This weekend retreat, nestled in a grove of aspens in Lizard Head Pass, Colorado, embodies the words of Henri Poincaré: “Ideas rose in clouds; I felt them collide until pairs interlocked, so to speak, making a stable combination.” It directly challenges many of our ideas about home. Rather than a place offering the illusion of protection from the outside world through solid structure, its openness, light and reflectivity make it arguably more transparent than even Philip Johnson’s iconic Glass House. Featuring a floorplan that is an abstract interpretation of a cumulus cloud, the home’s five rotated, elliptically shaped glass pods approach invisibility at certain times of the year. Each pod serves a distinct programmatic function, though together they facilitate an easy and fluid flow accomplished by minimalist doors placed at the interstices where the pods meet. It functions as an ethereal meeting place between earth and sky. Total Area: 2200 sq. ft., 600 sq. ft. exterior deck Major Materials: Steel structure, curved architectural glass, anodized aluminum, epoxy flooring, and wood decking. Design Team: John Beckmann, with Jacob George Renderings: Jacob George Diagrams and model: Jacob George and Jessica Marvin © Axis Mundi Design LLC

http://www.houzz.com/pro/robkarosis/rob-karosis-photography

Builder: John Kraemer & Sons | Architect: Swan Architecture | Interiors: Katie Redpath Constable | Landscaping: Bechler Landscapes | Photography: Landmark Photography

Excerpted from Washington Home & Design Magazine, Jan/Feb 2012 Full Potential Once ridiculed as “antipasto on the Potomac,” the Watergate complex designed by Italian architect Luigi Moretti has become one of Washington’s most respectable addresses. But its curvaceous 1960s architecture still poses design challenges for residents seeking to transform their outdated apartments for contemporary living. Inside, the living area now extends from the terrace door to the kitchen and an adjoining nook for watching TV. The rear wall of the kitchen isn’t tiled or painted, but covered in boards made of recycled wood fiber, fly ash and cement. A row of fir cabinets stands out against the gray panels and white-lacquered drawers under the Corian countertops add more contrast. “I now enjoy cooking so much more,” says the homeowner. “The previous kitchen had very little counter space and storage, and very little connection to the rest of the apartment.” “A neutral color scheme allows sculptural objects, in this case iconic furniture, and artwork to stand out,” says Santalla. “An element of contrast, such as a tone or a texture, adds richness to the palette.” In the master bedroom, Santalla designed the bed frame with attached nightstands and upholstered the adjacent wall to create an oversized headboard. He created a television stand on the adjacent wall that allows the screen to swivel so it can be viewed from the bed or terrace. Of all the renovation challenges facing the couple, one of the most problematic was deciding what to do with the original parquet floors in the living space. Santalla came up with the idea of staining the existing wood and extending the same dark tone to the terrace floor. “Now the indoor and outdoor parts of the apartment are integrated to create an almost seamless space,” says the homeowner. “The design succeeds in realizing the promise of what the Watergate can be.” Project completed in collaboration with Treacy & Eagleburger. Photography by Alan Karchmer

Peter Vanderwarker View towards ocean
Example of a mid-sized 1960s open concept and formal light wood floor and brown floor living room design in Boston with white walls, a stone fireplace, no tv and a two-sided fireplace

This weekend retreat, nestled in a grove of aspens in Lizard Head Pass, Colorado, embodies the words of Henri Poincaré: “Ideas rose in clouds; I felt them collide until pairs interlocked, so to speak, making a stable combination.” It directly challenges many of our ideas about home. Rather than a place offering the illusion of protection from the outside world through solid structure, its openness, light and reflectivity make it arguably more transparent than even Philip Johnson’s iconic Glass House. Featuring a floorplan that is an abstract interpretation of a cumulus cloud, the home’s five rotated, elliptically shaped glass pods approach invisibility at certain times of the year. Each pod serves a distinct programmatic function, though together they facilitate an easy and fluid flow accomplished by minimalist doors placed at the interstices where the pods meet. It functions as an ethereal meeting place between earth and sky. Total Area: 2200 sq. ft., 600 sq. ft. exterior deck Major Materials: Steel structure, curved architectural glass, anodized aluminum, epoxy flooring, and wood decking. Design Team: John Beckmann, with Jacob George Renderings: Jacob George Diagrams and model: Jacob George and Jessica Marvin © Axis Mundi Design LLC

Everywhere you look in this home, there is a surprise to be had and a detail worth preserving. One of the more iconic interior features was this original copper fireplace shroud that was beautifully restored back to it's shiny glory. The sofa was custom made to fit "just so" into the drop down space/ bench wall separating the family room from the dining space. Not wanting to distract from the design of the space by hanging a TV on the wall - there is a concealed projector and screen that drop down from the ceiling when desired. Flooded with natural light from both directions from the original sliding glass doors - this home glows day and night - by sun or by fire. From this view you can see the relationship of the kitchen which was originally in this location, but previously closed off with walls. It's compact and efficient, and allows seamless interaction between hosts and guests.

