The new, large picture window allows the view of the lake to take center stage.
Example of a large transitional porcelain tile and beige floor eat-in kitchen design in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and white countertops

Our design for the expansion and gut renovation of a small 1200 square foot house in a residential neighborhood triples is size, and reworks the living arrangement. The rear addition takes advantage of southern exposure with a "greenhouse" room that provides solar heat gain in winter, shading in summer, and a vast connection to the rear yard. Architecturally, we used an approach we call "willful practicality." The new soaring ceiling ties together first and second floors in a dramatic volumetric expansion of space, while providing increased ventilation and daylighting from greenhouse to operable windows and skylights at the peak. Exterior pockets of space are created from curved forces pushing in from outside to form cedar clad porch and stoop. Sustainable design is employed throughout all materials, energy systems and insulation. Masonry exterior walls and concrete floors provide thermal mass for the interior by insulating the exterior. An ERV system facilitates increased air changes and minimizes changes to the interior air temperature. Energy and water saving features and renewable, non-toxic materal selections are important aspects of the house design. Environmental community issues are addressed with a drywell in the side yard to mitigate rain runoff into the town sewer system. The long sloping south facing roof is in anticipation of future solar panels, with the standing seam metal roof providing anchoring opportunities for the panels. The exterior walls are clad in stucco, cedar, and cement-fiber panels defining different areas of the house. Closed cell spray insulation is applied to exterior walls and roof, giving the house an "air-tight" seal against air infiltration and a high R-value. The ERV system provides the ventilation needed with this tight envelope. The interior comfort level and economizing are the beneficial results of the building methods and systems employed in the house. Photographer: Peter Kubilus

Our design for the expansion and gut renovation of a small 1200 square foot house in a residential neighborhood triples is size, and reworks the living arrangement. The rear addition takes advantage of southern exposure with a "greenhouse" room that provides solar heat gain in winter, shading in summer, and a vast connection to the rear yard. Architecturally, we used an approach we call "willful practicality." The new soaring ceiling ties together first and second floors in a dramatic volumetric expansion of space, while providing increased ventilation and daylighting from greenhouse to operable windows and skylights at the peak. Exterior pockets of space are created from curved forces pushing in from outside to form cedar clad porch and stoop. Sustainable design is employed throughout all materials, energy systems and insulation. Masonry exterior walls and concrete floors provide thermal mass for the interior by insulating the exterior. An ERV system facilitates increased air changes and minimizes changes to the interior air temperature. Energy and water saving features and renewable, non-toxic materal selections are important aspects of the house design. Environmental community issues are addressed with a drywell in the side yard to mitigate rain runoff into the town sewer system. The long sloping south facing roof is in anticipation of future solar panels, with the standing seam metal roof providing anchoring opportunities for the panels. The exterior walls are clad in stucco, cedar, and cement-fiber panels defining different areas of the house. Closed cell spray insulation is applied to exterior walls and roof, giving the house an "air-tight" seal against air infiltration and a high R-value. The ERV system provides the ventilation needed with this tight envelope. The interior comfort level and economizing are the beneficial results of the building methods and systems employed in the house. Photographer: Peter Kubilus

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by Philip Liang Photography.

Several years ago, one couple began an extensive renovation of this East Denver home. The residence was originally designed by Victor Hornbein, a legendary local architect best known for his work (along with Ed White) on the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The homeowner, himself an architect, spearheaded the project with the goal of staying true to Hornbein's original vision. Part of the two-year restoration included the addition of state-of-the-art appliances and lighting, and eventually the planning of the audio/video. Because the homeowners wanted to have the functionality of a first-rate home theater in a multipurpose room, ListenUp designed a setup featuring a wall-mounted 84-inch Sony 4K TV. The sleek Salamander credenza houses a McIntosh LCR80 center channel speaker, the top-of-the-line MX151 preamp/processor, an MC303 pwoer amp, and the MVP 891 universal disc player. The credenza is flanked by tow McIntosh XR100 speakers whose high-gloss finish mirrors that of the cabinet's smoked-glass doors. The surround channels are handled by two CS100 in-ceiling speakers, and three REL subwoofers deliver dramatic deep bass. This is truly a whole-house audio system, with 12 zones of audio throughout the home and outdoor areas. Family members can access their favorite music services and music stored on a local hard drive. A high-quality Pro-Ject turntable is even wired into the system. In the kitchen and some of the other first-floor rooms, the mid-century modern design is enhanced by custom wood and fabric grille covers for the architectural speakers. The pool area benefits from a Sonance outdoor system that employs strategically located speakers along with an underground subwoofer. And, of course, it's all connected to the Sonos system for endless entertainment options. Photo Credit: Vicki Kerr Photography

