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Energy-savvy contemporary captures warmth of sun

129 Salem St., Andover; $849,900

This solar-passive contemporary is a collection of varied angles, windows, and chimneys and encircled with low-maintenance peastone. The property itself, however, abounds with perennials.Keith Bedford/Globe Staff

A driveway lined with apple trees greets visitors to this solar-passive contemporary, a collection of varied angles, windows, and chimneys encircled with peastone. This home, the handiwork of architect Claude Miquelle Associates, was designed to capture the sunlight and so that every room is just a little bit different in shape and size.

The vestibule connects first to the living room, where the brilliantly white-plaster walls and tall, sharply angled ceiling are offset by windows with dark-brown trim, making the house feel more a home in the Southwest, Santa Fe perhaps. In keeping with the energy-conscious design, a Rumford fireplace sits snug in a wall.

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A wide slider connects to what seems to be a pleasant, but ordinary four-season sunroom that is far from typical. The ceiling is translucent polycarbonate and has a retractable sunshade. The room features a slate floor and Trombe wall, a passive solar-heating panel. A fan system conveys the warm air in the room through a rock bin storage area in the basement, returning cool air to the sunroom and radiating the heat up through the living room floor. Two other Trombe walls, one facing south and the other southeast, help cut heating bills.

Off the sunroom and visually separated from the living room by an exposed support beam is the dining room. Steps away is the first-floor master, which with the help of a door and short hallway becomes a private, tranquil space. The master bath is something of a suite of its own; running off the hallway is a walk-in closet (to the right) and a mirrored dressing area (to the left) before the hallway ends at the tub with shower.

The kitchen is a heptagon that includes a granite-topped island with an electric cooktop and a breakfast counter. Around the corner is a hallway that moves past the laundry room and connects to the garage. A right-hand turn leads to the half bath and den, which has a skylight and from its position in the back of the house overlooks an expansive, landscaped yard that abuts conservation land.

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A stairwell with a railing of gracefully curved blonde oak is the visual centerpiece of the main living areas. It leads to a large loft that overlooks the living room and has a window seat. This level also holds three more bedrooms and a full bath with a double vanity and access to a shady roof deck.

The 1.75-acre lot features hydrangeas, roses, peonies, and hostas. A collection of boulders dubbed the “Rockery” holds wildflowers, ferns, and hybrid daylilies. The property also offers a pergola, a deck, a flagstone patio with an arbor, and a water feature.

The listing broker, Tom Carroll of RE/Max Partners in Andover, will hold an open house on Sunday, Aug. 28, from 1 to 3 p.m.

THE DETAILS

$849,900
Style: Contemporary
Year built: 1982
Square feet: 2,647
Bedrooms: 4
Baths: 2 full, 1 half
Sewer/water: Public
Taxes: $9,916 (2016)
The sun room features a translucent polycarbonate ceiling with a retractable sunshade, a slate floor, and a Trombe wall (a passive solar-heating panel).Keith Bedford/Globe Staff
The kitchen has a granite-topped island with electric cooktop and a breakfast counter.Keith Bedford/Globe Staff/Globe Staff
A stairwell with a railing of gracefully curved blonde oak is the visual centerpiece of the main living areas.Keith Bedford/Globe Staff
The living roomKeith Bedford/Globe Staff/Globe Staff
The first-floor master suiteKeith Bedford/Globe Staff
A bedroom upstairsKeith Bedford/Globe Staff/Globe Staff
Another bedroom upstairsKeith Bedford/Globe Staff
A deck with a pergolaKeith Bedford/Globe Staff
A patioKeith Bedford/Globe Staff/Globe Staff
The 1.75-acre lot features hydrangeas, roses, peonies, and hostas. A collection of boulders dubbed the “Rockery” holds wildflowers, ferns, and hybrid daylilies.Keith Bedford/Globe Staff/Globe Staff

Follow John R. Ellement on Twitter @JREbosglobe. Send listings to homeoftheweek@globe.com. Please note: We do not feature unfurnished homes and will not respond to submissions we won’t pursue.