Spacecrafting
Bedroom - large coastal master medium tone wood floor and brown floor bedroom idea in Minneapolis with gray walls and no fireplace

Photo credit: Scott McDonald @ Hedrich Blessing 7RR-Ecohome: The design objective was to build a house for a couple recently married who both had kids from previous marriages. How to bridge two families together? The design looks forward in terms of how people live today. The home is an experiment in transparency and solid form; removing borders and edges from outside to inside the house, and to really depict “flowing and endless space”. The house floor plan is derived by pushing and pulling the house’s form to maximize the backyard and minimize the public front yard while welcoming the sun in key rooms by rotating the house 45-degrees to true north. The angular form of the house is a result of the family’s program, the zoning rules, the lot’s attributes, and the sun’s path. We wanted to construct a house that is smart and efficient in terms of construction and energy, both in terms of the building and the user. We could tell a story of how the house is built in terms of the constructability, structure and enclosure, with a nod to Japanese wood construction in the method in which the siding is installed and the exposed interior beams are placed in the double height space. We engineered the house to be smart which not only looks modern but acts modern; every aspect of user control is simplified to a digital touch button, whether lights, shades, blinds, HVAC, communication, audio, video, or security. We developed a planning module based on a 6-foot square room size and a 6-foot wide connector called an interstitial space for hallways, bathrooms, stairs and mechanical, which keeps the rooms pure and uncluttered. The house is 6,200 SF of livable space, plus garage and basement gallery for a total of 9,200 SF. A large formal foyer celebrates the entry and opens up to the living, dining, kitchen and family rooms all focused on the rear garden. The east side of the second floor is the Master wing and a center bridge connects it to the kid’s wing on the west. Second floor terraces and sunscreens provide views and shade in this suburban setting. The playful mathematical grid of the house in the x, y and z axis also extends into the layout of the trees and hard-scapes, all centered on a suburban one-acre lot. Many green attributes were designed into the home; Ipe wood sunscreens and window shades block out unwanted solar gain in summer, but allow winter sun in. Patio door and operable windows provide ample opportunity for natural ventilation throughout the open floor plan. Minimal windows on east and west sides to reduce heat loss in winter and unwanted gains in summer. Open floor plan and large window expanse reduces lighting demands and maximizes available daylight. Skylights provide natural light to the basement rooms. Durable, low-maintenance exterior materials include stone, ipe wood siding and decking, and concrete roof pavers. Design is based on a 2' planning grid to minimize construction waste. Basement foundation walls and slab are highly insulated. FSC-certified walnut wood flooring was used. Light colored concrete roof pavers to reduce cooling loads by as much as 15%. 2x6 framing allows for more insulation and energy savings. Super efficient windows have low-E argon gas filled units, and thermally insulated aluminum frames. Permeable brick and stone pavers reduce the site’s storm-water runoff. Countertops use recycled composite materials. Energy-Star rated furnaces and smart thermostats are located throughout the house to minimize duct runs and avoid energy loss. Energy-Star rated boiler that heats up both radiant floors and domestic hot water. Low-flow toilets and plumbing fixtures are used to conserve water usage. No VOC finish options and direct venting fireplaces maintain a high interior air quality. Smart home system controls lighting, HVAC, and shades to better manage energy use. Plumbing runs through interior walls reducing possibilities of heat loss and freezing problems. A large food pantry was placed next to kitchen to reduce trips to the grocery store. Home office reduces need for automobile transit and associated CO2 footprint. Plan allows for aging in place, with guest suite than can become the master suite, with no need to move as family members mature.

Originally a nearly three-story tall 1920’s European-styled home was turned into a modern villa for work and home. A series of low concrete retaining wall planters and steps gradually takes you up to the second level entry, grounding or anchoring the house into the site, as does a new wrap around veranda and trellis. Large eave overhangs on the upper roof were designed to give the home presence and were accented with a Mid-century orange color. The new master bedroom addition white box creates a better sense of entry and opens to the wrap around veranda at the opposite side. Inside the owners live on the lower floor and work on the upper floor with the garage basement for storage, archives and a ceramics studio. New windows and open spaces were created for the graphic designer owners; displaying their mid-century modern furnishings collection. A lot of effort went into attempting to lower the house visually by bringing the ground plane higher with the concrete retaining wall planters, steps, wrap around veranda and trellis, and the prominent roof with exaggerated overhangs. That the eaves were painted orange is a cool reflection of the owner’s Dutch heritage. Budget was a driver for the project and it was determined that the footprint of the home should have minimal extensions and that the new windows remain in the same relative locations as the old ones. Wall removal was utilized versus moving and building new walls where possible. Photo Credit: John Sutton Photography.

