This luxury fitted mudroom, utility and cloakroom was installed for our clients who wanted to combine highly practical facilities with a cohesive design scheme that expressed their artistic aesthetic. What could have been a bland, utilitarian space has been transformed with dark walnut wood, decorative interest and exceptional craftmanship. The suite of bespoke built-in cabinets has created a beautifully organised, multipurpose free-flowing space. Flawlessly spray finished in Inchyra Blue by Farrow & Ball, the dark blue green grey is a dramatic colour which, along with the walnut wood and striking artworks, makes a bold and confident impression. Bespoke walnut wood features Walnut, renowned for its deep, lustrous tones has an enduring elegance. Used for fitted furniture and wall panelling, walnut elevates any space, adding natural warmth and richness. As a hardwood, walnut has exceptional durability and is naturally resistant to moisture and warping, which makes it an ideal choice for a cloakroom or bathroom setting. For this project, the walnut veneers have a natural oiled finish to bring out the beauty of the grain. The reeded walnut veneer wall panel behind the built-in bench adds stunning texture and visual interest to the joinery. Shaker-style doors with fretwork panels Made to measure fretwork doors and panels like these conceal unsightly features while also providing ventilation. A well-aired mudroom or boot room is vital to ensure outerwear dries quickly and doesn’t become musty. This is especially important for the floor to ceiling shoe cupboard we built here as it helps to keep the footwear fresh. The decorative fretwork pattern also adds visual interest and makes the room feel less enclosed. Integrated LED lighting installed throughout the joinery enhancing safety, brightness and enjoyment to the space. Custom-made vanity unit This large, sleek handle-free vanity unit provides a generous amount of storage space with a smart interior arrangement with customised waste management. The soft-closing drawers are operated by a smooth, silent, push to open mechanism. The floating design allows for LED lighting underneath the cabinet. Dog shower and storage The purpose-built indoor dog shower is great for hosing down and drying off the dogs. It doubles up as somewhere to wash muddy wellies and golf clubs too. Bespoke shelving and hooks for all the dog paraphernalia keeps the pet zone well-organised and tidy. All in all, the result is a cloakroom which combines highly functional mudroom, utility and cloakroom facilities in an immensely stylish space. It’s immensely practical yet incredibly stylish with a strong focus on aesthetics and design.

The existing kitchen wasn’t cutting it anymore. The homeowners designed and built this home about 20 years ago, but since then, their taste and needs changed. The outdated finishes felt outdated. There weren’t enough work areas. Some counterspace stations were just awkward due to the layout. Adjoining spaces around the kitchen were also in need of an update, but it was decided that the kitchen would undergo a transformation first. Design Objectives -Rework the overall layout (kitchen, laundry and butler’s pantry) to have a better flow and utilize the space better -Incorporate materials with wow and pizzazz to reflect the homeowner’s style -Design large work areas for cooking with two or more people at a time -Provide seating at an island in addition to table seating -Update surrounding spaces since the kitchen is open to the rest of the home Design Challenges: -Include a vast array of cooking appliances while having enough of cabinet storage -Adjacent rooms need to feel updated and flow with new Kitchen -Having multiple focal points with different materials but not have the space feel like a hodge podge -Provide different task, accent and overall lighting to brighten up space Design Solutions: -The homeowner loves to cook and wanted to maximize her abilities. We incorporated a 48” rangetop with a griddle, a single oven, steam oven, microwave drawer and 15” induction cooktop next to a 48” Galley Ideal Workstation with two faucets. In order to have room for all of these appliances, the floor plan needed to accommodate more cabinetry. Both dining room entrances were closed off and the laundry room entrance were moved to the opposite end of the wall to allow two long walls for additional cabinets. -The existing round columns throughout the first floor were outdated. To keep the architectural element of the columns, we wrapped the new columns to have a square shape with a flat panel on all four sides. Then, we painted them black (to tie in with the kitchen tops and curved hood surround) and added simple crown molding. For the flow of the space, closing up the odd corner that connected the laundry and dining room and relocating both room entrances allowed the space to actually feel larger and more continuous. --Adding the same square columns to the main dining room entrance, by the front door, also tied in the front of the house with the kitchen. -The homeowner loves unique and bold materials. The main focal point of the kitchen is definitely the custom metal hood that incorporates two finishes and is set on a Lumix quartzite full-high back and side splashes. To make this area even more pronounced, a hearth-like drywall arch encloses the space. Once your eye moves off the hood, you start to notice the mirrored refrigerator panels, high gloss island cabinets, mirrored metal backsplash tile, delicate pendant island lights and the stunning island countertop material! There is a good mix of materials that make every space shine. The blacks, golds and pewter finishes help tie everything together. -Lighting in a large kitchen is important. This space, besides getting a lot of natural light, needed lots of additional lighting due to the dark finishes. For overall lighting we have plenty of can lights in addition to lighting at the tops of the wall cabinets (that shine on the ceiling), undercabinet task lighting to make the tops sparkle and provide abundant lighting while prepping, pendant accent lighting over the island and a fandolier to add a little sparkle over the pub table. Voila!

