our ADU: a modern cabin in the heart of the mission district Having recently purchased a well located 3-bed/2.5-bath residence in The Mission District of San Francisco, our client (he is an eye surgeon, she is an IT specialist in the medical field) came to us looking for guidance in redesigning a dilapidated casita in the rear of the property. The original vision of building a 2-level structure with a roof deck was quickly abandoned because of code restrictions. Instead, we proposed a full gut renovation of this stand alone cottage within the existing 400 sf footprint. As such, we focused on creating an expansive and serene environment through improved organization and flow, refined material details, and an abundance of light.

Open Kitchen / Family Room Photo Credit: Sean Shanahan
Eclectic open concept dark wood floor family room photo in DC Metro with white walls, a standard fireplace and a wall-mounted tv

Trendy enclosed family room photo in Austin

Guest bathroom remodel in Dallas, TX by Kitchen Design Concepts. This Girl's Bath features cabinetry by WW Woods Eclipse with a square flat panel door style, maple construction, and a finish of Arctic paint with a Slate Highlight / Brushed finish. Hand towel holder, towel bar and toilet tissue holder from Kohler Bancroft Collection in polished chrome. Heated mirror over vanity with interior storage and lighting. Tile -- Renaissance 2x2 Hex White tile, Matte finish in a straight lay; Daltile Rittenhouse Square Cove 3x6 Tile K101 White as base mold throughout; Arizona Tile H-Line Series 3x6 Denim Glossy in a brick lay up the wall, window casing and built-in niche and matching curb and bullnose pieces. Countertop -- 3 cm Caesarstone Frosty Carina. Vanity sink -- Toto Undercounter Lavatory with SanaGloss Cotton. Vanity faucet-- Widespread faucet with White ceramic lever handles. Tub filler - Kohler Devonshire non-diverter bath spout polished chrome. Shower control – Kohler Bancroft valve trim with white ceramic lever handles. Hand Shower & Slider Bar - one multifunction handshower with Slide Bar. Commode - Toto Maris Wall-Hung Dual-Flush Toilet Cotton w/ Rectangular Push Plate Dual Button White. Photos by Unique Exposure Photography

A dark backyard was given a new life with dramatic additions of built in planting beds, custom cut salvaged pavers, green screen trellis and a ton of charm. The reclaimed barn doors add a focal point to the east wall while the custom built two-tier planting system allows vines to fill this garden which spans two floors of the client's home.

Susan Teare
Example of a small mountain style two-story wood exterior home design in Burlington

Set on a narrow lakefront parcel defined by tight setbacks and limited hardscape allowance, this modern cabin demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform restriction into possibility. Carefully composed to preserve privacy while opening fully toward the water, the home feels both expansive and intimate—an elevated retreat grounded in its landscape. Though modest in footprint, the residence lives generously. Four bedrooms are tucked efficiently within the plan, including a light-filled quilting studio that reflects the homeowners’ creative life. Each bedroom opens onto its own private balcony, offering moments of pause and perspective with views stretching across lake and countryside. The upper level also includes a family room, providing a quiet gathering space removed from the activity below. From here, the home’s vertical volume becomes apparent, as daylight pours down through a dramatic two-story space framed by glass facing the lake. At the center of the home, a custom steel-and-wood plank stair acts as both circulation and sculpture. Rising through the double-height volume, it leads the eye upward to a tall Nelson cigar lamp suspended above—an intentional moment of drama and delight. The main floor is designed around connection and flow. Kitchen, dining, and living areas exist as one continuous space, unified by light, views, and material warmth. A 12-foot-long island anchors the kitchen, serving as the natural gathering place for morning coffee, family meals, and summertime buffet-style entertaining. When fully opened, large folding accordion glass doors dissolve the boundary between inside and out, allowing the screened porch to become a true extension of the living space. Function is carefully layered throughout the plan. A mudroom entry from the tucked-under two-car garage includes a powder room and utility closet, while a generous entry closet provides essential storage and has been dimensioned to accommodate a future elevator. Designed intentionally for aging in place, the home incorporates zero-threshold access from the garage, wide halls and doorways, reinforced wall blocking for future grab bars, and infrastructure for a future elevator—ensuring long-term comfort without compromising design. Clad in dark painted board-and-batten siding, the exterior minimizes visual scale and allows the home to recede quietly into the landscape. Recessed balconies and façade elements are wrapped in warm wood-look siding, adding depth and contrast while bringing warmth into the interior. At night, light spills softly from within, and the cabin glows along the shoreline—welcoming, calm, and enduring.

