Anetta & Charles' Barrier-Free Home

Anetta & Charles’ land is ideal for holding a home - a gentle, south facing slope, with protective trees at the north part of the land. There was a carved-out-of-the-woods section of the site made for a new home, giving their home summer solar shading while allowing winter sun, without obstructing the view.

Their new home flows east to west, with the east end expanding out to a view of one of the few isolated mountains in the countryside. The house also lifts up to the south, bringing light and warmth into different parts of the house as the day turns.

Anetta & Charles' barrier-free Home is intended to be their last - a dottage! It is one of a few such homes we’re working on, which employs principles of Universal Design - full, easy access for all. From parking their car, they can easily move into and throughout their home, with no steps, ample and unobstructed space to maneuver everywhere, and with abundant lighting.

The stained concrete floor, with radiant floor heat, gives a unifying, grounding presence to the interiors (and is easy to move around on). Warm, local maple paneling receives and refracts the sun. Yet, they wanted their bedroom nestled in the northwest corner, darker and inward. There is an office for each, which can be easily converted into bedrooms.

A backup wood stove, surrounded by a stone wall and bench, forms a passage into the Great Room. Their home is super-insulated, is bermed into the slope for further insulation, has highly energy efficient windows, non-toxic finishes, FSC-certified framing lumber, long-lasting metal roof with 100% recycled steel, and all finish wood is local.