Set on a narrow lakefront parcel defined by tight setbacks and limited hardscape allowance, this modern cabin demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform restriction into possibility. Carefully composed to preserve privacy while opening fully toward the water, the home feels both expansive and intimate—an elevated retreat grounded in its landscape. Though modest in footprint, the residence lives generously. Four bedrooms are tucked efficiently within the plan, including a light-filled quilting studio that reflects the homeowners’ creative life. Each bedroom opens onto its own private balcony, offering moments of pause and perspective with views stretching across lake and countryside. The upper level also includes a family room, providing a quiet gathering space removed from the activity below. From here, the home’s vertical volume becomes apparent, as daylight pours down through a dramatic two-story space framed by glass facing the lake. At the center of the home, a custom steel-and-wood plank stair acts as both circulation and sculpture. Rising through the double-height volume, it leads the eye upward to a tall Nelson cigar lamp suspended above—an intentional moment of drama and delight. The main floor is designed around connection and flow. Kitchen, dining, and living areas exist as one continuous space, unified by light, views, and material warmth. A 12-foot-long island anchors the kitchen, serving as the natural gathering place for morning coffee, family meals, and summertime buffet-style entertaining. When fully opened, large folding accordion glass doors dissolve the boundary between inside and out, allowing the screened porch to become a true extension of the living space. Function is carefully layered throughout the plan. A mudroom entry from the tucked-under two-car garage includes a powder room and utility closet, while a generous entry closet provides essential storage and has been dimensioned to accommodate a future elevator. Designed intentionally for aging in place, the home incorporates zero-threshold access from the garage, wide halls and doorways, reinforced wall blocking for future grab bars, and infrastructure for a future elevator—ensuring long-term comfort without compromising design. Clad in dark painted board-and-batten siding, the exterior minimizes visual scale and allows the home to recede quietly into the landscape. Recessed balconies and façade elements are wrapped in warm wood-look siding, adding depth and contrast while bringing warmth into the interior. At night, light spills softly from within, and the cabin glows along the shoreline—welcoming, calm, and enduring.

The grandeur of the room is immediately apparent with the towering white fireplace, framed by intricate moldings, serving as a stunning focal point. Complementing the fireplace, built-in shelving niches exhibit understated sophistication while offering functional storage. The gentle curve of the contemporary sofas invites relaxation, perfectly juxtaposed with the bold, wrought-iron balusters of the overlooking balcony. The sun-drenched foyer, with its graceful archways and serene hues, provides a warm welcome, teasing glimpses of the rooms beyond. Accentuating the open-concept design, light wooden floors flow seamlessly throughout, grounding the space. Every element of this renovation whispers luxury, making it a true testament to modern meets classic design. #TimelessElegance #SerenityInDesign ?️?✨

Douglas VanderHorn Architects 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.

Located on a private ranch on the Central Coast of California, The North Coast Ranch is a contemporary agrarian compound with a rich family heritage. The compound includes a main house, guest house, and detached garage/workshop situated on what was once a hog farm. The agrarian setting and history of the property inspired much of the design and detailing. The agrarian influences are apparent in the exposed framing, cedar siding, barn form roof lines, and a tower element inspired by the existing concrete silos located on the property. To celebrate the family’s Swiss heritage, the exposed rafter tails are individually branded with the Swiss flag insignia. On the interior, a large open floor plan and 10’ sliding glass doors provide plenty of space for family gatherings and opportunities for indoor/outdoor living. Adding to the grandeur of the spaces, the kitchen and living room boast vaulted cathedral ceilings. The agrarian detailing continues throughout the house with the incorporation of warm materials and exposed structure. Concrete slats, originally a part of the old hog pen infrastructure, were reutilized to create a feature wall in the dining room.

