This project, an extensive remodel and addition to an existing modern residence high above Silicon Valley, was inspired by dominant images and textures from the site: boulders, bark, and leaves. We created a two-story addition clad in traditional Japanese Shou Sugi Ban burnt wood siding that anchors home and site. Natural textures also prevail in the cosmetic remodeling of all the living spaces. The new volume adjacent to an expanded kitchen contains a family room and staircase to an upper guest suite. The original home was a joint venture between Min | Day as Design Architect and Burks Toma Architects as Architect of Record and was substantially completed in 1999. In 2005, Min | Day added the swimming pool and related outdoor spaces. Schwartz and Architecture (SaA) began work on the addition and substantial remodel of the interior in 2009, completed in 2015. Photo by Matthew Millman

A modern inspired, contemporary town house in Philadelphia's most historic neighborhood. This custom built luxurious home provides state of the art urban living on six levels with all the conveniences of suburban homes. Vertical staking allows for each floor to have its own function, feel, style and purpose, yet they all blend to create a rarely seen home. A six-level elevator makes movement easy throughout. With over 5,000 square feet of usable indoor space and over 1,200 square feet of usable exterior space, this is urban living at its best. Breathtaking 360 degree views from the roof deck with outdoor kitchen and plunge pool makes this home a 365 day a year oasis in the city. Photography by Jay Greene.

A modern inspired, contemporary town house in Philadelphia's most historic neighborhood. This custom built luxurious home provides state of the art urban living on six levels with all the conveniences of suburban homes. Vertical staking allows for each floor to have its own function, feel, style and purpose, yet they all blend to create a rarely seen home. A six-level elevator makes movement easy throughout. With over 5,000 square feet of usable indoor space and over 1,200 square feet of usable exterior space, this is urban living at its best. Breathtaking 360 degree views from the roof deck with outdoor kitchen and plunge pool makes this home a 365 day a year oasis in the city. Photography by Jay Greene.

This 4,000 square-foot private residence is located at one of the city’s most prestigious addresses: the Intercontinental of Boston. Conveniently situated downtown near the waterfront, the home offers incredible city views and easy access to Boston’s most reputable restaurants, shops, and parks. A complete, full gut renovation, this transformation brings in the most contemporary and current design flair and is punctuated with strong millwork detail. Full home automation allows for ease and comfort of day-to-day living. Premium appliance package and textured finishes in all areas of the house provide a plush look and sophisticated feel.

A master bedroom retreat that makes you want to call in sick and stay in bed all day. John Woodcock Photography
Example of a transitional master medium tone wood floor bedroom design in Phoenix with beige walls and no fireplace

This project, an extensive remodel and addition to an existing modern residence high above Silicon Valley, was inspired by dominant images and textures from the site: boulders, bark, and leaves. We created a two-story addition clad in traditional Japanese Shou Sugi Ban burnt wood siding that anchors home and site. Natural textures also prevail in the cosmetic remodeling of all the living spaces. The new volume adjacent to an expanded kitchen contains a family room and staircase to an upper guest suite. The original home was a joint venture between Min | Day as Design Architect and Burks Toma Architects as Architect of Record and was substantially completed in 1999. In 2005, Min | Day added the swimming pool and related outdoor spaces. Schwartz and Architecture (SaA) began work on the addition and substantial remodel of the interior in 2009, completed in 2015. Photo by Matthew Millman

