Example of a mid-sized 1950s u-shaped porcelain tile and gray floor eat-in kitchen design in Los Angeles with an undermount sink, flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and white countertops

Chandler Photography
Inspiration for a rustic bathroom remodel in Other

Inspiration for a cottage exterior home remodel in Other

2010 NATIONAL NARI REGIONAL AWARD WINNER Project Scope The owners of this 7,000 square foot colonial in Oakton, Virginia, were seeking a multi-level Mediterranean-style indoor/outdoor living space off the back of their home. They turned to Michael Nash Design, Build & Homes for a design solution that would include a stone patio, a second-story deck, a screened-in porch and linking staircases. While the structure was designed primarily for family dining and entertaining, it also had to accommodate periodic social gatherings of one hundred guests or more. To meet these needs, the project would include a fully-equipped outdoor kitchen, several serving counters with permanent refrigeration, and well-delineated socializing and dining zones. The existing home’s setting offered several impressive assets the new outdoor living area was designed to exploit. The sprawling acreage features old stand trees, wooded paths and a private lake. Beautifully landscaped, it unfolds as an idyllic panorama that naturally draws people to the outdoors. Challenges Since the rear elevation was situated on a slope that drops away from the house, the Michael Nash team had to raise the grade two feet within in a 2,000 square foot area extending out from the back of the house. Infrastructure plans also called for a sophisticated drainage system that had to accommodate a whole series of water “runoff” considerations to be integrated into the decking itself. Excavation included constructing retaining walls to bolster the elevated grade—which also had to support a concrete slab, the primary foundation for the entire complex. Solutions The ground level decking consists of a 2,000 square foot flagstone patio level with the home’s lower level doors. There is a decorative water fountain mid-patio—an ornate collectible acquired in Florida. Food preparation is concentrated within a specially designed semi-circular wall that creates an “outdoor kitchen” equipped with a 60” Viking barbecue grill, a prep sink, a warming drawer, refrigerator and appropriate storage. There is a granite surfaced dining counter with seating for eight. Wrought iron railing and approximately 20 decorative columns (some encasing steel vertical supports) are incorporated into the design scheme. Many of the columns house accent lights. The top level—supported by horizontal steel beams– is a 2,500 square foot deck constructed entirely of Trex decking. The open air decking is, again, directly accessible from rooms on the second level of the house including the kitchen, sunroom and family room. The platform’s most prominent feature is a U-shaped “kitchenette” with cedar shake shingle roofing. Like its counterpart one level below, the facility is equipped with grill, refrigerator and stainless steel cabinetry. One portion of the deck has been allocated for a 16’ x 16’ octagonal screened-in porch crowned by a pair of 2’ x 4’ skylights. The porch can be accessed from the home’s conservatory via a set of French doors. With its mosaic tile flooring, stained cedar panel ceiling and honed granite counters, the interior is elegant and calming. Hand-painted stenciling and a wall-mounted water feature provide distinctive detailing. Finally, the design introduced elements to highlight and reinforce an awareness of the lovely bucolic setting. Fountains and water features combined with textured surfaces and mosaic tiling and backsplashes to present a villa-like ambiance well-suited to the Virginia countryside.

Photo credits: 2A Marketing Kansas City, Missouri
Example of a huge trendy beige two-story stone exterior home design in Chicago

The Cicero is a modern styled home for today’s contemporary lifestyle. It features sweeping facades with deep overhangs, tall windows, and grand outdoor patio. The contemporary lifestyle is reinforced through a visually connected array of communal spaces. The kitchen features a symmetrical plan with large island and is connected to the dining room through a wide opening flanked by custom cabinetry. Adjacent to the kitchen, the living and sitting rooms are connected to one another by a see-through fireplace. The communal nature of this plan is reinforced downstairs with a lavish wet-bar and roomy living space, perfect for entertaining guests. Lastly, with vaulted ceilings and grand vistas, the master suite serves as a cozy retreat from today’s busy lifestyle. Photographer: Brad Gillette

Karen Melvin Photography

The project is a single-family home designed to amplify the awareness of nature through the manipulation of key viewpoints. Photo credit: Ben Hill
Inspiration for a contemporary living room remodel in Houston

