The Pool House was completed in 2008 and contains an intimate sitting area with a facade of glass doors designed to be hidden away, a private bath, bar and space for pool storage. Photography by Barry A. Hyman. Contractor Larry Larkin Builder

Our clients wanted to replace an existing suburban home with a modern house at the same Lexington address where they had lived for years. The structure the clients envisioned would complement their lives and integrate the interior of the home with the natural environment of their generous property. The sleek, angular home is still a respectful neighbor, especially in the evening, when warm light emanates from the expansive transparencies used to open the house to its surroundings. The home re-envisions the suburban neighborhood in which it stands, balancing relationship to the neighborhood with an updated aesthetic. The floor plan is arranged in a “T” shape which includes a two-story wing consisting of individual studies and bedrooms and a single-story common area. The two-story section is arranged with great fluidity between interior and exterior spaces and features generous exterior balconies. A staircase beautifully encased in glass stands as the linchpin between the two areas. The spacious, single-story common area extends from the stairwell and includes a living room and kitchen. A recessed wooden ceiling defines the living room area within the open plan space. Separating common from private spaces has served our clients well. As luck would have it, construction on the house was just finishing up as we entered the Covid lockdown of 2020. Since the studies in the two-story wing were physically and acoustically separate, zoom calls for work could carry on uninterrupted while life happened in the kitchen and living room spaces. The expansive panes of glass, outdoor balconies, and a broad deck along the living room provided our clients with a structured sense of continuity in their lives without compromising their commitment to aesthetically smart and beautiful design.

Tricia Shay Photography
Large trendy loft-style carpeted and gray floor bedroom photo in Milwaukee with blue walls and no fireplace

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

Dining & sitting area off the kitchen. White and bright with a combination of a beachy and contemporary feel.
Beach style living room photo in Boston with white walls

Classic master bedroom with vaulted ceiling and white exposed beams. Custom wood and and marble mantle.
Example of a large beach style master dark wood floor, beige floor and exposed beam bedroom design in San Francisco with beige walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

Master suite sitting area with 2 sided fireplace open to bath. Norman Sizemore- Photographer
Inspiration for a large contemporary master carpeted and beige floor bedroom remodel in Chicago with white walls, a two-sided fireplace and a plaster fireplace

This beautiful, three-story, updated shingle-style cottage is perched atop a bluff on the shores of Lake Michigan, and was designed to make the most of its towering vistas. The proportions of the home are made even more pleasing by the combination of stone, shingles and metal roofing. Deep balconies and wrap-around porches emphasize outdoor living, white tapered columns, an arched dormer, and stone porticos give the cottage nautical quaintness, tastefully balancing the grandeur of the design. The interior space is dominated by vast panoramas of the water below. High ceilings are found throughout, giving the home an airy ambiance, while enabling large windows to display the natural beauty of the lakeshore. The open floor plan allows living areas to act as one sizeable space, convenient for entertaining. The diagonally situated kitchen is adjacent to a sunroom, dining area and sitting room. Dining and lounging areas can be found on the spacious deck, along with an outdoor fireplace. The main floor master suite includes a sitting area, vaulted ceiling, a private bath, balcony access, and a walk-through closet with a back entrance to the home’s laundry. A private study area at the front of the house is lined with built-in bookshelves and entertainment cabinets, creating a small haven for homeowners. The upper level boasts four guest or children’s bedrooms, two with their own private bathrooms. Also upstairs is a built-in office space, loft sitting area, ample storage space, and access to a third floor deck. The walkout lower level was designed for entertainment. Billiards, a bar, sitting areas, screened-in and covered porches make large groups easy to handle. Also downstairs is an exercise room, a large full bath, and access to an outdoor shower for beach-goers. Photographer: Bill Hebert Builder: David C. Bos Homes

