This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Covered Front Porch Sam Oberter Photography
Large ornate front porch idea in New York with decking and a roof extension

The design of this home was driven by the owners’ desire for a three-bedroom waterfront home that showcased the spectacular views and park-like setting. As nature lovers, they wanted their home to be organic, minimize any environmental impact on the sensitive site and embrace nature. This unique home is sited on a high ridge with a 45° slope to the water on the right and a deep ravine on the left. The five-acre site is completely wooded and tree preservation was a major emphasis. Very few trees were removed and special care was taken to protect the trees and environment throughout the project. To further minimize disturbance, grades were not changed and the home was designed to take full advantage of the site’s natural topography. Oak from the home site was re-purposed for the mantle, powder room counter and select furniture. The visually powerful twin pavilions were born from the need for level ground and parking on an otherwise challenging site. Fill dirt excavated from the main home provided the foundation. All structures are anchored with a natural stone base and exterior materials include timber framing, fir ceilings, shingle siding, a partial metal roof and corten steel walls. Stone, wood, metal and glass transition the exterior to the interior and large wood windows flood the home with light and showcase the setting. Interior finishes include reclaimed heart pine floors, Douglas fir trim, dry-stacked stone, rustic cherry cabinets and soapstone counters. Exterior spaces include a timber-framed porch, stone patio with fire pit and commanding views of the Occoquan reservoir. A second porch overlooks the ravine and a breezeway connects the garage to the home. Numerous energy-saving features have been incorporated, including LED lighting, on-demand gas water heating and special insulation. Smart technology helps manage and control the entire house. Greg Hadley Photography

"WHITE CANDLES CHANDELIER" The graceful chandelier is designed with fused glass pendants, hand crafted in a beautiful wavy texture of glass, in a milk glass color. The chandelier can be designed in any size and length or color. We advise our customers about the right size for the space size and ceiling height. The dimensions of each pendant is: 15.7L" x 3W" x 3D". To receive our catalog by email, contact Sales@GalileeLighting.com or call 305-807-8711 We deliver worldwide. We invite you to visit our modern lighting Miami Design District showroom, to view the real beauty of our work, in person. visit www.Galileelighting.com

5,411 SF two story home in the Encino Hills overlooking Los Angeles. This home features an attached two-car garage, 4 Bedrooms, 5 1/2 Baths, 2 Offices, Foyer, Gallery, Gym, Great Room, Den, Dining, Kitchen, Morning Room, Mud Room, Laundry, Loggia, Jacuzzi, and a pool with a gorgeous view overlooking Los Angeles. Walls of glass, natural stone surfaces featuring Porcelanosa tile, high ceilings, and sweeping vistas fuse the home's indoor and outdoor environments. The outdoor space features a fire pit, Jacuzzi, and swimming pool; the extensive use of windows not only brings the view inside but maximizes the use of natural light. Photovoltaic panels supply power to the home and pool and dramatically reduce energy consumption year round. Tankless water heaters, bamboo cabinetry and flooring, and tight high quality insulation further reduce the environmental footprint of the home and make it more sustainable...this home is also featured in FIND BLISS and LUXE Magazine. Eco Friendly and Green Home. Photo by: Latham Architectural

Bedroom, white bedding, grey carpet, white headboard, grey wall, ceiling fan, clean lines, coffered ceiling, colorful artwork, colorful wall art, dark wood bedframe, dark wood nightstand, glass door, master bedroom, padded headboard, pop of color, table lamp, task lamp, white coffered ceiling, white molding with grey inserts, white trim, Peter Rymwid, Architechtural Photography

design by d. schmunk ids; general contractor, High Street Design, Simsbury, CT; cabinets supplied by CT Ktichen and Bath Studio, Avon, CT; photo by e. barry of rehabitat

The architect’s plans had a single island with large windows on both main walls. The one window overlooked the unattractive side of a neighbor’s house while the other was not large enough to see the beautiful large back yard. The kitchen entry location made the mudroom extremely small and left only a few design options for the kitchen layout. The almost 14’ high ceilings also gave lots of opportunities for a unique design, but care had to be taken to still make the space feel warm and cozy. After drawing four design options, one was chosen that relocated the entry from the mudroom, making the mudroom a lot more accessible. A prep island across from the range and an entertaining island were included. The entertaining island included a beverage refrigerator for guests to congregate around and to help them stay out of the kitchen work areas. The small island appeared to be floating on legs and incorporates a sink and single dishwasher drawer for easy clean up of pots and pans.

