Search results for "Second generation" in Home Design Ideas

Context
Norbert and Robin had dreamed of retiring in a Passive House-certified home overlooking the Lubberland Creek Preserve in Southeastern New Hampshire, and they’d done their homework. They were interested in using four integrated Zehnder America (www.zehnderamerica.com) technologies to make the 1,900 square foot home extremely energy efficient.
They didn’t miss any opportunity to innovate or raise the bar on sustainable design. Our goals were focused on guaranteeing their comfort in every season, saving them money on a fixed income, and reducing the home’s overall impact on the environment as much as possible.
Response
The home faces directly south and captures sunlight all winter under tall and vaulted ceilings and a continuous band of slim-lined, Italian triple-pane windows and doors that provide gorgeous views of the wild preserve. A second-story office nook and clerestory provide even deeper views, with a little more privacy.
Zehnder, which previously sold its innovative products only in Europe, took on the project as a test house. We designed around Zehnder’s vent-based systems, including a geothermal heat loop that heats and cools incoming air, a heat pump cooling system, electric towel-warmer radiators in the bathrooms, and a highly efficient energy recovery ventilator, which recycles heat and minimizes the need for air conditioning. The house effectively has no conventional heating system—and doesn’t need it. We also looked for efficiencies and smart solutions everywhere, from the lights to the windows to the insulation.
The kitchen exhaust hood eliminates, cleans, and recirculates cooking fumes in the home’s unique kitchen, custom-designed to match the ways Norbert likes to prepare meals. There are several countertop heights so they can prep and clean comfortably, and the eat-in kitchen also has two seating heights so people can sit and socialize while they’re working on dinner. An adjacent screened porch greets guests and opens to the view.
A roof-mounted solar system helps to ensure that the home generates more energy than it consumes—helped by features such as a heat pump water heater, superinsulation, LED lights and a polished concrete floor that helps regulate indoor temperatures.

With our Parkwood floor plan you can enjoy a full bath located in the hall on the second floor. To learn more about our Parkwood floor plan, check out our site at https://www.gomsh.com/plan/parkwood/interactive-floor-plan

Welcome to the Shasta plan at Revere - a two-story home boasting 3,457 square feet and an array of customizable options to suit your lifestyle. The covered entry porch, framed by split garages, leads you to a large tiled entry that offers access to the centrally located family room, the upstairs, or the standard dining room.
This home offers flexibility with its optional configurations. The dining room can be transformed into a multi-generational residence featuring a dedicated living room, bedroom, bathroom, and private entry, or it can serve as a dedicated media room and private home office.
At the heart of the home, the kitchen is equipped with an in-island sink and dishwasher, a five-burner stove, and abundant storage with a walk-in pantry and a separate Butler’s pantry. Adjacent to the kitchen is a spacious breakfast nook filled with natural light from the numerous windows and a slider leading to the covered patio. The first-floor owner’s suite, which also has access to the patio, is designed for luxury with an expansive walk-in closet, soaking tub, dual vanities, and a coffered ceiling.
The upstairs is designed for family living, featuring a relaxing loft area, three or four secondary bedrooms, and a well-equipped laundry room. The second floor comes standard with a bonus room, two bedrooms with walk-in closets, and a covered balcony. The fourth bedroom’s standard en-suite bathroom can be optioned as a shared Jack-and-Jill bathroom when the fifth bedroom is selected. The Shasta plan at Revere allows you to live large and tailor your home to your unique needs.
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Ken Wyner Photography
Large asian beige two-story mixed siding house exterior photo in DC Metro
Large asian beige two-story mixed siding house exterior photo in DC Metro

When this multi-generational family embarked on rebuilding their Palo Alto home, they had to rethink the entire design due to FEMA regulations. Located in a flood zone, the finished floor had to be raised 4 feet, necessitating a full demolition. This challenge became an opportunity to create a residence that better suited the family’s needs — with three bedrooms on the second floor and a ground floor in-law suite. Drawing references from the previous Eichler-inspired house, the new iteration features glass walls and expressed structure that recalls a midcentury design that is entirely modern. The great room opens onto the garden, where a raised terrace provides outdoor living space. Wraparound planters and tiered stairs ease the transition between levels, allowing the home to blend seamlessly into the neighborhood.

