The House Designs


Go Upscale & Get Down to Earth

House Design While the development offers many eco-friendly features (road ways that follow the natural terrain, no curbs or gutters so run off is absorbed by the prairie, fields of native prairie grasses and wildflowers so upkeep is left to a minimum, and a 60-acre Wildlife and Forest Preserve so residents can hike, bike, and ski), the homes are decidedly modern and owners can choose what level of eco-friendly features to include in their house. For example, the first custom home on Lot 4 boasts:

  • Passive solar siting that takes advantage of the natural sunlight and shade to reduce heating, cooling, and lighting usage
  • Thermal windows
  • Radiant heat
  • On-demand water heater
  • Cellulose (recycled newspaper) insulation
  • Finished concrete and bamboo floors
  • Dual-flush toilets
  • No-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paint
  • Energy Star appliances
  • Native plantings
  • Rain barrel

Click here to view the gallery of our first custom home.

House Design House plans are available to help inspire specific homes for Avant Gardens. But we encourage lot owners to either customize one of these plans for their lot or to work with an architect to create a house unique to their site. We can recommend an architect who is familiar with Avant Gardens and the local area. Of course, lot owners can also choose to select their own architect. But to maintain the design integrity of the development, architectural plans for houses built at Avant Gardens must be approved by the Association’s architectural review board. The elevations should embrace modern design principles. The development was inspired by the works of Richard Neutra, Charles Eames, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, George Fred Keck and William Keck to name a few. While these visionaries practiced nearly 50 years ago, there are present-day architects and firms that harken back to the mid-century style of modernism. For a list of our favorite present-day architects click here. The first custom home at Avant Gardens was designed by David Woodhouse Architects LLC. The adjacent courtyard, screened porch, and carport were designed by Brian Hammersley Architecture. To view the MLS listing for this house, click here.

Floor Plan - 1700 sq. ft. | Floor Plan - 1300 sq. ft. | Gallery