A modern white gloss kitchen with curved cabinets. This kitchen is from the Kristal Collection and there are many colors and styles available. These kitchen cabinets are designed to fit your space and utilize it to its best.

A modern white gloss kitchen with curved cabinets. This kitchen is from the Kristal Collection and there are many colors and styles available. These kitchen cabinets are designed to fit your space and utilize it to its best.

The existing kitchen wasn’t cutting it anymore. The homeowners designed and built this home about 20 years ago, but since then, their taste and needs changed. The outdated finishes felt outdated. There weren’t enough work areas. Some counterspace stations were just awkward due to the layout. Adjoining spaces around the kitchen were also in need of an update, but it was decided that the kitchen would undergo a transformation first. Design Objectives -Rework the overall layout (kitchen, laundry and butler’s pantry) to have a better flow and utilize the space better -Incorporate materials with wow and pizzazz to reflect the homeowner’s style -Design large work areas for cooking with two or more people at a time -Provide seating at an island in addition to table seating -Update surrounding spaces since the kitchen is open to the rest of the home Design Challenges: -Include a vast array of cooking appliances while having enough of cabinet storage -Adjacent rooms need to feel updated and flow with new Kitchen -Having multiple focal points with different materials but not have the space feel like a hodge podge -Provide different task, accent and overall lighting to brighten up space Design Solutions: -The homeowner loves to cook and wanted to maximize her abilities. We incorporated a 48” rangetop with a griddle, a single oven, steam oven, microwave drawer and 15” induction cooktop next to a 48” Galley Ideal Workstation with two faucets. In order to have room for all of these appliances, the floor plan needed to accommodate more cabinetry. Both dining room entrances were closed off and the laundry room entrance were moved to the opposite end of the wall to allow two long walls for additional cabinets. -The existing round columns throughout the first floor were outdated. To keep the architectural element of the columns, we wrapped the new columns to have a square shape with a flat panel on all four sides. Then, we painted them black (to tie in with the kitchen tops and curved hood surround) and added simple crown molding. For the flow of the space, closing up the odd corner that connected the laundry and dining room and relocating both room entrances allowed the space to actually feel larger and more continuous. --Adding the same square columns to the main dining room entrance, by the front door, also tied in the front of the house with the kitchen. -The homeowner loves unique and bold materials. The main focal point of the kitchen is definitely the custom metal hood that incorporates two finishes and is set on a Lumix quartzite full-high back and side splashes. To make this area even more pronounced, a hearth-like drywall arch encloses the space. Once your eye moves off the hood, you start to notice the mirrored refrigerator panels, high gloss island cabinets, mirrored metal backsplash tile, delicate pendant island lights and the stunning island countertop material! There is a good mix of materials that make every space shine. The blacks, golds and pewter finishes help tie everything together. -Lighting in a large kitchen is important. This space, besides getting a lot of natural light, needed lots of additional lighting due to the dark finishes. For overall lighting we have plenty of can lights in addition to lighting at the tops of the wall cabinets (that shine on the ceiling), undercabinet task lighting to make the tops sparkle and provide abundant lighting while prepping, pendant accent lighting over the island and a fandolier to add a little sparkle over the pub table. Voila!

