As a conceptual urban infill project, the Wexley is designed for a narrow lot in the center of a city block. The 26’x48’ floor plan is divided into thirds from front to back and from left to right. In plan, the left third is reserved for circulation spaces and is reflected in elevation by a monolithic block wall in three shades of gray. Punching through this block wall, in three distinct parts, are the main levels windows for the stair tower, bathroom, and patio. The right two-thirds of the main level are reserved for the living room, kitchen, and dining room. At 16’ long, front to back, these three rooms align perfectly with the three-part block wall façade. It’s this interplay between plan and elevation that creates cohesion between each façade, no matter where it’s viewed. Given that this project would have neighbors on either side, great care was taken in crafting desirable vistas for the living, dining, and master bedroom. Upstairs, with a view to the street, the master bedroom has a pair of closets and a skillfully planned bathroom complete with soaker tub and separate tiled shower. Main level cabinetry and built-ins serve as dividing elements between rooms and framing elements for views outside. Architect: Visbeen Architects Builder: J. Peterson Homes Photographer: Ashley Avila Photography

As a conceptual urban infill project, the Wexley is designed for a narrow lot in the center of a city block. The 26’x48’ floor plan is divided into thirds from front to back and from left to right. In plan, the left third is reserved for circulation spaces and is reflected in elevation by a monolithic block wall in three shades of gray. Punching through this block wall, in three distinct parts, are the main levels windows for the stair tower, bathroom, and patio. The right two-thirds of the main level are reserved for the living room, kitchen, and dining room. At 16’ long, front to back, these three rooms align perfectly with the three-part block wall façade. It’s this interplay between plan and elevation that creates cohesion between each façade, no matter where it’s viewed. Given that this project would have neighbors on either side, great care was taken in crafting desirable vistas for the living, dining, and master bedroom. Upstairs, with a view to the street, the master bedroom has a pair of closets and a skillfully planned bathroom complete with soaker tub and separate tiled shower. Main level cabinetry and built-ins serve as dividing elements between rooms and framing elements for views outside. Architect: Visbeen Architects Builder: J. Peterson Homes Photographer: Ashley Avila Photography

Klopf Architecture and Outer space Landscape Architects designed a new warm, modern, open, indoor-outdoor home in Los Altos, California. Inspired by mid-century modern homes but looking for something completely new and custom, the owners, a couple with two children, bought an older ranch style home with the intention of replacing it. Created on a grid, the house is designed to be at rest with differentiated spaces for activities; living, playing, cooking, dining and a piano space. The low-sloping gable roof over the great room brings a grand feeling to the space. The clerestory windows at the high sloping roof make the grand space light and airy. Upon entering the house, an open atrium entry in the middle of the house provides light and nature to the great room. The Heath tile wall at the back of the atrium blocks direct view of the rear yard from the entry door for privacy. The bedrooms, bathrooms, play room and the sitting room are under flat wing-like roofs that balance on either side of the low sloping gable roof of the main space. Large sliding glass panels and pocketing glass doors foster openness to the front and back yards. In the front there is a fenced-in play space connected to the play room, creating an indoor-outdoor play space that could change in use over the years. The play room can also be closed off from the great room with a large pocketing door. In the rear, everything opens up to a deck overlooking a pool where the family can come together outdoors. Wood siding travels from exterior to interior, accentuating the indoor-outdoor nature of the house. Where the exterior siding doesn’t come inside, a palette of white oak floors, white walls, walnut cabinetry, and dark window frames ties all the spaces together to create a uniform feeling and flow throughout the house. The custom cabinetry matches the minimal joinery of the rest of the house, a trim-less, minimal appearance. Wood siding was mitered in the corners, including where siding meets the interior drywall. Wall materials were held up off the floor with a minimal reveal. This tight detailing gives a sense of cleanliness to the house. The garage door of the house is completely flush and of the same material as the garage wall, de-emphasizing the garage door and making the street presentation of the house kinder to the neighborhood. The house is akin to a custom, modern-day Eichler home in many ways. Inspired by mid-century modern homes with today’s materials, approaches, standards, and technologies. The goals were to create an indoor-outdoor home that was energy-efficient, light and flexible for young children to grow. This 3,000 square foot, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom new house is located in Los Altos in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Klopf Architecture Project Team: John Klopf, AIA, and Chuang-Ming Liu 
Landscape Architect: Outer space Landscape Architects 
Structural Engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers 
Staging: Da Lusso Design 
Photography ©2018 Mariko Reed 
Location: Los Altos, CA
 Year completed: 2017

Techo-Bloc’s most versatile wall stone. Mini-Creta boasts an aged finish on both sides of the block, making it perfect for a freestanding wall around your patio, or as a partition between multi-leveled areas of your landscape. It is also a popular choice for freestanding hardscape features such as water and fire features, bars, grill islands, etc. Any way you look at it, Mini-Creta is a beautiful stone. Mini-Creta is also available as a Pillar Kit.

