Modern Storage - The Rising Glen Residence

Recently remodeled by Janna Levenstein, The Rising Glen Residence is a mid-century-modern home tucked in the hills of West Hollywood, California. The 4-bedroom home is a marvel of clean lines, warm woods complimenting cool materials and lovely wide open spaces. We are particular to the innovative storage and wall panel systems the designer used to contain the owner's belongings without disturbing the space. More pictures via: Contemporist

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Exposed Wood Framing: The V House

After yesterday's post on the Metamorfsis 1 home in Chile, we stumbled across the VHouse in Los Angeles that really seems as if it belongs in that same category of homes with unique, natural wood exteriors. The exposed wood framing of the VHouse wrapping from the exterior to the interior of the home is quite stunning and the use of native redwood planking help the home to fit comfortably in its California surroundings. Adjacent to the open kitchen and bedrooms, the courtyard was planned to be an outdoor living extension of the home.

via: Apartment Therapy Read More..

The Rhonda Hart House - The Best Kind of Home

Our most inspiring and innovative home tour of the year isn't an architectural masterpiece. It's not a luxury residence. It's not full of plasma TVs, integrated lighting systems or high-tech kitchens. It doesn't even have a jetted tub or granite countertops.

This house is the very first home for two homeless mothers and their children - made possible by the partnership of HomeAid Michigan, Pulte Homes, MASCO Corporation and Grace Centers of Hope. This home will change lives, inspire hope and give children a chance for a future. This is the very best kind of house because today, for the first time, two families are able to call it home.
Yesterday we had the honor and privilege to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Rhonda Hart House - the first project in Michigan for the national HomeAid organization. Located on Seneca Street in Pontiac, the home is one of nine homes that Grace Centers of Hope has renovated or rebuilt in recent years through it's "Little Grace Village" initiative to support graduates of its Life Skills Program and to provide homes for the homeless.

Pulte Homes, MASCO Corporation and 35 local and national building industry partners united with Grace Centers of Hope to build this home for two formerly homeless families. Not only was this home constructed at more than 50% below cost, enabling Grace Centers of Hope to purchase the home for under $100,000, but the home was completed in only 77 working days. At 2,360 total square feet the duplex contains two residences; each with three bedrooms, one bath and plenty of living and working spaces for active families.

There wasn't a dry eye yesterday at the ceremony as builders, manufacturers, contractors and media watched two families tour their brand new home. We walked away inspired, motivated and thankful that these organizations and corporations came together in these tough economic times to build a dream for two families. Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to Grace Centers of Hope, HomeAid Michigan, Pulte Homes, MASCO Corporation, GE, CertainTeed and all of the local building industry partners that made the Rhonda Hart House possible.

To donate or become a partner in this program in Michigan or in your own state, contact HomeAidMichigan or the national HomeAid organization.

Nearly 51% of Michigan's 80,000 homeless citizens are adults or children in families. Each year, Grace Centers of Hope in Pontiac provides 55,000 nights of shelter, 127,000 meals and on-site child care and counseling for Michigan families in need. To volunteer or donate, contact Grace Centers of Hope.

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Exterior Home Design: Natural Lighting & Shadows

The remodel of this home is stunning, we love the exterior slat work made of deep brown ipe wood that conceals the home, provides cooling shade and gives this renovation a modern flair. When you enter the home the sunshine in it's horizontal striped patterns give the all-white interior a unique ambiance. Green design efforts weren't overlooked - at the top of the stairwell, skylights open thermostatically, so the atrium functions as a natural solar chimney — one of several environmentally friendly features.

Before & After:
See more: New York Times Read More..

Model Home Monday: BrightBuilt Barn

Our blog is back after a brief hiatus over the holiday break and we're getting back on track with our regularly scheduled features! Mondays are "Model Home Mondays" where we post innovative home communities, green building trends and forward-thinking design.

Today we are featuring BrightBuilt Barn, a recently completed innovative structure that has been meticulously planned to create a livable, sustainable, replicable, flexible, and educational net-zero energy home.

A unique feature is the exterior "LED light skirt" that was designed to change color depending on the home's energy use. GREEN means the BrightBuilt Barn is generating more energy than it consumes; YELLOW indicates a borderline condition; and RED means the energy usage is higher than required to meet the yearly net energy goal.

