Bella Vita Custom Homes
Example of a tuscan ceramic tile utility room design in Austin with white walls, a side-by-side washer/dryer and an undermount sink

Lincoln Farmhouse LEED-H Platinum, Net-Positive Energy OVERVIEW. This LEED Platinum certified modern farmhouse ties into the cultural landscape of Lincoln, Massachusetts - a town known for its rich history, farming traditions, conservation efforts, and visionary architecture. The goal was to design and build a new single family home on 1.8 acres that respects the neighborhood’s agrarian roots, produces more energy than it consumes, and provides the family with flexible spaces to live-play-work-entertain. The resulting 2,800 SF home is proof that families do not need to compromise on style, space or comfort in a highly energy-efficient and healthy home. CONNECTION TO NATURE. The attached garage is ubiquitous in new construction in New England’s cold climate. This home’s barn-inspired garage is intentionally detached from the main dwelling. A covered walkway connects the two structures, creating an intentional connection with the outdoors between auto and home. FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY. With a modest footprint, each space must serve a specific use, but also be flexible for atypical scenarios. The Mudroom serves everyday use for the couple and their children, but is also easy to tidy up to receive guests, eliminating the need for two entries found in most homes. A workspace is conveniently located off the mudroom; it looks out on to the back yard to supervise the children and can be closed off with a sliding door when not in use. The Away Room opens up to the Living Room for everyday use; it can be closed off with its oversized pocket door for secondary use as a guest bedroom with en suite bath. NET POSITIVE ENERGY. The all-electric home consumes 70% less energy than a code-built house, and with measured energy data produces 48% more energy annually than it consumes, making it a 'net positive' home. Thick walls and roofs lack thermal bridging, windows are high performance, triple-glazed, and a continuous air barrier yields minimal leakage (0.27ACH50) making the home among the tightest in the US. Systems include an air source heat pump, an energy recovery ventilator, and a 13.1kW photovoltaic system to offset consumption and support future electric cars. ACTUAL PERFORMANCE. -6.3 kBtu/sf/yr Energy Use Intensity (Actual monitored project data reported for the firm’s 2016 AIA 2030 Commitment. Average single family home is 52.0 kBtu/sf/yr.) o 10,900 kwh total consumption (8.5 kbtu/ft2 EUI) o 16,200 kwh total production o 5,300 kwh net surplus, equivalent to 15,000-25,000 electric car miles per year. 48% net positive. WATER EFFICIENCY. Plumbing fixtures and water closets consume a mere 60% of the federal standard, while high efficiency appliances such as the dishwasher and clothes washer also reduce consumption rates. FOOD PRODUCTION. After clearing all invasive species, apple, pear, peach and cherry trees were planted. Future plans include blueberry, raspberry and strawberry bushes, along with raised beds for vegetable gardening. The house also offers a below ground root cellar, built outside the home's thermal envelope, to gain the passive benefit of long term energy-free food storage. RESILIENCY. The home's ability to weather unforeseen challenges is predictable - it will fare well. The super-insulated envelope means during a winter storm with power outage, heat loss will be slow - taking days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. During normal conditions, reduced energy consumption plus energy production means shelter from the burden of utility costs. Surplus production can power electric cars & appliances. The home exceeds snow & wind structural requirements, plus far surpasses standard construction for long term durability planning. ARCHITECT: ZeroEnergy Design http://zeroenergy.com/lincoln-farmhouse CONTRACTOR: Thoughtforms http://thoughtforms-corp.com/ PHOTOGRAPHER: Chuck Choi http://www.chuckchoi.com/

The primary bathroom features an all glass and plaster shower that has an indoor/outdoor feature.
Trendy bathroom photo in Dallas

Example of a transitional kitchen design in Austin

Farmhouse Modern home with horizontal and batten and board white siding and gray/black raised seam metal roofing and black windows.
Inspiration for a mid-sized cottage two-story wood and board and batten white bathroom remodel in San Francisco with a hip roof, a metal roof and a gray roof

Photo of a large modern partial sun front yard concrete paver landscaping in San Francisco for spring.

