Elegant u-shaped eat-in kitchen photo in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, gray cabinets, stainless steel appliances and an island

Tim Murphy
Contemporary wood exterior home idea in Denver

Home office - rustic home office idea in New York

ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington. Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio. Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater. Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass. Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck. Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space. Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy. Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio Photos: Eric Roth Photography

Stephen Lee
Example of a large trendy master stone slab dark wood floor alcove shower design in Boston with a one-piece toilet, white walls, open cabinets and dark wood cabinets

Front elevation of a custom home in Key West, Florida, USA.
Example of a large island style beige two-story stucco house exterior design in Miami with a metal roof

Staircase - transitional wooden l-shaped dark wood floor and glass railing staircase idea in Dallas with gray walls and wooden risers

Inspiration for a transitional gray tile gray floor and double-sink wet room remodel in Orange County with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, an undermount tub, white walls, an undermount sink, gray countertops, a niche and a built-in vanity

This project was completed for clients who wanted a comfortable, accessible 1ST floor bathroom for their grown daughter to use during visits to their home as well as a nicely-appointed space for any guest. Their daughter has some accessibility challenges so the bathroom was also designed with that in mind. The original space worked fairly well in some ways, but we were able to tweak a few features to make the space even easier to maneuver through. We started by making the entry to the shower flush so that there is no curb to step over. In addition, although there was an existing oversized seat in the shower, it was way too deep and not comfortable to sit on and just wasted space. We made the shower a little smaller and then provided a fold down teak seat that is slip resistant, warm and comfortable to sit on and can flip down only when needed. Thus we were able to create some additional storage by way of open shelving to the left of the shower area. The open shelving matches the wood vanity and allows a spot for the homeowners to display heirlooms as well as practical storage for things like towels and other bath necessities. We carefully measured all the existing heights and locations of countertops, toilet seat, and grab bars to make sure that we did not undo the things that were already working well. We added some additional hidden grab bars or “grabcessories” at the toilet paper holder and shower shelf for an extra layer of assurance. Large format, slip-resistant floor tile was added eliminating as many grout lines as possible making the surface less prone to tripping. We used a wood look tile as an accent on the walls, and open storage in the vanity allowing for easy access for clean towels. Bronze fixtures and frameless glass shower doors add an elegant yet homey feel that was important for the homeowner. A pivot mirror allows adjustability for different users. If you are interested in designing a bathroom featuring “Living In Place” or accessibility features, give us a call to find out more. Susan Klimala, CKBD, is a Certified Aging In Place Specialist (CAPS) and particularly enjoys helping her clients with unique needs in the context of beautifully designed spaces. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Michael Alan Kaskel

Interior furnishings design - Sophie Metz Design. , Nantucket Architectural Photography
Mid-sized beach style light wood floor great room photo in Boston with white walls

View of the house, main patio, pool and spa area, lawn and seat wall with trellis. Throughout the landscape, we mixed formality with touches of whimsy -- spiral topiary boxwood, bright dashes of colorful flowers, contrasting textures. Poolside trellises frame the greenery and visually link the surrounding area back to the trellised main patio. A set of striped chaise lounges provide outdoor relaxation and a view of the lawn.

Dana Wheelock
Inspiration for a country u-shaped medium tone wood floor kitchen pantry remodel in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, green cabinets, wood countertops, green backsplash, glass tile backsplash and no island

Our designer has achieved a stylish look by combining dark cabinets and light-colored marbles.

Bathroom - contemporary bathroom idea in San Diego

Details: The existing pantry cabinet also has shelves inside the doors, to make certain certain items more accessible. At right is another new slab countertop, this time in English walnut; the area is a telephone and message counter. Shelves and drawers above are existing.

Example of a trendy great room design in Santa Barbara with a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Large elegant u-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen photo in Atlanta with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Expansive kitchen complete with island seating, custom cabinets, and plenty of prep space. A cased opening connects the kitchen to the butler's pantry.