"About this Home: Upon entering, the grandeur of the home is immediately apparent, with 15' vaulted ceilings gracing the main living areas and a barrer ceiling in the foyer, creating an atmosphere of openness and airiness. The living space, adorned with cedar beams and a gas fireplace, flows effortlessly into the dining area, which opens to a covered back deck overlooking a large private yard—an ideal canvas for creating an outdoor oasis, perhaps with a pool and pool house.
The heart of this home is undoubtedly the meticulously designed kitchen. A culinary haven, it boasts Jenn Air appliances, custom cabinetry, quartz countertops, and a striking custom hood. Every detail was considered to provide both functionality and aesthetic pleasure. The site-finished hardwood floors underfoot enhance the overall sense of refinement.
The master suite, located on the main level, is a sanctuary of indulgence. The oversized bedroom leads to a spa-like master bathroom featuring a freestanding tub, an oversized shower with dual shower heads, and opulent finishes throughout. Ascending to the second level, you'll find a large en-suite bedroom and two additional bedrooms sharing a Jack & Jill bathroom, ensuring privacy and comfort for all residents.
Beyond the impeccable interior, the home is framed by a generous lot size of 0.7 acres, offering the potential to create a private retreat within the city. The vision for this home was not just to provide shelter but to curate a lifestyle—a life filled with refined comfort, entertaining possibilities, and an enduring sense of home. As the builder, we are proud to present a residence where every detail has been thoughtfully considered, resulting in a timeless masterpiece that will be cherished for generations to come.
Distinctive Domain is a member of the Certified Luxury Builders Network.
Certified Luxury Builders is a network of leading custom home builders and luxury home and condo remodelers who create 5-Star experiences for luxury home and condo owners from New York to Los Angeles and Boston to Naples.
As a Certified Luxury Builder, Distinctive Domain is proud to feature photos of select projects from our members around the country to inspire you with design ideas. Please feel free to contact the specific Certified Luxury Builder with any questions or inquiries you may have about their projects. Please visit www.CLBNetwork.com for a directory of CLB members featured on Houzz and their contact information."

We love it when a home becomes a family compound with wonderful history. That is exactly what this home on Mullet Lake is. The original cottage was built by our client’s father and enjoyed by the family for years. It finally came to the point that there was simply not enough room and it lacked some of the efficiencies and luxuries enjoyed in permanent residences. The cottage is utilized by several families and space was needed to allow for summer and holiday enjoyment. The focus was on creating additional space on the second level, increasing views of the lake, moving interior spaces and the need to increase the ceiling heights on the main level. All these changes led for the need to start over or at least keep what we could and add to it. The home had an excellent foundation, in more ways than one, so we started from there.
It was important to our client to create a northern Michigan cottage using low maintenance exterior finishes. The interior look and feel moved to more timber beam with pine paneling to keep the warmth and appeal of our area. The home features 2 master suites, one on the main level and one on the 2nd level with a balcony. There are 4 additional bedrooms with one also serving as an office. The bunkroom provides plenty of sleeping space for the grandchildren. The great room has vaulted ceilings, plenty of seating and a stone fireplace with vast windows toward the lake. The kitchen and dining are open to each other and enjoy the view.
The beach entry provides access to storage, the 3/4 bath, and laundry. The sunroom off the dining area is a great extension of the home with 180 degrees of view. This allows a wonderful morning escape to enjoy your coffee. The covered timber entry porch provides a direct view of the lake upon entering the home. The garage also features a timber bracketed shed roof system which adds wonderful detail to garage doors.
The home’s footprint was extended in a few areas to allow for the interior spaces to work with the needs of the family. Plenty of living spaces for all to enjoy as well as bedrooms to rest their heads after a busy day on the lake. This will be enjoyed by generations to come.

Rare, newly constructed 5 bedroom, 5½ bath townhome with private yard in downtown Hoboken. Thoughtfully designed to maximize all 4,000 square feet of living space, the open plan living areas and well-proportioned bedrooms are a perfect match for the urban family. Open to both living and dining areas, the professional chef’s kitchen features a Thermador appliance package with 48” gas range and wine refrigeration, timeless cabinetry and sprawling island with breakfast bar seating for 6. Relaxing second floor master retreat is replete with dressing hall, spa bath and private terrace. A private guest or au pair suite and expansive media room with NYC views complete the top floor. Lovely landscaped SynLawn yard, laundry center with full size washer and dryer, garden level storage, oversized Marvin windows, wide-plank hardwood floors, generous closet space, 3 zone HVAC and natural gas back-up generator. Conveniently located near parking, parks, schools and all NYC transportation. Flexibility to add a 6th bedroom and bathroom and 10 year new home warranty.

