My arbor as an architectural feature in an award-winning landscape by Catherine Smith Designs. The online link is: https://www.hgtv.com/design/packages/hgtv-ultimate-outdoor-awards/2018/peoples-pick-winners.

HONOR AWARD ─ Residential Architecture Project: bm Modular One Location: Bethesda, Maryland Architect: Robert M. Gurney, FAIA, Architect Owner/Developer: Withheld Contractor: Sandy Spring Builders Photographer: Maxwell MacKenzie

Green glass cabinet knobs paired with fresh looking subway tile on the back splash add a pop of color that balances with the fresh color of the table and niche. Chrome accent fixtures, a simple farm house sink, school house pendants, and bead board details finish off this bright and cheerful space. Design Studio West- Karl Utzman NKBA Star Design AWARD WINNER 2014

The home is even more stunning at night, with the diffused light from the fixtures above. Photo by J. Sinclair
Inspiration for a large contemporary formal and open concept medium tone wood floor and brown floor living room remodel in Raleigh with a ribbon fireplace, white walls, a metal fireplace and a media wall

This cluster of two cottage courts is the National Association of Home Builders 50+ Housing Award winner. The cottages are simple yet elegant and are geared toward todays 50+ lifestyle. The Cottages are located within the Village at Saluda River Club. A NAHB BALA award winning community also planned by Allison Ramsey Architects.

This cluster of two cottage courts is the National Association of Home Builders 50+ Housing Award winner. The cottages are simple yet elegant and are geared toward todays 50+ lifestyle. The Cottages are located within the Village at Saluda River Club. A NAHB BALA award winning community also planned by Allison Ramsey Architects.

This cluster of two cottage courts is the National Association of Home Builders 50+ Housing Award winner. The cottages are simple yet elegant and are geared toward todays 50+ lifestyle. The Cottages are located within the Village at Saluda River Club. A NAHB BALA award winning community also planned by Allison Ramsey Architects.

Laundry room - farmhouse laundry room idea in Seattle with white cabinets and a side-by-side washer/dryer

This cluster of two cottage courts is the National Association of Home Builders 50+ Housing Award winner. The cottages are simple yet elegant and are geared toward todays 50+ lifestyle. The Cottages are located within the Village at Saluda River Club. A NAHB BALA award winning community also planned by Allison Ramsey Architects.

This cluster of two cottage courts is the National Association of Home Builders 50+ Housing Award winner. The cottages are simple yet elegant and are geared toward todays 50+ lifestyle. The Cottages are located within the Village at Saluda River Club. A NAHB BALA award winning community also planned by Allison Ramsey Architects.

This cluster of two cottage courts is the National Association of Home Builders 50+ Housing Award winner. The cottages are simple yet elegant and are geared toward todays 50+ lifestyle. The Cottages are located within the Village at Saluda River Club. A NAHB BALA award winning community also planned by Allison Ramsey Architects.

Pool - traditional pool idea in New York

Seeing double: Mirror-image master bath design. Photo by J. Sinclair
Example of a large trendy master gray tile and porcelain tile porcelain tile bathroom design in Raleigh with an undermount sink, gray cabinets, granite countertops, shaker cabinets, a two-piece toilet, gray walls and gray countertops

Black and White master bathroom with forest green vanity cabinets. Even though this bathroom is layered with a lot of details it is truly a tasteful art statement.

The stunning two story dining room in this Bloomfield Hills home, completed in 2015, allows the twenty foot wall of windows and the breathtaking lake views beyond to take center stage as the key focal point. Twin built in buffets grace the two side walls, offering substantial storage and serving space for the generously proportioned room. The floating cabinets are topped with leathered granite mitered countertops in Fantasy Black. The backsplashes feature Peau de Béton, lightweight fiberglass reinforced concrete panels, in a dynamic Onyx finish for a sophisticated industrial look. The custom walnut table sports a metal edge binding, furthering the modern industrial theme of the buffets. The soaring ceiling is treated to a stepped edge detail with indirect LED strip lighting above to provide ambient light to accent the scene below.

