Homes are smaller than in past shows, but still big on luxury

SNOHOMISH —Evidence that you can live in luxury and still try to minimize your impact on the environment is on display at this year's Seattle Street of Dreams.

The nearly annual showcase of high-end homes this year features five houses built following environmentally friendly standards — a first for the show — as well as the expected gourmet kitchens, the latest in home technology and décor, and impressive landscaping.

The homes, located in Snohomish in a development called Quinn's Crossing, opened their expensive doors to the public last Saturday. Through Aug. 19, visitors can admire the groves of trees, preserved as part of the development, and tour the homes ranging in style from Craftsman to contemporary.

The houses are between 4,200 and 4,750 square feet, and priced up to nearly $2 million.

Eco-friendly buildings

The five homes are Built Green (www.builtgreen.net) certified with a minimum rating of three stars. The certification process requires builders to meet environmentally friendly standards that are rated from one to five stars. The Built Green goals include increasing energy efficiency, improving indoor-air and water quality, and conserving natural resources around the house.

This year's show also features smaller homes than last year's event, which included a house that was more than 11,000 square feet. Large homes can be inherently energy inefficient.

Copper Falls

We toured one of the homes, a Craftsman-style house called Copper Falls that has more than 4,300 square feet and features four fireplaces, an entryway waterfall with recirculating water, and a gourmet kitchen with a built-in espresso station. The house, listed near $2 million, also boasts low-flow toilets, Energy Star-qualified appliances and framing with mold protection to improve indoor-air quality, said Sherry Erickson, manager for Snohomish-based builder Lockie Homes.

The house also includes other eco-friendly materials, such as cork flooring in a bedroom and game room, wool carpeting on the stairs and upstairs hallway, and paint that has no or a low level of volatile organic compounds.

Although the accessories and furnishings in Copper Falls may not be considered "green" (interior designers were not required to include eco-friendly materials in their décor), interior designer Sue Tuttle of Ethan Allen in Lynnwood adhered to an organic theme throughout the home.

The natural theme is evident in the décor of the spacious yet cozy Copper Falls, with plant pods filling clear vases, a bamboo plant and silk drapes complementing a mix of contemporary and traditional furniture. Lamps with metallic bases contrasted with the natural brown palette in the living room, while modern green and silver club chairs added a bright touch to a game room. The downstairs powder room boasts a beautiful raised metal sink and green Venetian plaster walls with an imprinted leaf pattern.

Tuttle built much of the décor around stunning views of the backyard with its groves of firs, alders and cottonwoods blended into a graceful landscape design.

"It's kind of peaceful, opening the window to see the grove," she said.

The home also features a multimedia system that allows the future owners to see who is at the front door via the plasma screen in their bedroom and play music throughout the house. The exterior fireplace can use gas or wood and an entertainment room includes a projector and screen.

These flashy elements are more visible than many of the green-building practices, but the environmentally friendly choices are a critical part of this home.

"There's a lot you don't see," Tuttle said.

Nicole Tsong: 206-464-2150 or ntsong@seattletimes.com