Filed under: Design, etc, House Tours, Architecture
Take a peek inside an eco-friendly home that is 100% California chic.Just north of San Francisco is a home that's not only smartly designed with the highest in eco-friendly standards -- it's Marin County's first LEED platinum (administered by the U.S. Green Building Council) custom home -- it rocks with style. Tucked into towering oak trees and built into the hillside, the home's architectural design and contents are well-kept secrets to most, as they're largely invisible from even the driveway.
The entrance to this custom home is simple (lots of wood, brick and glass) which puts more focus on the architectural style. Photo: Mariko Reed
Designed by Scott A. Lee, president of SB Architects, the Mill Valley, Calif., home serves as his personal residence. But the four-story beauty is also a testament to his success as an architect. Light pours through floor-to-ceiling windows and every room has its own terrace. Surfaces are constructed from sleek and neutral materials. Cabinetry is custom designed with beautiful finishes. The lighting evokes midcentury-modern but with some contemporary interpretations. Modern gas fireplaces, and bath and kitchen fixtures, marry practical needs with strong design. McDonald Construction & Development, an Oakland, Calif., firm that has built many custom green homes, constructed the house.
Green-wise, the home has LED lighting, natural insulation, solar-power supplied electricity and hot water, radiant floor heating and a recirculation system that keeps the interior either cool or toasty, depending on the season. Products were chosen for their eco-friendly qualities, including Kohler low-flow plumbing fixtures, Mythic zero-VOC paints, stone veneers from Eldorado Stone that are sustainably produced, Concreteworks high-recycled content interior concrete, sustainably harvested floors and cabinetry from Plantation Hardwoods and New World Millworks.
In looking over the photos of this place and falling in love with its serene qualities, we quickly saw a few opportunities to adopt the look elsewhere, even if you live in a studio apartment. Besides, it's often the little things that are the heart and soul of a home's design.
The home's open-concept kitchen and breakfast counter. Photo: Mariko Reed
Instead of an intricate backsplash or a boring coat of white paint on the walls, all of which require fossil fuels to produce and ship, purchase only one thing: "chalkboard" paint from Benjamin Moore. Arm your kids -- or yourself -- with sticks of colored chalk. Not only are you saving on Post-its and other scraps of paper but this is a great way to fill in a small space that's not large enough to hang artwork or is just an awkwardly positioned spot. Now you can indicate seating assignments for mealtime. Or leave messages for one another to help the house run smoothly.
Now this is a bathroom we'd love to hang out in! Photo: Mariko Reed
Having an eco-conscious attitude is synonymous with feeling present. Use meditation and journeying as inspirational themes to spike up a small space. In this case, a travel book is among four titles on the built-in bookshelves. And a Buddha goddess alludes to the peacefulness in remaining calm. Paired with dark woods (the blinds and the drawers) and light-colored tiles it's a mini-Zen sanctuary.
A contemporary take on a fireplace, and the perfect space to cozy up with a book. Photo: Mariko Reed
When going "eco" in a room, it's tempting to stick with nature's palette -- such as shades of blue, green, white and brown -- but here a punch of color is incorporated. Many retailers and designers now sell organic-cotton fabrics and furnishings in bold colors that were created using natural dyes. And while this color might normally compete with other bright shades, here it's the sole focus. If you have a color that's just dying to be noticed, make it the only color in a room and watch for your friends' jaws to drop when they enter.
A palette of black and white contrasts nicely with the taupe/white pattern on the ceiling. Photo: Mariko Reed
Wallpaper the ceilings (consider eco-friendly options from Madison and Grow and MDC Wallcoverings' Angela Adams line) rather than the walls -- or, if you're really motivated, hand-stencil using non-toxic paints -- to create a hidden surprise that only reveals itself after a little time spent in the room. It can also make smaller spaces appear larger than they really are. Stick with no more than two colors in the design, so that it isn't too busy or distracting.
One of the home's bathrooms and the dining area. Photo: Mariko Reed
Ditch convention (in other words, iron or ceramic drawer pulls) and take on a nautical, earth-inspired look by using rope pieces for drawer pulls. Better yet, pick natural hemp or organic-cotton rope, which are biodegradable and sold at craft stores or via Amazon.com. Also, choose large pieces of furniture that convey a "green" mindset, such as this dining-room table that looks like it was harvested right out of the forest and with rich wood grains intentionally left in the simple construction. The furniture should be certified by Forest Stewardship Council as containing smart, eco-friendly and sustainable wood.
Don't you just want to cozy up to this fireplace and watch the San Francisco fog roll in? Photo: Mariko Reed
White never had so many shades! Here we have ivory, off-white, beige and eggshell mingling with khaki and brown -- paired with natural straw in the side table and in the decorative balls -- to convey simplicity. Also, large picture windows only illuminate a home's natural setting.
Architect and homeowner Scott A. Lee made sure that the home's lush hillside setting is viewable from every room. Photo: Mariko Reed
Support local designers of home goods, everything from plates and bowls to art on the walls. This homeowner bought tiles from Heath Ceramics, which is headquartered in the Marin County town of Sausalito. Local artisan Brian Kennedy, who specializes in steelwork, was tapped to create objects throughout the house. Supporting local artists not only keeps the local economy humming but it gives you accessories that hundreds of other homes do not have.