Challenges with your backyard space? Yeah, that's no problem for us. In this space, the deck could not be attached to the house because of the way this turn-of-the-century home was built. The house is 100 years old and the basement door is right in the middle of the back of the house, preventing an attached deck. Another big challenge on this space was that the lot sloped up the hill and away from the house. So what did we do? We excavated and put in retaining walls and build it into the side of the hill, while maintaining integrity of the backyard space and driveway. The homeowners wanted their outdoor space on the same level as the play area with swingset so that they could watch the kids while they relax. Nailed it! A little bit about us… Deck Remodeler’s Founder and President, Sean McAleer, grew up in his father’s architectural woodworking shop and mastered his craft as a third-generation carpenter and cabinet maker organically. While others adopted the craft, Sean was born in to it. Building a business using the skills he learned and perfected over the years…it’s in his DNA. With 30+ years of experience, he adapted and developed a palette of materials and methods for outdoor living that few can match, though many have tried to copy. Bringing his love of designing and building beautiful things inside the home to the outside spaces with all the challenges that presents has been his passion for decades. While Sean is certainly the visionary of Deck Remodelers, his talented and dedicated team ensures every project, big or small, is designed and built seamlessly. Our team includes in-house certified designers, architects, project management team, operations director, and of course, our highly skilled craftsmen in the field that bring it all to life. What also sets Deck Remodeler’s apart is the experience of working with a full team of passionate professionals. All communication between customers, office staff and workers in the field is done through the real time system, allowing us to stream-line our projects. Customers are kept up to date through our system, and never have to wonder the status of their project – stream-lined communication is a huge priority for us. With 60+ National Design Awards, there’s a reason Deck Remodelers is the MOST awarded deck builder in North America. Regardless of the deck and features, when Deck Remodelers builds your outdoor dream space, it is far from ordinary. Large or small, full features or basic, the design, quality and craftmanship is second to none. You not only get beautiful results, but a company that stands behind its work. We believe it is critical to use quality materials and employ highly trained and certified crew members that assure that quality in every aspect is second to none for our discerning clients. Serving NJ, NY, & CT we’ve got you covered! If you are looking for a modern, traditional, or transitional custom builder to design& build you your perfect backyard space , call the experts at Deck Remodelers for your free virtual consultation! 973.729.2125

Overlooking Bleecker Street in the heart of the West Village, this compact one bedroom apartment required a gut renovation including the replacement of the windows. This intricate project focused on providing functional flexibility and ensuring that every square inch of space is put to good use. Cabinetry, closets and shelving play a key role in shaping the spaces. The typical boundaries between living and sleeping areas are blurred by employing clear glass sliding doors and a clerestory around of the freestanding storage wall between the bedroom and lounge. The kitchen extends into the lounge seamlessly, with an island that doubles as a dining table and layout space for a concealed study/desk adjacent. The bedroom transforms into a playroom for the nursery by folding the bed into another storage wall. In order to maximize the sense of openness, most materials are white including satin lacquer cabinetry, Corian counters at the seat wall and CNC milled Corian panels enclosing the HVAC systems. White Oak flooring is stained gray with a whitewash finish. Steel elements provide contrast, with a blackened finish to the door system, column and beams. Concrete tile and slab is used throughout the Bathroom to act as a counterpoint to the predominantly white living areas. archphoto.com

Ground up net-zero energy home featuring an 11kW solar array and mechanized windows. The building envelope was constructed using insulating concrete forms and structural insulated panels, resulting in an airtight structure ideal for maximizing thermal efficiency. A heat recovery ventilation system was installed to refresh the airtight, indoor environment. The home also employs an air source heat pump for heating and domestic hot water, which is distributed via an in-floor hydronic radiant heat system.