Hot tub - rustic hot tub idea in Manchester

Photography by Anna Herbst
Inspiration for a mid-sized transitional master light wood floor bedroom remodel in New York with beige walls

This well used but dreary bathroom was ready for an update but this time, materials were selected that not only looked great but would stand the test of time. The large steam shower (6x6') was like a dark cave with one glass door allowing light. To create a brighter shower space and the feel of an even larger shower, the wall was removed and full glass panels now allowed full sunlight streaming into the shower which avoids the growth of mold and mildew in this newly brighter space which also expands the bathroom by showing all the spaces. Originally the dark shower was permeated with cracks in the marble marble material and bench seat so mold and mildew had a home. The designer specified Porcelain slabs for a carefree un-penetrable material that had fewer grouted seams and added luxury to the new bath. Although Quartz is a hard material and fine to use in a shower, it is not suggested for steam showers because there is some porosity. A free standing bench was fabricated from quartz which works well. A new free standing, hydrotherapy tub was installed allowing more free space around the tub area and instilling luxury with the use of beautiful marble for the walls and flooring. A lovely crystal chandelier emphasizes the height of the room and the lovely tall window.. Two smaller vanities were replaced by a larger U shaped vanity allotting two corner lazy susan cabinets for storing larger items. The center cabinet was used to store 3 laundry bins that roll out, one for towels and one for his and one for her delicates. Normally this space would be a makeup dressing table but since we were able to design a large one in her closet, she felt laundry bins were more needed in this bathroom. Instead of constructing a closet in the bathroom, the designer suggested an elegant glass front French Armoire to not encumber the space with a wall for the closet.The new bathroom is stunning and stops the heart on entering with all the luxurious amenities.

Waypoint Cabinetry, 720, Painted Butterscotch, Glaze
Example of a large country medium tone wood floor kitchen design with a farmhouse sink, raised-panel cabinets, yellow cabinets, granite countertops, red backsplash, brick backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

Modern kitchen with rift-cut white oak cabinetry and a natural stone island.
Inspiration for a mid-sized contemporary light wood floor and beige floor kitchen remodel in Minneapolis with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, quartzite countertops, beige backsplash, quartz backsplash, stainless steel appliances, an island and beige countertops

Jeff Russell
Laundry closet - small transitional single-wall medium tone wood floor and brown floor laundry closet idea in Minneapolis with a single-bowl sink, white cabinets, gray walls, a stacked washer/dryer and shaker cabinets

Beach style bathroom photo in Portland Maine with recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, multicolored walls and gray countertops

Traditionally detailed laundry room. The lattice screened cabinet is actually the end point for the laundry chute. Clothes on the floor above travel down a chute and into this cabinet.

A tub shower transformed into a standing open shower. A concrete composite vanity top incorporates the sink and counter making it low maintenance. Photography by Jacob Hand

Room Design by Sari Sunshine Photograph by Fine Photography By Stephanie
Inspiration for a contemporary blue floor bedroom remodel in New York

Example of a large transitional master beige floor freestanding bathtub design in Atlanta with beige walls

Example of a transitional kitchen design in Chicago

Modern Classic Coastal Living room with an inviting seating arrangement. Classic paisley drapes with iron drapery hardware against Sherwin-Williams Lattice grey paint color SW 7654. Keep it classic - Despite being a thoroughly traditional aesthetic wing back chairs fit perfectly with modern marble table. An Inspiration for a classic living room in San Diego with grey, beige, turquoise, blue colour combination. Sand Kasl Imaging

Kitchen/dining room combo - mid-sized transitional light wood floor and brown floor kitchen/dining room combo idea in Philadelphia with white walls

Inspiration for a modern single-wall concrete floor home design remodel in New York with a double-bowl sink, flat-panel cabinets, gray cabinets, solid surface countertops, brown backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island

White oak vanity
Alcove bathtub - mid-sized contemporary 3/4 white tile and ceramic tile ceramic tile, gray floor and double-sink alcove bathtub idea in Minneapolis with flat-panel cabinets, light wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, a vessel sink, quartz countertops, white countertops and a niche