THE DREAM White Kitchen! This room is elegant and visually stunning with clean modern lines, and yet replete with warm, inviting charm in every aspect of its design. This gorgeous white kitchen by Courthouse Design/Build with wonderful Wood-Mode cabinetry from the Courthouse Kitchens & Baths Design Studio seamlessly combines traditional elements with contemporary, modern design to bring that perfect dream of a white kitchen to life. Kenneth M. Wyner Photography Inc.

Nick Sargent
Example of a trendy pool design in Miami

John Stillman Photography
Contemporary white two-story exterior home idea in Miami

Design ideas for a contemporary full sun landscaping in Los Angeles with decking.

© Steve Freihon/ Tungsten LLC
Small trendy gender-neutral bamboo floor walk-in closet photo in New York with open cabinets and light wood cabinets

Living room - contemporary living room idea in Detroit with white walls

Trendy mudroom photo in Birmingham with white walls

Example of a trendy patio design in Seattle with a fire pit and no cover

Photo credit: Nolan Painting Interior Design: Raindrum Design
Large trendy eat-in kitchen photo in Philadelphia with white cabinets, white backsplash, stainless steel appliances, glass tile backsplash, an island, an undermount sink, soapstone countertops, black countertops and shaker cabinets

Photo: Dave Lauridsen
Example of a trendy dark wood floor bedroom design in Los Angeles with black walls

A sequence of new fencing at the entry creates a sense of privacy from a busy street. Photo by Cleary O'Farrell
Photo of a contemporary front yard gravel landscaping in Seattle.

A family in West University contacted us to design a contemporary Houston landscape for them. They live on a double lot, which is large for that neighborhood. They had built a custom home on the property, and they wanted a unique indoor-outdoor living experience that integrated a modern pool into the aesthetic of their home interior. This was made possible by the design of the home itself. The living room can be fully opened to the yard by sliding glass doors. The pool we built is actually a lap swimming pool that measures a full 65 feet in length. Not only is this pool unique in size and design, but it is also unique in how it ties into the home. The patio literally connects the living room to the edge of the water. There is no coping, so you can literally walk across the patio into the water and start your swim in the heated, lighted interior of the pool. Even for guests who do not swim, the proximity of the water to the living room makes the entire pool-patio layout part of the exterior design. This is a common theme in modern pool design. The patio is also notable because it is constructed from stones that fit so tightly together the joints seem to disappear. Although the linear edges of the stones are faintly visible, the surface is one contiguous whole whose linear seamlessness supports both the linearity of the home and the lengthwise expanse of the pool. While the patio design is strictly linear to tie the form of the home to that of the pool, our modern pool is decorated with a running bond pattern of tile work. Running bond is a design pattern that uses staggered stone, brick, or tile layouts to create something of a linear puzzle board effect that captures the eye. We created this pattern to compliment the brick work of the home exterior wall, thus aesthetically tying fine details of the pool to home architecture. At the opposite end of the pool, we built a fountain into the side of the home's perimeter wall. The fountain head is actually square, mirroring the bricks in the wall. Unlike a typical fountain, the water here pours out in a horizontal plane which even more reinforces the theme of the quadrilateral geometry and linear movement of the modern pool. We decorated the front of the home with a custom garden consisting of small ground cover plant species. We had to be very cautious around the trees due to West U’s strict tree preservation policies. In order to avoid damaging tree roots, we had to avoid digging too deep into the earth. The species used in this garden—Japanese Ardesia, foxtail ferns, and dwarf mondo not only avoid disturbing tree roots, but they are low-growth by nature and highly shade resistant. We also built a gravel driveway that provides natural water drainage and preserves the root zone for trees. Concrete pads cross the driveway to give the homeowners a sure-footing for walking to and from their vehicles.

Ranch style home that was reinvented to create an open floor plan to encompass the kitchen, family room and breakfast room. Original family room was transformed into chic new dining room. Photography by Eric Rorer

This contemporary bath utilizes the galley way construction of this master bath through the use of light, and finishes. A large glass shower equipped with rain shower head and storage niches, reflects light impeccably making the space feel expansive. Counter to ceiling height mirror atop a floating vanity, utilize the lateral height of the space. A seated vanity with topped with a mirror at the end of the galley creates drama and focal point upon entry.

Photo of a mid-sized contemporary backyard gravel vegetable garden landscape in San Francisco.

Kitchen towards sink and window. Photography by Sharon Risedorph; In Collaboration with designer and client Stacy Eisenmann. For questions on this project please contact Stacy at Eisenmann Architecture. (www.eisenmannarchitecture.com)

Nestled into sloping topography, the design of this home allows privacy from the street while providing unique vistas throughout the house and to the surrounding hill country and downtown skyline. Layering rooms with each other as well as circulation galleries, insures seclusion while allowing stunning downtown views. The owners' goals of creating a home with a contemporary flow and finish while providing a warm setting for daily life was accomplished through mixing warm natural finishes such as stained wood with gray tones in concrete and local limestone. The home's program also hinged around using both passive and active green features. Sustainable elements include geothermal heating/cooling, rainwater harvesting, spray foam insulation, high efficiency glazing, recessing lower spaces into the hillside on the west side, and roof/overhang design to provide passive solar coverage of walls and windows. The resulting design is a sustainably balanced, visually pleasing home which reflects the lifestyle and needs of the clients. Photography by Andrew Pogue

Kitchen Storage Pantry in Bay Area European Style Cabinetry made in our artisanal cabinet shop with a wonderful Hafele Gourmet Pantry for kitchen storage.

Photography: ©ShadesOfGreen
This is an example of a contemporary backyard landscaping in San Francisco.