Overlooking Bleecker Street in the heart of the West Village, this compact one bedroom apartment required a gut renovation including the replacement of the windows. This intricate project focused on providing functional flexibility and ensuring that every square inch of space is put to good use. Cabinetry, closets and shelving play a key role in shaping the spaces. The typical boundaries between living and sleeping areas are blurred by employing clear glass sliding doors and a clerestory around of the freestanding storage wall between the bedroom and lounge. The kitchen extends into the lounge seamlessly, with an island that doubles as a dining table and layout space for a concealed study/desk adjacent. The bedroom transforms into a playroom for the nursery by folding the bed into another storage wall. In order to maximize the sense of openness, most materials are white including satin lacquer cabinetry, Corian counters at the seat wall and CNC milled Corian panels enclosing the HVAC systems. White Oak flooring is stained gray with a whitewash finish. Steel elements provide contrast, with a blackened finish to the door system, column and beams. Concrete tile and slab is used throughout the Bathroom to act as a counterpoint to the predominantly white living areas. archphoto.com

Our design for the expansion and gut renovation of a small 1200 square foot house in a residential neighborhood triples is size, and reworks the living arrangement. The rear addition takes advantage of southern exposure with a "greenhouse" room that provides solar heat gain in winter, shading in summer, and a vast connection to the rear yard. Architecturally, we used an approach we call "willful practicality." The new soaring ceiling ties together first and second floors in a dramatic volumetric expansion of space, while providing increased ventilation and daylighting from greenhouse to operable windows and skylights at the peak. Exterior pockets of space are created from curved forces pushing in from outside to form cedar clad porch and stoop. Sustainable design is employed throughout all materials, energy systems and insulation. Masonry exterior walls and concrete floors provide thermal mass for the interior by insulating the exterior. An ERV system facilitates increased air changes and minimizes changes to the interior air temperature. Energy and water saving features and renewable, non-toxic materal selections are important aspects of the house design. Environmental community issues are addressed with a drywell in the side yard to mitigate rain runoff into the town sewer system. The long sloping south facing roof is in anticipation of future solar panels, with the standing seam metal roof providing anchoring opportunities for the panels. The exterior walls are clad in stucco, cedar, and cement-fiber panels defining different areas of the house. Closed cell spray insulation is applied to exterior walls and roof, giving the house an "air-tight" seal against air infiltration and a high R-value. The ERV system provides the ventilation needed with this tight envelope. The interior comfort level and economizing are the beneficial results of the building methods and systems employed in the house. Photographer: Peter Kubilus