The existing kitchen wasn’t cutting it anymore. The homeowners designed and built this home about 20 years ago, but since then, their taste and needs changed. The outdated finishes felt outdated. There weren’t enough work areas. Some counterspace stations were just awkward due to the layout. Adjoining spaces around the kitchen were also in need of an update, but it was decided that the kitchen would undergo a transformation first. Design Objectives -Rework the overall layout (kitchen, laundry and butler’s pantry) to have a better flow and utilize the space better -Incorporate materials with wow and pizzazz to reflect the homeowner’s style -Design large work areas for cooking with two or more people at a time -Provide seating at an island in addition to table seating -Update surrounding spaces since the kitchen is open to the rest of the home Design Challenges: -Include a vast array of cooking appliances while having enough of cabinet storage -Adjacent rooms need to feel updated and flow with new Kitchen -Having multiple focal points with different materials but not have the space feel like a hodge podge -Provide different task, accent and overall lighting to brighten up space Design Solutions: -The homeowner loves to cook and wanted to maximize her abilities. We incorporated a 48” rangetop with a griddle, a single oven, steam oven, microwave drawer and 15” induction cooktop next to a 48” Galley Ideal Workstation with two faucets. In order to have room for all of these appliances, the floor plan needed to accommodate more cabinetry. Both dining room entrances were closed off and the laundry room entrance were moved to the opposite end of the wall to allow two long walls for additional cabinets. -The existing round columns throughout the first floor were outdated. To keep the architectural element of the columns, we wrapped the new columns to have a square shape with a flat panel on all four sides. Then, we painted them black (to tie in with the kitchen tops and curved hood surround) and added simple crown molding. For the flow of the space, closing up the odd corner that connected the laundry and dining room and relocating both room entrances allowed the space to actually feel larger and more continuous. --Adding the same square columns to the main dining room entrance, by the front door, also tied in the front of the house with the kitchen. -The homeowner loves unique and bold materials. The main focal point of the kitchen is definitely the custom metal hood that incorporates two finishes and is set on a Lumix quartzite full-high back and side splashes. To make this area even more pronounced, a hearth-like drywall arch encloses the space. Once your eye moves off the hood, you start to notice the mirrored refrigerator panels, high gloss island cabinets, mirrored metal backsplash tile, delicate pendant island lights and the stunning island countertop material! There is a good mix of materials that make every space shine. The blacks, golds and pewter finishes help tie everything together. -Lighting in a large kitchen is important. This space, besides getting a lot of natural light, needed lots of additional lighting due to the dark finishes. For overall lighting we have plenty of can lights in addition to lighting at the tops of the wall cabinets (that shine on the ceiling), undercabinet task lighting to make the tops sparkle and provide abundant lighting while prepping, pendant accent lighting over the island and a fandolier to add a little sparkle over the pub table. Voila!

