Search results for "Actively challenging" in Home Design Ideas

This project is a new 5,900 sf. primary residence for a couple with three children. The site is slightly elevated above the residential street and enjoys winter views of the Potomac River.
The family’s requirements included five bedrooms, five full baths, a powder room, family room, dining room, eat-in kitchen, walk-in pantry, mudroom, lower level recreation room, exercise room, media room and numerous storage spaces. Also included was the request for an outdoor terrace and adequate outdoor storage, including provision for the storage of bikes and kayaks. The family needed a home that would have two entrances, the primary entrance, and a mudroom entry that would provide generous storage spaces for the family’s active lifestyle. Due to the small lot size, the challenge was to accommodate the family’s requirements, while remaining sympathetic to the scale of neighboring homes.
The residence employs a “T” shaped plan to aid in minimizing the massing visible from the street, while organizing interior spaces around a private outdoor terrace space accessible from the living and dining spaces. A generous front porch and a gambrel roof diminish the home’s scale, providing a welcoming view along the street front. A path along the right side of the residence leads to the family entrance and a small outbuilding that provides ready access to the bikes and kayaks while shielding the rear terrace from view of neighboring homes.
The two entrances join a central stair hall that leads to the eat-in kitchen overlooking the great room. Window seats and a custom built banquette provide gathering spaces, while the French doors connect the great room to the terrace where the arbor transitions to the garden. A first floor guest suite, separate from the family areas of the home, affords privacy for both guests and hosts alike. The second floor Master Suite enjoys views of the Potomac River through a second floor arched balcony visible from the front.
The exterior is composed of a board and batten first floor with a cedar shingled second floor and gambrel roof. These two contrasting materials and the inclusion of a partially recessed front porch contribute to the perceived diminution of the home’s scale relative to its smaller neighbors. The overall intention was to create a close fit between the residence and the neighboring context, both built and natural.
Builder: E.H. Johnstone Builders
Anice Hoachlander Photography

Shou sugi ban, weathered mesquite wood and white walls around found throughout this modern home, including in the stairway.
Staircase - modern wooden straight metal railing staircase idea in Austin
Staircase - modern wooden straight metal railing staircase idea in Austin

The client’s coastal New England roots inspired this Shingle style design for a lakefront lot. With a background in interior design, her ideas strongly influenced the process, presenting both challenge and reward in executing her exact vision. Vintage coastal style grounds a thoroughly modern open floor plan, designed to house a busy family with three active children. A primary focus was the kitchen, and more importantly, the butler’s pantry tucked behind it. Flowing logically from the garage entry and mudroom, and with two access points from the main kitchen, it fulfills the utilitarian functions of storage and prep, leaving the main kitchen free to shine as an integral part of the open living area.
An ARDA for Custom Home Design goes to
Royal Oaks Design
Designer: Kieran Liebl
From: Oakdale, Minnesota
Find the right local pro for your project

These custom made French Garage Doors are stunning with their hand-forged decorative iron hardware and swift window iron scrolling. Crafted out of solid mahogany overlay material, these garage doors are actually modern in every way without sacrificing the Old European World Charm typical of the French Mediterranean region.
Encasing the garage door openings to match the custom garage doors was an automatic must and the results speak for themselves. Dynamic Garage Door, has created innovative modern design that resembles the beauty of old world architecture while offering modern day convenience such as automatic activating devices that operate our sectional garage doors.
While there are many semi-custom manufacturers out there few specialize in the true customization and architectural retrofitting that Dynamic Garage Door actually does. We thrive on the challenge of recreating history and offering our clients state-of-the-art custom garage doors that resemble the majestic beauty of historical European Architecture.
What do you think of these custom French Garage Doors on this Mediterranean home? Leave your comments below or if you have any questions on a custom garage door and gate project please call our custom design center today!
Custom Design Center: (855) 343-3667

Our homeowners purchased this home for its excellent location and great bones. They were desirous of returning it to the era of it’s time while updating and modernizing it with the elegance it deserved. To add to our challenges, they were living out of the country during our design and renovation, making for great communications utilizing modern technology to ensure we could deliver what they hoped to achieve. We opened some space in the kitchen to create an updated and more functional kitchen for this active family, relocating appliances for efficiency, adding an island and relocating a chimney. We had structural challenges with the sagging hardwood floors, which required us to reframe floor systems, and while we were at it, we antique finished the hardwoods reminiscent of the 1940’s. We added wainscoting in the dining room and entry stair hallway to enhance the old-world look and added some arched openings to match other areas of the home. We also added custom moldings to the fireplace wall to allow it to shine as a focal point in the space, utilizing restored antique light fixtures. The finished result is stunning and truly honors the integrity of the original time period of this home.

