Meadow View is a rustic design that would be equally at home in a wide-open meadow landscape, a wooded mountain setting, or on a water front lot. This is a beautiful home, and is designed to take advantage of a beautiful location. It also is filled with features of a well thought out, healthy home plan. Its open floor plan, abundant windows, well designed roof with large overhangs, and the detached garage are all features that go beyond beautiful architecture: They all impact and improve the indoor air quality.

Although the home is designed for a site with views in multiple directions, the primary orientation is excellent for a rear facing lot. Windows are somewhat minimized on the front or street side of the home, in favor of more windows towards the rear. Key to the design is a large covered rear deck, intended to provide a protected outdoor space. Numerous windows and large double French doors visually connect this outdoor area to the main indoor living spaces. Architecturally this allows the rear deck to function seamlessly as partial indoor or partial outdoor space as the seasons dictate.

Inside, the abundant windows bring large quantities of healthy natural light deep into the home. Corner windows are used in the dining room, both sides of the living room, and in the master bedroom. This is an architectural device that allows these spaces to feel much larger than they really are, both by allowing in more light and by opening the view in two different outdoor directions. All of these windows, combined with the extensive use of rich natural woods in floors, ceilings and trim, make the interior of Meadow View particularly warm and inviting.

The main level of the home has 9' ceilings, except in areas where lowered soffits are used to create a more intimate feel. The kitchen dining and living room all are open to one another, with no view blocking internal walls. Instead, exposed wooden beams and wooden posts are used to visually divide spaces. Further visual separation is achieved by contrasting the exposed wood beams and ceiling above the living room in the center of the home, with the standard painted ceilings over the kitchen, dining room and master bedroom areas.

The master bedroom is placed on the main level, which keeps all the daily living activities on the main level. Functionally, Meadow View could be viewed as a spacious single level home for the couple, with only 2 kids bedrooms and their shared bath on the smaller upper level. The large master suite has also been placed to take advantage of the view. It features a lowered ceiling soffit with built-in light try, a spacious walk-in closet and dressing area, and a large master bath. The bath itself features a large corner tub and a walk-in shower.

The home's versatile flex room was originally intended to be used as a music room. It could just as easily function as a study, media/TV room, guest bedroom or the home's 4th bedroom if needed. A large combination mud room/laundry/utility room provides ample storage space as well as keeping muddy clothes and shoes away from the main living space. It also houses a computer desk, and a drop-off counter for charging electronic devices. Pocket doors allow this space to be closed off visually from the rest of the house when desired, but left open for convenience.

Overall, the exterior of the home is kept fairly clean, simple and functional. Some Craftsman and/or Arts and Crafts detailing add interest, but still allow Meadow View to fit into many rural and even some suburban settings. The smaller upper level has a cross-gabled roof design for architectural interest, while the main level is designed with a full hip roof, forming a large overhang "skirt" around perimeter.

Meadow View comes with plans for an oversized, detached, 2-plus car garage. There is space for a large workshop area, as well as space for an enclosed storage room if desired. Above the garage, there is an optional studio apartment tucked in below the peak of the roof. Living spaces above a garage are normally not a good idea for healthy indoor air quality reasons. In this instance, however, the architect wisely made provisions that allow the living space to be easily sealed off from the unhealthy air in the garage. On the original home the garage was designed to be placed off of the mudroom side of the house, and access was via an outdoor path. As with all detached garages it can be moved and placed wherever it fits best on your lot. The connection may, of course, be varied in length, and may be covered and enclosed with a breezeway or left open depending on your climate and your preference.