This cozy bedroom has the same beamed, vaulted ceiling as the central gathering area, but it is stained to impart a cozier feel. A sofa is placed at the foot of the bed and faces two plaid club chairs, which creates an inviting sitting area there. The fireplace in the bedroom is elevated for viewing from the bed, as well as from the kitchen, so when you look from the kitchen island into the master, you see the fabulous stonework and fire. Scott Moore Photography

A 1927 colonial home in Shaker Heights, Ohio, received a breathtaking renovation that required extensive work, transforming it from a tucked away, utilitarian space, to an all-purpose gathering room, a role that most kitchens embrace in a home today. The scope of work changed over the course of the project, starting more minimalistically and then quickly becoming the main focus of the house's remodeling, resulting in a staircase being relocated and walls being torn down to create an inviting focal point to the home where family and friends could connect. The focus of the functionality was to allow for multiple prep areas with the inclusion of two islands and sinks, two eating areas (one for impromptu snacking and small meals of younger family members and friends on island no. two and a built-in bench seat for everyday meals in the immediate family). The kitchen was equipped with all Subzero and Wolf appliances, including a 48" range top with a 12" griddle, two double ovens, a 42" built-in side by side refrigerator and freezer, a microwave drawer on island no. one and a beverage center and icemaker in island no. two. The aesthetic feeling embraces the architectural feel of the home while adding a modern sensibility with the revamped layout and graphic elements that tie the color palette of whites, chocolate and charcoal. The cabinets were custom made and outfitted with beaded inset doors with a Shaker panel frame and finished in Benjamin Moore's OC-17 White Dove, a soft white that allowed for the kitchen to feel warm while still maintaining its brightness. Accents of walnut were added to create a sense of warmth, including a custom premium grade walnut countertop on island no. one from Brooks Custom and a TV cabinet with a doggie feeding station beneath. Bringing the cabinet line to the 8'6" ceiling height helps the room feel taller and bold light fixtures at the islands and eating area add detail to an otherwise simpler ceiling detail. The 1 1/4" countertops feature Calacatta Gold Marble with an ogee edge detail. Special touches on the interiors include secret storage panels, an appliance garage, breadbox, pull-out drawers behind the cabinet doors and all soft-close hinges and drawer glides. A kneading area was made as a part of island no. one for the homeowners' love of baking, complete with a stone top allowing for dough to stay cool. Baskets beneath store kitchen essentials that need air circulation. The room adjacent to the kitchen was converted to a hearth room (from a formal dining room) to extend the kitchen's living space and allow for a natural spillover for family and guests to spill into. Jason Miller, Pixelate

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

A fieldstone sitting wall and firepit highlight this bluestone sitting area at a Cape Cod custom home. OnSite Studios
Cottage stone patio photo in Boston

A stone and shingle facade and graceful lines highlight this expansive single-level home. Custom details can be found throughout the plan with elegant ceiling treatments in many rooms and built-in cabinetry flanking the great room fireplace. The chef's kitchen opens to the large dining area and to the great room, providing a focal point for family life and entertaining. One wing houses secondary bedrooms and utility space, helping to keep clutter out the formal living areas. The bedrooms each have a tray ceiling and their own walk-in closet. Just off the garage lies a utility room with ample work space, a large pantry, and convenient e-space. The oversized bonus room provides flexibility and access to plenty of attic storage. The opposite wing of the home plan is devoted to a roomy master suite with an attached sitting area to the rear. The suite accesses the rear porch, and includes two large walk-in closets. The highlight of the stunning master bath is the unique barrel vaulted ceiling over the garden tub. Dual vanities, a walk-in shower, and private privy complete the suite.

