OFF-GRID FAMILY HOME

Project Overview:

Off-Grid Family Home is a 3,000-square-foot custom residence in Del Norte, Colorado, designed for a heavy timber craftsman and his growing family. Set in a demanding mountain climate, the home places special emphasis on durability, energy performance, comfort, and the everyday realities of family living.

The residence is designed for Climate Zone 7 conditions with a high-performance building envelope, including an insulated concrete form foundation, 2x8 R-40 walls, an R-90 ceiling assembly, radiant heating, and a photovoltaic array intended to support off-grid living. These strategies help the home respond to Colorado’s cold winters, wide seasonal temperature swings, and the need for long-term energy efficiency.

The architecture combines durable exterior materials — including stucco, wood, and galvanized metal — with warm interior finishes such as plaster, terracotta tile, wood, and concrete. Inside, the design includes exposed ceiling joists, a dropped living room with custom built-in sofas, Rumford fireplaces, a kitchen cooking fireplace with custom ventilation, a large bookshelf wall, a generous primary suite, efficiently designed bedrooms for four children, and a full basement.

As an off-grid family home in Colorado, the project brings together mountain residential design, craft, energy performance, and practical family living. The result is a durable, site-specific home shaped by climate, material honesty, and the desire to live beautifully off the grid.