This passive solar cottage included energy efficiency and sustainability strategies across all divisions of construction, from the LEED concrete mixes to the custom designed bio-mass wood boiler hydronic heating system. The clients – a forestry consultant and an energy policy advocate – drove the design and construction of the project to be an extremely unique and functional building. Fundamentals of passive solar design and sun-tempering were the basis around which the major project parameters were established. The active space conditioning and domestic hot water is provided by a visible-flame architectural wood boiler, backed up by a bio-diesel boiler. Other features include decorative polished concrete slab floors; locally-sourced hybrid timber frame components; custom sawn northern white cedar beveled siding; oak stair treads sourced from the property; heart pine flooring for Fall River mill timbers; super-insulated assemblies with cellulose and insulated sheathing; and reclaimed, restored lighting and plumbing fixtures.

This passive solar cottage included energy efficiency and sustainability strategies across all divisions of construction, from the LEED concrete mixes to the custom designed bio-mass wood boiler hydronic heating system. The clients – a forestry consultant and an energy policy advocate – drove the design and construction of the project to be an extremely unique and functional building. Fundamentals of passive solar design and sun-tempering were the basis around which the major project parameters were established. The active space conditioning and domestic hot water is provided by a visible-flame architectural wood boiler, backed up by a bio-diesel boiler. Other features include decorative polished concrete slab floors; locally-sourced hybrid timber frame components; custom sawn northern white cedar beveled siding; oak stair treads sourced from the property; heart pine flooring for Fall River mill timbers; super-insulated assemblies with cellulose and insulated sheathing; and reclaimed, restored lighting and plumbing fixtures.

Large kitchen/family room with coffered ceiling, hardwood flooring and french doors leading to back deck. Custom cabinetry made with wood doors and birch veneer soft close plywood boxes.Built in microwave/oven and gas cooktop. We extended existing hot water heat into the new addition. Photo by John Narvali

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This large open concept kitchen and dining space was created by removing a load bearing wall between the old kitchen and a porch area. The new porch was insulated and incorporated into the overall space. The kitchen remodel was part of a whole house remodel so new quarter sawn oak flooring, a vaulted ceiling, windows and skylights were added. A large calcutta marble topped island takes center stage. It houses a 5’ galley workstation - a sink that provides a convenient spot for prepping, serving, entertaining and clean up. A 36” induction cooktop is located directly across from the island for easy access. Two appliance garages on either side of the cooktop house small appliances that are used on a daily basis. Honeycomb tile by Ann Sacks and open shelving along the cooktop wall add an interesting focal point to the room. Antique mirrored glass faces the storage unit housing dry goods and a beverage center. “I chose details for the space that had a bit of a mid-century vibe that would work well with what was originally a 1950s ranch. Along the way a previous owner added a 2nd floor making it more of a Cape Cod style home, a few eclectic details felt appropriate”, adds Klimala. The wall opposite the cooktop houses a full size fridge, freezer, double oven, coffee machine and microwave. “There is a lot of functionality going on along that wall”, adds Klimala. A small pull out countertop below the coffee machine provides a spot for hot items coming out of the ovens. The rooms creamy cabinetry is accented by quartersawn white oak at the island and wrapped ceiling beam. The golden tones are repeated in the antique brass light fixtures. “This is the second kitchen I’ve had the opportunity to design for myself. My taste has gotten a little less traditional over the years, and although I’m still a traditionalist at heart, I had some fun with this kitchen and took some chances. The kitchen is super functional, easy to keep clean and has lots of storage to tuck things away when I’m done using them. The casual dining room is fabulous and is proving to be a great spot to linger after dinner. We love it!” Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

This modern freestanding pool house is a little over 500 square feet. We created this space to allow for entertaining outdoors and relaxing by the pool, as well as giving this homeowner a great backyard view. There is plenty of room for the kitchen and hang out area. We poured a concrete base that we then covered with light walnut travertine. We also added travertine pavers to transition from the pool to the new space. The structure includes smooth stucco finish on the walls, stone based columns and an outdoor shower. The space couldn’t be complete without the 2 TVs with built-in overhead speakers. The kitchen area includes an 18 foot counter area with leathered colonial cream granite and stone that matches the columns. There is a FireMagic Diamond 660i 30 inch grill, fridge, side burner and a sink with hot water. There is plenty of storage and a great pull-out trash drawer. The raised bar top area gives plenty of seating for that snack after swimming. The bathroom is a clean and bright area with a walk-in shower that has frameless glass doors. The vanity is custom built with the same granite as the kitchen area. The floor and wall tile is from Floor and Décor. The door is a Pella door. And, for those extremely hot summer days, it is a great place to go because it is air conditioned! To complete the space, the customer chose Haiku fans from Big Ass Fans – clean lines, 7 speeds, and so very super quiet you can’t even really hear them running. The homeowner hung some shades to pull down at that certain time of day when you need a little extra shade! Photo Credit: TK Images

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

Liam Frederick
Inspiration for a small eclectic one-story stone exterior home remodel in Phoenix

This is a "Joshua" from Vintage Porch Swings in Charleston SC. It has a vintage white finish with our fabrics package. See our website at www.vintageporchswings.com or visit us on Facebook.