This standard master bedroom was remodeled to become a private retreat. By relocating the adjacent laundry room, the architect was able to add square footage to the master bedroom which allowed for a new sitting area with a double-sided fireplace. Arches were created to connect the existing master bedroom to the new sitting area. A total of five french door units were added to the master bedroom to provide visual connection, ventilation, and access to the screened porch. Photo Credit: Keith Issacs Photo, LLC Dawn Christine Architect

Southern Charm and Sophistication at it's best! Stunning Historic Magnolia River Front Estate. Known as The Governor's Club circa 1900 the property is situated on approx 2 acres of lush well maintained grounds featuring Fresh Water Springs, Aged Magnolias and Massive Live Oaks. Property includes Main House (2 bedrooms, 2.5 bath, Lvg Rm, Dining Rm, Kitchen, Library, Office, 3 car garage, large porches, garden with fountain), Magnolia House (2 Guest Apartments each consisting of 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Kitchen, Dining Rm, Sitting Area), River House (3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Lvg Rm, Dining Rm, Kitchen, river front porches), Pool House (Heated Gunite Pool and Spa, Entertainment Room/ Sitting Area, Kitchen, Bathroom), and Boat House (River Front Pier, 3 Covered Boat Slips, area for Outdoor Kitchen, Theater with Projection Screen, 3 children's play area, area ready for 2 built in bunk beds, sleeping 4). Full Home Generator System. Call or email Erin E. Kaiser with Kaiser Sotheby's International Realty at 251-752-1640 / erin@kaisersir.com for more info!

The best of past and present architectural styles combine in this welcoming, farmhouse-inspired design. Clad in low-maintenance siding, the distinctive exterior has plenty of street appeal, with its columned porch, multiple gables, shutters and interesting roof lines. Other exterior highlights included trusses over the garage doors, horizontal lap siding and brick and stone accents. The interior is equally impressive, with an open floor plan that accommodates today’s family and modern lifestyles. An eight-foot covered porch leads into a large foyer and a powder room. Beyond, the spacious first floor includes more than 2,000 square feet, with one side dominated by public spaces that include a large open living room, centrally located kitchen with a large island that seats six and a u-shaped counter plan, formal dining area that seats eight for holidays and special occasions and a convenient laundry and mud room. The left side of the floor plan contains the serene master suite, with an oversized master bath, large walk-in closet and 16 by 18-foot master bedroom that includes a large picture window that lets in maximum light and is perfect for capturing nearby views. Relax with a cup of morning coffee or an evening cocktail on the nearby covered patio, which can be accessed from both the living room and the master bedroom. Upstairs, an additional 900 square feet includes two 11 by 14-foot upper bedrooms with bath and closet and a an approximately 700 square foot guest suite over the garage that includes a relaxing sitting area, galley kitchen and bath, perfect for guests or in-laws.

A custom made concrete trough sink with dual wall mounted Brizo Litze single handle faucets in luxe nickel sits atop the custom made built in vanity in knotty alder wood. Doors and drawers are flat panels, adorned with retro bin pulls from Esty in pewter. Backsplash is a single row of 12x24" Eleganza Coastline tile in "Pebble Beach". Possini Euro Raden 10" vanity scones on either side of each Pottery Barn vintage mirror, all finished in brushed nickel. Centered between the two mirrors is a custom built in medicine niche, matching the species and finish of the vanity. A Kohler, Tea for Two (66" x 36"), bathtub sits next to the open tiled shower, a glass panel separating the two, both take in the views of the surrounding area. Deck mounted Brizo Litze Roman tub faucet in luxe nickel on the left. Tub face is tiled in 12x24 Eleganza Coastline in "Pebble Beach" and capped with Pental engineered quartz in "Carerra" - which is also used for the window sills. Sliding knotty alder pocket door to the toilet room on the right. Floors are polished concrete, left naturally finished, complimented by a 2.5" knotty alder base. Walls and ceiling are finished in Benjamin Moore's "Dulche de Leche."

