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Northern Sun combines the traditional elements of a large symmetrical front porch and a central foyer with a staircase, with a contemporary interior that fits the needs of a growing family. The focal point of this home is the two–story foyer in front that connects to the two–story dining room beyond it.

Like all of Ms. Coleman's designs, Northern Sun was originally designed for a client who wanted an energy–efficient, passive solar home. You can build this house facing in whatever direction suits your needs, but if you're interested in building it as a passive solar home, please read the section below titled Passive Solar Info for specific information on orientation.

First Floor
The porch stretches across the entire front of this beautiful home. With a screened porch on the side and a deck in the rear, this house is designed for folks who love to be in direct contact with nature. When you're standing in the dramatic vaulted foyer, you have a number of options: you may turn right into the music/study nook and the family room, turn left into a multi purpose room, go straight up the stairs to the second floor, or continue on into the dining area. The two–story dining room has a large bay window with double glass doors in the center that lead to a large deck in the rear of the house. It is conveniently located next to the kitchen, separated by a counter/breakfast bar. In addition to the breakfast bar and loads of counter space, the kitchen also has a pantry, and a long interior window box behind the sinks.

On the other side of the dining room are the sunroom and the family room. An optional wood stove between the dining area and the sunroom can be seen and enjoyed from all of the family spaces on cold winter nights. The screened side porch is accessible from both the front and rear ends of the house, providing good party circulation when entertaining. Also included on this floor are a laundry room with a set of stairs leading to an optional attic or bonus room, and a full bath.

Second Floor
The central staircase brings you to a balcony that overlooks the dining room. On one end of the house there are two bedrooms, each of which has a large closet tucked under the eaves. They both have direct access to a shared full bath. The master suite on the opposite end of the house has a huge walk–in closet off the bedroom that can hold an optional washer and dryer, and the master bath features separate sinks, a private toilet, and both a tub and a large shower.

Passive Solar Info
To maximize its passive solar design, the front of the house should face north. The thermal mass needed to prevent large interior winter temperature swings is located in the concrete slab floor. The concrete can be stained and polished, or can be covered with such things as tile, stone, brick pavers, etc. The 35 pages of specifications that come with these plans (see Please Note below) will give your builder precise details on all the passive solar issues pertinent to the construction of this house.

Construction Info
The combination foundation has a concrete slab for thermal mass, and a crawlspace for the raised look and plumbing access. The entire second floor has exterior walls that slope up from 8' to 10'. The first floor has 9' ceilings.

The plans for this house call for 2x6 stud exterior walls. However, they can easily be changed to 2x4 stud walls by your builder, or to SIPs walls by a dealer in your area. If you plan to change the walls, we recommend that you purchase the plans in CAD format.

Foundation Info
This house was originally designed to have a part slab and a part crawlspace foundation. You can of course change it to a full slab, crawlspace, basement or even partial basement, but you will need the help of a local builder or designer, and the new foundation plans should be reviewed by a structural engineer prior to construction.

Please Note
Ms. Coleman's plans include 35 - 8.5"x11" pages of specifications to help your builder construct this house as it was designed. These technical specifications are organized to follow the CSI (Construction Specifications Institute) format, and apply to the various aspects of the home. They also include detailed information on numerous passive solar and energy–efficient aspects of home construction.