Santa Monica Modern is a stunning single family residence perched atop a hill overlooking Santa Monica Bay. Featuring All Weather custom aluminum windows and doors throughout, this gorgeous project was a recipient of a 2024 AIA Los Angeles Residential Architecture Award, which exemplifies the highest standards of design excellence, creative execution, and transformative impact on urban landscapes.
Designed by Dimster Architecture, the 3 bedroom, 5 bath, 3,550 sq. ft. Santa Monica Modern residence sits on a 7,200 sq. ft. corner lot and stands out for its meticulous attention to detail and elegant curvature of its designs. An L-shaped scheme maximizes privacy towards the streets while exposing the interior to the garden and afternoon sun, encouraging indoor/outdoor living. The building mass is divided between two separate structures and is both articulated and accentuated with curved carvings.
The sunken living room features 10-foot tall All Weather Series 8100 multi slide doors in stacking and pocketing configurations on two sides for a pavilion feeling and serves as both passive cooling and a direct connection to the yard and pool. By combining the kitchen, dining room and den, the home offers flexible spaces for entertaining, meditation, work and hobbies and the potential for future multi-generational living.
A simple stair, concealed behind an open screen, leads to the second floor. The master suite spans the building’s width, while other bedrooms enjoy unique treetop views and expansive daylighting with All Weather Series 6000 operable and fixed windows.
Throughout the house, a cohesive and calming palette of materials and textures, the natural wood siding, and the beige concrete block wall adds an unconventional element and completes the concept.

Welcome to the Shasta plan at Revere - a two-story home boasting 3,457 square feet and an array of customizable options to suit your lifestyle. The covered entry porch, framed by split garages, leads you to a large tiled entry that offers access to the centrally located family room, the upstairs, or the standard dining room.
This home offers flexibility with its optional configurations. The dining room can be transformed into a multi-generational residence featuring a dedicated living room, bedroom, bathroom, and private entry, or it can serve as a dedicated media room and private home office.
At the heart of the home, the kitchen is equipped with an in-island sink and dishwasher, a five-burner stove, and abundant storage with a walk-in pantry and a separate Butler’s pantry. Adjacent to the kitchen is a spacious breakfast nook filled with natural light from the numerous windows and a slider leading to the covered patio. The first-floor owner’s suite, which also has access to the patio, is designed for luxury with an expansive walk-in closet, soaking tub, dual vanities, and a coffered ceiling.
The upstairs is designed for family living, featuring a relaxing loft area, three or four secondary bedrooms, and a well-equipped laundry room. The second floor comes standard with a bonus room, two bedrooms with walk-in closets, and a covered balcony. The fourth bedroom’s standard en-suite bathroom can be optioned as a shared Jack-and-Jill bathroom when the fifth bedroom is selected. The Shasta plan at Revere allows you to live large and tailor your home to your unique needs.

Handsome 22 foot wide Bloomfield Street home perfect for today’s urban family. With a distinctive mansard roof and restored brick facade, this 4 story, 4 bedroom, 3½ bathroom home has undergone a complete renovation. The parlor floor features an open, airy layout with custom chef’s kitchen featuring quartz counters, classic white cabinets, top of the line Thermador appliance package and access to a low-maintenance landscaped yard. Master suite features dressing room, sitting area and en suite spa bath. Additional bedroom and office alcove complete the second floor. The top floor features 2 additional bedrooms each with custom en suite baths, generous closets and with soaring ceilings. Garden level playroom/media room features hot water radiant heated floors, oversized wood porcelain tile and full height ceilings. Wide plank white oak flooring, designer lighting, dual zone heating and cooling, full size laundry, custom Marvin windows and roof mounted backup generator. Private garage parking available for rent 1 block away.

This Californian home was transformed from a standard house builders’ specification into a showcase for the owners. The multi generational Indian family who lives here now has a home which unites the living and cooking areas with the outside space which reflects their way of life. The introduction of a sweeping staircase connects the first and second floors and celebrates the triple height entryway. Guests experience an open floor plan with generous vistas throughout the house with a multitude of surprise elements such as pops of charm delivered via playful wallpaper and decorative tile.

As soon as you enter into this magnificent residence your attention is drawn to the striking and beautiful stonewall. The warm and simplicity of the modern electric fireplace is an unspoken invitation to “come in and make yourself comfortable”.
While your senses are getting marvel by the glare of the enchanted chandelier, you will perceive the depth, character and warmth exuded but the second floor wood accent wall.
The use of rich, natural materials creates a sense of extraordinary, and modern elegance. The quality craftsmanship, attention to details, and the warm color pallete generates comfort and harmony.
In the loft area, to create a “wow” factor, the wall was texturized with rich, warm, deep earthy wood and the windows were treated with custom linen roman shades.

This project consisted of transforming a duplex into a bi-generational house. The extension includes two floors, a basement, and a new concrete foundation.
Underpinning work was required between the existing foundation and the new walls. We added masonry wall openings on the first and second floors to create a large open space on each level, extending to the new back-facing windows.