The existing kitchen wasn’t cutting it anymore. The homeowners designed and built this home about 20 years ago, but since then, their taste and needs changed. The outdated finishes felt outdated. There weren’t enough work areas. Some counterspace stations were just awkward due to the layout. Adjoining spaces around the kitchen were also in need of an update, but it was decided that the kitchen would undergo a transformation first. Design Objectives -Rework the overall layout (kitchen, laundry and butler’s pantry) to have a better flow and utilize the space better -Incorporate materials with wow and pizzazz to reflect the homeowner’s style -Design large work areas for cooking with two or more people at a time -Provide seating at an island in addition to table seating -Update surrounding spaces since the kitchen is open to the rest of the home Design Challenges: -Include a vast array of cooking appliances while having enough of cabinet storage -Adjacent rooms need to feel updated and flow with new Kitchen -Having multiple focal points with different materials but not have the space feel like a hodge podge -Provide different task, accent and overall lighting to brighten up space Design Solutions: -The homeowner loves to cook and wanted to maximize her abilities. We incorporated a 48” rangetop with a griddle, a single oven, steam oven, microwave drawer and 15” induction cooktop next to a 48” Galley Ideal Workstation with two faucets. In order to have room for all of these appliances, the floor plan needed to accommodate more cabinetry. Both dining room entrances were closed off and the laundry room entrance were moved to the opposite end of the wall to allow two long walls for additional cabinets. -The existing round columns throughout the first floor were outdated. To keep the architectural element of the columns, we wrapped the new columns to have a square shape with a flat panel on all four sides. Then, we painted them black (to tie in with the kitchen tops and curved hood surround) and added simple crown molding. For the flow of the space, closing up the odd corner that connected the laundry and dining room and relocating both room entrances allowed the space to actually feel larger and more continuous. --Adding the same square columns to the main dining room entrance, by the front door, also tied in the front of the house with the kitchen. -The homeowner loves unique and bold materials. The main focal point of the kitchen is definitely the custom metal hood that incorporates two finishes and is set on a Lumix quartzite full-high back and side splashes. To make this area even more pronounced, a hearth-like drywall arch encloses the space. Once your eye moves off the hood, you start to notice the mirrored refrigerator panels, high gloss island cabinets, mirrored metal backsplash tile, delicate pendant island lights and the stunning island countertop material! There is a good mix of materials that make every space shine. The blacks, golds and pewter finishes help tie everything together. -Lighting in a large kitchen is important. This space, besides getting a lot of natural light, needed lots of additional lighting due to the dark finishes. For overall lighting we have plenty of can lights in addition to lighting at the tops of the wall cabinets (that shine on the ceiling), undercabinet task lighting to make the tops sparkle and provide abundant lighting while prepping, pendant accent lighting over the island and a fandolier to add a little sparkle over the pub table. Voila!

The existing kitchen wasn’t cutting it anymore. The homeowners designed and built this home about 20 years ago, but since then, their taste and needs changed. The outdated finishes felt outdated. There weren’t enough work areas. Some counterspace stations were just awkward due to the layout. Adjoining spaces around the kitchen were also in need of an update, but it was decided that the kitchen would undergo a transformation first. Design Objectives -Rework the overall layout (kitchen, laundry and butler’s pantry) to have a better flow and utilize the space better -Incorporate materials with wow and pizzazz to reflect the homeowner’s style -Design large work areas for cooking with two or more people at a time -Provide seating at an island in addition to table seating -Update surrounding spaces since the kitchen is open to the rest of the home Design Challenges: -Include a vast array of cooking appliances while having enough of cabinet storage -Adjacent rooms need to feel updated and flow with new Kitchen -Having multiple focal points with different materials but not have the space feel like a hodge podge -Provide different task, accent and overall lighting to brighten up space Design Solutions: -The homeowner loves to cook and wanted to maximize her abilities. We incorporated a 48” rangetop with a griddle, a single oven, steam oven, microwave drawer and 15” induction cooktop next to a 48” Galley Ideal Workstation with two faucets. In order to have room for all of these appliances, the floor plan needed to accommodate more cabinetry. Both dining room entrances were closed off and the laundry room entrance were moved to the opposite end of the wall to allow two long walls for additional cabinets. -The existing round columns throughout the first floor were outdated. To keep the architectural element of the columns, we wrapped the new columns to have a square shape with a flat panel on all four sides. Then, we painted them black (to tie in with the kitchen tops and curved hood surround) and added simple crown molding. For the flow of the space, closing up the odd corner that connected the laundry and dining room and relocating both room entrances allowed the space to actually feel larger and more continuous. --Adding the same square columns to the main dining room entrance, by the front door, also tied in the front of the house with the kitchen. -The homeowner loves unique and bold materials. The main focal point of the kitchen is definitely the custom metal hood that incorporates two finishes and is set on a Lumix quartzite full-high back and side splashes. To make this area even more pronounced, a hearth-like drywall arch encloses the space. Once your eye moves off the hood, you start to notice the mirrored refrigerator panels, high gloss island cabinets, mirrored metal backsplash tile, delicate pendant island lights and the stunning island countertop material! There is a good mix of materials that make every space shine. The blacks, golds and pewter finishes help tie everything together. -Lighting in a large kitchen is important. This space, besides getting a lot of natural light, needed lots of additional lighting due to the dark finishes. For overall lighting we have plenty of can lights in addition to lighting at the tops of the wall cabinets (that shine on the ceiling), undercabinet task lighting to make the tops sparkle and provide abundant lighting while prepping, pendant accent lighting over the island and a fandolier to add a little sparkle over the pub table. Voila!

