WWW.SHAKER.LIFE | SUMMER 2020 53
In 2008, when Shaker Life
profiled Kevin and Kyle
Dreyfuss-Wells’ Ludlow
neighborhood home,
Dandelion House, the house
was brand new and poised
to be Northeast Ohio’s first
LEED (Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design)
certified home.
Kyle described it as
a manifestation of her and her husband’s interest in
“sustainable urban spaces, and design that makes sense.”
It was designed by Kevin, who at the time was an architect
with City Architecture, now with RDL Architects.
Contributing writer Beth Friedman-Romell wrote that
Dandelion House “sets high standards for conservation
without sacrificing comfort or good looks…. The exterior
of Dandelion House presents a contemporary take on
traditional Shaker Tudor design, featuring brick, wood
beams, and a sharply peaked roof. A stylized dandelion
motif graces several of the energy-efficient windows.”
Kevin explained the motif: “The dandelion is a humble
weed, but it’s enormously successful and useful. It survives
in urban environments, under all kinds of conditions. We’re
hoping the concepts we’ve applied here will take root and
spread, like the dandelion.”
Every inch of this 1,754 square-foot home serves a
purpose. It has three bedrooms, two full baths, an open
living area, mudroom, and rear patio. There is ample
storage in the attic and the second floor of the detached
garage, another green feature.
The kitchen/dining/living space is flooded with natural
light, connecting the family with the outdoors.
Dandelion House has no basement, which saves money,
energy, and some plant life. The mechanicals and laundry
area are on the second floor; with the water heater and
bathrooms tightly clustered, the family has to wait only a
few seconds for hot water. Moreover, the plumbing system
manifold sends water directly to each fixture, through a
small diameter pipe, to reduce the amount of water sitting
in the pipes, losing heat. Low-flow toilets and shower heads
further increase water efficiency.
Water conservation is a key feature of the Dreyfuss-
Wells landscape plan as well. Rainwater from the house and
garage roofs is collected in a 1,100 gallon cistern and used
for irrigation. The overflow will drain first to a pond, then to
a rain garden planted with native species.
Today, says Kevin, “We’re fortunate to live in a house
that’s compact, flexible, and easy to care for. It helps us
focus on the important things that make a home: our family,
our friends, and our wonderful neighbors. And in the midst
of this pandemic, we’re just grateful to have a warm, dry,
and comfortable place to live.” SL
DANDELION
HOUSE
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