The goal of this project was to build a house that would be energy efficient using materials that were both economical and environmentally conscious. Due to the extremely cold winter weather conditions in the Catskills, insulating the house was a primary concern. The main structure of the house is a timber frame from an nineteenth century barn that has been restored and raised on this new site. The entirety of this frame has then been wrapped in SIPs (structural insulated panels), both walls and the roof. The house is slab on grade, insulated from below. The concrete slab was poured with a radiant heating system inside and the top of the slab was polished and left exposed as the flooring surface. Fiberglass windows with an extremely high R-value were chosen for their green properties. Care was also taken during construction to make all of the joints between the SIPs panels and around window and door openings as airtight as possible. The fact that the house is so airtight along with the high overall insulatory value achieved from the insulated slab, SIPs panels, and windows make the house very energy efficient. The house utilizes an air exchanger, a device that brings fresh air in from outside without loosing heat and circulates the air within the house to move warmer air down from the second floor. Other green materials in the home include reclaimed barn wood used for the floor and ceiling of the second floor, reclaimed wood stairs and bathroom vanity, and an on-demand hot water/boiler system. The exterior of the house is clad in black corrugated aluminum with an aluminum standing seam roof. Because of the extremely cold winter temperatures windows are used discerningly, the three largest windows are on the first floor providing the main living areas with a majestic view of the Catskill mountains.

Photo Credit - David Bader

This Neo-prairie style home with its wide overhangs and well shaded bands of glass combines the openness of an island getaway with a “C – shaped” floor plan that gives the owners much needed privacy on a 78’ wide hillside lot. Photos by James Bruce and Merrick Ales.

Modern eclectic open design concept with lots of natural light

Photo: Shannon Malone © 2013 Houzz

Bruce Damonte

Lincoln Barbour

Another view encompasses the kitchen area.

One of the challenges of this project was to break down the old room barriers and develop a lively new matrix of linearly iterated experiences similar to an urban loft. The new space was to provide a open flowing hierarchy of composite addition and the original home spaces including living, kitchen, dining areas in the addition as well as a compact assembly of den, entertainment, guest space, and master bedroom suite in the original home. A minimalist approach was developed lining the special current of the wooden structural hull of brown maple cased rafter and girder architecture. Skylights, a vaulted hip roof structure and rigid foam insulation between the rafters were covered with drywall and or maple plywood. The trim is brown or natural maple with ¼” square corner beads. Light valances and wall mounted lights were used throughout. The kitchen was opened to the living and dining room and further illuminated with skylights as was the old living room and bedroom, which were converted into the open master suite closet and bathroom. New windows were relocated in some areas and borrowed interior transom window perforated the “cubicalness” of the original home. A cut glass chandelier was installed in the master bath as a parody of the architectural digest mentality of the main stream. James Yochum

Location: Sand Point, ID. Photos by Marie-Dominique Verdier; built by Selle Valley

outdoor living area

The Hollywood, a large Art Deco style pendant. Make a statement by using it in multiples. Shown here with skyscraper shades.

Master bedroom with pocketing Fleetwood doors opening to outdoor teak deck. Photographer: Clark Dugger

SeaBend is sited dramatically on a bluff, embracing a commanding view of a New England. The house is long and narrow, mostly one room deep, so that all the major rooms are open to both the north water views and the south sun, with breezes blowing through. The plan is geared to informal living, with the kitchen in the center to serve both indoor and outdoor living areas. Part of the fun was in seeing what happened when a broad gabled volume was bent to respond to the contours of the site and to begin to suggest an outdoor space on the water side. Keeping the gable roof un-bent while putting a crook in the plan resulted in some curious volumes and unexpected shapes, which you discover as you move around the house. Photography by Robert Benson

Nat Rea photography

Kitchen and bar area at lake home

With its cedar shake roof and siding, complemented by Swannanoa stone, this lakeside home conveys the Nantucket style beautifully. The overall home design promises views to be enjoyed inside as well as out with a lovely screened porch with a Chippendale railing. Throughout the home are unique and striking features. Antique doors frame the opening into the living room from the entry. The living room is anchored by an antique mirror integrated into the overmantle of the fireplace. The kitchen is designed for functionality with a 48” Subzero refrigerator and Wolf range. Add in the marble countertops and industrial pendants over the large island and you have a stunning area. Antique lighting and a 19th century armoire are paired with painted paneling to give an edge to the much-loved Nantucket style in the master. Marble tile and heated floors give way to an amazing stainless steel freestanding tub in the master bath. Rachael Boling Photography