Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Frank Ooms
Inspiration for a modern exterior home remodel in Austin with a shed roof

Example of a classic u-shaped dark wood floor laundry room design in Portland with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, white walls, a stacked washer/dryer and gray countertops

Transitional laundry room photo in Los Angeles

Sean Litchfield
Inspiration for a timeless living room remodel in New York with beige walls

Cottage living room photo in New York

Benny Chan
Example of a trendy backyard concrete and rectangular lap hot tub design in Los Angeles

Example of a large classic dark wood floor laundry room design with recessed-panel cabinets, beige cabinets, beige walls and a side-by-side washer/dryer

Country white two-story gable roof idea in Minneapolis with a shingle roof

Photo: Sweet Magnolia Photo & Design
Inspiration for a farmhouse open concept kitchen remodel in Houston with shaker cabinets and an island

This hybrid spa/pool was featured in newspapers all over the US including Kansas City, Chicago, and others. Large enough for kids and grandkids to enjoy and small enough to heat during winter and easy to maintain. Swimming pools for 3 seasons? 4 season swimming pools? Luxury, low-maintenance swimming pools/spa hybrids cool you off in summer or warm you up in fall and winter. With a down-sized swimming pool, loaded with amenities, your installation cost for the swimming pool is lower, your maintenance for the swimming pool is lower, your enjoyment is much, higher. Keeping a sleek-sized, luxury pool heated in winter is becoming more common in Kansas City. Think Vail or Steamboat? Nah, right here in Kansas City. Kansas City construction of swimming pool and spas· Kansas City Custom pool and spas· Kansas City ground pools and spas· Kansas City in ground pool · Kansas City in ground pool construction ·Kansas City in ground pool Missouri · Kansas City in ground pools · Kansas City in ground swimming pool · Kansas City in ground swimming pool construction · iKansas City in ground swimming pools · install swimming pool Kansas City · install swimming pools Kansas City · Kansas City installing a swimming pool · Kansas City installing swimming pool · Kansas City long narrow pool · Kansas City luxury pool. Kansas City custom swimming pool · Kansas City luxury swimming pool, Kansas City pool and deck · Kansas City pool and hardscape · Kansas City pool and landscape design build · Kansas City pool and landscaping · Kansas City pool designs · pool edge · Kansas City pool hardscape · Kansas City pool installation · Kansas City pool landscape design · Kansas City pool renovations · Kansas City pool with landscaping · Kansas City pools and hardscape · Kansas City pools and landscaping · Kansas City pools Kansas City metro · Kansas City pools Kansas · Kansas City poolscape · Kansas City swim pool · Kansas City swimming pool · Kansas City swimming pool build · Kansas City swimming pool construction · Kansas City swimming pool construction company · Kansas City swimming pool KC · Kansas City swimming pool installation · Kansas City swimming pool installer · Kansas City swimming pool installers · Kansas City swimming pool landscape · Kansas City swimming pool renovation · Kansas City swimming pool renovations · Kansas City swimming pool repair · Kansas City swimming pools · Kansas City swimming pools construction · Kansas City swimming pools installers · Kansas City swimming pools and spas

Transitional laundry room photo in New York

Example of a small minimalist bedroom design in New York with white walls and no fireplace

Utility room - transitional utility room idea in Portland with gray cabinets, white walls and a stacked washer/dryer

Eichler in Marinwood - In conjunction to the porous programmatic kitchen block as a connective element, the walls along the main corridor add to the sense of bringing outside in. The fin wall adjacent to the entry has been detailed to have the siding slip past the glass, while the living, kitchen and dining room are all connected by a walnut veneer feature wall running the length of the house. This wall also echoes the lush surroundings of lucas valley as well as the original mahogany plywood panels used within eichlers. photo: scott hargis

Inspiration for a contemporary laundry room remodel in New York

Small transitional single-wall light wood floor and brown floor laundry closet photo in DC Metro with a side-by-side washer/dryer, shaker cabinets, white cabinets and gray walls

Labra Design Build
Utility room - mid-sized craftsman l-shaped porcelain tile utility room idea in Detroit with an undermount sink, white cabinets, wood countertops, gray walls, a side-by-side washer/dryer, brown countertops and shaker cabinets

Bernard Andre
Example of a mid-sized transitional beige one-story stucco exterior home design in San Francisco