Kitchen remodel featuring a custom hood, Virginia Mist perimeter tops, Danby Marble island top, custom white cabinetry, and subway tile Photo Credit: David Bader Interior Design Partner: Becky Howley

Diamond Custom Homes Capistrano in Quail West, Naples, FL One of three guest bedrooms in the Capistrano split floor plan. Each guest room includes a walk-in closet and separate bathroom.

Tidwell Masonry
Example of a minimalist home design design in San Diego

The kitchen is glossy and modern, but off-set by the rough concrete block wall pattern on the interior wall. The block wall is replicated from the existing exterior concrete block wall to bring the outdoor inside. Photo by Elon Schoenholz

Allan Block Product supplied by Midland Concrete in a Taupe color. Multi level walls were created to have built in planting area and a built in space for a fire pit - fireplace that isn't in the main patio space.

As a conceptual urban infill project, the Wexley is designed for a narrow lot in the center of a city block. The 26’x48’ floor plan is divided into thirds from front to back and from left to right. In plan, the left third is reserved for circulation spaces and is reflected in elevation by a monolithic block wall in three shades of gray. Punching through this block wall, in three distinct parts, are the main levels windows for the stair tower, bathroom, and patio. The right two-thirds of the main level are reserved for the living room, kitchen, and dining room. At 16’ long, front to back, these three rooms align perfectly with the three-part block wall façade. It’s this interplay between plan and elevation that creates cohesion between each façade, no matter where it’s viewed. Given that this project would have neighbors on either side, great care was taken in crafting desirable vistas for the living, dining, and master bedroom. Upstairs, with a view to the street, the master bedroom has a pair of closets and a skillfully planned bathroom complete with soaker tub and separate tiled shower. Main level cabinetry and built-ins serve as dividing elements between rooms and framing elements for views outside. Architect: Visbeen Architects Builder: J. Peterson Homes Photographer: Ashley Avila Photography

Tom Harper
Example of a transitional multicolored tile powder room design in Miami with a vessel sink, flat-panel cabinets, dark wood cabinets and gray countertops

Lisa Weatherbee
Example of an eclectic bedroom design in New York with blue walls

This retaining wall project in inspired by our Travertina Raw stone. The Travertina Raw collection has been extended to a double-sided, segmental retaining wall system. This product mimics the texture of natural travertine in a concrete material for wall blocks. Build outdoor raised planters, outdoor kitchens, seating benches and more with this wall block. This product line has enjoyed huge success and has now been improved with an ultra robust mix design, making it far more durable than the natural alternative. This is a perfect solution in freeze-thaw climates. Check out our website to shop the look! https://www.techo-bloc.com/shop/walls/travertina-raw/

Tricia Shay Photography
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary gray two-story mixed siding house exterior remodel in Milwaukee with a shed roof

This curved walk in glass block shower wall combines both obscure "wave" pattern glass blocks in the lower rows for privacy with 2 rows of "clear" (see-through) blocks on the upper rows to have sight into the bathroom.

Example of a large trendy master white tile porcelain tile, white floor and double-sink bathroom design in Other with shaker cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, a drop-in sink, quartzite countertops, a hinged shower door and a built-in vanity

A perfect addition to your outdoor living is a seating wall surrounding a firepit. Cambridge Maytrx wall, Pyzique Fire Pit, Round table Pavers. Installed by Natural Green Landsacpe & Design in Lincoln, RI

Interior Design by Pamala Deikel Design Photos by Paul Rollis
Example of a large country formal and open concept light wood floor and beige floor living room design in San Francisco with white walls, a ribbon fireplace, a metal fireplace and no tv

Example of a small trendy beige tile and marble tile marble floor and white floor powder room design in Phoenix with gray walls, a vessel sink, wood countertops, open cabinets, a one-piece toilet and brown countertops