utilizing modern technology to ensure we could deliver what they hoped to achieve. We opened some space in the kitchen to create an updated and more functional kitchen for this active family, relocating appliances for efficiency, adding an island and relocating a chimney. We had structural challenges with the sagging hardwood floors, which required us to reframe floor systems, and while we were at it, we antique finished the hardwoods reminiscent of the 1940’s. We added wainscoting in the dining room and entry stair hallway to enhance the old-world look and added some arched openings to match other areas of the home. We also added custom moldings to the fireplace wall to allow it to shine as a focal point in the space, utilizing restored antique light fixtures. The finished result is stunning and truly honors the integrity of the original time period of this home.

2013 NW Idea House for Zetterberg Custom Homes. Concrete hearth and mantle. The pieces are seamless, slightly staggered and return on the end. Photos by Patrick Hagerty

Situated on the north shore of Birch Point this high-performance beach home enjoys a view across Boundary Bay to White Rock, BC and the BC Coastal Range beyond. Designed for indoor, outdoor living the many decks, patios, porches, outdoor fireplace, and firepit welcome friends and family to gather outside regardless of the weather.
From a high-performance perspective this home was built to and certified by the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home program and the EnergyStar program. In fact, an independent testing/rating agency was able to show that the home will only use 53% of the energy of a typical new home, all while being more comfortable and healthier. As with all high-performance homes we find a sweet spot that returns an excellent, comfortable, healthy home to the owners, while also producing a building that minimizes its environmental footprint.
Design by JWR Design
Photography by Radley Muller Photography
Interior Design by Markie Nelson Interior Design

Situated on the north shore of Birch Point this high-performance beach home enjoys a view across Boundary Bay to White Rock, BC and the BC Coastal Range beyond. Designed for indoor, outdoor living the many decks, patios, porches, outdoor fireplace, and firepit welcome friends and family to gather outside regardless of the weather.
From a high-performance perspective this home was built to and certified by the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home program and the EnergyStar program. In fact, an independent testing/rating agency was able to show that the home will only use 53% of the energy of a typical new home, all while being more comfortable and healthier. As with all high-performance homes we find a sweet spot that returns an excellent, comfortable, healthy home to the owners, while also producing a building that minimizes its environmental footprint.
Design by JWR Design
Photography by Radley Muller Photography
Interior Design by Markie Nelson Interior Design

LEED Certification Level: Platinum.
Builder: R & S Engineering & Construction.
The Cavanaugh Residence is a contemporary split level with a split personality. Totally designed from the ground up to minimize impact and maximize energy and water efficiency, its beautiful facade belies its hard-working, high-producing systems, earning it a LEED Platinum score of 116.5, and a HERS rating of minus 22. The 2774 square foot home produces over 100 per cent of its power with a 10.8 kw pv system, and captures 100 per cent of its freshwater needs from the curved metal roofs through an engineered collection and purification system, stored in an integrated concrete cistern.
Constructed of locally made SIP panels on an infill waterfront lot, the home is oriented to maximize the production of the pv panels. Six inch SIP panels work together with a highly reflective, highly emmisive cool standing seam roof, icynene insulation in ceiling and floors, and carefully placed high efficiency windows and doors to create a tightly sealed environment. The 17-seer Trane heat pump variable speed compressors and TAM 7 air handlers, along with a whole house dehumidifier and fresh air intake provide a comfortable, clean indoor environment while using little energy. In the shoulder seasons, natural ventilation cools the home with fresh breezes drawn from lower windows in each room flowing through the curved ceilings to clerestory windows at the top of the house.
Natural daylighting, with windows placed in corners and high clerestories, bounce the abundant natural light so that the owners use the interior LED lighting primarily at night. Windows were sited to frame views of the neighboring park and water, and capture the light, but represent a very low percentage of glazing to wall to conserve energy.
Primarily native, xeriscaped turfless landscaping sips reclaimed water from its drip and bubbler irrigiation system, and requires little trimming or chemicals. Established trees, protected during construction, shade the home, FSC certified decks, and yard, providing a cool place to enjoy the outdoors at any time of the day, even in Florida's summer heat.
Rainwater is diverted from the bay through the engineered collection and filtration system to an integrated concrete cistern hidden beneath the decks. Abundant Florida rainwater supplies 100 per cent of the home's needs, including drinking, bathing, and cleaning. Naturally soft, the highly filtered and UV purified water requires no chemical treatment or water softener. Coupled with minimal hardscape and permeable drive and walkways, almost all ground water remains on the lot, and out of storm sewers and bay runoffs.
Designed as a forever home for this active retired couple, an open floor plan provides diagonal interior views along with great circulation space. Wide hallways and doors, curbless showers, an elevator, and extra blocking in the walls for grab rails insures the couple of being able to use their home even if physical disabilities arise.
The home's footprint is minimized by building over the conditioned crawlspace and over-sized garage, and the finished floor height, at least two feet above flood code requirements, significantly reduces insurance costs while maximizing storage space for camping and water sports equipment.
Materials, fixtures and appliances were carefully selected for energy and water efficiency, local production where possible, recycled content/recyclability, durability, and cost-effectiveness. The owners were very involved in vetting and materials selections, and assisted in just-in-time purchasing to minimize waste. Scrap materials were sorted daily for re-use elsewhere in the project (blocking, concrete forms, drywall scraps as acoustical insulation in interior walls, etc.), resulting in a tiny waste pile at the end of a dumpster-free project. Concrete waste was hauled to a local recycler to become road base, and extra useable materials were returned to the vendor or donated to Habitat Restore.
Cost-effective choices, and careful planning, saved significant dollars in construction cost as well as landfill space.
One of the biggest challenges was finding qualified subcontractors who would work within the guidelines. With the help of our LEED consultant and meetings and explanations, most subcontractors not only bought into the ideas readily, but offered up new ideas. Highly skilled and professional, the team of subs, LEED consultant, and contractor proved that LEED construction is excellent construction.
The team, the owners, and I also found that LEED construction makes great economic sense. Most materials (other than increased insulation and photovoltaic panels) cost no more, and sometimes less, than those employed in construction of a lesser standard. The owners have been living in the home for a year now, and are thrilled with the results. No power bill. No water bill. Extremely low insurance bill. Minimal ground maintenance. No fabric softener. Reduced use of soap, detergents, and shampoos and cleaning supplies. Less time cleaning with spot-free rainwater. Careful planning and materials selection brought the project in under budget, and the home operates at an extremely low cost, both to the homeowners, and the environment. Who wouldn't be thrilled?

