Inspiration for a large transitional formal and open concept light wood floor and beige floor living room remodel in Salt Lake City with beige walls and no tv

©Amy Braswell
Example of an eclectic single-wall dark wood floor wet bar design in Chicago with open cabinets, black cabinets, blue backsplash and black countertops

Tricia Shay Photography
Large trendy loft-style carpeted and gray floor bedroom photo in Milwaukee with blue walls and no fireplace

All black bathroom design with elongated hex tile.
Mid-sized urban 3/4 gray tile and subway tile cement tile floor and black floor bathroom photo in New York with a one-piece toilet, black cabinets, black walls, an integrated sink, white countertops, recessed-panel cabinets and solid surface countertops

Inspiration for a scandinavian single-wall medium tone wood floor and brown floor kitchen remodel in New York with flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances, no island and white countertops

Photographer: Anne Mathias
Example of an urban formal and open concept plywood floor living room design in St Louis with gray walls and a wall-mounted tv

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

Photographer: Dror Baldinger http://www.houzz.com/pro/drorbaldinger/dror-baldinger-aia-architectural-photography Designer: Jim Gewinner http://energyarch.com/ April/May 2015 A Glass House in the Hill Country http://urbanhomemagazine.com/feature/1349

Asier Rua
Example of a mid-sized eclectic formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room design in Bilbao with white walls, no fireplace and a media wall

Large mountain style built-in desk brown floor and medium tone wood floor study room photo in Denver with white walls

Example of a large urban open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room design in Philadelphia with white walls and no fireplace

Photos by Julia Robbs for Homepolish
Urban open concept concrete floor and gray floor family room photo in Other with white walls and a wall-mounted tv

Example of a mountain style open concept light wood floor living room design in Other with white walls and a tv stand

Large minimalist master cement tile dark wood floor bathroom photo in New York with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, an integrated sink and solid surface countertops

When full-time Massachusetts residents contemplate building a second home in Telluride, Colorado the question immediately arises; does it make most sense to hire a regionally based Rocky Mountain architect or a sea level architect conveniently located for all of the rigorous collaboration required for successful bespoke home design. Determined to prove the latter true, Siemasko + Verbridge accompanied the potential client as they scoured the undulating Telluride landscape in search of the perfect house site. The selected site’s harmonious balance of untouched meadow rising up to meet the edge of an aspen grove and the opposing 180 degree view of Wilson’s Range spoke to everyone. A plateau just beyond a fork in the meadow provided a natural flatland, requiring little excavation and yet the right amount of upland slope to capture the views. The intrinsic character of the site was only enriched by an elk trail and snake-rail fence. Establishing the expanse of Wilson’s range would be best served by rejecting the notion of selected views, the central sweeping curve of the roof inverts a small saddle in the range with which it is perfectly aligned. The soaring wave of custom windows and the open floor plan make the relatively modest house feel sizable despite its footprint of just under 2,000 square feet. Officially a two bedroom home, the bunk room and loft allow the home to comfortably sleep ten, encouraging large gatherings of family and friends. The home is completely off the grid in response to the unique and fragile qualities of the landscape. Great care was taken to respect the regions vernacular through the use of mostly native materials and a palette derived from the terrain found at 9,820 feet above sea level. Photographer: Gibeon Photography

Inspiration for a contemporary loft-style medium tone wood floor family room remodel in Other with white walls

Example of a mid-sized trendy open concept light wood floor living room library design in San Francisco with white walls and no fireplace

Inspiration for a small industrial l-shaped dark wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and no island

Open space loft kitchen.
Example of a small urban kitchen design in Toronto