Also on sister site MyHomeIdeas.com:
Video tour: Walk through the house with Sunset home editor Kelly Barthelemy

More Sunset Idea Houses

In deserts, mountains, and suburbs over the past 10 years, Sunset has built Idea House projects ranging from big homes to cottages. But our San Francisco Idea House, set in the city's Mission District, is our first truly urban dwelling. And it's our first home modeled on LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green-building principles.

Idea House builder and owner Robin Wilson wanted an energy-efficient place to call home. Enter Sunset and San Francisco architect John Lum, who devised a main house with a one-bedroom apartment on one end.

The home's power comes from solar panels and a wind turbine installed in the backyard. A rainwater-catchment system channels roof runoff into two underground cisterns. And in the garage, a Phill system lets you fill up a natural gas–powered car overnight.

"We pulled as many green ideas as possible into a single house," Wilson says. "We know that may not be reasonable for most people. But we wanted to show that there's a whole lot you can do right now."

Idea to steal #1: use wood above & below
FSC-certified Santa Maria tropical hardwood on the ceiling warms the large, open room; on the floor, it visually divides the space.

Hidden storage
Frosted blue-glass sliding panels provide concealed storage space and visual continuity with the adjacent clerestory windows.

Mix and match
A locally made teak dining table is surrounded by white and blue Eames molded-plastic chairs with chrome bases, exemplifying the array of materials and colors throughout the space.

Bright passage
The stairwell is an energy-efficient, ground-to-roof light well, thanks to channel-shaped glass panels filled with insulating Nanogel aerogel, which also reduces noise from the bustling city streets.

Hidden storage
Frosted blue-glass sliding panels provide concealed storage space and visual continuity with the adjacent clerestory windows.

Well grounded
The mocha-colored floors are made of a ⅛-inch-thick overlay of cement, providing a smooth, reflective contrast to the grainy wood and plush wool rugs.

Hint of green
Low-water succulents are set in a built-in trough atop a two-sided steel shelf, bringing the garden indoors for an organic feel.

Interior views
A blue wall with tranquil bird paintings by local artist David Tomb complements the third floor's cityscapes. Wall paint is Serenata from Benjamin Moore's low-VOC Aura line.

THE FLOOR PLAN

Architect John Lum's plans maximize natural light and airflow on each of the three levels, with rooms leading off an open, central stairway.

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Damien Scogin	1st level
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Damien Scogin	2nd level
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Damien Scogin	3rd level
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Arthur Mount	Green systems

INDOOR-OUTDOOR LIVING

Taking full advantage of the Western climate, outdoor areas function as additional rooms, extending the livable footprint of the house and providing alfresco venues for family activities.

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Thomas J. Story	Idea to steal #2: define outdoor spaces A wall of blue tile from Heath Ceramics sets the mood for the garden dining area, making the backyard feel more like a room.
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Thomas J. Story	Streetwise flair Rising three floors on a 50- by 75-foot corner lot, the contemporary house incorporates colors that blend with the neighborhood's more traditional homes. In the 3,577-square-foot main house, the living and dining areas and the kitchen are on the top floor to make the most of sunlight and city views. Fiber-cement siding by James Hardie.

ROOMY KITCHEN

In one corner of the third floor, ample work surfaces and storage blend with chef-worthy GE appliances for the serious cook, while an extra-large island, festive lighting, and a direct connection to the deck make it ideal for entertaining.

Idea to steal #3: add unexpected color
A cheerful hue on island cabinetry keeps the sophisticated kitchen from feeling austere and links to other elements in the space.

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Thomas J. Story	Trompe l'oeil cabinets The "wood" cabinetry in the kitchen is actually a digital image of exotic wood laminated between two sheets of glass. Cabinet faces — here and throughout the house — can easily be updated without replacing the cabinet boxes, keeping material out of the landfill. Cabinetry by M8.
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Thomas J. Story	Opposing surfaces Smooth, slim concrete counters from Concreteworks along the kitchen's perimeter contrast with a thick concrete slab on the island, which gets its texture and golden flecks of color from recycled rice hulls. Energy Star–rated appliances by GE.
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Thomas J. Story	Outdoor connection Glass doors open to the deck. The cabinets and countertop along an entertainment bar mirror the kitchen, connecting the two areas while serving different needs. On the deck, green Kite chairs from Design Within Reach echo the kitchen island's color.

BATHING OASIS

Everyone loves a place for a warm soak and a little peace and quiet. The spa bath is a private retreat, with watery blue tiles, warm ipe wood, and enough room to relax.

Idea to steal #4: mix tile types
Evoking rippling water, aqua glass tiles frame a wall of sculptural ceramic tiles in rich blue, giving the space an artful focal point.