Stuart Wade, Envision Virtual Tours The second-largest and most developed of Georgia's barrier islands, St. Simons is approximately twelve miles long and nearly three miles wide at its widest stretch (roughly the size of Manhattan Island in New York). The island is located in Glynn County on Georgia's coast and lies east of Brunswick (the seat of Glynn County), south of Little St. Simons Island and the Hampton River, and north of Jekyll Island. The resort community of Sea Island is separated from St. Simons on the east by the Black Banks River. Known for its oak tree canopies and historic landmarks, St. Simons is both a tourist destination and, according to the 2010 U.S. census, home to 12,743 residents. Early History The earliest St. Simons Island Village record of human habitation on the island dates to the Late Archaic Period, about 5,000 to 3,000 years ago. Remnants of shell rings left behind by Native Americans from this era survive on many of the barrier islands, including St. Simons. Centuries later, during the period known by historians as the chiefdom era, the Guale Indians established a chiefdom centered on St. Catherines Island and used St. Simons as their hunting and fishing grounds. By 1500 the Guale had established a permanent village of about 200 people on St. Simons, which they called Guadalquini. Beginning in 1568, the Spanish attempted to create missions along the Georgia coast. Catholic missions were the primary means by which Georgia's indigenous Native American chiefdoms were assimilated into the Spanish colonial system along the northern frontier of greater Spanish Florida. In the 1600s St. Simons became home to two Spanish missions: San Buenaventura de Guadalquini, on the southern tip of the island, and Santo Domingo de Asao (or Asajo), on the northern tip. Located on the inland side of the island were the pagan refugee villages of San Simón, the island's namesake, and Ocotonico. In 1684 pirate raids left the missions and villages largely abandoned. Colonial History As Fort Frederica early as 1670, with Great Britain's establishment of the colony of Carolina and its expansion into Georgia territory, Spanish rule was threatened by the English. The Georgia coast was considered "debatable land" by England and Spain, even though Spain had fully retreated from St. Simons by 1702. Thirty-one years later General James Edward Oglethorpe founded the English settlement of Savannah. In 1736 he established Fort Frederica, named after the heir to the British throne, Frederick Louis, prince of Wales, on the west side of St. Simons Island to protect Savannah and the Carolinas from the Spanish threat. Between 1736 and 1749 Fort Frederica was the hub of British military operations along the Georgia frontier. A town of the same name grew up around the fort and was of great importance to the new colony. By 1740 Frederica's population was 1,000. In 1736 the congregation of what would become Christ Church was organized within Fort Frederica as a mission of the Church of England. Charles Wesley led the first services. In 1742 Britain's decisive victory over Spain in the Battle of Bloody Marsh, during the War of Jenkins' Ear, ended the Spanish threat to the Georgia coast. When the British regimen disbanded in 1749, most of the townspeople relocated to the mainland. Fort Frederica went into decline and, except for a short time of prosperity during the 1760s and 1770s under the leadership of merchant James Spalding, never fully recovered. Today the historic citadel's tabby ruins are maintained by the National Park Service. Plantation Era By the start of the American Revolution (1775-83), Fort Frederica was obsolete, and St. Simons was left largely uninhabited as most of its residents joined the patriot army. Besides hosting a small Georgia naval victory on the Fort Frederica River, providing guns from its famous fort for use at Fort Morris in Sunbury, and serving as an arena for pillaging by privateers and British soldiers, the island played almost no role in the war. Following the war, many of the townspeople, their businesses destroyed, turned to agriculture. The island was transformed into fourteen cotton plantations after acres of live oak trees were cleared for farm land and used for building American warships, including the famous USS Constitution, or "Old Ironsides." Although rice was the predominant crop along the neighboring Altamaha River, St. Simons was known for its production of long-staple cotton, which soon came to be known as Sea Island cotton. Between Ebos Landing the 1780s and the outbreak of the Civil War (1861-65), St. Simons's plantation culture flourished. The saline atmosphere and the availability of cheap slave labor proved an ideal combination for the cultivation of Sea Island cotton. In 1803 a group of Ebo slaves who survived the Middle Passage and arrived on the west side of St. Simons staged a rebellion and drowned themselves. The sacred site is known today as Ebos Landing. One of the largest owners of land and slaves on St. Simons was Pierce Butler, master of Hampton Point Plantation, located on the northern end of the island. By 1793 Butler owned more than 500 slaves, who cultivated 800 acres of cotton on St. Simons and 300 acres of rice on Butler's Island in the Altamaha River delta. Butler's grandson, Pierce Mease Butler, who at the age of sixteen inherited a share of his grandfather's estate in 1826, was responsible for the largest sale of human beings in the history of the United States: in 1859, to restore his squandered fortune, he sold 429 slaves in Savannah for more than $300,000. The British actress and writer Fanny Kemble, whose tumultuous marriage to Pierce ended in divorce in 1849, published an eyewitness account of the evils of slavery on St. Simons in her book Journal of a Residence on a Georgian Plantation in 1838-1839 (1863). Another Retreat Plantation large owner of land and slaves on St. Simons was Major William Page, a friend and employee of Pierce Butler Sr. Before purchasing Retreat Plantation on the southwestern tip of the island in 1804, Page managed the Hampton plantation and Butler's Island. Upon Page's death in 1827, Thomas Butler King inherited the land together with his wife, Page's daughter, Anna Matilda Page King. King expanded his father-in-law's planting empire on St. Simons as well as on the mainland, and by 1835 Retreat Plantation alone was home to as many as 355 slaves. The center of life during the island's plantation era was Christ Church, Frederica. Organized in 1807 by a group of island planters, the Episcopal church is the second oldest in the Diocese