Straightening the stairs and shifting the hallway bath allowed us to add a window seat and laundry on the 2nd floor landing. Behind the shallow linen closet is the bathroom storage closet.

This 9 kW system located in the gated community of Rolling Hills was designed with 3 arrays using 30 - LG 300 watt mono X panels and 30 - Enphase IQ-6 smart grid ready microinverters. Energy efficient improvements were made including hybrid pool pumps, and LED lighting. Load shifting and a time of use rate plan were also part of of an overall strategy to "reduce then produce" All Design and Installation Performed by Howe Custom Home Builders.

This 9 kW system located in the gated community of Rolling Hills was designed with 3 arrays using 30 - LG 300 watt mono X panels and 30 - Enphase IQ-6 smart grid ready microinverters. Energy efficient improvements were made including hybrid pool pumps, and LED lighting. Load shifting and a time of use rate plan were also part of of an overall strategy to "reduce then produce" All Design and Installation Performed by Howe Custom Home Builders.

Homeowners in Stuart, FL noticed that there were some cracks forming on their pool deck. They were concerned that the problem would worsen, so they called Florida foundation Authority for help. We used the PolyLevel system to pump a light-weight polyurethane foam under the concrete to fill the voids underneath and level the concrete. The homeowners chose to have us protect the entire pool deck with the foam so it will not continue to shift or sink.

Trendy single-wall seated home bar photo in Detroit with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets and gray countertops

The clay tiles on this roof in the Rancho Palos Verdes community of Ocean Terrace were removed and reinstalled over new underlayment. The flat roofs areas were stripped, and new underlayment was installed followed by a white cool roof coating. The new panel array was installed directly over a new composition roof and framed with clay tiles that were fastened with a 2-part polyurethane foam adhesive. This method uses no nails and allows foot traffic on the top of the tile roof for panel access without the worry of breakage. 20 LG 335-watt panels and 20 Enphase High Power Smart Grid IQ 6 Plus Microinverters were installed and monitoring will be provided by Enphase Enlighten. A reduce then produce concept was followed by replacing all incandescent bulbs with efficient LED bulbs and fixtures, pool pumps were replaced with Hybrid ultra-high efficient pumps, and an overall plan of load shifting and load sheading was implemented. All Design and Installation Performed by Howe Custom Home Builders.

The clay tiles on this roof in the Rancho Palos Verdes community of Ocean Terrace were removed and reinstalled over new underlayment. The flat roofs areas were stripped, and new underlayment was installed followed by a white cool roof coating. The new panel array was installed directly over a new composition roof and framed with clay tiles that were fastened with a 2-part polyurethane foam adhesive. This method uses no nails and allows foot traffic on the top of the tile roof for panel access without the worry of breakage. 20 LG 335-watt panels and 20 Enphase High Power Smart Grid IQ 6 Plus Microinverters were installed and monitoring will be provided by Enphase Enlighten. A reduce then produce concept was followed by replacing all incandescent bulbs with efficient LED bulbs and fixtures, pool pumps were replaced with Hybrid ultra-high efficient pumps, and an overall plan of load shifting and load sheading was implemented. All Design and Installation Performed by Howe Custom Home Builders.

This project comprises a 400-squarefoot accessory dwelling unit (ADU), a 1,200-square-foot two-story addition to the main residence, and new landscape design. The homeowners, a young family seeking more space, wanted a solution that would allow them to stay in their neighborhood rather than relocate to a larger home. The renovation and addition to the main house included a full remodel of the kitchen, primary suite, two children’s bedrooms, and a half bath. The new ADU—designed as flexible space for guests and play has since evolved into a productive home office (adapting seamlessly to the family’s shift to remote work in early 2020). To meet the clients’ tight timeline, the project was strategically divided into three separate building permits, allowing construction to begin earlier and proceed efficiently. The ADU is conditioned with a high-efficiency heat pump system, contributing to the home’s overall energy performance.

Inspiration for a rustic brown one-story wood gable roof remodel in Seattle

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

Example of a beach style bathroom design in Los Angeles

Photo: Ten Ten Creative
Wet bar - transitional single-wall dark wood floor and brown floor wet bar idea in Dallas with shaker cabinets, black cabinets, black backsplash, subway tile backsplash and gray countertops

Example of a large trendy master gray tile gray floor and concrete floor double shower design with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a one-piece toilet, gray walls, a vessel sink, a hinged shower door, black countertops and concrete countertops

This beautiful Craftsman style Passive House has a carbon footprint 20% that of a typically built home in Oregon. Its 12-in. thick walls with cork insulation, ultra-high efficiency windows and doors, solar panels, heat pump hot water, Energy Star appliances, fresh air intake unit, and natural daylighting keep its utility bills exceptionally low. Jen G. Pywell

