I spend a lot of time talking about the non-negotiables when it comes to building or renovating a healthy, high performance home.
Things like orientation, air tightness, insulation, mechanical ventilation. (You can read more about my non-negotiables here.)
But there's so much more to quality home design that I don't talk about enough. And there's definitely more to it than I can include in one blog post, but I'm excited to shine a light on 'the other' design features that I love to incorporate into my home designs.
The Sustainable and Healthy Home Design Checklist
A comprehensive, whole house and room-by-room guide to the decisions that make a real difference for your home.
These are the kinds of details that can easily get missed in the design phase, yet they quietly determine how your home feels and functions day to day.
Here are 10 overlooked but important design features to consider for your new home or renovation.
1. Design for Natural Cross Ventilation
It’s a pretty simple way to improve comfort... and it’s free. Cross ventilation is the concept of having windows on opposing sides of a room (or house if the floor plan is open enough) so outside air can easily travel through the house. This helps cool you down on warmer days and brings fresh, outdoor air inside.
2. Prioritize a Healthy Entryway
A clean, organized entryway helps reduce dirt, allergens, and toxins that come in from outside. Plus it sets the mood for how you enter your home (example: cluttered entryway = stressed, happy entry = calm). Include a walk-off mat at the door, tile, brick or stone flooring, and a dedicated space for shoes and coats. The more you can hide your belongings with closets and other organizers, the happier you'll be. Also, make sure to add your personality to the entryway so you're welcomed home with things that make you happy.
3. Be Intentional with Window Placement
Windows are expensive! Rather than peppering your home with windows everywhere, be intentional about where the windows go. In all but the hottest climates, south-facing windows should be a priority. Make sure to shade them in the summer with overhangs. If you're looking for a statement look such as a wall of windows, you can group a few windows together, then minimize the amount of windows you have everywhere else.
4. Layer Your Lighting & Include Controls
A mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting creates comfort and flexibility. Dimmer switches, timers, and smart controls make your lighting more energy-efficient and support your daily rhythms, improving both functionality and well-being.
5. Incorporate Sound-Buffering Design
Noise can significantly impact comfort and well-being. A dense exterior insulation like wood fiber, hemp or mineral wool along with good quality windows will help with external noises. For internal noises, make sure to use solid core doors, insulate interior walls and floors if needed, and keep noisy rooms away from quiet rooms.
This foundation has a liquid waterproofing layer, a drainage board that doubles as insulation, perimeter drains at the footing, and the ground will slope away from the house when it's backfilled.
6. Build a Dry, Durable Foundation
Moisture problems very often start below grade. Waterproofing, exterior drainage boards, capillary breaks, and good drainage detailing will help keep your home dry, durable, and healthy.
This may seem like a silly example - but the plants don't have to be real! Images of plants or natural patterns connect us to nature too.
7. Bring in Biophilic Elements
Design spaces to connect with nature to help boost mood, mental health, and air quality. Indoor plants are the most common way to do it. But there are so many ways for your home to connect with nature. Here are some ideas.
8. Use Durable, Low-Maintenance Exterior Materials
Exterior house upkeep is the bane of many people's existence. This can be alleviated when you choose exterior siding and roofing options that last a long time. This is also good for the planet since you'll be creating less waste if you don't have to replace things. Here's a podcast episode dedicated to durable exterior choices.
9. Plan for Future Solar (Even If You’re Not Ready Yet)
Make your home “solar-ready” now. Keep roof space clear, orient it south, make sure the roof slope is well suited for solar at your latitude, and include conduit runs during construction to make future installation straightforward. Tip: Show solar panels on your construction plans and label them as 'future' so everyone knows your intention of adding them eventually.
Image: Pinterest
10. Add a Family Drop Zone
The drop zone is a place for keys, wallets, phones, chargers, kids' school papers, random acorns that come into the house with your little ones, batteries, tape measures, - anything you can think of that you might need to grab at some point. Keeping it all in the same place and organized will save your sanity.
Final Thoughts
These 10 design features might not be the “Top 10” most talked-about items, but together they have a big impact on your home’s comfort, functionality, and long-term value. Thinking about these smaller, often overlooked details early in the design process will help you avoid costly changes later.
That’s why I created the Sustainable and Healthy Home Design Checklist — a comprehensive, whole house and room-by-room guide to the decisions that make a real difference for your home.
Whether you’re designing from scratch or reviewing your plans, this checklist helps you:
Stay focused on what really matters Avoid common oversights Make smart, health-focused choices at every step
Grab the Checklist here and start creating a home that supports your health, your lifestyle, and the planet.