This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

I built this on my property for my aging father who has some health issues. Handicap accessibility was a factor in design. His dream has always been to try retire to a cabin in the woods. This is what he got. It is a 1 bedroom, 1 bath with a great room. It is 600 sqft of AC space. The footprint is 40' x 26' overall. The site was the former home of our pig pen. I only had to take 1 tree to make this work and I planted 3 in its place. The axis is set from root ball to root ball. The rear center is aligned with mean sunset and is visible across a wetland. The goal was to make the home feel like it was floating in the palms. The geometry had to simple and I didn't want it feeling heavy on the land so I cantilevered the structure beyond exposed foundation walls. My barn is nearby and it features old 1950's "S" corrugated metal panel walls. I used the same panel profile for my siding. I ran it vertical to match the barn, but also to balance the length of the structure and stretch the high point into the canopy, visually. The wood is all Southern Yellow Pine. This material came from clearing at the Babcock Ranch Development site. I ran it through the structure, end to end and horizontally, to create a seamless feel and to stretch the space. It worked. It feels MUCH bigger than it is. I milled the material to specific sizes in specific areas to create precise alignments. Floor starters align with base. Wall tops adjoin ceiling starters to create the illusion of a seamless board. All light fixtures, HVAC supports, cabinets, switches, outlets, are set specifically to wood joints. The front and rear porch wood has three different milling profiles so the hypotenuse on the ceilings, align with the walls, and yield an aligned deck board below. Yes, I over did it. It is spectacular in its detailing. That's the benefit of small spaces. Concrete counters and IKEA cabinets round out the conversation. For those who cannot live tiny, I offer the Tiny-ish House. Photos by Ryan Gamma Staging by iStage Homes Design Assistance Jimmy Thornton

4 beds 5 baths 4,447 sqft RARE FIND! NEW HIGH-TECH, LAKE FRONT CONSTRUCTION ON HIGHLY DESIRABLE WINDERMERE CHAIN OF LAKES. This unique home site offers the opportunity to enjoy lakefront living on a private cove with the beauty and ambiance of a classic "Old Florida" home. With 150 feet of lake frontage, this is a very private lot with spacious grounds, gorgeous landscaping, and mature oaks. This acre plus parcel offers the beauty of the Butler Chain, no HOA, and turn key convenience. High-tech smart house amenities and the designer furnishings are included. Natural light defines the family area featuring wide plank hickory hardwood flooring, gas fireplace, tongue and groove ceilings, and a rear wall of disappearing glass opening to the covered lanai. The gourmet kitchen features a Wolf cooktop, Sub-Zero refrigerator, and Bosch dishwasher, exotic granite counter tops, a walk in pantry, and custom built cabinetry. The office features wood beamed ceilings. With an emphasis on Florida living the large covered lanai with summer kitchen, complete with Viking grill, fridge, and stone gas fireplace, overlook the sparkling salt system pool and cascading spa with sparkling lake views and dock with lift. The private master suite and luxurious master bath include granite vanities, a vessel tub, and walk in shower. Energy saving and organic with 6-zone HVAC system and Nest thermostats, low E double paned windows, tankless hot water heaters, spray foam insulation, whole house generator, and security with cameras. Property can be gated.

Spectacular Pool surrounded under very large boulder formations as reflected in the dramatic Black House back-drop. The guiding metaphor from the start was to be "in the shadow of the mountain." Photo - Marc Angeles

Photo by Eric Rorer
Contemporary gray three-story mixed siding exterior home idea in San Francisco

For this Boston-area former hunting lodge, featured in Outside the Not So Big House by Julie Moir Messervy and Sarah Susanka, JMMDS created a landscape design that anchors the house in the site and complements its Tuscan-inspired architectural update. Three paths meet in a circle of bricks that subtly offers visitors a place to pause and consider before continuing in another direction. Moss has been cultivated to fill the spaces between bricks. Photo: Grey Crawford.