The existing kitchen wasn’t cutting it anymore. The homeowners designed and built this home about 20 years ago, but since then, their taste and needs changed. The outdated finishes felt outdated. There weren’t enough work areas. Some counterspace stations were just awkward due to the layout. Adjoining spaces around the kitchen were also in need of an update, but it was decided that the kitchen would undergo a transformation first. Design Objectives -Rework the overall layout (kitchen, laundry and butler’s pantry) to have a better flow and utilize the space better -Incorporate materials with wow and pizzazz to reflect the homeowner’s style -Design large work areas for cooking with two or more people at a time -Provide seating at an island in addition to table seating -Update surrounding spaces since the kitchen is open to the rest of the home Design Challenges: -Include a vast array of cooking appliances while having enough of cabinet storage -Adjacent rooms need to feel updated and flow with new Kitchen -Having multiple focal points with different materials but not have the space feel like a hodge podge -Provide different task, accent and overall lighting to brighten up space Design Solutions: -The homeowner loves to cook and wanted to maximize her abilities. We incorporated a 48” rangetop with a griddle, a single oven, steam oven, microwave drawer and 15” induction cooktop next to a 48” Galley Ideal Workstation with two faucets. In order to have room for all of these appliances, the floor plan needed to accommodate more cabinetry. Both dining room entrances were closed off and the laundry room entrance were moved to the opposite end of the wall to allow two long walls for additional cabinets. -The existing round columns throughout the first floor were outdated. To keep the architectural element of the columns, we wrapped the new columns to have a square shape with a flat panel on all four sides. Then, we painted them black (to tie in with the kitchen tops and curved hood surround) and added simple crown molding. For the flow of the space, closing up the odd corner that connected the laundry and dining room and relocating both room entrances allowed the space to actually feel larger and more continuous. --Adding the same square columns to the main dining room entrance, by the front door, also tied in the front of the house with the kitchen. -The homeowner loves unique and bold materials. The main focal point of the kitchen is definitely the custom metal hood that incorporates two finishes and is set on a Lumix quartzite full-high back and side splashes. To make this area even more pronounced, a hearth-like drywall arch encloses the space. Once your eye moves off the hood, you start to notice the mirrored refrigerator panels, high gloss island cabinets, mirrored metal backsplash tile, delicate pendant island lights and the stunning island countertop material! There is a good mix of materials that make every space shine. The blacks, golds and pewter finishes help tie everything together. -Lighting in a large kitchen is important. This space, besides getting a lot of natural light, needed lots of additional lighting due to the dark finishes. For overall lighting we have plenty of can lights in addition to lighting at the tops of the wall cabinets (that shine on the ceiling), undercabinet task lighting to make the tops sparkle and provide abundant lighting while prepping, pendant accent lighting over the island and a fandolier to add a little sparkle over the pub table. Voila!