We are delighted to have completed the radical transformation of a tired detached property in South Croydon. When they appointed Granit, our clients were living in the property which had previously been divided into a number of flats. The historic sub-division had resulted in an extremely poor use of space with redundant staircases, kitchens and bathrooms throughout. Our clients sought to reconfigure the property back into a single dwelling for his growing family. Our client had an eye for design and was keen to balance contemporary design whilst maintaining as much of the character of the original house. Maximising natural light, space and establishing a visual and physical connection were also key drivers for the design. Owing to the size of the property, it became apparent that reconfiguration rather than extension provided the solution to meet the brief. A metal clad ‘intervention’ was introduced to the rear facade. This created a strong horizontal element creating a visual balance with the vertical nature of the three storey gable. The metal cladding specified echoed the colour of the red brick string courses tying old with new. Slender frame sliding doors provide access and views of the large garden. The central circulation space was transformed by the introduction of a double height glazed slot wrapping up the rear facade and onto the roof. This allows daylight to permeate into the heart of the otherwise dark deep floor plan. The staircase was reconfigured into a series of landings looking down over the main void space below and out towards the tree canopies at the rear of the garden. The introduction of double pocket doors throughout the ground floor creates a series of interconnected spaces and the whitewashed Larch flooring flows seamlessly from room to room. A bold palette of colours and materials lends character and texture throughout the property. The end result is a spacious yet cosy environment for the family to inhabit for years to come.

- POLKA DOTS CUPBOARD. In designing Polka Dots, Toyo Ito placed multiple methacrylate, circular inserts in apparent disarray on the doors, in stark contrast to the strict and minimalist structures of this piece of furniture. This graphic idea is reminiscent of Tokyo's Za-Koenji theatre, also designed by the great architect. The inserts represent, as the name itself indicates, a multitude of dots that seem to fly gently upwards and that, upon turning the interior lights on, create a magical play of lights and shadows. 75''5/8W x 19''1/4D x 41''3/4H. http://bit.ly/2eT5pV2 - TWIST COAT STAND. The eight beech slats in its structure bend and twist as if they were dancing. Their elastic tension is essential to provide the hanger with excellent form and stability. Twist responds to a simple yet important observation: hangers usually vanish when you hang your coats or clothing. However, Twist does not disappear. Conversely, it is emphasized as only its central part is covered. Clothing can be hung on hooks stuck in the slats allowing the upper part of Twist, a beautiful wood flower, to emerge in all its elegance. Ø23''5/8 x 65''3/4H. http://bit.ly/2fyMRv0 - RIPPLES BENCH. Ripples, winner of the 2004 Compasso d'Oro, is made of a laminated composite of five different solid woods. Slide your hand along the surface to enjoy the seamless transitions between walnut, mahogany, cherry, oak, and ash. This enveloping seat, carved with mastery, is hand-finished to produce an elegant polychromatic effect arising from the ductility of the wood. A true icon of international design, Ripples is a bench suitable for home users, commercial environments, and public spaces. 78''3/4W x 19''5/8D x 15''3/4H. http://bit.ly/2fNcqIZ

Set on a narrow lakefront parcel defined by tight setbacks and limited hardscape allowance, this modern cabin demonstrates how thoughtful design can transform restriction into possibility. Carefully composed to preserve privacy while opening fully toward the water, the home feels both expansive and intimate—an elevated retreat grounded in its landscape. Though modest in footprint, the residence lives generously. Four bedrooms are tucked efficiently within the plan, including a light-filled quilting studio that reflects the homeowners’ creative life. Each bedroom opens onto its own private balcony, offering moments of pause and perspective with views stretching across lake and countryside. The upper level also includes a family room, providing a quiet gathering space removed from the activity below. From here, the home’s vertical volume becomes apparent, as daylight pours down through a dramatic two-story space framed by glass facing the lake. At the center of the home, a custom steel-and-wood plank stair acts as both circulation and sculpture. Rising through the double-height volume, it leads the eye upward to a tall Nelson cigar lamp suspended above—an intentional moment of drama and delight. The main floor is designed around connection and flow. Kitchen, dining, and living areas exist as one continuous space, unified by light, views, and material warmth. A 12-foot-long island anchors the kitchen, serving as the natural gathering place for morning coffee, family meals, and summertime buffet-style entertaining. When fully opened, large folding accordion glass doors dissolve the boundary between inside and out, allowing the screened porch to become a true extension of the living space. Function is carefully layered throughout the plan. A mudroom entry from the tucked-under two-car garage includes a powder room and utility closet, while a generous entry closet provides essential storage and has been dimensioned to accommodate a future elevator. Designed intentionally for aging in place, the home incorporates zero-threshold access from the garage, wide halls and doorways, reinforced wall blocking for future grab bars, and infrastructure for a future elevator—ensuring long-term comfort without compromising design. Clad in dark painted board-and-batten siding, the exterior minimizes visual scale and allows the home to recede quietly into the landscape. Recessed balconies and façade elements are wrapped in warm wood-look siding, adding depth and contrast while bringing warmth into the interior. At night, light spills softly from within, and the cabin glows along the shoreline—welcoming, calm, and enduring.