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Thomas J. Story	Shower options A low-flow showerhead and water tiles positioned along an open wall, away from the tub, create a wide-open, spa-like experience. Showerhead and water tiles by Kohler. Ceiling sparkle Glass tiles overhead reflect light, adding brightness and a luxurious touch to the bathing area.

	More on building green • Living green in the city • Eco-friendly ideas • Green home resources

Tub for two
An extra-deep whirlpool soaking tub is bathed in natural light from a large frosted-glass window, creating the ultimate relaxation spot.

WATER INSPIRATION

Like bubbles floating up from the lap pool on the ground floor, circles of glass, tile, and steel ascend toward the roof in key locations in the main house and apartment, adding elegance here, whimsy there, and softening modern edges throughout.

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Thomas J. Story	Floating fixture Glass globes from a third-floor chandelier hang over the stairwell, catching the light and dividing the dining and family areas. Chandelier by Eurofase.
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Thomas J. Story	Artful stairs Rings of scrap steel pipe and tubing welded together by Bay Area craftsman Philip Tiffin form an eye-catching stair rail in the apartment unit.
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Thomas J. Story	Bath nook Walls of simple white subway tile flanking a colorful back wall in the girl's bathroom make the narrow space feel more expansive and give the room focus. Idea to steal #5: tile the tub A circular motif in a mix of sizes and colors extends from the back wall to the tub face, creating a floor-to-ceiling mosaic. Tile by Pratt & Larson.
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Thomas J. Story	Disappearing wall Bordering the pool at the rear of the first floor, a set of glass doors folds open for a seamless transition between indoors and out. Bifold doors by JELD-WEN.

DESIGNED FOR FUN

A palette of energetic hues is on bold display in the girl's bedroom and craft room, where walls, floors, cabinetry, and furniture get an infusion of vivid color and set a playful mood.

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Thomas J. Story	Crafty shelving A Mondrian-like geometric arrangement of colors forms the face of a storage unit in the craft room. Mounted with compression poles, open and closed shelving holds large items like a sewing machine and computer, as well as smaller craft supplies. Shelving from ISS Designs.
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Thomas J. Story	Patterns underfoot Blue concrete floor tiles — which can be arranged in a number of patterns — fit together like puzzle pieces for a fanciful effect. Wide grout lines in a contrasting light gray draw attention to the graphic shapes. Tile by Angela Adams for Ann Sacks. Idea to steal #6: create a wall of nooks Vertical pink and orange stripes dress up a wall of built-in cabinets, turning a massive storage space into a charming decorative element.
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Thomas J. Story	Sweet and streamlined Instead of a pink canopy bed, this girl's room features sleek modern elements that can easily transition to teenage tastes. Linens by Design Public.

SMALL-SPACE LIVING

It's a way of life for many city dwellers. The 1,229-square-foot apartment unit of our Idea House captures the eco-mindedness and modern design of the main house but focuses on multi-functional solutions for tighter quarters.

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Thomas J. Story	Shared shelving Three built-in shelves serve the bedroom wall and the entry on the opposite side. Lumicor resin panels containing recycled materials let natural light in. Idea to steal #7: cover a wall with fabric The bedroom wall art is a digital image transferred onto fabric, then stretched into place with a tiny metal frame. Wall covering by Planet Profil.
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Thomas J. Story	Instant guest room To quickly transform the office into guest quarters, the "flip" side of this desk and shelving unit houses a Murphy bed. A rolling filing cabinet lets you keep work essentials close by or tuck them away at a moment's notice.
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Thomas J. Story	Sliding door A small bathroom with a shower enclosed in green glass tiles is tucked behind a barn door made of FSC-certified Santa Maria wood. The circular door hardware matches the steel stair rail.
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Thomas J. Story	Fewer walls, more light A single open room contains the apartment's kitchen and living area. Reclaimed-wood Carlisle floors lend casual comfort, and a counter-height table doubles as a work and dining surface.

GARDEN COURTYARD

From the moment you walk through the front door, the backyard — visible through a wall of folding glass doors — is the prime focus. A dramatic mix of colors, materials, and destinations turns a small city garden into an urban oasis.

Idea to steal #8: add a raised platform
A bridge of composite Trex decking, made from sawdust and plastic bags, allows room for a water feature without sacrificing ground space.

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Thomas J. Story

Urban landscape Interspersing vertical, spiky plantings provides contrast to the horizontal planes of the deck, fencing, and tile. The plants are gray-water- and shade-tolerant and provide the appropriate blend of widths, heights, and textures for the small space. Just add water The fountain and pond form a habitat that attracts birds and can sustain fish and turtles. The water's motion and sound are a calming respite from city noise.