A striking island occupies the center of a spacious kitchen in Bloomfield Hills. The HPL backed real wood veneer in Ebony Sabbiata from Tree Frog bridges the tonal distance between the walnut floors and all white cabinets and walls, creating harmony and visual balance. Full height backsplashes in shiny white are laid out in a windmill pattern, punctuated every so often with intricately designed accent squares. A combination of bold veining and delicate blooming on the Calacatta quartzite countertops contributes its subtle energy to the mix. The kitchen is separated into several independent vignettes, each one laid out symmetrically. The vast island with built in sink offers all the prep space a chef could need. The built in cooktop is centered directly behind to facilitate easy cooking, while an additional sink in the clean up area expedites after dinner chores. A walk-pantry and small home office are tucked in behind the refrigerator freezer wall. Multiple lighting details, including lighted cabinet interiors and a lighted display niche above the refrigerator, complete this stunning 2015 lake home.

One of the hallmarks of Prairie style architecture is the integration of a home into the surrounding environment. So it is only fitting for a modern Prairie-inspired home to honor its environment through the use of sustainable materials and energy efficient systems to conserve and protect the earth on which it stands. This modern adaptation of a Prairie home in Bloomfield Hills completed in 2015 uses environmentally friendly materials and systems. Geothermal energy provides the home with a clean and sustainable source of power for the heating and cooling mechanisms, and maximizes efficiency, saving on gas and electric heating and cooling costs all year long. High R value foam insulation contributes to the energy saving and year round temperature control for superior comfort indoors. LED lighting illuminates the rooms, both in traditional light fixtures as well as in lighted shelving, display niches, and ceiling applications. Low VOC paint was used throughout the home in order to maintain the purest possible air quality for years to come. The homeowners will enjoy their beautiful home even more knowing it respects the land, because as Thoreau said, “What is the use of a house if you don’t have a decent planet to put it on?”

CHALLENGE: -Owners want easy to maintain (white) kitchen -Must also serve as a workspace & accommodate three laptops & separate personal files -Existing kitchen has odd, angled wall of cabinets due to configuration of stairs in foyer SOLUTION: -Expand space by removing wall between kitchen & dining room -Relocate dining room into (rarely used) study -Remove columns between kitchen & new dining -Enlarge walk-in pantry by squaring off angles in stair wall -Make pantry entry a camouflaged, surprising feature by creating doors out of cabinetry -Add natural illumination with 6’ picture window -Make ceiling one plane -Add calculated runways of recessed LED lights on dimmers -Lighting leads to dynamic marble back splash behind range on back wall -New double islands & ceiling-high cabinetry quadruple previous counter & storage space -9’ island with seating includes three workstations -Seating island offers under counter electronics charging ports & three shelves of storage per workstation in cabinets directly in front of stools -Behind stools, lower cabinetry provides one drawer & two pull-out shelves per workstation -7’ prep island services 48” paneled refrigerator & 48” gas range & includes 2nd sink, 2nd dishwasher & 2nd trash/recycling station -Wine/beverage chiller located opposite island sink -Both sink spigots are touch-less & are fed by whole-house water filtration system -Independent non-leaching faucet delivers purified, double-pass reverse osmosis drinking water -Exhaust fan for gas range is hidden inside bridge of upper cabinets -Flat, easy-to-clean, custom, stainless-steel plate frames exhaust fan -New built-in window seat in bay window increases seating for informal dining while reducing floor space needed for table and chairs -New configuration allows unobstructed windows & French doors to flood space with natural light & enhances views -Open the screened porch doors to circulate fresh air throughout the home

A hand-made copper chandelier, honed granite, farmhouse sink, colorful tile insert, copper range hood, and custom-built cabinets make for a gorgeous and functional kitchen. Photo by J. Sinclair