Overview Extension and complete refurbishment. The Brief The existing house had very shallow rooms with a need for more depth throughout the property by extending into the rear garden which is large and south facing. We were to look at extending to the rear and to the end of the property, where we had redundant garden space, to maximise the footprint and yield a series of WOW factor spaces maximising the value of the house. The brief requested 4 bedrooms plus a luxurious guest space with separate access; large, open plan living spaces with large kitchen/entertaining area, utility and larder; family bathroom space and a high specification ensuite to two bedrooms. In addition, we were to create balconies overlooking a beautiful garden and design a ‘kerb appeal’ frontage facing the sought-after street location. Buildings of this age lend themselves to use of natural materials like handmade tiles, good quality bricks and external insulation/render systems with timber windows. We specified high quality materials to achieve a highly desirable look which has become a hit on Houzz. Our Solution One of our specialisms is the refurbishment and extension of detached 1930’s properties. Taking the existing small rooms and lack of relationship to a large garden we added a double height rear extension to both ends of the plan and a new garage annex with guest suite. We wanted to create a view of, and route to the garden from the front door and a series of living spaces to meet our client’s needs. The front of the building needed a fresh approach to the ordinary palette of materials and we re-glazed throughout working closely with a great build team.

This project combines high end earthy elements with elegant, modern furnishings. We wanted to re invent the beach house concept and create an home which is not your typical coastal retreat. By combining stronger colors and textures, we gave the spaces a bolder and more permanent feel. Yet, as you travel through each room, you can't help but feel invited and at home.

Lincoln Farmhouse LEED-H Platinum, Net-Positive Energy OVERVIEW. This LEED Platinum certified modern farmhouse ties into the cultural landscape of Lincoln, Massachusetts - a town known for its rich history, farming traditions, conservation efforts, and visionary architecture. The goal was to design and build a new single family home on 1.8 acres that respects the neighborhood’s agrarian roots, produces more energy than it consumes, and provides the family with flexible spaces to live-play-work-entertain. The resulting 2,800 SF home is proof that families do not need to compromise on style, space or comfort in a highly energy-efficient and healthy home. CONNECTION TO NATURE. The attached garage is ubiquitous in new construction in New England’s cold climate. This home’s barn-inspired garage is intentionally detached from the main dwelling. A covered walkway connects the two structures, creating an intentional connection with the outdoors between auto and home. FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY. With a modest footprint, each space must serve a specific use, but also be flexible for atypical scenarios. The Mudroom serves everyday use for the couple and their children, but is also easy to tidy up to receive guests, eliminating the need for two entries found in most homes. A workspace is conveniently located off the mudroom; it looks out on to the back yard to supervise the children and can be closed off with a sliding door when not in use. The Away Room opens up to the Living Room for everyday use; it can be closed off with its oversized pocket door for secondary use as a guest bedroom with en suite bath. NET POSITIVE ENERGY. The all-electric home consumes 70% less energy than a code-built house, and with measured energy data produces 48% more energy annually than it consumes, making it a 'net positive' home. Thick walls and roofs lack thermal bridging, windows are high performance, triple-glazed, and a continuous air barrier yields minimal leakage (0.27ACH50) making the home among the tightest in the US. Systems include an air source heat pump, an energy recovery ventilator, and a 13.1kW photovoltaic system to offset consumption and support future electric cars. ACTUAL PERFORMANCE. -6.3 kBtu/sf/yr Energy Use Intensity (Actual monitored project data reported for the firm’s 2016 AIA 2030 Commitment. Average single family home is 52.0 kBtu/sf/yr.) o 10,900 kwh total consumption (8.5 kbtu/ft2 EUI) o 16,200 kwh total production o 5,300 kwh net surplus, equivalent to 15,000-25,000 electric car miles per year. 48% net positive. WATER EFFICIENCY. Plumbing fixtures and water closets consume a mere 60% of the federal standard, while high efficiency appliances such as the dishwasher and clothes washer also reduce consumption rates. FOOD PRODUCTION. After clearing all invasive species, apple, pear, peach and cherry trees were planted. Future plans include blueberry, raspberry and strawberry bushes, along with raised beds for vegetable gardening. The house also offers a below ground root cellar, built outside the home's thermal envelope, to gain the passive benefit of long term energy-free food storage. RESILIENCY. The home's ability to weather unforeseen challenges is predictable - it will fare well. The super-insulated envelope means during a winter storm with power outage, heat loss will be slow - taking days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. During normal conditions, reduced energy consumption plus energy production means shelter from the burden of utility costs. Surplus production can power electric cars & appliances. The home exceeds snow & wind structural requirements, plus far surpasses standard construction for long term durability planning. ARCHITECT: ZeroEnergy Design http://zeroenergy.com/lincoln-farmhouse CONTRACTOR: Thoughtforms http://thoughtforms-corp.com/ PHOTOGRAPHER: Chuck Choi http://www.chuckchoi.com/

