OUR WORK
Eco-Conscious Custom Home in Ann Arbor
A quiet wooded site became a modern home where the view is part of every day.
THE STORY
What the homeowners wanted, and what we found.
WHAT THEY WANTED
These homeowners had a wooded site on Ann Arbor's west side and wanted a modern, eco-conscious home that made the landscape part of daily life. They wanted an open plan that made entertaining easy and a home that performed better for the environment. The challenge was keeping that quiet sense of retreat while bringing the view into everyday rooms.
WHAT WE FOUND
We found a remarkable natural site with a strong sense of retreat. The challenge was to keep that feeling while making the woods visible and useful from everyday rooms.
HOW WE DESIGNED IT
We built the home around the view, with large windows that bring the woods into everyday rooms.
THE INSPIRATION
The woods came first. The homeowners wanted the landscape to feel like part of daily life, so the design started with the view. Clean, modern lines with a warm, organic feel keep the focus outside.
THE PLAN
We opened the kitchen and bar directly onto a covered deck with motorized screens. We anchored the great room with a 15-foot concrete fireplace. Large windows frame the woods from the main living spaces. A flexible lower level adds practical space for every season.
THE OUTCOME
How it turned out
The homeowners live with the woods around them in every season. The deck opens up for entertaining or closes into a sheltered outdoor room. The fireplace warms the great room, and efficient systems keep the home comfortable all year.
FINAL PHOTOS
The finished space.
AT A GLANCE
A Warm, Eco-Conscious Custom Home Designed Around the View
A new whole-home custom build.
A wooded site on Ann Arbor's west side.
Covered deck with motorized screens, 15-foot concrete fireplace, windows that frame the woods, efficient systems, flexible lower level.
THE FLOOR PLANS
What changed, and why.
We built the home around the view, with large windows that bring the woods into everyday rooms.
WHAT MAKES IT WORK
Three details that carry the design.
FEATURE 01
The covered deck off the kitchen and bar has motorized screens. The homeowners can open it up for entertaining or close it into a protected outdoor room in moments.
FEATURE 02
A tall custom concrete fireplace rises 15 feet in the great room. It is the natural place to gather, and its thermal mass adds steady, efficient warmth.
FEATURE 03
Windows are placed to frame the woods around the home. The changing landscape becomes part of life inside, season after season.
THE PROJECT
A Warm, Eco-Conscious Custom Home Designed Around the View
AT A GLANCE
A new whole-home custom build.
A wooded site on Ann Arbor's west side.
Covered deck with motorized screens, 15-foot concrete fireplace, windows that frame the woods, efficient systems, flexible lower level.
THE STORY
These homeowners had a wooded site on Ann Arbor's west side and wanted a modern, eco-conscious home that made the landscape part of daily life. They wanted an open plan that made entertaining easy and a home that performed better for the environment. The challenge was keeping that quiet sense of retreat while bringing the view into everyday rooms.
HOW WE DESIGNED IT
We opened the kitchen and bar directly onto a covered deck with motorized screens. We anchored the great room with a 15-foot concrete fireplace. Large windows frame the woods from the main living spaces. A flexible lower level adds practical space for every season.
