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

Angular-inspired shapes with soft, curved edges give this collection a renewed traditional style. Gracious and uncomplicated style features give the Hensley collection an ageless yet fashion-forward presence. By MOEN - Available at Broedell Plumbing Supply.

Calming and soft surrounding hug guests as they fall into these soft organic linen sheets. An uncomplicated space for relaxing.
Mid-sized transitional guest light wood floor and beige floor bedroom photo in Charlotte with beige walls

Aberdeen in Azzurro: Modernscaping takes a controlled and minimalistic approach to design with clean lines and refreshingly uncomplicated surfaces
Inspiration for a contemporary pool remodel in Philadelphia

Love the contemporary look? The Morgan Vanity offers uncomplicated beauty as well as everyday functionality that’s perfect for your guest or master bath. You’ll love the spacious drawers, which provide convenient concealed storage for toiletries and more. This furnishing was crafted with the finest materials to ensure years of beauty and enjoyment.

Example of a farmhouse dark wood floor living room design in Philadelphia with no tv

The Kingsley-Bate Venice dining armchair blends teak and wicker into a striking design with uncomplicated styling. The armchair is designed to be used with or without a cushion, and stacks for easy storage.

Calming and soft surrounding hug guests as they fall into these soft organic linen sheets. An uncomplicated space for relaxing.
Example of a mid-sized transitional guest light wood floor and beige floor bedroom design in Charlotte with beige walls

With its clean lines and uncomplicated style the classic A-Frame shed is perfect for nearly any property. A choice of doors, colors and other valuable options make this simple design a versatile storage solution at an affordable price.

With its clean lines and uncomplicated style the classic A-Frame shed is perfect for nearly any property. A choice of doors, colors and other valuable options make this simple design a versatile storage solution at an affordable price.

Love the contemporary look? The Morgan Vanity offers uncomplicated beauty as well as everyday functionality that’s perfect for your guest or master bath. You’ll love the spacious drawers, which provide convenient concealed storage for toiletries and more. This furnishing was crafted with the finest materials to ensure years of beauty and enjoyment.

Features a stylish, nature-inspired, single-handle design. Gracious and uncomplicated style features give this collection an ageless yet fashion-forward presence. Tailored yet relaxed, this faucet is an exercise in design balance. This lustrous collection works seamlessly with today's lifestyles. By MOEN - Available at Broedell Plumbing Supply.

Love the contemporary look? The Morgan Vanity offers uncomplicated beauty as well as everyday functionality that’s perfect for your guest or master bath. You’ll love the spacious drawers, which provide convenient concealed storage for toiletries and more. This furnishing was crafted with the finest materials to ensure years of beauty and enjoyment.

Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary dark wood floor and brown floor wine cellar remodel in DC Metro with display racks

With its clean lines and uncomplicated style the classic A-Frame shed is perfect for nearly any property. A choice of doors, colors and other valuable options make this simple design a versatile storage solution at an affordable price.

The 2-Panel style interior door is strong and beautiful. Its uncomplicated style and attention to detail are reminiscent of a simpler time. It is well designed to stand up to daily use and it won’t shrink, expand or warp when exposed to the environment. This eco-friendly door is created from recycled and recovered wood fiber and also offers an especially smooth surface for painting. The stile and rail construction ensures true square corners and a field proven hardwood edge system designed to last. This interior door is built to size and is ideal for custom size openings, including hvac closets, custom cabinets and more. In addition, it is available for closets, pocket doors, barn doors and fire doors. A variety of paint choices, along with a wide selection of door knobs and levers are also available.

Inspiration for a cottage l-shaped dark wood floor and brown floor kitchen remodel in Miami with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, paneled appliances, an island and white countertops

Casey Dunn Photography
Inspiration for a cottage entryway remodel in Houston

This beautiful showcase home offers a blend of crisp, uncomplicated modern lines and a touch of farmhouse architectural details. The 5,100 square feet single level home with 5 bedrooms, 3 ½ baths with a large vaulted bonus room over the garage is delightfully welcoming.

For more photos of this project visit our website: https://wendyobrienid.com.