Inspiration for a small 1950s open concept light wood floor and beige floor living room remodel in DC Metro with white walls, a standard fireplace, a brick fireplace and no tv

West End of Studio Space. Cathy Schwabe Architecture. Photograph by David Wakely
Trendy concrete floor living room photo in San Francisco with a wood stove

Inspiration for a modern medium tone wood floor living room remodel in San Francisco with white walls and a standard fireplace

Living room - contemporary formal medium tone wood floor living room idea in Seattle with white walls, a standard fireplace, a metal fireplace and no tv

Deering Design Studio, Inc.
Trendy enclosed and formal concrete floor living room photo in Seattle with gray walls, a standard fireplace, a tile fireplace and no tv

A tea pot, being a vessel, is defined by the space it contains, it is not the tea pot that is important, but the space. Crispin Sartwell Located on a lake outside of Milwaukee, the Vessel House is the culmination of an intense 5 year collaboration with our client and multiple local craftsmen focused on the creation of a modern analogue to the Usonian Home. As with most residential work, this home is a direct reflection of it’s owner, a highly educated art collector with a passion for music, fine furniture, and architecture. His interest in authenticity drove the material selections such as masonry, copper, and white oak, as well as the need for traditional methods of construction. The initial diagram of the house involved a collection of embedded walls that emerge from the site and create spaces between them, which are covered with a series of floating rooves. The windows provide natural light on three sides of the house as a band of clerestories, transforming to a floor to ceiling ribbon of glass on the lakeside. The Vessel House functions as a gallery for the owner’s art, motorcycles, Tiffany lamps, and vintage musical instruments – offering spaces to exhibit, store, and listen. These gallery nodes overlap with the typical house program of kitchen, dining, living, and bedroom, creating dynamic zones of transition and rooms that serve dual purposes allowing guests to relax in a museum setting. Through it’s materiality, connection to nature, and open planning, the Vessel House continues many of the Usonian principles Wright advocated for. Overview Oconomowoc, WI Completion Date August 2015 Services Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture

photo by Becky Harris
Farmhouse living room photo in Richmond

A tea pot, being a vessel, is defined by the space it contains, it is not the tea pot that is important, but the space. Crispin Sartwell Located on a lake outside of Milwaukee, the Vessel House is the culmination of an intense 5 year collaboration with our client and multiple local craftsmen focused on the creation of a modern analogue to the Usonian Home. As with most residential work, this home is a direct reflection of it’s owner, a highly educated art collector with a passion for music, fine furniture, and architecture. His interest in authenticity drove the material selections such as masonry, copper, and white oak, as well as the need for traditional methods of construction. The initial diagram of the house involved a collection of embedded walls that emerge from the site and create spaces between them, which are covered with a series of floating rooves. The windows provide natural light on three sides of the house as a band of clerestories, transforming to a floor to ceiling ribbon of glass on the lakeside. The Vessel House functions as a gallery for the owner’s art, motorcycles, Tiffany lamps, and vintage musical instruments – offering spaces to exhibit, store, and listen. These gallery nodes overlap with the typical house program of kitchen, dining, living, and bedroom, creating dynamic zones of transition and rooms that serve dual purposes allowing guests to relax in a museum setting. Through it’s materiality, connection to nature, and open planning, the Vessel House continues many of the Usonian principles Wright advocated for. Overview Oconomowoc, WI Completion Date August 2015 Services Architecture, Interior Design, Landscape Architecture

Originally designed by J. Merrill Brown in 1887, this Queen Anne style home sits proudly in Cambridge's Avon Hill Historic District. Past was blended with present in the restoration of this property to its original 19th century elegance. The design satisfied historical requirements with its attention to authentic detailsand materials; it also satisfied the wishes of the family who has been connected to the house through several generations. Photo Credit: Peter Vanderwarker

The Pearl is a Contemporary styled Florida Tropical home. The Pearl was designed and built by Josh Wynne Construction. The design was a reflection of the unusually shaped lot which is quite pie shaped. This green home is expected to achieve the LEED Platinum rating and is certified Energy Star, FGBC Platinum and FPL BuildSmart. Photos by Ryan Gamma

Asher Associates Architects; Michael Donahue Builders; Beach Dwellings, Design; John Dimaio, Photography
Living room - traditional living room idea in Philadelphia with beige walls

BenBenschneider
Inspiration for a contemporary living room remodel in Seattle with a two-sided fireplace