Our Chicago design-build team used timeless design elements like black-and-white with touches of wood in this bathroom renovation. --- Project designed by Skokie renovation firm, Chi Renovations & Design - general contractors, kitchen and bath remodelers, and design & build company. They serve the Chicago area, and it's surrounding suburbs, with an emphasis on the North Side and North Shore. You'll find their work from the Loop through Lincoln Park, Skokie, Evanston, Wilmette, and all the way up to Lake Forest. For more about Chi Renovation & Design, click here: https://www.chirenovation.com/

Transitional gray floor and double-sink freestanding bathtub photo in Denver with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, white walls, gray countertops, a freestanding vanity and an undermount sink

The bench seating in the breakfast nook cleverly covers the baseboard heating while the metal wire mesh inserts still allow for airflow.
Eat-in kitchen - mid-sized transitional galley light wood floor and beige floor eat-in kitchen idea in Minneapolis with a farmhouse sink, shaker cabinets, black cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, porcelain backsplash, stainless steel appliances, no island and white countertops

Margaret Ferrec
Eclectic family room photo in New York

This modern green home offers both a vacation destination on Cape Cod near local family members and an opportunity for rental income. FAMILY ROOTS. A West Coast couple living in the San Francisco Bay Area sought a permanent East Coast vacation home near family members living on Cape Cod. As academic professionals focused on sustainability, they sought a green, energy efficient home that was well-aligned with their values. With no green homes available for sale on Cape Cod, they decided to purchase land near their family and build their own. SLOPED SITE. Comprised of a 3/4 acre lot nestled in the pines, the steeply sloping terrain called for a plan that embraced and took advantage of the slope. Of equal priority was optimizing solar exposure, preserving privacy from abutters, and creating outdoor living space. The design accomplished these goals with a simple, rectilinear form, offering living space on the both entry and lower/basement levels. The stepped foundation allows for a walk-out basement level with light-filled living space on the down-hill side of the home. The traditional basement on the eastern, up-hill side houses mechanical equipment and a home gym. The house welcomes natural light throughout, captures views of the forest, and delivers entertainment space that connects indoor living space to outdoor deck and dining patio. MODERN VISION. The clean building form and uncomplicated finishes pay homage to the modern architectural legacy on the outer Cape. Durable and economical fiber cement panels, fixed with aluminum channels, clad the primary form. Cedar clapboards provide a visual accent at the south-facing living room, which extends a single roof plane to cover the entry porch. SMART USE OF SPACE. On the entry level, the “L”-shaped living, dining, and kitchen space connects to the exterior living, dining, and grilling spaces to effectively double the home’s summertime entertainment area. Placed at the western end of the entry level (where it can retain privacy but still claim expansive downhill views) is the master suite with a built-in study. The lower level has two guest bedrooms, a second full bathroom, and laundry. The flexibility of the space—crucial in a house with a modest footprint—emerges in one of the guest bedrooms, which doubles as home office by opening the barn-style double doors to connect it to the bright, airy open stair leading up to the entry level. Thoughtful design, generous ceiling heights and large windows transform the modest 1,100 sf* footprint into a well-lit, spacious home. *(total finished space is 1800 sf) RENTAL INCOME. The property works for its owners by netting rental income when the owners are home in San Francisco. The house especially caters to vacationers bound for nearby Mayo Beach and includes an outdoor shower adjacent to the lower level entry door. In contrast to the bare bones cottages that are typically available on the Cape, this home offers prospective tenants a modern aesthetic, paired with luxurious and green features. Durable finishes inside and out will ensure longevity with the heavier use that comes with a rental property. COMFORT YEAR-ROUND. The home is super-insulated and air-tight, with mechanical ventilation to provide continuous fresh air from the outside. High performance triple-paned windows complement the building enclosure and maximize passive solar gain while ensuring a warm, draft-free winter, even when sitting close to the glass. A properly sized air source heat pump offers efficient heating & cooling, and includes a carefully designed the duct distribution system to provide even comfort throughout the house. The super-insulated envelope allows us to significantly reduce the equipment capacity, duct size, and airflow quantities, while maintaining unparalleled thermal comfort. ENERGY EFFICIENT. The building’s shell and mechanical systems play instrumental roles in the home’s exceptional performance. The building enclosure reduces the most significant energy glutton: heating. Continuous super-insulation, thorough air sealing, triple-pane windows, and passive solar gain work together to yield a miniscule heating load. All active energy consumers are extremely efficient: an air source heat pump for heating and cooling, a heat pump hot water heater, LED lighting, energy recovery ventilation (ERV), and high efficiency appliances. The result is a home that uses 70% less energy than a similar new home built to code requirements. OVERALL. The home embodies the owners’ goals and values while comprehensively enabling thermal comfort, energy efficiency, a vacation respite, and supplementary income. PROJECT TEAM ZeroEnergy Design - Architect & Mechanical Designer A.F. Hultin & Co. - Contractor Pamet Valley Landscape Design - Landscape & Masonry Lisa Finch - Original Artwork European Architectural Supply - Windows Eric Roth Photography - Photography