Our clients already had a cottage on Torch Lake that they loved to visit. It was a 1960s ranch that worked just fine for their needs. However, the lower level walkout became entirely unusable due to water issues. After purchasing the lot next door, they hired us to design a new cottage. Our first task was to situate the home in the center of the two parcels to maximize the view of the lake while also accommodating a yard area. Our second task was to take particular care to divert any future water issues. We took necessary precautions with design specifications to water proof properly, establish foundation and landscape drain tiles / stones, set the proper elevation of the home per ground water height and direct the water flow around the home from natural grade / drive. Our final task was to make appealing, comfortable, living spaces with future planning at the forefront. An example of this planning is placing a master suite on both the main level and the upper level. The ultimate goal of this home is for it to one day be at least a 3/4 of the year home and designed to be a multi-generational heirloom.
- Jacqueline Southby Photography

Our clients already had a cottage on Torch Lake that they loved to visit. It was a 1960s ranch that worked just fine for their needs. However, the lower level walkout became entirely unusable due to water issues. After purchasing the lot next door, they hired us to design a new cottage. Our first task was to situate the home in the center of the two parcels to maximize the view of the lake while also accommodating a yard area. Our second task was to take particular care to divert any future water issues. We took necessary precautions with design specifications to water proof properly, establish foundation and landscape drain tiles / stones, set the proper elevation of the home per ground water height and direct the water flow around the home from natural grade / drive. Our final task was to make appealing, comfortable, living spaces with future planning at the forefront. An example of this planning is placing a master suite on both the main level and the upper level. The ultimate goal of this home is for it to one day be at least a 3/4 of the year home and designed to be a multi-generational heirloom.
- Jacqueline Southby Photography

Our clients already had a cottage on Torch Lake that they loved to visit. It was a 1960s ranch that worked just fine for their needs. However, the lower level walkout became entirely unusable due to water issues. After purchasing the lot next door, they hired us to design a new cottage. Our first task was to situate the home in the center of the two parcels to maximize the view of the lake while also accommodating a yard area. Our second task was to take particular care to divert any future water issues. We took necessary precautions with design specifications to water proof properly, establish foundation and landscape drain tiles / stones, set the proper elevation of the home per ground water height and direct the water flow around the home from natural grade / drive. Our final task was to make appealing, comfortable, living spaces with future planning at the forefront. An example of this planning is placing a master suite on both the main level and the upper level. The ultimate goal of this home is for it to one day be at least a 3/4 of the year home and designed to be a multi-generational heirloom.
- Jacqueline Southby Photography

This bathroom was part of a project that consisted of transforming a duplex into a bi-generational house. The whole extension project includes two floors, a basement, and a new concrete foundation.
Underpinning work was required between the existing foundation and the new walls. We added masonry wall openings on the first and second floors to create a large open space on each level, extending to the new back-facing windows.

We love it when a home becomes a family compound with wonderful history. That is exactly what this home on Mullet Lake is. The original cottage was built by our client’s father and enjoyed by the family for years. It finally came to the point that there was simply not enough room and it lacked some of the efficiencies and luxuries enjoyed in permanent residences. The cottage is utilized by several families and space was needed to allow for summer and holiday enjoyment. The focus was on creating additional space on the second level, increasing views of the lake, moving interior spaces and the need to increase the ceiling heights on the main level. All these changes led for the need to start over or at least keep what we could and add to it. The home had an excellent foundation, in more ways than one, so we started from there.
It was important to our client to create a northern Michigan cottage using low maintenance exterior finishes. The interior look and feel moved to more timber beam with pine paneling to keep the warmth and appeal of our area. The home features 2 master suites, one on the main level and one on the 2nd level with a balcony. There are 4 additional bedrooms with one also serving as an office. The bunkroom provides plenty of sleeping space for the grandchildren. The great room has vaulted ceilings, plenty of seating and a stone fireplace with vast windows toward the lake. The kitchen and dining are open to each other and enjoy the view.
The beach entry provides access to storage, the 3/4 bath, and laundry. The sunroom off the dining area is a great extension of the home with 180 degrees of view. This allows a wonderful morning escape to enjoy your coffee. The covered timber entry porch provides a direct view of the lake upon entering the home. The garage also features a timber bracketed shed roof system which adds wonderful detail to garage doors.
The home’s footprint was extended in a few areas to allow for the interior spaces to work with the needs of the family. Plenty of living spaces for all to enjoy as well as bedrooms to rest their heads after a busy day on the lake. This will be enjoyed by generations to come.
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