Custom arches and archways are a popular feature of architectural projects by J.P. Franzen Associates Architects, P.C. These graceful forms provide announcement and transition of key spaces on interiors and exterior alike.

Additions, renovations, and restorations on established Boston-suburb streets. Winchester is where a lot of my Boston-area work has lived for years. The town has a residential character built on early 20th-century stock: Colonial Revival, Tudor Revival, Shingle style, the occasional Federal, on tree-lined streets where what you do to one house is visible to the rest of the block. The projects below are additions, renovations, and restorations. The brief is almost always the same: keep what's working, fix what isn't, and make the new work look like it belongs to the original house. Done well, an addition is invisible from the street and the family lives in a house that looks like it was always that way. Done poorly, the work announces itself, and the house ends up reading as two houses: the original, and the one the architect tried to add. When a project falls under Winchester's Historic Districts Commission, I work closely with the commission. When it doesn't, I still pay attention to the neighbors. The town has a strong sense of its own architectural fabric. The work that lasts here is the work that doesn't fight it.

Rosenberg Kolb Architects is proud to announce our renovation of a 1747 timber frame house on Nantucket Island, completed in 2011. The first historic renovation project in Nantucket to receive LEED Gold status. The project was given a Grand Award by Eco Home Magazine in July, 2011. The project included: Restructuring the foundations to align and stabilize the structure in addition to providing for a new insulated crawl space; A 260 square foot addition for a kitchen, bath, and new entry; New cedar shingles, roof shingles, and restored historic windows; The house met the strict regulations of Nantucket's Historic District. On the inside, LEED Gold certification was met through: High R-value insulation and reduced air leakage; High efficiency heating, air conditioning, plumbing fixtures, and appliances; Low-emission paints and finishes as well as a clay wall finish; Using reclaimed materials from the original house and other sites. The project has been published in: N Magazine July 2011 Eco Home Magazine July 2011 New England Home June 2011

Bespoke guest cabin with rustic finishes and extreme attention to detail. Materials included reclaimed wood for flooring, beams and ceilings and exterior siding. Fleetwood windows and doors, custom barn door. Venetian plaster with custom iron fixtures throughout. Standing seam copper roof.

We are excited to announce that we have formally changed the name of our business from San Juan Pools of Charlotte to Poolscapes of Charlotte. We decided to change our name (but not our corporate structure) due to the growth and evolution of our business. We feel the name “Poolscapes” better reflects the full service capabilities of our company and the expertise to build the back yard of your dreams. We proudly install the best fiberglass pools in the industry made by San Juan Fiberglass Pools. Whatever your needs, you can count on Poolscapes of Charlotte to deliver the highest quality products and services. We are the Carolina’s premier fiberglass pool builder, with over 500 pools and spas installed in the Charlotte metro area since 1999. We have an “A+” rating for over 14 consecutive years from the Better Business Bureau, we have an “A” rating from Angie's List, and we have won several prestigious national awards for excellence and design. Our pools built here in the Charlotte area have been published in seven national magazines. We can customize your pool with a wide variety of accessories and options including salt generators, fountains, waterfalls, spillover spas, automatic pool cleaners, multi-color LED lighting, swim jet systems, glass or ceramic tile, fire & water features and many custom decking features including stamped concrete, travertine, natural stone, acrylic coatings, pavers & more. We can customize your backyard with fire places, fire pits, raised planter beds, retaining walls, outdoor kitchens, fencing, landscaping, irrigation and more. Please call or email us for a backyard consultation & poolscape design. (704) 544-0424 info@poolsofcharlotte.com http://www.poolsofcharlotte.com

Clare Le Roy | The Little Design Corner
Example of a mid-sized trendy medium tone wood floor entryway design in Sydney with white walls and a dark wood front door

Some homes carry history in their walls. This Georgetown townhome, the first married residence of JFK and Jackie Kennedy, asked for a staircase worthy of that history. The answer: a three-story elliptical stair that rises through the home with quiet authority, its custom handrail molded to follow the curve exactly, without compromise. Engineering and craftsmanship had to work in lockstep here; the architecture left little room for approximation. The result doesn't announce itself. It simply belongs, as if it had always been there, waiting to be uncovered. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

