Craftsman simplicity graces the front of the Mountain View 4. The welcoming entry is embellished with stone-based tapered columns, shingle siding and knee braces.  Spacious south windows on the back maximize solar gain and brighten winter days.  Balanced north windows reduce inside glare and provide low-light areas for the study nook and master bathroom. The split bedroom concept places the master bedroom on the sunny morning side and provides privacy from the other bedrooms. With the garage doors near the entry, the house can fit on narrower lots and give easy access to the front door.

First Floor

The central great room is open to the kitchen, dining and study as well as the sunny south patio. The front study nook near the foyer is flexible enough for a study, game nook or music alcove. 

The kitchen is centrally located yet semiprivate with the surrounding breakfast bar. This allows for a view out to the south and the great room. A foot of kitchen space has been traded to create room for a larger dining table. The larger pantry steals a bit from bedroom 2’s closet.

The master suite has its own foyer that screens both the bed and bath from view.  The large master bath and closet illustrate that even simple homes need not sacrifice luxury.

On the other side of the home, the large mechanical area is nestled between the house and garage. Its uses are vast, including an extended laundry, pet room or storage. There is a set of steep stairs to a root/storm cellar.

Garage

The attached garage on the northwest helps shelter the home from winter storms. Garage doors on the east are also less affected by the same northwest winter winds.

Construction Info

The entire first floor has 9’ tall exterior walls. The living, dining and kitchen as well as the study and laundry can have vaulted trusses to make the rooms seem even more spacious. Exterior walls of 6” studs are easily adaptable to vary levels of insulation both inside the wall and on the exterior. Roof trusses economically allow for extra thick roof insulation. The lower sloped, metal roof is durable and wind-friendly, and when combined with cement board siding, makes the home fire resistant.  There is attic storage above bedrooms 2 & 3 and the garage.  Thermal mass is economically located in the cold-climate insulated concrete slab floor of the south rooms. It can be stained or covered in stone, tile or brick pavers.

Modification Ideas

Since these ideas may affect energy performance and structural integrity, they should only be undertaken with professional assistance. 

Read more about the drawings available for various Sun Plans.

Custom Energy Specs (describe how to adapt the home to your location by adapting the insulation values, windows, thermal mass, overhang lengths, and sometimes framing to accommodate necessary insulation)