This residence was a complete gut renovation of a 4-story row house in Park Slope, and included a new rear extension and penthouse addition. The owners wished to create a warm, family home using a modern language that would act as a clean canvas to feature rich textiles and items from their world travels. As with most Brooklyn row houses, the existing house suffered from a lack of natural light and connection to exterior spaces, an issue that Principal Brendan Coburn is acutely aware of from his experience re-imagining historic structures in the New York area. The resulting architecture is designed around moments featuring natural light and views to the exterior, of both the private garden and the sky, throughout the house, and a stripped-down language of detailing and finishes allows for the concept of the modern-natural to shine. Upon entering the home, the kitchen and dining space draw you in with views beyond through the large glazed opening at the rear of the house. An extension was built to allow for a large sunken living room that provides a family gathering space connected to the kitchen and dining room, but remains distinctly separate, with a strong visual connection to the rear garden. The open sculptural stair tower was designed to function like that of a traditional row house stair, but with a smaller footprint. By extending it up past the original roof level into the new penthouse, the stair becomes an atmospheric shaft for the spaces surrounding the core. All types of weather – sunshine, rain, lightning, can be sensed throughout the home through this unifying vertical environment. The stair space also strives to foster family communication, making open living spaces visible between floors. At the upper-most level, a free-form bench sits suspended over the stair, just by the new roof deck, which provides at-ease entertaining. Oak was used throughout the home as a unifying material element. As one travels upwards within the house, the oak finishes are bleached to further degrees as a nod to how light enters the home. The owners worked with CWB to add their own personality to the project. The meter of a white oak and blackened steel stair screen was designed by the family to read “I love you” in Morse Code, and tile was selected throughout to reference places that hold special significance to the family. To support the owners’ comfort, the architectural design engages passive house technologies to reduce energy use, while increasing air quality within the home – a strategy which aims to respect the environment while providing a refuge from the harsh elements of urban living. This project was published by Wendy Goodman as her Space of the Week, part of New York Magazine’s Design Hunting on The Cut. Photography by Kevin Kunstadt

As Arlene Ladegaard of Design Connection, Inc. commenced work in other areas of the client’s house, the homeowner began to see the transitions and grow more aware of design trends, and decided to add his master bathroom to the scope of the project. In the master shower, 4 “x 18” tiles are used vertically, and a niche was fabricated using marble tile with chrome accents. The entrance to the shower has a zero clearance entry for easy access, while the Euro glass enclosure give the bathroom a high end edge. Design Connection Inc. provided for this project: space plans, elevations, tile, lighting, material selections, wallpaper, liaison with the contractor, and project management.

The project is a single-family home designed to amplify the awareness of nature through the manipulation of key viewpoints. Photo credit: Ben Hill
Contemporary exterior home idea in Houston

Susan and Doug loved their two-story home set on a lovely large and secluded wooded lot in a quiet and centrally located neighborhood in Apex, NC. They decided that they would retire in the home, but were aware of their need to transition to a first-floor fully accessible living environment as they aged so that they could remain in their home as long as possible. Our solution was to design and build a first-floor Master Bedroom suite that flows seamlessly into the other living areas on their first floor, and also serves to bring more of the “outdoors in”, allowing them to enjoy more of their lovely large wooded back yard and gardens. The Aging in Place and Special Needs Accessible Master Bedroom Suite Addition transformed their two-story home into a fully accessible and functional 1st Floor retirement home, with guest suites on the 2nd Floor! The Master Suite Addition features a large master bedroom with generous windows that looks out on the lovely wooded back yard and creates a light and bright interior. The large master bathroom features an amazing tiled barrier-free shower, large closet, free-standing tub, and fully wheelchair accessible water closet. Beautiful natural finish hardwood floors flow into the fully wheelchair accessible and barrio-free kitchen, dining room, and family room. The large wrap-around deck extends the living space into the large private back yard, and ties the master bedroom in with the screened porch. Special Features: Fully Aging in Place and Special Needs Accessible 1st Floor Home. Generous windows to bring in natural light and the lovely private and wooded back yard. Energy efficient advanced building science techniques. Amazing tiled barrier-free shower and master bath. Integration of sentimental heirloom vanity and several hand-made pottery vessel sinks. Beautiful natural finish hardwood floors. Wrap-around deck that extends the barrier-free living spaces into the private back yard.

The new modern vanity includes stained walnut flat panel cabinets and is topped with white Quartz and matte black fixtures.
Example of a mid-sized 1960s kids' white tile and ceramic tile porcelain tile, black floor and double-sink bathroom design in Dallas with flat-panel cabinets, medium tone wood cabinets, a two-piece toilet, white walls, an undermount sink, quartz countertops, white countertops and a freestanding vanity

Inspiration for a timeless exterior home remodel in Portland

Jay Groccia © 2014 Granite Communications, inc.
Bathroom - contemporary bathroom idea in Boston

Photo by: gaelicwinter Glass by: VanGO Glass
Inspiration for a large modern master white tile and glass tile pebble tile floor walk-in shower remodel in Vancouver

Amy Renea
Island style home design photo in Other

Photography by Laura Hull.
Example of a large classic white two-story wood exterior home design in San Francisco with a shingle roof

Example of a mid-sized transitional l-shaped concrete floor and gray floor open concept kitchen design in Montreal with an undermount sink, shaker cabinets, white cabinets, quartz countertops, white backsplash, glass tile backsplash, stainless steel appliances and an island