With a grand total of 1,247 square feet of living space, the Lincoln Deck House was designed to efficiently utilize every bit of its floor plan. This home features two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a two-car detached garage and boasts an impressive great room, whose soaring ceilings and walls of glass welcome the outside in to make the space feel one with nature.

Architect: JLF Architects Photo: Audrey Hall Fenestration: Brombal thermally broken Cor-Ten steel windows and doors (sales@brombalusa.com / brombalusa.com)

The owners of this beautiful historic farmhouse had been painstakingly restoring it bit by bit. One of the last items on their list was to create a wrap-around front porch to create a more distinct and obvious entrance to the front of their home. Aside from the functional reasons for the new porch, our client also had very specific ideas for its design. She wanted to recreate her grandmother’s porch so that she could carry on the same wonderful traditions with her own grandchildren someday. Key requirements for this front porch remodel included: - Creating a seamless connection to the main house. - A floorplan with areas for dining, reading, having coffee and playing games. - Respecting and maintaining the historic details of the home and making sure the addition felt authentic. Upon entering, you will notice the authentic real pine porch decking. Real windows were used instead of three season porch windows which also have molding around them to match the existing home’s windows. The left wing of the porch includes a dining area and a game and craft space. Ceiling fans provide light and additional comfort in the summer months. Iron wall sconces supply additional lighting throughout. Exposed rafters with hidden fasteners were used in the ceiling. Handmade shiplap graces the walls. On the left side of the front porch, a reading area enjoys plenty of natural light from the windows. The new porch blends perfectly with the existing home much nicer front facade. There is a clear front entrance to the home, where previously guests weren’t sure where to enter. We successfully created a place for the client to enjoy with her future grandchildren that’s filled with nostalgic nods to the memories she made with her own grandmother. "We have had many people who asked us what changed on the house but did not know what we did. When we told them we put the porch on, all of them made the statement that they did not notice it was a new addition and fit into the house perfectly.” – Homeowner

Floor to ceiling windows with arched tops flood the space with natural light. Photo by Mike Kaskel.
Example of a huge classic formal and enclosed dark wood floor and brown floor living room design in Chicago with purple walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

John Bessler for Traditional Home
Example of a large cottage dark wood floor bedroom design in New York with white walls

Master Bedroom with cathedral ceiling Patrick Roger Photography
Example of a mid-sized trendy master light wood floor and beige floor bedroom design in Boston with white walls and no fireplace

Second floor master bedroom/balcony. -Randal Bye
Inspiration for a large timeless master medium tone wood floor bedroom remodel in Philadelphia with white walls

Anice Hoachlander
Example of a large classic built-in desk medium tone wood floor study room design in DC Metro with white walls

The Aspect Window Series has been independently tested to meet strict energy efficiency standards and is ENERGY STAR® certified. Aspect brand custom vinyl windows come standard with an innovative, multi-chambered frame and sash design, triple weather-stripping and ComforTech™ Warm Edge Glazing, a high-tech glass package that measurably improves thermal performance—for less heat loss, warmer glass temperatures and reduced interior condensation.

The sunroom features large windows with transoms, allowing more natural light into the space and offering visual and physical access to the homeowners' gardens. The lightly white-washed tongue and groove ceiling adds texture and interest. Photo Credit - David Bader Interior Design Partner - Jeff Wasserman

Cathedral ceilings with stained wood beams. Large windows and doors for lanai entry. Wood plank ceiling and arched doorways. Stone stacked fireplace and built in shelving. Lake front home designed by Bob Chatham Custom Home Design and built by Destin Custom Home Builders. Interior Design by Helene Forester and Bunny Hall of Lovelace Interiors. Photos by Tim Kramer Real Estate Photography of Destin, Florida.

