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While updating the aesthetic, it was also important to Leanne to modernize the mechanicals of the home to work for her family. “Those needed to be done and done right before we ‘closed up’ the walls and finished the visual aspect,” she says. “When starting a new interior design project, cosmetic changes, like picking out paint colors is the fun part. But what's behind the walls—the electrical, plumbing updates, structural check-ins, HVAC upgrades, the not-so-glamorous stuff—those are often not talked about.”

The groundbreaking Trane Hyperion air handler was added directly into the home’s duct work to keep the basement’s air quality in tiptop shape. Its innovative refrigerator-style insulation sets new standards for efficiency and performance, and the variable speed motor guarantees optimal comfort while minimizing energy consumption.

An expansive outdoor deck creates additional gathering spaces.

Inside the living room of one of "The Oaks

A clean, bright color palette with floor to ceiling windows makes this ESCAPE home feel much larger than it is.

Ancient oaks are just a few of the native species that give residents of The Oaks the feeling of being immersed in the natural world.

Inside an ESCAPE Home, panoramic windows flood the living room and kitchen with natural light, imbuing the room with added spaciousness.

One of Escape’s models at its new tiny home village, The Oaks, in Tampa Bay, Florida, features double doors and a generous amount of wood cladding.

An aerial view of ESCAPE's new "The Oaks

“Virtually the entire community is green space,” Dobrowolski says of the palm trees, native grasses, and drought tolerant plants that rise up around the ancient oaks. "Nature rules.”