The Sea View is one of our more elegant passive solar homes and its creative use of space makes it unique. The entry on the north provides a clear view through to the sunroom bay window on the south. This sunroom is located on all levels of the home and allows for 270-degree views and a panoramic 360-degree view from the roof deck at the top!

The Sea View is one of our more elegant passive solar homes and its creative use of space makes it unique. The entry on the north provides a clear view through to the sunroom bay window on the south. This sunroom is located on all levels of the home and allows for 270-degree views and a panoramic 360-degree view from the roof deck at the top!

First Floor

The main living areas are on the south. The central staircase allows for quick access to the daylight basement and the second floor suite and provides some interesting peeks of the great room and the loft nook accessed by a ladder. The practical side of our client demanded a downstairs bedroom, but until needed, that room can become a project room or office. The shutters between the downstairs bedroom and the dining area allow for easy control of the sunlight from the southern view. The dining space can be elegant for dinner parties or serve as an overflow area for the project room.

Second Floor

The balcony and spiral stairs from the upstairs master suite to the roof deck allow for scenic viewpoints, and the skylight over the bed provides a beautiful vista of the starlit sky. The master bath and closet are full of surprises. The sunroom in the suite serves as a sitting area or meditation space.

Daylight Basement

Guests or children will love the daylight basement with 2 bedrooms on the sunny south side, shared sitting area (which can also be for TVs or computers), and the sunroom/greenhouse. Direct access from the hot tub to the bathroom keeps dripping water out of the bedrooms and makes winter use more pleasant. In the basement there is plenty of extra space for heating and solar storage tanks as well as exercise equipment.

Garage

The two-car garage has its doors tucked away on the back side. Its long east side with windows helps define the front entry. The front bay can be a workbench nook or out of the way place for garbage and recycling cans.

Construction Info

The great room and upstairs have vaulted ceilings. The rest of the first floor and the daylight basement have 9' ceilings. With its simple shape, this house is well suited to be constructed with SIPs (structurally insulated panels). The thermal mass is designed to be primarily in the stucco covered masonry columns located throughout the house.

Modification Ideas

Since these ideas may affect energy performance and structural integrity, they should only be undertaken with professional assistance.
- Move the garage doors to the north or east side for small lots
- Reverse the stairs and add another upstairs bedroom on the west

Read more about the drawings available for various Sun Plans.

For this plan, the following are included:

Custom Energy Specs that describe any recommended adaptations for your climate – insulation values, glass type for the various windows, overhang lengths.

The color 2-D image shown as a "photo" can be customized through Consulting Services.