Interior design by Vikki Leftwich, furnishings from Villa Vici || photo: Chad Chenier
Bathroom - huge contemporary master green tile and glass tile limestone floor bathroom idea in New Orleans with an integrated sink, open cabinets, solid surface countertops, a one-piece toilet and white walls

Lincoln Farmhouse LEED-H Platinum, Net-Positive Energy OVERVIEW. This LEED Platinum certified modern farmhouse ties into the cultural landscape of Lincoln, Massachusetts - a town known for its rich history, farming traditions, conservation efforts, and visionary architecture. The goal was to design and build a new single family home on 1.8 acres that respects the neighborhood’s agrarian roots, produces more energy than it consumes, and provides the family with flexible spaces to live-play-work-entertain. The resulting 2,800 SF home is proof that families do not need to compromise on style, space or comfort in a highly energy-efficient and healthy home. CONNECTION TO NATURE. The attached garage is ubiquitous in new construction in New England’s cold climate. This home’s barn-inspired garage is intentionally detached from the main dwelling. A covered walkway connects the two structures, creating an intentional connection with the outdoors between auto and home. FUNCTIONAL FLEXIBILITY. With a modest footprint, each space must serve a specific use, but also be flexible for atypical scenarios. The Mudroom serves everyday use for the couple and their children, but is also easy to tidy up to receive guests, eliminating the need for two entries found in most homes. A workspace is conveniently located off the mudroom; it looks out on to the back yard to supervise the children and can be closed off with a sliding door when not in use. The Away Room opens up to the Living Room for everyday use; it can be closed off with its oversized pocket door for secondary use as a guest bedroom with en suite bath. NET POSITIVE ENERGY. The all-electric home consumes 70% less energy than a code-built house, and with measured energy data produces 48% more energy annually than it consumes, making it a 'net positive' home. Thick walls and roofs lack thermal bridging, windows are high performance, triple-glazed, and a continuous air barrier yields minimal leakage (0.27ACH50) making the home among the tightest in the US. Systems include an air source heat pump, an energy recovery ventilator, and a 13.1kW photovoltaic system to offset consumption and support future electric cars. ACTUAL PERFORMANCE. -6.3 kBtu/sf/yr Energy Use Intensity (Actual monitored project data reported for the firm’s 2016 AIA 2030 Commitment. Average single family home is 52.0 kBtu/sf/yr.) o 10,900 kwh total consumption (8.5 kbtu/ft2 EUI) o 16,200 kwh total production o 5,300 kwh net surplus, equivalent to 15,000-25,000 electric car miles per year. 48% net positive. WATER EFFICIENCY. Plumbing fixtures and water closets consume a mere 60% of the federal standard, while high efficiency appliances such as the dishwasher and clothes washer also reduce consumption rates. FOOD PRODUCTION. After clearing all invasive species, apple, pear, peach and cherry trees were planted. Future plans include blueberry, raspberry and strawberry bushes, along with raised beds for vegetable gardening. The house also offers a below ground root cellar, built outside the home's thermal envelope, to gain the passive benefit of long term energy-free food storage. RESILIENCY. The home's ability to weather unforeseen challenges is predictable - it will fare well. The super-insulated envelope means during a winter storm with power outage, heat loss will be slow - taking days to drop to 60 degrees even with no heat source. During normal conditions, reduced energy consumption plus energy production means shelter from the burden of utility costs. Surplus production can power electric cars & appliances. The home exceeds snow & wind structural requirements, plus far surpasses standard construction for long term durability planning. ARCHITECT: ZeroEnergy Design http://zeroenergy.com/lincoln-farmhouse CONTRACTOR: Thoughtforms http://thoughtforms-corp.com/ PHOTOGRAPHER: Chuck Choi http://www.chuckchoi.com/