Welcome to five separate units of luxury living. The residences at Greenleaf are the new standard for living the integrated lifestyle. While multiple systems control everything from lighting and powered windows, to custom wireless shades, the life of a Greenleaf resident iseasily controlled through their touchscreen interface. A Single Interface – Unlimited Control Greenleaf units are all controlled through an AMX system using an intuitive iPad user interface. With such a powerful system, residents are able to control their lighting, as well as powered shades and motorized windows through the simple touch of a button. Intelligence in Technology Thanks to automated sensors, residents are always in the know about their home and safety – whether at home or away. The control system monitors the weather and natural lighting to close powered windows if they need to be shut for incoming rain, and raise or lower shades automatically. Lights can be set to turn on as any resident gets home from work late at night, welcoming them home after a long day away. While they are getting ready to head out for a night on the town, residents can listen to their favorite music throughout the home and call the elevator when they’re ready all from one spot. Call stations allow you to always know who is at the front door, so having multiple guests over for dinner is easier (with less trips up and down the stairs). Remote, secure access allows the home owner to control their property from anywhere in the world and make sure everything is safe and sound. Save Energy Without Lifting a Finger Motorized shades can be raised and lowered automatically by the system according to weather and season for efficient light harvesting. Dimmers throughout the residences are set to a default turn-on of 80% for more energy savings. Residents can monitor their heating and cooling systems, as well as energy use, all from their touch pads at home or away. Control that Disappears At every Greenleaf residence your eyes focus on the luxurious design, not the state-of-theart technology that seamlessly controls it all. Spire collaborated to create custom solutions focused around an integrated lifestyle while maintaining the high-end design expected at the Greenleaf Trust building. Equipment List: • Lutron RA 2 Lighting • AMX control processors • Custom iPad user interface • Sonance in-wall iPad dock • Marantz Surround Receivers • Motorized Window Control • Sonance Architectural Series Speakers • Motorized TV lift • Leon Speaker Bars • AMX integrated thermostats w/ weather forecasting • Rain sensors • Elevator control • Pico remotes • Door access control • Siedle Vario Residential Intercom system • Intelix HDMI distribution • Sonic Wall routers with secure remote access (client has remote access) • Apple TV • Airplay Endpoint • Motorola Cable Box • Samsung bluray player • Samsung televisions • Gaming system integration (Xbox and Playstation) • Lutron QS Shades

This project, an extensive remodel and addition to an existing modern residence high above Silicon Valley, was inspired by dominant images and textures from the site: boulders, bark, and leaves. We created a two-story addition clad in traditional Japanese Shou Sugi Ban burnt wood siding that anchors home and site. Natural textures also prevail in the cosmetic remodeling of all the living spaces. The new volume adjacent to an expanded kitchen contains a family room and staircase to an upper guest suite. The original home was a joint venture between Min | Day as Design Architect and Burks Toma Architects as Architect of Record and was substantially completed in 1999. In 2005, Min | Day added the swimming pool and related outdoor spaces. Schwartz and Architecture (SaA) began work on the addition and substantial remodel of the interior in 2009, completed in 2015. Photo by Matthew Millman

This North Shore residence captures commanding views of the ocean, while maintaining a sense of privacy for the homeowners. Their priorities focused on thoughtful design, evolving from a restoration of a small summer cottage into a new home, well sited on a narrow lot. SV Design worked within the constraints of conservation and a flood zone to create a masterpiece of charm and appeal. The home reflects the tastes of the owners, who remained involved through every step of the process. Natural light is well utilized, the open layout provides ease in entertaining and in day to day living, and the views are captured from assorted vantage points. Personalized accents abound throughout the property--- warm wood flooring, stone accents--- both inside and outside of the home, a kitchen with clean lines and efficient storage space, and a butler’s pantry. The design of the property is aesthetically pleasing, creative, and functional; most of all, it fulfilled the visions of the clients.

This Cobble Hill Brownstone for a family of five is a fun and captivating design, the perfect blend of the wife’s love of English country style and the husband’s preference for modern. The young power couple, her the co-founder of Maisonette and him an investor, have three children and a dog, requiring that all the surfaces, finishes and, materials used throughout the home are both beautiful and durable to make every room a carefree space the whole family can enjoy. The primary design challenge for this project was creating both distinct places for the family to live their day to day lives and also a whole floor dedicated to formal entertainment. The clients entertain large dinners on a monthly basis as part of their profession. We solved this by adding an extension on the Garden and Parlor levels. This allowed the Garden level to function as the daily family operations center and the Parlor level to be party central. The kitchen on the garden level is large enough to dine in and accommodate a large catering crew. On the parlor level, we created a large double parlor in the front of the house; this space is dedicated to cocktail hour and after-dinner drinks. The rear of the parlor is a spacious formal dining room that can seat up to 14 guests. The middle "library" space contains a bar and facilitates access to both the front and rear rooms; in this way, it can double as a staging area for the parties. The remaining three floors are sleeping quarters for the family and frequent out of town guests. Designing a row house for private and public functions programmatically returns the building to a configuration in line with its original design. This project was published in Architectural Digest. Photography by Sam Frost

