Residential architecture must always have a connection with its landscape: physically and visually. The previous home, despite being located on a beautiful waterfront site, was derelict and not fit for purpose anymore. There was little connection to the water and beach, thus not taking advantage of its waterfront location. A true connection to the water was achieved through adaptable glazing covering the majority of the rear facade and a roof line that is set outwards. Furthermore, the protruding massing orients and aligns itself toward the waterfront, bringing the interior spaces and beach together. Despite the small plot, two accessory dwelling units were erected on the east end, providing additional affordable housing near the city centre. Knowing the clients personally, I was fortunate enough to be trusted with leading the design of this project from its inception. 3D models and plans helped the clients and myself come to design decisions in the context of the site. My plans were signed off by a local drafting company with very minimal changes. The residence has won multiple awards including a first place in the “Residential Infill “ category from the Canadian Homebuilders Association.

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Other with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, beige backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

The strongest feature of this design is the passage of natural sunlight through every space in the home. The grand hall with clerestory windows, the glazed connection bridge from the primary garage to the Owner’s foyer aligns with the dramatic lighting to allow this home glow both day and night. This light is influenced and inspired by the evergreen forest on the banks of the Florida River. The goal was to organically showcase warm tones and textures and movement. To do this, the surfaces featured are walnut floors, walnut grain matched cabinets, walnut banding and casework along with other wood accents such as live edge countertops, dining table and benches. To further play with an organic feel, thickened edge Michelangelo Quartzite Countertops are at home in the kitchen and baths. This home was created to entertain a large family while providing ample storage for toys and recreational vehicles. Between the two oversized garages, one with an upper game room, the generous riverbank laws, multiple patios, the outdoor kitchen pavilion, and the “river” bath, this home is both private and welcoming to family and friends…a true entertaining retreat.

Master bathroom shower with multiple control valves and niche shelving detail.
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary master green tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile and gray floor alcove shower remodel in Philadelphia with a hinged shower door

Other Noteworthy Features and Solutions New crisp drywall blended with original masonry wall textures and original exposed beams Custom-glazed adler wood cabinets, beautiful fusion Quartzite and custom cherry counters, and a copper sink were selected for a wonderful interplay of colors, textures, and Old World feel Small-space efficiencies designed for real-size humans, including built-ins wherever possible, limited free-standing furniture, and no upper cabinets Built-in storage and appliances under the counter (refrigerator, freezer, washer, dryer, and microwave drawer) Additional multi-function storage under stairs Extensive lighting plan with multiple sources and types of light to make this partially below-grade space feel bright and cheery Enlarged window well to bring much more light into the space Insulation added to create sound buffer from the floor above

Medallion Cabinetry (Sink Wall: Maple with custom finish, Cooktop Island: Knotty Alder with Apaloosa Finish, Prep Sink Island: Knotty Alder with Rumberry stain and Ebony Glaze.) Farmhouse Hammered Copper Sink by Barclay Plumbing Products. Faucets by Delta Faucet Co. and Brizo. Equinox pendants by Progress Lighting. Interior Designer: Katie from Interior Design Studios (Medina, OH). Kitchen Designer: Willie Stamper from Wolff Bros. Supply (Medina, OH) Photography: ISO Photo Studio

Medallion Cabinetry (Sink Wall: Maple with custom finish, Cooktop Island: Knotty Alder with Apaloosa Finish, Prep Sink Island: Knotty Alder with Rumberry stain and Ebony Glaze.) Farmhouse Hammered Copper Sink by Barclay Plumbing Products. Faucets by Delta Faucet Co. and Brizo. Equinox pendants by Progress Lighting. Interior Designer: Katie from Interior Design Studios (Medina, OH). Kitchen Designer: Willie Stamper from Wolff Bros. Supply (Medina, OH) Photography: ISO Photo Studio

