Alexis & Paul

Alexis and Paul fondly refer to their beautiful black barn-style home as their 'Almost Eco Project', a name and sentiment that resonates with me to the core.

They will be the first to tell you their home is not the 'perfect' sustainable build; instead, they set out to use thoughtful design to create a forever home that will require less energy to keep their family comfortable and reduce their impact on the planet.

Alexis and Paul live in the Adelaide Hills, Australian climate Zone 6, so Paul worked closely with their builder and designer to ensure high-use living spaces were orientated to the north to capture as much sun as possible.

North eaves were not included to further assist with maximising solar gain, which is in direct comparison to our home, Booken House, which is in Zone 4 and has substantial north eaves (I will pop an entry in the journal explaining this difference).

Hours and hours of research paid off in the end.

Alexis & Paul’s almost-eco home incorporates burnished concrete floors for thermal mass, 11 kW of solar, and double-glazed uPVC windows to help seal up the home and trap the warm winter sun inside.

There is also reverse-cycle heat pump hydronic underfloor heating and cooling to help keep them snug throughout the long, cold winters.

The stunning entry door, constructed out of Vic Ash timber, combined with birch veneer cabinetry throughout the living areas, adds a lovely, warm feeling to the home that sticks with you long after you leave.

Thank you, Alexis and Paul, for sharing your beautiful home and ethos with us - your ‘Almost Eco Project’ is everything Booken Blend sets out to celebrate.