Brick: Aspen Chase Floor Plan: Madison Elevation 15

Craftsman Style Exterior with Hardie siding.

The objective was to create a warm neutral space to later customize to a specific colour palate/preference of the end user for this new construction home being built to sell. A high-end contemporary feel was requested to attract buyers in the area. An impressive kitchen that exuded high class and made an impact on guests as they entered the home, without being overbearing. The space offers an appealing open floorplan conducive to entertaining with indoor-outdoor flow. Due to the spec nature of this house, the home had to remain appealing to the builder, while keeping a broad audience of potential buyers in mind. The challenge lay in creating a unique look, with visually interesting materials and finishes, while not being so unique that potential owners couldn’t envision making it their own. The focus on key elements elevates the look, while other features blend and offer support to these striking components. As the home was built for sale, profitability was important; materials were sourced at best value, while retaining high-end appeal. Adaptations to the home’s original design plan improve flow and usability within the kitchen-greatroom. The client desired a rich dark finish. The chosen colours tie the kitchen to the rest of the home (creating unity as combination, colours and materials, is repeated throughout). Photos- Paul Grdina

A mountain modern residence situated in the Gallatin Valley of Montana. Our modern aluminum door adds just the right amount of flair to this beautiful home designed by FORMation Architecture. The Circle F Residence has a beautiful mixture of natural stone, wood and metal, creating a home that blends flawlessly into it’s environment. The modern door design was selected to complete the home with a warm front entrance. This signature piece is designed with horizontal cutters and a wenge wood handle accented with stainless steel caps. The obscure glass was chosen to add natural light and provide privacy to the front entry of the home. Performance was also factor in the selection of this piece; quad pane glass and a fully insulated aluminum door slab offer high performance and protection from the extreme weather. This distinctive modern aluminum door completes the home and provides a warm, beautiful entry way.

Karuna Passive House designed by Holst Architecture and built by Hammer & Hand. This high performance home meets the world's most demanding green building certifications. Photo by Jeremy Bittermann.

This house, as you drive up, will definitely give you that Wow Factor. Loving the white trim to frame the windows and the roof lines. The Timber Frame detail gives it a bit of a rustic feel but still a very contemporary craftsman style home. Exterior Hardie Board is Iron Grey - in some cases it may be blue and in other lighting it is grey. Photography by: Merle Prosofsky

WaterMark Coastal Homes Beaufort County Premiere Home Builder Location: 8 Market #2 Beaufort, SC 29906

An extended deep roof reveal frames and protects the interior spaces. Timeless black aluminium frames, stylish grey colour palette with bluestone paving and a relaxed outdoor entertaining area create a thoroughly Melbourne family home. Photography: Tatjana Plitt

The front of this house although formal in style, was always intended to be a family home that was warm and inviting. Slate roof, Painted brick, and siding were used to give the home a soft texture and historic appeal. Photography by Bryan Allen

‘Curb appeal’ was part of our initial discussion, at the start of this whole house renovation project. This simple white house with green shutters needed a jump-start with new fiber cement siding, coat of paint, windows, extended roof overhangs, roof, side screen porch, front porch and mudroom entrance as well as a family room and kitchen addition at the rear. After many meetings listening and understanding the clients ultimate goals, we created a crisp color palette and simple forms to give this house a solid perch on the hill. Place architecture:design

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

This exterior image shows how the original three-window shed dormer was extended to allow access to the upstairs addition. The carved out porch provides a beautiful connection to the newly renovated landscape. Renovation/Addition. Rob Karosis Photography