This zen bedroom is a mix of calm beige's with espresso trim accents and a dash of orange. The custom upholstered headboard is made by Avery Boardman in a Clarence House mohair. The platform bed (with storage underneath) has an extended edge that helps lead the eye into the suspended nightstands that have a raised glass top. The shoji panels were custom made by Cherry Tree Designs. We matched the design of them on the frosted glass on the bathroom pocket door. Under the exterior window treatment are roman shades that are made of light proof and sound deadening material. My client travels and wanted to be sure he can make a nighttime feel at any time of the day. The area rug is a neutral low pile looped wool rug that is very durable, soft and just the right look. The accent stool is upholstered in an Ultrasuede material and is used for putting on shoes, etc. To add a touch of drama we found an abstract colorful print for above the bed. All in all a room that is beautiful and custom fitted to the clients dream.

Starting Each Day Clean and Refreshed In This Classically-Modern, Marble Masterpiece In 1985, the previous owner of the house had added an addition of which part included a 17 feet by 13 feet space off the master bedroom for both a master bath and walk-in closet. Irrespective of the dated red carpet that blanketed the entire bathroom of this 1964 colonial in Annandale, VA, the combination bathroom/closet space had its other oddities, primarily in that there was no shower. The current homeowners -- a family of five, who has been in the home for 7 years, was tired of going down the hall to use the kids’ bathroom to take a shower before work. The renovation that they have created now is a bright and luxurious space that one could bask in all day. They used this bathroom renovation opportunity to total remake the layout and function of this essential room that sets the tone for the day ahead. Prior to the renovation, the existing bathroom oddly had two entrances, a typical one off of the master bedroom, but another straight off the upstairs hallway. As the toilet was out in the open in the previous design, ensuring that this second door was closed when company was in town was essential and a nuisance. As you entered the room, situated below the arc window, a large soaking tub that was covered on three sides with wooden steps dominated the room from the corner it projected. A relatively small 42” single bowl sink did not leave much space for his and hers toiletries, and there was no other linen closet or cabinetry for storage in the bathroom. The 8 foot by 5 foot closet with accordion doors had poorly laid out rungs not letting the storage space to be fully utilized. At over 220 square feet, the room did offer considerable space to work with, yet the existing layout, which even included a partition wall behind the vanity, felt cramped and dysfunctional. The homeowners wished to create a classic yet modern, private, deluxe bathroom that would better integrate into their master suite and enable them to start and end each day in a luxurious way. They wanted to maintain having a soaking tub, add in a large shower, have an enclosed commode, expand to include double sinks, and add more storage for toiletries and linens. We worked with the customer to develop a creative design with extensive plumbing rework that accomplished all these needs and more. The first order of business was to gut out all the carpet, tub, cabinetry, and non-load bearing partition walls. The new tub would be generally in the same location, but as the previous walk-in closet would be repurposed for the commode and the walk-in shower additional water lines, plumbing, and draining needed to be added; fortunately the room below is the garage, which enabled the team to frame out some bulkheads to accomplish this complex plumbing. Following the framing, including walling up the second entrance to the bathroom, adding in a pocket door for the commode, and creating the shape of the new shower, the team also laid down the wiring for one of the luxuries of this room – heated flooring. A glossy percaline boarder, and two-inch hexagon shape percaline tiles cover the entire floor, making it much easier and cleaner than the previous carpet. Marble look tile is predominant throughout the bathroom as despite the angled frameless glass door, the entire shower is covered in 18 inch polished marble look tiles. The shower coats the user in water from either the overhead rain head, large main showerhead and/or the hand held sprayer. Over 7 feet of white Italian Statuetto marble countertop, enable the couple to have two sink bowls and plenty of room on each side. The bowls are exposed in this stainless steel console sink design which required the team to ensure that the exposed plumbing looked pristine, and painting the bottom of the porcelain bowl to match the coloring. The white cast-iron 72-inch Cecilia claw-foot soaking tub and its chrome lion’s paws complement that other chrome and white used throughout the room. A tall, almost floor-to-ceiling linen closet finished in arctic white is nestled in the corner near the tub, enabling ample storage of towels, etc. Other cabinetry includes an 18 inch-wide vanity with decorative footing is centered between the two sinks, and a 27 inch wall mounted cabinet with shelf is above the Kohler Devonshire elongated toilet. Billowing cloud colored grey blue paint was a great choice for this room to pick up on the veining in the marble. Mirrored medicine chests, a chandelier, wall sconces, and overhead recessed lighting also were incorporated into the design and function of the new room. The artful combination of classic design from material choices, such as free-standing Victorian claw-foot tub along with the modern design as seen in the angled shower, frameless medicine cabinet mirrors, and frosted glass pocket door on the commode, make this bathroom quite a masterpiece. The clients are enjoying having their private space and not having the use the kids’ bathroom anymore.