Shajara offers the best bespoke artificial trees in UAE. Shop for the best custom artificial trees from Shajara. Visit Site: https://www.shajara.ae/bespokes/

Woodland Creek offer a wide variety or rustic log fireplace mantels in custom sizes to fit your fireplace or hearth. Custom hand carved mantels are available with the scene of your choice. We also offer beautiful twisted log mantels, distressed reclaimed wood beams, and log mantels. Visit our web site to see many more design ideas.

The primary goal for this project was to craft a modernist derivation of pueblo architecture. Set into a heavily laden boulder hillside, the design also reflects the nature of the stacked boulder formations. The site, located near local landmark Pinnacle Peak, offered breathtaking views which were largely upward, making proximity an issue. Maintaining southwest fenestration protection and maximizing views created the primary design constraint. The views are maximized with careful orientation, exacting overhangs, and wing wall locations. The overhangs intertwine and undulate with alternating materials stacking to reinforce the boulder strewn backdrop. The elegant material palette and siting allow for great harmony with the native desert. The Elegant Modern at Estancia was the collaboration of many of the Valley's finest luxury home specialists. Interiors guru David Michael Miller contributed elegance and refinement in every detail. Landscape architect Russ Greey of Greey | Pickett contributed a landscape design that not only complimented the architecture, but nestled into the surrounding desert as if always a part of it. And contractor Manship Builders -- Jim Manship and project manager Mark Laidlaw -- brought precision and skill to the construction of what architect C.P. Drewett described as "a watch." Project Details | Elegant Modern at Estancia Architecture: CP Drewett, AIA, NCARB Builder: Manship Builders, Carefree, AZ Interiors: David Michael Miller, Scottsdale, AZ Landscape: Greey | Pickett, Scottsdale, AZ Photography: Dino Tonn, Scottsdale, AZ Publications: "On the Edge: The Rugged Desert Landscape Forms the Ideal Backdrop for an Estancia Home Distinguished by its Modernist Lines" Luxe Interiors + Design, Nov/Dec 2015. Awards: 2015 PCBC Grand Award: Best Custom Home over 8,000 sq. ft. 2015 PCBC Award of Merit: Best Custom Home over 8,000 sq. ft. The Nationals 2016 Silver Award: Best Architectural Design of a One of a Kind Home - Custom or Spec 2015 Excellence in Masonry Architectural Award - Merit Award Photography: Dino Tonn

The design of this home was driven by the owners’ desire for a three-bedroom waterfront home that showcased the spectacular views and park-like setting. As nature lovers, they wanted their home to be organic, minimize any environmental impact on the sensitive site and embrace nature. This unique home is sited on a high ridge with a 45° slope to the water on the right and a deep ravine on the left. The five-acre site is completely wooded and tree preservation was a major emphasis. Very few trees were removed and special care was taken to protect the trees and environment throughout the project. To further minimize disturbance, grades were not changed and the home was designed to take full advantage of the site’s natural topography. Oak from the home site was re-purposed for the mantle, powder room counter and select furniture. The visually powerful twin pavilions were born from the need for level ground and parking on an otherwise challenging site. Fill dirt excavated from the main home provided the foundation. All structures are anchored with a natural stone base and exterior materials include timber framing, fir ceilings, shingle siding, a partial metal roof and corten steel walls. Stone, wood, metal and glass transition the exterior to the interior and large wood windows flood the home with light and showcase the setting. Interior finishes include reclaimed heart pine floors, Douglas fir trim, dry-stacked stone, rustic cherry cabinets and soapstone counters. Exterior spaces include a timber-framed porch, stone patio with fire pit and commanding views of the Occoquan reservoir. A second porch overlooks the ravine and a breezeway connects the garage to the home. Numerous energy-saving features have been incorporated, including LED lighting, on-demand gas water heating and special insulation. Smart technology helps manage and control the entire house. Greg Hadley Photography

