Bette Walker, photographer
Large elegant master medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom photo in Charleston with no fireplace and white walls

The living room features refinished beams and vaulted ceilings matching the new doors' finish; custom aluminum black windows and new hardwood floors (Urban Floor L'Artist Renoir for Spazio LA Tile Gallery). The dated brick fireplace was replaced by a modern one with concrete look tiles (Shine Dark, from Spazio LA Tile Gallery) and reclaimed wood mantel.

As Sheila Gibson Stoodley writes in an article about this project in Robb Report, “Brian Hemingway is sensitive to light in the best way possible.” “The Vancouver, British Columbia-based architect wanted this 22,000-square-foot home near Boston to glow like a lantern at night, and he attained that goal on behalf of the homeowners.” The wood and stone that Hemingway favored for the home informed the space’s color palette. So critical were these materials that settling on a shade of stain for the Douglas fir and the finishes to be used on the Virginia Mist granite took months of consultation. Walker Zanger, the stone supplier, worked with the owner and with Colin Flavin, a Boston-based architect who partnered with Hemingway, to choose, detail, and fabricate the granite. The stone is used indoors and out, heightening the boundary-blurring effect that the design team desired. Though the owners are ardent art collectors, they did not build their home to showcase specific works; the real artists here are the architects, Hemingway and Flavin. So deft were they at inviting nature into their creation that, from certain angles, it can be hard to tell where the outdoors stops and starts. “There are deliberately no window treatments so that Mother Nature weaves the most beautiful textural backgrounds,” said interior designer Andrew Sheinman, of New York’s Pembrooke & Ives. He oversaw the interiors, working alongside his colleague Michael Lewis. “The seasons change the look and aspect of the house,” said Sheinman, “and we wanted to play on this.” Bleu de Savoie marble, from France, is used in the baths, to contrast with the Virginia Mist granite and soften the palette and give the baths a spa-like serenity. Hand-chiseled Oxford Black granite is used on exterior landscape walls, to tie the Virginia Mist seamlessly to the natural stone outcroppings.

The term “forever home” is often used to describe a house that portends to meet all of one’s current and future needs. Attaining such a residence often entails moving from one’s current home, leaving behind years of memories. We had the satisfaction of collaborating with a client to make their existing home into their forever home with smart adaptations that will allow them to age in place…in the house and neighborhood they love. The site is challenging in that the front of the home is perched atop a steep incline, and the home is primarily entered via a more accessible alley in the back. Thus, the home has two “fronts.” The existing low-slung ranch/bungalow had suited this couple for many years. However, newly retired with more free time, the couple sought to create a more gracious home to enjoy entertaining indoors and out, hosting guests for extended stays, and exploring their artistic sides in a proper studio space. A successful project would be a home filled with natural light that allowed them to age in place. A “happy house.” Inspiration for the design was found in the owners’ love of 1920s Arts & Crafts bungalows and bright colors. The existing home provided design cues, such as a porch with stucco columns and shallow arches that had been concealed by a previous renovation. Building upon that, we proposed to reconfigure the roof into a cross-gable to maximize interior space on the second floor while increasing the home’s contextuality with neighboring ones. A new primary bedroom suite with bathroom, his and hers closets, and a dressing room for the lady of the house were created. To maximizing versatility, the dressing room can also be utilized as a guest room. The balance of the second floor includes a hall bathroom and large office, gallery walls to display artwork, storage areas, and even some private meditation spaces with doors hidden behind bookcases. A first-floor addition expanded the casual dining room into the rear garden and created a new art studio. To imbue the middle of the house with light, skylights were introduced over the existing stair; new screened stairwells, inspired by the work of Louis Sullivan, filter the natural light. Acknowledging practical issues of aging in place, all openings were designed to allow easy passage by a wheelchair, and bathroom accommodations include grab bars and roll-in showers. Additionally, a small first floor bathroom was expanded and, along with an adjacent bedroom, will allow for single floor living if necessary. Exterior detailing was again influenced by the Arts & Crafts tradition: deep overhangs, brackets, and tapered columns. New cedar shingles were installed, the original porch restored, and the low arch motif was re-introduced into the design. A new garden of native plantings with an outdoor room anchors the house in the landscape. While one never truly know what the future holds, creating their “forever home” gives the inhabitants peace of mind that they can live in this place that brings them joy and gives them comfort now and, in the days, to come.

