Set in the heart of Chapel Hill, near the UNC campus, the new home fits into the established neighborhood and offers magnificent views of the native gardens. Inside this carefully detailed and finely crafted home, gracious spaces flow seamlessly together. As homage to grandma's house, it also includes nooks and crannies complete with secret passages.

The house is accessible throughout and provides a variety of outdoor places from which to enjoy the garden: porches, decks, balconies, and patios. We designed and thought in terms of a "cottage in the garden:" this house keeps a small footprint, breaks the massing with shed dormers, bay windows and corner windows, and offers the character of old homes with the spaciousness and light of new houses.

We responded to the clients' energy concerns by designing a solar tempered house with appropriately sized south-facing windows and including a geo-thermal mechanical system, Icynene insulation and an Isokern high-efficiency fireplace.

The Chapel Hill News featured the Holmgren/Sidell home in their October 11-17, 2002 issue. Click here to view the article. You can also click here to view images during the construction of this house.