Tag Archives: green

Architects Design Their Own Passive Houses

Given access to all the great evironmental elements we have here in Asheville many people and design practitioners utilize passive principles in home design and constructions. Doing this provides a greater connection to the outside while minimizing utilities. Kelly and I both have southern facing hillside homes that benefit from both sun and wind. Check out this nice article from Becky Harris for Houzz for more ideas. Cheers!

Sunday Morning Modern

Modern Architecture Raises Property Values | Check out this nice article by one of our business partners, Real Estate Scorecard, on the value of modern design in real estate. See the full article by our friend Marge Casey here. Cheers!

“Mountain modern architecture is considered one of the most sought-after design trends in Asheville neighborhoods for a multitude of reasons. When folks think of the traditional mountain rustic home they envision a space that radiates shelter, warmth and protection from the harsh elements of high country living.  This classic notion of mountain living has evolved with advances of technology that enable homes to be built more energy-efficient and yet still cozy with new artistic designs that are more appealing to home shoppers today, especially in the austere city of Asheville.”

How Can I Reduce Climate Change with my House?

As you all know there is a ton of discussion on climate change. Regardless of your beliefs your choices affect your personal health and your wallet to start before rippling out to your communities both locally and globally. It is worth a minute to explore how we can take personal responsibility in our own lives and with our homes. 

This chart shows us a few considerations for the home, but goes beyond into our food and transportation choices. For a more direct and deeper look at your house go to this article for tips on reducing your climate impact. We appreciate you!

You Can Go Home Again

tiny-home-outside-2-rzCarolina Home + Garden by Lauren Stepp | Check out the article on this 474 sqft infill house in the Kenilworth neighborhood by the team of  Wilson Architects and Lobo Builders. It is one of the more interesting and unique constructions of this past year that Kelly and I were able to tour and a good example of site specific design. Cheers!

51 Shelburne Woods | Under Construction

img_6158I stopped by to visit the progress at Shelburne Woods, a new eco-friendly mini-community in West Asheville. The framing has begun on 51 Shelburne Woods and landscaping will be going in after Thanksgiving. Sweet! Give us a call if you want to know more or go here for more info. Cheers!

Under Construction | 51 Shelburne Woods

51-compYeah! Construction is under way on this cool new modern home in West Asheville. Follow along as we update you on the progress. Want to know more? Go here for our past posts on the home. Or give us a call today for more information. Cheers! Kelly and Troy

FOR SALE | Shelburne Woods

IMG_3913A NEW LEVEL OF MODERN LIVING

“Earth Friendly” doesn’t have to be “Earthy.” Mindful modern design lives as lightly as any concerned steward of our planet plus a whole lot shinier. Clean design rooted in the form and function ideals of Breuer and Neutra avoids the gravity of excess. A home can be both incredibly cool and quietly step back creating a stage for carefree living. We like to say, “Less House ~ More Life!”C:DropboxProjects-TempShelburne WoodsMarketing3DStreet.pdf

This community of nine consciously designed homes, Shelburne Woods, is nestled in nature against the woods and proposed greenway and between the lively urban corridor of West Asheville and the active outdoor corridor of the French Broad River. The first home is a collaborative effort by award winner’s Mountain Sun Building & Design with #51 being designed by Rusafova-Markulis Architects. Together, all homes will be carefully craft and steward a new level of life sustaining modern home for active earth beings of any age.C:DropboxProjects-TempShelburne WoodsMarketingElevations2.p

4 Bedrooms  |  3.5 Baths  |  2035 SQFT  |  MLS#3176992

51 Shelburne Woods Dr is the first home to hit the market. The three level, quality home is designed with simplicity and maximum efficiency in mind. Open Main Level Living with both 2 bedrooms up and 2 down. The home’s placement is designed to maximum an urban style neighborhood while remaining private from the inside out. The homes are designed to be Green Built NC Platinum Rated and Net Zero. C:DropboxProjects-TempShelburne WoodsMarketingSite.pdf

The nine lots for sale are located in their own private cul-de-sac, backing up to Rhododendron Trail Greenway leading to Hominy Creek. Easy access to the highway and everywhere! Currently see MLS#3198509 and #3198515 listed with six more available.Shelburne Woods Map (cropped)

Reach out to Troy and Kelly for more information on this cool new home or lot options. Also, join us for an Open House on Sunday, Aug 7th to learn more from us and the builders firsthand. See you there. Cheers!

