Dream home lines and ceoncepts

The facade is a mix of finished-wood siding and copper-hued aluminum.

Prayer flags flutter alongside Leinicke and Navitsky's house, which was designed by Steve Bull to require very little upkeep, both inside and out.

Here's a look at the finished house, several months later. Photo by Dwight Eschliman.

The Daylesford project by Prebuilt includes angled ceilings and a spacious living space.

Located in Los Altos, California, Curt Cline's modern house seeks to respect the neighborhood fabric. By keeping the abode low-slung, using a few simple geometries, and the leaving the facade spare, Cline helped the structure blend in with the 1940s and 1950s structures around it. The materials—board-formed concrete and cedar slats—instill a contemporary California aesthetic.

Generous breezeways, walkways, and overhangs frame views beyond: “It’s like a promenade, with a forest at the end of the road,” says Deb.

A rocking chair that once belonged to Deb’s grandmother sits next to the plaster fireplace in the living room; concrete floors were poured on-site.

“The site was beautiful as it is,” architect Eric Tremblay said, and he wanted to build a home that had the least impact on the terrain as possible. The lake can be seen on either side of the house, and natural materials—like the Eramosa limestone coating on the exterior—were a priority during construction.

Entry foyer

main elevation

chadmellonphotographer

ICF walls, add solar, wind, water to home

Caterpillar House

Rian and Melissa Jorgensen's 2 Bar House in Menlo Park boasts all the usual green design suspects: energy-efficient lighting, good insulation, renewable material finishes, radiant heat, and the roof is pre-wired for future PV panels. Still, one of the homeowner's favorite aspect of green design is the living roof planted with succulents, aloe, viviums, and ice plants.