I built this on my property for my aging father who has some health issues. Handicap accessibility was a factor in design. His dream has always been to try retire to a cabin in the woods. This is what he got. It is a 1 bedroom, 1 bath with a great room. It is 600 sqft of AC space. The footprint is 40' x 26' overall. The site was the former home of our pig pen. I only had to take 1 tree to make this work and I planted 3 in its place. The axis is set from root ball to root ball. The rear center is aligned with mean sunset and is visible across a wetland. The goal was to make the home feel like it was floating in the palms. The geometry had to simple and I didn't want it feeling heavy on the land so I cantilevered the structure beyond exposed foundation walls. My barn is nearby and it features old 1950's "S" corrugated metal panel walls. I used the same panel profile for my siding. I ran it vertical to match the barn, but also to balance the length of the structure and stretch the high point into the canopy, visually. The wood is all Southern Yellow Pine. This material came from clearing at the Babcock Ranch Development site. I ran it through the structure, end to end and horizontally, to create a seamless feel and to stretch the space. It worked. It feels MUCH bigger than it is. I milled the material to specific sizes in specific areas to create precise alignments. Floor starters align with base. Wall tops adjoin ceiling starters to create the illusion of a seamless board. All light fixtures, HVAC supports, cabinets, switches, outlets, are set specifically to wood joints. The front and rear porch wood has three different milling profiles so the hypotenuse on the ceilings, align with the walls, and yield an aligned deck board below. Yes, I over did it. It is spectacular in its detailing. That's the benefit of small spaces. Concrete counters and IKEA cabinets round out the conversation. For those who cannot live tiny, I offer the Tiny-ish House. Photos by Ryan Gamma Staging by iStage Homes Design Assistance Jimmy Thornton

With adjacent neighbors within a fairly dense section of Paradise Valley, Arizona, C.P. Drewett sought to provide a tranquil retreat for a new-to-the-Valley surgeon and his family who were seeking the modernism they loved though had never lived in. With a goal of consuming all possible site lines and views while maintaining autonomy, a portion of the house — including the entry, office, and master bedroom wing — is subterranean. This subterranean nature of the home provides interior grandeur for guests but offers a welcoming and humble approach, fully satisfying the clients requests. While the lot has an east-west orientation, the home was designed to capture mainly north and south light which is more desirable and soothing. The architecture’s interior loftiness is created with overlapping, undulating planes of plaster, glass, and steel. The woven nature of horizontal planes throughout the living spaces provides an uplifting sense, inviting a symphony of light to enter the space. The more voluminous public spaces are comprised of stone-clad massing elements which convert into a desert pavilion embracing the outdoor spaces. Every room opens to exterior spaces providing a dramatic embrace of home to natural environment. Grand Award winner for Best Interior Design of a Custom Home The material palette began with a rich, tonal, large-format Quartzite stone cladding. The stone’s tones gaveforth the rest of the material palette including a champagne-colored metal fascia, a tonal stucco system, and ceilings clad with hemlock, a tight-grained but softer wood that was tonally perfect with the rest of the materials. The interior case goods and wood-wrapped openings further contribute to the tonal harmony of architecture and materials. Grand Award Winner for Best Indoor Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home This award-winning project was recognized at the 2020 Gold Nugget Awards with two Grand Awards, one for Best Indoor/Outdoor Lifestyle for a Home, and another for Best Interior Design of a One of a Kind or Custom Home. At the 2020 Design Excellence Awards and Gala presented by ASID AZ North, Ownby Design received five awards for Tonal Harmony. The project was recognized for 1st place – Bathroom; 3rd place – Furniture; 1st place – Kitchen; 1st place – Outdoor Living; and 2nd place – Residence over 6,000 square ft. Congratulations to Claire Ownby, Kalysha Manzo, and the entire Ownby Design team. Tonal Harmony was also featured on the cover of the July/August 2020 issue of Luxe Interiors + Design and received a 14-page editorial feature entitled “A Place in the Sun” within the magazine.

