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

Timber frame homes offer unique challenges during a remodel. What often makes them beautiful and attractive to most homeowners, also makes them challenging for space requirements. Context: The lovely couple that owned this home were struggling with some interesting floor plan challenges that just didn't work for their family. The loved the beautiful timbers and woodwork of their home, but the dramatically sloping ceilings on the second floor, particularly in the bathroom, just didn't work for this 1 1/2 bath home. Needing to use the skylight to approach the toilet was a less then ideal scenario. Although the bathroom footprint was more then adequate, the sloped ceiling only made half of the space useable. Check out the Before/After post on our blog to see the photos of the house pre-renovation. As much as they loved all the wood features in their home, another challenge they had was light. The wood ceiling made everything inside the house darker, even with a fantastic array of south facing windows, there were spaces in the home that felt dark and small. When they contacted us they wanted to know how could they make their brighter and more inviting, were there solutions to the 2nd floor sloped ceiling issues, and if they were going to do all of this work, how could they make their home more comfortable and efficient. A nagging water leak in the upstairs bathroom spurred them into action and here is how we solved their dilemma. Conclusion: First, we added a little dormer to the rear of the house so we could get full headroom in nearly all of the upstairs bathroom! Then we decided to extend that dormer one more timber bay over to create a walk in closet with natural light and plenty of space. Since we were contemplating energy efficiency, we resolved a nagging issue that is present in a lot of timber frame construction, air tightness. Commonly found in timber frame construction, fiberglass insulation is installed in the rafter bays and board ceilings are installed over top. Unfortunately, board ceilings are anything but air tight, and fiberglass insulation needs to be in an airtight cavity for maximum effectiveness. So we were able to solve two issues at the same time for this homeowner. We removed the board ceiling and fiberglass insulation, we dense packed the rafter bays with cellulose insulation, and installed sheetrock in place of the boards. The boards were salvaged for re-use by the homeowner, and the space and light quality was dramatically improved. Some may think that losing the board ceiling took something away from the space, but what you'll see in the pictures is that it highly accentuates the heavy timbers and really makes them stand out in a beautiful way. Now with this added airtightness, better insulation, and brighter space, the homeowner hardly runs their wood stove, and it's so quiet in the space, an added bonus from changing the insulation. It became necessary to also add a sheetrock ceiling to the living room to hide the plumbing from the new bathroom layout above. Changing this ceiling gave the homeowner some real quality lighting that was lacking in the living room before. The brighter ceiling and new lighting layout completely transforms the living room into a space you want to hang out, even though the layout didn't change at all. When the homeowner saw the finished spaces she said "I can't believe this is my house, I want to live in this house" Energy Efficiency: I touched a little on the efficiency above, but like all projects done with Mottram Architecture, we always want to leave you with a little extra. Timber frame construction with board ceilings and fiberglass insulation are notoriously leaky! If you want to know what we think about fiberglass insulation, check our our blog post on Why Fiberglass Insulation Sucks. By installing cellulose insulation and covering it with sheetrock we were able to greatly reduce the heat flowing out of this home. It not only improves cashflow it improves the comfort level in the space. Who wants to sit in their living room and feel a draft? Let us remind you, we are not saying cellulose insulation is an air barrier, we use the sheetrock to help with that, but it does significantly reduce the air flow over fiberglass insulation. And when we reduce the airflow, we reduce the heat flow. And when we reduce the heat flow, we reduce the need to re-heat that drafty air from outside. When it comes to energy efficiency the first and best place to start is air infiltration. We greatly reduced the air infiltration with the new insulation, but we also added a hat and warm boots. What I mean by that is, we improved the insulation in the roof, and we installed insulation in the basement. Maybe it's a silly analogy, but when you think about keeping warm, we always start with the hat and boots! With sustainability in mind, the next project will be to add a deck to the front of this house with rain catchment barrels from the metal roof. They are planning to plant a garden in the spring and the rain catchment system will help to irrigate the new garden. Builder: East Shore Builders Photographer: Michael Eric Berube

Photo: Corynne Pless Photography © 2017 Houzz
Example of an eclectic bathroom design in Los Angeles

The Revive Collection of reclaimed wood furniture features handcrafted design and a reduced impact on the environment. Reclaimed wood wears its history proudly and is long lasting. Pair with dark or light accents - the Revive collection features a wood stain that complements any style of decor. Mix and match muted colors and textiles for a comforting atmosphere that invites guests into a space perfect for entertaining.