The Alyssa II a perfectly designed 2,764 sq ft split bedroom ranch complete with the amenities today’s buyers are looking for. The Alyssa II, with its craftsman flair features exceptional architectural detail including an arched covered porch, which is grounded with ledge stone columns, Shaker town cedar shakes and cedar truss details in the gables that accentuate the beauty of this exquisite design. A gracious entrance draws you into the center of the home where the 10’ high ceilings of the great room, kitchen, dinette and hearth room blend beautifully to create this open concept design. Panoramic views from the oversized windows will grasp your attention. The kitchen boasts an oversized working island with quartz counter tops and a curved soffit mimicking the island below, which features pendant lighting and an enlarged apron sink. Additional features include an abundance of white painted maple cabinetry, unique arches, glass/stone tile backsplash and a spacious walk-in pantry, all of which complete this gourmet kitchen. An impressive one of a kind fireplace with stone and wood including an impressive ceiling treatment seamlessly connects the great room to the hub of the home. The master retreat features expansive windows, a generously sized walk- in closet with closet organizers and a private pocket office. The luxurious master bath has a spa like feel walk-in ceramic tile shower, free standing soaking tub with unique oval ceiling treatment, dual his & her sinks with Kohler fixtures and private water closet. This home is complete with a flex room being shown as an office located off the foyer, conveniently located powder room, separate laundry room, mudroom with bench/hooks and walk in closet, a covered porch is located off the dinette, two spacious bedrooms with unique ceilings each sporting their own vanity along with a shared water closet and tub/shower. As in every Demlang Builders home, we are proud to announce that The Alyssa II is built to rigorous construction standards and is a Focus on Energy certified home. We are very proud of our low HERS ratings.

Our client fell in love with the original 80s style of this house. However, no part of it had been updated since it was built in 1981. Both the style and structure of the home needed to be drastically updated to turn this house into our client’s dream modern home. We are also excited to announce that this renovation has transformed this 80s house into a multiple award-winning home, including a major award for Renovator of the Year from the Vancouver Island Building Excellence Awards. The original layout for this home was certainly unique. In addition, there was wall-to-wall carpeting (even in the bathroom!) and a poorly maintained exterior. There were several goals for the Modern Revival home. A new covered parking area, a more appropriate front entry, and a revised layout were all necessary. Therefore, it needed to have square footage added on as well as a complete interior renovation. One of the client’s key goals was to revive the modern 80s style that she grew up loving. Alfresco Living Design and A. Willie Design worked with Made to Last to help the client find creative solutions to their goals.

Some homes carry history in their walls. This Georgetown townhome, the first married residence of JFK and Jackie Kennedy, asked for a staircase worthy of that history. The answer: a three-story elliptical stair that rises through the home with quiet authority, its custom handrail molded to follow the curve exactly, without compromise. Engineering and craftsmanship had to work in lockstep here; the architecture left little room for approximation. The result doesn't announce itself. It simply belongs, as if it had always been there, waiting to be uncovered. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Some homes carry history in their walls. This Georgetown townhome, the first married residence of JFK and Jackie Kennedy, asked for a staircase worthy of that history. The answer: a three-story elliptical stair that rises through the home with quiet authority, its custom handrail molded to follow the curve exactly, without compromise. Engineering and craftsmanship had to work in lockstep here; the architecture left little room for approximation. The result doesn't announce itself. It simply belongs, as if it had always been there, waiting to be uncovered. 1976-2026 © Century Stair Company

Sentinel stretches across the brow of a winding grade break high above the Napa Valley. This seasonal residence was conceived as an agrarian compound which draws inspiration from its agricultural roots and takes a leap forward in innovative construction and a modern expression of timber and steel craft. A gently curving gravel drive circuits the lower end of the vineyard, announcing the arrival on the property. The drive slowly straightens to align with the vineyard rows to the North and the long axis of the residential structures to the South. Three gable-end barn forms follow the ordered lines of the vineyard to one side, and on the other, hug the rock-lined edge of the forest. Flanked by main residence and guest residence on either side, the taller, middle barn structure steps back from the forest to form a broad terrace. An elegant trellised colonnade threads through the three buildings, providing shade and dappled light to the terrace – a private place for food and wine to be enjoyed overlooking the magnificent valley below.

Salvia spathacea / Hummingbird sage
Design ideas for a landscaping in Los Angeles.

