My husband and I and my colleague Megan went to the Sunset Idea House to, well, get some ideas. The first thing that struck me as I got out of my car is that the house is very low profile from the road. As you walk toward the front door, there is a mini-flume water feature that gurgles through a Zen-like courtyard.

The home has solar panels that are linked to the local power grid. This in turn earns a check from the power company. What a bonus! The house did make thoughtful use of recycled materials such as redwood interior trim and pine windows which gave a beautiful contrasting affect of red and yellow. I also liked the outdoor shower as well as the outdoor soaking tub. The house gave off an aura that said "relax...retreat." For the price of 5.5 million, I suppose it darn well better!