Relatives spending the weekend? Daughter moving back in? Could you use a spare bedroom for surprise visitors? Here’s an idea that can accommodate that occasional guest while maintaining your distance: Add a studio apartment above your garage. Studio apartments are often called mother-in-law apartments, perhaps because they add a degree of privacy. They have their own kitchen, living room and bath. Often they feature a Murphy bed. With appliances designed for micro homes becoming more popular it’s easier than ever to plan for and build a studio apartment. Rick Jacobson began this project with a large garage, capable of parking a truck and SUV, and storing everything from bikes to snowthrowers. Then he added a 500+ square foot apartment above the garage. Guests are welcome to the apartment with a private entrance inside a fence. Once inside, the apartment’s open design floods it with daylight from two large skylights and energy-efficient Marvin double hung windows. A gas fireplace below a 42-inch HD TV creates a great entertainment center. It’s all framed with rough-cut black granite, giving the whole apartment a distinctive look. Notice the ¾ inch thick tongue in grove solid oak flooring – the perfect accent to the grey and white interior design. The kitchen features a gas range with outdoor-vented hood, and a space-saving refrigerator and freezer. The custom kitchen backsplash was built using 3 X 10 inch gray subway glass tile. Black granite countertops can be found in the kitchen and bath, and both featuring under mounted sinks. The full ¾ bath features a glass-enclosed walk-in shower with 4 x 12 inch ceramic subway tiles arranged in a vertical pattern for a unique look. 6 x 24 inch gray porcelain floor tiles were used in the bath. A full-sized murphy bed folds out of the wall cabinet, offering a great view of the fireplace and HD TV. On either side of the bed, 3 built-in closets and 2 cabinets provide ample storage space. And a coffee table easily converts to a laptop computer workspace for traveling professionals or FaceBook check-ins. The result: An addition that has already proved to be a worthy investment, with the ability to host family and friends while appreciating the property’s value.

Complete Custom Basement / Lower Level Renovation. Photography by: Ben Gebo For Before and After Photos please see our Facebook Account. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pinney-Designs/156913921096192

Emily Minton Redfield
Living room - transitional living room idea in Denver

Example of a mid-sized transitional formal brown floor living room design in New York with gray walls, a standard fireplace, no tv and a stone fireplace

Gacek Design Group - Traditional Philadelphia Penthouse - Living Room; photos by Halkin Mason Photography, LLC
Large elegant formal and open concept light wood floor living room photo in Philadelphia with yellow walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a media wall

The Salish residence is a contemporary northwest home situated on a site that offers lake, mountain, territorial and golf course views from every room in the home. It uses a complex blend of glass, steel, wood and stone melded together to create a home that is experienced. The great room offers 360 degree views through the clearstory windows and large window wall facing the lake.

Window seat with storage
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary open concept carpeted living room remodel in San Francisco with green walls and no fireplace

This was a unique project; our client owned a condominium with almost 360 degree views of the city and lake. With twelve foot ceilings they wanted to create the most dramatic ceilings possible in their living room and bedroom. We built a metal framed soffit in the living room with recessed lighting and rgb LED accent lights. In the master bedroom we recreated a star lit sky scene, hanging a pre cast fiberglass dome with steel cables from the ceiling and installing hundreds of LED pin lights. We then painted the fiberglass a dark blue. nina leone

The Mazama house is located in the Methow Valley of Washington State, a secluded mountain valley on the eastern edge of the North Cascades, about 200 miles northeast of Seattle. The house has been carefully placed in a copse of trees at the easterly end of a large meadow. Two major building volumes indicate the house organization. A grounded 2-story bedroom wing anchors a raised living pavilion that is lifted off the ground by a series of exposed steel columns. Seen from the access road, the large meadow in front of the house continues right under the main living space, making the living pavilion into a kind of bridge structure spanning over the meadow grass, with the house touching the ground lightly on six steel columns. The raised floor level provides enhanced views as well as keeping the main living level well above the 3-4 feet of winter snow accumulation that is typical for the upper Methow Valley. To further emphasize the idea of lightness, the exposed wood structure of the living pavilion roof changes pitch along its length, so the roof warps upward at each end. The interior exposed wood beams appear like an unfolding fan as the roof pitch changes. The main interior bearing columns are steel with a tapered “V”-shape, recalling the lightness of a dancer. The house reflects the continuing FINNE investigation into the idea of crafted modernism, with cast bronze inserts at the front door, variegated laser-cut steel railing panels, a curvilinear cast-glass kitchen counter, waterjet-cut aluminum light fixtures, and many custom furniture pieces. The house interior has been designed to be completely integral with the exterior. The living pavilion contains more than twelve pieces of custom furniture and lighting, creating a totality of the designed environment that recalls the idea of Gesamtkunstverk, as seen in the work of Josef Hoffman and the Viennese Secessionist movement in the early 20th century. The house has been designed from the start as a sustainable structure, with 40% higher insulation values than required by code, radiant concrete slab heating, efficient natural ventilation, large amounts of natural lighting, water-conserving plumbing fixtures, and locally sourced materials. Windows have high-performance LowE insulated glazing and are equipped with concealed shades. A radiant hydronic heat system with exposed concrete floors allows lower operating temperatures and higher occupant comfort levels. The concrete slabs conserve heat and provide great warmth and comfort for the feet. Deep roof overhangs, built-in shades and high operating clerestory windows are used to reduce heat gain in summer months. During the winter, the lower sun angle is able to penetrate into living spaces and passively warm the exposed concrete floor. Low VOC paints and stains have been used throughout the house. The high level of craft evident in the house reflects another key principle of sustainable design: build it well and make it last for many years! Photo by Benjamin Benschneider