Roger Davies, Architectural Digest. Steel windows and doors manufactured by Optimum Window
Example of a classic home gym design in New York
Example of a classic home gym design in New York

This Second Empire Victorian, was built with a unique, modern, open floor plan for an active young family. The challenge was to design a Transitional Victorian home, honoring the past and creating its own future story. A variety of windows, such as lancet arched, basket arched, round, and the twin half round infused whimsy and authenticity as a nod to the period. Dark blue shingles on the Mansard roof, characteristic of Second Empire Victorians, contrast the white exterior, while the quarter wrap around porch pays homage to the former home.
Architect: T.J. Costello - Hierarchy Architecture + Design
Photographer: Amanda Kirkpatrick

The challenge was creating a functional space out of the rather long and narrow floorplan. By creating distinct zones based off the different activities they would be used for, we were able to start developing a flow using design and architectural elements. The delineation between tv area and the games space was created using open custom millwork. The games area in the back of the space also features an accent wall that coordinates with the framed effect the millwork creates.

This second-story addition to an already 'picture perfect' Naples home presented many challenges. The main tension between adding the many 'must haves' the client wanted on their second floor, but at the same time not overwhelming the first floor. Working with David Benner of Safety Harbor Builders was key in the design and construction process – keeping the critical aesthetic elements in check. The owners were very 'detail oriented' and actively involved throughout the process. The result was adding 924 sq ft to the 1,600 sq ft home, with the addition of a large Bonus/Game Room, Guest Suite, 1-1/2 Baths and Laundry. But most importantly — the second floor is in complete harmony with the first, it looks as it was always meant to be that way.
©Energy Smart Home Plans, Safety Harbor Builders, Glenn Hettinger Photography

The "Holiday Home" represents a novel concept in small villa design, characterized by its unique approach to space division based on time and activities, challenging the traditional model of fixed walls delineating rooms. This design philosophy introduces a refreshing sense of liberation from daily constraints.

The shoe box-shaped living/dining space poses a challenge of traffic pattern. I'll also be breaking up the space into 3 activity areas to eliminate the long and narrow floor plan. Robin Lechner Designs

This second-story addition to an already 'picture perfect' Naples home presented many challenges. The main tension between adding the many 'must haves' the client wanted on their second floor, but at the same time not overwhelming the first floor. Working with David Benner of Safety Harbor Builders was key in the design and construction process – keeping the critical aesthetic elements in check. The owners were very 'detail oriented' and actively involved throughout the process. The result was adding 924 sq ft to the 1,600 sq ft home, with the addition of a large Bonus/Game Room, Guest Suite, 1-1/2 Baths and Laundry. But most importantly — the second floor is in complete harmony with the first, it looks as it was always meant to be that way.
©Energy Smart Home Plans, Safety Harbor Builders, Glenn Hettinger Photography

The client’s coastal New England roots inspired this Shingle style design for a lakefront lot. With a background in interior design, her ideas strongly influenced the process, presenting both challenge and reward in executing her exact vision. Vintage coastal style grounds a thoroughly modern open floor plan, designed to house a busy family with three active children. A primary focus was the kitchen, and more importantly, the butler’s pantry tucked behind it. Flowing logically from the garage entry and mudroom, and with two access points from the main kitchen, it fulfills the utilitarian functions of storage and prep, leaving the main kitchen free to shine as an integral part of the open living area.
An ARDA for Custom Home Design goes to
Royal Oaks Design
Designer: Kieran Liebl
From: Oakdale, Minnesota

Home Gym with black rubber flooring, cool gray wall paint and rich red accents. 18' rope climbing area and boxing bag
Large minimalist black floor home weight room photo in Orlando with gray walls
Large minimalist black floor home weight room photo in Orlando with gray walls

