Urban living requires an efficient use of space especially in ones' outdoor spaces. My client has small children and needed to offer them a place to play safely but with low maintenance. They also wanted a pleasant entry. This project was multidimensional and lots of fun.

Photo: Margot Hartford © 2015 Houzz
Inspiration for a contemporary dark wood floor kids' room remodel in San Francisco with multicolored walls

Location: Bellaire, TX, USA A large family who regularly entertains, wanted a home that looked beautiful and sophisticated, but could withstand high traffic and their busy life style. Art and family antiques were important focal points in each room. In the children's rooms, the goal was to create spaces that would not require a re-design as the children grew into teenagers. Julie Rhodes Interiors Photographed by: Jill Hunter

This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

Our Burlington client required a backyard space that would allow for entertaining as well as provide a safe and fun environment for their young children to play. The backyard had a severe grade change which required the construction of a substantial retaining wall to allow for the installation of a modern rectilinear pool featuring a sheer decent water feature wall. Large concrete slabs were used to create the pool patio/dining area and a composite deck complete with frameless glass railings was added to allow for unobstructed views of the yard. A lawn area for the children and a variety of plant material was used to provide year-round interest. Lighting, irrigation and a custom cedar pool shed complete the project.

Ron Ruscio
Inspiration for a bedroom rustic guest and gender-neutral carpeted kids' bedroom remodel in Denver

This LEED Platinum certified house reflects the homeowner's desire for an exceptionally healthy and comfortable living environment, within a traditional neighborhood. INFILL SITE. The family, who moved from another area of Wellesley, sought out this property to be within walking distance of the high school and downtown area. An existing structure on the tight lot was removed to make way for the new home. 84% of the construction waste, from both the previous structure and the new home, was diverted from a landfill. ZED designed to preserve the existing mature trees on the perimeter of the property to minimize site impacts, and to maintain the character of the neighborhood as well as privacy on the site. EXTERIOR EXPRESSION. The street facade of the home relates to the local New England vernacular. The rear uses contemporary language, a nod to the family’s Californian roots, to incorporate a roof deck, solar panels, outdoor living space, and the backyard swimming pool. ZED’s careful planning avoided to the need to face the garage doors towards the street, a common syndrome of a narrow lot. THOUGHTFUL SPACE. Homes with dual entries can often result in duplicate and unused spaces. In this home, the everyday and formal entry areas are one and the same; the front and garage doors share the entry program of coat closets, mudroom storage with bench for removing your shoes, and a laundry room with generous closets for the children's sporting equipment. The entry area leads directly to the living space, encompassing the kitchen, dining and sitting area areas in an L-shaped open plan arrangement. The kitchen is placed at the south-west corner of the space to allow for a strong connection to the dining, sitting and outdoor living spaces. A fire pit on the deck satisfies the family’s desire for an open flame while a sealed gas fireplace is used indoors - ZED’s preference after omitting gas burning appliances completely from an airtight home. A small study, with a window seat, is conveniently located just off of the living space. A first floor guest bedroom includes an accessible bathroom for aging visitors and can be used as a master suite to accommodate aging in place. HEALTHY LIVING. The client requested a home that was easy to clean and would provide a respite from seasonal allergies and common contaminants that are found in many indoor spaces. ZED selected easy to clean solid surface flooring throughout, provided ample space for cleaning supplies on each floor, and designed a mechanical system with ventilation that provides a constant supply of fresh outdoor air. ZED selected durable materials, finishes, cabinetry, and casework with low or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and no added urea formaldehyde. YEAR-ROUND COMFORT. The home is super insulated and air-tight, paired with high performance triple-paned windows, to ensure it is draft-free throughout the winter (even when in front of the large windows and doors). ZED designed a right-sized heating and cooling system to pair with the thermally improved building enclosure to ensure year-round comfort. The glazing on the home maximizes passive solar gains, and facilitates cross ventilation and daylighting. ENERGY EFFICIENT. As one of the most energy efficient houses built to date in Wellesley, the home highlights a practical solution for Massachusetts. First, the building enclosure reduces the largest energy requirement for typical houses (heating). Super-insulation, exceptional air sealing, a thermally broken wall assembly, triple pane windows, and passive solar gain combine for a sizable heating load reduction. Second, within the house only efficient systems consume energy. These include an air source heat pump for heating & cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation, and high efficiency appliances. Lastly, photovoltaics provide renewable energy help offset energy consumption. The result is an 89% reduction in energy use compared to a similar brand new home built to code requirements. RESILIENT. The home will fare well in extreme weather events. During a winter power outage, heat loss will be very slow due to the super-insulated and airtight envelope– taking multiple days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. An engineered drainage system, paired with careful the detailing of the foundation, will help to keep the finished basement dry. A generator will provide full operation of the all-electric house during a power outage. OVERALL. The home is a reflection of the family goals and an expression of their values, beautifully enabling health, comfort, safety, resilience, and utility, all while respecting the planet. ZED - Architect & Mechanical Designer Bevilacqua Builders Inc - Contractor Creative Land & Water Engineering - Civil Engineering Barbara Peterson Landscape - Landscape Design Nest & Company - Interior Furnishings Eric Roth Photography - Photography

