A stepping stone path meanders through drought-tolerant plantings including Dymondia, Rosemary 'Barbeque', and Euryops. The owner's favorite roses are integrated with Penstemon 'Apple Blossom' and variegated Tulbaghia 'Silver Lace' to provide color and contrast. Photo © Jude Parkinson-Morgan.

Rainfall Shower Wedi Waterproof Shower Systems offer reliable, cost-efficient solutions for constructing 100 % waterproof and mold proof showers. These systems are easy to install and open up a whole new world of design possibilities for showers, wet areas and baths. Wedi shower systems blend the traditional values of design flexibility and robustness while offering the added benefits that come with state of the art material and manufacturing technologies. Used in combination with Wedi Building Panels on walls, our shower bases offer an excellent alternative to traditional installation methods. No more pre-sloping, pan liner cracks or membrane pin holes, clogged drain weep holes and mold growth. Plus, reduce the traditional installation time and down times for a full shower floor preparation for tiling. Ironwood Renovation LLC is a Certified Installer for Wedi waterproof shower systems in Snohomish, WA

Charming stone bungalow in the smokey mountains. The original stone work was restored, new roof and passive solar added, reducing electricity costs by approximately 30%. We used ABC Landscaping to put in the new lawn and suggest landscaping. We built the custom planters to fit the rustic surroundings. The stone work on the edge of the lawn and the stairs are all new, deigned to match the home.

Mid-sized arts and crafts u-shaped light wood floor and brown floor kitchen photo in San Francisco with a double-bowl sink, medium tone wood cabinets, white backsplash, an island, stainless steel appliances, ceramic backsplash and shaker cabinets

Casey Dunn
Example of a mid-century modern open concept medium tone wood floor living room design in Austin with white walls

Whit Preston, Photographer
Bathroom - contemporary bathroom idea in Austin with flat-panel cabinets and white cabinets

Architect: RMT Architects
Pool - small rustic natural pool idea in Denver

Whit Preston, Photographer
Mid-century modern gray one-story wood flat roof idea in Austin

Karen Swanson of New England Design Works Designed this Pennville Kitchen for her own home, and it won not only the regional Sub-Zero award, but also the National Kitchen & Bath Association's medium kitchen of the year. Karen is located in Manchester, MA and can be reached at nedesignworks@gmail.com or 978.500.1096.

Integrated Laundry Station with Fold Down Table and Board and Batten Walls.
Transitional laundry room photo in Atlanta

Example of a tuscan galley kitchen design in Miami with raised-panel cabinets, blue backsplash, custom tile backsplash and paneled appliances

Newly constructed home located in the Zilker neighborhood of Austin. The existing bungalow on the property was deconstructed, with materials set aside for re-use in the new home. Goal of the project was to source exclusively from these existing materials, as well as materials salvaged from the homeowners' family ranch in West Texas. The remaining products and materials were sourced locally and made in the USA whenever possible, to lower the carbon footprint and support local manufacturers and artisans. Architecture by Loop Design Whit Preston, Photographer

Heidi K. Johnson

Locally grown American Hickory floors with natural color and grain variation sawn in the USA and available mill-direct from Hull Forest Products. Nationwide shipping 1-800-928-9602. https://www.hullforest.com. Photo by Matt Delphenich.

Inspiration for a cottage dark wood floor living room remodel in Los Angeles with white walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

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/

Bernice Fielding
This is an example of a tropical landscaping in Hawaii.

Interior photo of our living room. We love the openness of this space and how it interconnects with the other levels. Old Fourth Ward, Atlanta, Ga. Architecture by bldgs.org Photos by maibri.com