of Georgia. Embargoes imposed by the War of 1812 (1812-15) prevented the parishioners from building a church structure, so they worshiped in the home of John Beck, which stood on the site of Oglethorpe's only St. Simons residence, Orange Hall. The first Christ Church building, finished on the present site in 1820, was ruined by occupying Union troops during the Civil War. In 1884 the Reverend Anson Dodge Jr. rebuilt the church as a memorial to his first wife, Ellen. The cruciform building with a trussed gothic roof and stained-glass windows remains active today as Christ Church. Civil War and Beyond The St. Simons Island Lighthouse outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 put a sudden end to St. Simons's lucrative plantation era. In January of that year, Confederate troops were stationed at the south end of the island to guard the entrance to Brunswick Harbor. Slaves from Retreat Plantation, owned by Thomas Butler King, built earthworks and batteries. Plantation residents were scattered—the men joined the Confederate army and their families moved to the mainland. Cannon fire was heard on the island in December 1861, and Confederate troops retreated in February 1862, after dynamiting the lighthouse to keep its beacon from aiding Union troops. Soon thereafter, Union troops occupied the island, which was used as a camp for freed slaves. By August 1862 more than 500 former slaves lived on St. Simons, including Susie King Taylor, who organized a school for freed slave children. But in November the ex-slaves were taken to Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Fernandina, Florida, leaving the island abandoned. After the Civil War the island never returned to its status as an agricultural community. The plantations lay dormant because there were no slaves to work the fields. After Union general William T. Sherman's January 1865 Special Field Order No. 15 —a demand that former plantations be divided and distributed to former slaves—was overturned by U.S. president Andrew Johnson less than a year later, freedmen and women were forced to work as sharecroppers on the small farms that dotted the land previously occupied by the sprawling plantations. By St. Simons Lumber Mills 1870 real economic recovery began with the reestablishment of the timber industry. Norman Dodge and Titus G. Meigs of New York set up lumber mill operations at Gascoigne Bluff, formerly Hamilton Plantation. The lumber mills provided welcome employment for both blacks and whites and also provided mail and passenger boats to the mainland. Such water traffic, together with the construction of a new lighthouse in 1872, designed by architect Charles B. Cluskey, marked the beginning of St. Simons's tourism industry. The keeper of the lighthouse created a small amusement park, which drew many visitors, as did the seemingly miraculous light that traveled from the top of the lighthouse tower to the bottom. The island became a summer retreat for families from the mainland, particularly from Baxley, Brunswick, and Waycross. The island's resort industry was thriving by the 1880s. Beachfront structures, such as a new pier and grand hotel, were built on the southeastern end of the island and could be accessed by ferry. Around this time wealthy northerners began vacationing on the island. Twentieth Century The St. Simons Island Pier and Village opening in 1924 of the Brunswick–St. Simons Highway, today known as the Torras Causeway, was a milestone in the development of resorts in the area. St. Simons's beaches were now easily accessible to locals and tourists alike. More than 5,000 automobiles took the short drive from Brunswick to St. Simons via the causeway on its opening day, paving the way for convenient residential and resort development. In 1926 automotive pioneer Howard Coffin of Detroit, Michigan, bought large tracts of land on St. Simons, including the former Retreat Plantation, and constructed a golf course, yacht club, paved roads, and a residential subdivision. Although the causeway had brought large numbers of summer people to the island, St. Simons remained a small community with only a few hundred permanent residents until the 1940s. The St. Simons Island outbreak of World War II (1941-45) brought more visitors and residents to St. Simons. Troops stationed at Jacksonville, Florida; Savannah; and nearby Camp Stewart took weekend vacations on the island, and a new naval air base and radar school became home to even more officers and soldiers. The increased wartime population brought the island its first public school. With a major shipyard for the production of Liberty ships in nearby Brunswick, the waters of St. Simons became active with German U-boats. In April 1942, just off the coast, the Texas Company oil tanker S. S. Oklahoma and the S. S. Esso Baton Rouge were torpedoed by the Germans, bringing the war very close to home for island residents. Due in large part to the military's improvement of the island's infrastructure during the war, development on the island boomed in the 1950s and 1960s. More permanent homes and subdivisions were built, and the island was no longer just a summer resort but also a thriving community. In 1950 the Methodist conference and retreat center Epworth by the Sea opened on Gascoigne Bluff. In 1961 novelist Eugenia Price visited St. Simons and began work on her first works of fiction, known as the St. Simons Trilogy. Inspired by real events on the island, Price's trilogy renewed interest in the history of Georgia's coast, and the novelist herself relocated to the island in 1965 and lived there for thirty-one years. St. Simons is also home to contemporary Georgia writer Tina McElroy Ansa. Since Epworth by the Sea 1980 St. Simons's population has doubled. The island's continued status as a vacation destination and its ongoing development boom have put historic landmarks and natural areas at risk. While such landmarks as the Fort Frederica ruins and the Battle of Bloody Marsh site are preserved and maintained by the National Park Service, and while the historic lighthouse is maintained by the Coastal Georgia Historical Society, historic Ebos Landing has been taken over by a sewage treatment plant. Several coastal organizations have formed in recent years to save natural areas on the island. The St. Simons Land Trust, for example, has received donations of large tracts of land and plans to protect property in the island's three traditional African American neighborhoods. Despite its rapid growth and development, St. Simons remains one of the most beautiful and important islands on the Georgia coast.

