Master Bath design by ACM Design

Second to the kitchen, the master bath is the room in which homeowners typically spend the most money and aim to marry highly functional design with tranquil, spa-like materials and products. Working with a custom home architect affords endless possibilities to blend unique, custom features with practical and efficient bathroom design.

Before a custom home architect can begin the bath design process, it is important for the homeowner to become familiar with some of the basic trends and practices surrounding bath designs.

1. Layout
What do you hope to achieve from the bathroom’s layout? Do you intend for it to be a daily oasis? Is it a place to get dressed and prepared for the day or night out? Or does your bath simply need to function efficiently? Although, the colors, materials and products that you choose for your bath can make a big design statement, in the end, the functionality of the bath design is the most important consideration.

2. Privacy and Openness
Many homeowners enjoy an open, ensuite bathroom that affords privacy yet feels tranquil, airy and open. This is often achieved through the use of glass doors, glass blocks or smaller partitions. For those less concerned with privacy, large, walk-in showers often don’t need a door at all and offer a truly open feel. Rain showerheads are a soothing addition to a large shower, as they create a downward flow of water as compared to the angled spray of a traditional showerhead.

3. Lighting
Adequate lighting must be considered in any bathroom design. Rarely is one overhead light sufficient for illuminating the entire room. Because the bathroom serves many purposes, multiple light sources are ideal. Task lighting above the vanity provides general lighting at the sink area, but makeup application is made much easier with wall sconces at eye level on either side of the mirror.  Wall sconces or a candlier (candle chandelier) offer a nice soft glow surrounding the tub for a relaxing bath.

Future Design
For the homeowner hoping to live in the home for may years to come, adding universal bathroom fixtures and products can make the transition much easier as one ages. Benches in the shower are convenient at any age, but later in life, a bench can become essential. Walk-in showers with doors or openings wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair or walker is an example of universal design that does not detract from the opulence of the master bath.

With a functional layout in place, next think about the bathroom fixtures and hardware that are most desirable, such as the tub. In new home designs, some homeowners opt to delete the bathtub altogether to allow for an extra large shower.  Others prefer to install a large soaking or jetted tub for relaxation, and properly placed, a tub can add to the beauty of the room. Body sprays and multiple showerheads in a shower offer similar effects of whirlpools and jetted tubs.

Heated floors and towel racks add luxurious creature comforts to any bath.  Steam showers, vessel sinks, curved shower rods, and antique vanities add spa-like features and creative functionality to any bathroom design.

Think of the master bath as the ideal room to express your individuality. Once the basics have been considered, the overall aesthetic of the bath design starts to take shape and the fun begins.

Amy Conner-Murphy at work

Now that I am fortunate enough to be designing homes, I realize that each of those steps was necessary to get me to this place.  The commercial architecture experience gave me the technical knowledge to design smart buildings, draw construction details, specify materials, and work with contractors.  Having a family of my own gave me a first-hand understanding of how a home really works and lives and loves.

So here I am, doing work that I love, collaborating with people who seek the same sense of meaning from their own work, and helping families create their own homes that become the background, stage and hopefully, sanctuary where they live out their lives.  It makes me feel like I am making a difference for them by caring about the details that make the quality of their lives better.  Not sure I could even ask for anything more.

When building a new home, most homeowners spend days and months scouring home plans or working with a custom home architect to design their dream home. Many people don’t realize, however, that an equal amount of thought is required when buying residential property. Understanding how to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of a particular property is critical in the setting the tone for the construction process. Consider the following tips:

Size
The size of the property must be considered carefully. When thinking about your new home, consider how it will look on the site. Will you need a large front or back yard? Do you plan to add a pool? Is there room for future expansion? All of these questions are important to think about when determining if the property is large enough for the home you plan to build.

Soil
Understanding the type of soil that a home will be built upon can make the difference in the overall home design. Soils have various characteristics that determine the bearing capacity and can affect drainage, fertility and moisture levels below the home. The bearing capacity of the soil can mean the difference between a typical basement foundation and a pile foundation which directly impacts the overall cost of construction. Soil analysis is a simple process where soil borings are taken and the data reviewed. If possible, negotiate with the seller to provide the soil analysis with a favorable report as a condition of the sale.

Slope
Determining if a property has significant slope is not always easy to assess without the proper equipment. To the untrained eye, a property that may not appear to have much of a slope may in fact feature significant slope. Sloping property is fine if you want to build in a basement, but the amount of slope on the property directly determines whether the cost of that basement is expensive or reasonable. If you are working with a stock plan, carefully consider the effect of sloping property on the plan layout and the exterior look of the home.

Orientation
Site orientation is simply determining how the sun moves across the property. Does the land face primarily north, south, east or west? The site orientation can inform the design of the home which can have a tremendous affect on the efficiency of the building systems. For instance, does the primary view face west? If so, the home may be designed to capture those sunset views through many windows, but the air conditioning system will likely be larger or work harder to accommodate the large heat gain.

Aesthetics and Practicalities
Views, land features, proper drainage, and access to the property are a few other items that must be considered in combination with the other site aspects. These features, and others, directly relate to the value, building considerations and overall appeal of a property.

