This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Transitional bedroom photo in Seattle

The age in place master bathroom includes room for a wheelchair to turn around and a roll-in shower with grab bars.
Cottage bathroom photo in DC Metro

Living room - large coastal open concept living room idea in Miami

Andrea Pietrangeli http://andrea.media/
Inspiration for a small coastal open concept light wood floor and beige floor living room remodel in Providence with beige walls

Our Green Goods design and build team transformed this once, very outdated bathroom into a spa retreat intended for all ages and needs. The client was very specific about requiring amentities that will allow her to "Age in Place" and yet, retain beauty by bringing the outside indoors. This home is surrounded by a Coast Oak woodland and the branches and cupped green leaves of these gorgeous evergreen trees grace the window panes which surround the sunken, soaking tub. The custom cabinetry was built in-house at Green Goods and special concern was taken to ensure that the height of the lower cabinets suited the needs of a wheelchair, if ever necessary. Doors were widened and the shower was rebuilt as curbless. The placement of the grab bars was meticulously calculated by requesting that the client stand within the shower and then test what was the most ergonomic for her height and reach. The decorative ceramic tile in the shower is handmade by Arto Tile and Stone (Arabesque Pattern B). The glass block was salvaged from the previous bathroom. The Quartz vanity tops are Caesarstone - "Dreamy Marfil" and the tub surround is Cambria Quartz - "Dover". The client is thrilled with the results of this "Aging in Place" remodel - where function and form have beautifully merged. Green Goods Team: General Contractor: Mikel Robertson Cabinetmaker: Brian Robertson Design and Materials: Jennifer Rucks

Designed for the 2013 Traditional Home Magazine Napa Valley Showhouse, this sophisticated master bedroom suite highlights a mix of antique and modern pieces for a transitional look that can withstand the test of time. A navy and green master bedroom evokes the organic elegance of Napa’s lush vineyards. For the master bath, we selected marble-topped vanities and a freestanding tub for a sense of luxurious serenity.

Trendy brown tile pebble tile floor freestanding bathtub photo in San Francisco with flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white walls and a vessel sink

Photo by Brian Walters
Inspiration for a large timeless 3/4 beige tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile and brown floor corner shower remodel in Detroit with recessed-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, white walls, an integrated sink and marble countertops

American Farmhouse - Scott Wilson Architect, LLC, GC - Shane McFarland Construction, Photographer - Reed Brown
Example of a cottage medium tone wood floor foyer design in Nashville with beige walls

Bruce Graner Photography
Elegant bathroom photo in Miami

Pinnacle Mountain Homes ©Darren Edwards Photographs
Inspiration for a rustic open concept medium tone wood floor living room remodel in Denver with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a tv stand

Our Green Goods design and build team transformed this once, very outdated bathroom into a spa retreat intended for all ages and needs. The client was very specific about requiring amentities that will allow her to "Age in Place" and yet, retain beauty by bringing the outside indoors. This home is surrounded by a Coast Oak woodland and the branches and cupped green leaves of these gorgeous evergreen trees grace the window panes which surround the sunken, soaking tub. The custom cabinetry was built in-house at Green Goods and special concern was taken to ensure that the height of the lower cabinets suited the needs of a wheelchair, if ever necessary. Doors were widened and the shower was rebuilt as curbless. The placement of the grab bars was meticulously calculated by requesting that the client stand within the shower and then test what was the most ergonomic for her height and reach. The decorative ceramic tile in the shower is handmade by Arto Tile and Stone (Arabesque Pattern B). The glass block was salvaged from the previous bathroom. The Quartz vanity tops are Caesarstone - "Dreamy Marfil" and the tub surround is Cambria Quartz - "Dover". The client is thrilled with the results of this "Aging in Place" remodel - where function and form have beautifully merged. Green Goods Team: General Contractor: Mikel Robertson Cabinetmaker: Brian Robertson Design and Materials: Jennifer Rucks

Chuck Carver
Inspiration for a transitional shed remodel in Minneapolis

Our Green Goods design and build team transformed this once, very outdated bathroom into a spa retreat intended for all ages and needs. The client was very specific about requiring amentities that will allow her to "Age in Place" and yet, retain beauty by bringing the outside indoors. This home is surrounded by a Coast Oak woodland and the branches and cupped green leaves of these gorgeous evergreen trees grace the window panes which surround the sunken, soaking tub. The custom cabinetry was built in-house at Green Goods and special concern was taken to ensure that the height of the lower cabinets suited the needs of a wheelchair, if ever necessary. Doors were widened and the shower was rebuilt as curbless. The placement of the grab bars was meticulously calculated by requesting that the client stand within the shower and then test what was the most ergonomic for her height and reach. The decorative ceramic tile in the shower is handmade by Arto Tile and Stone (Arabesque Pattern B). The glass block was salvaged from the previous bathroom. The Quartz vanity tops are Caesarstone - "Dreamy Marfil" and the tub surround is Cambria Quartz - "Dover". The client is thrilled with the results of this "Aging in Place" remodel - where function and form have beautifully merged. Green Goods Team: General Contractor: Mikel Robertson Cabinetmaker: Brian Robertson Design and Materials: Jennifer Rucks

Our Green Goods design and build team transformed this once, very outdated bathroom into a spa retreat intended for all ages and needs. The client was very specific about requiring amentities that will allow her to "Age in Place" and yet, retain beauty by bringing the outside indoors. This home is surrounded by a Coast Oak woodland and the branches and cupped green leaves of these gorgeous evergreen trees grace the window panes which surround the sunken, soaking tub. The custom cabinetry was built in-house at Green Goods and special concern was taken to ensure that the height of the lower cabinets suited the needs of a wheelchair, if ever necessary. Doors were widened and the shower was rebuilt as curbless. The placement of the grab bars was meticulously calculated by requesting that the client stand within the shower and then test what was the most ergonomic for her height and reach. The decorative ceramic tile in the shower is handmade by Arto Tile and Stone (Arabesque Pattern B). The glass block was salvaged from the previous bathroom. The Quartz vanity tops are Caesarstone - "Dreamy Marfil" and the tub surround is Cambria Quartz - "Dover". The client is thrilled with the results of this "Aging in Place" remodel - where function and form have beautifully merged. Green Goods Team: General Contractor: Mikel Robertson Cabinetmaker: Brian Robertson Design and Materials: Jennifer Rucks

Closet - eclectic women's closet idea in Los Angeles

The goal was to create a space that utilized the same open shower concept but that has a completely new and different feel from the previous design while adding additional storage which was a top priority. Since this is our client’s “forever home” something that would enable them to age in place was key. Designed by Karl Utzman Photography by: James Brady

Inspiration for a timeless home design remodel in Cleveland