Several years ago, one couple began an extensive renovation of this East Denver home. The residence was originally designed by Victor Hornbein, a legendary local architect best known for his work (along with Ed White) on the Boettcher Memorial Tropical Conservatory at the Denver Botanic Gardens. The homeowner, himself an architect, spearheaded the project with the goal of staying true to Hornbein's original vision. Part of the two-year restoration included the addition of state-of-the-art appliances and lighting, and eventually the planning of the audio/video. Because the homeowners wanted to have the functionality of a first-rate home theater in a multipurpose room, ListenUp designed a setup featuring a wall-mounted 84-inch Sony 4K TV. The sleek Salamander credenza houses a McIntosh LCR80 center channel speaker, the top-of-the-line MX151 preamp/processor, an MC303 pwoer amp, and the MVP 891 universal disc player. The credenza is flanked by tow McIntosh XR100 speakers whose high-gloss finish mirrors that of the cabinet's smoked-glass doors. The surround channels are handled by two CS100 in-ceiling speakers, and three REL subwoofers deliver dramatic deep bass. This is truly a whole-house audio system, with 12 zones of audio throughout the home and outdoor areas. Family members can access their favorite music services and music stored on a local hard drive. A high-quality Pro-Ject turntable is even wired into the system. In the kitchen and some of the other first-floor rooms, the mid-century modern design is enhanced by custom wood and fabric grille covers for the architectural speakers. The pool area benefits from a Sonance outdoor system that employs strategically located speakers along with an underground subwoofer. And, of course, it's all connected to the Sonos system for endless entertainment options. Photo Credit: Vicki Kerr Photography

ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington. Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio. Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater. Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass. Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck. Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space. Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy. Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio Photos: Eric Roth Photography

ZeroEnergy Design (ZED) created this modern home for a progressive family in the desirable community of Lexington. Thoughtful Land Connection. The residence is carefully sited on the infill lot so as to create privacy from the road and neighbors, while cultivating a side yard that captures the southern sun. The terraced grade rises to meet the house, allowing for it to maintain a structured connection with the ground while also sitting above the high water table. The elevated outdoor living space maintains a strong connection with the indoor living space, while the stepped edge ties it back to the true ground plane. Siting and outdoor connections were completed by ZED in collaboration with landscape designer Soren Deniord Design Studio. Exterior Finishes and Solar. The exterior finish materials include a palette of shiplapped wood siding, through-colored fiber cement panels and stucco. A rooftop parapet hides the solar panels above, while a gutter and site drainage system directs rainwater into an irrigation cistern and dry wells that recharge the groundwater. Cooking, Dining, Living. Inside, the kitchen, fabricated by Henrybuilt, is located between the indoor and outdoor dining areas. The expansive south-facing sliding door opens to seamlessly connect the spaces, using a retractable awning to provide shade during the summer while still admitting the warming winter sun. The indoor living space continues from the dining areas across to the sunken living area, with a view that returns again to the outside through the corner wall of glass. Accessible Guest Suite. The design of the first level guest suite provides for both aging in place and guests who regularly visit for extended stays. The patio off the north side of the house affords guests their own private outdoor space, and privacy from the neighbor. Similarly, the second level master suite opens to an outdoor private roof deck. Light and Access. The wide open interior stair with a glass panel rail leads from the top level down to the well insulated basement. The design of the basement, used as an away/play space, addresses the need for both natural light and easy access. In addition to the open stairwell, light is admitted to the north side of the area with a high performance, Passive House (PHI) certified skylight, covering a six by sixteen foot area. On the south side, a unique roof hatch set flush with the deck opens to reveal a glass door at the base of the stairwell which provides additional light and access from the deck above down to the play space. Energy. Energy consumption is reduced by the high performance building envelope, high efficiency mechanical systems, and then offset with renewable energy. All windows and doors are made of high performance triple paned glass with thermally broken aluminum frames. The exterior wall assembly employs dense pack cellulose in the stud cavity, a continuous air barrier, and four inches exterior rigid foam insulation. The 10kW rooftop solar electric system provides clean energy production. The final air leakage testing yielded 0.6 ACH 50 - an extremely air tight house, a testament to the well-designed details, progress testing and quality construction. When compared to a new house built to code requirements, this home consumes only 19% of the energy. Architecture & Energy Consulting: ZeroEnergy Design Landscape Design: Soren Deniord Design Paintings: Bernd Haussmann Studio Photos: Eric Roth Photography

Since 1994 Chip-N-Dale’s Custom Landscaping has been serving the Las Vegas Valley and Henderson as a full service design build landscape firm, specializing in creating custom and unique landscape designs. We provide our clients with excellence in custom residential landscaping through our creative landscape designs, exceptional customer service and our commitment to quality. Our services include: custom landscaping, concrete pavers, low voltage lighting systems, custom barbeques, outdoor living environments with waterfalls and custom water features, synthetic turf, putting greens, masonry walls and custom stone work. Chip-N-Dale’s employs a full service maintenance division dedicated to keeping your landscaping looking beautiful year round. Our commitment to quality is showcased on each and every project and backed by a One Year Guarantee on all materials and labor. Our professionalism along with our constant dedication to fulfilling our client’s vision has made us the premier custom landscape contractor in Las Vegas. We understand the importance of the decision in choosing the right landscape contractor. The company you choose must possess a strong management team with leadership and a commitment to excellence. The company must employ dedicated and skilled personnel who take pride and a sense of accomplishment in their work, Chip-N-Dale’s Custom Landscaping takes immense pride in being that company. The difference between an ordinary landscape and an extraordinary landscape lies in the details. Quality, service, pride and commitment to excellence are why Chip-N-Dale’s Custom Landscaping is the right choice for your next landscape project. Regards, Greg Struhl President

Atherton has many large substantial homes - our clients purchased an existing home on a one acre flag-shaped lot and asked us to design a new dream home for them. The result is a new 7,000 square foot four-building complex consisting of the main house, six-car garage with two car lifts, pool house with a full one bedroom residence inside, and a separate home office /work out gym studio building. A fifty-foot swimming pool was also created with fully landscaped yards. Given the rectangular shape of the lot, it was decided to angle the house to incoming visitors slightly so as to more dramatically present itself. The house became a classic u-shaped home but Feng Shui design principals were employed directing the placement of the pool house to better contain the energy flow on the site. The main house entry door is then aligned with a special Japanese red maple at the end of a long visual axis at the rear of the site. These angles and alignments set up everything else about the house design and layout, and views from various rooms allow you to see into virtually every space tracking movements of others in the home. The residence is simply divided into two wings of public use, kitchen and family room, and the other wing of bedrooms, connected by the living and dining great room. Function drove the exterior form of windows and solid walls with a line of clerestory windows which bring light into the middle of the large home. Extensive sun shadow studies with 3D tree modeling led to the unorthodox placement of the pool to the north of the home, but tree shadow tracking showed this to be the sunniest area during the entire year. Sustainable measures included a full 7.1kW solar photovoltaic array technically making the house off the grid, and arranged so that no panels are visible from the property. A large 16,000 gallon rainwater catchment system consisting of tanks buried below grade was installed. The home is California GreenPoint rated and also features sealed roof soffits and a sealed crawlspace without the usual venting. A whole house computer automation system with server room was installed as well. Heating and cooling utilize hot water radiant heated concrete and wood floors supplemented by heat pump generated heating and cooling. A compound of buildings created to form balanced relationships between each other, this home is about circulation, light and a balance of form and function. Photo by John Sutton Photography.

