Houzz Tour: A High-Performance Craftsman Home With Modern Touches
The palette of blue, green, coral and wood makes this energy-efficient Pacific Northwest house feel natural and warm
Designed to Be Energy-Efficient
Workers paid special care during construction to be sure the building envelope — walls, slab and roof that wrap a home — was tight with no air seepage from inside the home to out. They added a layer of mineral wool insulation — which is rock melted down and spun like cotton candy — that acts like “a sweater layer” to keep heat in the home better than would traditional construction methods, Brogan says.
Another element is a rain screen, which is a three-quarters-inch air space between the mineral wool insulation and the home’s siding. This gap allows any water that gets behind the siding to simply dry out and disappear, rather than seep into the siding and damage the paint or cause mold to develop in the wall. Thanks to the rain screen, “There’s no places for condensation to occur on that exterior wall of the house,” Brogan says.
Together, these steps tightly seal the home from the Pacific Northwest’s damp chill. A heat-recovery ventilator keeps the temperature in the house steady and avoids drafts by pulling air from the bathrooms, kitchen and laundry rooms to the outside, then bringing fresh air into bedrooms and common spaces. The heat-recovery ventilator transfers the heat from the indoor air to the air that is coming in from outdoors, so there is no shift in temperature for the occupants.
The home also has high-performance windows and Energy Star-certified appliances and lighting, which have the federal government’s backing for their energy-efficiency. This project was certified by the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home program, meaning it is at least 40 to 50 percent more energy-efficient than a typical new home. Brogan says it wouldn’t require a lot of solar panels to make this home net-zero energy, meaning that over the course of a year it would produce as much energy as it uses.
In total, steps taken to make the home high-performance added about 8 to 10 percent to the overall construction cost, Brogan says. He expects these steps will contribute to the home’s energy-efficiency and result in less maintenance over time, ultimately resulting in cost savings. For instance, Brogan has a rain screen on his own home, which has cedar siding. While most homes typically need to be repainted every six to seven years, “I’m at a point where I need a repaint at 16 years,” he says. He attributes the difference in durability to his home’s rain screen keeping the siding dry.
Read more stories about green building
Workers paid special care during construction to be sure the building envelope — walls, slab and roof that wrap a home — was tight with no air seepage from inside the home to out. They added a layer of mineral wool insulation — which is rock melted down and spun like cotton candy — that acts like “a sweater layer” to keep heat in the home better than would traditional construction methods, Brogan says.
Another element is a rain screen, which is a three-quarters-inch air space between the mineral wool insulation and the home’s siding. This gap allows any water that gets behind the siding to simply dry out and disappear, rather than seep into the siding and damage the paint or cause mold to develop in the wall. Thanks to the rain screen, “There’s no places for condensation to occur on that exterior wall of the house,” Brogan says.
Together, these steps tightly seal the home from the Pacific Northwest’s damp chill. A heat-recovery ventilator keeps the temperature in the house steady and avoids drafts by pulling air from the bathrooms, kitchen and laundry rooms to the outside, then bringing fresh air into bedrooms and common spaces. The heat-recovery ventilator transfers the heat from the indoor air to the air that is coming in from outdoors, so there is no shift in temperature for the occupants.
The home also has high-performance windows and Energy Star-certified appliances and lighting, which have the federal government’s backing for their energy-efficiency. This project was certified by the Department of Energy’s Zero Energy Ready Home program, meaning it is at least 40 to 50 percent more energy-efficient than a typical new home. Brogan says it wouldn’t require a lot of solar panels to make this home net-zero energy, meaning that over the course of a year it would produce as much energy as it uses.
In total, steps taken to make the home high-performance added about 8 to 10 percent to the overall construction cost, Brogan says. He expects these steps will contribute to the home’s energy-efficiency and result in less maintenance over time, ultimately resulting in cost savings. For instance, Brogan has a rain screen on his own home, which has cedar siding. While most homes typically need to be repainted every six to seven years, “I’m at a point where I need a repaint at 16 years,” he says. He attributes the difference in durability to his home’s rain screen keeping the siding dry.
Read more stories about green building
A Walk Through the House
The entryway combines a number of woods: hickory flooring, fir doors and maple cabinetry (the bench seat and the coat and scarf hanger) with a clear finish. The ceiling is 1-by-6-inch tongue-and-groove paneling in knotty pine. The homeowners chose maple and fir as they are both regional woods, whereas they chose hickory for its color and texture.