Example of a transitional master light wood floor bedroom design in New York with gray walls and a standard fireplace

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen remodel in Seattle

Anice Hoachlander, Hoachlander Davis Photography
Inspiration for a large mid-century modern slate floor and gray floor entryway remodel in DC Metro with gray walls and a red front door

Photography by John Gibbons This project is designed as a family retreat for a client that has been visiting the southern Colorado area for decades. The cabin consists of two bedrooms and two bathrooms – with guest quarters accessed from exterior deck. Project by Studio H:T principal in charge Brad Tomecek (now with Tomecek Studio Architecture). The project is assembled with the structural and weather tight use of shipping containers. The cabin uses one 40’ container and six 20′ containers. The ends will be structurally reinforced and enclosed with additional site built walls and custom fitted high-performance glazing assemblies.

Example of a trendy white two-story stucco flat roof design in Miami

The kids’ “fish bedroom” was one of our favorite rooms in the Naples house to design! Twin beds are so restrictive, so we opted for full size beds so the kids could also feel comfortable in their beds as they got older. First of all, can we please talk about this amazing custom fish wallpaper we wrapped around the room? The whimsical, nautical motifs continue with a white shiplap wall, porthole mirrors, a nautical rope chandelier, and a driftwood table lamp between the beds. But it’s the all-white elegance and additional modern details that makes this bedroom remarkable. We’re obsessed over our Welch wingback chair and the crisp, custom beds and benches you can order directly from KKH.

Michael Hsu
Large transitional white two-story wood exterior home idea in Austin

Request Free Quote This pool in Burr Ridge, IL measures 16'0" x 40'0", and the raised hot tub measures 7'0" x9'0". The hot tub has a sheer waterfall features spilling into the pool. There is a set of square rectilinear steps in one corner of the shallow end, as well as 2 deep end benches. There are also 4 deck spray water features. The coping on the pool and hot tub is Valder's Wisconsin Limestone. The pool deck is Unilock Indian Coast Sandstone, and the stone cladding on the spa is architecturally-cut Valder's Wisconsin Limestone. Photos by Larry Huene

The house is located in Conyers Farm, a residential development, known for its’ grand estates and polo fields. Although the site is just over 10 acres, due to wetlands and conservation areas only 3 acres adjacent to Upper Cross Road could be developed for the house. These restrictions, along with building setbacks led to the linear planning of the house. To maintain a larger back yard, the garage wing was ‘cranked’ towards the street. The bent wing hinged at the three-story turret, reinforces the rambling character and suggests a sense of enclosure around the entry drive court. Designed in the tradition of late nineteenth-century American country houses. The house has a variety of living spaces, each distinct in shape and orientation. Porches with Greek Doric columns, relaxed plan, juxtaposed masses and shingle-style exterior details all contribute to the elegant “country house” character.

The design brief for this garden was to create an inviting entry with a woodland feel that would complement the home's earthy color scheme and thoughtful architectural details. Majestic Sequoia sempervirens 'Aptos Blue' (Aptos Blue Coastal Redwood), with its pendant deep blue-green branches, shields the expanded porch from the afternoon sun. Selected for its ability to look good in sun or shade, Carex divulsa (Berkeley sedge) makes a lush ground cover, weaving through the trees and along the new slate walk. In fall, muhlenbergia capillaris explodes with feathery pink plumes. Photos by Martin Cox Photography.

Example of a mid-sized trendy gender-neutral medium tone wood floor and brown floor walk-in closet design in Other

Mark Meissner
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional galley medium tone wood floor open concept kitchen remodel in Other with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, dark wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige backsplash, stone tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island