The term “forever home” is often used to describe a house that portends to meet all of one’s current and future needs. Attaining such a residence often entails moving from one’s current home, leaving behind years of memories. We had the satisfaction of collaborating with a client to make their existing home into their forever home with smart adaptations that will allow them to age in place…in the house and neighborhood they love. The site is challenging in that the front of the home is perched atop a steep incline, and the home is primarily entered via a more accessible alley in the back. Thus, the home has two “fronts.” The existing low-slung ranch/bungalow had suited this couple for many years. However, newly retired with more free time, the couple sought to create a more gracious home to enjoy entertaining indoors and out, hosting guests for extended stays, and exploring their artistic sides in a proper studio space. A successful project would be a home filled with natural light that allowed them to age in place. A “happy house.” Inspiration for the design was found in the owners’ love of 1920s Arts & Crafts bungalows and bright colors. The existing home provided design cues, such as a porch with stucco columns and shallow arches that had been concealed by a previous renovation. Building upon that, we proposed to reconfigure the roof into a cross-gable to maximize interior space on the second floor while increasing the home’s contextuality with neighboring ones. A new primary bedroom suite with bathroom, his and hers closets, and a dressing room for the lady of the house were created. To maximizing versatility, the dressing room can also be utilized as a guest room. The balance of the second floor includes a hall bathroom and large office, gallery walls to display artwork, storage areas, and even some private meditation spaces with doors hidden behind bookcases. A first-floor addition expanded the casual dining room into the rear garden and created a new art studio. To imbue the middle of the house with light, skylights were introduced over the existing stair; new screened stairwells, inspired by the work of Louis Sullivan, filter the natural light. Acknowledging practical issues of aging in place, all openings were designed to allow easy passage by a wheelchair, and bathroom accommodations include grab bars and roll-in showers. Additionally, a small first floor bathroom was expanded and, along with an adjacent bedroom, will allow for single floor living if necessary. Exterior detailing was again influenced by the Arts & Crafts tradition: deep overhangs, brackets, and tapered columns. New cedar shingles were installed, the original porch restored, and the low arch motif was re-introduced into the design. A new garden of native plantings with an outdoor room anchors the house in the landscape. While one never truly know what the future holds, creating their “forever home” gives the inhabitants peace of mind that they can live in this place that brings them joy and gives them comfort now and, in the days, to come.

The term “forever home” is often used to describe a house that portends to meet all of one’s current and future needs. Attaining such a residence often entails moving from one’s current home, leaving behind years of memories. We had the satisfaction of collaborating with a client to make their existing home into their forever home with smart adaptations that will allow them to age in place…in the house and neighborhood they love. The site is challenging in that the front of the home is perched atop a steep incline, and the home is primarily entered via a more accessible alley in the back. Thus, the home has two “fronts.” The existing low-slung ranch/bungalow had suited this couple for many years. However, newly retired with more free time, the couple sought to create a more gracious home to enjoy entertaining indoors and out, hosting guests for extended stays, and exploring their artistic sides in a proper studio space. A successful project would be a home filled with natural light that allowed them to age in place. A “happy house.” Inspiration for the design was found in the owners’ love of 1920s Arts & Crafts bungalows and bright colors. The existing home provided design cues, such as a porch with stucco columns and shallow arches that had been concealed by a previous renovation. Building upon that, we proposed to reconfigure the roof into a cross-gable to maximize interior space on the second floor while increasing the home’s contextuality with neighboring ones. A new primary bedroom suite with bathroom, his and hers closets, and a dressing room for the lady of the house were created. To maximizing versatility, the dressing room can also be utilized as a guest room. The balance of the second floor includes a hall bathroom and large office, gallery walls to display artwork, storage areas, and even some private meditation spaces with doors hidden behind bookcases. A first-floor addition expanded the casual dining room into the rear garden and created a new art studio. To imbue the middle of the house with light, skylights were introduced over the existing stair; new screened stairwells, inspired by the work of Louis Sullivan, filter the natural light. Acknowledging practical issues of aging in place, all openings were designed to allow easy passage by a wheelchair, and bathroom accommodations include grab bars and roll-in showers. Additionally, a small first floor bathroom was expanded and, along with an adjacent bedroom, will allow for single floor living if necessary. Exterior detailing was again influenced by the Arts & Crafts tradition: deep overhangs, brackets, and tapered columns. New cedar shingles were installed, the original porch restored, and the low arch motif was re-introduced into the design. A new garden of native plantings with an outdoor room anchors the house in the landscape. While one never truly know what the future holds, creating their “forever home” gives the inhabitants peace of mind that they can live in this place that brings them joy and gives them comfort now and, in the days, to come.