Though the home’s exterior and some of its interior follow a traditional Craftsman-style approach, the homeowners also wanted to interject pops of modern style. The entryway chandelier sets the tone for the marriage of styles with its clean, modern lines. “The light is kind of the starting point of that — here’s going to be some fun elements you might not have expected in a traditional Craftsman home,” Banks says.
Browse modern chandeliers in the Houzz Shop
The entryway combines a number of woods: hickory flooring, fir doors and maple cabinetry (the bench seat and the coat and scarf hanger) with a clear finish. The ceiling is 1-by-6-inch tongue-and-groove paneling in knotty pine. The homeowners chose maple and fir as they are both regional woods, whereas they chose hickory for its color and texture.
Though the home’s exterior and some of its interior follow a traditional Craftsman-style approach, the homeowners also wanted to interject pops of modern style. The entryway chandelier sets the tone for the marriage of styles with its clean, modern lines. “The light is kind of the starting point of that — here’s going to be some fun elements you might not have expected in a traditional Craftsman home,” Banks says.
Browse modern chandeliers in the Houzz Shop
A pony wall separates the entry from the adjacent family room. The beams are recycled Douglas fir, taken from an old building that was torn down.
This space introduces the overall palette for the home of “olive-y green, blue and sort of coral-y orange color,” Banks says. (Here the plants stand in for the olive green that runs throughout other spaces in the home.)
Find indoor pots and planters in the Houzz Shop
This space introduces the overall palette for the home of “olive-y green, blue and sort of coral-y orange color,” Banks says. (Here the plants stand in for the olive green that runs throughout other spaces in the home.)
Find indoor pots and planters in the Houzz Shop
The family room has a vaulted ceiling, and the recycled Douglas fir beams play a prominent role in the feeling of the space.
Built-in cabinets with a mix of open and hidden storage allow the homeowners to enjoy the textures of their art, pottery, baskets, books and mementos from traveling. The wall color here and throughout much of the home is Sandy Shores from Benjamin Moore.
The homeowners selected the furnishings and decor in this room.
The homeowners selected the furnishings and decor in this room.
The window seat features a built-in bench and a view over the front yard and the park across the street, which runs the length of the street. The built-ins in the family room are maple with a clear finish, as is the rest of the cabinetry in the home. The family likes to read, look out onto the park and watch the big maple tree across the street change with the seasons.
From the entryway the room straight ahead is the dining area, followed by the 209-square-foot kitchen. This photo shows the dining area and the kitchen as you would experience them when walking in from the front door.
The kitchen blends Craftsman style — Shaker-style cabinets, the backsplash tile — with modern touches like the sleek range hood and pendant lighting, continuing the marriage of these styles that the homeowners wanted.
A celadon ceramic tile backsplash and a blue island in the kitchen bring vibrant color into the space, in a palette that reflects the blues and greens found in nature. “The client is really wonderful and not afraid of color,” Banks says.
Find green ceramic tile in the Houzz Shop
The kitchen blends Craftsman style — Shaker-style cabinets, the backsplash tile — with modern touches like the sleek range hood and pendant lighting, continuing the marriage of these styles that the homeowners wanted.
A celadon ceramic tile backsplash and a blue island in the kitchen bring vibrant color into the space, in a palette that reflects the blues and greens found in nature. “The client is really wonderful and not afraid of color,” Banks says.
Find green ceramic tile in the Houzz Shop
The kitchen island has a dark walnut top that one of the homeowners made. The cabinets are a combination of Shaker style and flat front in maple with a clear finish. The homeowners again chose a mix of open and closed storage so they can see the texture of their pretty dishes. The cabinetry hardware and most of the lighting fixtures feature a brushed or antique brass finish, helping to bring warm tones into the space. The perimeter countertops are laminate, an economical option.
Find an interior designer near you
Find an interior designer near you
On the other side of the island is a cabinet wall with a large refrigerator. To the left of the fridge Banks created open shelving and counter that serves as an appliance nook for the blender and toaster, allowing the rest of the counters to stay uncluttered. The doorway to the left of the shelving leads to a large walk-in pantry.
The kitchen’s layout keeps the space feeling open, and yet the short peninsula helps to create definition for the space — and a bit of a barrier — when the homeowners are entertaining.
The back door off the kitchen leads directly out to the deck.
The back door off the kitchen leads directly out to the deck.
The back deck off the kitchen features a couple of outdoor sofas, making it a great place to relax and have a conversation. The green door beyond the deck leads to the garage; from there the homeowners exit the garage and walk up the stairs to the home’s back entrance and step into the mudroom.
This is the mudroom, which is where the homeowners typically enter the home. Banks designed the cabinets to catch shoes, hats, bike helmets, coats and other items. Every family member has a basket to stash their things.