Designing Our Future | Edition 015

ReGen Village | A new neighborhood that will grow its own food, power itself, and handle its own waste. 3060167-inline-6-this-new-neighborhood-will-grow-its-own-food-power-itself-1

As always, our friends in this part of Europe set the tone for the future in terms of design and lifestyle. This neighborhood will be the first ReGen Village, a new type of community designed to be fully self-sufficient, growing its own food, making its own energy, and handling its own waste in a closed loop. Read the full article here. Anyone think it would be great in Asheville? Cheers!

Parade of Homes | 108 Hudson St.

Hi Folks! Don’t forget about the Builder’s Parade of Homes this weekend. The Modern Asheville team will be hosting, along with Greg McGuffey of Earthtone Builders, at their newest construction at 108 Hudson St in West Asheville. The home won two Parade awards for energy efficiency and craftsmanship. 108 Hudson St Asheville NC-small-001-73-Front of Home-666x445-72dpi

The 1480 sqft, 3 bedroom and 2 bath home is a rare one-level, new build home for West Asheville which is what most of our clients are looking for as they age in place over time. The quality, green home Greg thoughtfully designed is earth friendly, light, airy and low maintenance which will keep it low-cost and 108 Hudson St Asheville NC-small-014-45-Kitchen-375x500-72dpisustainable. The completed home will be Near Net Zero and come with a NC Green Built Gold Certificate. In detail, it features concrete floors with radiant heat, concrete counters, vaulted ceilings, bonus loft, stainless appliances and fixtures and topped off with a galvanized metal roof and 5Kw grid-tied solar system. It should be a home our client can live easily and lightly in for decades to come.

You can visit the home, meet Greg and catch up with us over the next two weekends from 1pm to 5pm each weekend day. Or take the tour here. Or stop by there during our end of the parade Modern Mixer on Sunday from 4:30 to 6:30pm. Cheers!

FOR SALE | Finely Crafted Mountain Home

Zen and the Art of Fine Home LivingVictiria Way Blog

“It’s the sides of the mountain which sustain life, not the top.”

This quote by Robert M. Pirsig from Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance offers the spirit behind this hand crafted, artful and life enriching home nestled into the mountainsides of Waynesville. Similar to a Swiss watch or British sailing boat you won’t find a more finely tuned and thoughtfully detailed home. The warm and gentle environment hugs you while the engineering comforts you with a lifetime of security and low maintenance living.Comp

Architects Stephen Beili with Wilson Architects {Designers of HGTV’s Urban Oasis} penciled the original design of this home. Interior Designer Traci Kearns mindfully refined the interiors to balance openness with intimacy and a warm palette with cool detailing. The interior gently steps outward into the landscape cultivated to welcome wildlife and nurtured by a cascading waterfall just off your outdoor living space. This enlightened and heirloom worthy home is one that you or your family can escape to for generations of relaxed moments and memories.Finely Crafted Zen Mountain-MLS_Size-024-Patio-1024x768-72dpi

It is here where you can enjoy both the journey and the destination.

The 3 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath, 2517 sq ft green built home was recently constructed in 2009 and sits on 5.16 lush and private acres. Call Kelly or Troy for a detailed package on its numerous quality features and green certifications. In the meantime take the full tour here. Cheers!

Samsel’s Modern Pavilion House Update

On our past visit to Samsel Architects, architect Duncan McPherson walked us through the design of this clean and simple house. We love this one! Below you can see the progression. Samsel Sketch

“The Pavilion House is located on a 40-acre farm that has remarkable mountain views and land dotted with towering old growth oak trees. It was important to locate and organize the house so the owners would get spectacular views without compromising the health of the large oak trees on the property. The result is an “L” shaped house designed around the trees with plenty of windows to connect the indoor living space to the outdoors. Construction has begun and framing, roof and windows are complete. Samsel Architects is working with Fred and Seth Koon of Koon Custom Homes to bring the modern home to completion.”Construction

sketch and photo courtesy of Samsel Architects

Hudson St Project | Quick Peek

IMG_1743We did a quick drive-by over the holiday weekend to see the progress on the Hudson St project with Earthtone Builders. Here are a couple of pics of the West Asheville, one level, green home. Looking forward to getting inside soon. Cheers!IMG_1745