Richard Herman is in the hospitality business and owns several upscale hotels in Florida and in other states as well as cattle ranches in both Florida and Missouri. Their farm in Ocala is by farm their most unique. The property serves as a 4-H demonstration project for the purpose of children’s education. They have been working with the Academy Prep of St. Pete which is dedicated to inner-city youths that are selected on the basis of need and achievement. Wife Diane spends her time on the farm raising Gypsy Vanners, a diminutive draft horse named after the job they did in Eastern Europe, pulling the wagons (vans) for gypsies that wandered across the continent. On the Ocala farm, there are several mules with a unique profession. Richard had visited the Hearthstone display at a Log & Timber Home Shows at the Orlando Convention Center many years ago. He was impressed that Hearthstone had stayed in touch with him over the years by mailings, invitations to shows, and periodic phone calls. When the time came to start serious consideration of the design of barn, Hearthstone responded promptly and professionally to Richard and Diane’s requests for information and a review of their ideas for their barn, which would serve as the centerpiece for their new farm. They wanted a multipurpose facility that could accommodate an educational environment and a large hall suitable for the fundraising events for his charities. Richard wanted a barn that reflected the look and feel of barns built at the dawn of the 20th century. Besides the rustic chicken houses and vegetable gardens, they have completely renovated a 1020’s era farmhouse to be as historically correct as possible and serves as the entry to the farm. “They very careful to feel us out, get comfortable with our capabilities, and be convinced that we could perform as promised,” said Project Manager John Ricketson of Hearthstone. Design Process There were some initial drawings that gave us a start on the basic shape and size of the barn. From there, it was a process of narrowing down the uses of each area and the spans that could be achieved. The barn was going to have the traditional “board & batten” exterior siding and a metal roof. There is a cantilevered ‘hay hood” on the north gable end above the large sliding barn doors that open into the foyer and horse stalls. The wings house a combination of areas, beginning with the large restrooms to accommodate crowds for events. Other parts of the wings have garage areas for the farm vehicles, feed room, tack room, wash rack, storage, offices, and smaller restrooms. Keeping with the look and feel of the turn of the century, Hearthstone developed a process for giving the timbers a surface texture that mimicked the circular cuts of timbers that had just come out of an old sawmill. This was easier said than done. Randy Giles guided his millwright (Wolfgang) in designing a machine that would do this effectively. The barn was delivered in October of 2014 and was erected over the course of two weeks, thanks to a hardworking crew (Eric Foster) and near-perfect weather. After the Hearthstone crew completed the erection and roof dry-in, it was time for the local carpenters to step up and install some light conventional framing on the gable ends before applying the roof fascia and exterior board & batten siding. Next came the big sliding barn doors, plumbing, electrical, heating, and cooling. Large rustic fixtures were hung from the great hall roof timbers. Exterior The board & batten siding was cypress and allowed to turn color naturally as rain hit it and the sun started working on it with UV rays. This method causes a much grayer look closer to the ground and less so where the roof overhang provides protection. The North end has some large limestone boulders and planters arranged around the pad with tall pampas grass. The planters provide casual seating before events and during outside receptions. The entire area was sodded with lush St. Augustine grass and split rail fences were added to enclose the barn area. The corrugated metal roof was a special order material that immediately rusted after being exposed to moisture. The layer of rust protects the metal from the elements. Interior The board & batten theme was carried throughout most of the interior with the timbers left natural to show off the circular saw texture. All of the tongue & groove decking was shipped in advance to allow the local painter to pre-stain it with a dark brown transparent stain that is a beautiful background to the light color Eastern White Pine timbers. “Everything was unique in this project” said Project Manager John Ricketson. “The setting on a small demonstration farm close to Ocala, the multipurpose design, the circular saw texture on the timbers.” The Hermans are very proud of their farm’s outcome. Richard sent a note to Randy Giles, owner of Hearthstone: “The Barn is fantastic, not a single problem, period. Next month, we have Jo Dee Messina coming in to help with a fundraiser for a local center for abused kids. Folks love the farm, ...... but that barn gets all of the attention. I would encourage you to use me as a reference for your sales team, feel free to extend my cell phone to any prospective purchasers.”