Light in color yet heavy on texture, Factory Rough Vapor surrounds and relaxes like a security blanket that eases away the day’s stress. Tightly layered in 8-inch-high full-width “concrete slabs,” Factory Rough Vapor will withstand the full steams ahead. Utile by MAAX is an innovative shower wall solution that provides sophisticated style without the hassle of tiling. Utile - Designer Series Pattern: Factory Rough Color: Vapor Dimensions: 48""x36""

Our clients were looking to erase the 90s from their master bathroom and create a space that blended their contemporary tastes with natural elements. This bathroom had wonderful bones with a high ceiling and plenty of space, but we were able to work with our clients to create a design that better met their needs and utilized the space to its full potential. We wanted to create a sense of warmth in this large master bathroom and adding a fireplace to the space did the trick. By moving the tub location, we were able to create a stunning accent wall of stacked stone that provided a home for the fireplace and a perfectly dramatic backdrop for the new freestanding bathtub. The sculptural copper light fixture helps to soften the stone wall and allowed us to emphasize those vaulted ceiling. Playing with metal finishes is one of our favorite pastimes, and this bathroom was the perfect opportunity to blend sleek matte black plumbing fixtures with a mirrored copper finish on the light fixtures. We tied the vanity wall sconces in with a dramatic sculptural chandelier above the bath tub by using copper finishes on both and allowing the light fixtures to be the shining stars of this space. We selected a clean white finish for the custom vanity cabinets and lit them from below to accentuate their floating design. We then completed the look with a waterfall quartz counter to add an elegant texture to the area and extended the stone onto the shower bench to bring the two elements together. The existing shower had been on the small side, so we expanded it into the room and gave them a more spacious shower complete with a built-in bench and recessed niche. Hard surfaces play an important role in any bathroom design, and we wanted to use this opportunity to create an interesting layer of texture through our tile selections. The bathroom floor utilizes a large-scale plank tile installed in a herringbone pattern, while the shower and walls are tiled in a polished white tile to add a bit of reflectivity. The newly transformed bathroom is now a sophisticated space the brings together sleek contemporary finishes with textured natural elements and provides the perfect retreat from the outside world.

This dining space transformation utilizes a series of high-impact design choices, including the removal of two columns to open the room, the introduction of botanical wallpaper and a dark painted ceiling for a jewel box effect, and modern yet cozy furnishings. Key pieces such as chocolate velvet seating and a cerused oak dining table anchor the aesthetic, while the John Richard spherical light fixture with quartz and brass stands out as a showstopping centerpiece.

Architect: Michelle Penn, AIA This luxurious European Romantic design utilizes a high contrast color palette. The cathedral ceiling with wood beams continues from the living room out to the deck area and overlooks the lake. Here the owner can enjoy cooking dinner on the outdoor grill, watch sports on the outdoor TV and enjoy a glass of wine by the outdoor fireplace! Check out the concealed TV! It can be closed and secured when not in use! Photo Credit: Jackson Studios

Mark LaRosa
Mid-sized trendy rooftop rooftop deck container garden photo in New York with no cover