Located on a private ranch on the Central Coast of California, The North Coast Ranch is a contemporary agrarian compound with a rich family heritage. The compound includes a main house, guest house, and detached garage/workshop situated on what was once a hog farm. The agrarian setting and history of the property inspired much of the design and detailing. The agrarian influences are apparent in the exposed framing, cedar siding, barn form roof lines, and a tower element inspired by the existing concrete silos located on the property. To celebrate the family’s Swiss heritage, the exposed rafter tails are individually branded with the Swiss flag insignia. On the interior, a large open floor plan and 10’ sliding glass doors provide plenty of space for family gatherings and opportunities for indoor/outdoor living. Adding to the grandeur of the spaces, the kitchen and living room boast vaulted cathedral ceilings. The agrarian detailing continues throughout the house with the incorporation of warm materials and exposed structure. Concrete slats, originally a part of the old hog pen infrastructure, were reutilized to create a feature wall in the dining room.

The Wallace property started with a prime waterfront location. The DSI team created two unique entertainment spaces, each with views of the water. “Whenever you are working on a property with an existing pond or lake, it is paramount that the water is the focal point,” says Matt, the DSI designer and project manager. The circle terrace, considered by the DSI team to be the heart of the property, is ideal for outdoor dining and a resting point between the bungalow and lower terrace. The lower terrace was designed to be an area to let loose and relax by a warm fire while enjoying the tranquil sounds of the pond fountains. The Wallace’s were looking to modify their driveway to set it apart from the others. DSI exhibited thorough attention to detail to ensure the new hardscape elements matched existing ones. A soft curvilinear line was quilted into the driveway with an inviting pattern. This project required a great deal of collaboration with utility contractors, the builder, and the developer. Together we were able to reconfigure the original property lines, the main irrigation line for the entire site as well as the utilities to adjacent properties. DSI coordinated all of these contractors to provide the Wallace’s with their dream retreat. Drastic changes in the elevation required major excavation and grading to implement the lower waterfront terrace. An intricate retaining wall was installed to accommodate this terrace. A bright lighting display was implemented to illuminate the new features as well as to ensure safe pedestrian traffic throughout the areas. Upon completion of the project, the Wallace’s were thrilled with its beauty, functionality and aptness for its natural surroundings. The end product was a collaborative effort, each team member exhibiting the utmost creativity, readiness to meet challenges and painstaking attention to detail-qualities which are apparent in every Decra-Scape project.

He wanted a lake house, she wanted a pool. Tucked away on a small cul-de-sac in North Reading is a backyard oasis like no other. “During our initial meeting with the homeowners, it became apparent that they wanted a unique pool, so we suggested a free-form gunite pool surrounded by an indigenous Goshen Stone patio, custom cut to create ultra-tight joints. The stone arrived in huge slabs — most over 5’ x 5’ in size — and varied significantly in thickness. Countless hours were spent cutting, chiseling, and even sandblasting this life-sized jigsaw puzzle. The final look was exactly what we were shooting for.” Russell The pool itself has a dark, pebble finish with a long, custom bench and a simple, spillway stone creating a perfect respite with a calming sound. Surrounding the pool and patio is a lush lawn with large swatches of summertime perennials. The homeowner is an active gardener, so providing him with areas to hone his skills was paramount to our success as a design firm. Large, architectural boulders were carefully arranged throughout the rear yard as both design elements and as functional furniture. A custom-built, wood, wire, and split granite fence meets pool-enclosure requirements and adds that farmhouse-feel to the overall look. Carefully arranged Goshen step stone set flush in the lawn orchestrates movement throughout the garden while connecting the house and pool in a thoughtful, artistic way. No need to travel north to the lake when you’ve got this to enjoy daily — right in your own backyard!