The site-finished white oak floor runs into the mudroom and dining room, offering a seamless look. ProSource Wholesale Floorcoverings of Cincinnati
Inspiration for a timeless kitchen remodel in Cincinnati

The primary goal for this project was to craft a modernist derivation of pueblo architecture. Set into a heavily laden boulder hillside, the design also reflects the nature of the stacked boulder formations. The site, located near local landmark Pinnacle Peak, offered breathtaking views which were largely upward, making proximity an issue. Maintaining southwest fenestration protection and maximizing views created the primary design constraint. The views are maximized with careful orientation, exacting overhangs, and wing wall locations. The overhangs intertwine and undulate with alternating materials stacking to reinforce the boulder strewn backdrop. The elegant material palette and siting allow for great harmony with the native desert. The Elegant Modern at Estancia was the collaboration of many of the Valley's finest luxury home specialists. Interiors guru David Michael Miller contributed elegance and refinement in every detail. Landscape architect Russ Greey of Greey | Pickett contributed a landscape design that not only complimented the architecture, but nestled into the surrounding desert as if always a part of it. And contractor Manship Builders -- Jim Manship and project manager Mark Laidlaw -- brought precision and skill to the construction of what architect C.P. Drewett described as "a watch." Project Details | Elegant Modern at Estancia Architecture: CP Drewett, AIA, NCARB Builder: Manship Builders, Carefree, AZ Interiors: David Michael Miller, Scottsdale, AZ Landscape: Greey | Pickett, Scottsdale, AZ Photography: Dino Tonn, Scottsdale, AZ Publications: "On the Edge: The Rugged Desert Landscape Forms the Ideal Backdrop for an Estancia Home Distinguished by its Modernist Lines" Luxe Interiors + Design, Nov/Dec 2015. Awards: 2015 PCBC Grand Award: Best Custom Home over 8,000 sq. ft. 2015 PCBC Award of Merit: Best Custom Home over 8,000 sq. ft. The Nationals 2016 Silver Award: Best Architectural Design of a One of a Kind Home - Custom or Spec 2015 Excellence in Masonry Architectural Award - Merit Award Photography: Dino Tonn

design: Studio TOOP, 2013 location: Rotterdam, NL status: built in 2014, Weldam Groenprojecten photo: Hans Clauzing, 2014 Our good friend Gerda is an avid photographer with a special interest in nature photography and butterflies. She also suffers from a lung disease that sometimes leaves her less mobile and able to head out to pursue this passion. A garden to take pictures in, even when you're not up to heading further out into the world. That was the main goal of this garden. With limited means and the use of affordable materials we created a wheel chair friendly garden that offers ample space for both human and wild life.

Exceptional custom-built 1 ½ story walkout home on a premier cul-de-sac site in the Lakeview neighborhood. Tastefully designed with exquisite craftsmanship and high attention to detail throughout. Offering main level living with a stunning master suite, incredible kitchen with an open concept and a beautiful screen porch showcasing south facing wooded views. This home is an entertainer’s delight with many spaces for hosting gatherings. 2 private acres and surrounded by nature.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary formal and open concept dark wood floor and brown floor living room remodel with white walls, no fireplace and no tv

Armstrong American Scrape 5" solid oak hardwood floor, color: Natural.
Hallway - small traditional light wood floor and brown floor hallway idea with green walls

The owners were downsizing from a larger house and wanted a place that would let them entertain and enjoy rooftop views of the trees and downtown skyline. In response, the design offers generous, flowing open spaces on the main level, which overlooks a small courtyard. The site’s woodland characteristics inspired the use of exterior stone. Accoya, a fast-growing softwood that is impervious to decay in the Houston humidity, was used for siding. The combination of the site strategy, program and aesthetic direction respond to the site’s challenges to create an elegant solution. Peter Molick Photography