Inspiration for a contemporary outdoor patio shower remodel in New York

Nestled along South Boulder Creek with sweeping Flatirons views, Creekside is a custom modern mountain home shaped by one guiding principle: dissolve the boundary between light, landscape, and daily living. From the first conversations, the project began not with a floor plan, but with the land itself—carefully evaluating a rare, delicate site and letting its rhythms, constraints, and beauty set the tone for every decision. Designed for a couple building their forever home in the Boulder foothills, the residence balances crisp modernity with the warmth and honesty of natural materials. Expansive glazing and clean lines are grounded by timber, stone, and tactile finishes—quietly luxurious rather than showy. The clients had spent years “chasing the light” from home to home; here, that pursuit became something more intentional. Instead of chasing the sun, the architecture invites sunlight to travel through the house across the day and seasons. Light is treated as a living element, orchestrated to create moments of surprise and calm. An interior window captures southern exposure at the upper level, guiding it through the loft and filtering it into the northern living room below—an atmospheric shift that changes hour by hour. A glass stair bridge adds levitation and clarity, linking front and back, public and private. Beneath it, a serene Zen garden winds under floating stairs, creating a quiet pause in the home’s circulation. Facing the creek, the home opens into a composition of glass and crisp geometry, framing moving water and long bands of daylight. Peaked roofs, timber beams, and stone cladding nod to regional vernacular, rooting the modern form in its mountain context. Set beside a sensitive riparian corridor, Creekside demanded exceptional care, including meticulous deconstruction of an existing structure with 94% landfill diversion. Performance was treated as a design feature: HERS 4, ENERGY STAR certification, a 15.8 kWh solar array, 30 kW battery backup, 1 ACH air-sealed construction, and air-source heat pumps—proof that stewardship and comfort can coexist beautifully.

Nestled along South Boulder Creek with sweeping Flatirons views, Creekside is a custom modern mountain home shaped by one guiding principle: dissolve the boundary between light, landscape, and daily living. From the first conversations, the project began not with a floor plan, but with the land itself—carefully evaluating a rare, delicate site and letting its rhythms, constraints, and beauty set the tone for every decision. Designed for a couple building their forever home in the Boulder foothills, the residence balances crisp modernity with the warmth and honesty of natural materials. Expansive glazing and clean lines are grounded by timber, stone, and tactile finishes—quietly luxurious rather than showy. The clients had spent years “chasing the light” from home to home; here, that pursuit became something more intentional. Instead of chasing the sun, the architecture invites sunlight to travel through the house across the day and seasons. Light is treated as a living element, orchestrated to create moments of surprise and calm. An interior window captures southern exposure at the upper level, guiding it through the loft and filtering it into the northern living room below—an atmospheric shift that changes hour by hour. A glass stair bridge adds levitation and clarity, linking front and back, public and private. Beneath it, a serene Zen garden winds under floating stairs, creating a quiet pause in the home’s circulation. Facing the creek, the home opens into a composition of glass and crisp geometry, framing moving water and long bands of daylight. Peaked roofs, timber beams, and stone cladding nod to regional vernacular, rooting the modern form in its mountain context. Set beside a sensitive riparian corridor, Creekside demanded exceptional care, including meticulous deconstruction of an existing structure with 94% landfill diversion. Performance was treated as a design feature: HERS 4, ENERGY STAR certification, a 15.8 kWh solar array, 30 kW battery backup, 1 ACH air-sealed construction, and air-source heat pumps—proof that stewardship and comfort can coexist beautifully.

Nestled along South Boulder Creek with sweeping Flatirons views, Creekside is a custom modern mountain home shaped by one guiding principle: dissolve the boundary between light, landscape, and daily living. From the first conversations, the project began not with a floor plan, but with the land itself—carefully evaluating a rare, delicate site and letting its rhythms, constraints, and beauty set the tone for every decision. Designed for a couple building their forever home in the Boulder foothills, the residence balances crisp modernity with the warmth and honesty of natural materials. Expansive glazing and clean lines are grounded by timber, stone, and tactile finishes—quietly luxurious rather than showy. The clients had spent years “chasing the light” from home to home; here, that pursuit became something more intentional. Instead of chasing the sun, the architecture invites sunlight to travel through the house across the day and seasons. Light is treated as a living element, orchestrated to create moments of surprise and calm. An interior window captures southern exposure at the upper level, guiding it through the loft and filtering it into the northern living room below—an atmospheric shift that changes hour by hour. A glass stair bridge adds levitation and clarity, linking front and back, public and private. Beneath it, a serene Zen garden winds under floating stairs, creating a quiet pause in the home’s circulation. Facing the creek, the home opens into a composition of glass and crisp geometry, framing moving water and long bands of daylight. Peaked roofs, timber beams, and stone cladding nod to regional vernacular, rooting the modern form in its mountain context. Set beside a sensitive riparian corridor, Creekside demanded exceptional care, including meticulous deconstruction of an existing structure with 94% landfill diversion. Performance was treated as a design feature: HERS 4, ENERGY STAR certification, a 15.8 kWh solar array, 30 kW battery backup, 1 ACH air-sealed construction, and air-source heat pumps—proof that stewardship and comfort can coexist beautifully.