Download our free ebook, Creating the Ideal Kitchen. DOWNLOAD NOW As with most projects, it all started with the kitchen layout. The home owners came to us wanting to upgrade their kitchen and overall aesthetic in their suburban home, with a combination of fresh paint, updated finishes, and improved flow for more ease when doing everyday activities. A monochromatic, earth-toned palette left the kitchen feeling uninspired. It lacked the brightness they wanted from their space. An eat-in table underutilized the available square footage. The butler’s pantry was out of the way and hard to access, and the dining room felt detached from the kitchen. Lead Designer, Stephanie Cole, saw an improved layout for the spaces that were no longer working for this family. By eliminating an existing wall between the kitchen and dining room, and relocating the bar area to the dining room, we opened up the kitchen, providing all the space we needed to create a dreamy and functional layout. A new perimeter configuration promoted circulation while also making space for a large and functional island loaded with seating – a must for any family. Because an island that isn’t big enough for everyone (and a few more) is a recipe for disaster. The light white cabinetry is fresh and contrasts with the deeper tones in the wood flooring, creating a modern aesthetic that is elevated, yet approachable for everyday living. With better flow as the overarching goal, we made some structural changes too. To remove a bottleneck in the entryway, we angled one of the dining room walls to create more natural separation between rooms and facilitate ease of movement throughout the large space. At The Kitchen Studio, we believe a well-designed kitchen uses every square inch to the fullest. By starting from scratch, it was possible to rethink the entire kitchen layout and design the space according to how it is used, because the kitchen shouldn’t make it harder to feed the family. A new location for the existing range, flanked by a new column refrigerator and freezer on each side, worked to anchor the space. The very large and very spacious island (a dream island if we do say so ourselves) now houses the primary sink and provides ample space for food prep and family gathering. The new kitchen table and coordinating banquette seating provide a cozy nook for quick breakfasts before school or work, and evening homework sessions. Elegant gold details catch the natural light, elevating the aesthetic. The dining room was transformed into one of this client’s favorite spaces and we couldn’t agree more. We saw an opportunity to give the dining room a more distinguished identity by closing off the entrance from the foyer. The relocated wet bar enhances the sophisticated vibe of this gathering space, complete with beautiful antique mirror tiles and open shelving encased by moody built-in cabinets. Updated furnishings add warmth. A rich walnut table is paired with custom chairs in a muted coral fabric. The large, transitional chandelier grounds the room, pairing beautifully with the gold finishes prevalent in the faucet and cabinet hardware. Linen-inspired wallpaper and cream-toned window treatments add to the glamorous feel of this entertainment space. There is no way around it. The laundry room was cramped. The large washer and dryer blocked access to the sink and left little room for the space to serve its other essential function – as a mudroom. Because we reworked the kitchen layout to create more space overall, we could rethink the mudroom too – an essential for any busy family. The first step was moving the washer and dryer to an existing area on the second floor, where most of the family’s laundry lives (no one wants to carry laundry up and down the stairs if they don’t have to anyway). This is a more functional solution and opened up the space for all the mudroom necessities – including the existing kitchen refrigerator, loads of built-in cubbies, and a bench. It’s hard to not fall in love with every detail of a new space, especially when it serves your day-to-day life. But that doesn’t mean the clients didn’t have their favorite features they use on the daily. This remodel was focused largely on function with a new kitchen layout. And it’s the functional features that have the biggest impact. The large island provides much needed workspace in the kitchen and is a spot where everyone gathers together – it grounds the space and the family. And the custom counter stools are the icing on the cake. The nearby mudroom has everything their previous space was lacking – ample storage, space for everyone’s essentials, and the beloved cement floor tiles that are both durable and artistic.