Pattern and color
Repeating rectangles in steppingstones, pond shapes, and deck space make a quiltlike pattern. Neutral colors are a calm backdrop for the palette of greens and blues used in plants, tile, and the lounge chair.

High and low
The trick to making this small garden seem bigger was to bring in visual points of interest at varying heights. The tiled fountain wall reaches well above the surrounding fence, and plants from Monrovia are bedded at multiple levels. Even the walkway gets an extra dimension with the central bridge deck.

OUTDOOR PALETTE

Rich color in the backyard comes from materials as well as plants, extending the feel of the house all the way to the back fence and fountain wall.

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Thomas J. Story	Contemporary balance Locally made Heath ceramic tile and a green stucco wall mingle with a Cor-ten steel fountain and recycled-wood fencing, making the backyard a study in harmonious modern surfaces.
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Thomas J. Story	Salvaged fencing The multihued fence flanking the tile wall is made of lumber from the original house. Its color variation echoes the browns and oranges of the steel fountain, red planter, and mulch. Idea to steal #9: plant vertically Get more from a small garden by going up. This planting tower captures rainfall and dew and creates a bed for succulents and strawberries.

RESOURCES:

Team

Architect/interior designer
John Lum Architecture or 415/558-9550

Builder
Meridian Builders & Developers or 415/826-1007

Landscape architect
Arterra or 415/861-3100

Green mechanical design
Sustainable Spaces or 415/294-5380

Charity partner
One Brick

Contributors

Bamboo
Bamboo Sourcery

Barn-door track hardware
BarnDoorHardware.com

Bedding/furniture
Design Public

Boiler
Lochinvar Corporation

Cabinetry
M8

Central-vacuum installer
Modern Day Built-in Vacuums 650/551-1447

Channel glass
Technical Glass Products

Clean-water system
Sylvan Source

Concrete counters
Concreteworks

Concrete-floor stain
Creations in Concrete 916/834-0793

Concrete floor tile
Smith-Laredo

Construction equipment
Cresco Equipment Rentals 415/920-2801

Construction photography
Imaging Perspective

Debris boxes
Sunset and Golden Gate Debris Box

Deck/fence builder
FencePro 415/468-8485

Decorative painter
Cunningham Design 415/970-0541

Denatured-alcohol fireplace
Innovations m2 602/795-0847

Dining table
Laura Rittenhouse Studio Furniture

Drip irrigation
Netafim

Ekopavers/landscape materials
Peninsula Building Materials 408/246-0550

Elevator
Residential Elevators 310/597-8267

Entry/interior doors
TruStile Doors

Fabric
Sina Pearson Textiles; Sunbrella

Fabric wall coverings
Planet Profil

Fine art
David Tomb; Eleanor Harwood Gallery; Paulson Press; Peter Andrea

Floor tile
Flor

Fly-ash concrete
Bode Concrete

Forest Stewardship Council–certified building materials
Sierra Point Lumber 415/468-1000

FSC-certified wood
Columbia Forest Products; EarthSource Forest Products

Furniture
Design Within Reach; Room & Board; Propeller

Garage door
Clopay

Garage-door contractor
Chandler Garage Door Services 510/657-8700

Glass backsplash
GlassKote USA

Glass treads
Pulp Studio

Gray-water/rainwater-catchment system
Dig Cooperative 510/541-7278

Green-permit expediter
Quickdraw Permit Consulting

Green-roof drainage layers
ZinCo USA

Grill
Robert H. Peterson Company 800/332-0240

Hardwood-floor installer
LJ Floors 916/484-5683

Home-energy monitoring system
Greater Than Green

House wrap
DuPont Tyvek

Irrigation-system equipment
The Urban Farmer Store

Landscape/irrigation installation
Daniel Harder and Sons Landscape Construction

Lap pool
Endless Pools

LED chandelier
One Off Furniture in collaboration with Dogfork Lamp Arts (415/431-6727)

LED chandelier lighting
Holly Solar Products + Suntronics

Lighting controls
Artemide; Control4; EQ3; Eurofase; Resolute; YLighting

Metal roof
Custom-Bilt Metals

Metal-roof membrane
IB Roof Systems

Metalwork/furniture and fountain design and fabrication
SoReal

Metalwork/gates
One Off Furniture

Modular shelving
ISS Designs

Mulch/soil
American Soil & Stone

Murphy bed
FlyingBeds.com

Nanogel aerogel
Cabot Corporation

Natural-gas pump
Phill by Fuelmaker

Network cameras
Panasonic

Outdoor furniture
Landscape Forms; Translations 707/938-0888

Outdoor pots
Asian Ceramics

Painting contractor
CertaPro Painters 415/661-8400

Pivot-door hardware
Rixson

Planting tower
LMNO Arts

Quartz-countertop fabricator
Diamond Bullnosing Co.

