Architect: Michelle Penn, AIA This barn home is modeled after an existing Nebraska barn in Lancaster County. Heating is by passive solar design, supplemented by a geothermal radiant floor system. Cooling will rely on a whole house fan and a passive air flow system. The passive system is created with the cupola, windows, transoms and passive venting for cooling, rather than a forced air system. Here you can see the inside of the cupola. The ladder leads down to the access platform below that you can see in another picture. The silver piece on the wall is actually a fold-down seat. From there you can sit and birdwatch! The silver backing is to reflect daylight down to the lowest level. All the windows are operable to create a chimney effect. They are part of the passive cooling system of the home. The paint is Devoe Industrial Enamel White High Gloss DevGuard 4308-0100. Photo Credits: Jackson Studios

Photo: Sarah Greenman © 2013 Houzz
Eclectic dining room photo in Austin with gray walls

Perched high above Calgary’s vibrant East Village, this condo was designed to reflect the homeowner’s story — layered, personal, and full of meaningful pieces collected over time. The homeowner wanted to create a space that feels authentic, inviting, and connected to her life experiences. Working collaboratively, we curated furnishings and finishes that balance character with comfort. Each choice integrated treasured items with new elements to enhance functionality, improve visual flow, and express her unique narrative. The result is a warm, eclectic home where she can work productively, relax fully, and take in sweeping views of the Bow River at the end of each day.

This is an original mural created and painted by Mural by Design, Grand Rapids, Michigan, for an authentic restaurant, Finley's Grill & Smokehouse, Jackson, MI.

Perched high above Calgary’s vibrant East Village, this condo was designed to reflect the homeowner’s story — layered, personal, and full of meaningful pieces collected over time. The homeowner wanted to create a space that feels authentic, inviting, and connected to her life experiences. Working collaboratively, we curated furnishings and finishes that balance character with comfort. Each choice integrated treasured items with new elements to enhance functionality, improve visual flow, and express her unique narrative. The result is a warm, eclectic home where she can work productively, relax fully, and take in sweeping views of the Bow River at the end of each day.

Perched high above Calgary’s vibrant East Village, this condo was designed to reflect the homeowner’s story — layered, personal, and full of meaningful pieces collected over time. The homeowner wanted to create a space that feels authentic, inviting, and connected to her life experiences. Working collaboratively, we curated furnishings and finishes that balance character with comfort. Each choice integrated treasured items with new elements to enhance functionality, improve visual flow, and express her unique narrative. The result is a warm, eclectic home where she can work productively, relax fully, and take in sweeping views of the Bow River at the end of each day.

Perched high above Calgary’s vibrant East Village, this condo was designed to reflect the homeowner’s story— layered, personal, and full of meaningful pieces collected over time. The homeowner wanted to create a space that feels authentic, inviting, and connected to her life experiences. Working collaboratively, we curated furnishings and finishes that balance character with comfort. Each choice integrated treasured items with new elements to enhance functionality, improve visual flow, and express her unique narrative. The result is a warm, eclectic home where she can work productively, relax fully, and take in sweeping views of the Bow River at the end of each day.

Perched high above Calgary’s vibrant East Village, this condo was designed to reflect the homeowner’s story — layered, personal, and full of meaningful pieces collected over time. The homeowner wanted to create a space that feels authentic, inviting, and connected to her life experiences. Working collaboratively, we curated furnishings and finishes that balance character with comfort. Each choice integrated treasured items with new elements to enhance functionality, improve visual flow, and express her unique narrative. The result is a warm, eclectic home where she can work productively, relax fully, and take in sweeping views of the Bow River at the end of each day.

Perched high above Calgary’s vibrant East Village, this condo was designed to reflect the homeowner’s story — layered, personal, and full of meaningful pieces collected over time. The homeowner wanted to create a space that feels authentic, inviting, and connected to her life experiences. Working collaboratively, we curated furnishings and finishes that balance character with comfort. Each choice integrated treasured items with new elements to enhance functionality, improve visual flow, and express her unique narrative. The result is a warm, eclectic home where she can work productively, relax fully, and take in sweeping views of the Bow River at the end of each day.

This staged Siesta Key dining area highlights classic mid-century modern style with sculptural chairs, a round pedestal table, and period-inspired lighting. Large windows and clean white interiors amplify natural light and create a seamless connection to the pool and outdoor living areas. iStage Homes styled the space to balance authenticity with coastal freshness, helping buyers appreciate the home’s architectural character and open, modern flow.

This custom Tuscan farmhouse in Buttonwillow, California, near Bakersfield, draws inspiration from the rural villas and farmhouses of the Italian countryside, combining authentic Tuscan character with relaxed California living. Great room view highlighting the blue accent chairs beneath exposed wood ceiling beams, with the curved staircase and arched openings visible beyond. The composition emphasizes the home's bright, connected living spaces and architectural flow.