Around the corner from the mudroom is a small home office that the wife uses as her primary home work space. (The husband has dedicated office space in the basement, and both parties work away from home.) The wife has a science background, and the wallpaper used here has a pattern showing molecular structures, a fun nod to her scientific training.
To head up to the second story, the homeowners climb a staircase located at the back of the family room. The wall is painted Newburyport Blue by Benjamin Moore.
In the space beneath the staircase Banks created a kid zone, with bins for toys and a little hideaway for playing. The map wallpaper on the stair nook’s back wall depicts the San Juan Islands, where the family enjoys sailing.
The homeowner did the stenciling on the stair risers.
In the space beneath the staircase Banks created a kid zone, with bins for toys and a little hideaway for playing. The map wallpaper on the stair nook’s back wall depicts the San Juan Islands, where the family enjoys sailing.
The homeowner did the stenciling on the stair risers.
Here’s a view that shows the stairs in relation to the rest of the family room.
On the second floor the wife, who teaches yoga, has set up space for her home practice. Eventually this may become a bedroom for one of the couple’s two boys, but for now the kids are happy sharing.
The world map on the wall in the yoga room is actually a wallpaper. The olive green paint bordering the ceiling is Jalapeño Pepper from Benjamin Moore.
Browse world map wallpapers in the Houzz Shop
Browse world map wallpapers in the Houzz Shop
The boys helped pick the train wallpaper and vibrant blue paint color for their room after Banks and the homeowners narrowed the options down. The teal is Meridian Blue from Benjamin Moore.
The boys’ room includes a loft space for when the boys get older. For now, the homeowners have left it without a ladder for safety reasons. “Eventually that will be a really cool hangout space,” Banks says.
The homeowners chose a neutral palette with one bold accent wall (Mozart Blue by Benjamin Moore) for their master bedroom. “She wanted it mostly calm, yet with a little bit of that flair,” Banks says. The key to keeping the creams and beiges in the space interesting was adding texture, which you can see in the rug, the bedding, the curtains and the basket. “We were playing subtly with pattern,” Banks says.
The blinds are bottom-up shades, meaning they rise up the window rather than pull down.
The blinds are bottom-up shades, meaning they rise up the window rather than pull down.
The master bathroom is just off the bedroom.
Its vanity is painted the same color (Mozart Blue by Benjamin Moore) as the master bedroom accent wall. The countertop is laminate as it is in the kitchen, again for sustainability reasons. The backsplash is penny tile.
Rather than add a medicine cabinet, the homeowners chose to create an open-shelving area for toiletries. It’s lined with a wallpaper that the homeowner also used in her closet.
Rather than add a medicine cabinet, the homeowners chose to create an open-shelving area for toiletries. It’s lined with a wallpaper that the homeowner also used in her closet.
The kids’ bathroom features a vanity painted Jalapeño Pepper from Benjamin Moore and a laminate countertop. Bright coral handles add a fun color contrast.
The vanity mirror on the right reflects the small stackable washer and dryer in this space. While there are full-size machines in the basement, this one is more convenient for small loads like kid clothes and towels.
Green backsplash tiles: Fireclay Tile
The vanity mirror on the right reflects the small stackable washer and dryer in this space. While there are full-size machines in the basement, this one is more convenient for small loads like kid clothes and towels.
Green backsplash tiles: Fireclay Tile
The family wanted to keep the guest room neutral and restful. The homeowner purchased the wall hanging shown on the right side of this photo.
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with two young boys, a dog and a cat
Size: 3,500 square feet (325 square meters)
Location: Bellingham, Washington
Designers: Michelle Banks of Spiral Studios (interior design) and Deborah Todd Building Design Services (building design)
This newly built home in Bellingham, Washington, stands in a neighborhood of historic bungalows. When the homeowners purchased the lot it already had a bungalow on it, but that home would have been too small for their family. They sold the old bungalow to new owners who removed it and transported it to a new location. Then the owners of this property were able to build this charming new home in its place.
Designer Michelle Banks of Spiral Studios helped the homeowners select Hale Navy paint for the home’s exterior, Seaspray for the white trim and Perennial for the green accents (all Benjamin Moore colors). From directly in front the home looks like a modest bungalow, but from the side you can see the home’s second story.
The homeowners chose Bellingham Bay Builders because the company specializes in high-performance homes. “With a high-performance home we’re primarily focused on the comfort and health of the occupants,” says Dave Brogan, an owner at the company, “as well as the energy-efficiency, indoor air quality and durability of the building.”
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