Casa A137 is harmoniously nestled on a property that borders the spring forest to the south and west, with a gentle 14m drop from its highest point. This natural topography was not a challenge but an inspiration for our architecture, guiding us to open the views towards the forest and blend seamlessly with the terrain. The project gracefully ascends from street level, ensuring the ground floor merges with the rear garden level while the upper floor offers unobstructed views of the natural landscape. We used stone materials and steel to create a sober and simple appearance for the residence. Apparent concrete has an important role in all exterior and interior areas; in the same way, the green areas visually accompany each space. The house’s gardens go hand in hand with the architecture. Several interior areas were designed to integrate vegetation, which accompanies the exterior, where the landscaped spaces that complement the facade and the side corridors are projected. For our clients, social areas were very important, especially the terrace. An important project area is destined for an outdoor terrace overlooking the forest. It comprises a kitchen area with a bar and a space for living and dining. The warmth of a fire pit accompanies it.

Douglas VanderHorn Architects 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.

Creating a bridge between buildings at The Sea Ranch is an unusual undertaking. Though several residential, elevated walkways and a couple of residential bridges do exist, in general, the design elements of The Sea Ranch favor smaller, separate buildings. However, to make all of these buildings work for the owners and their pets, they really needed a bridge. Early on David Moulton AIA consulted The Sea Ranch Design Review Committee on their receptiveness to this project. Many different ideas were discussed with the Design Committee but ultimately, given the strong need for the bridge, they asked that it be designed in a way that expressed the organic nature of the landscape. There was strong opposition to creating a straight, longitudinal structure. Soon it became apparent that a central tower sporting a small viewing deck and screened window seat provided the owners with key wildlife viewing spots and gave the bridge a central structural point from which the adjacent, angled arms could reach west between the trees to the main house and east between the trees to the new master suite. The result is a precise and carefully designed expression of the landscape: an enclosed bridge elevated above wildlife paths and woven within inches of towering redwood trees.

- RIDDLED TABLE 2. The originality and workmanship of its legs are the outstanding features of the Riddled table, which incorporates the notion of porosity found in multiple architecture works by Steven Holl. The thin sheets of wood, folded through laser engraving, make this project even more spectacular in its apparent defiance of the laws of physics. These four legs, akin to origami sculptures, allow the passage of the internal light to create a myriad of lights and shadows. 98''3/8W x 78''3/4D x 28''3/8H. http://ow.ly/3yAozT - RIPPLES STOOL. The Ripples bench by Toyo Ito, winner of the 2004 Golden Compass, has blossomed into a collection of different furniture complements. Amongst them, we may highlight the Ripples stool, fabricated with a laminated composite of five different solid woods. The seat shape, carved with industrial technology yet entirely hand-finished, feels soft and rich due to both the ductility of wood and Horm's passion for craftsmanship. Slide your hand along the surface to feel the seamless transition between walnut, mahogany, cherry, oak and ash. 16''1/8W x 16''1/8D x 17''3/4H. 16''1/8W x 16''1/8D x 30''3/8H. http://ow.ly/3yzwu5 - TIDE SIDEBOARD 01. Tide reflects the style of its designer, Karim Rashid, who worked with various movements and dynamics in this project. The horizontal development of the front, made of evenly-spaced, thin sheets of MDF, confers a gentle and sculptured aspect to the whole. In addition to its remarkable design, Tide appears as a capacious and functional cupboard, with two drawers and a flap front for the living room, or with two drawers and two deep drawers for the bedroom. 75''5/8W x 23''5/8D x 26’’H. Other height: 31''1/2 - 37’’3/4. http://ow.ly/3yAoCT - RIDDLED TOTEM BOOKCASE. A true work of art, it consists of an aluminium frame and five elements made of origami-folded 2-mm wooden sheets thanks to a complex and patented technological process. Riddled Totem conveys great charm and elegance through its sculptural volumes, already characterized by the typical perforated texture of many famous works by Steven Holl. The result is a faceted container, light and bright as a diamond but made of wood following Horm's unmistakable style. 27''5/8W x 19''5/8D x 80''3/4H. http://ow.ly/3yAoEx