Photographer: Jay Goodrich This 2800 sf single-family home was completed in 2009. The clients desired an intimate, yet dynamic family residence that reflected the beauty of the site and the lifestyle of the San Juan Islands. The house was built to be both a place to gather for large dinners with friends and family as well as a cozy home for the couple when they are there alone. The project is located on a stunning, but cripplingly-restricted site overlooking Griffin Bay on San Juan Island. The most practical area to build was exactly where three beautiful old growth trees had already chosen to live. A prior architect, in a prior design, had proposed chopping them down and building right in the middle of the site. From our perspective, the trees were an important essence of the site and respectfully had to be preserved. As a result we squeezed the programmatic requirements, kept the clients on a square foot restriction and pressed tight against property setbacks. The delineate concept is a stone wall that sweeps from the parking to the entry, through the house and out the other side, terminating in a hook that nestles the master shower. This is the symbolic and functional shield between the public road and the private living spaces of the home owners. All the primary living spaces and the master suite are on the water side, the remaining rooms are tucked into the hill on the road side of the wall. Off-setting the solid massing of the stone walls is a pavilion which grabs the views and the light to the south, east and west. Built in a position to be hammered by the winter storms the pavilion, while light and airy in appearance and feeling, is constructed of glass, steel, stout wood timbers and doors with a stone roof and a slate floor. The glass pavilion is anchored by two concrete panel chimneys; the windows are steel framed and the exterior skin is of powder coated steel sheathing.

Lake Front Country Estate Living Room, designed by Tom Markalunas, built by Resort Custom Homes. Photography by Rachael Boling.
Inspiration for a timeless formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room remodel in Other with beige walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Conceived as a remodel and addition, the final design iteration for this home is uniquely multifaceted. Structural considerations required a more extensive tear down, however the clients wanted the entire remodel design kept intact, essentially recreating much of the existing home. The overall floor plan design centers on maximizing the views, while extensive glazing is carefully placed to frame and enhance them. The residence opens up to the outdoor living and views from multiple spaces and visually connects interior spaces in the inner court. The client, who also specializes in residential interiors, had a vision of ‘transitional’ style for the home, marrying clean and contemporary elements with touches of antique charm. Energy efficient materials along with reclaimed architectural wood details were seamlessly integrated, adding sustainable design elements to this transitional design. The architect and client collaboration strived to achieve modern, clean spaces playfully interjecting rustic elements throughout the home. Greenbelt Homes Glynis Wood Interiors Photography by Bryant Hill

View of Great Room/Living Room from front entry: 41 West Coastal Retreat Series reveals creative, fresh ideas, for a new look to define the casual beach lifestyle of Naples. More than a dozen custom variations and sizes are available to be built on your lot. From this spacious 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom model, to larger 4 and 5 bedroom versions ranging from 3,500 - 10,000 square feet, including guest house options.

Conceived as a remodel and addition, the final design iteration for this home is uniquely multifaceted. Structural considerations required a more extensive tear down, however the clients wanted the entire remodel design kept intact, essentially recreating much of the existing home. The overall floor plan design centers on maximizing the views, while extensive glazing is carefully placed to frame and enhance them. The residence opens up to the outdoor living and views from multiple spaces and visually connects interior spaces in the inner court. The client, who also specializes in residential interiors, had a vision of ‘transitional’ style for the home, marrying clean and contemporary elements with touches of antique charm. Energy efficient materials along with reclaimed architectural wood details were seamlessly integrated, adding sustainable design elements to this transitional design. The architect and client collaboration strived to achieve modern, clean spaces playfully interjecting rustic elements throughout the home. Greenbelt Homes Glynis Wood Interiors Photography by Bryant Hill

Dark gray tones are juxtaposed with bright shades of yellow, green, and orange in this funky and fun living room. Framed white windows emphasize the view while nature-inspired patterns and organic décor blur the lines between the indoors and out. A contemporary chandelier serves as a statement piece while a white mantel and stone fireplace create a strong focal point within the room.

area rug, arts and crafts, cabin, cathedral ceiling, large window, overstuffed, paprika, red sofa, rustic, stone coffee table, stone fireplace, tv over fireplace, wood ceiling,

In this combination living room/ family room, form vs function is at it's best.. Formal enough to host a cocktail party, and comfortable enough to host a football game. The wrap around sectional accommodates 5-6 people and the oversized ottoman has room enough for everyone to put their feet up! The high back, stylized wing chair offers comfort and a lamp for reading. Decorative accessories are placed in the custom built bookcases freeing table top space for drinks, books, etc. Magazines and current reading are neatly placed in the rattan tray for easy access. The overall neutral color palette is punctuated by soft shades of blue around the room. LORRAINE G VALE photo by Michael Costa

Living Room with Ocean View Applied Photography
Living room - contemporary open concept living room idea in Orange County with a ribbon fireplace

Example of a minimalist formal and open concept medium tone wood floor living room design in New York with white walls