Kristina O'Brien
Example of a mid-sized trendy slate floor mudroom design in Portland Maine with blue walls and a white front door

Concrete planter beds with water wise planting including a fruitless olive tree, butterfly bush, kangaroo paws, and assorted succulents.
Design ideas for a mid-sized contemporary drought-tolerant and partial sun backyard landscaping in Los Angeles.

Inspiration for a transitional backyard tile patio remodel in DC Metro with a fireplace and a roof extension

Inspiration for a contemporary kitchen remodel in Nashville

A photo taken of containers filled with golden barrel cactus.
Example of a southwest home design design in Phoenix

Example of a beach style medium tone wood floor dining room design in New Orleans with gray walls and no fireplace

Inspiration for a rustic exterior home remodel in Austin

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.

Example of a southwest bathroom design in Phoenix

Kyle Owen Photography
Kitchen - contemporary kitchen idea in San Francisco

Small trendy 3/4 multicolored tile and pebble tile corner shower photo in Denver with shaker cabinets, white cabinets, beige walls, an undermount sink and marble countertops

Company we were competing against suggest path lights to define tricky curved driveway to avoid drive-offs. Due to snowplowing I knew they would get beat up in a short time so we cored lights strategically placed to define driveway but without giving run-way feel

Screen Door Magnets - Decorate screen windows to add color and style. Decorate Screen Door to avoid accidents
Small elegant patio photo in Charlotte

Example of a mid-sized classic kids' beige tile ceramic tile alcove bathtub design in Houston with an undermount sink, recessed-panel cabinets, white cabinets, solid surface countertops, a two-piece toilet and beige walls

The 1931 built home had a full-height basement, but with many of the original hot water heat pipes hanging low. The boiler was relocated and replaced with a tankless on-demand heat system, allowing for a unobstructed ceiling throughout the space. An egress window was installed, allowing great natural light to flood into a new bedroom; a walk-in closet, office nook and a three-quarter bathroom with a bench seat in the curbless shower. Classic subway tile and hex floor tile compliment the original bathroom upstairs. Skot Weidemann photos

This bathroom was part of a two-story addition. The cabinets feature slab doors and drawers, and an asymmetrical design with room for towel storage. Angled feet in the toe kick space make it feel like custom-fitted furniture.

The master bedroom is on the large side and this allowed for us to borrow some space to make a new closet (since we utilized the old closet space for the new bathroom). Photography by 8183 Studio

Inspiration for a large contemporary u-shaped medium tone wood floor and brown floor eat-in kitchen remodel in Los Angeles with a farmhouse sink, recessed-panel cabinets, black cabinets, quartzite countertops, white backsplash, stone slab backsplash, stainless steel appliances, two islands and white countertops

A basement should be a warm wonderful place to spend time with family in friends. But this one in a Warminster was a dark dingy place that the homeowners avoided. Our team took this blank canvas and added a Bathroom, Bar, and Mud Room. We were able to create a clean and open contemporary look that the home owners love. Now it’s hard to get them upstairs. Their new living space has changed their lives and we are thrilled to have made that possible.