The ceiling is the only feature we kept during this renovation. The kitchen space had been done several times over the generations and when we purchased the property in 2014 renovating the main floor of the house became our priority. I wanted to design a space that fit our style and needs but also respected and paid homage to the history of the house.

BannockBurn 1878 is our personal residence and the base for my design studio. We purchased the property in 2014 and have recently undergone a major restoration/renovation of the house and grounds.

The ceiling is the only feature we kept during this renovation. The kitchen space had been done several times over the generations and when we purchased the property in 2014 renovating the main floor of the house became our priority. I wanted to design a space that fit our style and needs but also respected and paid homage to the history of the house.

Purchased by the current owner in 2013, this property had been gutted to exposed brick and subfloors, leaving nothing but an open shell behind. While an extensive remodeling project was undertaken across the property as a whole, a brand-new cozy cocoon was meticulously crafted within the property’s cellar. Originally described as "A cold, dark, damp cellar where people kept mechanical equipment and not much else," this below-ground level is now a premier swim/spa/steam/sauna oasis. A Grand ARDA for indoor living goes to Dixon Projects Designer: Dixon Projects From: New York, New York

Mannington Adura Luxury Vinyl Plank flooring. All tags can be purchased directly from Cascade Lumber Company
Hallway - mid-sized transitional gray floor hallway idea in Cedar Rapids with gray walls

Oceanfront view. Outdoor porch on three levels with party deck and beach walkway. Photo by The Litchfield Company Property is available for purchase: http://www.thelitchfieldcompany.com/homes/40-Seaview-Loop/Pawleys-Island/SC/29585/69168951/

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

The Maryland owner's purchased the home as a second home, the property had been in the beach rental program prior. The goal was to update while keeping the existing pine. Finishes were selected to compliment the wood and to bring the outdoors in working with lighter tones and texture.

This 3200 sqft project began with the purchase of a property on Kelly Ridge, overlooking Oroville Lake. The design was to allow optimal ability to capture the views of the lake and other surroundings. While this project had a fixed budget, there were still options to add more modern and intricate pieces to the house, like the butterfly roof that allows for maximum sun exposure for the solar panels.

The Mylin House project was a complete interior restoration project that we had been very much looking forward to doing. The Willow Valley Retirement Community hired Historic Restorations to restore the first floor of both the original farmhouse and the addition to use as a community center in keeping with their preservation of the original farmhouses from all the farm properties they’ve purchased and expanded onto.

This 3200 sqft project began with the purchase of a property on Kelly Ridge, overlooking Oroville Lake. The design was to allow optimal ability to capture the views of the lake and other surroundings. While this project had a fixed budget, there were still options to add more modern and intricate pieces to the house, like the butterfly roof that allows for maximum sun exposure for the solar panels.

Purchased by the current owner in 2013, this property had been gutted to exposed brick and subfloors, leaving nothing but an open shell behind. While an extensive remodeling project was undertaken across the property as a whole, a brand-new cozy cocoon was meticulously crafted within the property’s cellar. The centerpiece of this space is the Badu Swimjet saltwater pool and adjoining hot tub that allows for both lap swimming and deep-soaking relaxation. An ARDA for Design Details goes to Dixon Projects Designer: Dixon Projects From: New York, New York

Purchased by the current owner in 2013, this property had been gutted to exposed brick and subfloors, leaving nothing but an open shell behind. While an extensive remodeling project was undertaken across the property as a whole, a brand-new cozy cocoon was meticulously crafted within the property’s cellar. The centerpiece of this space is the Badu Swimjet saltwater pool and adjoining hot tub that allows for both lap swimming and deep-soaking relaxation. An ARDA for Design Details goes to Dixon Projects Designer: Dixon Projects From: New York, New York

We were referred to this owner who is selling their family home. Our designers wanted to update the look and feel of this luxury property to show off the features of each space. We loved how it turned out and so did the buyers who purchased it within the first few days on the market!

Purchased in 2014 as a maintenance deferred property with only one rentable apartment, Piperbear Designs completed a full scale renovation of the upstairs unit, painted the exterior, and upgraded the heating and cooling to a dual zone high efficiency system to help save the tenants in utility costs. We were able to immediately raise rents by 60% in the upstairs unit.

BannockBurn 1878 is our personal residence and the base for my design studio. We purchased the property in 2014 and have recently undergone a major restoration/renovation of the house and grounds.

BannockBurn 1878 is our personal residence and the base for my design studio. We purchased the property in 2014 and have recently undergone a major restoration/renovation of the house and grounds.

Former clients of Penza Bailey Architects purchased this property in Greenspring Valley because of the expansive views of the adjacent rolling hills, which were protected by an environmental trust. They asked PBA to design an attached garage with a studio above, a new entrance vestibule and entry foyer, and a new sunroom in the rear of the property to take advantage of the commanding views. The entire house was extensively renovated, and landscape improvements included a new front courtyard and guest parking, replacing the original paved driveway. In addition to the 2 story garage enlargement, PBA designed a tall entrance providing a stronger sense of identity and welcome, along with a 1 1/2 story gallery, allowing light to graciously fill the interior space. These additions served to break up the original rambling roofline, resulting in a thoughtfully balanced structure nestled comfortably into the property. Anne Gummerson Photography

Purchased by the current owner in 2013, this property had been gutted to exposed brick and subfloors, leaving nothing but an open shell behind. While an extensive remodeling project was undertaken across the property as a whole, a brand-new cozy cocoon was meticulously crafted within the property’s cellar. The centerpiece of this space is the Badu Swimjet saltwater pool and adjoining hot tub that allows for both lap swimming and deep-soaking relaxation. An ARDA for Design Details goes to Dixon Projects Designer: Dixon Projects From: New York, New York