This transitional hallway showcases the harmony of Santa Fe Style Architecture through warm wood cabinetry, exposed beams, and natural finishes that guide the eye toward a stone-clad bath. Designed with the precision of a Santa Fe Architect, the space balances contemporary efficiency with timeless Adobe Architecture influences, reflected in the earthy textures and handcrafted details. The thoughtful layout, part of a larger vision for Custom Residential Design Santa Fe, emphasizes flow and function while maintaining a sense of intimacy. Rooted in principles of Sustainable Architecture New Mexico, the design highlights durability, authenticity, and a strong connection to place. Wendy McEahern

Photography by Carlos Esteva. When this private client, a married couple, first approached Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón to build ‘the house of their dreams’ on the grounds of their sprawling family estate, the first challenge was to identify the exact location that would maximize the positive aspects of the topography while affording the most gracious views. Propped up on scaffolding, juggling digital cameras and folding ladders, the design team photographed the property from hundreds of angles before the ideal site was selected. Once the site was selected, construction could begin. The building’s foundation was raised slightly off the ground to disperse geothermal heat. In addition, the designers studied daily sunlight patterns and positioned the structure accordingly in order to warm the swimming pool during the cooler morning hours and illuminate the principal living quarters during the late afternoon. Finally, the main house was designed with functional balconies on all sides: each balcony meticulously planned ~ and precisely positioned ~ to both optimize wind flow and frame the property’s most breath-taking views. Stylistically, the goal was to create an authentic Spanish hacienda. Following Old World tradition, the house was anchored around a centralized interior patio in the Moorish style: enclosed on three sides ~ yet open on the fourth (similar to the Alcázar of Seville) ~ to reveal a reflecting pool ~ and mirror the water motif of the home’s magnificent marble fountain. A bell tower, horseshoe arches, a colonnaded,vineyard-style patio, and ornamental Moorish mosaic tilework (“azulejos”) completed this picturesque portrait of a faraway fantasy world of castles, chivalry, and swordsplay, reminiscent of Medieval Spain. Shortly after completion, this showcase home was showcased on the TVE Spanish television series Spaniards Around The World (Españoles Alrededor Del Mundo) as a prime example of authentic Spanish architecture designed outside the peninsula. Not surprising. After all, the story of a fairy-tale retreat as magical as this one deserves a happy ending.

STREAMLINED Dispensing with a dropped soffit allowed room for floor-to-ceiling cabinets to house refrigerator and ovens- microwave, convection and warming drawers. Chrome pulls of various sizes, coincidentally named Mason Pulls, are suited to the functions they serve. The largest ones, which reflect the refrigerator and oven handles, open the dishwasher and pull-out trash bin. Base and wall cabinets are carefully sized to create a flowing rhythm of heights and widths on the long wall of the Kitchen. For an air of authenticity, push button switches in chrome wall plates on glass tile backsplash operate undercabinet task lights and the garbage disposal. Signature blue-green backsplash tile used throughout the house in wet locations accents the party wall that separates this rowhouse from its adjacent neighbor.

This is an original mural created and painted by Mural by Design for an authentic restaurant, Finley's Grill & Smokehouse, Jackson, MI. The mural is a reflection of what a customer would see and experience at this restaurant.

This living space is a beautiful reflection of Santa Fe Style Architecture, where adobe walls and exposed viga ceilings create warmth and authenticity. The stone fireplace anchors the room, offering both function and charm, while the patterned textiles, handcrafted wood furniture, and earthy tones showcase the cultural richness of New Mexico Historic Architect traditions. Light filters gently through wood-framed windows, illuminating the handcrafted details that blend Adobe Home Restoration with Custom Residential Design Santa Fe. The seamless connection to the adjacent rooms highlights the home’s thoughtful flow, balancing Historic Adobe Rehabilitation with modern comfort.

Photography by Carlos Esteva. When this private client, a married couple, first approached Álvarez-Díaz & Villalón to build ‘the house of their dreams’ on the grounds of their sprawling family estate, the first challenge was to identify the exact location that would maximize the positive aspects of the topography while affording the most gracious views. Propped up on scaffolding, juggling digital cameras and folding ladders, the design team photographed the property from hundreds of angles before the ideal site was selected. Once the site was selected, construction could begin. The building’s foundation was raised slightly off the ground to disperse geothermal heat. In addition, the designers studied daily sunlight patterns and positioned the structure accordingly in order to warm the swimming pool during the cooler morning hours and illuminate the principal living quarters during the late afternoon. Finally, the main house was designed with functional balconies on all sides: each balcony meticulously planned ~ and precisely positioned ~ to both optimize wind flow and frame the property’s most breath-taking views. Stylistically, the goal was to create an authentic Spanish hacienda. Following Old World tradition, the house was anchored around a centralized interior patio in the Moorish style: enclosed on three sides ~ yet open on the fourth (similar to the Alcázar of Seville) ~ to reveal a reflecting pool ~ and mirror the water motif of the home’s magnificent marble fountain. A bell tower, horseshoe arches, a colonnaded,vineyard-style patio, and ornamental Moorish mosaic tilework (“azulejos”) completed this picturesque portrait of a faraway fantasy world of castles, chivalry, and swordsplay, reminiscent of Medieval Spain. Shortly after completion, this showcase home was showcased on the TVE Spanish television series Spaniards Around The World (Españoles Alrededor Del Mundo) as a prime example of authentic Spanish architecture designed outside the peninsula. Not surprising. After all, the story of a fairy-tale retreat as magical as this one deserves a happy ending.

