Wrap Around Deck House Plans & Energy Efficient Home Designs From

This charming house was clearly designed for a family that likes to spend a lot of time outdoors. A clerestory atrium projects from the center, allowing light to flow into the middle of the house, and hot air to escape in the summer. Both the decks and the screened porch that wrap around the house are 12'–deep, so there's plenty of room for furniture and entertaining guests. It can be a passive solar house if it faces northeast.

First Floor
Porches and decks nearly surround this house, making it a wonderful home for people who love to spend time outdoors. An atrium in the very center of the house provides both natural light and drama. The foyer off the front porch leads directly to the atrium area, which transitions into the living areas of the house. Upon entering this area, you and your guests will experience both the drama of the vaulted ceilings – rising to 20' at the atrium's edge – and the beauty of the outdoors through all the windows on this side of the house.

The kitchen is separated from the dining area by an island with a breakfast bar (also vaulted), and the great room is (visually) separated from the sunroom by the hearth. The dining room provides access to a very large screened porch, and the sunroom provides access to an even larger deck.

The master bedroom suite is conveniently located on this floor, and the laundry room can be accessed directly from the large walk–in closet. There's a second bedroom on this level that could be used as a home office or a study, and a full bath.

Second Floor
The stairs lead up to a small loft area that looks down on the atrium space and the great room. Two additional bedrooms are located on this floor that share a full bath. The homeowners knew that family members would be visiting on a regular basis, so they had the architect create a couple of guest nooks for them. Guest nook 1 could easily be converted into a study area or walk–in closet for bedroom 4. The abundance of walk–in, semi–conditioned eave storage areas will be appreciated by everyone.

Basement
A partial basement is designed with storage, mechanical, and laundry in mind, to free up more of the first floor.

Garage
The detached garage has room for two vehicles and a large workshop, or for three vehicles if you don't need shop space. There's also plenty of room for storage in this 24' deep by 36' wide garage. Pull–down stairs lead to attic storage.

Construction Info
The plans for this house call for ICF (insulated concrete form) exterior walls for the main level, and 2x6 stud walls for the upper level.

Modification Ideas
Add another bedroom upstairs over the great room or the dining area. Build with SIP walls, or 6" studs caulked and insulated. Make the kitchen larger by expanding into the front porch and foyer, and then turn bedroom 2 into a combination foyer/away room.