Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW   My husband and I had the opportunity to completely gut and remodel a very tired 1950’s Garrison colonial. We knew that the idea of a semi-open floor plan would be ideal for our family. Space saving solutions started with the design of a banquet in the kitchen. The banquet’s focal point is the two stained glass windows on either end that help to capture daylight from the adjoining spaces. Material selections for the kitchen were driven by the desire for a bright, casual and uncomplicated look. The plan began with 3 large windows centered over a white farmhouse sink and overlooking the backyard. A large island acts as the kitchen’s work center and rounds out seating options in the room. White inset cabinetry is offset with a mix of materials including soapstone, cherry butcher block, stainless appliances, oak flooring and rustic white tiles that rise to the ceiling creating a dramatic backdrop for an arched range hood. Multiple mullioned glass doors keep the kitchen open, bright and airy. A palette of grayish greens and blues throughout the house helps to meld the white kitchen and trim detail with existing furnishings. In-cabinet lighting as well as task and undercabinet lighting complements the recessed can lights and help to complete the light and airy look of the space. Designed by: Susan Klimala, CKD, CBD For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com

Robeson Design creates a whimsical Bedroom for an 11 year old girl. Complete with feathers, dark mysterious colors and stripped window treatment panels. The metal pinwheel pendant light was a hit when our little client first walked into her new room!

Photo: Bilyana Dimitrova Photography ©2007

Photographer: Peter Margonelli Photography Construction Manager: Interior Alterations Inc. Interior Design: JP Warren Interiors

© Ken Gutmaker Photography

Rob Karosis, Photographer

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

Photograph by Art Gray

Design and Architecture by Kate Svoboda-Spanbock of HERE Design and Architecture Shannon Malone © 2012 Houzz

LeAnne Ash

Dining room of custom Tuscan style 6,000 sq. ft. home built to owner specifications in luxury gated golf course community in Naples, FL.