The Watermill House is a beautiful example of a classic Hamptons wood shingle style home. The design and renovation would maintain the character of the exterior while transforming the interiors to create an open and airy getaway for a busy and active family. The house comfortably sits within its one acre lot surrounded by tall hedges, old growth trees, and beautiful hydrangeas. The landscape influenced the design approach of the main floor interiors. Walls were removed and the kitchen was relocated to the front of the house to create an open plan for better flow and views to both the front and rear yards. The kitchen was designed to be both practical and beautiful. The u-shape design features modern appliances, white cabinetry and Corian countertops, and is anchored by a beautiful island with a knife-edge marble countertop. The island and the dining room table create a strong axis to the living room at the rear of the house. To further strengthen the connection to the outdoor decks and pool area of the rear yard, a full height sliding glass window system was installed. The clean lines and modern profiles of the window frames create unobstructed views and virtually remove the barrier between the interior and exterior spaces. The open plan allowed a new sitting area to be created between the dining room and stair. A screen, comprised of vertical fins, allows for a degree of openness, while creating enough separation to make the sitting area feel comfortable and nestled in its own area. The stair at the entry of the house was redesigned to match the new elegant and sophisticated spaces connected to it. New treads were installed to articulate and contrast the soft palette of finishes of the floors, walls, and ceilings. The new metal and glass handrail was intended to reduce visual noise and create subtle reflections of light. Photo by Guillaume Gaudet

After many years of having no outdoor living space and dealing with overgrown plants and trees the owner’s decided it was time to revitalize their backyard. They knew they wanted a large sitting area with a wood burning fireplace, room for outdoor dining and a place for the grill. A connecting walk would be needed to get guests from the driveway to the outdoor space. Last but not least, the owners wanted the ability to and a reason for stepping out of their unusable patio doors. The designers decided from the start the fireplace would be the prominent feature and focal point for the entire project. A large fireplace accented with sitting walls and arbors was positioned to anchor the corner of the patio. Stone was chosen to set the fireplace apart as its own element. Brick was used for the sitting walls and brick accents were added to the fireplace to tie into the house. An inlaid herringbone brick detail was incorporated above the stone mantle to simulate artwork which is typically found above indoor fireplaces. Flagstone was used for the wall caps and hearth to match the patio and thicker flagstone tread stock was used for the mantle and top. The arbors were added to visually balance the pergolas at the opposite side of the patio. For the patio the designers created a series of offset spaces to help subtly divide the space into two areas, sitting and dining. Two large existing trees also help dictate the shape of the patio. Cut flagstone was chosen for the surface bordered by a double soldier edge of brick. The brick edging also surrounds a decorative gravel area topped with an urn fountain which provides a secondary focal point and the sound of water. Large flagstone treads were used for the steps leading to the previously unused patio doors. Opposite the fireplace a short walk leads to a square transition area with a statue chosen by the owner. The statue provides a strong focal point when entering from the driveway. A longer walk leads from this space along the house to the driveway. The pergolas and arbors were designed by the landscape designer as part of this project but were ultimately contracted separately by the owner. The larger square pergola was intended as an area for a bench or two separate from the main patio. The longer pergola was added later in the design phase to help provide shade to the interior of the house. The arbors at the fireplace were added to balance out the wood elements at the opposite side while adding additional architectural interest to the fireplace. While this project was predominantly hardscaping, planting and lighting were also incorporated into the design. Several large existing trees were retained and serious of smaller understory trees were added to help enclose the space. The designer’s took advantage of the large trees to place down lights on the branches to achieve a moonlight effect at night. Additional lighting was used on the pergola, to accent focal points, to up light the smaller trees and around the patio. Massed planting of Japanese forest grass provides bold foliage color for the shady garden. A mulch path leads off behind the fireplace to another garden and a secluded area ideal for a bench or small table and chairs. Additional plantings were added along the rear property line to screen and unsightly fence. This project has obviously completely changed the way the owners use their backyard. They now have a seamless transition from indoors to outdoors with the use of the patio doors. The large patio allows for entertaining small gatherings outdoors for the first time. The fireplace has definitely become the primary gathering place for family and friends.