Our homeowners purchased this home for its excellent location and great bones. They were desirous of returning it to the era of it’s time while updating and modernizing it with the elegance it deserved. To add to our challenges, they were living out of the country during our design and renovation, making for great communications utilizing modern technology to ensure we could deliver what they hoped to achieve. We opened some space in the kitchen to create an updated and more functional kitchen for this active family, relocating appliances for efficiency, adding an island and relocating a chimney. We had structural challenges with the sagging hardwood floors, which required us to reframe floor systems, and while we were at it, we antique finished the hardwoods reminiscent of the 1940’s. We added wainscoting in the dining room and entry stair hallway to enhance the old-world look and added some arched openings to match other areas of the home. We also added custom moldings to the fireplace wall to allow it to shine as a focal point in the space, utilizing restored antique light fixtures. The finished result is stunning and truly honors the integrity of the original time period of this home.

The DRT2000 Series offers excellent value without compromising on quality or design. These fireplaces offer an array of standard features, increased performance and state of the art technology to ensure many years of beauty and warmth.
Features
Available in 33”, 35”, 40” and 45” radiant smooth faced models
Dedicated top or rear flue configuration (45” model is a combo top/rear)
Millivolt (Remote-ready) or electronic ignition with battery backup
Operates in the event of a power outage
Random, dancing yellow flames
Up to 65.5% AFUE
Standard tempered glass
Fireplace includes standard barrier that meets 2015 requirements
Detailed ceramic fiber “aged oak” log set
Black painted interior
Durable textured powder coat finish
Optional blower and remote controls available for all models
20 year limited warranty
This fireplace meets all 2015 ANSI barrier requirements.

This Seattle couple was wanting to transform their small city parcel into a useable, kid safe garden. Terrain worked with the designers to install a low maintenance yard that provides year round color and interest. A small pottery water feature highlights a bluestone dining area that is bordered by two beautifully pruned fruit trees. The entire yard now has a stunning cohesive look and feel that continues to give an excellent return on investment.
Design by Shapiro Ryan Design

Situated on the north shore of Birch Point this high-performance beach home enjoys a view across Boundary Bay to White Rock, BC and the BC Coastal Range beyond. Designed for indoor, outdoor living the many decks, patios, porches, outdoor fireplace, and firepit welcome friends and family to gather outside regardless of the weather.
From a high-performance perspective this home was built to and certified by the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home program and the EnergyStar program. In fact, an independent testing/rating agency was able to show that the home will only use 53% of the energy of a typical new home, all while being more comfortable and healthier. As with all high-performance homes we find a sweet spot that returns an excellent, comfortable, healthy home to the owners, while also producing a building that minimizes its environmental footprint.
Design by JWR Design
Photography by Radley Muller Photography
Interior Design by Markie Nelson Interior Design

