Wonderful Kitchen and Breakfast room overlooking pool. Floors are from France, custom made cabinetry, plaster walls, and state of the art appliances
Design ideas for a mediterranean dining room in Other with yellow walls.

Photo by Grey Crawford
Photo of a mid-sized mediterranean master bedroom in Los Angeles with no fireplace, grey walls, dark hardwood floors and brown floor.

This is an example of a mediterranean bathroom in Los Angeles with a freestanding tub and marble.

Expansive mediterranean living room in Santa Barbara with beige walls and a standard fireplace.

Winner of five awards in the Rough Hollow Parade of Homes, this 6,778 square foot home is an exquisite addition to the prestigious Lakeway neighborhood. The Santa Barbara style home features a welcoming colonnade, lush courtyard, beautiful casita, spacious master suite with a private outdoor covered terrace, and a unique Koi pond beginning underneath the wine room glass floor and continuing to the outdoor living area. In addition, the views of Lake Travis are unmatched throughout the home. Photography by Coles Hairston

Mediterranean bedroom in Houston with white walls.

Rick Pharaoh
Photo of a mid-sized mediterranean kitchen/dining combo in Other with a standard fireplace, beige walls and ceramic floors.

Scott Hargis
Design ideas for a mediterranean living room in San Francisco with a music area.

WHAT MAKES VILLA TERRA GREEN? 1. Rammed Earth and PISE Walls Beyond it’s beautiful qualities and “Old World” look, the rammed earth and PISE walls (pneumatically impacted stabilized earth) drastically reduce the use of trees for the initial wall framing lumber. And because this “Earth Structure” will far outlast any wood frame building, trees are again saved many times over, creating the foundation for the true model of sustainability. We have created a house that will essentially last forever, instead of having to be rebuilt every 50 to 75 years. The 18” thick PISE walls and concrete floors also provide thermal mass, an integral part of the passive solar design of the house. These features help keep the house naturally cooler in summer and retaining heat in winter, greatly reducing the heating and cooling loads and energy use. 2. High Content Fly Ash Concrete Foundation Use of high content (25%) fly ash (industrial waste byproduct) in place of Portland Cement results in reduction of energy consumption and green house gas emissions associated with Portland cement production (second only to petroleum in terms of carbon dioxide emissions). 3. Reclaimed Plumbing Fixtures All lavatory sinks and tubs were bought from salvage yards (tub is reportedly from the Jack Benny house in Hollywood). Reclaimed Carrara marble fountain has been made into the powder room sink. 4. Natural Daylighting Use of numerous skylights and high transom windows to reduce electrical lighting loads during the day. Natural daylighting also has documented benefits on mood, productivity, and enjoyment of the space. 5. Photo Voltaic Solar Panels Use of PV solar electric generation system to reduce electrical grid consumption, and bi-directional meter sends power back to the grid when it is needed most, on hot summer afternoons. 6. Hydronic Radiant Heat Floor Use of hydronic radiant floor heating system saves energy, is more efficient for residential heating, is more comfortable for inhabitants, and promotes superior indoor air quality over forced air systems. 7. Natural/Passive Ventilation Use of operable skylights operable high windows and ceiling fans, creates a natural convection current, thereby eliminating the need for an air conditioning system. 8. Passive Solar Design Use of extensive east and south facing glass, proper overhangs, high interior mass, deciduous grape vines on appropriately placed trellises, to passively heat the home in winter, and protect the house from unnecessary heat gain in summer. 9. Reclaimed Lumber - Douglas fir ceiling beams reclaimed from the Town & Country Village Shopping Center (now Santana Row) in San Jose. - Douglas fir ceiling decking reclaimed from the 118 year old Notre Dame High School in downtown San Jose. TJI joists reclaimed from the “Millenium Man” movie set in Alameda used for floor and roof framing. Redwood ceiling beams reclaimed from a Los Altos cabana/trellis. 10. Extensive Use of Other Reclaimed Materials Two antique reclaimed European stone fireplace mantles grace the family room and master bedroom fireplaces. Interior doors with glass knobs reclaimed from the original house located at the property. Two large terraces utilize used brick salvaged from at least 15 different locations. Courtyard fountain is tiled using recycled and restored ceramic tiles from a 1928 California Colonial house in Los Altos. Cabinet lumber from original house used for closet shelving. Plywood from crates that the windows and doors were delivered in were used to create garage shear walls. Foundation forms were salvaged and rip cut for use as interior stud walls. Garage doors were salvaged from a remodel project in Mountain View. 11. Ground Source Heat Pump - Ground source heat pump uses geothermal energy to heat the house and domestic water, greatly reducing natural gas and fossil fuel consumption. 12. Low VOC Paint Clay Plaster Wall Finishes VOC-free interior paint and stain finishes promotes healthy indoor air quality, reduces exacerbation of respiratory ailments such as asthma and lung cancer. Extensive use of American Clay Plaster integral color wall finish eliminates need for painted walls. 13. High Efficiency Windows Use of energy efficient dual pane thermal glazing with “Low e” coating at all doors and windows reduces heat gain in summer and heat loss in winter, cutting energy use. 14. Engineered Structural Lumber Extensive use of engineered lumber for structural framing and sheathing reduces cutting of old growth forests, and encourages use of “crop lumber”. 15. FSC Certified Mill Work Extensive use of FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certified sustainable lumber products for cabinetry, hardwood flooring, trim, etc. further protects the environment through third party monitoring and certification of the entire supply chain. 16. Cotton Insulation Formaldehyde-free cotton insulation made from recycled blue jeans used extensively for attic insulation. photography by Frank Paul Perez

Inspiration for a mediterranean living room in Miami with red walls.

The master suite is ideal for relaxation with custom bed linens and a spacious seating area. The focal point in the room is the art piece over the Venetian plaster fireplace.

Inspiration for a mediterranean living room in Other with beige walls.

Design ideas for a mid-sized mediterranean two-storey stucco pink exterior in New York.

Inspiration for a mediterranean kitchen in Phoenix with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, distressed cabinets and granite benchtops.

Casey Dunn
Photo of a mediterranean kitchen in Austin.

Inspiration for a mediterranean open concept family room in Dallas with beige walls.

It’s an oft-heard design objective among folks building or renovating a home these days: “We want to bring the outdoors in!” Indeed, visually or spatially connecting the interior of a home with its surroundings is a great way to make spaces feel larger, improve daylight levels and, best of all, embrace Nature. Most of us enjoy being outside, and when we get a sense of that while inside it has a profoundly positive effect on the experience of being at home.

Exquisite Mediterranean home on Lake Austin. Photography by Coles Hairston
This is an example of a mediterranean master bedroom in Austin with beige walls, dark hardwood floors, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace surround.

Mediterranean master bedroom in Orlando with white walls, dark hardwood floors, no fireplace and brown floor.