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

Union Square Loft II DHD Interiors worked with this couple to furnish their new recently renovated Flatiron loft. Navigating the dark wood paneling and flooring, DHD selected furniture and finishes that felt rich in color and texture while still cool and casual. Layers of grass cloth wallpapers were added to the main bedrooms to reduce the contrast of the dark wood and walls, adding brightness to the loft’s overall feel. Greys and mink-toned browns served as the foundation for a base palette, with deep burgundies and blues working as accents. This loft feels like a true downtown loft with its original brick and an industrial dining table, but stays balanced with softly upholstered furniture. Each piece, from the Dunbar chaise lounge to the organically shaped coffee table, displays a sculptural quality that contributes to a visually dynamic space. 2 Bedrooms / 2,000 Square Feet Architecture and Photography: Danny Forster Design Studio

Complete renovation of a 19th century brownstone in Brooklyn's Fort Greene neighborhood. Modern interiors that preserve many original details. Kate Glicksberg Photography

Across from Hudson River Park, the Classic 7 pre-war apartment had not renovated in over 50 years. The new owners, a young family with two kids, desired to open up the existing closed in spaces while keeping some of the original, classic pre-war details. Dark, dimly-lit corridors and clustered rooms that were a detriment to the brilliant natural light and expansive views the existing apartment inherently possessed, were demolished to create a new open plan for a more functional style of living. Custom charcoal stained white oak herringbone floors were laid throughout the space. The dark blue lacquered kitchen cabinets provide a sharp contrast to the otherwise neutral colored space. A wall unit in the same blue lacquer floats on the wall in the Den.

Rug restoration is an art form and it is crucial to the integrity of a rug that any repair or cutting be performed correctly. This rug is approximately 80 years old and in very good condition with rare colors. Our client was given the rug as an heirloom and needed to have the length reduced in order to fit properly into their new home, specifically their dining room. The Persian rug was originally 20 feet in length. Our master weaver reduced the length to 14 feet seamlessly. Our client was extremely satisfied with the work we performed.

For this project, we took on the neighbourhood eyesore. We replaced the original energy wasting windows with LoE366 Energy Star rated vinyl replacement windows. This is a close up of the windows. The first thing this customer noticed after the beauty is how quiet the windows are. Plus these windows will pay for themselves in reduced energy costs.

Sustainable design helps environmentally conscious clients update their house and simultaneously balance their own needs and desires with an eye to future buyers. Their intention was to have a fresh, new and thoughtful design, adding value to their home and eliminating any additional negative environmental impact. Their concerns were to reduce waste and eliminate impact on landfills by reclaiming, repurposing, reusing and updating all of their existing fine but very dated furniture and furnishings with a new and contemporary design. The project budget was informed by the prevailing real estate values in their neighborhood.

Rug restoration is an art form and it is crucial to the integrity of a rug that any repair or cutting be performed correctly. This rug is approximately 80 years old and in very good condition with rare colors. Our client was given the rug as an heirloom and needed to have the length reduced in order to fit properly into their new home, specifically their dining room. The Persian rug was originally 20 feet in length. Our master weaver reduced the length to 14 feet seamlessly. Our client was extremely satisfied with the work we performed.

Original space before re-design and remodel. Notice the dreaded raised floor surrounding the toilet! Underlying plumbing and subsequent flooring would be reduced to a single level plane.

Before photo of the kitchen. Past owners had increased the size of the kitchen by putting the refrigerator and island on the outside of the kitchen wall. Soffits above the cabinets gave the space a cramped, closed in feeling. In the renovation, we took out the separating walls and the soffits, and put a skylight over the sink. The original cabinets and countertops were retained to reduce cost.

Thermafoil covered cabinets give the appearance of high gloss lacquer, but at a greatly reduced price. The sink cabinet was faced in stainless steel laminate to match the adjoining dishwasher. Photo by Michael Hunter

After decades of drastic alterations, and demolition of the second and third story, this grand estate was reduced to a pink Bermuda style ranch house. The current owners returned it to a suggestion of its original state. Beamed ceilings, working fireplace, period woodwork and historic finishes draw out the dignity of its past, and make them part of life in his century. The main house overlooks terraced yards, stonewalls and a landscaped pool area. The formal interiors frame sweeping views of treetops and seascapes. Contractor: Precision Carpentry Photographer: Dan Gair/ Blind Dog Photo INC.

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

This project found its inspiration in the original lines of the home. The original kitchen was small and cramped, and a secondary service staircase limited the placement of cabinets. By eliminating the staircase, and exposing some of the original brick, we were able to keep the charm of the home as well as updating to the conveniences of a modern kitchen. We wanted a connection with the great room, but also wanted to define the two individual spaces. We did this by creating this seating area with pendant lights. By reducing the amount of upper cabinets, we found an opportunity to create more of an open and light feeling in this very functional space. We were also able to keep some of the original tin ceiling by creating a coffered look.

This project found its inspiration in the original lines of the home. The original kitchen was small and cramped, and a secondary service staircase limited the placement of cabinets. By eliminating the staircase, and exposing some of the original brick, we were able to keep the charm of the home as well as updating to the conveniences of a modern kitchen. We wanted a connection with the great room, but also wanted to define the two individual spaces. We did this by creating this seating area with pendant lights. By reducing the amount of upper cabinets, we found an opportunity to create more of an open and light feeling in this very functional space. We were also able to keep some of the original tin ceiling by creating a coffered look

We updated this bathroom by reducing the wall between the vanity and the toilet to a half wall. The client loved the glass block tile, so we left that original detail. Quartz on the countertop, and the half wall cap created a cohesive look. The shower and tub were gutted and rebuilt.

We are so proud to say that our bespoke plantation shutters are definitely the most practical and original solution available to suit bedroom of any size. By fitting our beautifully made shutters to this nice modern bedroom windows we achieved privacy from outside unwanted watchers, the ability to reduce the amount of light inside a room.

This Nikolai Makarov "Untitled" Painting is framed with a black frame with gold accents. It's from 1997, signed and the painting size: 25.5 x 45.5. The gallery inventory # is: MAKA.A. 0160 and it was originally purchased from Mimi Ferzt Gallery in NYC. PRODUCT # 12792 DIMENSIONS W 50.8" × H 31.0" REDUCED PRICE $7,199.00

The addition with garage below and home office above was roofed with a cross gable to allow it to extend beyond the original house front and a false gable was framed over the existing bedroom wing for balance in the facade. Adding another gable at the front porch would have been to many and would have reduced the light into the stair hall. so instead a shed roof was used.