This large open concept kitchen and dining space was created by removing a load bearing wall between the old kitchen and a porch area. The new porch was insulated and incorporated into the overall space. The kitchen remodel was part of a whole house remodel so new quarter sawn oak flooring,a vaulted ceiling, windows and skylights were added. A large calcutta marble topped island takes center stage. It houses a 5’ galley workstation - a sink that provides a convenient spot for prepping, serving, entertaining and clean up. A 36” induction cooktop is located directly across from the island for easy access. Two appliance garages on either side of the cooktop house small appliances that are used on a daily basis. Honeycomb tile by Ann Sacks and open shelving along the cooktop wall add an interesting focal point to the room. Antique mirrored glass faces the storage unit housing dry goods and a beverage center. “I chose details for the space that had a bit of a mid-century vibe that would work well with what was originally a 1950s ranch. Along the way a previous owner added a 2nd floor making it more of a Cape Cod style home, a few eclectic details felt appropriate”, adds Klimala. The wall opposite the cooktop houses a full size fridge, freezer, double oven, coffee machine and microwave. “There is a lot of functionality going on along that wall”, adds Klimala. A small pull out countertop below the coffee machine provides a spot for hot items coming out of the ovens. The rooms creamy cabinetry is accented by quartersawn white oak at the island and wrapped ceiling beam. The golden tones are repeated in the antique brass light fixtures. “This is the second kitchen I’ve had the opportunity to design for myself. My taste has gotten a little less traditional over the years, and although I’m still a traditionalist at heart, I had some fun with this kitchen and took some chances. The kitchen is super functional, easy to keep clean and has lots of storage to tuck things away when I’m done using them. The casual dining room is fabulous and is proving to be a great spot to linger after dinner. We love it!” Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD Photography by: Carlos Vergara For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

A stepping stone path with grass joints lead to the lower fire pit circle. Photo credit: Neil Landino
Photo of a mid-sized contemporary full sun backyard gravel landscaping in New York with a fire pit for summer.

Large kitchen/family room with coffered ceiling, hardwood flooring and french doors leading to back deck. Custom cabinetry made with wood doors and birch veneer soft close plywood boxes.Built in microwave/oven and gas cooktop. We extended existing hot water heat into the new addition. Photo by John Narvali

Hot tub - huge tropical backyard tile and rectangular infinity hot tub idea in Cleveland

Spacecrafting
Inspiration for a transitional gray floor sunroom remodel in Minneapolis

Passive House is a model for low-energy, high-quality living, and the Lake Bluff Passive House achieves it with contemporary style. With non-toxic construction and finish materials and a continuous energy-recovery-ventilation system, indoor air quality will be optimized; with efficient lighting, appliances, and mechanical systems along with a super-insulated envelope, comfort is ensured along with low energy consumption. Low-flow water fixtures with a demand-controlled hot water recirculation system keep water use and energy low. The interior features an aging-in-place ground floor bedroom suite, sophisticated handling of natural light, and a feature stair built of reclaimed oak timbers.

Jackson Design and Remodeling
Inspiration for a contemporary home design remodel in San Diego

Imagen: Xavier Vallejo
Inspiration for a mid-sized modern backyard deck remodel with no cover

  Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   This large open concept kitchen and dining space was created by removing a load bearing wall between the old kitchen and a porch area. The new porch was insulated and incorporated into the overall space. The kitchen remodel was part of a whole house remodel so new quarter sawn oak flooring, a vaulted ceiling, windows and skylights were added. A large calcutta marble topped island takes center stage. It houses a 5’ galley workstation - a sink that provides a convenient spot for prepping, serving, entertaining and clean up. A 36” induction cooktop is located directly across from the island for easy access. Two appliance garages on either side of the cooktop house small appliances that are used on a daily basis. Honeycomb tile by Ann Sacks and open shelving along the cooktop wall add an interesting focal point to the room. Antique mirrored glass faces the storage unit housing dry goods and a beverage center. “I chose details for the space that had a bit of a mid-century vibe that would work well with what was originally a 1950s ranch. Along the way a previous owner added a 2nd floor making it more of a Cape Cod style home, a few eclectic details felt appropriate”, adds Klimala. The wall opposite the cooktop houses a full size fridge, freezer, double oven, coffee machine and microwave. “There is a lot of functionality going on along that wall”, adds Klimala. A small pull out countertop below the coffee machine provides a spot for hot items coming out of the ovens. The rooms creamy cabinetry is accented by quartersawn white oak at the island and wrapped ceiling beam. The golden tones are repeated in the antique brass light fixtures. “This is the second kitchen I’ve had the opportunity to design for myself. My taste has gotten a little less traditional over the years, and although I’m still a traditionalist at heart, I had some fun with this kitchen and took some chances. The kitchen is super functional, easy to keep clean and has lots of storage to tuck things away when I’m done using them. The casual dining room is fabulous and is proving to be a great spot to linger after dinner. We love it!” Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Windows make your Home Shine…. Besides offering loads of curb appeal, they provide your view to the world outside. Ameriside vinyl windows: Come with a lifetime warranty, and are super affordable! Are designed to suppress outdoor environmental noise. Now featuring LoĒ³-366® Energy Star rated glass for advanced thermal performance. Ask about Neat® naturally clean glass! Made of superior quality Polyvinyl chloride that’s guaranteed not to yellow or crack in our hot Southern California sun. Photo by Dave Palmer

Tuscan pool photo in Philadelphia