This beautiful, all-cedar privacy fence warmly welcomes visitors and keeps the eyes looking around the yard. The arbor extends over the patio to continue the green-black trim to better frame the white house. The HVAC units have been fenced in with a visual screen that lets airflow through - and the panels are removable for maintenance access. We also replaced the old planter boxes on the front windows.

VistaLuxe® Collection windows include a large casement that allows passage of light and airflow. Photos © David Dietrich Photography
Inspiration for a contemporary freestanding desk light wood floor and beige floor study room remodel in Other with white walls

Kathy’s outdoor shower features Sun Breeze Blocks designed by Trina Turk for Tesselle, creating a private yet breezy space filled with sunlight and warmth. The repeating geometric design offers both pattern and privacy, casting ever-changing shadows throughout the day. This modern outdoor structure demonstrates how breeze blocks can bring texture and personality to any setting — adding style, airflow, and architectural interest to the landscape. Product: Sun Breeze Block by Trina Turk for Tesselle Location: Poolside outdoor shower Design Features: Privacy with airflow, filtered sunlight, geometric design, bold statement architecture

Pool - contemporary tile and rectangular lap pool idea in Orange County

Kathy’s outdoor shower features Sun Breeze Blocks designed by Trina Turk for Tesselle, creating a private yet breezy space filled with sunlight and warmth. The repeating geometric design offers both pattern and privacy, casting ever-changing shadows throughout the day. This modern outdoor structure demonstrates how breeze blocks can bring texture and personality to any setting — adding style, airflow, and architectural interest to the landscape. Product: Sun Breeze Block by Trina Turk for Tesselle Location: Poolside outdoor shower Design Features: Privacy with airflow, filtered sunlight, geometric design, bold statement architecture

Bathroom - mid-century modern bathroom idea in Atlanta

The spacious balcony has stained wood ceilings with recessed lighting and a long blade fan to provide gentle airflow. The comfortable outdoor seating creates a space for hours of taking in the beauty of the island surroundings. Designed by Bob Chatham Custom Home Design and built by VDT Construction. Photos by Bailey Chastang Photography.

Patrick Barta
Trendy single front door photo in Seattle with a medium wood front door

Dutch front door - coastal medium tone wood floor, brown floor, exposed beam, shiplap ceiling, vaulted ceiling and shiplap wall dutch front door idea in San Francisco with white walls and a white front door

Pavel Bendov Photography
Example of an eclectic enclosed living room design in New York with white walls, a standard fireplace, a stone fireplace and no tv

Large farmhouse galley medium tone wood floor and brown floor open concept kitchen photo in Los Angeles with quartz countertops, multicolored backsplash, stainless steel appliances, two islands, an undermount sink, dark wood cabinets, cement tile backsplash, white countertops and recessed-panel cabinets

Linda, Pete Wodzinski Construction
Mid-sized elegant backyard deck photo in Toronto

This elegant mudroom features custom built-in cabinetry painted in a soothing blue, complemented by beadboard paneling and a warm wooden bench. The brass chandelier adds a touch of sophistication, while ample storage and practical hooks ensure functionality and organization in this stylish space.

Hendel Homes Landmark Photography
Inspiration for a transitional gray floor dedicated laundry room remodel in Minneapolis with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, a side-by-side washer/dryer, a farmhouse sink, black countertops and gray walls