This 4,000 square-foot private residence is located at one of the city’s most prestigious addresses: the Intercontinental of Boston. Conveniently situated downtown near the waterfront, the home offers incredible city views and easy access to Boston’s most reputable restaurants, shops, and parks. A complete, full gut renovation, this transformation brings in the most contemporary and current design flair and is punctuated with strong millwork detail. Full home automation allows for ease and comfort of day-to-day living. Premium appliance package and textured finishes in all areas of the house provide a plush look and sophisticated feel.

Starting Each Day Clean and Refreshed In This Classically-Modern, Marble Masterpiece In 1985, the previous owner of the house had added an addition of which part included a 17 feet by 13 feet space off the master bedroom for both a master bath and walk-in closet. Irrespective of the dated red carpet that blanketed the entire bathroom of this 1964 colonial in Annandale, VA, the combination bathroom/closet space had its other oddities, primarily in that there was no shower. The current homeowners -- a family of five, who has been in the home for 7 years, was tired of going down the hall to use the kids’ bathroom to take a shower before work. The renovation that they have created now is a bright and luxurious space that one could bask in all day. They used this bathroom renovation opportunity to total remake the layout and function of this essential room that sets the tone for the day ahead. Prior to the renovation, the existing bathroom oddly had two entrances, a typical one off of the master bedroom, but another straight off the upstairs hallway. As the toilet was out in the open in the previous design, ensuring that this second door was closed when company was in town was essential and a nuisance. As you entered the room, situated below the arc window, a large soaking tub that was covered on three sides with wooden steps dominated the room from the corner it projected. A relatively small 42” single bowl sink did not leave much space for his and hers toiletries, and there was no other linen closet or cabinetry for storage in the bathroom. The 8 foot by 5 foot closet with accordion doors had poorly laid out rungs not letting the storage space to be fully utilized. At over 220 square feet, the room did offer considerable space to work with, yet the existing layout, which even included a partition wall behind the vanity, felt cramped and dysfunctional. The homeowners wished to create a classic yet modern, private, deluxe bathroom that would better integrate into their master suite and enable them to start and end each day in a luxurious way. They wanted to maintain having a soaking tub, add in a large shower, have an enclosed commode, expand to include double sinks, and add more storage for toiletries and linens. We worked with the customer to develop a creative design with extensive plumbing rework that accomplished all these needs and more. The first order of business was to gut out all the carpet, tub, cabinetry, and non-load bearing partition walls. The new tub would be generally in the same location, but as the previous walk-in closet would be repurposed for the commode and the walk-in shower additional water lines, plumbing, and draining needed to be added; fortunately the room below is the garage, which enabled the team to frame out some bulkheads to accomplish this complex plumbing. Following the framing, including walling up the second entrance to the bathroom, adding in a pocket door for the commode, and creating the shape of the new shower, the team also laid down the wiring for one of the luxuries of this room – heated flooring. A glossy percaline boarder, and two-inch hexagon shape percaline tiles cover the entire floor, making it much easier and cleaner than the previous carpet. Marble look tile is predominant throughout the bathroom as despite the angled frameless glass door, the entire shower is covered in 18 inch polished marble look tiles. The shower coats the user in water from either the overhead rain head, large main showerhead and/or the hand held sprayer. Over 7 feet of white Italian Statuetto marble countertop, enable the couple to have two sink bowls and plenty of room on each side. The bowls are exposed in this stainless steel console sink design which required the team to ensure that the exposed plumbing looked pristine, and painting the bottom of the porcelain bowl to match the coloring. The white cast-iron 72-inch Cecilia claw-foot soaking tub and its chrome lion’s paws complement that other chrome and white used throughout the room. A tall, almost floor-to-ceiling linen closet finished in arctic white is nestled in the corner near the tub, enabling ample storage of towels, etc. Other cabinetry includes an 18 inch-wide vanity with decorative footing is centered between the two sinks, and a 27 inch wall mounted cabinet with shelf is above the Kohler Devonshire elongated toilet. Billowing cloud colored grey blue paint was a great choice for this room to pick up on the veining in the marble. Mirrored medicine chests, a chandelier, wall sconces, and overhead recessed lighting also were incorporated into the design and function of the new room. The artful combination of classic design from material choices, such as free-standing Victorian claw-foot tub along with the modern design as seen in the angled shower, frameless medicine cabinet mirrors, and frosted glass pocket door on the commode, make this bathroom quite a masterpiece. The clients are enjoying having their private space and not having the use the kids’ bathroom anymore.