Artificial grass requires no mowing, watering, or fertilizing. Dog urine won't stain or discolor the artificial grass. Clean ups on artificial grass are easier than on natural grass. If you're tired of re-sodding year after year due to your dogs then consider an artificial grass dog run from PlushGrass. Additionally, your dog(s) won't track dust or mud into the house with an artificial lawn or dog run area.

Photos by William Quarles. Designed by Homeowner and Robert Paige Cabinetry. Built by Robert Paige Cabinetry.
Inspiration for a large country l-shaped light wood floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Charleston with white cabinets, marble countertops, white appliances, an island, an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, gray backsplash and stone slab backsplash

Autumn fern, (Dryopteris erythrosora) in a woodland setting Le jardinet
Photo of a traditional landscaping in Seattle.

Inspiration for a small contemporary kids' multicolored tile and mosaic tile mosaic tile floor tub/shower combo remodel in Miami with flat-panel cabinets, blue cabinets, multicolored walls, an integrated sink and solid surface countertops

These countertops are sandstone stained a grey tone with a patented sealer to prevent staining.
Example of a mountain style home design design in Denver

Not everyone has the backyard that suits a hardscape patio. Those situations sometimes call for a different approach....especially in this case! We built a second-level deck and pergola for this family outside of Greenfield. Cedar all around! They also wanted to retain their beautiful views. So we used a cable railing system that is safe and effective at preventing falls, but also perfect for maximizing those views. I think it turned out well, don't you? Sun-Dried tomatoes anyone?

STATEMENT MAHOGANY This remarkable pre-assembled, pre-hung entry door is hand-made in the USA with love by CBW Windows & Doors, located in Los Angeles, CA. The Statement Mahogany door is made of solid 4 ¾” tongue-and-groove mahogany planks (1” thick) inside of a 2 ½” aluminum frame, which prevents warping over time. The wood has been finished with a UV-protective coat of satin polyurethane. This unit comes with the jamb, butt hinges, rolling latch, Euro-profile cylinder, anodized aluminum threshold, and 24” brushed stainless steel back-to-back pull bar. Please see documents for specifications and installation instructions. STATEMENT WHITE OAK This exquisite pre-assembled, pre-hung entry door is hand-made in the USA with love by CBW Windows & Doors, located in Los Angeles, CA. The Statement White Oak door is made of solid 4 ¾” tongue-and-groove white oak planks (1” thick) inside of a 2 ½” aluminum frame, which prevents warping over time. The wood has been finished with a UV-protective coat of satin polyurethane. This unit comes with the jamb, butt hinges, rolling latch, Euro-profile cylinder, anodized aluminum threshold, and 24” brushed stainless steel back-to-back pull bar. Please see documents for specifications and installation instructions.

We love the book shelves on the wall and doubling as wall decor in the nursery. This prevents clutter and is a clever way to decorate the walls. Photo Credit: Katy Mimari

Ann Betten
Inspiration for a traditional landscaping in Baltimore.

Working with a very small footprint we did everything to maximize the space in this master bathroom. Removing the original door to the bathroom, we widened the opening to 48" and used a sliding frosted glass door to let in additional light and prevent the door from blocking the only window in the bathroom. Removing the original single vanity and bumping out the shower into a hallway shelving space, the shower gained two feet of depth and the owners now each have their own vanities!

Photos by Deborah DeGraffenreid The architect went to great lengths to control moisture from the indoor pool from affecting the rest of the home: An ice & water shield was placed on the inside of the wall and ceiling assembly, preventing moisture from escaping and condensing into the wall and roof cavities. A Pool cover keeps humidity levels down while nobody is swimming. A Standard dehumidification system was used, which has been working fine with the other measures in place. Blower door tests were run twice to ensure that the building envelope was air tight. The pool room is under negative pressure, preventing the moisture from escaping into the rest of the house.

Ann Betten
This is an example of a traditional landscaping in Baltimore.

Alexandr Kotsoban Photography
Bathroom - transitional gray floor bathroom idea in Los Angeles with shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, gray walls, an undermount sink and white countertops