This modern farmhouse is a beautiful compilation of utility and aesthetics. Exposed cypress beams grace the family room vaulted ceiling. Northern white oak random width floors. Quaker clad windows and doors. Shiplap walls. Inspiro 8

Uneek Image
Large elegant open concept living room photo in Orlando with yellow walls

Atlantic Archives, Inc./Richard Leo Johnson Paragon Custom Construction LLC
Large beach style formal and enclosed medium tone wood floor living room photo in Charleston with gray walls and no tv

“A home should reflect the people who live in it,” says Mat Cummings of Cummings Architects. In this case, the home in question is the one where he and his family live, and it reflects their warm and creative personalities perfectly. From unique windows and circular rooms with hand-painted ceiling murals to distinctive indoor balcony spaces and a stunning outdoor entertaining space that manages to feel simultaneously grand and intimate, this is a home full of special details and delightful surprises. The design marries casual sophistication with smart functionality resulting in a home that is perfectly suited to everyday living and entertaining.

Open concept living room with neutral colors, floor to ceiling windows and stone fireplace.
Cottage open concept light wood floor living room photo in Austin with white walls, a standard fireplace and a stone fireplace

The primary bedroom suite in this mountain modern home is the picture of comfort and luxury. The striking wallpaper was selected to represent the textures of a rocky mountain's layers when it is split into. The earthy colors in the wallpaper--blue grays, rusts, tans and creams--make up the restful color scheme of the room. Textural bedding and upholstery fabrics add warmth and interest. The upholstered channel-back bed is flanked with woven sisal nightstands and substantial alabaster bedside lamps. On the opposite side of the room, a velvet swivel chair and oversized artwork add additional color and warmth. The home's striking windows feature remote control privacy shades to block out light for sleeping. The stone disk chandelier repeats the alabaster element in the room and adds a finishing touch of elegance to this inviting suite.

The front of the house features an open porch, a common feature in the neighborhood. Stairs leading up to it are tucked behind one of a pair of brick walls. The brick was installed with raked (recessed) horizontal joints which soften the overall scale of the walls. The clerestory windows topping the taller of the brick walls bring light into the foyer and a large closet without sacrificing privacy. The living room windows feature a slight tint which provides a greater sense of privacy during the day without having to draw the drapes. An overhang lined on its underside in stained cedar leads to the entry door which again is hidden by one of the brick walls.

These clients came to my office looking for an architect who could design their "empty nest" home that would be the focus of their soon to be extended family. A place where the kids and grand kids would want to hang out: with a pool, open family room/ kitchen, garden; but also one-story so there wouldn't be any unnecessary stairs to climb. They wanted the design to feel like "old Pasadena" with the coziness and attention to detail that the era embraced. My sensibilities led me to recall the wonderful classic mansions of San Marino, so I designed a manor house clad in trim Bluestone with a steep French slate roof and clean white entry, eave and dormer moldings that would blend organically with the future hardscape plan and thoughtfully landscaped grounds. The site was a deep, flat lot that had been half of the old Joan Crawford estate; the part that had an abandoned swimming pool and small cabana. I envisioned a pavilion filled with natural light set in a beautifully planted park with garden views from all sides. Having a one-story house allowed for tall and interesting shaped ceilings that carved into the sheer angles of the roof. The most private area of the house would be the central loggia with skylights ensconced in a deep woodwork lattice grid and would be reminiscent of the outdoor “Salas” found in early Californian homes. The family would soon gather there and enjoy warm afternoons and the wonderfully cool evening hours together. Working with interior designer Jeffrey Hitchcock, we designed an open family room/kitchen with high dark wood beamed ceilings, dormer windows for daylight, custom raised panel cabinetry, granite counters and a textured glass tile splash. Natural light and gentle breezes flow through the many French doors and windows located to accommodate not only the garden views, but the prevailing sun and wind as well. The graceful living room features a dramatic vaulted white painted wood ceiling and grand fireplace flanked by generous double hung French windows and elegant drapery. A deeply cased opening draws one into the wainscot paneled dining room that is highlighted by hand painted scenic wallpaper and a barrel vaulted ceiling. The walnut paneled library opens up to reveal the waterfall feature in the back garden. Equally picturesque and restful is the view from the rotunda in the master bedroom suite. Architect: Ward Jewell Architect, AIA Interior Design: Jeffrey Hitchcock Enterprises Contractor: Synergy General Contractors, Inc. Landscape Design: LZ Design Group, Inc. Photography: Laura Hull