This second-story addition to an already 'picture perfect' Naples home presented many challenges. The main tension between adding the many 'must haves' the client wanted on their second floor, but at the same time not overwhelming the first floor. Working with David Benner of Safety Harbor Builders was key in the design and construction process – keeping the critical aesthetic elements in check. The owners were very 'detail oriented' and actively involved throughout the process. The result was adding 924 sq ft to the 1,600 sq ft home, with the addition of a large Bonus/Game Room, Guest Suite, 1-1/2 Baths and Laundry. But most importantly — the second floor is in complete harmony with the first, it looks as it was always meant to be that way.
©Energy Smart Home Plans, Safety Harbor Builders, Glenn Hettinger Photography

This Second Empire Victorian, was built with a unique, modern, open floor plan for an active young family. The challenge was to design a Transitional Victorian home, honoring the past and creating its own future story. A variety of windows, such as lancet arched, basket arched, round, and the twin half round infused whimsy and authenticity as a nod to the period. Dark blue shingles on the Mansard roof, characteristic of Second Empire Victorians, contrast the white exterior, while the quarter wrap around porch pays homage to the former home.
Architect: T.J. Costello - Hierarchy Architecture + Design
Photographer: Amanda Kirkpatrick

This second-story addition to an already 'picture perfect' Naples home presented many challenges. The main tension between adding the many 'must haves' the client wanted on their second floor, but at the same time not overwhelming the first floor. Working with David Benner of Safety Harbor Builders was key in the design and construction process – keeping the critical aesthetic elements in check. The owners were very 'detail oriented' and actively involved throughout the process. The result was adding 924 sq ft to the 1,600 sq ft home, with the addition of a large Bonus/Game Room, Guest Suite, 1-1/2 Baths and Laundry. But most importantly — the second floor is in complete harmony with the first, it looks as it was always meant to be that way.
©Energy Smart Home Plans, Safety Harbor Builders, Glenn Hettinger Photography

With an active family, keeping open plan spaces clutter-free can be a challenge. Custom built in storage along two walls houses the large screen TV, provides plenty of closed cabinets and open shelving for books and decorative items.

The client’s coastal New England roots inspired this Shingle style design for a lakefront lot. With a background in interior design, her ideas strongly influenced the process, presenting both challenge and reward in executing her exact vision. Vintage coastal style grounds a thoroughly modern open floor plan, designed to house a busy family with three active children. A primary focus was the kitchen, and more importantly, the butler’s pantry tucked behind it. Flowing logically from the garage entry and mudroom, and with two access points from the main kitchen, it fulfills the utilitarian functions of storage and prep, leaving the main kitchen free to shine as an integral part of the open living area.
An ARDA for Custom Home Design goes to
Royal Oaks Design
Designer: Kieran Liebl
From: Oakdale, Minnesota

 
Free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW
 
The homeowners of this mid-century Colonial and family of four were frustrated with the layout of their existing kitchen which was a small, narrow peninsula layout but that was adjoining a large space that they could not figure out how to use. Stealing part of the unused space seemed like an easy solution, except that there was an existing transition in floor height which made that a bit tricky. The solution of bringing the floor height up to meet the height of the existing kitchen allowed us to do just that.
This solution also offered some challenges. The exterior door had to be raised which resulted in some exterior rework, and the floor transition had to happen somewhere to get out to the garage, so we ended up “pushing” it towards what is now a new mudroom and powder room area. This solution allows for a small but functional and hidden mudroom area and more private powder room situation.
Another challenge of the design was the very narrow space. To minimize issues with this, we moved the location of the refrigerator into the newly found space which gave us an L-shaped layout allowing for an island and even some shallow pantry storage. The windows over the kitchen sink were expanded in size and relocated to allow more light into the room. A breakfast table fits perfectly in the area adjacent to the existing French doors and there was even room for a small bar area that helps transition from inside to outside for entertaining. The confusing unused space now makes sense and provides functionality on a daily basis.
To help bring some calm to this busy family, a pallet of soft neutrals was chosen -- gray glass tile with a simple metal accent strip, clear modern pendant lights and a neutral color scheme for cabinetry and countertops.
For more information on kitchen and bath design ideas go to: www.kitchenstudio-ge.com
4