Avondale PA full kitchen remodel. Echelon cabinetry in the Addison door with Graystone finish were used on the perimeter along with a contrasting island in Onyx finish. Doing some slight design changes and some reduced depth cabinetry we were able to design an island with seating into this new kitchen. Luxury vinyl tile was chosen for the flooring it looks just like tile and is very durable as well as being softer and warmer under foot. Granite countertops in Orion White and tumbled Silver Travertine backsplash tie all the colors together. New LED recessed and under cabinetry lights provide great general and task lighting. The new picture looks like a beautiful framed painting but it also doubles as a new TV.

We present the first Carbon Neutral collection by Silestone®. A commitment to sustainability in which we reduce and offset the emissions of the manufacturing process with reforestation projects. Sunlit Days is inspired by the evocative Mediterranean shades of a unique lifestyle.

At the top of the list, the existing kitchen was dated, somewhat dark and didn’t transition smoothly into other areas of the main level. The remodeling contractor suggested installing a beautiful, custom arched window over the sink which now provides abundant natural light no matter what the weather. The existing coat closet was replaced with cabinetry, to visually integrate it into the high-end feel of the kitchen. An awkward kitchen desk was redesigned as a sophisticated buffet and now features ample storage and display space. Additionally, the height of the half wall between the kitchen and family rooms was reduced allowing the kitchen countertop to be extended for casual seating. As an avid baker, more counter space was a “must have” for the homeowner as she regularly ramps up cookie production for family and friends. © Bob Narod Photography and BOWA

KuDa Photography
Inspiration for a large l-shaped medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen remodel with a farmhouse sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, quartz countertops, gray backsplash, mosaic tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Louisa, San Clemente Coastal Modern Architecture The brief for this modern coastal home was to create a place where the clients and their children and their families could gather to enjoy all the beauty of living in Southern California. Maximizing the lot was key to unlocking the potential of this property so the decision was made to excavate the entire property to allow natural light and ventilation to circulate through the lower level of the home. A courtyard with a green wall and olive tree act as the lung for the building as the coastal breeze brings fresh air in and circulates out the old through the courtyard. The concept for the home was to be living on a deck, so the large expanse of glass doors fold away to allow a seamless connection between the indoor and outdoors and feeling of being out on the deck is felt on the interior. A huge cantilevered beam in the roof allows for corner to completely disappear as the home looks to a beautiful ocean view and Dana Point harbor in the distance. All of the spaces throughout the home have a connection to the outdoors and this creates a light, bright and healthy environment. Passive design principles were employed to ensure the building is as energy efficient as possible. Solar panels keep the building off the grid and and deep overhangs help in reducing the solar heat gains of the building. Ultimately this home has become a place that the families can all enjoy together as the grand kids create those memories of spending time at the beach. Images and Video by Aandid Media.

The Scott Street renovation is a restoration and contemporary update of a traditional Victorian in San Francisco. The formal layout remained as a gesture to the home's historicity, while the basement level was extended significantly to provide more space to suit the client's needs. Modern fixtures, cabinetry, and finishes complemented the traditional aesthetic.

The Revive Collection of reclaimed wood furniture features handcrafted design and a reduced impact on the environment. Reclaimed wood wears its history proudly and is long lasting. Pair with dark or light accents - the Revive collection features a wood stain that complements any style of decor. Mix and match muted colors and textiles for a comforting atmosphere that invites guests into a space perfect for entertaining.