Our design for the expansion and gut renovation of a small 1200 square foot house in a residential neighborhood triples is size, and reworks the living arrangement. The rear addition takes advantage of southern exposure with a "greenhouse" room that provides solar heat gain in winter, shading in summer, and a vast connection to the rear yard. Architecturally, we used an approach we call "willful practicality." The new soaring ceiling ties together first and second floors in a dramatic volumetric expansion of space, while providing increased ventilation and daylighting from greenhouse to operable windows and skylights at the peak. Exterior pockets of space are created from curved forces pushing in from outside to form cedar clad porch and stoop. Sustainable design is employed throughout all materials, energy systems and insulation. Masonry exterior walls and concrete floors provide thermal mass for the interior by insulating the exterior. An ERV system facilitates increased air changes and minimizes changes to the interior air temperature. Energy and water saving features and renewable, non-toxic materal selections are important aspects of the house design. Environmental community issues are addressed with a drywell in the side yard to mitigate rain runoff into the town sewer system. The long sloping south facing roof is in anticipation of future solar panels, with the standing seam metal roof providing anchoring opportunities for the panels. The exterior walls are clad in stucco, cedar, and cement-fiber panels defining different areas of the house. Closed cell spray insulation is applied to exterior walls and roof, giving the house an "air-tight" seal against air infiltration and a high R-value. The ERV system provides the ventilation needed with this tight envelope. The interior comfort level and economizing are the beneficial results of the building methods and systems employed in the house. Photographer: Peter Kubilus

Overlooking Bleecker Street in the heart of the West Village, this compact one bedroom apartment required a gut renovation including the replacement of the windows. This intricate project focused on providing functional flexibility and ensuring that every square inch of space is put to good use. Cabinetry, closets and shelving play a key role in shaping the spaces. The typical boundaries between living and sleeping areas are blurred by employing clear glass sliding doors and a clerestory around of the freestanding storage wall between the bedroom and lounge. The kitchen extends into the lounge seamlessly, with an island that doubles as a dining table and layout space for a concealed study/desk adjacent. The bedroom transforms into a playroom for the nursery by folding the bed into another storage wall. In order to maximize the sense of openness, most materials are white including satin lacquer cabinetry, Corian counters at the seat wall and CNC milled Corian panels enclosing the HVAC systems. White Oak flooring is stained gray with a whitewash finish. Steel elements provide contrast, with a blackened finish to the door system, column and beams. Concrete tile and slab is used throughout the Bathroom to act as a counterpoint to the predominantly white living areas. archphoto.com

Montauk Beach House This three ­story, split level house for a young family is nestled atop a densely wooded bluff in Montauk, New York, surrounded by sumac and spruce trees. Space Exploration designed an open kitchen on the top floor of the house to act as a flexible social center for the house, and to maximize the site's dramatic views of Fort Pond and Fort Pond Bay. Floor­to­ceiling sliding doors and a large rectangular skylight flood the space with an abundance of natural light. Space Exploration employed a material palette of light, neutral colors and pale woods, which combine to create a tranquil, airy atmosphere that showcase an eclectic collection of furniture and objects, collected by the owners during travels to Morocco, Europe and Central America. A lone primitive wooden dining chair, abandoned by the house's previous owners, sits happily in the mix. In order to preserve an honest, informal feeling in the architecture, Space Exploration chose to expose and express the house's structure wherever possible, and conceived a new wooden stair that mirrors the simple construction vernacular of the floor framing. On the ground floor, a new recreational solarium featuring floors finished with glossy white epoxy opens directly onto the property's sprawling grounds. photo by Space Exploration Design