Mansion Inspired
Not-So-Small House

This home ignores all window shading and solar orientation rules. Yet, with exceptional insulation, air tightness, and highly efficient appliances and mechanical equipment this house became the first five-star energy rated home in Iowa.

The Sun Room is filled with light and very enjoyable both day and night.

The dining table expands to fill the entire room and is a great gathering place for conversation.

Art glass at the front entry.

View from the Guest Bedroom to the Living Room.

An aerial view of the Living Room from the stairway.

The attic loft over the daughter's bedroom.

Custom circular stairway to the daughter's bedroom.

While the back yard is an enjoyable space, all of the due-west facing glass is unshaded, increasing the cooling load on the home.

While the veranda is a great gathering place, the 12-foot roof shades the south-facing windows year-round.

The framers were proud and relieved to get the steeple framed. It was a very difficult and dangerous procedure.

"You know you have reached perfection of design
not when you have nothing more to add,
but when you have nothing more to take away."
- Antoine de Saint Exupéry