Nothing evokes the spirit of the ocean more than unobstructed cliff side views of the Pacific and nautical décor. This custom home was built to entertain guests who can’t help but enjoy the pleasures of sunny days and the warmth and light of the unique fire wall into the night.

This contemporary master bathroom has all the elements of a roman bath—it’s beautiful, serene and decadent. Double showers and a partially sunken Jacuzzi add to its’ functionality. The glass shower enclosure bridges the full height of the angled ceilings—120” h. The floor of the bathroom and shower are on the same plane which eliminates that pesky shower curb. The linear drain is understated and cool. Andrew McKinney Photography

With an existing pool and retaining walls, we took this space and made it more modern offering many various spaces for lounging, enjoying the fire, listening to the water feature and an upper synthetic turf area for playing games. It is complete with bluestone pavers, a modern water feature and reflecting pool, a raised ipe deck, synthetic turf, glass railings, a modern, gas fire bowl and a stunning cedar privacy wall!

This Kitchen space was perfectly remodeled for a busy family with three boys. Plenty of light, space, and compartments for everything under the sun! The eleven foot long Calcutta marble slab island underneath the unique glass light fixtures is spacious and truly adds to the modern feel.

Jim Bartsch
Example of a trendy master beige tile and travertine tile travertine floor drop-in bathtub design in Denver with a vessel sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets, marble countertops and beige walls

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional formal dark wood floor living room remodel in Chicago with a stone fireplace, gray walls and a standard fireplace

This shade arbor, located in The Woodlands, TX north of Houston, spans the entire length of the back yard. It combines a number of elements with custom structures that were constructed to emulate specific aspects of a Zen garden. The homeowner wanted a low-maintenance garden whose beauty could withstand the tough seasonal weather that strikes the area at various times of the year. He also desired a mood-altering aesthetic that would relax the senses and calm the mind. Most importantly, he wanted this meditative environment completely shielded from the outside world so he could find serenity in total privacy. The most unique design element in this entire project is the roof of the shade arbor itself. It features a “negative space” leaf pattern that was designed in a software suite and cut out of the metal with a water jet cutter. Each form in the pattern is loosely suggestive of either a leaf, or a cluster of leaves. These small, negative spaces cut from the metal are the source of the structure’ powerful visual and emotional impact. During the day, sunlight shines down and highlights columns, furniture, plantings, and gravel with a blend of dappling and shade that make you feel like you are sitting under the branches of a tree. At night, the effects are even more brilliant. Skillfully concealed lights mounted on the trusses reflect off the steel in places, while in other places they penetrate the negative spaces, cascading brilliant patterns of ambient light down on vegetation, hardscape, and water alike. The shade arbor shelters two gravel patios that are almost identical in space. The patio closest to the living room features a mini outdoor dining room, replete with tables and chairs. The patio is ornamented with a blend of ornamental grass, a small human figurine sculpture, and mid-level impact ground cover. Gravel was chosen as the preferred hardscape material because of its Zen-like connotations. It is also remarkably soft to walk on, helping to set the mood for a relaxed afternoon in the dappled shade of gently filtered sunlight. The second patio, spaced 15 feet away from the first, resides adjacent to the home at the opposite end of the shade arbor. Like its twin, it is also ornamented with ground cover borders, ornamental grasses, and a large urn identical to the first. Seating here is even more private and contemplative. Instead of a table and chairs, there is a large decorative concrete bench cut in the shape of a giant four-leaf clover. Spanning the distance between these two patios, a bluestone walkway connects the two spaces. Along the way, its borders are punctuated in places by low-level ornamental grasses, a large flowering bush, another sculpture in the form of human faces, and foxtail ferns that spring up from a spread of river rock that punctuates the ends of the walkway. The meditative quality of the shade arbor is reinforced by two special features. The first of these is a disappearing fountain that flows from the top of a large vertical stone embedded like a monolith in the other edges of the river rock. The drains and pumps to this fountain are carefully concealed underneath the covering of smooth stones, and the sound of the water is only barely perceptible, as if it is trying to force you to let go of your thoughts to hear it. A large piece of core-10 steel, which is deliberately intended to rust quickly, rises up like an arced wall from behind the fountain stone. The dark color of the metal helps the casual viewer catch just a glimpse of light reflecting off the slow trickle of water that runs down the side of the stone into the river rock bed. To complete the quiet moment that the shade arbor is intended to invoke, a thick wall of cypress trees rises up on all sides of the yard, completely shutting out the disturbances of the world with a comforting wall of living greenery that comforts the thoughts and emotions.

Home gym - large mediterranean gray floor home gym idea in Dallas with white walls

Shelly Harrison
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kazart photography
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Inspiration for a small cottage l-shaped laminate floor and brown floor enclosed kitchen remodel in Philadelphia with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, green cabinets, soapstone countertops, black backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and black countertops

The renovation of the Woodland Residence centered around two basic ideas. The first was to open the house to light and views of the surrounding woods. The second, due to a limited budget, was to minimize the amount of new footprint while retaining as much of the existing structure as possible. The existing house was in dire need of updating. It was a warren of small rooms with long hallways connecting them. This resulted in dark spaces that had little relationship to the exterior. Most of the non bearing walls were demolished in order to allow for a more open concept while dividing the house into clearly defined private and public areas. The new plan is organized around a soaring new cathedral space that cuts through the center of the house, containing the living and family room spaces. A new screened porch extends the family room through a large folding door - completely blurring the line between inside and outside. The other public functions (dining and kitchen) are located adjacently. A massive, off center pivoting door opens to a dramatic entry with views through a new open staircase to the trees beyond. The new floor plan allows for views to the exterior from virtually any position in the house, which reinforces the connection to the outside. The open concept was continued into the kitchen where the decision was made to eliminate all wall cabinets. This allows for oversized windows, unusual in most kitchens, to wrap the corner dissolving the sense of containment. A large, double-loaded island, capped with a single slab of stone, provides the required storage. A bar and beverage center back up to the family room, allowing for graceful gathering around the kitchen. Windows fill as much wall space as possible; the effect is a comfortable, completely light-filled room that feels like it is nestled among the trees. It has proven to be the center of family activity and the heart of the residence. Hoachlander Davis Photography

A modern eclectic living room with beautiful tufted chair and brass tripod floor lamp. Interior design by Darbyshire Designs. Photography by Maria Nino of Viva Pictures.

Costa Christ
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Master Bathroom design and layout by homeowner and Jennifer at Creekside Cabinets. Counters by Hoover Custom Tops in at Kinston. Cabinet hardware by Top Knobs. Bristol Door style in Peppercorn Tinted Varnish by Fieldstone Cabinetry. Photography by Archie at Smartfocus Photography.

Enclosed kitchen - large transitional u-shaped terra-cotta tile enclosed kitchen idea in Dallas with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, paneled appliances and an island

Alyssa Lee Photography
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Example of a transitional closet design in Miami

In Seattle's Fremont neighborhood SCJ Studio designed a new landscape to surround and set off a contemporary home by Coates Design Architects. The narrow spaces around the tall home needed structure and organization, and a thoughtful approach to layout and space programming. A concrete patio was installed with a Paloform Bento gas fire feature surrounded by lush, northwest planting. A horizontal board cedar fence provides privacy from the street and creates the cozy feeling of an outdoor room among the trees. LED low-voltage lighting by Kichler Lighting adds night-time warmth . Photography by: Miranda Estes Photography