Inspiration for a contemporary dining room remodel in Los Angeles

Starting Each Day Clean and Refreshed In This Classically-Modern, Marble Masterpiece In 1985, the previous owner of the house had added an addition of which part included a 17 feet by 13 feet space off the master bedroom for both a master bath and walk-in closet. Irrespective of the dated red carpet that blanketed the entire bathroom of this 1964 colonial in Annandale, VA, the combination bathroom/closet space had its other oddities, primarily in that there was no shower. The current homeowners -- a family of five, who has been in the home for 7 years, was tired of going down the hall to use the kids’ bathroom to take a shower before work. The renovation that they have created now is a bright and luxurious space that one could bask in all day. They used this bathroom renovation opportunity to total remake the layout and function of this essential room that sets the tone for the day ahead. Prior to the renovation, the existing bathroom oddly had two entrances, a typical one off of the master bedroom, but another straight off the upstairs hallway. As the toilet was out in the open in the previous design, ensuring that this second door was closed when company was in town was essential and a nuisance. As you entered the room, situated below the arc window, a large soaking tub that was covered on three sides with wooden steps dominated the room from the corner it projected. A relatively small 42” single bowl sink did not leave much space for his and hers toiletries, and there was no other linen closet or cabinetry for storage in the bathroom. The 8 foot by 5 foot closet with accordion doors had poorly laid out rungs not letting the storage space to be fully utilized. At over 220 square feet, the room did offer considerable space to work with, yet the existing layout, which even included a partition wall behind the vanity, felt cramped and dysfunctional. The homeowners wished to create a classic yet modern, private, deluxe bathroom that would better integrate into their master suite and enable them to start and end each day in a luxurious way. They wanted to maintain having a soaking tub, add in a large shower, have an enclosed commode, expand to include double sinks, and add more storage for toiletries and linens. We worked with the customer to develop a creative design with extensive plumbing rework that accomplished all these needs and more. The first order of business was to gut out all the carpet, tub, cabinetry, and non-load bearing partition walls. The new tub would be generally in the same location, but as the previous walk-in closet would be repurposed for the commode and the walk-in shower additional water lines, plumbing, and draining needed to be added; fortunately the room below is the garage, which enabled the team to frame out some bulkheads to accomplish this complex plumbing. Following the framing, including walling up the second entrance to the bathroom, adding in a pocket door for the commode, and creating the shape of the new shower, the team also laid down the wiring for one of the luxuries of this room – heated flooring. A glossy percaline boarder, and two-inch hexagon shape percaline tiles cover the entire floor, making it much easier and cleaner than the previous carpet. Marble look tile is predominant throughout the bathroom as despite the angled frameless glass door, the entire shower is covered in 18 inch polished marble look tiles. The shower coats the user in water from either the overhead rain head, large main showerhead and/or the hand held sprayer. Over 7 feet of white Italian Statuetto marble countertop, enable the couple to have two sink bowls and plenty of room on each side. The bowls are exposed in this stainless steel console sink design which required the team to ensure that the exposed plumbing looked pristine, and painting the bottom of the porcelain bowl to match the coloring. The white cast-iron 72-inch Cecilia claw-foot soaking tub and its chrome lion’s paws complement that other chrome and white used throughout the room. A tall, almost floor-to-ceiling linen closet finished in arctic white is nestled in the corner near the tub, enabling ample storage of towels, etc. Other cabinetry includes an 18 inch-wide vanity with decorative footing is centered between the two sinks, and a 27 inch wall mounted cabinet with shelf is above the Kohler Devonshire elongated toilet. Billowing cloud colored grey blue paint was a great choice for this room to pick up on the veining in the marble. Mirrored medicine chests, a chandelier, wall sconces, and overhead recessed lighting also were incorporated into the design and function of the new room. The artful combination of classic design from material choices, such as free-standing Victorian claw-foot tub along with the modern design as seen in the angled shower, frameless medicine cabinet mirrors, and frosted glass pocket door on the commode, make this bathroom quite a masterpiece. The clients are enjoying having their private space and not having the use the kids’ bathroom anymore.

