Friday, August 28, 2009

If you get a chance please check-out the new fall issue of Michigan Blue magazine there is a great article written by Lisa Jensen the editor of the magazine about "River Living". One of our first green homes we designed back in 2003 was featured in this article. The home was called "Modern Cottage" and was built on the Thornapple River in Ada, Michigan. The home is a site specific home that was designed for a narrow lot that was really close to their neighbors on each side of them. Every room in the house has a view of the river from the moment you step through the front Door. The home was designed to direct your view to the River not the neighbors. This home was a experiment with green and unique building products and was ahead of its time.


Green Feature
  • Metal Roofing.
  • Concrete counter-tops
  • Stained Concrete Floors
  • Hand made Concrete Tiled fireplace.
  • Recycled Barn Beams
  • Radiant Heat Floors
  • CertainTEED Cement Board Siding
  • Andersen 400 Series Windows
  • Use of the "Not So Big House" principles.

Unique Feature

  • Precast Plank for a Garage below the Garage.
  • Alder w/matte charcoal finish kitchen cabinets.
  • Honed granite counter top with glass tile backsplash.
  • Brazilian cherry flooring.
  • Catwalk connects masters suite w/childrens rooms.
  • Open stairs.
  • Connecting loft "secret room" in clildrens rooms w/rock climbing holds to access loft.
  • Bunk room designed for weekend visits and sleepovers.
  • Bedrooms all have decks and patios.
  • Mylar sink.
  • Built in sand box.

I would like to thank Lisa Jensen and Michigan Blue magazine for featuring one of our projects in one of its articles. Their magazine is one of my favorite magazine here in Michigan because of how it features unique homes and activites along our Lakes and Waterways.

Monday, August 10, 2009

If you get a chance please check out the last issue of one of my favorite Michigan magazines Northern Home & Cottage magazine it is also inside of this month's Traverse magazine too. This months issue it is dedicated to Green Building, they have a several great article in it. The Cool, Green House article on the LEED for Homes "Gold" project designed by Architect Danny Foster that was built in Omena, Michigan is a very interesting article and project worth reading about. There is a article on 20 Great Green Products which three of them were recommended by me (Eric Hughes of Image Design, LLC ) and one from our friend Adam Bearup of Hybrid Homes, LLC all of which were use on our LEED for Homes "Platinum" project in Onekama, Michigan. We were also mentioned as Green Building pioneer's in the Editor's Note article called Sexy Green which mentioned our Onekama LEED "Platinum" project. This magazine is dedicated to covering some of the most interesting and inspiring homes & cottage in northern Michigan every issue is worth reading! They also have a great online community on their MyNorth.com web-site where I created a group called Up North Green Living please check it out and become a member.