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

Wild View Farm includes a new “Forever home” (we deconstructed an existing house with a 90% landfill diversion rate), and enhancements to several working barns. The 80 acre site was an original homestead farm from the 1890’s. Both its buildings and soil had become severely degraded. The owners are working to holistically restore this property and make it a model of modern regenerative farming. They are planting hundreds of trees, re-introducing livestock and working with Dryland Agroecology Research and High Plains Permaculture to restore the soil. The -51 HERS rated home is not just energy-efficient - it’s a model of “Regenerative design”. The deep green house design included multiple challenges – foremost was how to create a Passive Solar design that also took full advantage of the massive views to the West. We solved it with an L shaped building that optimized passive and active solar strategies on the south face, then actively protected the western facade with a giant covered porch and tuned glazing. The home’s leading-edge energy package includes a Ground source heat pump, a large roof-mounted solar PV array, battery back-up, EV chargers, and Energy Recovery Ventilator (ERV), Energy Star Appliances and windows, a robust foam insulation shell and LED lighting. We also endeavored to craft a modern day interpretation of the farmhouse typology, with a low-slung simple gable-roofed form that would feel like it’s always been there. The exterior material palette of limestone, cementitious stucco and heavy timber gives it a rich Colorado Modern Farmhouse feel. The home is full of custom details like walls of vaulted glass to capture the sweeping mountain views, an AI Smart Home control system, a sleeping loft for kids and guests, a hard-working Butler’s Pantry, a gourmet outdoor kitchen, a pool & spa, a cozy office nook for reading, and a lovely built-in bench for morning coffee. Phase 2 of this project will include a Farmworker ADU and a full renovation of the existing historic barn. Built by Skycastle Construction. Interior Design by Kimball Modern and Rodwin Architecture. Landscaping by EDI. Photography by Dane Cronin Photo

The new kitchen features a large, asymmetrical island that provides lots of room for big baking projects. The main advantage of the island over the old peninsula is that it allows people to move in and out of the kitchen from two directions, and it provides a large working space where multiple people can work together during family gatherings. Two wall mounted ovens give the owner the space she needs to do lots of baking in record time.

Other Noteworthy Features and Solutions New crisp drywall blended with original masonry wall textures and original exposed beams Custom-glazed adler wood cabinets, beautiful fusion Quartzite and custom cherry counters, and a copper sink were selected for a wonderful interplay of colors, textures, and Old World feel Small-space efficiencies designed for real-size humans, including built-ins wherever possible, limited free-standing furniture, and no upper cabinets Built-in storage and appliances under the counter (refrigerator, freezer, washer, dryer, and microwave drawer) Additional multi-function storage under stairs Extensive lighting plan with multiple sources and types of light to make this partially below-grade space feel bright and cheery Enlarged window well to bring much more light into the space Insulation added to create sound buffer from the floor above

Designed for a client who wanted a light, bright airy feeling in their kitchen, we chose painted cabinets arranged in an open floor plan around a dark-stained cooking island. To meet the kitchen's varied demands throughout the day, we incorporated multiple types of lighting: dramatic niche lights to highlight the client's art and to give ambiance; targeted task lighting under cabinets and over the stove; and ample recessed ceiling lights for bright, overall coverage. The art niches and under-cabinet lights are on a Lutron Pico wall-mounted remote dimmer, allowing you to change the room's mood with the click of a button. The stainless steel Heartland 6-burner gas stove and free-standing chimney hood create a striking focal point, while the other custom-paneled appliances integrate seamlessly into the surrounding cabinets. Directly behind the stove is the hand-carved travertine farm sink, and a deep garden window that offers more display space for the clients artwork. The backsplash is a mosaic of roughhewn travertine stones with carved travertine switch plate covers, complimenting the St. Cecilia granite countertops throughout the kitchen.