Located in Rockland, Maine, the BrightBuilt Barn is a prefabricated home that is on track to achieve LEED Platinum certification. The home will be monitored and it's energy usage statistics will be posted at the BrightBuilt Barn site.

via: Jetson Green

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Model Home Monday: The 747 Wing House

The architect and owner of design firm SEA (Studio for Environmental Architecture) David Hertz is building a much-discussed 747 Wing House, which is still under construction in the Santa Monica mountains. The home appropriates parts of a retired jet for a multi-structured residence that embodies the idea of reuse into home design.

“I drew a section that was curved like the hull of a ship” for the 55-acre site, he recalls, “and when I completed hat ellipse, I realized it looked like an airplane wing.” Knowing that he was looking at an expensive roof, Hertz opted instead to “repurpose a real one.” An airplane wing, he found, already offered the means “to achieve the highest strength and the lightest weight.” Even better? “This is a 100 percent post-consumer product, and it’s a $200 million airplane that we bought for $30,000—the price of its primary raw material, aluminum.”

To see more of David Hertz and his firm's other completed works, visit their website.

via: Plenty Magazine

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Model Home Monday: Nubanusit Neighborhood & Farm

Beginning this Monday we are launching a new feature for the Sphere Trending Blog - Model Home Monday. This feature will take you through innovative home communities, interesting home tours and creative new home designs each and every Monday.

Our first Model Home Monday features Nubanusit Neighborhood & Farm in Peterborough, New Hampshire. The 29 units are spread across 70-acres along the Nubanusit River and feature walking trails, a working community farm and abundant woodlands. Homes are either single family, duplex or fourplex dwellings with LEED certification, private backyards, hardwood & tile floors, energy efficient utilities and utilize local biomass fuels for heating and hot water.

A unique theory found at Nubanusit is the practice of cohousing. The process is explained as the following: "Cohousing is a type of collaborative housing that attempts to overcome the alienation of modern subdivisions where few people really get to know their neighbors. It is characterized by private residences with all the features of conventional homes (kitchen, living-dining room, bedrooms), but with access to extensive common facilities." The common facility is a centrally located building that offers features such as mail services, an expansive porch with rockers for relaxing, a children's playroom and a community root cellar. Other common areas include the working farm, walking trails and office/studio working spaces.

Green tours of the community and model homes are open on the weekend from 2-4 p.m. for those in the Peterborough area. For more great photos of the development and the surrounding land, view the Nubanusit Flickr site. More interesting events and happenings, including a children's video tour can be found on their blog and website.

via: Jetson Green Read More..

Simple Home in the Big Country

A new community is being constructed in Michigan City, Indiana about one hour from Chicago. Tryon Farm is a rare combination of new simple houses and lofts, ranging in size from 400 to 3,500 square feet, grouped in seven settlements on 170 acres of countryside. Three-quarters of the property will be preserved as rolling pasture, meadows and ponds while original farm buildings will be preserved. There are six different "settlements" in vary stages of completion - The Farmstead, The Woods, The Pond, The Dune, The Grove and The Garden Village. Each settlement recreates distinct architecture that complements it's surrounding area. Homes are built simply, with practical kitchens, private walled yards and detailed attention to energy conservation. The residents participate in events and gatherings such as group bike rides, farm sales, golf outings, canoe trips and nature walks that appreciate the local environment and foster a sense of community.

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Niche Homes - Tiny House

This week's newsletter focused on home design for the niche market and the creative designs developed to cater to different consumers. (If you're not a subscriber and would like to be added to our free subscription service, email me using the icon in the right hand sidebar of the blog.) Our coverage of unique niche home continues here on the blog with Tiny House.

The Tiny House Blog fits right into this unique category of niche homes, offering a glimpse into homes built to maximize the smallest of spaces. One of their most popular series of post follows The Martin House-To-Go which is a completely furnished and operational home structure on wheels allowing it to be placed anywhere you desire. The home includes such luxury features as an on-demand hot water heater, bamboo wood floors, remote controlled air conditioning, cedar kitchen counter and built in window seat with hidden storage - all for under $40K.

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Building Material Resource Center

Salvage yards have become cool, thrift shopping is trendy and second hand is unique. The Building Materials Resource Center in Boston does all this and more. They take donations of kitchen materials, doors, windows, flooring, electrical items and lumber. These items are resold to the public, at a significant savings to assist people in remodeling and renovating their homes. To help new homeowners they offer a free lending library, home improvement workshops, a quarterly newsletter and technical assistance. They will help with measuring for projects, advice on weatherization and layout plans. Who knew that low cost remodeling could come with such great customer service? If you're interested in donating, click here.

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