Douglas VanderHorn Architects 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 strong formal axis set up by this portal demands an appropriately dramatic termination of the visit it created. This is accomplished by a clever alteration of the window end of the dining room. A new space with a strong focal point is now created for balance. An irregular space with two asymmetrical windows and one splayed wall is transforming by adding another splayed wall to match the exiting one. A new door to the powder room in this wall mirrors an existing recess in the existing spayed wall to create a symmetrical effect. This simple action makes the minuscule powder room much larger, creating a sense of false perspective to increase the apparent size of the dining room and places a single window on axis with the foyer. This window is given an appropriately grand window treatments with traditional swags framing a diaphanous sheer. This shear conveys the same softness as the sandblasted glass panels at the opposite end of the room, yet provided a transitional counterpoint to their modernity.

Located on a private ranch on the Central Coast of California, The North Coast Ranch is a contemporary agrarian compound with a rich family heritage. The compound includes a main house, guest house, and detached garage/workshop situated on what was once a hog farm. The agrarian setting and history of the property inspired much of the design and detailing. The agrarian influences are apparent in the exposed framing, cedar siding, barn form roof lines, and a tower element inspired by the existing concrete silos located on the property. To celebrate the family’s Swiss heritage, the exposed rafter tails are individually branded with the Swiss flag insignia. On the interior, a large open floor plan and 10’ sliding glass doors provide plenty of space for family gatherings and opportunities for indoor/outdoor living. Adding to the grandeur of the spaces, the kitchen and living room boast vaulted cathedral ceilings. The agrarian detailing continues throughout the house with the incorporation of warm materials and exposed structure. Concrete slats, originally a part of the old hog pen infrastructure, were reutilized to create a feature wall in the dining room.

This Craftsman inspired home could have emphasized horizontal lines with a different approach to the colors, but we chose to emphasize the vertical elements, which are also apparent in the stone columns, and the vertical accent boards where the natural cedar shingles are, below the roofline. We detailed the front bay window area in a two tone neutral, to not lose the architectural detail. I would have preferred to echo this in the garage door, but they were concerned about it becoming too busy, so we gave the garage door a contrast frame, as a way to tie the two areas together. Exterior Color Consultation and Photo by Linda H. Bassert, Masterworks Window Fashions & Design, LLC

This zoomed-in image showcases a closer look at the exquisite vent cover in Glacier Frost from kul grilles, positioned within a front entrance. The attention to detail and craftsmanship of the cover are even more apparent in this close-up view. The vent cover’s linear and minimalist design is precisely crafted, reflecting a sense of refinement and sophistication. The glacier frost color, with its powder coated finish, adds a touch of elegance and tranquility to the space. The kul grilles vent cover enhances the visual appeal of the front entrance, adding a touch of luxury and style. The purposeful placement of the vent cover within the front entrance is evident in this image. Its integration into the architecture is seamless, aligning perfectly with the surrounding elements. This thoughtful design choice ensures that the vent cover not only serves its functional purpose but also becomes an integral part of the overall aesthetic of the space. The zoomed-in view highlights the minimalist design of the vent cover. This attention to detail ensures a harmonious balance between functionality and design, emphasizing the commitment to creating a visually pleasing and practical environment.