Example of a large transitional master white tile and subway tile multicolored floor corner shower design in Philadelphia with medium tone wood cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, solid surface countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops and flat-panel cabinets

Example of a transitional galley medium tone wood floor, brown floor and wallpaper utility room design in Salt Lake City with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, gray walls, a side-by-side washer/dryer and white countertops

Example of a 1960s exterior home design in Boston

Inspiration for a small transitional kids' gray tile and cement tile cement tile floor, single-sink, wall paneling and green floor bathroom remodel in San Francisco with shaker cabinets, brown cabinets, white walls, an undermount sink, marble countertops, gray countertops and a freestanding vanity

Mid-sized mountain style formal and enclosed medium tone wood floor living room photo in Atlanta with a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

Luxury kitchen
Example of a large transitional u-shaped medium tone wood floor enclosed kitchen design in Chicago with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and granite countertops

Example of a transitional patio design in Los Angeles

Small modern apartments benefit from a less is more design approach. To maximize space in this living room we used a rug with optical widening properties and wrapped a gallery wall around the seating area. Ottomans give extra seating when armchairs are too big for the space.

Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional master ceramic tile vinyl floor, brown floor, single-sink and vaulted ceiling bathroom remodel in Santa Barbara with flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, a one-piece toilet, white walls, a trough sink, quartz countertops, a hinged shower door, white countertops and a built-in vanity

Inspiration for a large 1960s black one-story wood house exterior remodel in Portland with a shed roof, a shingle roof and a black roof

Bedroom - mid-sized contemporary guest carpeted and gray floor bedroom idea in San Diego with multicolored walls and no fireplace

Great room
Inspiration for a transitional home design remodel in Other

Family room - transitional dark wood floor and brown floor family room idea in Chicago with gray walls

photo: garey gomez
Large beach style u-shaped ceramic tile and gray floor eat-in kitchen photo in Atlanta with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, subway tile backsplash, an island, white countertops and stainless steel appliances

Staircase - mid-sized rustic wooden u-shaped open and mixed material railing staircase idea in Minneapolis

Create a classic color palette in your bathroom design by using a white herringbone tile in the shower and black hexagon tile on the floor. DESIGN Hygge & West Tile Shown: 2x8 in Calcite, 3" Hexagon and 8" Hexagon in Basalt

Inspiration for a mid-sized farmhouse single-wall medium tone wood floor and brown floor wet bar remodel in Detroit with no sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, wood backsplash and gray countertops

The planning phase of this modern retreat was an intense collaboration that took place over the course of more than two years. While the initial design concept exceeded the clients' expectations, it also exceeded their budget beyond the point of comfort. The next several months were spent modifying the design, in attempts to lower the budget. Ultimately, the decision was made that they would hold off on the project until they could budget for the original design, rather than compromising the vision. About a year later, we repeated that same process, which resulted in the same outcome. After another year-long hiatus, we met once again. We revisited design thoughts, each of us bringing to the table new ideas and options. Each thought simply solidified the fact that the initial vision was absolutely what we all wanted to see come to fruition, and the decision was finally made to move forward. The main challenge of the site was elevation. The Southeast corner of the lot stands 5'6" above the threshold of the rear door, while the Northeast corner dropped a full 2' below the threshold of the door. The backyard was also long and narrow, sloping side-to-side and toward the house. The key to the design concept was to deftly place the project into the slope and utilize the elevation changes, without allowing them to dominate the yard, or overwhelm the senses. The unseen challenge on this project came in the form of hitting every underground issue possible. We had to relocate the sewer main, the gas line, and the electrical service; and since rock was sitting about 6" below the surface, all of these had to be chiseled through many feet of dense rock, adding to our projected timeline and budget. As you enter the space, your first stop is an outdoor living area. Smooth finished concrete, colored to match the 'Leuder' limestone coping, has a subtle saw-cut pattern aligned with the edges of the recessed fire pit. In small spaces, it is important to consider a multi-purpose approach. So, the recessed fire pit has been fitted with an aluminum cover that allows our client to set up tables and chairs for entertaining, right over the top of the fire pit. From here, it;s two steps up to the pool elevation, and the floating 'Leuder' limestone stepper pads that lead across the pool and hide the dam wall of the flush spa. The main retaining wall to the Southeast is a poured concrete wall with an integrated sheer descent waterfall into the spa. To bring in some depth and texture, a 'Brownstone' ledgestone was used to face both the dropped beam on the pool, and the raised beam of the water feature wall. The main water feature is comprised of five custom made stainless steel scuppers, supplied by a dedicated booster pump. Colored concrete stepper pads lead to the 'Ipe' wood deck at the far end of the pool. The placement of this wood deck allowed us to minimize our use of retaining walls on the Northeast end of the yard, since it drops off over three feet below the elevation of the pool beam. One of the most unique features on this project has to be the structure over the dining area. With a unique combination of steel and wood, the clean modern aesthetic of this structure creates a visual stamp in the space that standard structure could not accomplish. 4" steel posts, painted charcoal grey, are set on an angle, 4' into the bedrock, to anchor the structure. Steel I-beams painted in green-yellow color--aptly called "frolic"--act as the base to the hefty cedar rafters of the roof structure, which has a slight pitch toward the rear. A hidden gutter on the back of the roof sends water down a copper rain chain, and into the drainage system. The backdrop for both this dining area , as well as the living area, is the horizontal screen panel, created with alternating sizes of cedar planks, stained to a calm hue of dove grey.

Olive ash veneer vanity cabinet floats above the grey tile floor, complementing a green tiled shower. photography by adam rouse
Inspiration for a small mid-century modern master green tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile alcove shower remodel in San Francisco with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, solid surface countertops and a one-piece toilet