Designed by Michael and Lisa Dunsmuir at Step One Design, this creative contemporary home design was optimized for a wooded, secluded lot and thoughtfully situated to align with the sun. Orientated to maximize views, topography, and the surrounding forest, the home’s great room faces west for sunsets while the master bedroom enjoys a southwest orientation for daylight.
The home’s angled design allows all geometry to intersect and separate the mixture sloping and flat roofs for ease of construction and drainage of roof water. Unique vertical laminated battens, anchoring as corner columns, extend to meet sloping wood beams at soffits and are balanced with a natural stone veneer and accent stucco treatments to offer a distinctive façade.
The efficient floor plan replicates the homeowners’ desired wishlist to create a large and airy central great room that opens directly to an outdoor living space, a separate bedroom wing for privacy, and a focal garage for ease of approach. Symmetry is achieved with the front porch that centres on the great room to balance the front façade. The soaring roof heights ascend proportionally to each other, predicated on individual importance.
The home’s environmental sustainability is elevated with passive solar orientation for major rooms, solar panels on the south-facing garage roof, grey water retention, energy efficient windows, energy star appliances, and low flow toilets. Marrying the owners’ requests with technical design applications and energy efficiency, this unique contemporary home is an example of what can be achieved by the creative team at Step One Design.