The Pantone Institute has announced the color of the year for 2017. The color shade Greenery has been selected, which is a change from last year's colors: pastel Rose Quartz and Serenity. The selected color in a green tone is vivid and intense and is reminiscent of spring, a time which nature comes back to life. Space enriched with wall murals in Greenery hues will gain good energy and will inspire bold and positive changes.

M-S Pro Architects announce the completion of an indoor swimming pool in a state-of-the-art, single storey family home set in a picturesque location on the outskirts of Bratislava - one of Europe’s youngest capital cities. Kebony, a beautiful wood recommended by leading architects, was chosen to craft the ceiling of the swimming pool, which is designed to emulate rippling waves as well as for the terrace deck and structural beams. Sustainability and a desire to recreate the close proximity often seen between wood and water in the natural environment were primary focuses in the design of this project. This led a requirement for a low maintenance wood, compatible humidity and with advanced durability, for the swimming pool ceiling. In addition, a high level of precision when cutting the wood was required in order to achieve the desired appearance of waves. Supplied by Leading Market, Kebony was carefully selected for the pool ceiling, which consists of 490 lamellae of timber, due to its versatility, durability and environmental credentials. Kebony was also installed throughout the exterior of this property, both for the spacious outdoor terrace and the exterior and interior beams. One of the reasons to choose Kebony was the unified look of wood in all these different applications. Developed in Norway, the patented Kebony technology uses an environmentally friendly process, which permanently enhances the properties of sustainable softwood with a bio-based liquid derived from agricultural crop waste. By polymerising the wood’s cell wall with furfuryl alcohol, the wood gains greatly improved durability and dimensional stability, giving it characteristics similar to those of tropical hardwood. In creating a wood with comparable properties to tropical hardwood that can be grown in a FSC certified, sustainably managed forest, the demand for tropical woods is reduced, allowing timber to once again be an important part of sustainable construction. Tomáš Hubinský, Lead Architect at M-S Pro, commented: “From conception through to completion, the creation of this ceiling has been a real feat. Despite the challenges faced by such an intricate design, Kebony was the perfect material to convey our desired effect of waves rippling along the ceiling. We will continue to incorporate Kebony into our interior and exterior designs, with wood fast becoming the first choice material for all architects.” Mette Valen, Sales Manager Norway at Kebony, explained: “The distinctive nature of this design cleverly portrays the capability of Kebony, demonstrating both the aesthetic and performance qualities of the product. We would be honoured to work with M-S Pro in the future and look forward to seeing how they utilise Kebony in their future projects.”

The Pantone Institute has announced the color of the year for 2017. The color shade Greenery has been selected, which is a change from last year's colors: pastel Rose Quartz and Serenity. The selected color in a green tone is vivid and intense and is reminiscent of spring, a time which nature comes back to life. Space enriched with wall murals in Greenery hues will gain good energy and will inspire bold and positive changes.

We’ve taken our best-in-class line of residential undercounter refrigeration and redesigned it to bring you industry leading energy-efficiency paired with enhanced performance to our product line. Perlick is excited to announce the launch of the new Gen 4 Residential Undercounter Refrigeration line. We’ve revamped our residential product offering to enhance sustainability measures, while simultaneously improving the overall performance and design to provide exemplary products homeowners will enjoy. Our Gen 4 line delivers the industry’s most energy-efficient cool down, both indoors and outdoors. Equipped with eco-friendly R600a refrigerant and energy-star rated, our units further our commitment to sustainability.

Sliding Barn Doors and Sliding Barn Door Shutters Sunburst announces sliding barn doors and barn door shutters. Our barn doors have numerous options and can be used on doors and windows. Using barn doors as a window treatment is revolutionary--a perfect way to achieve that unique design you've been searching for.

We are happy to announce our 2018 Custom Home was just certified as LEED Platinum. LEED Certification identifies this residence as a showcase example of sustainability and demonstrates leadership in transforming the building industry. This home is also nominated for 2018's GHBA Prism's Best Green Residential Construction and Best Design in the $750-$1Mil Range. Congrats to the homeowners and all the team members (Natalye Appel + Associates Architects, LLC + PSL Integrated Solutions + Montgomery Design Studio + Tellepsen Landscaping) that played their part to make this happen.