Topographical and Boundary Survey
Knowing and defining exactly the extents of the property is critical. Determining the building setback is a necessary first step for the architect to design the floor plan or for the owner to decide if a stock plan will fit. A boundary survey will also show property features, such as fences, that may encroach on a neighboring lot, or if a neighbor’s fence is on your property. If the property has significant slope or other features, such as a creek, having the survey reflect the lay of the land, or contours, is important in determining how the home could fit into the site. If possible, obtain this information from the seller or negotiate with the seller to provide this information as a part of the sales transaction.

Zoning Ordinances
When building a new home it is imperative to carefully review and familiarize yourself with any building restrictions or rules for the area where your property is located. Zoning ordinances determine the type of building can be built on a property. Even if your property is zoned for residential construction, the zoning for adjacent or surrounding properties may be different. Educating yourself about the zoning in your area is an important step in determining and protecting the value of your property investment.

Neighborhood/Subdivision Covenants
If the property is located in a neighborhood or subdivision, there are likely covenants that guide construction within the neighborhood, although this is not always the case. Meeting with a representative of the homeowners association will provide insight into the practices of that neighborhood. Don’t expect to build a playhouse, green house, backyard pool, or even install hardscape without going through a review process just because you own the land.

When embarking upon building a new home, remember to give proper attention to the selection of a property. Don’t be afraid to seek out the advice of an architect to assist with site selection. Even if you have already narrowed down the choices, an architect can help you assess the pros and cons of each site, ensuring that you make an educated decision about your property purchase. Securing the right property can greatly influence the overall success of a custom residential building project.

Gold Level Healthy Built Home designed by ACM Design

Sustainable living, green building and eco-friendly homes are nothing new. Although rapidly gaining a widespread audience, green living is actually a way of life and can be as simple as changing your eating and recycling habits, or as far-reaching as designing a custom home with environmentally friendly building materials and features.

The benefits to homeowners building green, eco-friendly homes are well-known but worth repeating: lower utility bills, greater comfort, better indoor air quality, tax breaks, and higher resale prices, just to name a few. Green building should not be looked at as yet another home-building fad, but rather a way of making well-informed decisions regarding the ways we think and live. By making smarter decisions we significantly increase our health, wealth and well-being for ourselves and our families.

Green living at its core uses resources more efficiently, eliminates waste and creates healthier living spaces. It goes beyond an energy-saving appliance or a reduced waste home site (although those are great places to begin) and it is about significantly addressing and subsequently changing your lifestyle to live with efficiency in mind.

Building a green home first means understanding the balance involved between homeowner and nature. While benefits for the homeowner are vast, the effects of green building and sustainable living to the environment are equally immeasurable and require a harmonious blend of the two.

A great builder can assist with several materials to improve efficiency, but it is working with a custom home architect that allows the freedom to implement green building design from the very start. Depending on the level at which one wants to add eco-friendly elements into their custom home design, the following should at least be addressed and discussed when building a new green home:

• Ways to design your home with the site orientation in mind
• Ways to save water
• Ways to save energy
• Ways to design a healthy building/structure and air quality
• Ways to reduce waste

One of the simplest ways to add to the energy efficiency of a new home is to consider the site orientation and features during conceptual design. The placement of the home on the property can make a tremendous difference in both the energy efficiency and overall cost of the home itself.  For instance, placing many large windows on a west facing exterior results in significant heat gain thru the windows to the inside of the home.  During the summer months, this design decision adds up to big dollars on the cooling bill.  By simply rotating the home slightly on the property to avoid facing due west or by reducing the number of windows on a west facing elevation, the architect avoids the heat gain, as well as the high energy bill for the homeowner summer after summer.

Saving water obviously benefits the Earth and the homeowner by lowering utility costs. Water conservation can be achieved by incorporating low flow faucets and toilets, but can also be accomplished simply by doing things day to day like turning the water off while brushing one’s teeth.  When architects and landscape architects and designers work together, they can help homeowners conserve even more water by designing rainwater catchment systems that capture rain water from the roof to irrigate plant material in the yard.  Landscaping with native plants helps make the saved rainwater go even further.

Energy savings are ubiquitous in new home design, from Energy-Star-rated appliances to solar panels and geothermal heat pumps, the sky is the limit for incorporating new technologies.  Even basic design considerations can affect energy savings by addressing plans and elevations that optimize passive solar heating and cooling effects.

Designing a healthy home and insuring the air quality is of the highest level can be achieved several ways. Attic spaces should be properly ventilated to eliminate rotting or mold when conditions rise and fall. Properly regulated heat and air conditioning systems are also important, as the size of the system can often cool the air too quickly, creating an unhealthy breathing environment.

Reducing waste when building green is easy to achieve. From recycling the home site materials, to incorporating natural trees, rocks and vegetation into the landscape design, eliminating waste and using recycled materials is one of the easiest green building methods.

Whatever elements you plan to incorporate into a custom home design, keep in mind that designing a green home begins as a concept and ends with a set of drawings that successfully benefits both homeowner and the environment.