This LEED Platinum certified duplex is a modern mix of brick, stucco, panel and wood. The south unit is sloped for solar panels and the north side lets tons of natural light into the 2 storey open riser staircase. Xeriscaping is complimented with drought tolerant plants as well as turf; a rain garden captures a large percentage of rainwater coming off the roof.

Benjamin Benschneider
Example of an urban open staircase design in Seattle

Hive Modular
Example of a minimalist dark wood floor foyer design in Minneapolis with white walls and a glass front door

It’s important to make sure that all trees on your property are healthy and in good condition. This means hiring professional tree trimming services to maintain your trees yearly in order to keep them looking beautiful and healthy. In late winter or early spring is the best time to trim your trees. Doing so will help to improve the new growth that happens later in the spring. But fruit bearing trees and damaged trees can benefit from careful pruning in the summer. It takes an expert to skillfully trim trees during the summer without damaging them or causing harm and our team at Five Star Tree Services is just a call away to help you with your tree trimming needs! Why Trim Your Trees? By trimming your trees annually, this will not only open up your landscaping, which allows more sunlight to get to your property, but there are many other benefits. These can include: -Keep Trees Healthy and Promote Growth When you trim your trees in the spring, before they start producing buds, this helps to stimulate more new growth, which helps to keep trees in excellent condition. This can be especially important for saplings as it encourages them to fill out nicely and in a controlled and structurally sound way. If you are not maintaining your trees properly, they can become too dense, which causes a bunch of problems. One being that it restricts the amount of sunlight getting to all the leaves and it reduces the amount of nutrient circulation needed to support the tree. Professional tree pruning properly aids in tree growth and its overall aesthetic. Cutting off unneeded or unwanted branches allows other parts of the tree to grow easier. Ridding the tree of these extra branches also stimulates more leaf and fruit production. -Increased Safety Your landscape is affected when you neglect to take care of your trees, along with everything else on your property. If you have any dead trees remaining on your property, not only are you putting yourself at risk of injury, but you are putting your family, neighbours, pedestrians, and guests at risk as well. Dead or damaged branches can also be a hazard as they could fall at any time and impact with anyone standing too close to it, or it can fall on your house, which is another issue altogether, if it causes damage. Luckily, you are able to avoid all of this by simply having regular trimmings that will keep your trees healthy. You also need to make sure that all branches close to power lines are cut. This especially, should only be done by a trained professional in order to avoid potential electrocution. -Increase Production of Fruit If you are lucky enough to have a fruit bearing tree, it is especially important to have it professionally trimmed before and after it fruits. Doing so helps to improve its overall health and ability to bear fruit by getting rid of unhealthy branches. New fruit also develops and spurs for bearing fruit for the following year. -Manage Spreading Diseases Tree branches that are damaged tend to be prone to diseases which are able to spread to other plants and trees in your yard. Branches that are dead also have the potential to easily fall with any wind and especially during a storm. Severely damaged branches can even fall without reason. When you get your trees trimmed and pruned regularly, this prevents these things from happening. It also prevents spreading disease to other trees. Any disease branches should especially be trimmed if they are close to where kids play, people walk, or by doors. -Increase the Value of Your Property and Overall Appearance Continuous maintenance and trilling will improve the aesthetic of your property. It controls clutter and opens up the space of the landscaping. Meaning that the curbside appeal to your property increases. This is especially important if you