This Cobble Hill Brownstone for a family of five is a fun and captivating design, the perfect blend of the wife’s love of English country style and the husband’s preference for modern. The young power couple, her the co-founder of Maisonette and him an investor, have three children and a dog, requiring that all the surfaces, finishes and, materials used throughout the home are both beautiful and durable to make every room a carefree space the whole family can enjoy. The primary design challenge for this project was creating both distinct places for the family to live their day to day lives and also a whole floor dedicated to formal entertainment. The clients entertain large dinners on a monthly basis as part of their profession. We solved this by adding an extension on the Garden and Parlor levels. This allowed the Garden level to function as the daily family operations center and the Parlor level to be party central. The kitchen on the garden level is large enough to dine in and accommodate a large catering crew. On the parlor level, we created a large double parlor in the front of the house; this space is dedicated to cocktail hour and after-dinner drinks. The rear of the parlor is a spacious formal dining room that can seat up to 14 guests. The middle "library" space contains a bar and facilitates access to both the front and rear rooms; in this way, it can double as a staging area for the parties. The remaining three floors are sleeping quarters for the family and frequent out of town guests. Designing a row house for private and public functions programmatically returns the building to a configuration in line with its original design. This project was published in Architectural Digest. Photography by Sam Frost

Interior Redesign in Melbourne Beach. Owner wanted children to share a room. Requirements were both had to have a full size bed. A challenge that was met with success. The boys LOVED the room. Photos by Gay Colleypriest

Urban living requires an efficient use of space especially in ones' outdoor spaces. My client has small children and needed to offer them a place to play safely but with low maintenance. They also wanted a pleasant entry. This project was multidimensional and lots of fun.

Our Burlington client required a backyard space that would allow for entertaining as well as provide a safe and fun environment for their young children to play. The backyard had a severe grade change which required the construction of a substantial retaining wall to allow for the installation of a modern rectilinear pool featuring a sheer decent water feature wall. Large concrete slabs were used to create the pool patio/dining area and a composite deck complete with frameless glass railings was added to allow for unobstructed views of the yard. A lawn area for the children and a variety of plant material was used to provide year-round interest. Lighting, irrigation and a custom cedar pool shed complete the project.

Our Burlington client required a backyard space that would allow for entertaining as well as provide a safe and fun environment for their young children to play. The backyard had a severe grade change which required the construction of a substantial retaining wall to allow for the installation of a modern rectilinear pool featuring a sheer decent water feature wall. Large concrete slabs were used to create the pool patio/dining area and a composite deck complete with frameless glass railings was added to allow for unobstructed views of the yard. A lawn area for the children and a variety of plant material was used to provide year-round interest. Lighting, irrigation and a custom cedar pool shed complete the project.

A lively renovation for our client and their teenage children, this downstairs rumpus and bathroom has beautiful yet family friendly new furniture, bespoke joinery and finishes. This space shall be enjoyed for years to come. ​ Jenni Robin Interior Design worked alongside engineers and drafts people to bring this project to life over a 21 month period. Rectification works were required prior to beginning the interiors.

Our Burlington client required a backyard space that would allow for entertaining as well as provide a safe and fun environment for their young children to play. The backyard had a severe grade change which required the construction of a substantial retaining wall to allow for the installation of a modern rectilinear pool featuring a sheer decent water feature wall. Large concrete slabs were used to create the pool patio/dining area and a composite deck complete with frameless glass railings was added to allow for unobstructed views of the yard. A lawn area for the children and a variety of plant material was used to provide year-round interest. Lighting, irrigation and a custom cedar pool shed complete the project.

Location: Bellaire, TX, USA A large family who regularly entertains, wanted a home that looked beautiful and sophisticated, but could withstand high traffic and their busy life style. Art and family antiques were important focal points in each room. In the children's rooms, the goal was to create spaces that would not require a re-design as the children grew into teenagers. Julie Rhodes Interiors Photographed by: Jill Hunter

Our Burlington client required a backyard space that would allow for entertaining as well as provide a safe and fun environment for their young children to play. The backyard had a severe grade change which required the construction of a substantial retaining wall to allow for the installation of a modern rectilinear pool featuring a sheer decent water feature wall. Large concrete slabs were used to create the pool patio/dining area and a composite deck complete with frameless glass railings was added to allow for unobstructed views of the yard. A lawn area for the children and a variety of plant material was used to provide year-round interest. Lighting, irrigation and a custom cedar pool shed complete the project.

Our Burlington client required a backyard space that would allow for entertaining as well as provide a safe and fun environment for their young children to play. The backyard had a severe grade change which required the construction of a substantial retaining wall to allow for the installation of a modern rectilinear pool featuring a sheer decent water feature wall. Large concrete slabs were used to create the pool patio/dining area and a composite deck complete with frameless glass railings was added to allow for unobstructed views of the yard. A lawn area for the children and a variety of plant material was used to provide year-round interest. Lighting, irrigation and a custom cedar pool shed complete the project.

Our Burlington client required a backyard space that would allow for entertaining as well as provide a safe and fun environment for their young children to play. The backyard had a severe grade change which required the construction of a substantial retaining wall to allow for the installation of a modern rectilinear pool featuring a sheer decent water feature wall. Large concrete slabs were used to create the pool patio/dining area and a composite deck complete with frameless glass railings was added to allow for unobstructed views of the yard. A lawn area for the children and a variety of plant material was used to provide year-round interest. Lighting, irrigation and a custom cedar pool shed complete the project.

Our Burlington client required a backyard space that would allow for entertaining as well as provide a safe and fun environment for their young children to play. The backyard had a severe grade change which required the construction of a substantial retaining wall to allow for the installation of a modern rectilinear pool featuring a sheer decent water feature wall. Large concrete slabs were used to create the pool patio/dining area and a composite deck complete with frameless glass railings was added to allow for unobstructed views of the yard. A lawn area for the children and a variety of plant material was used to provide year-round interest. Lighting, irrigation and a custom cedar pool shed complete the project.