The Solstice 2 is a partially earth-bermed home with half of the main living floor tucked snuggly into the north hill. The exterior is a creative mix of stone with stucco accents and a metal roof. The interior still has the same wonderful open feel of our original Solstice home. (See the many photos on the web site. I was so pleased at the way this house felt inside.) The front of the house is designed to face north and the large airlock entry has plenty of rooms for coats and boots. With the front entry at the middle level of the stairs, you can easily reach either floor.

The Solstice 2 is a partially earth-bermed home with half of the main living floor tucked snuggly into the north hill. The exterior is a creative mix of stone with stucco accents and a metal roof. The interior still has the same wonderful open feel of our original Solstice home. (See the many photos on the web site. I was so pleased at the way this house felt inside.) The front of the house is designed to face north and the large airlock entry has plenty of rooms for coats and boots. With the front entry at the middle level of the stairs, you can easily reach either floor.

First Floor

With the front entry moved, there is now room for a second first floor bedroom which can be for guests or an office. The half bath is now accessed directly from the large hallway that has room for a study/ mail nook too. This family foyer also has a corner for coats and boots and is reached easily from the laundry, kitchen, and second bedroom. The master bedroom, great room, large dining area, and spacious kitchen will be full of sunlight year-round, yet shaded from direct solar gain in summer. The woodstove or fireplace hearth is in the center of the home for equal distribution of heat. The second floor balcony over looks this area.

Second Floor

The stair landing is leads to the foyer as well as the upper bedrooms. There are three quaint bedrooms and a bath making the area great for kids and guests. The study nook and walk-in attic storage is easy to access. For the bedrooms, there are many small closets tucked under the eaves. With the solid low wall along the balcony, the upstairs feels private.

Garage Option

The optional, detached three vehicle garage has a south greenhouse space that could also be a workshop. It can be accessed via the covered outside stairs up from the family side entry or anywhere else your property allows.

Construction Info

The first floor bermed walls are ICF (insulated concrete forms) while the rest of the walls are stick framed. This is also an excellent plan for SIPs (structural insulated panels) for both the remaining walls and roof. The great room and upstairs have vaulted ceilings while the rest of the first floor has 9' ceilings. The thermal mass is designed to be primarily in the tiled concrete slab floors, but with added stone or stucco interior walls, the house could still be made comfortable over a crawl or basement.

Modification Ideas

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

- Make the main entry on the south side of the home so that you are then free to berm the entire north wall
- Add one long shed dormer on the south second floor to create larger or more rooms upstairs.

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