A modern inspired, contemporary town house in Philadelphia's most historic neighborhood. This custom built luxurious home provides state of the art urban living on six levels with all the conveniences of suburban homes. Vertical staking allows for each floor to have its own function, feel, style and purpose, yet they all blend to create a rarely seen home. A six-level elevator makes movement easy throughout. With over 5,000 square feet of usable indoor space and over 1,200 square feet of usable exterior space, this is urban living at its best. Breathtaking 360 degree views from the roof deck with outdoor kitchen and plunge pool makes this home a 365 day a year oasis in the city. Photography by Jay Greene.

Starting Each Day Clean and Refreshed In This Classically-Modern, Marble Masterpiece In 1985, the previous owner of the house had added an addition of which part included a 17 feet by 13 feet space off the master bedroom for both a master bath and walk-in closet. Irrespective of the dated red carpet that blanketed the entire bathroom of this 1964 colonial in Annandale, VA, the combination bathroom/closet space had its other oddities, primarily in that there was no shower. The current homeowners -- a family of five, who has been in the home for 7 years, was tired of going down the hall to use the kids’ bathroom to take a shower before work. The renovation that they have created now is a bright and luxurious space that one could bask in all day. They used this bathroom renovation opportunity to total remake the layout and function of this essential room that sets the tone for the day ahead. Prior to the renovation, the existing bathroom oddly had two entrances, a typical one off of the master bedroom, but another straight off the upstairs hallway. As the toilet was out in the open in the previous design, ensuring that this second door was closed when company was in town was essential and a nuisance. As you entered the room, situated below the arc window, a large soaking tub that was covered on three sides with wooden steps dominated the room from the corner it projected. A relatively small 42” single bowl sink did not leave much space for his and hers toiletries, and there was no other linen closet or cabinetry for storage in the bathroom. The 8 foot by 5 foot closet with accordion doors had poorly laid out rungs not letting the storage space to be fully utilized. At over 220 square feet, the room did offer considerable space to work with, yet the existing layout, which even included a partition wall behind the vanity, felt cramped and dysfunctional. The homeowners wished to create a classic yet modern, private, deluxe bathroom that would better integrate into their master suite and enable them to start and end each day in a luxurious way. They wanted to maintain having a soaking tub, add in a large shower, have an enclosed commode, expand to include double sinks, and add more storage for toiletries and linens. We worked with the customer to develop a creative design with extensive plumbing rework that accomplished all these needs and more. The first order of business was to gut out all the carpet, tub, cabinetry, and non-load bearing partition walls. The new tub would be generally in the same location, but as the previous walk-in closet would be repurposed for the commode and the walk-in shower additional water lines, plumbing, and draining needed to be added; fortunately the room below is the garage, which enabled the team to frame out some bulkheads to accomplish this complex plumbing. Following the framing, including walling up the second entrance to the bathroom, adding in a pocket door for the commode, and creating the shape of the new shower, the team also laid down the wiring for one of the luxuries of this room – heated flooring. A glossy percaline boarder, and two-inch hexagon shape percaline tiles cover the entire floor, making it much easier and cleaner than the previous carpet. Marble look tile is predominant throughout the bathroom as despite the angled frameless glass door, the entire shower is covered in 18 inch polished marble look tiles. The shower coats the user in water from either the overhead rain head, large main showerhead and/or the hand held sprayer. Over 7 feet of white Italian Statuetto marble countertop, enable the couple to have two sink bowls and plenty of room on each side. The bowls are exposed in this stainless steel console sink design which required the team to ensure that the exposed plumbing looked pristine, and painting the bottom of the porcelain bowl to match the coloring. The white cast-iron 72-inch Cecilia claw-foot soaking tub and its chrome lion’s paws complement that other chrome and white used throughout the room. A tall, almost floor-to-ceiling linen closet finished in arctic white is nestled in the corner near the tub, enabling ample storage of towels, etc. Other cabinetry includes an 18 inch-wide vanity with decorative footing is centered between the two sinks, and a 27 inch wall mounted cabinet with shelf is above the Kohler Devonshire elongated toilet. Billowing cloud colored grey blue paint was a great choice for this room to pick up on the veining in the marble. Mirrored medicine chests, a chandelier, wall sconces, and overhead recessed lighting also were incorporated into the design and function of the new room. The artful combination of classic design from material choices, such as free-standing Victorian claw-foot tub along with the modern design as seen in the angled shower, frameless medicine cabinet mirrors, and frosted glass pocket door on the commode, make this bathroom quite a masterpiece. The clients are enjoying having their private space and not having the use the kids’ bathroom anymore.