Modern Chuckanut Ridge House is an Off-Grid Solar Stunner

This lovely home in Bellingham, WA features a massive <a href="http://inhabitat.com/blog/2010/10/25/photovoltaic-paving-tiles-coming-soon-a-sidewalk-near-you/" target="_blank">photovoltaic system</a> in the front yard that allows it to operate completely off-grid. Seattle-based firm <a href="http://www.prentissarchitects.com/Site/Pages/Chuckanut.vp" target="_blank">Prentiss Architects</a>, designed and built the house for a large family looking for a home with a low environmental impact that reflected their East Asian heritage. Green design features mingle with oriental decor in this beautiful project, dubbed the Chuckanut Ridge home.

Prentiss Architects designed this home in Bellingham, WA for a couple with a large family.

The couple wanted the home to reflect their environmental ideals as well as their East Asian heritage.

The home is located on a narrow site atop Chuckanut Ridge and it conforms to the sites topography.

The home takes advantage of the prominent site and solar access with minimal obstructions.

Completely off-grid, the home takes advantage of a photovoltaic system located in the yard.

While it may be surprising for a home in WA to be off-grid from solar power, it just goes to show that it is still possible.

The home does take advantage of another resource - rain, which is abundant much of the year.

Rainwater is collected from the butterfly roofs and used within the home.

The couple's East Asian heritage is seen throughout the house in their decorations and furnishings.

A brilliant red lacquered staircase with built-in storage changes what is normally a boring home necessity into a stunning feature.

The couple's goal was to minimize their home's environmental impact and live off the grid.