Situated on the north shore of Birch Point this high-performance beach home enjoys a view across Boundary Bay to White Rock, BC and the BC Coastal Range beyond. Designed for indoor, outdoor living the many decks, patios, porches, outdoor fireplace, and firepit welcome friends and family to gather outside regardless of the weather.
From a high-performance perspective this home was built to and certified by the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home program and the EnergyStar program. In fact, an independent testing/rating agency was able to show that the home will only use 53% of the energy of a typical new home, all while being more comfortable and healthier. As with all high-performance homes we find a sweet spot that returns an excellent, comfortable, healthy home to the owners, while also producing a building that minimizes its environmental footprint.
Design by JWR Design
Photography by Radley Muller Photography
Interior Design by Markie Nelson Interior Design

To fully enjoy the winter holidays, with all the snow and cold, was the basis for our client’s decision to maintain their Chicago home when they were transferred to the warm and sunny west coast. A trusted caretaker was put in place to oversee and maintain their property; however, even excellent planning sometimes runs off-track.
In the midst of winter the caretaker left on a well-planned vacation. The homeowner’s were apprised of dates and, without a worry, everyone went on about their daily routines. That is, until the caretaker returned and found the home in such utter devastation, he could not believe what had happened in such a short amount of time.
The ill-timed vacation, planned during what became an extremely cold timeframe, was the home’s undoing. With the heat in the home turned slightly lower, to accommodate the emptiness, paired with the below zero temperatures, the hot water pipe in the main floor Sunroom froze and burst. The gushing, steaming water, unchecked, moved in so many directions, it is difficult to comprehend.
As the water soaked through the Sunroom flooring to the walk-out Lower Level Area below, ice blocks were freezing before the water reached the ground; Ice blocks so thick only time and warmer temperatures were able to thaw. Since the heating systems were unaffected, the heat, paired with the steaming moisture, raised the humidity levels in the entire home; what wasn’t wet ultimately became mold covered.
The humidity in the home was raised to such a level that window and door seals were compromised and condensation clouded most of the interior glass panes. The Kitchen wood flooring, saturated with water, buckled, causing the cabinets to lift and the granite to crack.
The ceiling in the lower level Bar Area fell as the water flooded both the Bar and the adjoining Billiards Room, wreaking havoc on cabinetry, carpet, artwork, etc.
After the insurance estimation determined the home was salvageable, the design phase began in earnest headed by LaMantia’s James Campbell, CKD and aided by Katie Suva, CKD, CBD as the guides. After a very long march towards recovery, the home is now back to the pristine beauty it once was.

Situated on the north shore of Birch Point this high-performance beach home enjoys a view across Boundary Bay to White Rock, BC and the BC Coastal Range beyond. Designed for indoor, outdoor living the many decks, patios, porches, outdoor fireplace, and firepit welcome friends and family to gather outside regardless of the weather.
From a high-performance perspective this home was built to and certified by the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home program and the EnergyStar program. In fact, an independent testing/rating agency was able to show that the home will only use 53% of the energy of a typical new home, all while being more comfortable and healthier. As with all high-performance homes we find a sweet spot that returns an excellent, comfortable, healthy home to the owners, while also producing a building that minimizes its environmental footprint.
Design by JWR Design
Photography by Radley Muller Photography
Interior Design by Markie Nelson Interior Design

Orange County, CA - Custom garage doors can improve your home's curb appeal a great deal and when the right design is selected it can mean a generous return on investment as the value of your home increases. This newly renovated luxury home in Laguna Niguel, CA got a fabulous exterior renovation which included new landscaping, hardscaping and custom wood garage doors by Dynamic Garage Door.
The custom garage doors were beautifully handcrafted in solid African mahogany with gorgeous features such as top raised panels and bottom pyramid panels hand carved out of solid mahogany wood. Staining the garage doors dark made a fabulous color contrast with the home's light, earthy colors. Since the garage door accounted for a large portion of the home's overall curb appeal the client selected a variation from one of our previous garage door designs. The elegant raised panel design of the garage doors beautifully enhanced the home's architectural style.
Driving home to these gorgeous garage doors is a pleasure for the client and the curb appeal value it gave the home is enormous. At Dynamic Garage Door we make sure that every door we design and build for our clients is exquisitely finished to the minutest of details to ensure proper proportions, excellent wood finishing and world-class quality that will make your garage doors last a lifetime.
Check out the rest of this Mediterranean style garage door project for more details. If you have any design or pricing questions please contact our garage door design center in California at (855) 343-3667