Quartz countertops
CaesarStone

Radiant heat
Warmboard Radiant Subfloor

Radiant-heat plumbing
88HVAC

Radiant-heat tubing
Uponor

Rain chains
RainChains.com

Reclaimed-hardwood floors
Carlisle Wide Plank Floors

Recycled-glass/porcelain mulch
EnviroGlas

Recycled-glass counters
Vetrazzo

Resin panels
Lumicor

Retractable windows
NanaWall Systems

Roofer
Acker & Guerrero Roof Company

Seamstress
Kathleen Crowley 415/999-3543

Slate
American Slate Company

Solar installer
Occidental Power

Solar mobile artist
Mark Malmberg

Solar shades
Solar Shading Systems

Solar thermal installer
SunWater Solar

Solar thermal system
TrendSetter Solar Products

Speakers
Boston Acoustics; Orb Audio

Specialty windows
Ventana Aluminum Mfg. Co. 415/822-6370

Spray-foam insulation
Demilec USA

Spray-foam insulation installer
Energy Solutions

Stucco contractor
John Daly Stucco 415/205-5178

Succulents
Succulent Gardens 831/632-0482

Television art
"M" Design; VisionArt

Tile–ceramic
Ceramic Tile Design; Heath Ceramics; Pratt & Larson

Tile–glass
Mandala; Maniscalco/Artistic Stone Gallery; Marin Designworks Glass Tile

Underground cisterns
Roth Global Plastics

Vanities/mirrored lighting
Robern

Vetrazzo fabricator
Baker Marble + Granite

Whole-house fan
HVACQuick.com

Wind turbine
Southwest Windpower

Windows/doors distributor
Beronio Lumber

IDEA HOUSE NATIONAL SPONSORS:

Benjamin Moore reinvented paint with the development of Aura. ColorLock, Benjamin Moore's patent-pending technology, locks in the paint's waterborne colorant, enabling Aura to be self-primed while being eco-friendly and having minimal odor.

GE Monogram's innovative appliances offer many design choices to help customize your kitchen. Sunset's San Francisco Idea House features a dual-fuel range, a side-by-side refrigerator, a warming drawer that keeps food ready until serving, and a versatile beverage center.

James Hardie HardieBacker board with exclusive MoldBlock Technology blocks against moisture damage and mold on interior walls, ceilings, and floors — it passes industry mold tests with a perfect score. It's durable and can be painted, textured, wallpapered, or tiled.

Using compressed natural gas, the 2008 Honda Civic GX achieves remarkable fuel-cost savings. The EPA says it's the "cleanest internal-combustion engine ever tested." GX owners can purchase a Phill home-refueling appliance that easily installs to a home gas line.

Your home's exterior separates you from the elements. James Hardie siding is flame-resistant, guaranteed against rotting and cracking, and resists damage from rain, hail, and flying debris. The product holds a limited transferable warranty for up to 50 years.

JELD-WEN Windows & Doors crafts windows and doors designed for energy efficiency, security, and peace of mind. An Energy Star partner since 1998, JELD-WEN offers interior and entry doors, swinging and sliding patio doors, garage doors, and windows for every style and climate.

Kohler’s advanced DTV Custom Showering Experience allows preset preferences, the Wellspring Touchless faucet offers hands-free kitchen hand-washing, and the SOK overflowing bath features 11 bubble ports for a complete spa experience.

This Idea House features state-of-the-art Lennox Industries home-comfort systems. Whether installed separately or together, Lennox heating, cooling, and indoor air-quality products deliver comfort, control, efficiency, quiet operation, reliability, cleaner air, and peace of mind.

Raised in exclusively formulated, nutrient-rich soil, Monrovia plants are guaranteed to make your garden thrive. With more than 2,200 varieties — from drought-tolerant to high fashion — Monrovia has something for every garden style. Available at garden centers nationwide.

SunPower Corporation designs and manufactures high-performance solar-electric technology worldwide. Powered by A-300 solar cells, which are more efficient than conventional solar cells, SunPower panels produce more energy in a smaller space. 877/786-0123.

Inspired by the rich textures and colors in nature, reversible Trex Accents deck boards feature a natural wood-grain pattern on one side and the smooth, contemporary look of Trex Origins on the other. With Trex Accents, you can create a beautiful, low-maintenance outdoor space.

Union Bank offers expertise and experience in solving clients' financial needs. You'll benefit from a comprehensive portfolio of products, services, and support to help meet your short- and long-term financial goals. 888/818-6060.

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