(See the PDF version of this plan, and 3-D views of the house to get a better feel for how it is laid out)
The entrance to the house is through the entry way in the middle of the building. The office and utility room are not connected to the rest of the house so that the pollutants there (computer, laundry soap, etc.) do not get into the house. The courtyard is partially covered and the courtyard walls are half high walls. This makes the courtyard somewhat protected from the elements, but still open. We expect to entertain in the courtyard during good weather.
In the living room there is are enclosed cabinets in the lower corners which will have a vent to the outside to keep the smells out of the house. Under the windows along the bottom wall are seat cushions.
The bedroom is at the far end of the house, giving us the most distance from the bed to the major sources of EMF (electrical-magnetic forces) in the house - the kitchen, laundry, and office. Kathy has a small office between the living room and the bedroom. There is a sauna in the bathroom for Kathy's treatments.
The house will be constructed out of the following materials:
The house will use passive solar heating. The south facing windows in the living room will have an overhang so that the winter sun comes in and warms the house, while the summer sun is blocked by the overhang.