LEED Certification Level: Platinum.
Builder: R & S Engineering & Construction.
The Cavanaugh Residence is a contemporary split level with a split personality. Totally designed from the ground up to minimize impact and maximize energy and water efficiency, its beautiful facade belies its hard-working, high-producing systems, earning it a LEED Platinum score of 116.5, and a HERS rating of minus 22. The 2774 square foot home produces over 100 per cent of its power with a 10.8 kw pv system, and captures 100 per cent of its freshwater needs from the curved metal roofs through an engineered collection and purification system, stored in an integrated concrete cistern.
Constructed of locally made SIP panels on an infill waterfront lot, the home is oriented to maximize the production of the pv panels. Six inch SIP panels work together with a highly reflective, highly emmisive cool standing seam roof, icynene insulation in ceiling and floors, and carefully placed high efficiency windows and doors to create a tightly sealed environment. The 17-seer Trane heat pump variable speed compressors and TAM 7 air handlers, along with a whole house dehumidifier and fresh air intake provide a comfortable, clean indoor environment while using little energy. In the shoulder seasons, natural ventilation cools the home with fresh breezes drawn from lower windows in each room flowing through the curved ceilings to clerestory windows at the top of the house.
Natural daylighting, with windows placed in corners and high clerestories, bounce the abundant natural light so that the owners use the interior LED lighting primarily at night. Windows were sited to frame views of the neighboring park and water, and capture the light, but represent a very low percentage of glazing to wall to conserve energy.
Primarily native, xeriscaped turfless landscaping sips reclaimed water from its drip and bubbler irrigiation system, and requires little trimming or chemicals. Established trees, protected during construction, shade the home, FSC certified decks, and yard, providing a cool place to enjoy the outdoors at any time of the day, even in Florida's summer heat.
Rainwater is diverted from the bay through the engineered collection and filtration system to an integrated concrete cistern hidden beneath the decks. Abundant Florida rainwater supplies 100 per cent of the home's needs, including drinking, bathing, and cleaning. Naturally soft, the highly filtered and UV purified water requires no chemical treatment or water softener. Coupled with minimal hardscape and permeable drive and walkways, almost all ground water remains on the lot, and out of storm sewers and bay runoffs.
Designed as a forever home for this active retired couple, an open floor plan provides diagonal interior views along with great circulation space. Wide hallways and doors, curbless showers, an elevator, and extra blocking in the walls for grab rails insures the couple of being able to use their home even if physical disabilities arise.
The home's footprint is minimized by building over the conditioned crawlspace and over-sized garage, and the finished floor height, at least two feet above flood code requirements, significantly reduces insurance costs while maximizing storage space for camping and water sports equipment.
Materials, fixtures and appliances were carefully selected for energy and water efficiency, local production where possible, recycled content/recyclability, durability, and cost-effectiveness. The owners were very involved in vetting and materials selections, and assisted in just-in-time purchasing to minimize waste. Scrap materials were sorted daily for re-use elsewhere in the project (blocking, concrete forms, drywall scraps as acoustical insulation in interior walls, etc.), resulting in a tiny waste pile at the end of a dumpster-free project. Concrete waste was hauled to a local recycler to become road base, and extra useable materials were returned to the vendor or donated to Habitat Restore.
Cost-effective choices, and careful planning, saved significant dollars in construction cost as well as landfill space.
One of the biggest challenges was finding qualified subcontractors who would work within the guidelines. With the help of our LEED consultant and meetings and explanations, most subcontractors not only bought into the ideas readily, but offered up new ideas. Highly skilled and professional, the team of subs, LEED consultant, and contractor proved that LEED construction is excellent construction.
The team, the owners, and I also found that LEED construction makes great economic sense. Most materials (other than increased insulation and photovoltaic panels) cost no more, and sometimes less, than those employed in construction of a lesser standard. The owners have been living in the home for a year now, and are thrilled with the results. No power bill. No water bill. Extremely low insurance bill. Minimal ground maintenance. No fabric softener. Reduced use of soap, detergents, and shampoos and cleaning supplies. Less time cleaning with spot-free rainwater. Careful planning and materials selection brought the project in under budget, and the home operates at an extremely low cost, both to the homeowners, and the environment. Who wouldn't be thrilled?
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