The owners of a charming home in the hills west of Paso Robles recently decided to remodel their not-so-charming kitchen. Referred to San Luis Kitchen by several of their friends, the homeowners visited our showroom and soon decided we were the best people to design a kitchen fitting the style of their home. We were delighted to get to work on the project right away. When we arrived at the house, we found a small, cramped and out-dated kitchen. The ceiling was low, the cabinets old fashioned and painted a stark dead white, and the best view in the house was neglected in a seldom-used breakfast nook (sequestered behind the kitchen peninsula). This kitchen was also handicapped by white tile counters with dark grout, odd-sized and cluttered cabinets, and small ‘desk’ tacked on to the side of the oven cabinet. Due to a marked lack of counter space & inadequate storage the homeowner had resorted to keeping her small appliances on a little cart parked in the corner and the garbage was just sitting by the wall in full view of everything! On the plus side, the kitchen opened into a nice dining room and had beautiful saltillo tile floors. Mrs. Homeowner loves to entertain and often hosts dinner parties for her friends. She enjoys visiting with her guests in the kitchen while putting the finishing touches on the evening’s meal. Sadly, her small kitchen really limited her interactions with her guests – she often felt left out of the mix at her own parties! This savvy homeowner dreamed big – a new kitchen that would accommodate multiple workstations, have space for guests to gather but not be in the way, and maybe a prettier transition from the kitchen to the dining (wine service area or hutch?) – while managing the remodel budget by reusing some of her major appliances and keeping (patching as needed) her existing floors. Responding to the homeowner’s stated wish list and the opportunities presented by the home's setting and existing architecture, the designers at San Luis Kitchen decided to expand the kitchen into the breakfast nook. This change allowed the work area to be reoriented to take advantage of the great view – we replaced the existing window and added another while moving the door to gain space. A second sink and set of refrigerator drawers (housing fresh fruits & veggies) were included for the convenience of this mainly vegetarian cook – her prep station. The clean-up area now boasts a farmhouse style single bowl sink – adding to the ‘cottage’ charm. We located a new gas cook-top between the two workstations for easy access from each. Also tucked in here is a pullout trash/recycle cabinet for convenience and additional drawers for storage. Running parallel to the work counter we added a long butcher-block island with easy-to-access open shelves for the avid cook and seating for friendly guests placed just right to take in the view. A counter-top garage is used to hide excess small appliances. Glass door cabinets and open shelves are now available to display the owners beautiful dishware. The microwave was placed inconspicuously on the end of the island facing the refrigerator – easy access for guests (and extraneous family members) to help themselves to drinks and snacks while staying out of the cook’s way. We also moved the pantry storage away from the dining room (putting it on the far wall and closer to the work triangle) and added a furniture-like hutch in its place allowing the more formal dining area to flow seamlessly into the up-beat work area of the kitchen. This space is now also home (opposite wall) to an under counter wine refrigerator, a liquor cabinet and pretty glass door wall cabinet for stemware storage – meeting Mr. Homeowner’s desire for a bar service area. And then the aesthetic: an old-world style country cottage theme. The homeowners wanted the kitchen to have a warm feel while still loving the look of white cabinetry. San Luis Kitchen melded country-casual knotty pine base cabinets with vintage hand-brushed creamy white wall cabinets to create the desired cottage look. We also added bead board and mullioned glass doors for charm, used an inset doorstyle on the cabinets for authenticity, and mixed stone and wood counters to create an eclectic nuance in the space. All in all, the happy homeowners now boast a charming county cottage kitchen with plenty of space for entertaining their guests while creating gourmet meals to feed them.

The Art Deco furnishings, though large, are proportional to all the architectural elements, complementing the living room. Designed by Josef Hoffman, the club chairs and sofa by Wittman are Art Deco Viennese in style. The coffee table, also black and white, is designed by David Estreich to reflect the geometry of the dining room table, also designed by him. The Hoffman accessories add to the Vienna turn of the century feel. An authentic Art Deco poster looms over the sofa.