Inspiration for a timeless l-shaped kitchen remodel in Tampa with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, wood countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances

The new kitchen has 12'-0" high ceilings with painted boarding. Backsplash tile is glazed brick. The island butcher block was discovered in a Michigan antique store. Floors are hand-scraped hickory. Photo by Lee Manning Photography

A master bathroom to spend time in. The room includes a freestanding tub that is beautiful to look at and a television you can watch from the shower. Matching his and her vanities, dual shower heads, high ceilings, transom windows and enormous closet spaces complete this master bathroom.

Inside, the building is zoned into living and sleeping wings. The living room, kitchen, and dining spaces comprise the main area with high wood ceilings. Strategic skylights bring in patterned natural light from above to balance the south and north light. The bedroom wing is situated to be separate from the main space, and has two bedrooms plus the ‘bunk room’, which the three kids share. It has three double bunks and one loft, sleeping seven. Each of the bunks has its own small window and reading light. Photo by Paul Dyer

arched doors, arched windows, bridge, catwalk, double ceiling fan, exposed wood beams, cathedral ceiling, french doors, iron railings, open hall,
Inspiration for a southwestern loft-style dark wood floor living room remodel in Austin with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a plaster fireplace and a tv stand

Photography by Michael J. Lee
Inspiration for a large transitional open concept and formal dark wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in Boston with white walls, a stone fireplace, a ribbon fireplace and no tv

The 800 square-foot guest cottage is located on the footprint of a slightly smaller original cottage that was built three generations ago. With a failing structural system, the existing cottage had a very low sloping roof, did not provide for a lot of natural light and was not energy efficient. Utilizing high performing windows, doors and insulation, a total transformation of the structure occurred. A combination of clapboard and shingle siding, with standout touches of modern elegance, welcomes guests to their cozy retreat. The cottage consists of the main living area, a small galley style kitchen, master bedroom, bathroom and sleeping loft above. The loft construction was a timber frame system utilizing recycled timbers from the Balsams Resort in northern New Hampshire. The stones for the front steps and hearth of the fireplace came from the existing cottage’s granite chimney. Stylistically, the design is a mix of both a “Cottage” style of architecture with some clean and simple “Tech” style features, such as the air-craft cable and metal railing system. The color red was used as a highlight feature, accentuated on the shed dormer window exterior frames, the vintage looking range, the sliding doors and other interior elements. Photographer: John Hession

A masterpiece of light and design, this gorgeous Beverly Hills contemporary is filled with incredible moments, offering the perfect balance of intimate corners and open spaces. A large driveway with space for ten cars is complete with a contemporary fountain wall that beckons guests inside. An amazing pivot door opens to an airy foyer and light-filled corridor with sliding walls of glass and high ceilings enhancing the space and scale of every room. An elegant study features a tranquil outdoor garden and faces an open living area with fireplace. A formal dining room spills into the incredible gourmet Italian kitchen with butler’s pantry—complete with Miele appliances, eat-in island and Carrara marble countertops—and an additional open living area is roomy and bright. Two well-appointed powder rooms on either end of the main floor offer luxury and convenience. Surrounded by large windows and skylights, the stairway to the second floor overlooks incredible views of the home and its natural surroundings. A gallery space awaits an owner’s art collection at the top of the landing and an elevator, accessible from every floor in the home, opens just outside the master suite. Three en-suite guest rooms are spacious and bright, all featuring walk-in closets, gorgeous bathrooms and balconies that open to exquisite canyon views. A striking master suite features a sitting area, fireplace, stunning walk-in closet with cedar wood shelving, and marble bathroom with stand-alone tub. A spacious balcony extends the entire length of the room and floor-to-ceiling windows create a feeling of openness and connection to nature. A large grassy area accessible from the second level is ideal for relaxing and entertaining with family and friends, and features a fire pit with ample lounge seating and tall hedges for privacy and seclusion. Downstairs, an infinity pool with deck and canyon views feels like a natural extension of the home, seamlessly integrated with the indoor living areas through sliding pocket doors. Amenities and features including a glassed-in wine room and tasting area, additional en-suite bedroom ideal for staff quarters, designer fixtures and appliances and ample parking complete this superb hillside retreat.

This home was featured in the May 2016 edition of HOME & DESIGN Magazine. To see the rest of the home tour as well as other luxury homes featured, visit http://www.homeanddesign.net/organic-contemporary/

Example of a transitional master beige tile bathroom design in Phoenix with a vessel sink, distressed cabinets, gray walls and flat-panel cabinets

Clients' first home and there forever home with a family of four and in laws close, this home needed to be able to grow with the family. This most recent growth included a few home additions including the kids bathrooms (on suite) added on to the East end, the two original bathrooms were converted into one larger hall bath, the kitchen wall was blown out, entrying into a complete 22'x22' great room addition with a mudroom and half bath leading to the garage and the final addition a third car garage. This space is transitional and classic to last the test of time.