are planning to sell your house, which will actually raise the value of your property. The first step in enhancing the appearance of your property is properly taking care of your trees. The first thing people see when they pull up to or go past your house is the trees. By simply pruning your trees you can make a good impression on potential buyers and your neighbours as well. -Safeguarding Your Property Owning a house is the biggest investment you will probably ever make. Making the effort to maintain and increase its value by keeping it in good condition should be your first priority. By trimming your trees regularly, you will be protecting your investment. Not to mention this also allows you to enjoy a nicely manicured property. Why Professionals Are Essential Professionals help to improve the health and overall condition of your trees. Trying to trim or prune your trees when you don’t know how can be detrimental. This is why hiring a professional, who has the right knowledge and tools, is better than trying to do it yourself. -Cost-Effective Think of it as a short-term expense for a long-term return on your investment. Allowing professional arborists to do your tree maintenance can potentially help to negate the costs of injuries attained from DIY home improvements related to trees, replacements and repairs. -Skilled and Experienced Real tools required for trimming a tree need to be handled properly and by the appropriate people. If a regular person were to try and use these tools, the end result could be injury and property damage. This is especially true for any trimming required around power lines. All professionals will have the right experience and skills required to wield these tools in a safe way. This minimizes the likelihood of hazards, injuries, and life-threatening incidents. -Proper Tools Heavy-duty chainsaws, ladders, and protective gear are all needed to safely and properly trim a tree. When you hire a professional, they have all the required tools and more. Meaning that you won’t have to go out and buy these tools yourself. As a professional, they also make sure that their tools are reliable and well-maintained in order to efficiently get the job done well. -Insured Professionals are also always insured with liability insurance when doing jobs to cover any damages or injuries attained while working. They are able to also provide a guarantee for the safety of your property and belongings while they are doing a job for you. How Five Star Tree Services Can Help Although trimming your tree might seem like an easy job, it’s always best to trust the professionals. Proper execution of the task requires the right skills, experience, and knowledge. Our team at Five Star Tree Services have all of this and more! Give us a call at (416) 990-3355 to enlist us for all your Toronto Tree Trimming needs!

Collaboration with Canonbury Homes and Frank Neely Design Associates.
Inspiration for a timeless open concept kitchen remodel in Atlanta with beaded inset cabinets and two islands

Great spacious bathroom with lot of amenities. Photographer: Jon Upson
Large elegant master beige tile and porcelain tile drop-in bathtub photo in San Diego with an undermount sink, raised-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, granite countertops, beige walls and a two-piece toilet

PEACOCK FANTASY - Custom Designed Peacock Wall Mural in brilliant colors. Notice how it has just the right amount of color | Have a custom mosaic idea? We can help, with our brilliant Italian-trained mosaicists and easy-to-install tiled masterpieces. Worldwide shipping available on the complete range of quality handcrafted marble & glass mosaic products. For inquires and more info, contact us: http://mecartworks.com

Minimalist dark wood floor kitchen photo in San Francisco

Inspiration for a small contemporary full sun front yard gravel landscaping in Orange County for spring.

Custom Surface Solutions (www.css-tile.com) - Owner Craig Thompson (512) 430-1215. This project shows new 12 x 24 tile installed vertically with offset layout pattern on wall and floor. Includes shower box with linear glass accent tile back and vertical glass accent band. Tile edges are finished with Schluter Jolly satin aluminum profile edge trim.

Riad Tile
Bathroom - contemporary cement tile floor and pink floor bathroom idea in Santa Barbara