This large and bright kitchen was rethought from a dark cabinet, dark counter top and closed in feel. First the large separating wall from the kitchen into the back hallway overlooking the pool was reduced in height to allow light to spill into the room all day long. Navy Cabinets were repalinted white and the island was updated to a light grey. Absolute black counter tops were left on the perimeter cabinets but the center island and sink area were resurfaced in Cambria Ella. A apron front sign with Newport Brass bridge faucet was installed to accent the area. New pendant lights over the island and retro barstools complete the look. New undercabinet lighting, lighted cabinets and new recessed lighting finished out the kitchen in a new clean bright and welcoming room. Perfect for the grandkids to be in.

This beautiful home exterior showcases the Quarry Mill's Carlisle two-tone castle rock style natural thin stone veneer as exterior accents (chimney, front entrance, and wainscoting). Carlisle is a multicolored two-tone real thin stone veneer. The natural stone is a castle rock style with medium to large semi-irregular blocky pieces. It showcases a blend of light and dark grey pieces with an occasional tan or gold colored piece in the mix. Carlisle is a split back or natural back product and has not been sawed on the back with a diamond blade. The natural back will have no impact on the final appearance or installation. Due to the natural layering of the quarry, we do not need to saw the stone into thin veneer. The reduced production cost makes Carlisle a cost-effective premium thin stone veneer at a very competitive price point.

This large and bright kitchen was rethought from a dark cabinet, dark counter top and closed in feel. First the large separating wall from the kitchen into the back hallway overlooking the pool was reduced in height to allow light to spill into the room all day long. Navy Cabinets were repalinted white and the island was updated to a light grey. Absolute black counter tops were left on the perimeter cabinets but the center island and sink area were resurfaced in Cambria Ella. A apron front sign with Newport Brass bridge faucet was installed to accent the area. New pendant lights over the island and retro barstools complete the look. New undercabinet lighting, lighted cabinets and new recessed lighting finished out the kitchen in a new clean bright and welcoming room. Perfect for the grandkids to be in.

An outdated old cherry wood kitchen was due for an update. The owners wanted a current, modern, sleek kitchen, that is more 'open' feeling. Together with designer Amir Ilin, they selected DOCA walnut cabinets. The main sink is now on the island and porcelain cabinets were selected for that, as they are water proof and very practical. The window, was made a bit bigger and the cook top, plus the secondary sink moved there. The fridge, and pantry cabinets moved to the adjacent wall. A new section with reduced depth storage and glass wall cabinets was added to complete the design. Sapeinstone counters and backsplashes were chosen to complete the new modern kitchen.

Our client wanted to update many rooms including the kitchen, family room and den. We focused on reducing cost by utilizing the existing cabinets and refacing them with white painted shaker cabinet doors. We also extended the cabinets by filling in the void (aka Dust Trap) between the top cabinets and the ceiling. This lengthens the cabinets and gives them a built in custom cabinet look. The added crown trim, mill work panels and glossy paint looks great and avoids the "what do I put in the void above the cabinet" question. We added glass subway tile for back splash and honed Carrera marble counter tops. Photos by Rebecca Anne Photography

Personalized Kitchen - The homeowner infused her personality into the color scheme & backsplash, and created an architectural & artistic focal point with glass pendants in this reformatted open-plan kitchen.

This is a beauty! Allheart Redwood wood with a Dark Walnut stain. Includes archway over tabletop and diamond bin, curved corners with waterfall racks leading down. With a beautiful wine room chandelier. "Eric Flores was very helpful with hints and videos. The racks assembled quite well as the components' quality was very consistent. The nail gun really reduced assembly time. A nail would occasionally go slightly to the side due to wood grain and would have to be redone. This was probably less than one percent. Overall, I would give the kits a 9.5 /10.0. The room is 8'-10" x 11'- 8" with 2x6 wall studs, sprayed foam insulation, and an exterior "speak-easy" door. We are using a WhisperKool through-the-wall unit with a bottle probe holding 60 degrees F and 50% humidity. The fun part was the trip to Healdsburg (Sonoma County) to stock up on their local award winning Cabs, Zinns, PNs, & Chards."

Transitional hallway photo in Vancouver