When we first began the design of this project, the clients’ main priority was to get more room in their kitchen. The wall that separated the kitchen and dining space was load bearing and spanned the living room space as well, so rather than removing it the way we might in some floorplans, we left a header and created a large opening to help the flow between the spaces. When it came to the style of the kitchen, the ranch-style home was well suited for a classic, transitional style with farmhouse details such as a white apron-front sink. We decided on the two-toned cabinetry after originally discussing the idea of white, but realizing that with grandkids and dogs, having white cabinetry so near exterior doors might not be the best option. The lower cabinets are maple stained with a color called “Coffee” and the white upper cabinets feature a similar colored glaze in the detailing to help tie them together. The floor is a popular CoreTEC product called “Red River Hickory”. The overall tone matches that of the lower cabinets for a seamless look. The white backsplash tile and countertop with simple veining continue the two-toned look. The range hood is a new Zephyr fixture originally designed for commercial kitchens, but became a good choice for homes with low ceilings, as the high suction power allows us to meet building codes without obstructing any views. The other appliances are from the GE Café line – these pieces feature copper accents on the handles, which gave us a great place to start when choosing the showstopping copper pendant over the sink. The redesigned space gives more room for multiple cooks and the removal of the wall allows in tons of extra light from the dining room – without moving or replacing a single window or exterior door. There is ample prep room, storage space, and seating for visitors to the kitchen. The homeowners love their new space, and we are sure they will continue to love it for years to come.

The strongest feature of this design is the passage of natural sunlight through every space in the home. The grand hall with clerestory windows, the glazed connection bridge from the primary garage to the Owner’s foyer aligns with the dramatic lighting to allow this home glow both day and night. This light is influenced and inspired by the evergreen forest on the banks of the Florida River. The goal was to organically showcase warm tones and textures and movement. To do this, the surfaces featured are walnut floors, walnut grain matched cabinets, walnut banding and casework along with other wood accents such as live edge countertops, dining table and benches. To further play with an organic feel, thickened edge Michelangelo Quartzite Countertops are at home in the kitchen and baths. This home was created to entertain a large family while providing ample storage for toys and recreational vehicles. Between the two oversized garages, one with an upper game room, the generous riverbank laws, multiple patios, the outdoor kitchen pavilion, and the “river” bath, this home is both private and welcoming to family and friends…a true entertaining retreat.

This original textured finish was created using plaster. It's a combination of soft cloudy finish and textured faux finish, the finish consist of multiple transparent layers, Satin finish paint gold metallic paint and glazes. Total of four colors used in the design.

This bright and open kitchen–dining space blends modern luxury with a seamless indoor-outdoor connection. Soft natural light pours through the large sliding glass doors and multiple windows, highlighting the wide-plank hardwood floors and the bold mix of dark cabinetry and blue-gray tile backsplash. The spacious island anchors the kitchen with clean quartz surfaces and ample seating. Contemporary light fixtures—one sculptural and one linear—add artistic flair and define each zone within the open layout. The room flows effortlessly from kitchen to dining to outdoor living, making it ideal for everyday living and entertaining.

Open concept kitchen - large traditional l-shaped porcelain tile and brown floor open concept kitchen idea in Phoenix with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, white cabinets, granite countertops, gray backsplash, brick backsplash, stainless steel appliances, two islands and multicolored countertops

This original textured finish was created using plaster. It's a combination of soft cloudy finish and textured faux finish, the finish consist of multiple transparent layers, Satin finish paint gold metallic paint and glazes. Total of four colors used in the design.

The interior of the home is immediately welcoming with the anterior of the home clad in full-height windows, beckoning you into the home with views and light. The open floor plan leads you into the family room, adjoined by the dining room and in-line kitchen. A balcony is immediately off the dining area, providing a quick escape to the outdoor refuge of Whitefish. Glo’s A5 double pane windows were used to create breathtaking views that are the crown jewels of the home’s design. Furthermore, the full height curtain wall windows and 12’ lift and slide doors provide views as well as thermal performance. The argon-filled glazing, multiple air seals, and larger thermal break make these aluminum windows durable and long-lasting.