This is a great house. Perched high on a private, heavily wooded site, it has a rustic contemporary aesthetic. Vaulted ceilings, sky lights, large windows and natural materials punctuate the main spaces. The existing large format mosaic slate floor grabs your attention upon entering the home extending throughout the foyer, kitchen, and family room. Specific requirements included a larger island with workspace for each of the homeowners featuring a homemade pasta station which requires small appliances on lift-up mechanisms as well as a custom-designed pasta drying rack. Both chefs wanted their own prep sink on the island complete with a garbage “shoot” which we concealed below sliding cutting boards. A second and overwhelming requirement was storage for a large collection of dishes, serving platters, specialty utensils, cooking equipment and such. To meet those needs we took the opportunity to get creative with storage: sliding doors were designed for a coffee station adjacent to the main sink; hid the steam oven, microwave and toaster oven within a stainless steel niche hidden behind pantry doors; added a narrow base cabinet adjacent to the range for their large spice collection; concealed a small broom closet behind the refrigerator; and filled the only available wall with full-height storage complete with a small niche for charging phones and organizing mail. We added 48” high base cabinets behind the main sink to function as a bar/buffet counter as well as overflow for kitchen items. The client’s existing vintage commercial grade Wolf stove and hood commands attention with a tall backdrop of exposed brick from the fireplace in the adjacent living room. We loved the rustic appeal of the brick along with the existing wood beams, and complimented those elements with wired brushed white oak cabinets. The grayish stain ties in the floor color while the slab door style brings a modern element to the space. We lightened the color scheme with a mix of white marble and quartz countertops. The waterfall countertop adjacent to the dining table shows off the amazing veining of the marble while adding contrast to the floor. Special materials are used throughout, featured on the textured leather-wrapped pantry doors, patina zinc bar countertop, and hand-stitched leather cabinet hardware. We took advantage of the tall ceilings by adding two walnut linear pendants over the island that create a sculptural effect and coordinated them with the new dining pendant and three wall sconces on the beam over the main sink.

Photography by Rebecca Lehde
Large contemporary two-story wood exterior home idea in Charleston with a hip roof

Hidden Printer Storage with Pull Out Tray in Gray Home Office Cabinets.
Example of a transitional home office design in Atlanta

http://www.homeanddesign.net/home-design-magazine-suncoast-design-issue/ http://www.bridgefordesign.com/design-projects/mediterraneandreamwinter16

Disturbed as little existing landscape as possible.
Photo of a rustic landscaping in Seattle.

Hideaway, Le Marche - San Marino, Italy A historical Hideaway. Image courtesy on the realtor, Leo Trippi. A well-hidden place where the spirit finds its peace, nested between the Romagna, the Marches and Tuscany. Entering the gate, one leaves behind the pace of chaotic lives, and abandons itself to the joy of living of this ancient land. It is meant to be understood as a site of experience, where nature, culture, history and pleasure are elevated to the centre of things in order to finally rediscover it in oneself. A sort of “back to the simplicity”, aiming to dedicate oneself to observation and drawing from it valuable experiences for one’s life. Each of the three houses presents itself as an unexpected world in its own right, closed in on itself and yet a harmonious part of the whole, waiting to be enlivened by lively laughter, animated conversation and playfulness. This territory is a paradise for lovers of nature and the great outdoors. The sheer variety of places and landscapes enables visitors to take excursions on foot, on horseback or by mountain bike. History and architecture enthusiasts can follow an itinerary of strongholds and castles dotted around the area. Lovers of gourmet food will discover a full range of traditional dishes and quality local produce all year round. The rich variety of museums enables exploration into the rural arts, medieval architecture, archaeological finds and contemporary art.

Matthew Gallant
Inspiration for a contemporary concrete floor front door remodel in Seattle with a medium wood front door

Clear the clutter with this clever charging drawer provides a convient place to store and power all of the portable electronics. iPods, iPhone's, cell phones, virtually any thing that needs a usb plug has a home. Blackstock Photography

Beach style backyard stone and rectangular pool photo in Miami

Like most growing families, this client wanted to lure everyone outside. And when the family went outdoors, they were hoping to find flamboyant color, delicious fragrance, freshly grilled food, fun play-spaces, and comfy entertaining areas waiting. Privacy was an imperative. Seems basic enough. But a heap of challenges stood in the way between what they were given upon arrival and the family's ultimate dreamscape. Primary among the impediments was the fact that the house stands on a busy corner lot. Plus, the breakneck slope was definitely not playground-friendly. Fortunately, Westover Landscape Design rode to the rescue and literally leveled the playing field. Furthermore, flowing from space to space is a thoroughly enjoyable, ever-changing journey given the blossom-filled, year-around-splendiferous gardens that now hug the walkway and stretch out to the property lines. Soft evergreen hedges and billowing flowering shrubs muffle street noise, giving the garden within a sense of embrace. A fully functional (and frequently used) convenient outdoor kitchen/dining area/living room expand the house's floorplan into a relaxing, nature-infused on-site vacationland. Mission accomplished. With the addition of the stunning old-world stone fireplace and pergola, this amazing property is a welcome retreat for year round enjoyment. Mission accomplished. Rob Cardillo for Westover Landscape Design, Inc.

A luxury residence in Vail, Colorado featuring wire-brushed Bavarian Oak wide-plank wood floors in a custom finish and reclaimed sunburnt siding on the ceiling. Arrigoni Woods specializes in wide-plank wood flooring, both recycled and engineered. Our wood comes from old-growth Western European forests that are sustainably managed. Arrigoni's uniquely engineered wood (which has the look and feel of solid wood) features a trio of layered engineered planks, with a middle layer of transversely laid vertical grain spruce, providing a solid core. This gorgeous mountain modern home was completed in the Fall of 2014. Using only the finest of materials and finishes, this home is the ultimate dream home. Photographer: Kimberly Gavin

Mid-sized trendy one-story glass exterior home photo in San Francisco

Stunning kitchen remodel and update by Haven Design and Construction! We painted the island and range hood in a satin lacquer tinted to Benjamin Moore's 2133-10 "Onyx, and the perimeter cabinets in Sherwin Williams' SW 7005 "Pure White". Photo by Matthew Niemann

Pool cabana built by Trueblood . Exterior architecture by R. A. Hoffman, landscape design by Landscape Design Group. [photo: Tom Grimes]
Example of a large classic custom-shaped pool house design in Philadelphia

Photography by Keith Scott Morton From grand estates, to exquisite country homes, to whole house renovations, the quality and attention to detail of a "Significant Homes" custom home is immediately apparent. Full time on-site supervision, a dedicated office staff and hand picked professional craftsmen are the team that take you from groundbreaking to occupancy. Every "Significant Homes" project represents 45 years of luxury homebuilding experience, and a commitment to quality widely recognized by architects, the press and, most of all....thoroughly satisfied homeowners. Our projects have been published in Architectural Digest 6 times along with many other publications and books. Though the lion share of our work has been in Fairfield and Westchester counties, we have built homes in Palm Beach, Aspen, Maine, Nantucket and Long Island.

The open floor plan of this classic lakefront cottage by MAC Custom Homes welcomes friends & family to gather with great flow between the defined spaces. photo courtesy of Jason Hulet

Photo of a contemporary landscaping in Orange County with a fire pit.

Tuscan patio photo in Los Angeles with a fire pit and a pergola

Design ideas for a rustic full sun water fountain landscape.