I always enjoy threads dealing with energy-efficient homes, as our plan is to, within the next few years, build a home that is as energy-efficient as possible. Like teresa b (above) originally considered, we have thought about an ICF home and geothermal. The ICF concept is still almost unknown in our area. A few years ago, we attended a home show, and not only was ICF not represented, no one with whom we spoke knew what we were talking about. Fortunately, I have located a builder in the area who has some experience with the Logix ICF system, so I hope to speak with him in the future. Another interesting thing -- at a party last night, I spoke with a guy who has one of those Hardy (brand) woodburning furnaces, the type that is located outside the home, with underground lines connecting it to a heat exchanger located in the standard heating system. It also preheats water going into the water heater, to save on water heating costs. Something else I will consider!

The shop is going to order one of the kits anyhow, and chrge you for the shipping, hand, and instilation. If they custom build you one, it is even more costly because the price of iron alone now a days is outragious. Plus trust me there is alot of time(labor) involved with custom building a spiral staircase. If you are able to install it yourself. This is the route that I would recomend. Atleast you cut out the middle man and save a little in labor. Farmer

AHMIowa, I suggest that you go to the library and check out architectural books from the 70s and 80s. Do the research and find out who the prominent architects of your area were and look at their work. Local papers often showcase architect designed homes as an on-going feature. You may be able to see pictures in old newpaper articles. Look for old Architectural Digest or Metropolitan Home Magazines which tend to showcase contemporary architecture of the time. I think BHG tend to showcase much more traditional looking homes. In the West Coast, we have Sunset magazine that shows contemporary homes. I am sure there are other magazines. (no Elle Decor or Vogue decor in the 80s) This will educate your eye toward what you like and don't like about that era. You will also see how the 70s and 80s architects treated spaces. When you have trained your eye to what feels appropriate for the house and its era, you will feel much more confident about your choices. For example, sunken LR is a very much of 70s and 80s space configuration. This is not as popular outside of that era. My parents house was a contemporary from that era and had a sunken LR. My brother replaced all continuous flooring with hardwood and it looks good (better than before) and looks quite appropriate for the house. We took out the 30 year old carpet and vinyl. We also have a huge stone fire place as big as yours (not brick) and hardwood looks good with it. Their house has all woodwork in dark stain; all doors, trim and cabinets are the same dark stain. Not quite as dark as espresso of recent. Your house has medium tone from your ceiling. I don't see any other wood work: there is a lack/minimum of trim (a very clean look) and the doors are painted white slab. You also have to remember that the interest rate was double digit in the 70s and 80s and the budget for building houses (even architect designed custom homes) were much humbler than what it is now. The flooring treatment of carpet may have been necessitated by the cost and not by design choice. If the architect had a larger budget, he/she may have chosen to put wood or all ceramic. Hard to know at this point. Here in the Pacific NW, many of that era's contemporary homes had many surfaces covered with wood, often flat toungue in groove; ceiling, flooring and walls. These were often cedar and fir. Because the view sees mostly evergreen trees or water or mountains, these homes feel very much a part of the landscape with so much wood. I suggest medium toned wood for all your woodwork if going that route. The ceiling has set the tone for you. I recently saw a 80s contemporary house that had a complete overhaul to 2010/2011 esthetic. They used dark slab cabinets, dark window frames, concrete floors, metal work for stairs, etc. It did not feel like a 80s home. It really felt like a new home with the 80s shell. Unfortunately, the shell somehow carries its age even resided, repainted, windows replaced, and railing updated etc. You can't make something old look NOT OLD. If you are going this route, you gotta do ALL... I am afraid dark (mocha/espresso) stain is going to the 2011 treatment of modern design, not the 80s design. I love painted slab doors as suggested by palimpest. Ikea makes a line of painted white slab doors. This would be a budget way to go. One of my friends live in a home from the 70s/80s that won the AIA home of the year. This home has been in architecture books. He has all wood floors. All of the tile in that house is small 1x1 glass mossaic tile in a muted pinkish/beige color popular at that time, similar to your carpet. The tub is entirely tiled. They have painted white slab cabinets, very fitting the house. The house had a healthy budget of that era: it has granite counters, all HW, steel tubular railings (that's another item that dates the era). Good luck.

(continuing): When it came to the actual design, I kept wanting to do a continuous spiral, but it just wasn't working with the already existing steel circle. So finally, I decided on a "galaxy" spiral, which looks great. I marked the center, and then marked the diameters at right angles (or however that would be described) with string. Then, I fiddled with the arms of the spiral until they were evenly spaced. I wanted the center to be at least 30 inches across, because I may want to put a small fire bowl there, and the smallest are 26" across. Someone asked me how I decided the orientation and the direction of the spiral. I researched and decided that there was no "rule" so I did it how I wanted. The open ends are oriented toward the main part of the yard on one side, and the spot where chairs go on the other. This makes for easy walking on and off. Finally, the spaces between were filled with the same crushed gravel (called "chat" or "screening" here) that the rest of the yard was covered with. (By the way, I love the gravel cover -- it makes a wonderful sound when walked on, and I'm having fun making designs in it with my rake.) With the chat installed, the steel edging was almost hidden, which I didn't like, so I had my guys emphasize the circle with river rock. I'm not sure how I like that, but it works for now. I also have "glow rocks" set in between each paver, which gives a really nice effect at night. And yes, I do walk it; from the outside, in, turn around, from the inside out. And repeat! Hope you like my little photo essay -- please leave comments if you like it or have questions.